Pics from the Past Week or So

Our California family is currently winging their way back home and it's time for Mama and Papa Pea to put their work clothes back on and dive into chores needing to be done!

But first, a quick (although lengthy in pictures) recap of what's been going on the last week and a half.

We did manage to take M & D on a hike or two before the smoke from the forest fires in our area got too thick.

A little rest at the top at the spectacular overlook. Papa Pea's brother M and his wife D in the foreground, Papa Pea in background.

Papa Pea in a contemplative pose.

M & D on the return trail ahead of us after going down one area of steep steps. Much easier going down than coming up!

We did coerce them into helping with a bit of work while they were here. Above we're applying new caulking to the top inlet of the stovepipe for our main wood burning stove. I'm manning (womaning?) the caulk gun, D is smoothing the caulk with a highly technical tool (a popsicle stick) and M is lending support . . . and paper toweling.

D donned my Mrs. Darth Vader mask after volunteering to do the spray painting on the stove. (I'm sure she's thrilled this picture leaves her so unrecognizable because she looks about as fetching in the get-up as I do.)

The next day after the paint had thoroughly dried, Papa Pea took advantage of M's help to move the stove back into the house.

In place and nearly ready to be fired up.

A couple of days later, Papa Pea dragged M out as slave labor to do some wood working.

We had a couple of big poplar trees fall this summer right on our pile of eight-foot long logs waiting to be processed. More work for Papa Pea to clear them off before he could start the "real" chainsawing.

We are so, so blessed to have the good neighbor we do. Mr. Heavy Machinery Neighbor was clearing a client's land for a house site. The people didn't want the maple trees he took down and asked him to remove them. We were the lucky recipients of this big pile of excellent firewood delivered right to our wood working area.

Last night was the last time for the five of us to get together. Above from left to right is SIL D, Chicken Mama, me and M.

Same line-up but Papa Pea in my place next to his "little" brother. What we really needed was someone here to take a picture of the five of us as a group!