Porch Rails

update on house

2010-10-28T08:07:00.002-06:00

Sis bought four red dining room chairs. I love them. They are so comfortable. To carry the red into the living room, I bought the quilt on the couch and we added the flowers and vase that I had stored. Sis also bought two red cushions for wicker chairs.

Things have been hectic the past few months. I had to complete two reports for the state, for the after school/summer school program that I am in charge of. I also finished two small papers for a college class and now need to work on papers for another college class. It is time to renew my administrative certificate. I am also trying to write a book.

Christmas 09

2009-12-20T08:12:00.003-07:00

I sewed about 20 aprons for Christmas presents. My family doesn't read my blog so am safe to put a picture here. [At least my sons don't, Mary's kids might] These four go to Jay and his family. I also made the required springerli and Swedish sunflower seed cookies.

I am flying to California to be with sis and her family. [see link to Prairie Home] I am looking forward to spending time with them. ... and to being warm!

It has been an interesting year. Sis and I spent 2 weeks across the pond. Everyone in England was so nice. The countryside was beautiful! Gorse was in bloom all over. We traveled from place to place by train. We did take the 'red bus tour' in Paris and in London, but jumped off to see the sites on our own. We spent two and a half days in Port Isaac. We chose to go there because we watch Doc Martin. They were filming while we were there so got to see some of the cast... and I got three autographs. Very nice people.

The top picture is Brewed Awakenings. Robin took over the coffee shop and it is doing well. Very cosy place with great food and coffee.

Happy holidays to all and may God bless you during 2010!

2009-06-14T08:56:00.003-06:00

Just a couple of pictures from our trip. We had so much fun. Mary planned the trip and I reserved our night spots. Did pretty good. A couple were not so good. We spent a couple of days in Port Isaac and stayed at the Orion with Jill McDonald. Nice place and nice hostess. They were filming Doc Martin while we were there. I got his autograph as well as two other cast members. Everyone in England was so nice. .. and helpful. The country is beautiful. Cornwall was especially beautiful! I am so happy that we took this trip. Now I just have to finish paying the bills. Ouch! Left a couple of blouses and a pair of pjs in circular files as well as a sweater in the Gare du Nord station to make room in the suitcase for gifts. Even had to buy a bigger purse to make room for gifts.
Sis is leaving for California at the end of the month. She is going to stay with her daughter, who is expecting in September. I will miss her, both at home and at the after school/summer school program. She is a good teacher. I hope I can find someone half as dependable and proficient as she is to fill her position.

Easter weather

2009-04-13T14:53:00.003-06:00

The morning started out with a good downpour. After Easter dinner, we drove around a little and took a couple of pictures. In some spots, the 'riverwalk' is more of a river than a walk. At least the ditch the developer dug behind our house is keeping the melt off from flooding our yard and basement. Thank God!

Finally, a tie.

2009-04-01T09:26:00.002-06:00

I finally tied with Sis! It took me three minutes to her 5 minutes. Amazing. I won't say how long it took me to catch up.

We finally got the snow from the driveway, twice. It is supposed to storm again this weekend. As it is, we have to walk down to feed and water the chickens. The water gets real heavy to carry! Can't wait for the snow to melt and the mud to dry up.

March Blizzard

2009-03-24T10:34:00.004-06:00

It has been snowing for two days and one night. The whole area is shut down. No travel advisory. As you can see from the photos, the neighborhood is drifted in. Only vehicle on the roads.. snowmobiles. Luckily, our vehicles are in the garage, but can't go anywhere due to huge drifts in driveway and street. You can see the cars are drifted in. Power blinked a few times, but we are okay. Sun is now trying to shine, so may venture forth to shovel back deck. Can you believe that is was 80 on Saturday?

Christmas

2008-12-25T10:08:00.003-07:00

My photography skills are about on the level of my painting skills. There didn't seem to be a time when the whole family was together. So I am including just a few snaps. The best seems to be of my old cat, Bootsie.
What a great family I belong to. I am talking about the extended family.. in laws and their relatives. Wish the oldest son and his family were here.
Merry Christmas!

Chilling Time

2008-12-15T11:25:00.003-07:00

Okay, so in between sewing, knitting, and painting [presents to finish], I play games on the computer. Dynamite is an occasional thing. I was doing great until I glanced at the score. I was further ahead than I ever had been. Shouldn't have looked. Crashed fast. This is the highest score I have ever made.

Every morning Sis and I play Word Roundup and Word Sense Challenge. It has become a contest to see who can make the highest score. Usually Mary does. This is my score from this morning. Highest ever for me.

The scenery picture is of Crow Peak near Spearfish. Took it out of the car window one Saturday [before the blizzards].

Back to knitting and painting. Finished the sewing. [Still have cookies to make, but will wait until Friday to start]

2008-12-07T18:50:00.002-07:00

We had a great bonfire tonight. Lots of trash piled up. We had to wait till there was hardly any wind and then my son called the fire dept. to let them know that we were burning a trash pile. For the pictures of the beginning of the bonfire, go to Mary's blog[link on my page to "Prairie Home"] I didn't take my camera; but grabbed it when we went home to see if Dennis, Mary's cat, was ready to go inside.. after a couple of hours outside. So I experimented with my night setting. I got a few good pictures, but need more practice. Mary got some spectacular ones. Be sure to check her site. When the fire died down, everyone was hungry, so they dug a little pit in the dirt, put a grate over the top, and cooked hot dogs. I like this last picture... the roots from the spruce or juniper or whatever it was that the neighbors threw on the fire looked like french fries or shoestring potatoes. It was cool. The company was great and it was fun! I think they are planning on having another one soon. That would give me another chance to use my night setting. If I take my tripod, I am sure I can get better pictures.

Shopping

2008-11-25T20:17:00.002-07:00

Okay, so no picture today.
No school for the rest of the week. We need a break!
Sis and I were asked to provide 'light' and 'dark' wine for Thanksgiving. Sis talked to my daughter-in-law and asked her to be more specific. She wanted a red and a white wine. One dry and one on the sweeter side. Sis 'googled' and we now have three bottles of wine to take. They will all complement the turkey.

