We Just Don't Listen: 2012

Monday, July 9, 2012

Summer in Seattle - Sockeye Salmon!

We're having a record run of sockeye salmon this year, we stopped by the Ballard Locks yesterday to check out the fish ladder, and mingled with the tourists as we all admired them:

Monday, June 11, 2012

A life well-lived: Leo 'Vic' Boehler 1924 - 2012

Leo “Vic” Vincent Boehler, 88, passed away at Shepherd of the Valley Care Center on June 4, 2012 of pulmonary fibrosis.

The circumstances of Vic’s birth were pure Wyoming. His father William (one of the “Bill’s” after whom the town of Bill, WY was named), and his mother Catherine (Kate) set out from their Verse, WY homestead in a horse drawn wagon hoping to get to Douglas where the baby could be delivered in a hospital. A snowstorm forced them to find shelter along the way and so Vic was born on March 9, 1924 in a small cabin in what was then called Dry Gulch, WY. Bill and Catherine returned to Verse with Vic, leaving him without a birth certificate for most of his life. He grew up an only child on a desolate family homestead during the Great Depression, writing later of his boyhood days, “I killed more rattlesnakes by the time I was six than most people have seen in their whole lives.” Following a devastating fire in 1938 that destroyed Verse, the family moved to a new homestead where they farmed acreage that is now part of the town of Sheridan.

Vic graduated from Sheridan High School in 1942, and moved to Casper in 1946 to begin his long career at Amoco Refinery as an instrument mechanic. He married Margaret E. Rooney, his wife of 63 years, in September 1948 and they started their family of 3 children. He retired in 1984 after 38 years of service. Vic’s life was twice interrupted by war. He served in the Navy as a radioman during WWII from 1943-1945 aboard the USS Sheridan, and again during the Korean War from 1951-1952 aboard the USS Maddox. He was very proud of his service and enjoyed staying in contact with his shipmates scattered across the country.

Vic was a devoted husband and wonderful father. He always made time to be involved in the many activities of his three children. He loved to watch baseball and play bridge, and he was a formidable bowler. In later life he became a writer, relating amazing tales of his father’s pioneer life and reporting on the many wonderful trips he took with Margaret as they enjoyed their “golden years” together after their retirement.

He was a devout man who truly lived his faith; he was very active in the Holy Cross, giving his time to help provide food to those in need. Even after being diagnosed with fibrosis, Leo would load up his oxygen tank and head down to the ministry to help where he could.

Vic is survived by his wife, Margaret; three children: Kathi (Dean) McKee of Lander, WY; Dan (Kathy) Boehler of Billings, MT; Bob Boehler (Carol Wallace) of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren: Mike (Jodi) McKee of Minneapolis; Michelle (Joe) Nipko of Austin, TX; Kerry (Paul) Mikolaj of Denver, CO; Tom Boehler (Christa Steiner) of Manhattan Beach, CA; sister-in-law, M. Lucille Pennock of Lander, WY; brother-in-law, John T. Rooney of Los Alamitos, CA; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Rest in peace dad, until we meet again to “have a catch”.

Visitation will be at Bustard’s Funeral Home from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, 2012. The rosary will be held at the funeral home at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church with Father Lucas officiating at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 11, followed by a luncheon in the church basement. Internment will take place at a later date.

Memorials may be made in Vic’s name to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Holy Cross Food Bank, or Meals on Wheels.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Goodbye, Leo

Bob's dad passed away in the wee hours of this morning - while not unexpected, the actuality of losing a parent hits hard. Suddenly everything is very different, and yet just the same. It's disorienting, to say the least.

It's been a long journey for Leo, and it feels slightly unreal as we prepare to make our own journey to gather with the family in Wyoming to celebrate his life and mourn his passing.

And I suddenly realized this evening - while cleaning up from dinner - that tomorrow is Eleanor's birthday - she would have been 76.

We miss you both, already and still...

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Broody hens

We've had a couple of broody hens this spring - first Lucy, currently Summer. This is an annual phenomenon -> some hens just want to be moms...

How do you know when you have a broody hen? Well, for starters, she won't leave the nest box. Look for feathers: she'll have plucked out all of her breast feathers in order to have a very warm patch of soft skin to keep those eggs warm. She won't be laying, but she'll be sitting on everyone else's eggs and keeping them warm (alas, no rooster in our coop, those eggs are NOT fertile). She'll be clucking and shrieking and puffing herself up if you get near her. She might peck you if you try to touch her, she'll definitely be pecking her flockmates and chasing them away from the nestboxes.

Also, check out the turkey-like tail display:

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Madder than a wet hen" ? Well, one way to 'break' broodiness is to reduce the core temperature (I liken broody hens to menopausal women) - and a method employed by farmwives was to dunk broody hens in ice water. Once you've met a broody hen, you'll fully understand that particular colloquialism.

Here is our garlic patch - looking good!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Our Ladies of Ballard

Last weekend I snagged these lovely portraits of our girls, aren't they magnificent?

Jane

Lucy

Maggie

Pepper

Summer

Thursday, May 31, 2012

oh, and rhubarb!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

What I like about May...

May is a welcome arrival in these parts...I woke up before 6am this morning to the sound of birds singing (and the intense need to pee) and it was light out! Now that's what I'm talking about, Sherman...

It's the month of fuzzy neon green foliage, the scent of lilacs blooming, 5-egg days (!), and rain/sun/clouds/wind. Peas tendrils are reaching up, spinach is unfurling, strawberries have flowers, asparagus is poking up through the sodden dirt, apple blooms are dropping petals (which the chickens love to eat), clematis has burst forth, pollen is poking my nose and eyes.

It's also 'Bike to Work' month in Seattle. Thankfully my office has a team each year, which provides the kick in the ass I need to drag my cobweb-draped bike out of the shed and roll it down the hill. Despite the stark reminder this activity provides about my utter lack of effort throughout the dark, rainy months of winter - here are a couple of things I really, really love about it:

Having to wait on the sidewalk on my bike at the Fremont Bridge while a boat passes under it (vs. idling in a car way back in the line):

Having to pause for the gaggle of goslings that are crossing the bike path at South Lake Union

Being hot and sweaty (as opposed to chilly and damp)

The riot of blooms that greet you around every bend in the road - and the sweetly scented air that accompanies them (lilac dominating at the present moment)

Being outside :)

Monday, April 9, 2012

Hidden treasures

Great weather here in the PNW for all those Easter egg hunts - sunny and warm! I spent most of the daylight hours out of doors, working in the yard and garden, admiring the hens, gathering eggs, and soaking up the rays...

Reluctantly headed down to the basement this afternoon to do a little work on our project - today it was demo on a dark, dirty closet that's tucked away in a corner. Dusty and cobwebby, and nailed together as if it were a tornado shelter - but hidden in the framing I found this delightful object:

Diarrhoea Remedy for Canaries - what will they think of next? Alas, the bottle is empty, but it will certainly have a place in our cabinet of curiosities...

Then there was this hidden treasure in our lilac bush: