Honoring our Military!

A neighbor family of ours has a program every year in August that honors all veterans.  A wonderful tribute to those who have given their all for our country.  Their program honors all branches of military service,  and there are several military collections of area veterans to see.  Visiting with veterans - to hear them talking to each other about the places they'd been, seeing some find old friends that they served with.  A great day of gathering, remembering and honoring those that gave their all, and giving thanks to those in the military today. 

There are many things to look at, and last year they had added this bunker for all to see and go inside.  It really isn't very large inside.  A tight squeeze to get inside.  Thick sand bag walls. 

Several military collections to look at.  Very interesting talking to these older vets.  There are veterans that will tell you stories, and there are others that can't talk about their experiences. 

Please take the time to "Thank" a soldier for his service or a veteran for the time they gave.  Prayers for soldiers now serving and their families missing their loved ones so far from home.

Framed!

Garage walls are up, rafters are up!  Now just a few little things left to do before the steel walls and roof go on.  Saturday afternoon, grandson Blake, Steven and husband worked in the hot sun to get the rafters up.  This last week, my Steve worked during the day to get the walls framed, and then Steven would come after work and they'd get the walls finished and up.  I had to help a couple of times = more like just hold something for them.  Those walls are really heavy. 

We're getting a few sprinkles now this Sunday morning, (we need rain again), but maybe the guys will do a few things again today if it gets nice out.  They have to put up some perlings (what the steel will be screwed into), and more support boards on the rafters. 
Here is picture of what the garage looks like after yesterdays work.  I'm mad at myself because I forgot to take pictures with all three of them working!  So hope Blake comes back to help today so I can get some more pictures with him in them.

Dalton's Quilt!

Last weekend I drove to "the cities" (near Minneapolis) and stayed with my sister in law Carla for the weekend.  Her husband and youngest son were in Kansas City to a race.  They race (I think) stock cars and are gone a lot of weekends, so this was the perfect time to get Grandma Arvilla's quilt done for a grandson graduating this spring.  Grandma passed away 2 years ago now, and had two quilts started for the last two grandkids to graduate.  Dalton graduates this spring, and it will be 4 years before his younger sister and the last grandchild graduates. 

Grandma had the top and bottom all sewn on this quilt, so all we needed to do was to get the batting and tie the quilt, and sew the binding.  My house doesn't have any rooms big enough to put up a quilt rack or to have room to work with it on the floor; but Carla does.  I just couldn't borrow a quilt rack and haul it with, so we did the best we could on the floor.  Got there about 7:30 pm Friday evening.  We sat and visited until it was getting late, and decided we'd better get some sleep and start on the quilt Saturday morning.

Saturday morning when we got up, instead of starting to sew right away, we went to several garage sales. Just can't pass up going to garage sales in a bigger city environment!   love it!!!!  Got some good deals too.  Got back to the house about 10 am and got busy.

Step one was to iron the bottom, lay it on the floor, then the batting and then the top of the quilt.  Grandma used double knit for the top, and there was a lot of stretch, so we started from the middle, and safety pinned the quilt through all the layers to stabilize it.  Then we started tying it, but didn't do it on every corner because the squares were about 3 or 4 inches square.  We tied it on every big square corner, and then if that square was a bigger one, we tied it in the middle.  After trimming the batting, we rolled the backing up and under for the binding, and making mitered corners.  That worked out well.  Then we added more ties on the outside edge of the quilt near the binding stitching.  I didn't dare sew the binding on my machine because the double knit on some of the colors had so much give that I thought my machine would bunch things up.  So we hand sewed the binding.  Not hard to do; it just took time.  I always do it so you can't see any stitches.  What's so unique about Grandma's quilts is the fact that she didn't go out a buy new material.  She did with what she had.  The backing on this quilt is two twin top sheets together, but she still didn't have enough material, so she sewed a darker brown around the edge, and that material didn't make it all the way either, so she substituted with adding a darker brown flannel at the corners!  Dalton will definately know it was from Grandma!

