Spring Snow

We got a dusting of snow, the big snow went south of us again. We did get the cold air which must have come straight from the Artic Circle.

 

Not much to see that looks like spring yet.  Not even a hint of green.

Chance loves having fresh snow to eat.

We had dental checkups.  Far Guy passed.  I needed one filling and a little touch up on a tooth that they agitated during the cleaning and the exam.  I am relieved to have that all over for another six months.  Fresh cracked wheat flatbread is the reward for going to the Dentist as the best little bakery in all of Minnesota is next to the Dentist’s Office in Menahga.

I finally recouped from the late night outing for the Blood Moon photos.  I heard my Grandson  Noah wanted to see the lunar eclipse too…he said he was cold all the next day.  I have an old lady corn bag that I heat in the microwave for three minutes…I took that to sleep with me and I was warm in no time.

I started to clean out a few cupboards in the kitchen… I have enough flour for about a year.  I must have bought flour every time it was on sale.

We are working on the Christmas Ornament woodcarvings just about everyday.  Progress is slow…but we knew it would be.  I ordered special boxes to house the ornaments and they were delivered yesterday…so I can make labels and start stacking them in a laundry basket.  Six ornaments are ready for names and boxing.  We are crusin’ along!

Wistful Wednesday : 1917

I always wondered who was in this old photo.  From reading the old farm diaries and from other old photos I finally have a really good guess. Sadly the diaries from the early part of 1917 are missing.

This is the old barn at the farm.

James X., Marvin (Far Guy’s Dad), Tracie, Francis, Mattie, Bill and Bryan.  Mattie and Bill are the parents of Francis, he was an only child born in 1914 the same year as Marvin. Mattie was James X. sister and Bryan was their brother.  Bryan worked at different farms in the Osage area in 1916 and 1917 ( perhaps longer than that).  I always thought Bryan lived in Iowa…the diaries are proving some of those assumptions have been in error.

Mattie and Bill lived in Harrison County Iowa until 1939 when they moved to Tekamah.

So in 1917 they would visit Minnesota from Iowa.  How would they travel?  By train?  No it looks like it was a road trip.  What an adventure that must have been.

Francis and Marvin (right) cousins born in 1914.  Francis in October and Marvin in August.  From the smiles it looks like they were fast friends!   These boys would become men who were friends their entire lives.  Francis died in 1981 and Marvin in 1994.

I am slow in getting diary entries transcribed lately.  It is a work in progress.  Here is a peek into farm life in 1917.

July 1917

19 Thursday Sprayed potatoes finished hog fence, set post west of the barn.  Gave Maurice Robinson music lesson

20 Friday Finished fence by barn, post holes in pasture fence, sawed posts

21 Saturday Set posts, hoed cabbage, plowed beans

Snow flurries and a Full Moon

Yes, we had snow flurries several times yesterday.  It didn’t stay on the ground but the white crap was in the air.  It was cold and the wind  blew and blew…it was just bitter outside.

After dark I wandered out in the yard looking at the full moon.  The camera settings should be good if I am still awake for the blood moon that is supposed to appear in the middle of the night.

Hopefully I will get a photo to show you what the Blood Moon looked like here in Minnesnowda.

If not here is the snow headed our way. What looks like fog or smoke in the air is snow. 

I thought about putting my parka away.  I did manage to put my good snow boots away…no use in getting them all muddy/wet…I have an old pair with a patched toe to wear for everyday and of course my old standby crocs with socks!  Someday when that look goes down the Paris Runway I will be in fashion.

Saw Lorri (a friend) yesterday she was rushing the season with capris and flip flops.  I am always amazed at the women who can walk and sometimes even run in flip flops.  I am certain if I tried that I would end up in the home with something broken.

My best shot of the Blood Moon.  What a night…froze my butt off and fingers too.  There were some high clouds that flitted in and out, forgot my flashlight at the house, came in to warm up twice.  It was interesting to watch…I was outside from 2:30 to 4AM.  This was taken closer to 4AM as it was starting to go back to normal.  I am off to sleep now…good thing I have another chance in the fall for a better photograph.

Cabin Fever

The weather turned colder and cabin fever returned. 

We HAD to get out and about.  There are a limited number of antique shops open in the area.  We headed north to Bemidji for a huge indoor garage sale.

This is my 50 cent candle holder.  Not certain what I will do with it.  It was filthy..so I washed it!  We won’t talk about the other three or four that I have.

I  am a box hoarder.  Big boxes, little boxes, hat boxes any kind of decorative container and I am a goner.

This is a homemade wooden box.  Someone named Liz painted it in 1982. The inside is as pretty as the outside.

It has one small imperfection…see that pin hole in the blue coat?  I can live with it!  This wooden box will probably hold Christmas Ornaments.

I saved a few more old photos at an antique shop and Far Guy bought a transformer for one of his trains.  We are anxiously waiting for warmer weather in May and June when we can frequent the garage sales…not that we need anything else.  We can also get ready for a garage sale of our own!  We haven’t had a garage sale in four or five years, it is a great way to visit with the neighbors.

Chance: Missouri Lake

Hiya!  It’s me the blogging Border Collie!  It is finally spring here, my hairy feet have been trimmed but I still carry in a fair amount of sand.  Far Side says she can tell where ever I lay because it is a beach.

One day I was upset with them…they left me at home all alone…and the beach appeared on the bed.

We have been going for more rides.  I love rides.

This is Missouri Lake, there is a CCC marker there that is important to Far Guy’s Family History.  I heard them say that we get to go back and explore one of the Forest Trails after the snow melts in the woods and before the Skeeters and Deer Flies show up.

I can’t play ball as long now, they say I am getting older.  My oldest sister’s husband said the F word…FAT.  Far Side said I shoulda peed on his leg…but we were inside.

Every day I play ball just a few more times a day or for a longer time and I go for my long walk every morning. It couldn’t be those wonderful pumpkin flavored treats that Far Guy bakes for me all healthy with the rice flour.  It might be that I am a real champion at getting double treats…you know first one gives me a treat and then the other…cause they both love me.