Tomorrow we get our hair done and then we are off to Rapid. Borders is having a great sale. Mary needs to get some Christmas presents. Unlike me, she does not pick up things starting in July. I just have some knitting to finish and cookies to make. I think she just needs her monthly 'fix' of the big city.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who stop by my blog.

First Blizzard

2008-11-06T09:16:00.002-07:00

This last picture is how the front of our house looked on Halloween Eve. It was so nice. Didn't need to wear a coat even. The other two show how the house looks today, November 6. The blizzard started last night. School was cancelled of course.

Sis put her wellies on and braved the back deck to clear the snow away from the bird feeder. She came in with snow caked in her hair and on her robe. Didn't take long to convert her to a snowman.

Since my son can't go to work in Sturgis today, [they are advising no travel] I talked him into checking on the chickens and feeding and watering them. Well, the coop is down below his house, so it is just a hop, skip, and a jump for him. Well... four wheel drive today.

If the weatherman is correct, which is not very often, the sky is supposed to clear up this afternoon. Then I will don my snow boots, winter coat and gloves, and start shoveling the walk and driveway.

On days like this I wish I lived on a tropical island and was swimming in the ocean, or sitting in my lawn chair watching the ocean and sipping on a drink.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T20:07:00.008-06:00

It is that time of year. Here are my two youngest grandchildren. They always canvass my neighborhood before traveling to Newell to visit their other grandparents. They have pizza and pumpkin pie there after trick or treating around Newell. The next youngest, 16, stopped by on her way to the high school Halloween dance with her friend, a foreign exchange student from
Denmark. They just had fake eyelashes on.

Today we clipped the ducks wings and cleaned out the chicken coop. Brody [the
alien] helped us. Kennedy just helped with the clipping. Sis held the ducks while I had the honor of actually clipping their wings

Scary. It went well.

So here is Brody relaxing after working so hard today. He decided to try out his Grandpa's old wagon. Grandpa says the box part slides out so that it becomes a flatbed. It is a Winchester. I didn't realize they made wagons.
Tomorrow night we are having Brody, his sister, and his parents over for a Halloween dinner: Yummy mummy meatloaf, Bleary eyed potatoes, green gruel, and witches brew to drink. Sis and I have so much fun with theme dinners. I think our favorite so far was the 'truck stop' dinner.
This evening, before the 'Trick or Treaters' started coming by, I sorted through my old VHS movies. I now have three boxes to take to the 'old folks home'. I still have about that many on the shelf that I can't bear to part with, for example: the original Star Trek, Star Wars, and Rambo series. Last summer I had a box full at a garage sale. You ask how I acquired so many? When Bob and I lived on the res, he refused to buy a dish. So we bought lots of movies.

Birds In Our Feeder

2008-10-27T22:21:00.002-06:00

So here we are trying to figure out what kind of birds we have around our house. We have several bird books and a couple pair of binoculars. This bottom one has us unsure. We think it is one of many warblers. The Grackles seem to have finally moved on. There are so many of them.

Speaking of birds.. Our two resident ducks at the chicken pen kept flying in and out of the pen. Well, the neighbor's dog finally got the male cornered and killed him. This was a couple of weeks ago. This Saturday my son brought home a replacement drake. I hope he assimilates okay. I think he is older than our other one. So it falls on Sis and I to clip their wings. Don't want to loose any more.

Oh.. we gathered 8 eggs today. Pretty good for youngsters. So each hen laid one egg. Jay, my youngest, said he only got 5 each day over the weekend. He said he told them he could either eat eggs, or chickens. Guess they listened. Sis and I gather and feed weekdays and Jay gathers and feeds on the weekend. We gave 8 to middle son last Thursday and now have accumulated so many that we will have to give some more away to someone.

Fall

2008-09-29T08:34:00.002-06:00

Sis and I traveled up the canyon with #3 son and his family and with #2 son's daughter, to take pictures. Managed to get some good ones of the family. Saw 5 different families that I knew at Roughlock Falls. Small world. Of course the TV announced that this was 'the weekend' for good pictures. Personally, I think another week would bring out more colors. I took a few pictures for my 'alphabet tree' collection. I am sure I will eventually find all the letters of the alphabet among the tree limbs.

My computer is down, and has been for a couple of months. Am going to send it to my nephew to fix for me. Thank goodness I am able to use my 'work' computer. Otherwise, I would be going through withdrawal.

Wagon Train

2008-08-15T15:52:00.005-06:00

Today we drove to Deadwood to watch the arrival of the Ft. Pierre/Deadwood wagon train. they followed the route the 'old' wagon trains took. Notice on the last picture the horse with no bridle. The participants were very happy to be at the end of the 17 day trek. They said they went through some rough country. One wagon tipped over crossing one of the rivers and they flew one person in a helicopter for medical help. Good thing they had their cell phones with.

Small town..

2008-08-13T11:53:00.004-06:00

You might be a redneck if you toast your marshmallows on the end of a pitchfork. The birthday BBQ was well planned; except for marshmallow sticks. Oh well... anything will do in a pinch. The two youngest have birthdays a week apart, so this year they celebrated together at their dad's yard. Had a few left-over fireworks to shoot into the sky. Very pretty.

A rain and wind storm blew quickly through. Watched it from inside the out building.

Today Sis and I paid a visit to the county fair. It is not the same as it was 20 some years ago. The exhibits are fewer in number, the grandstands are condemned, and the participants are fewer in number. We did watch some of the 4-H horse competition. One of our after-school kids showed his new horse, Jerry. Jerry was first owned by a roper. He named him Jerry after his friend who was lazy. Since Jerry did not have enough spunk for the roping arena, he sold him to Braydin. Even though Jerry took a dust bath, he got a blue ribbon.

Yipee

2008-07-06T10:35:00.005-06:00

Here it is the 6th of July. The week went by really fast. We enjoyed the time spent with Sis's daughter and husband. Today we are chilling while they are traveling back to California.
Thought I should post some rodeo pictures.

Fireworks

2008-07-04T07:37:00.003-06:00

Happy Independence Day.

