HighFiber: August 2025

Monday, August 25, 2025

Madroña!

As it was Member Appreciation Week at Madroña Vineyards, several people from the pop-up meetings (wine-drinking and socializing parties) were going to the winery. We suddenly decided to drive down to California to visit the Madroña Vineyards and see the people from this group who could make it and would be there when we could go.

We had to reschedule some appointments, but we managed. We left on Thursday and stopped for the night in Corning, California. We had planned to stay at a roadside rest there, but it was hotter than Hades, and we ~~wanted~~ needed to use our AC to keep cool, so we quickly made a reservation at Heritage RV Campground and Resort right before they closed their office for the day.

They have a nice little gravel dog run, which we used several times, as it was very close to our site. Friday morning we were off again, completing the trip to Placerville RV Resort and Campground around lunchtime.

The first thing Charlie did after getting us hooked up was take a nap with the dogs. It was a very long drive, especially pulling a trailer.

This campground has a large grassy play area for dogs. Each time we took advantage of the off-leash area we found more tennis balls, to Dusty and Sandy's delight. We left the balls when we went back to the RPod, but the dogs sure had fun while we were there.

Saturday was the big day. We had agreed to meet with some of the people from the pop-up meetings (referred to as "Zoomies") who could be there at noon. We had checked to see if the dogs would be welcome inside, and they were. I'm not sure we could have gone without that, because leaving them so long in the RPod might not have been good, and the cost of boarding them while we were gone would have cut into our finances. We had looked into staying at a motel, but it was going to cost almost as much to do that as to board them. It turned out to be cheaper to take the RPod and the dogs. We enjoy their company anyway, and it has worked out well. The four of us (having 12 legs in all between us) arrived at Madroña right on time. Four of our friends from the pop-ups were already there. We went down to the cellar where big tanks of wine were busy fermenting.

We recognized each other from our Zoom meetings, so no introductions were needed. We got a group photo right away.

The owners' daughter Tessa works in the "tasting room." She took some of the group photos and proved to be competent with a variety of cameras and devices. For "Member Appreciation Week," we, as members, each received our choice of a couple of flights of wines, along with a little box of munchies for each couple. It was hard to choose our wines, because there were so many options.

I had taken one copy of each of my books to give out to the people in our group. I let them pick which ones they wanted. One of the participants had made some chocolates to share. She's also an artist, so we looked at photos of some of her paintings.

Paul, the owner of the winery, who runs the place, left his activity of the day (harvesting zucchini to give to people in need) because he knew we all would be there and wanted to visit with us. Another member of our pop-up group Zoomies showed up a little later. We didn't recognize her face, but we knew her voice, because during meetings, she shows up as a black rectangle with her name in white in the middle.

Of course, we needed another group photo, as the group had enlarged.

While we were there some other people we knew from the group showed up. It was like a party. After we were done with wine-tasting and discussing what we liked, the in-person meeting broke up, and some people left. The rest of us sat at one of the tables upstairs and chatted some more, while the pups took a nap on the floor.

We didn't buy any wine on Saturday, but instead took the list of options home to mull over. (Mulled wine?) We planned to go back Sunday morning to pick up our selections. I'm not a fan of chardonnay, but I really like Madroña's chardonnay, especially the 2024 vintage, so that was one of our choices. We arrived back at the tasting room before they got too busy. Tammy, who is also one of the "Zoomies," works in the tasting room. We had seen her on Saturday, so we could take the time to chat and discuss what we wanted to take home. She had plenty of time to put together our order before Tessa arrived and other customers began to appear. Then things got busy and they had to help other people.

They took a moment to pose for a photo, though, before we left to eat our lunch outdoors.

As they both got to work, we went outside to sit at one of the tables under the trees and eat our peanut-butter sandwiches and feed the dogs. It was pleasantly warm, but much cooler than the day before. After lunch, I got a photo of Charlie and the dogs posing by the big sign in front of the tasting room.

