Let's start this blog post with some projects, since I'm "High Fiber." The table in our RPod isn't fastened to anything. I guess the idea was that we could take the table outside to eat, if we didn't have a picnic table in our campsite. Good idea, which we have't ever tried out. To keep the table in place when we're moving, there's a strap that fastens to the seats on each side of the dinette, that goes over the top of the table. We usually store our wine and beer under the table, so that helps keep it from moving around too much, also. However, it rubs against the front wall, right under the window, so we've taken to using a tablecloth to protect the wall. The tablecloth was too big, so I decided to make one to fit it. We picked up the fabric at Walmart, and I cut it and hemmed it all around the edges. (The hummingbird feeder hangs out in the dinette area when not in use.)
I even cut off the corner, so it would hang the same amount on all sides. I have enough fabric left for something, maybe a couple of dish towels. (You can see where the corner is cut off to match the shape of the table in this photo. The strap that holds the table in place is also visible under the table, along with the table legs and my little child-sized broom.
While I was getting the fabric for the tablecloth, I picked up some nylon tulle for some more pot scrubbers.
The "decor" in the trailer is turquoise and grey, influenced by the rugs I made for the 5th wheel we had, which I altered to fit the RPod. It's amazing how much dirt and sand these rugs can hold. I take them out and shake them every couple of days when we're camping. It cuts down on the sweeping.
A little progress on The Love of Spiders Shawl happened. It's getting easy.
However, I decided I had better put some time in on the whole cloth quilt, too, because the pattern printed on the fabric is fading. It's designed to wash out, like those iron-on embroidery patterns. I can still see the pattern well with reading glasses, though, and I managed to get some progress in on it, as well.
Some cooking happened. I made a silken-tofu spread for sandwiches. It can also be used as a dip. Charlie brought home some mangos, so I made some mango pudding, also using the silken tofu. We replenished our supply of carob powder, and I baked some carob-oatmeal cookies with carob chips. (They're high in fiber, too, by the way.)
Here's the recipe, adapted from one I found on a website called Yum Eating.
Charlie brought home a whole package of celery stalks when he did the grocery shopping. I still had most of a package in the fridge. It was NOT on the list. (Neither were the mangos.) I had to do something with the old celery, so I made celery soup. I had to search for a recipe. I found one here. I had to adapt it, of course, because I didn't have any of the fresh herbs it called for, and I wanted to do it in my slow cooker. it was pretty good.
Sandy went to the groomer on Tuesday and returned home looking very dapper. It won't last long. His hair grows very fast. Dusty didn't need grooming yet, because his was put off by an injury, which has since healed, and he only was groomed on May 13th. He was going to go back on June 10th, but we will be camping again, so we moved his appointment to the same day as Sandy's next one. Dusty will be looking pretty shaggy by then. The boys posed for me on the front porch before a walk.
I had noticed this plant next to the sidewalk in front of a neighbor's house early in the week when walking the dogs. I immediately thought it looked like houndstongue. We encountered it often in Utah, but I had never seen it in Oregon, so I thought I must be mistaken. I took a photo, so I could look it up.
Sure enough, it was houndstongue. This weed is toxic to some species of livestock, but more impactful to us, personally, the seeds are shaped like watermelon seeds only with an outer layer of Velcro hooks. They stick to your clothes and are very difficult to remove. They also love to cling to dogs' fur, especially poodles. On Saturday, we knocked on the neighbor's door and told them about it. We offered to remove it. The woman said if we couldn't, she would see to it, but after our walk, Charlie went back with his shovel and dug it up, roots and all. I did my part and reported it to USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center. I don't know why I was surprised to learn that it was already in Oregon. I've just not seen it here before.
This was our Friday walk. Saturday's was the same, but without the lower end, which is the trail to the recreation center. It was very hot. I'm going to have to start carrying a spray bottle of water again, to spray the dogs (and myself) when it's that hot.
You may remember these jeans planters, which I've posted before. It's always entertaining to see what this homeowner has done to the outside of his fence along the Larkspur Trail. He put these portholes in for his dog awhile back. Now he has turned one of them into an astronaut. Cute and funny at the same time.
Our kalanchoe plant is blooming. It isn't a very pretty plant, so I pruned it, and when this is through blooming, I'll cut this stalk off, too.
Outside, the fruit trees are getting some attention. The birds and squirrels usually get the fruit before we have a chance to, but eventually the trees will be big enough to feed everyone. I wonder if we'll still be around then.
There's always a new scam. I went to UDOT's website to report this one, and right there on the home page was a warning about this very thing. I reported it, but they already knew about it. I gave UDOT my contact info in case they want to get more information. We used a toll road in Illinois last summer, but other than that, we have not been on any toll roads in years.
I read through my manuscript again, made some changes and am fairly satisfied that it's ready to go to my proofreaders, two of whom will be in Ireland in another week or so as our daughter's family and our younger son's family connect there and then vacation separately.
Stay safe. Be kind to others and enjoy life!
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What's in The Doll's Storybook: Mariah is featured in this week's story from The Doll's Storybook. She needs to write an essay, but she's having trouble finding a place without distractions. Here's Being Distracted.
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