July has been a series of days slipping by, with one hot breath after another, and so we have sought out the rivers and cool waters as a way to enjoy the heat, and not just suffer with it miserably.  The entire northwest has been under a tremendous heatwave, and wildfire dangers since the beginning of the summer months.  We have had several wildfires close to us, but thankfully all have been put out within hours of starting.  We are so very grateful for the host of hardworking firefighters who are here working on the wildfires.  

A dear friend took us out on their boat, and we enjoyed the gorgeous views and company.

Lake views are the best!

We've watched the temperature rise to places unheard of, with records being broken in the last week of June for 100+ temperatures.

We like to ride down to the river on our quad and cool off after a long hot day!

The lavender has been doing amazing with the heat, and the honey bees are so grateful for  the lavender, they swarm it from morning til evening.

My zinnias are full of blooms, such rich and vibrant colors!

The garden is doing well for the most part.  The heat has taken its toll.  The lettuce is still going strong, but the heat has caused it to bolt, so I am feeding it to my chickens.

The peas have done really well this year! They love nitrogen and rich soil, so I planted them around my compost pile, and they are so happy!

Sunflower blooms just make my heart sing!

My Mom traveled to see her mother in New Brunswick. She had to quarantine for 2 weeks in a dear friend's home before she could see her mother.  Oh what a precious reunion it was!

My Gram is blind, and many of you remember the horrible fire last September that destroyed the homestead she and my Grampie had married and lived in.  Thankfully a new home has been put on the site, and it is truly a remarkable blessing!

July 13 was her 91st birthday. I'm so thankful my Mom was able to celebrate with her!

Far too soon, Mom had to leave and it was hard for them to say goodbye. This picture just makes me cry!

Dan and I also celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary in July, and decided to invest in an RV so that we could take little weekend trips and have our own house on wheels!

We drove up into the mountains, and found a lush, green wooded campsite to spend the night at, with a little creek that tumbled happily along, its music our night's entertainment!

We like to "primitive camp" without any amenities... and just enjoy the quiet beauty of all that nature offers!

Campfires were still allowed in this area, so we were so happy to enjoy a campfire!

The little mountain stream that sang to us the sweetest melody!

And of course... watermelon!

The next day we traveled and stopped at different little towns, and enjoyed the beautiful views. We found our next campsite 13 miles back up an old logging road, with a beautiful creek alongside it. We decided to camp here for the second night. No fires here though, as there was a nearby wildfire in progress, although mostly contained.

We enjoyed the beauty of the mountain stream as it sang happily downstream.  In the distance, behind us, you can see the smoke from the nearby wildfire. Smoke has become a constant companion for us it seems, with these terrible drought conditions.

Early in the morning, the sun spread its warming rays over the distant hills, what a beautiful sight it was!

To celebrate our anniversary, Danielle and Zak came up after we got home, and we enjoyed a meal together, and then... yes watermelon for dessert.  It's always a treat in this hot weather we are having!

Danielle painted this picture for us for our anniversary. Our sweet Mister Simba!  I was so touched by this! It will always be a treasured painting of our precious Mister. How we miss him so!

You may have read in the news that the northwest is experiencing extreme heat and drought conditions, and that we are dealing with an extreme risk of fires in our area.  We are very blessed that the Idaho Forest Service has been very proactive in fighting fires, and that is a great comfort. We continue to stay diligent and prepared in case of fire danger.  So many are dealing with too much rain, and we are suffering under a lack of rain. We pray for the rain we need, and for others to receive the sunshine they need.  We did get a bit of rain this morning, and what a delight it was! We need more, much more, but even this small amount has been wonderful!