I also got some photos of the grape vines posing with actual grapes on them.

After lunch, we went back inside and picked up our wine, along with a couple of Madroña glasses.

From there, we went to Lava Cap Winery, where we picked up a couple more bottles of wine. Then we went on into Placerville, where Charlie bought some beer from Eldorado Brewing Company, which he had read about.

It was almost midafternoon when we arrived back at Placerville RV Resort and Campground to pack up, disconnect the trailer and take off. We got gas, then started our trip home. We pulled in to our campground in Corning, California, again, about 7:00 PM. We had to put everything back on the shelves and hook up to utilities before I could fix supper. We still had approximately 325 miles to go to reach home.

Today we are finishing the trip. We may even have reached home as you read this. Tomorrow will be a busy day, with dogs going to the groomer, andI have a doctor's appointment. In the evening, guess what we're doing? It's another Madroña pop-up Zoom meeting!

I have a lot of difficulty responding to comments to my blog posts because of technical issues beyond my control (my lack of understanding of how things work). Message me on Facebook, Ravelry or Spoutible if you need information.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon and B&N and search for More Classic Tales Retold or Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart". Every click on the page for the book makes it more likely they will keep a good supply in their warehouse and stores. If you are outside the US, you may have a separate website for these retailers. If you have a copy of any of our books, including Emil, Mariah, Classic Tales Retold, Our Favorite Verses or More Classic Tales Retold, please leave an honest review on the websites, especially if you bought from them.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: I finished the binding off of The Love of Spiders shawl by Melanie Berg. It still needs blocking. Done swatching for Gentle Spirit Tee. I had to go down a needle size. I'm working on the shoulder short rows

What's on my iPhone: We listened to Patricia Cornwell's Southern Cross during the trip, finishing just a few minutes before we arrived home.

What's on my sewing machine: Still waiting on something new.

What's in my hoop: My whole cloth quilt. Still filling in the rest of the border.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: A Ski Trip for Jolena takes us back to when Emil was fairly new in the family, and he finds out that Jolena is going on a ski trip with the Doll Ski Team, but it's summer. Billy explains how the Southern Hemisphere is having winter right now, and the boys help Jolena get ready to go, but who will cook for the family while she's gone?

What's my tip of the week: For camping, when we have access to a microwave, I make enough coffee for several days and store it in bottles in the fridge. It really simplifies breakfast time.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog, and they are reproduced in print with a few changes.

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook. Poems included are Valentine's Day, Keeping Pets, Back to School, Victor the Vulture, The Week Before Christmas, Insomnia and Veronika's Vocabulary Verses.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

Coming in a few months: Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less, because the vendor gets a cut. My author's page at Book Baby is here. Scroll down and click on any of the books that interest you. Find my books at Barbara's Bookstore as well.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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Monday, August 18, 2025

Getting Out

You may remember that I was unable to get a "Real ID" because my name on my birth certificate doesn't match my Social Security, so I had to apply for a new passport. My old passport had expired too long ago to be renewed online, so I had to fill out the application and make an appointment at the post office. My passport was approved and got to me fairly quickly, although there was no rush, as I do not yet have travel plans.

I remember the days when we could travel back and forth across our northern and southern borders without a passport. One time, coming back from Mexico, I had to submit to another smallpox shot because I didn't have my shot record with me. That was the last one I ever got, bringing the total to at least six vaccinations for a disease which has since become virtually eradicated, although it is still kept in a couple of laboratories for research purposes.

Progress on the whole-cloth quilt continues. The last corner is to the lower right in this photo, and the hoop shows where I am currently working. After that corner, there is about three-fourths of the border edge to complete. Stay tuned.

