Chance: The Grooming

HiYa!  It is me Chance.  I had a grooming appointment.  Far Side made it.  She said my hair was too long.  I had too many tangles..nothing about me was making her happy except my kisses.  I was bringing home seeds and who knows what in my long fur…not to mention that my anal glands needed to be expressed and my toe nails clipped.  

I was SO EXCITED  I got to go with Far Side to work.  I got to ride in front and everything!  But then she stopped before she got to work and dropped me off..I was stranded at the Spa…alone.   Well not really alone, other victims were there too, lots of dogs and a cat. 

Far Guy came and rescued me late in the afternoon.   Far Guy has no comment.  Far Side said I look quite handsome and cooler.  Noah said “WHO shaved Chance.”

Shaved??  Have I been shaved?? 

No I am not bald..but I have been groomed for the summer:)

Bat Man

The Bat Man showed up this week.  If you recall the newspaper reported that the museum was “inundated” with bats.

I told you he was the Bat Man.  He is a really nice guy.  He said he read the newspaper report also.

He explained to me that he would seal up the entire building, and put in a tube or tubes so that the bats would be able to go out but not be able to come back in again.   He said it is no problem for them, they have visited friends and relatives in the area and they will know right where to go.   In essence they will become someone elses problem..therefore creating more work for him in the long run..ingenious.

If you ask me he is nuts, working off of that lift.  He is running caulking along the trim on the area where the brick meets the eave.

This is a bat tube high up in the very peak of the building.  He covered the opening with a steel mesh and then put the tube up.  In a couple of weeks he will take the tubes down and seal the holes up completely.

So now you know how a Bat Man works:)

Night out with the boys

Last night I was the favorite gal among many men.  Young handsome men..and one older hunky looking guy!

We went to the County Fair.  We wandered through the Commercial exhibits and then headed for the midway.

The boys went on some rides, they went on the “ Giant Strawberry”  where you go round and round and then you can turn a wheel to go round and round faster.  Noah really didn’t want to go, but he finally said “OK I will go with Adam, but I am going to turn that wheel so fast he pukes.”  No one puked, but they looked a little green around the gills.

Adam doesn’t like heights..so he opted for a Merry Go Round ride.

Far Guy and Noah headed for the big wheel.

Just taking photos of it made my knees weak.  I don’t like heights either.

They enjoyed the ride, while Adam and I enjoyed watching them with our feet planted firmly on the ground.

It was a fairly warm evening..we had popcorn after we got home and I settled down to watch cartoons with the boys.  Times have sure changed..they can bathe themselves and get on their own jammies ..they are growing up so fast.  I think they are both going to be sweet talking gentlemen..Adam told me recently that I was a special Grandma. I think he wanted to use my computer:)

Bee Balm and A Bee In My Bonnet

I love Bee Balm or Monarda.  It is such an interesting flower shape.

The bees love it.

This tall Monarda makes an excellent backdrop for this bench where you can sit a spell.

It is warm again here in Minnesota, the humidity is high.  It wears me out, so I usually have an nap after work. 

I hate the weeks when I have to give up my Monday night for meetings where nothing gets decided.  No one ever makes motions..but they discuss lots of “stuff.”  I always present my list of concerns..Computers and Printers that don’t work…Vacuum cleaners that don’t work..most with their rummage sale tags still attached. ( DUH..why do you suppose people were selling the damn thing in the first place??) I guess I can always sweep the threadbare carpets.  Some days the humidifiers do not work..or they over flow and do not shut off..I am a pretty good dehumidifier repairwoman but I cannot work miracles.

A safety issue that I brought up was totally ignored by the board, they offered no help or solutions other than a volunteer might be able to fix it.  I am discouraged.  I did not feel like going into work on Tuesday morning..but I went anyway and tried to stay cheerful for the visitors.

Friday I will fix the safety issue myself…a bookcase leaning at a precarious angle will be unloaded into a sturdier bookcase.  I will hire the Grand boys to help shuffle the huge books filled with National Geographic's that no one ever looks at.  I am capable of coming up with a plan so that we don’t have a nasty accident with an overloaded failing bookshelf.

I am reminded of a poster that my husband used to have in his office.  It was a toothless old man in a Air Force flight suit and a helmet..it said “It is hard to soar with eagles when you work with turkeys.”

The bee in my bonnet will fly off into the Monarda now..thanks for listening:)

Wistful Wednesday: Unexpected gifts

This is a photograph of Far Guys Great Grandparents.  Louis and Louisa Stuve.  His Grandmother Theresa’s (Tracie’s) parents.

I have this old photo, I am not sure who shared it with me..one of Far Guys relatives.  Louis was born in Missouri in 1854 he died in 1932.  Louisa was born in 1861 in Missouri and died in 1929. They are both buried in the cemetery in town.  We need to go there one of these days and take some photos and see who else is buried there.  I think that this photo was taken sometime in the 1920’s.

