We Aren't Camping - ::snort::

I rarely have time for a walk before Thursday a.m. Bible Study with Stacia. My day began with THIS pretty, instead of a mountain view. What a fun surprise! 

 We have a patch of wild strawberries. I've kept them weeded and  pruned for 2 years. We got teeny berries...which the birds and critters ate before we got to them. I haven't done a THING with the bed this year. I didn't even pull the dandelions....and this is the biggest berry we've gotten. Au'Naturel  may be my new garden philosophy.

We are still "keeping the bubble" small at our house...meaning the bubble of social contact. I'll be honest quarantine feels harder now than it did in March.   We didn't go inside Sophia's today. Millie was happy to be allowed to go with us through the drive through....

Lest you think she is always well-behaved in the car....

We ate our breakfast and discussed our study of Thomas in a local park. We stayed far from everyone.  We decided to drive out to the swimming hole....there were tents/ RVs etc....it's going to be a busy weekend out there. We made a good choice to stay home - hard to keep social distance in a crowded location. We are planning our 5th trip (and no, we HAVEN'T gone on any of them) for Sunday or Monday when no one else is at the campground.  We took the time to figure out HOW big RV's are getting out on the sand....and to video the route for Michael's consideration. Camping with water and mountains for FREE - might be something to think about...then again...there was evidence of rather "red-neck" like behavior....trash, shot up windshields...

Millie has to behave even on the BEACH. Stacia's a good puppy mama. 

I bet *her* babies will never throw bricks in the air to see what happens, or drop a sibling from a tree...I digress. 

Yep - "the" camping spot for me.  We took the time for a bit of a walk - 1 1/2 miles...not a great walking day - but a spectacular setting. LOL 

When we got home I discovered Dad isn't feeling well. We're not sure what is going on at this point. We aren't leaping to the "Covid" conclusion. We're watching, hydrating and resting... 

Michael was consolidating wood in the wood shed to clear one side for the trees we've been felling. I helped him.  I'm actually fit enough to be helpful this year.  Stacia came out and joined us....

And then - I played with Salmon. 

I need to empty the "fish freezer" before  Dip Netting in 2 weeks. Last year, cutting the skin off nearly got the better of me....it took FOREVER....but I really, really don't like the skin in the jars. ::snort::  Jacque, a local friend, shared tips with me.   I've spent quite a bit of time with salmon the last couple of days. I'm getting pretty durn fast at getting the skin off.... Things are going much faster with her tips, and John and Nora (also local friends)  loaning me a second canner. I continue to look for another one to purchase.

Krista likes the 1/2 pints of salmon to take to work. Today, I put up 48 1/2 pints....I still have enough salmon to do another batch of either pints or 1/2 pints. Not sure which I need most...

I also saved a lot of tail sections (boneless) to make salmon jerky. I need to search out a recipe. I made teriyaki and pepper jerkies last year. Most in the family voted for the teriyaki  over pepper (which didn't have sugar)...actually I suspect I was the only one who voted for the pepper variety and I liked the teriyaki better too. ::shhh:: Krista told me as the teriyaki aged it got salty.  So.....I will look for a marinade and then work on that too.

I wonder, could I make teriyaki with monk fruit or stevia? Would it be o.k. to can with it? Anyone know?