BINGEN WILDFIRE~Columbia River Gorge-WA

OH NO!

This is a beautiful stretch of the Washington Gorge 😳😟

Crap!

It will take DECADES for the scenery to rebound 🥺

{{The Bingen WA wildfire, which started on Friday, is currently being investigated as a human-caused fire. It is believed to be of a suspicious nature, and authorities are offering a reward for information leading to the identification of those responsible, according to InciWeb. The fire began near SR-14 and has rapidly grown, prompting evacuations and road closures. Fire officials said Sunday afternoon that the fire had burned 8,776 acres}}

WHAT is WRONG with people, today 🤬

VAL'S BEEF, POTATO & GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE Recipe; Ocean Park-WA

I've been hungering for this yummy casserole, reminiscent of a shepherd's pie cooked school cafeteria style - but I've held off cooking it, because I wasn't sure my new husband would like it (he's kinda particular about cuts of meat and how they are cooked).

However, I needn't have worried - Holland liked it, and he says, "make it again, whenever you want it" 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

It's simple to make; and I think you'll like it, too 😊

VAL'S BEEF, POTATO & GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE ~serves 6 (1 cup servings)

1 small Yellow Onion, chopped * 1 lb. Ground Beef * ½ teaspoon Salt * ¼ teaspoon ground Black Pepper * 1 c. frozen Green Beans, drained * 1 can (10½ oz.) Tomato Soup * 2 cups MASHED Potatoes * 2 TBSP Margarine * 1 tsp. dry Milk Powder * 2 TBSP Water * 1 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1) Place potatoes in a large cooking pot with enough water to cover; cook over medium heat until fork tender. Remove from heat, pour into a colander set in the sink basin & drain thoroughly. When drained, place back in pot and add butter, dry milk powder & water: mash to desired consistency. Place in a medium bowl, cover with a large sheet of paper towel & set aside.

Potatoes, beef & onion cooking at the same time; to save time.

Cheese added to mashed potatoes.

Rinse pot, wipe dry and set aside.

2) Heat oven to 350-degrees. Over medium heat, cook beef & onion in a medium-sized skillet until meat is browned, and onion is translucent; remove skillet from heat, & turn browned meat & onion into the cooking pot - add seasonings, green beans, and soup: gently blend together.

Casserole coming together …

3) Pour into a 2-quart (8 cup) baking dish, spoon mashed potatoes over mixture.

4) Bake casserole for 30 minutes.

Serve & enjoy 😊

Tomorrow, I get back to my 3-Day Fat Loss Goal, that only allows protein drink & ramen (my choice); then, following those 3 days, Holland will be cooking a meal (or 2), for us  😉

WE'RE NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE; Ocean Park-WA

Today dawned foggy - dirty foggy: and stayed that way all day, so, we stayed home.

The day remained foggy; we stayed home today.

We're not like everybody else.

We have to protect our lungs; from grit on the breeze, & from moisture on the breeze that could possibly lead to an ER visit for Holland. The air here has been nearly as bad as it was in Arizona … and Holland has been using his nebulizer machine every day. We've been married 30 months, this month, and I've never seen him use it until recently.

I don't know whether to be glad the macho-man side of him is sliding - or if I should be scared that the COPD appears to be getting more aggressive. I think I'm probably a little of both.

I've had to use my asthma inhaler more than usual, too - which leads to mid-day naps, and all-night-hoot-owl episodes. Between the both of us, we have been burning the midnight oil, and falling into bed in the very early wee hours of the dawning morning: daytime activities haven't been happening until sometime around noon for Holland; sometime around 10 AM, for me.

Adjustments to social activities have had to be made.

Plans to look at the beach artwork and get a few pictures of the sand sculptures this afternoon, fell through: pictures are not worth a trip to ER.

I'll have to wait some more before trying out my new camera pouch 😕

The Bible Studies I had hoped to get to with a reliable frequency, have been put aside. The meeting is a hour away on good days, and a bit further when the winds are up and fog is thick. The sketchy ocean atmosphere has had the warning siren going off more than we've ever heard it - and that keeps us a little closer to home, and to each other; neither of us wants to be an hour, or two hours away from each other if the precautionary warning suddenly morphs into a reality situation.

Visiting with friends (his, mine, ours) has been pretty lax this year; our energies have been pretty drained just trying to stay alive - visiting anyone, for any real length of time has been very spotty. Struggling to breathe makes one lethargic, and attention span lags.

We're not like everybody else.

Some people understand; some people don't … and we can't help that. 

THE KINKS - 'I'm Not Like Everybody Else': 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y76ilaVZ5FM)

Our Life is what it is - our social life is pretty much determined by how Mother Nature treats our lungs, and currently she hasn't been too friendly. And it's not just here in WA State, where she's kicking up a fuss 😵‍💫: she's going on a rampage, nationwide 😳

Holland has been checking weather reports everywhere, trying to find us a safe harbor when we leave here in September. Brookings-OR, is still on the docket, but afterwards is anyone's guess. He feels bad that he can't promise me anything in regards to exciting and adventurous explorations - and I assure him that everything is fine; he's doing what he can, and all we can do is just go with the flow, and ride this time of uncertainty out, knowing that Elohim has everything under control.

Holland has done righteous by me, always looking for ways to make my Road Gypsy Dream come true.

Elohim has done righteous by me in all ways, at all times: even when I don't understand. He had never let me down. I can blindly trust him - and I do.

Yeshua does righteous by me, every Day. Regardless of the tempestuous weather … He still breathes life into my body so I can enjoy Life with my new husband.

I am truly blessed.

I am daily thankful.

And I am eternally grateful.

We enjoyed our mugs of warming, eye-opening joy juice that allows us to function at adulting.

Holland spent some time outside fiddling with stuff that needs to be taken care of before time runs out to take care of it. Thankfully, he wasn't out there all day long.

I really wasn't that upset to have missed today's big event - it is Shabbat, after all - a Day of Rest = the ultimate Health Day. Shabbat is a reminder that there is an alternative to being upset: there is a world of peace that comes at least once a week if we lend ourselves to it.

I enjoyed working my body 🏋️‍♀️ keeping "the temple" operating smoothly & efficiently, is important. Yeshua, Himself, walked all over the place on Shabbat - gritty fog may keep me from outdoor exercise, but it needn't keep me from indoor exercise; I puttered around in the kitchen preparing a meal that was more than a protein drink & ramen noodles 😊; and I even had time to fiddle around with a yarn project ✂️

Chicken-Rice Casserole & Biscuits, for Supper tonight.

CHICKEN-RICE CASSEROLE; Shavua Tov~Ocean Park-WA:  (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/07/chicken-rice-casserole-shavua-tovocean.html) 

MOD Crochet Dragonfly Plant Pot Cover. 

MOD COCHET PLANT POT COVER Pattern; Ocean Park-WA:  (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/07/mod-cochet-plant-pot-cover-pattern.html)

And when my tired hands couldn't summon up enough strength to move the lid even a tiny bit off the honey jar … I was thankful there was a big, brawny man 💪😊👌 in the house.

My hands were worn out from weights & busy work … I needed my man's strength; & took the ribbing 😉

My man is a good man; and some day, he'll realize what I know 😘

US~Newlyweds, January 2023; Lexington-WA

Despite the rough beginning of this marriage, we are truly thankful Elohim put us together ❤️ All things considered, I have a good husband. And Holland knows he has a good wife.

We know we're not like everybody else, and we know we have a good Life.

We're building a Home: aware that we're not like everybody else.

We're building it our way - for US.