Sat in the cold, yes I said cold, last evening above the rodeo grounds waiting for the fireworks to begin. The bull riding went on forever. That we couldn't see. While waiting I was messing around with my camera and discovered a fireworks setting. I caught a couple of good ones. what do you think?

July 3 day trip

2008-07-03T19:39:00.003-06:00

Today was our day trip with Keith and Jennifer to the Center of the Nation Marker. It is 7.8 miles off of HWY 85 on a gravel road. There is a hand painted sign on the fence. You park and crawl through the fence and then avoid stepping on cow pies to get to the marker. The marker with the arrow is a reference point. That is where they placed the flag. It points to the other marker which is a few feet away and says 'center'. The information guy at the Tri-State Museum in Belle Fourche says the actual center could be within a 15 mile radius of the center marker. Go figure. Anyway, it was fun. Took several pictures of wild flowers while we were there. The last picture is of the front porch, of course.

Happy Independence Day.

2008-06-15T17:52:00.003-06:00

If you read my sisters blog, 'in my jammies', you saw these same horses. We made a run to Rapid City to buy more retaining wall blocks. Man... they sure set things out for Fathers Day. As we drove into Lowe's driveway, they had at least a zillion grills and riding mowers out front.

We stopped at the fairgrounds first to watch the dressage horses. They are so beautiful! Think of the hours spent schooling the horses.

It makes me miss my horses. Of course I am now too old to ride and my knee is shot. Oh well, I will just continue to ooh and ah over other peoples beauties.

2008-06-09T20:33:00.003-06:00

The Belle River overflowed its banks [as well as Hay Creek, Red Water, Willow Creek, and Spearfish Creek] This first picture is along the Belle River. Bridge and street closed. Other streets were closed too. A lot of Butte County roads were closed for the duration and one bridge washed away.

This is a railroad bridge with logs caught against the pilings.

How would you like go camping here?

This is part of the campground. The bottom one is Spearfish Creek.

2008-05-24T08:42:00.003-06:00

For two days and nights the weather menu was RAIN.
It tends to make our state of mind weary.
We are cheered by the success of the drain.
Up until now, of its efficiency we were leery.

Blue patches of sky are now peeking through the clouds of gray.
For a short time we must absorb this wonderful sight.
The weather gurus predict rain for the rest of May.
But as we know they are not always right.

Enough of this attempt at poetry. Had to post these pictures.

Aftermath

2008-05-02T15:13:00.003-06:00

The top picture is of the snow sliding off the table. There is still a BIG drift on the back deck so I can't get to the bird feeder to change the feed. [Well I could if I got the snow shovel out; but it will be gone, mostly, by tomorrow] The second picture is taken out the front door. Notice the snow on the door. The uneven lines in the bottoms of the pictures are the tops of the snow drifts. The third picture is with the garage door partly open, the fourth is with the people door of the garage open. Then comes the gate from the lower exit and the wind chimes. I will blast out of here tomorrow to go to a wedding in Spearfish. Most should be melted by then.

Blizzard: not Dairy Queen

2008-05-02T09:24:00.003-06:00

The first picture shown here was taken at six AM. The other two were taken around 8:30 AM. The blizzard is still in full swing. The town is basically shut down. All of Butte County is running at mini mun force.. For safety's sake. In Sturgis, citizens were told they would be arrested if they persisted on driving. Brant, the grandson who works for the city of Belle Fourche, was told to stay home. James is home as is Jay. This might be a good day to do some baking. [Just so the electricity doesn't go off again] I may take more pictures after the blizzard runs its course, if I can get outside. I am sure there is a drift in front of the front door.

May 1

2008-05-01T08:36:00.003-06:00

I woke up at 3 AM to take a b-break. Looked outside and it was snowing. Went back to bed, but the cats decided to wake me at 6 AM. Decided to take a picture of snow for blog. Discovered there was no electricity. Brother. So it is back on and I put pictures on blog. This is May 1st, for goodness sake. I shouldn't be surprised. One time when the boys were young, it snowed in June. It was enough to build a snowman, which promptly melted. So now it is time to venture forth in the snow drizzle to deliver the geraniums to my two sons. I do this every May 1 in remembrance of my grandmother who always had geraniums.

New pets

2008-04-28T21:40:00.004-06:00

Okay, so the family members have been discussing acquiring chickens for several months now. Sunday, my youngest called and said they were coming over to pick me up. We drove to Sturgis to Campbells. Brodie, the kindergartner, choose two ducks. Kennedy, the second grade student choose two chickens that lay white eggs. I bought four brown egg layers. I wasn't a happy camper because they didn't have any that lay colored eggs. So we drove to Spearfish to the Mercantile. I then purchased six more hens... colored egg layers. We learned the ducks have to be separate until they all loose the fluff and get their feathers. Jay just happened to have two cages [from the guinea pig era]. So here are some pictures of them. Jay has a 'real' coop lined up. They just have to move it to their property. He has 4 acres, so there is plenty of room. I think James, my middle son, is going to buy some bantams to add to the brood. So they will start laying at five months, which puts it in November. Yeah, like they will lay profusely in cold weather. We may have to run a line to the coop so we can use the heat lamps.

Power Rake

2008-04-24T13:09:00.003-06:00

I have learned another lesson. [Old dogs can learn new tricks.] Last fall I did not mow the grass short thinking it would be better for the grass. I have since found out that you should mow it short. So this spring, the grass was about 4 inches long and bent over. Didn't know how it could be mowed. We decided to have it power raked. I can't believe the difference. As I drove up to the house after dropping Sis at the airport, I noticed the difference right away. Now if the sun would just shine and the weather would warm up, the grass would grow and I could start watering.