     

I think I'll start working on the other quilt this winter.  That one is in different shades of purples and white double knit.  I wonder where she got all this double knit material.  Grandma only has a few of the squares cut out on the purples, so that quilt will basically get all done by me and the sisters in laws.  So I'll get to decide how to piece it all together.  I hope that Grandma enjoyed watching Carla and I finish the one we just did.  I'm sure Dalton will just love it; knowing that Grandma had started it for him.

Giveaways Have Been Mailed!

Jessica's package includes a book from one of Minnesota's favorite authors, entertainer on PBS with his "Prairie Home Companion" show, Garrison Keillor; two little signs, napkins, hot pads, a pin cushion and the white box is the surprise box - from our local candy store, with a fresh assortment of chocolates!  They are so yummy!  You should get this package any day now Jessica! 

Here's Sandy's package.  Also a book, Chichen Soup for the Gardener, napkins, hot pads, a pin cushion, two little signs, and instead of candy, a bundle of fat quarters for quilting.   Hope you enjoy this Sandy.  You should be getting this any day!  Love the sign "Gardening - A way of showing that you believe in tomorrow".

I've registered for so many giveaways; but this was more fun.  Planning on what to give to blogger friends is like shopping for the holidays!  I do like to shop!  Can't wait for fall to do another giveaway then. 

Garage Floor

Cement trucks came; out  flowed the cement; busy were the workers to get it in place before it got hard!
A busy morning last week.  Hubby with the red cap, his brother and his son and son-in-law.  It's so nice to have carpenters and cement guys in the family!

The last corner to pour.  Hubby pulling the cement.  He has bad shoulders, and he has really been hurting since doing this hard work! 

Mike (brother Don's son-in-law) finished troweling with this power troweler (spelling?).  He did this for about 3 hours over and over the whole floor. It really saves time with the power troweler.   I had to get the grass blower out because several gusts of wind blew apple blossoms all over and we didn't want to goof up the finish of the floor.  Now after a couple of days, it is all dry and looks great.  Now we're waiting for the wood materials to be delivered so we can frame it up.

Giveaway Winners Drawn!

We have winners! I'm so excited!  I used Random Generator to pick two winners for my drawings.  And they are:    Sandy  at Sandy's In Stitches    and   Jessica at Country Whispers!    Thank you each and every one of you that have been following my blog this past year.  It has been so fun to blog and meet new friends and share with all of you.

I've emailed both Sandy and Jessica, and they can let me know where to mail their packages.  This has been so much fun, and it was easy to do.  I'll do another one later this fall, so keep following!

Have a great week everyone. jo

Guinea's

Guinea chickens - at the goat farm.  They sure made a lot of noise.  Good watch hens!

Din't notice the rooster until we were driving out, so didn't get a picture of him.  He was beautiful.

These hens look kinda like me - bottom heavy!  lol

Wish I had a yard of these today, since the sun has come out after our rain - we have bugs!  One good reason to have these hens out and about eating all the bugs.

Today I had to go to the dentist to have one of my crowns pulled off, and work done to a cavity that had started in the root area.  I was dreading this appointment and just had not wanted to go.  Was in a sweating tissy over it last night, but took 3 advil a couple of hours before my appointment, and I think that and the novacane helped.  Took more advil when I got home.  I think I should try putting ear plugs in my ears so I don't have to listen to the drill.  I did see that she had earphones for a sound system.  Maybe I should ask to use that next time.  Now I have a temp crown and wait 2+ weeks for a new crown to come in.  Wish I had all the money that I've spent on my mouth.    My gums have bled since I was a kid, and even with using special mouthwash, flossing, etc. they don't improve.  I wonder when I should just give up, let the teeth go really bad and get them pulled.  But I don't like that thought either.   Bet I'm not alone on "not liking visits to the dentist".

Don't forget to comment for the giveaways  here and at Livin It Up Country!  You'll get entered for each comment - so if you visit daily, before Friday evening, you'll be in multiple times!  Good luck.    Oh = I put something else in today too!

They're at it again!