A good part of the week was spend with going over the music for the Summer Choir concert, which happened yesterday. To say it was a success, would be an understatement. Helpers had to go into a different part of the building to get folding chairs, as the seats were full well before the start time at 4:00 PM, and people were still coming in. The balcony was full, as well as all the seats on the main floor. I don't know what the fire marshal would have said. Some choir members had left their seats to use the restroom before the performance, and audience members were trying to take their seats, as the huge choir filled about 1/4 of the main floor area.

this is what it looked like on the main floor at 3:30, right after they opened the doors for the public. To the right is another large section of seats, and then the balcony. They eventually filled the smaller area behind the choir with folding chairs. Fortunately, even though many people could not see the choir, we could be heard well throughout the building.

Also this week was another Madroña pop-up meeting, a visit to physical therapy (for my back, which is improving), a walk every day with the dogs, more bread and granola baking and, of course, the usual cooking and laundry.

For some cuteness, here's a photo of our two new grandkitties. They are three months old, siblings, one male (the orange tabby) and one female (the sortie). I haven't met them yet, but am looking forward to it. Our granddog, Louis, has not yet been formally introduced to them, but the blankets they use have been traded back and forth, so they can get used to each other's smell. (A good idea!) Louis came into the home with cats, so it is hoped that he will take them as normal family members and not prey. It helps that they are still babies.

We have plans to travel down to California the end of this week to attend an event at Madroña. We're probably just taking the car. It will be another busy week.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Two rows to go with The Love of Spiders shawl by Melanie Berg. No progress on swatching for Gentle Spirit Tee.

What's on my iPhone: Finished listing to music for Summer Choir and ready to get back to audiobooks.

What's on my sewing machine: Still waiting on something new.

What's in my hoop: My whole cloth quilt. Still filling in the rest of the border.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: This story from April, 2020, finds Mariah celebrating Ramadan. Emil wonders why she isn't pretending to eat or drink during the day, and the dolls discuss how religion and science are different, in Beliefs and Facts.

What's my tip of the week: When I scoop yoghurt out of a container, I rinse the spoon off under running water first, so the yoghurt doesn't stick to the spoon so much.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog, and they are reproduced in print with a few changes.

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

Coming in a few months: Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook.

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Monday, August 11, 2025

Into the Woods

We backed into our site at La Pine State Park on Monday a little after 3:15 PM, the first to arrive. Jim had expected to be there by 3:00 PM, but he was a little late leaving Florence.

The kids had a longer trip down from their home in the Portland area, but they had their tent set up well before suppertime. Our site was right next to an overflow parking area for two cars, so they parked there. It was convenient for lugging stuff to the campsite.

We had a lot of activities during each day, including time for the guys to play a card game at the big picnic table.

The dogs were interested in the little ground squirrels that scampered about or came to beg for scraps. (We didn't feed the squirrels, but I'm sure they found some crumbs.)

Sandy likes attention. I think that's what he's begging for in this photo, because Daddy wasn't eating, which is the other thing we do that interests Sandy.

We got in a lot of hiking, mostly through the woods. During the four days we were there we hiked over 10 miles, total. That would have been too much for me all at once these days, but it was a number of shorter hikes with rests and other activities in between.

Several times we started out at the big off-leash area adjacent to the campground. Dusty had some competition for getting the ball in Louis, who is pretty fast. Dusty's a good sport, though, and likes a challenge. (He also goes nuts when he sees someone has a Chuck-it!) The boys did most of the ball-throwing, so we could just watch and enjoy. Keeping track of three balls in this huge area was a challenge, though. While the two older dogs competed for one ball, we threw another ball in a different direction for Sandy, because he won't go after the ball if he sees Dusty is going after it.

I caught Dusty in mid-shake in this photo, taken at the river where the kids threw sticks into the water for Sandy, the only real water dog in the family. The others got wet, but didn't really swim, and a drink or two is always appreciated.

We visited the McGregor Memorial Viewpoint again, so the kids and Jim could see it. We each found a place to sit in the shade and eat our sandwiches. Well, Jim doesn't pack sandwiches; he has something like granola bars to take on hikes. We all ate, though, even the dogs.