Coincidence

2008-03-29T21:01:00.002-06:00

I attended an auction today for the first time in two years. It was interesting to watch the different bidders. I was able to pick out four 'dealers' within the first 10 minutes. Labeled three more later.
I am always amazed at the high prices people pay for another persons 'junk'. There were many items that I would not consider having in my home or even in my garbage. But then, people will probably think that about my belongings after I am gone.
As I sat and watched the bidding of the 'better' items, I started thinking about the history attached to an item. First someone purchases it new; either to adorn their home or to be used in the home or on the farm as a needed piece of equipment. It then is either thrown away, passed on to on heir, or sold at an auction or second hand store. Are there items that never get tossed? Like the corn sheller? Who knows. It might be fun to write a history of one item. Could be a whole book. but who would read it?
Anyway, we stopped at the library on the way home to return an overdue book and donate a book. This evening I started reading "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith. On page 12 I came upon these words:"She looked at the room around her.... none of this would belong to her forever; it would change hands and somebody new would be here. ...Our possessing of our world is a temporary matter .......We think the world is ours forever, but we are little more than squatters." My thoughts exactly, but more eloquently written.

Lefsa Time

2008-01-06T11:39:00.002-07:00

Here we are making lefsa. My son and grandson were making lefsa to give for Christmas presents. After cooking the potatoes, we cooled them and then riced them. Much better than mashing them. I purchased a big electric griddle that worked great. When my sons were little we had an old range that had a griddle in between the burners. My son doesn't remember the process. Of course I did it by myself then. If interested, let me know and I will put the recipe on the blog.
I made the required springerle and Swedish sunflower seed cookies. My three sons insist that I make these for Christmas every year. The springerle takes three days to make and then is supposed to set for two weeks. I was a little slow this year so they didn't get to age for the two weeks. It didn't seem to matter: the cookies disappeared quickly.
Lets talk about New Years Resolutions. I didn't make any.
I did mail Christmas letters this year. Three came back. I have no clue where these relatives moved to. Will have to ask some of their relatives. I think it is time for a family reunion. Families are so spread out nowadays that it is hard for everyone to coordinate vacations. Any thoughts or suggestions?

New Job

2007-10-14T19:22:00.001-06:00

I am still alive and kicking. Just been busy. My old computer, that came on Noah's ark, was on its last legs. I bought a new one.. at Wal-Mart of all places. That is a first for me. I like it. It has Vista and I downloaded open office ... on fixed income now so can't get the expensive stuff any more. Still haven't tried downloading any pictures. Rather apprehensive since my Quicken wouldn't load. Oh dear... I seem to be using a lot of name brands. Wonder if that is a no-no. But then, the only one who reads this is my sister, so I am safe.

I changed jobs and I love my new job. I am back in education again. I am the site coordinator for the after-school program at the elementary school. This is so much fun.. and I have benefits. [Which I didn't have while working at an insurance company]

So, someday soon I will buck up and try to download some pictures. Mary has been carrying her camera places because it is smaller than mine; but she forgets to share her pictures. Time to start using the camera again.

Track repair interruptus

2007-06-03T15:15:00.000-06:00

After having a week of rain; the river decided to flow over its banks. The crane is, or was, working on repairing/rebuilding the railroad bridge. Good thing the rain stopped for awhile or I would hate to see how deep the crane would be in the water. The second picture is of a campground near the river. There is not supposed to be a pond there. It has been nice for two days, but I think more rain is forecast. My granddaughter is supposed to mow the lawn tomorrow since she was unable to mow it last week.

Well, the month of May held two graduations for me to attend: The oldest grandson graduated from high school and the youngest grandson graduated from pre-school. The high school graduate's parents are having a hard time seeing their child leave home for college. They still have one at home to spoil.

I sure didn't graduation from Kindergarten, [probably because I didn't attend Kindergarten (long story)], and I barely remember graduation from 8th grade. High school and college I remember.

I gave the oldest a star quilt and the youngest a straw cowboy hat so he could be the same as his dad when they do yard work.

New Pal

2007-04-17T21:56:00.000-06:00

This is my new pal. [Not the grandson, although he and I spend quality time together]. CC is short for Crazy Cat, or Curious Cat. Today I was thinking she should be JD for Juvenile Delinquent. She would not let me sleep. She kept tearing around on the bed.. and biting my nose. What a brat! Her mother's name is 'Noodles'. Named thus by my granddaughter when a couple of years ago when she was 4. Noodles is all black; but a Siamese was seen skulking around their house.

It was time to say good-bye to my pal Sassy. She was full of cancer and could barely walk due to the loss of the muscles in her back legs. This is the last picture taken of her. She looks so sad. I think she was in a lot of pain. It was a sad time for the family. My grandson who is a Senior in high school used to practice his wrestling moves on her when he was a little tyke. They would go round and round. Sassy knew if someone wasn't feeling well; she would sit by you and not leave your side. A friend of my son's came over while she was very pregnant and Sassy went to her and did not leave her side while she was visiting their home. The baby was born that night. Such a smart dog and so aware of people's feelings. Sassy loved to play with other dogs and played according to their size. She liked cats and slept side by side with them. She was a good friend to the family. We all miss her something fierce.

Not a joke

2007-04-01T16:32:00.000-06:00

You know the saying about March? "In like a lion, out like a lamb? Well it isn't always true. These pictures were taken on March 29, 2007. I have to say it was fairly warm on the 30th and the snow was starting to melt. There is still snow on the ground although the snow melted off the driveway. You can see we got about 5 0r 6 inches. Had to did out my snow boots to wade to work.

I took the middle picture at the park. They are all dark because it was so overcast and snowing yet on the morning of the 29th.

Saturday night was the high school prom. Parents, grandparents,

and friends are allowed to come watch the 'grand march'. Since I have a grandson who is a Senior, I planned on attending. The

event started at 8:00 PM so I figured if I left at 7:30 I could get

there at 7:40 and be early. My youngest son called at 7:30 and

said I better get there; they were saving me a seat. They arrived at 7:00 and still had to sit in the nosebleed section. The prom participants looked so elegant in their tuxes and formals. Of course some of the girls wore flip flops and some of the guys wore tennis shoes. Brother! When they entered they walked around an Eiffel Tower. Very elegant decorations. I wonder what happens to

the decorations when the prom is over.