Yup! Finally Mike (married to our neice) came over to frame for the cement pour.  Cement is ordered and will be be here at 7 am on Friday!   Excited that more is starting to happen with the garage building!  Here are a couple of pictures of Steve and Mike working today.  It got hot here today. The last I checked it was 79 degrees Farenheit.  So maybe it turned 80, but I'm not sure.  There was a nice breeze today, and if there would not have been a breeze, it really would have been hot.  Of course, we do not know hot, as those in southern states know hot!!   But after a long winter, and a couple of rainy weeks,  it was a wonderfully nice day.

Here Mike is squaring up the corner.  Odda is coming over to check things out!  Now she can't dig in the sand any more!!!!!

They didn't get it completely framed, but will finish that tomorrow and  they will finish leveling the sand and put in the rebar for stabilizing the cement.  Steve says this is called a floating floor.  There is like a ditch on the inside of the wood frame that will be the base for the walls.  Of course, I'll do more pictures as things proceed.  I'm glad that work is starting again.  Weather got in the way - but that happens to all contractors.  Just get started on something and weather can put you back a couple of weeks real easy.  Then than screws up your scheduled jobs that are waiting for you to get their jobs started.

Monday we visited the neighbors goat farm again.  Gene and Connie went with us.  Connie was still in her jamies when we got there!  She really hadn't been up very long.   I had rhubarb left over dessert - so we all ate that for breakfast before going to the other neighbors farm.  Those goat babies are so o o o  cute!

Nathan showing Steve some of the moma's.  They are all so friendly, and want to be petted.

Remember the two baby pigs that Trish bottle fed.  They are now in the great outdoors (yes with shelter), and this one was snuggled down in straw, just peeking out at us!  Cute!  That goats milk sure works good when piggy moma didn't.

Be sure to comment again for another chance for the giveaway!

Check out Leah's blog too!  Livin It Up Country to register for hers too!

Oh - Do you want to see something really cute!?!?!    Stop over at my other daughters blog to see granddaughter Renee's short video!!  It's so cute:  Feelin the Wind .  She isn't walking yet, so gets a little unsteady.  Wish they lived closer!

I'm Having a Giveaway!!!!!

Celebrating one year of blogging and meeting new friends! !!!  I will have two giveaways, including some things I've made, a book  and some other surprises.  Some of the giveaway won't be pictured.  Gotta have some element of surprise in the box you'll be getting!!!!!

Garrison Keillor (Minnesota author, radio show host, wonderful entertainer) book.  He is the host of "Prairie Home Companion" on  PBS radio, and I love that program!  So funny!

Leah (daughter) at  Livin It Up Country is also doing a giveaway.  We're doing it together, so be sure to go to her site and comment. 

Leave comments on all our posts this week through this Friday, May 21.  We'll both be gone for the weekend, but on Sunday evening we'll be drawing winners and posting who won.  Be sure that we can contact you by leaving your email address if it isn't available through your blog.  If you aren't a blogger, but follow, please leave a comment also.

"Cool Dude Lenny"

Cool dude Lenny came for a visit this evening with Leah and Steven on the 4-wheeler!  He wore the shades all the way over here (3.5 miles).  Keeps the wind out of his beautiful blue eyes!   He likes to ride and behaves very well!  Doesn't he look cute!!!!!!!!

The dogs played outside, and we went inside and ate fresh rhubarb dessert.  Tuesday evening Lenny and Leah; with Odda and I,  go to "dog" training.  Really, its "people" training!  We are attending the Canine Good Citizen classes.  Hopefully, when we test, we'll pass.  The classes have been rained out the last two, so that extends the classes out to the end of June. 

I've been busy checking out a lot of the give aways that are going on now.  Whew!  There's many, and I did sign up for quite a few.  Hopefully I'll win some nice material!  There are so many nice things being given away.  A quilter and crafter's dream!  Go check out the list at http://www.sewmamasew.com/

OH - am getting ready to do a giveaway here too.  Keep checking back.  Will have my blog ready this week on that!!!!!!   Leah is also going to have a give away too!     MMMM  wonder what's going to be on her giveaway.  I've about got mine all gathered for the announcement.  Keep checking back.

Giveaways happening!

A great month for giveaways!  Stop over at Sweet P Quilting and Creations to sign up for her fab. giveaway of woolen and pattern.  She also has connection to the others that are in this giveaway group.  Hurry, Hurry!