From there we continued on to the trail through the Cougar Woods that leads to Big Tree. We stopped to admire the very old and fat Ponderosa Pine and then walked on to the riverbank nearby. We spent a little bit of time there, watching occasional kayakers float by.

A lady was swimming in the river near us. The dogs went to the water to get a drink.

We did a little bird watching. Although I didn't see them I heard there was an occasional osprey (aka "Sea Hawk" or "River Hawk") flying over or chirping in the woods.

Sandy, as always, was drawn to the water.

After we got back to the campsite, everyone was ready for a rest. Louis just plopped down in the dirt by the table.

Dusty and Sandy prefer the bed in the R-Pod, where Sandy's Lamb Chop was waiting.

I think Soren hadn't planned on falling asleep in the middle of reading all about the Eurasian red squirrel, but he did.

Here's the screenshot from Tuesday's long hike, captured from the Walk for a Dog app from WoofTrax.

We had a few mosquito bites, and I fell on one of the trails through the campground, doing a face plant in the dirt. I was worried about my front teeth, but they were fine. the fat lip only lasted a couple of hours. The red rings under my eyes were almost gone by the next day, and all I have left as I write this is a tiny scab on my forehead that's hidden by my hair.

Also of note, you may remember I baked a rather funny-looking carob cake for Jim's and Alexa's birthdays. It was pretty ugly, but it was delicious. Jim had baked some brownies, and I had one, even though I'm supposed to avoid chocolate. (Camping is a vacation, right?) When I got out of the shower at home after the trip, I weighed myself. I had lost more than three pounds. I should go on TikTok and tout my "Cake and Brownie Diet," although I suspect it was all the hiking and other activity that did it.

Before we left to go camping we took Dusty to the vet to have an odd lump between his toes looked at. Our groomer had discovered it during the last grooming appointment. The vet aspirated it and sent it off for cytology analysis. We got the good news when we got back that it's benign. However it was pretty red by then, so we're planning to have it removed. It probably got irritated with all the running and hiking we did, and he sometimes licks it, so we think it's bothering him, and we do a lot of camping and hiking, so it's better to have it off.

I didn't get a lot of knitting done, but some progress, so I'm getting close to the end of my The Love of Spiders Shawl.

I didn't take the quilt along on the camping trip. It would have almost filled the R-Pod! However, I worked on it a bit while at home and am almost done with the third corner.

I missed Summer Choir Monday night, so I will have some catching up to do with the music. Our recital is next Sunday, so I'll have to spend some time on it this week. Also on the schedule is washing the trailer sheets and the usual cooking and other chores. It's going to be very hot for a few days, so it will be good to be indoors. I just hope when it cools off again, the air quality will still be good enough to walk with the pups.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Almost done with The Love of Spiders shawl by Melanie Berg. No progress on swatching for Gentle Spirit Tee.

What's on my iPhone: Still reading The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. Haven’t made much progress. Listing to music for Summer Choir.

What's on my sewing machine: Still waiting on something new.

What's in my hoop: My whole cloth quilt. Still filling in the rest of the border.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Unmasked! is a retelling of the story of "The Shoemaker and the Elves," with the characters from The Doll's Storybook playing the elves. An old woman is making face masks for the local hospital, and the dolls decide to help.

What's my tip of the week: I really enjoy my convection oven. I use it for all my baking where the pan(s) used are small enough. I've found that my bread bakes more evenly if I put it on the rack, rather than on the turntable, but it browns more on the backside than the front, so I turn it halfway through the baking time. The oven goes off at the end of the baking time, so if I set it for half of the time, it's done before the bread is, so I set it for the total baking time and then set the timer on my stove for half of the time. When that goes off, I rotate the pan and it finishes baking.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog, and they are reproduced in print with a few changes.

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

Coming in a few months: Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook.

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