Winter Blues

2007-02-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Snow has fallen everyday for a week now. Not all the time, but we do have quite a ground cover and I gave up on trying to shovel my driveway. For the first few days, I had my side workable; but it drifted and I quit. Snow is heavy.
Something broke on the street out front of work. Water is coursing down the South side of the street. The mailman said the basement of the bank up the block is flooded and there are several trucks and workman outside. I have watched for $$, but none has floated by. The street is really going to be icy. The temperature yesterday and today is in the single digits. Brrrrrrrrr. [Oh, Sis, it is your bank!]
I ventured out into the frigid air last night to attend my second watercolor class. For four hours I struggled with watercolors. Some of the results weren't too bad: sky and rocks looked okay. After the instructor has recovered from knee surgery [scheduled today] we will resume. I think I will attempt something at home. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Missed opportunity

2007-02-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

I must learn how to use the camera in my phone since I consistently forget to carry my digital camera with me at all times. Saturday my youngest son and his family went with me to Spearfish to purchase some Moose Head Beer for the Superbowl Party. [Belle doesn't carry that brand] That was my assigned contribution to the party. Just as we turned onto the interstate that goes around Spearfish, we looked up and there was the largest bald eagle I have ever seen. He was magnificent! I swear his wingspread was at least six feet. He was huge! He was circling something and unconcerned about the traffic. I was lamenting that I didn't have a camera. About a mile further, Jaycyn looked at me and said, "Why didn't you use your phone?". Well, duh.

So I am sitting eating Mexican food at the Superbowl party and realize that everyone else there, other than the children, was married or with a date. I was starting to get depressed and then realized that I don't answer to anyone anymore and have complete control of the remote. :).

Tomorrow I start my watercolor class. Hope I learn something. I don't expect to become a famous artist. I just want to learn how to paint with those pesky watercolors.

True Story

2007-01-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a humorous story. When Sis was visiting over Christmas vacation, she informed me there was a lump under the carpet in the basement. I said it was probably a piece of carpet. I did not want to go check. So I didn't.

A week later one of my daughters-in-law told me the story about the guy who smacked a lump under his carpet to make it flat. [new carpet]. Time went by and a stench arose throughout the house. Went downstairs and checked the 'lump' under the carpet. Lo and behold it was the pet hamster. Poor thing.

Monday night I couldn't sleep. I just knew that some creature had crawled in the basement door when left open [by workmen]. So on Tuesday morning I called Son2 and he said he would come and take care of the 'rodent' problem. I expected them to come that evening. I received a call at work around 1:30 from Son2's wife. She informed me the 'rodent' problem was taken care of. I made a face and asked what it was. After a moments hesitation she said, "A piece of carpet and a rock." Now tell me how I missed those when vacuuming that area! We had a good chuckle and went on about our business.

Good times and decision time.

2006-12-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving was successful. My youngest son and his family came early and helped cook. I had the bird in the oven in plenty of time. Guests included Tina's grandmother and a couple who are Jay and Tina's friends. We ate so much and it was so good. And there were so many leftovers. I finally got tired of eating turkey.

My sons laid the tile in the basement bathroom this last Saturday. Tonight they are coming to put on the grout. I called the plumber and he said he would try to get to my house sometime this week to finish his part of this project. Then I just have to wait for my sons to lay the carpet. We are not stretching it as it was given to me and is used. At least it will keep our feet warm and help make it look nice. I was hoping to have bathroom complete by Wednesday... may be having company from California... or not.

I will post a picture of bathroom when complete! I did good on picking out colors.. not bragging, just surprised.

The time has come to seriously think about putting the dog to sleep. How does one know how much pain they are dealing with? She has three visible lumps of considerable size, she has lost most of the muscle in her upper hind legs, and she is losing control of her urine. I spend a lot of time washing her bed, blankets, and carpet. She still seems happy even though her eyes are cloudy and I think her hearing is going. This is a hard decision to make. Advise?????

Fence

2006-11-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

So here is a picture of part of the fence. This has been quite a project. My two sons, who live here, and their families first tore the fence down from its previous location and then hauled it all to my yard. We undid bolts and screws. What a task! It is not finished yet. Don't know when it will be. It will be interesting to see if it gets finished before the dog passes on to another world. I really appreciate my sons and their families doing all the work that they do for me. I know they have their own lives and need to spend time with their families. So I am thankful for the help they give me! God has given me great sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, cousins, and of course my sister.

Progress

2006-11-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

What is that saying? God watches over fools and sinners. I think I fit both. We painted the last bedroom in the basement last night. The electrician is coming today to try to finish the lights, co-heat, etc. FAR OUT!!! I have been worried about the water lines, water softener, and water heater since there is no heat in the basement. I am so excited. I called the plumber; no answer. Things are moving along.

I will include some pictures when the lights are in. Right now it is a little dark.

The fence is 8/10 finished. With the cold weather, the work came to a halt. I so appreciate my sons and their families, and the time they have invested in this house. They are such good people! :)

I have a horrendous cold and yet no sick day. Sis and I decided that the women in our family are dedicated workers. [or foolish] It just isn't convenient for me to take a sick day or two. The boss is always gone when I get sick. What's up with that????

Pet Peeves

2006-10-26T13:38:00.000-06:00

Here it is not quite Halloween and as I wander through the stores I see huge Christmas displays. Okay, so some are still in progress, but the Thanksgiving items are already on sale. Come on, get a grip and get priorities straight! Why can't we take one holiday at a time. [this coming from someone who starts Christmas shopping during the summer sales]

Another thing that drives me crazy. Youth today do not speak proper English. They seem to have their own vernacular. Try correcting someone when they say 'these ones' or 'those ones'.

Enough of the negative.

After two weeks of snow and rain and snow, the sun is finally shining. If I didn't have to work I would be mowing my lawn for the last time this year. Hopefully it will be nice tomorrow and I can mow it then. I have to buy a leaf rake. The cottonwood leaves decided to congregate on my lawn! Like I have time and energy to do this. Oops, negative again.

On a positive note, the paint for the basement is purchased and sitting in the laundry room. I am waiting for the 'taper guy' to come and get it ready. [He slipped on the ice and is in a cast; hoping to talk his doctor into a walking cast so he can come finish the basement.]