No Grandma!

Granddaughter Amanda didn't want her picture taken!  No make up on!  Hardly a picture - no face, and not all of Jack either!

Saturday afternoon visitor was granddaughter and her horse Jack.  She wanted me to trim her hair a little, saying that the ends of her hair were dry.  Just took a little off-just enough to make her feel better.  She had not brought a halter and rope to tie Jack up, and we had sprayed the yard with weed control, so Jack couldn't graze and eat some grass.   She had to hold his bridle while I trimmed her hair.  Good thing Jack is a very good horse.  Maybe he was tired of the ride over.  Then we sucked on popsicles and visited awhile before she got back on to ride the 3 miles home.

A nice day for a ride.

Findings on a beautiful morning road trip!

American White Pelican

I was standing on the road, watching the fishing boats at the landing at Height Of Land Lake.  These pelicans were busy fishing for food.  They do not plunge dive, but feed by dipping their large pouched bill into the water and scoop up the fish.  The raised bump on the top of the beak is only present during the breeding season, and sometimes they are called the Rough Billed Pelicans.   I don't know if they are still migrating north or if these birds have been at this lake other years and come back yearly.  I'll have to go back in several weeks to see if there any little ones!  It was at least an hour that I watched them.  There were five of them, and they tended to swim together to somewhat herd the fish to more shallow water and then scoop the fish up.  In looking up information on the pelicans, they nest May through August and spend winters along the Gulf Coast, California and Mexico.

I watched the one with a full pouch catch a big fish, a big long fish; maybe a Northern Pike?!  The camera missed the fish sticking out both sides of his mouth.  

I wonder if they were more successful than the nearby fishing boats at catching fish!

Wet Dogs Stink & Good Luck Blake

Impossible to keep dogs dry when all it does is rain!  Odda had a bath a couple of weeks ago, but you'd never know it!  I know that when she drys off tonight, inside her kennel, she won't look so bad in the morning, but if the sun doesn't come out tomorrow will be another day like today.  I brushed her yesterday, and her 3rd coat is really falling out now that it's warming up, but still more hair to come out.  I can't wait until it's nice out again, so she gets a bath again.  At least then she might stay clean for a few days!

She always wants to be as close to you as she can (which means she rubs and leans into you), and you don't stand a chance of staying clean!!!!!  Sometimes I can keep her under control, but other times she's just too excited to see me!  Hooch is dirty now too.  It doesn't help that we have a lot of black dirt and sand as the new garage has not started to go up yet.  Too much rain lately and our cement guy hasn't been able to get here.  I can't reseed any grass until most of the construction is done.  So our spring and summer is going to be messy around here.  If it drys off this weekend, hopefully our cement guy will be framing this weekend or the first of the week.  I know that this rain has put them behind too, so we just wait.

Working on replacing a pole here at the farm.

Grandson Blake stopped in to visit this afternoon.  Leah's son, and he moves tomorrow south to his new job.  He has to be at his new apartment at 8 in the morning to meet the cable TV guy to hook up his tv.  Blake is real excited about his new job.  He starts Monday morning as a lineman at a rural electric company.
His past 2 years experience will help, but he'll learn a lot at his new job; as his old job was construction and no "hot" lines. Now he'll be working what they call distribution, and he'll learn about rerouting power, working on installing underground, and repair of underground and overhead lines, overhead and underground transformers and there's a lot more.  We're so excited and proud of him too, as he starts his new job.   Good Luck Blake!

Renee at 10 months

Renee at 10 months

Got this picture for Mother's Day - see her two front teeth.  Jessica has talked about her teeth for awhile now, but this is the first we've seen them.  Even when we webcam, she didn't cooperate with showing us her teeth!  Love this picture.  Seems like she changes with each picture.  Big blue eyes, but her hair is getting darker. 

Here she is trying to figure out the card she and Mommy got this Grandma!

She really is drooling (spell?) - more teeth must be coming!   Amazing all the things she is learning.  She is really studying this card!

