summer time

here's some photos of my flowers...they are beautiful!

Reno's

Updates: Amanda helped me with a painting project, and I'm happy with the results. This is the 'new' entrance look. Here's a shot of the bathroom, with tiles going around the area for our toilet, and in the whole shower. Now it's up to us to finish with the door casings. Entrance floor, not quite finished in here yet, but getting there. The new flooring upstairs in the hallway.

spring clean up

Spring cleaning can mean many different things to different folks...around here on the farm, there's always work in the garden and flower beds to get them cleaned up for their brief time in the sun...and in the outlaying buildings there's sometimes an accumulation of garbage to clean up and sometimes things the dog has misplaced during the snow & wind. One springtime practice is to burn up the old, dead grass to see what's hiding underneath. You will see in this photo that is what we did...unbenown at the time, though. A simple garbage fire, left unattended, spread to take care of not only old, dead grass, but also the oldest building on our yard...the old log cabin (more correctly a barn) with 1 ft logs on 2 walls (which I was making plans for). The barn was behind the semi-trailer in this photo. This is the foundation (cement-work) of the barn...as cement doesn't burn, it's left now for me to 'make plans' or clean up. The fire spread quite far, and nearly got this "part's car" parked in the shelterbelt. And no one noticed the flames, the smoke or the fire until there was nothing left.

Well, what do you all think? This is my next project...maybe...if it costs too much to get a professional to do it. I need the name of someone who's good, but not too expensive. This back piece is clean and thus doesn't show why I would get this re-upholstered, but the front is very dirty and kind of the wrong color & fabric for our entrance 'deacon's bench' .

winter storms

Here we thought our spring was coming, what with all the water and lakes rising on our back yards...but this looks a lot like winter to me! We were getting alot of water around us, nearly closing off the roads, but with this freezing and new snow, it's all a beautiful white again. Inside we've been keeping it warm and cozy...and so grateful we didn't have to drive alot or be somewhere important. On another note, with spring (suppose to be coming) I've been in a painting mood and here's what been changed.

February's job!

So I thought I would try my hand at quilting...a good friend of mine does it and my sister does it...but it's not just sewing and cutting right I'm finding out. Looking at this photo you can't see all the mistakes, and while I am not discouraged from doing it again, I am thinking I'll find a different pattern and bigger pieces next time. It's not done yet...need to buy the fiber fill and quilt it to the backing which is a nice flannel...and NO, there's no grandbaby that I'm planning for...I think this one will go in the crib we'll have at home when the time is right.

Lost Wages!!! But not mine!

Well, all of you are probably thinking...another vacation???? It sure helps to shorten the winter a bit, but part of me is thinking, it should be spring already! This going back and forth from winter to summer to winter to spring isn't working right with my mind. Enough with the snow...I'm ready for something else again. I think you'd say "I'm spoiled"...and you'd be right!!

But it's been a dream of Abe's to see Hoover Dam...and so we tagged on a few days of sight seeing and soaking up the sun and being lazy. I was somewhat blown away by the vision and execution of the dream in the building/construction of Hoover Dam. Anyone into that kind of stuff, should go see it and the 'building video' we got to see...impressive. We also headed out to the Valley of Fire State Park and it was lovely...half way into the walking around and I started wondering if all the tunnel or holes we were seeing were snakes' caves...yikes...suddenly the car seemed like a good place to be!!! We stayed at a very nice resort...offered many good activities and rides to places...and very comfortable accommodations...just too bad the weather didn't co-operate as I had hoped...temps stayed in the low 50's Fahrenheit...but it was sunny most of the time...so we did get in some time at the pool.

It's probably time again to update this page...I can't say that I've accomplished big things, just many little things...like sewing some skirts for our daughters, baking, cleaning, sorting & eliminating junk, organizing my projects in order of importance to me or pleasure in finishing...not sure about which it is. We haven't taken pictures recently and haven't gone away, just spent time working away at what needs doing. We've had some good family times, entertaining some, and looking at the next week, we'll be hanging out in one waiting room or the other a bit more. Here's a cute shot of from a couple of years ago...isn't she lovely?

taming of the shrew

Have you ever read the book or seen the movie? Well, neither have I...but it fits this blog....as Janine is finding she has roommates in her residence. She's been able to catch them on film as they are not afraid of her...apparently shrews can not see well, but their hearing is suppose to be exceptional...they must like her music for they come out to play when it's on. So some traps were purchased and as you can see, there was some success in catching three of them...they get stuck on the sticky pad and can't run away and when placed outside, they freeze to death...so humane and clean. And the seed (bait) is left for others to be lured with. Ingenious!!!!