I am past anxious to get it painted so the electrician and plumber can finish their tasks. Then I can put all the bookcases and books back.

Fall

2006-10-06T18:17:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since I posted. The basement is drywalled and if he gets the corner bead on next week the finish guy can come tape and such. Then I can call the plumber and electrican back again to finish their part. This started out that we just wanted lights and a bathroom. Well.. had to drywall first before the light fixtures can be put up. $$$$. We are about out of money. It is surprising the difference it makes with just the dry wall in place. I had them put cable into the two bedrooms and the 'book' room. That way we can watch TV while painting our pictures or sewing in the craft bedroom. The extra bathroom will really be nice. It has taken forever for my ex to hang the sheet rock. Well, he isn't getting paid. But it is a race against time as there is no heat down there right now. So.. onward!

The oldest son was here last weekend for antelope season. They got three and quit. Meat is being sent to Maryland where he lives. Probally there now.

Before that it was birthday month. So am posting pictures of grandchildren. They are sooo good looking. Of course I am partial.

Morning Thunder

2006-08-09T08:35:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning to a roaring sound. It wasn't thunder or the coming of a hailstorm. It was the noise from the multitude of motorcycles traveling from Sturgis to Hulett Wyoming. If I hadn't had to get ready for work, I would have been sitting at Hardy's at the junction watching them. It is a sight to behold.

Even though we are 25 miles from Sturgis, the streets here are full of motorcycles. Some of our residents rent their houses to groups of motorcyclists through a reputable firm.

We have had no trouble. I read in the news that there was six shootings in Custer State Park last night. Trouble between the Outlaws and the Hells Angels. I sincerely hope they will all live.

I have been trying to figure out what to do on my vacation; with the gas prices I will probably stay home and do some paperwork and painting. [pictures, not walls] I think I will save my money for a winter trip back to Maryland to visit my oldest son.

Since I am rambling and not saying anything that is noteworthy, I will sign off.

Reaping Reward From the Garden

2006-08-04T10:28:00.000-06:00

I share a garden with my youngest son and his family; he asked me to help him since he had never grown a garden before. [When my boys were growing up, they never had time to help in the garden. They did however, eat the rewards all winter.] The garden is in his back acreage.

This year is our second year gardening together. When it was time to plant in the spring, his two little ones helped; as well as his wife. The children even helped weed. We are talking about a 3 1/2 year old and a 5 3/4 year old. Of course the adults try to make it fun and issue many words of praise and encouragement. Okay.. I seem to be off track a little.
We ate the radishes, peas, and the kohlrabi already. Of course we have been giving away zucchini for several weeks now. It just keeps producing. We are lucky enough that people are actually asking for some. [No sneaking it into cars with open windows at the supermarket this year.]

Last night we started making chokecherry jam. Just as the first pan of cherries was beginning to boil, my ex brought another gallon to their house. We ran out of sure jell, so will finish processing the chokecherry juice tonight. Chokecherries make such good jam.

It is fun teaching my son and his wife how to can. If they had a bigger freezer, we would be freezing food also.

Can you believe that when I first got married at the age of 19 I did not even know how to fry an egg properly. Thank goodness for great cookbooks.

I still like to try out new recipes. After reading the 'The Cat Who...' books, I found a recipe for pasties. The main character was always going to the 'Nasty Pasty' and eating some. They are good. It is amazing the things you can find on the net.

Okay, I am rambling. Time to stop. God Bless.

2 for 1

2006-07-30T12:09:00.000-06:00

Okay.. Mary... here is the deck table. You asked for pictures. 2 for 1 is two blogs in one day. A record and will probally never happen again. Don't you think I need to paint the chairs lavender? Okay, Blue or Green would be better.

Time for Change

2006-07-30T11:39:00.000-06:00

Here it is the end of July already. I am not very good at keeping up with this blog. I never have anything real thought provoking to say; just newsy stuff. My sister got the writing gene from my dad and grandmother. I just got the swelling feet of old age from my mom. Bummer.

The day it was 104 degrees outside, I decided to change the living room furniture. [Well, it was too hot to do anything outside and I was cleaning house anyway.] I also rearranged three drawers while I was at it. So here are some pictures of the new living room arrangement. It took me two days to get used to it.

I bought two 'bug' bulbs and put one in the fixture on the front porch and one in the fixture on the basement patio. They do help. I am not attacked by 'millions' of bugs now when I go out at night.

I had to throw away two pots of pansies this weekend. Even though I faithfully watered them everyday, the heat killed them. I also am thinking about painting the andirondack chairs that Bob and I made. Colors???? [forest green, lavender, burgandy, or blue] Can't decide. Porch needs a little color.

Well, time to post this rambling; Mary is waiting to see the pictures.

nannyberry & carvings

2006-06-09T20:55:00.000-06:00

W
While in Maryland, Joe, Coalette, and I went to the Ward Museum of Wood Carving. What an amazing place! The carvings were so life like.

Coalette graduated from high school. [reason for trip]. She will go on to college. Excellent!

Mary has been waiting for the picture of our Nannieberry Tree. So I thought I would sneak it in here. The grass in the back yard is doing well, but the front yard needs to be reseeded. And all of a sudden there are dozens of cocklebur weeds. It seems like there are hundreds when you go to pull them. I had to buy leather gloves for myself and my grandson.. Who comes over on Fridays and mows the lawn. Then he pulls a few of the nasty things. It is neverending.

The yellow rose bush in the front bloomed. It was like a wild rose. I was surprised that it bloomed already!

Well, have to clean. Mary is coming for a visit and I would hate for her house to be messy!

Marking Time

2006-05-25T11:05:00.000-06:00

Sis posted a message about being a stranger in a strange land. I can relate. I feel as if I am 'marking time' in this job. I know this in not how I am to finish out my productive years; however my field of expertise is overfilled with applicants in this place. Well, there is a college that spits out educators yearly.. Just a hop, skip, and jump away. I will continue to have faith that God will provide the right opportunity at the right time. In the meantime I must continue to listen and learn what lessons are provided.
I have been pulling weeds from the lawn everytime I take Sassy outside. I am not gaining by much. Tonight I will mow the 'native' section and water. Tomorrow afternoon I am privileged to 'sit' with two of my grandchildren. The four year old and the six year old. I wonder if I could get them excited about pulling weeds. Hmmm. Maybe if I bought some cheap garden gloves. [Grandmother, how terrible] Well... I got them to pick up 'treasures' at their place! Now you are wondering just what horrible thing 'treasures' really are. I will keep you guessing for a while.