I'm kind of at a stall on blogging.  With all this rainy weather I haven't been outside to take pictures and the dogs don't cooperate as photogenic objects.  So everything seems so boring.  I've been busy making some more of the beaded childrens socks (like Renee has on above) for gifts.  Sit and crochet them onto socks as we watch TV in the evenings.  I've finished up some more pin cushions, but just haven't been in the mood to get into my quilting like I need too.  Did weed in my flower garden the other day in between rains.  I have cleaned out a couple of closets.  Leah was over the other night to get a blow up mattress for when Blake comes home.  When we opened up the closet - stuff fell out!!   So then after she left yesterday, I dug into that closet.  How embarrassing!  Now no one will need something out of there, until we've piled more stuff in!  Ain't that the way it goes!

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY BLOGGER FRIENDS!

Hope you are all having a great Mother's Day with your families!   We just got off the web-cam with our youngest daughter and granddaughter Renee from New Iberia Louisiana!  Now the tears come!  Dah - wish they were closer, but they'll be here for a summer visit in 2 months.  So can hardly wait to see them again.

Later today Leah, Steven and Amanda will be over.  But our other daughter Stephani and Cullen won't make it home.  The best job I've had has been Mother to our three daughters.  Wouldn't change a thing.  I know I wasn't the perfect mom, but did the best I knew how.  That's what we all do.  If we all do the best we can, what else is there? 

  

Our kids and the other grandkids!

Have a great day!

Do you Collect?

This red and orange rooster greets us every morning.   He is on the counter next to the coffee pot.  I don't remember where I got him.  Rather unusual isn't he?  One of my favorites.  I haven't found any others like this. If I did, I'd be sure to buy other colors!

These are the rest of the hens on nests that are on my side table on the wall across from the counter.  Another favorite is the blue one below.  I keep my watches inside this one, as I always have to take my watch off to wash dishes (I don't have an automatic dish washer).

I love to stop at antique shops whenever I'm on the road, and I bought many of these  when our youngest daughter was in college in Iowa.  I'd drive the 7 hour trip by myself to see her play volleyball and for the music concerts she was in.  From Minneapolis/St.Paul, I'd take Hwy 52 south through Rochester, and several little towns.  One very favorite little town is Harmony and there are several good shops there to stop at.  This is an Amish area also.  Just writing about this makes me want to go back.  It's been 9 years since I've been down that stretch of highway!

 

This picture also has some little swans.  I had 4 of them, but made a pin cushion out of the pink one.  Turned out really cute.  That sold right away.  I also have some of the miniature nesting hens too.  The one shop in Harmony was the only place I found the miniatures.  I have quite a few more roosters in my kitchen.  Years ago, it was apples, and many years ago it was pigs!  I do like to change things up a bit!  I've had the roosters and hens since we remodeled the kitchen.  Oh, that was at least 10 years ago.  Youngest was away in college then, and she graduated in  2001!   My how time flies by.

Evening Visitors!

Had a very busy weekend with company staying and a wedding shower to attend on Saturday, also a prom grand march to watch our granddaughter and her date on Saturday evening. On Sunday after company left, I spent time with the dogs, as they had been all but forgotten on Saturday and early Sunday.

Tonight while we were watching tv, Hooch was sitting looking out the window, and we had 3 deer in the yard. The deer would chew on new grass, and look expectingly at the house, waiting to see when dogs would appear! You could tell they were a little nervous. Our dogs usually keep the deer out of the yard, but the deer must know when the dogs are inside!

This is one of the three.  There is a doe with her two off spring from last year.  This is one of the yearlings.

She looks like she came through the winter just fine!

I took this picture from my bedroom window.  Then she went over to the apple tree there and tried to nibble on the new buds!  Soon after she turned and went back across the road into the woods.

Oh - I need to put in a picture of Amanda from the other night.  They looked so nice all dressed up!

I haven't talked to her yet, but hope that she had a good time. 

 

During the Grand March at the Prom.

My package came the other day from Karen at SewManyWays.  She sent me a quilting magazine that I didn't have, and I have had my face stuck in it every free moment.  Lots of things I want to make, especially a quilt pattern that is shown in that one.  Also got a sewing necklace, (will take a picture for you).  Thanks Karen.  This was the first time I've won a give away.  Now I'm going to get a few things together to do one.