Bookmarks of Life

2006-05-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

What a nice Mother's Day I had.

Church in the AM, then a quick lunch at home and a quick walk for the dog. Graduation at 2:00PM where two grandchildren graduated from eighth grade. They both go to the Mustard Seed Christian School. All the students took part in the program. My daughter-in-law teaches the pre-school/kindergarten class. They were so cute.

Back home to let the dog out and then to James' house for a graduation bar-b-q for the two grandchildren. Nice bunch of guests, great conversation, great food, and later delicious campfire burnt marshmallows. The two sons in attendance reminisced about their boarding school days. Scarey. I thought they were getting a Christian Education. HA. From their conversation, I deduced that I sent them to the wrong school. In spite of their years there, they turned out to be wonderful sons, husbands, and fathers. I am blessed to have such a great family!

At the end of the month I travel to Maryland to attend another grandchild's graduation. This one is graduating from high-school. She will then attend the community college for at least one year. I can't wait to fly out to Delmar and visit with my oldest son and his family!

Reflections:
I remember my grade school and high school years. The time when you think you are immortal. My mind thinks that it wasn't that long ago; but when I look in the mirror...
Sometimes I wish I could relive my college years. I know I would have married differently, except I would not want to 'not have' the sons I have. I said as much one time to my middle son, and he said that they would be themselves, but different. Well, I love them the way they are and would never trade them in. They are the reason I continue to exist. My life experiences have made me who I am today.
I now trust God to help me make my 'life choices', because on my own I made some 'doozies'. Is that a word?
Okay, enough.

Hemmed In

2006-03-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

The house on the north was sold and has a single guy living there. Hardly ever see him. I did notice as I drove into my driveway yesterday that he put curtains up. Way to go, 'guy'.

The vacant lot to the south now has a basement poured. This morning in fact, I wondered if I was going to be able to get out of my drive. There was a crane set up and two, count them, two cement trucks backed up to the crane. The crane had a hose attached so they could guide the cement where it needed to go. I did make it out to work. If they are still there when the garbage truck comes, I imagine my can will not be emptied today.

I have to walk the dog at 6:30 now because the workers are on the job by seven every morning. Oh the joys of living in a construction area.

I think I need to move to Mexico and live on the beach in a grass shack and eat coconuts or some other fruit. Right. I am sure all the beach front land is crowded.

Enough complaining! I love my house and am anxious to get grass planted and the fence finished!

There goes the neighborhood

2006-02-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Well, the progress of the construction is not in order. Somehow I am not computer literate enough to manage that. Oh well. It will be interesting to see the finished product. Since the house is kind of to the left of us, we still have a view of the hayfield. For now. It is amazing that there have been enough warm days to pour cement.

I still don't have a fenced in yard, so am out walking with Sassy several times a day. Good exercise, I guess.

Started at the gym this week. Lots of testosterone, but some other women there too. I am sure I am the oldest. Friday I went at 1 o'clock since I have Friday afternoons off; it was nice. I had the owner to myself. It was like having my own personal trainer. He really made me work my muscles. My poor old muscles were sore today. I must keep after it so I can be healthier.

Ramblings

2006-01-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have nothing profound to relate,
no poem forthcoming from the creative trait.
Just a little bit of information to share,
nothing much for you to even give a care.

The footings for the new house in back are poured. The workman arrive around 7AM.. Sassy decided to go welcome them this morning so I had to walk over there to get her and scold her for barking at them. Thank goodness there were only two guys; my hair was wet from the shower and no make up. At least I wasn't in my pj's.

My middle son and his wife came last night to pick up the bed they lent me; the grandson from Maryland is coming to live with them for awhile. Thus the loss of the extra bed. They will be looking for a futon. But in the meantime, if I have any visitors, they'd better bring their sleeping bags.

My oldest grand-daughter, who lives in Florida, is coming in March to check out the college in Spearfish [and jobs and homes]. She is thinking of moving back to this area. She was born here and I was her baby sitter at night until her mother spirited her away. It will be nice to see her again, although she is now too big to rock to sleep.

evening surprise

2006-01-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today was warm for January; in the 40's. I stepped out on the back porch tonight, leaned against the railing and looked up to the sky. The stars are bright, Orion is low in the sky. I stood there gazing at the stars and for some reason looked to my left toward the new house being built. There a few yards away was a lone deer grazing on the grass that is sticking up out of the snow. So why is she alone? She didn't seem to concerned about me. She must have known that there is no exit from the back porch to the ground - yet. Or maybe she just knows that I mean her no harm.

The neighborhood is closing in. They dug a hole behind my house and when the weather warms up enough, I imagine they will start framing the basement. People moved into the split level on the next street today and I can see through their window that they are unpacking. I wasn't being a peeping tom, there just aren't any curtains up yet. I still have boxes I haven't unpacked. I hope they are quicker than I am.

Out with the old; in with the new

2005-12-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

It is now time to put Christmas decorations away. The older I get, the faster time goes by. It seems like I just put them up. The tree will not fit in my 'Christmas box' , so it will just have to be up all year in the basement.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. My youngest called to let me know they are trying out a new soup tonight. So I volunteered to make some bread.

Today I am also making pasties and runzas. I have the recipe from Alice's Restaurant in Lincoln. I remember going over there once a month for a treat!

Since I am reminiscing, I also remember the Chat-n-Nibble; a good place to go for just cokes and visiting. And then there was The Cricket Cage for antiques and junk; none of which I could afford being a college student. It was a cool place to browse. Oh to have the knowledge then that I have now. I think there are several things I would do differently.

Sis has lost her phone and says she will buy a new one. I think she just wants one of those fancy new phones that take pictures and do tricks. My phone is three years old. The battery wasn't holding a charge for more than half a day. So I went to Celluar One at Wal Mart and asked to buy a new battery. Lo and behold.. My battery had been recalled. They sent me a new one free. I wonder if it will last three years. [I think that is why they recalled the battery. It lasted too long.]

birdhouses

2005-12-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Can't say much for my photographic skills. Mary brought this picture for our house. My 'ex' framed it for us. The birdhouse on the left was my contribution; the one on the right was a housewarming gift. Interesting how things come together sometimes.
The next small project is to hang the birdfeeder and the 'outside' birdhouse by the downstairs door.

couch additions

2005-12-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Mary, my sis, sent her favorite pillow for the couch along with two red ones to accent. The couch doesn't get used as much as Mary's chair. It is sooooo comfy.
On Saturday I watched an old, old movie on TV with Judy Garland and I think, Alan Ladd. As I got more into the plot, I seemed to know exactly what was going to happen next. I was watching the original 'You've Got Mail'. I don't know the name of the movie as it was already in progress when I starting watching. How very interesting.
It has been very, very cold. These weeks I long for a house on the beach somewhere! I am certain that when July and August are presenting their hot days, I will be longing for winter. There must be a Shangrila somewhere. Has to have a beach for me to walk on.

Another birthday.

2005-12-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

When I awoke this morning, the wind was blowing really hard. They closed schools for the days because of the blizzard like conditions. Cars seemed to be migrating to the ditches. I got to work and my boss called from home; had me set the call forwarding to his house and sent me home. So I have been a couch potato today. I should figure my bank statement, but that is not a birthday activity. Instead I took the above pictures so my sister could see the mess I created in our unfinished basement. I still have about 4 boxes of books to go through. I gave so many away before moving and will sort some into a pile for the library here. It is really hard to let go of books. The bookshelf behind the dog is all videos. Need to copy to disks so they take up less room: which would leave more for 'books'.
The picture below is one I took of "Sassy's" deer today.
Tonight two of my son's are taking me for steak tips at the stadium. Yum! I have been ready since noon.

wildlife

2005-11-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you look close there are two deer in the neighbors yard. To the left of the picture there are six more. These are the deer that meander throughout our neighborhood. Of course this was a hay field before they put in the development, so they have squatters rights. At least I haven't seen any mountain lions near here. Yes they are around Belle Fourche. They had a hunting season. About eight were shot. When they reached five females, the season closed. I will have to try to get a better picture of these guys.

Thanksgiving

2005-11-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

I managed to make it through Thanksgiving without taking one picture. Forgot I had a new camera. So here is a pictue of the 'traditional yellow mums' that sit on our Thanksgiving tables. My niece has the original vase that has been passed down through generations, so last year I purchased this vase for this branch of the family. After dinner, I dragged out two very old games that my sister and I played when we were young: Flinch and Touring. I don't think they even make them any more. Too bad. We had fun playing them. After the football game was over, we all drove to James's house to watch'War of the Worlds' on the big screen TV. Great movie! I am so thankful for all my family and the daily blessings we recieve.

fence, or lack thereof

2005-11-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

Sassy, the aging pit bull, and I head out the door
I don't want any 'presents' on the floor.
So trusting am I, no leash or collar
Hope she comes when I holler.
She sneaks farther away from the house each time.
I wish there was more fence than just posts standing in a line.

evening musings

2005-11-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

I walked out on the back porch last night to check the weather. I could see snowflakes glistening in the pool of light under the street lamp. I stood there awhile, in the cold, enjoying the glittering snow when I heard a flock of geese. Well of course I tipped my head back to locate them. Duh. It was overcast, the moon was fuzzy looking, so all I could do was track thier sounds.
So, the question is: were they gathering to go south or are they a local group? Whatever the answer, it was enjoyable listening to them.

Weekday Mornings

2005-11-13T20:52:00.001-07:00

The alarm clock blares
I stumble out of bed as the cat stares.
I slap the alarm and enjoy a millisecond of peace and quiet,
News is turned on and then begins the 'riot'.
Sassie, the pit bull, wants outside,
Bootsie, the black and white cat, proceeds to hide.
Coffee is measured and water added to the pot
Shower is turned on, not to hot.
Sassie storms back in and I notice the hour,
Time to inhale coffee and jump in the shower.
Clothes are thrown on in a flash,
Bootsie is looking through the trash.
A quick brush of my teeth and hair,
Makeup applied with more care.
Sip more coffee, grab my coat and keys,
Run out the door, hope the truck starts with ease.
I slide through mud and snow,
reach the hiway and off I go.
Buzz down the road, park in my spot,
Check the mail, my there is a lot.
I've accomplished so much I'm ready for a nap,
But the day has just begun, so I lurch forward with a snap.

CVH

Boxes

2005-11-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes.I still wonder how I collected so much 'stuff'. Then comes the problem of what to do with all the boxes after they are unpacked. My trash can only holds so much. Some I fold for [not another move, heaven forbid] future use. Some I fill with items for garage sale to come.

Discovering Treasures

2005-11-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

My sister and I purchased a new home and starting moving in on the 18th of October. She stayed for 5 days and then returned to her home and work. I have been slowly upacking. By the time I come home from working full time I have to talk myself into upacking 2 or 3 boxes. [Being of the mature generation, I don't move as fast as I used to.] The thing that keeps me going is the thought of long lost treasures somewhere in those boxes. [They have been packed for a year and a half] I also wonder why I kept so much 'stuff'. As I unpack I sort some of the items into a garage sale pile. Right! Already my sister wants me to take out two old star shaped candle holders that are like ones we used as children. Decisions, decisions. Which 'treasures' do I keep and which do I sell?

Reflection

2005-11-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting colder and I reflect on the summer outings. When my boys were little, we could walk down the path, into the water, and under the falls. What a great thing to do as a family. We spent most of the summer outdoors, hiking, camping, picnicing, and just enjoying God's gifts. The powers that be have now closed the path. They don't want nature to be 'spoiled'. So we view the falls from afar... and reflect on days past.