Now.. for a little history.  I always knew Grandma Tracie had lots of sisters..they were visiting her all the time and they loved to have their photos taken together.  I have only one photo of her brothers and I am not sure who is who.  There  were 14 children.

I have been going to research these relatives.  Nothing much is known about the boys, they left in late 1929 or the early 1930’s after they could not meet their bills..they lost their farms..one day they were here and the next day they left for out east.  After hearing this family story I have always wondered what happened to them.

Last week an elderly gentleman and his wife wandered into the museum.  He said “I am not sure if I am in the right place, I am looking for the Genealogical society.”  I replied, “Yes we have a research room.”  I asked “Who are you researching?”  He said “A family by the name of Stuve.”  I said “Louis and Louisa?”  He said “Yes, but how would you know their names?”  I said “Well they are my husbands Great Grandparents.”  The gentleman whose name is Dick could not believe it.  He is the President of a Genealogy Society down in Iowa.  He showed me a photograph and I pointed out Far Guys Grandmother and Great Aunt Emma..oh my they were young!

The gift:  Dick let me copy the names and birthdates of all of Grandmas siblings.

Mathilda 1880 to 1962 Los Angeles California

Carolina 1882 to 1967 Logan Iowa

Albert 1883 to 1947 Blue Earth Minnesota

Charles 1884 to 1947 Harrison County Iowa ** note both Albert and Charles died the same day in the same year.

Laura 1886 to 1944 no known place of death.

Ferdinand or “Ferd” (twin) 1888 to 1941 Detroit Michigan

Wilhelmina (twin) 1888 to 1977 Portland Oregon

Fredrick or “Fred” 1890 to 1967  Mesa Arizona

Anna 1893 to 1978 Bemidji Minnesota

*Teresa (Theresa)1895 to 1983 Park Rapids Minnesota

Emma 1897 to 1982 Park Rapids Minnesota

Lydia  1899 to 1927 Minnesota

Louisa 1901 to 1903 Harrison County Iowa

Francis 1903 to 1993 Grand Rapids Minnesota

Part of my research has been done for me!  Okay now for the connection.  Dicks family branches out from a brother of Louis (Great Grandpa Stuve).  He has traced the family roots back to 1830 in Hannover Germany to Ernest Claude and Henrietta  Stueve.  Sometime perhaps during immigration the middle e was dropped from the name.

How wonderful to meet a distant relative, but one with family history to share..and unexpected gift:)

* Sometimes transcribers miss letters in names or transcribe them incorrectly.  For instance Grandmas name is spelled Theresia or Teresa and “Tracy” in some of the paperwork. In one reference she is listed as Teresa Bertha Katherine.  Her name was Theresa Katherine as far as I know and she liked being called Tracie and that is how she used to sign letters and cards to us.

Purple and yellow

Purple and yellow are blooming..

We went for a drive on Sunday, the heavy aroma of flowers filled the air.

The bees were buzzing. 

The intoxicating smell of lilies mixed with the smell of roses and phlox..around every bend there were more flowers… and more flowers..until I finally had enough.. I experienced flower overload.  I was tired and need to go home for a nap.

Living Legacy Gardens near Staples Minnesota was a real treat!  I have wanted to go there the past couple of summers, the time was never right.  Finally I made a date with Far Guy and Chance..they didn’t have nearly as much fun as I did..but they were patient and let me wander as long as I wanted:)

Fire in the barn

Early Saturday morning I was awakened by thunder and lightening.  Chance was nervous…he laid right beside me and panted.  I dozed..Far Guy woke me up and said he was leaving “Terry’s barn is on fire.”  My first thought was “THE HORSES.”

The beautiful Akhal-Teke..

Could it be true..

She and her stable mates..gone?

Hard to believe..here one day and gone tomorrow.  We stopped by on Sunday afternoon to see if anyone was around…the pasture was empty..the farm yard is empty without the barn that has stood in that yard for as long as I can remember and then some.

It is rumored that there are only 400 Akhal-Tekes here in the United States..now there are only 399.

I feel sadness for the horses that died early Saturday morning and for all their owners:(

Busy Week

It was a busy week at the museum. Lots of people in and out.  Only one demanding Grandmother who was fed up with her Grand's..so much so that she requested I give them a personal tour that lasted at least a half an hour.  They were older kids and fairly spoiled. Everything was either gross or weird. It was hard to get them interested in anything.

Most people like to wander on their own..I don’t mind giving tours and I enjoy giving them if the children are younger and curious.

I am ready for the meeting this next week.  I always have several things to prepare, the agenda and my report and my concerns.  Just what I want to do on my evening off ..attend a meeting. (Can you hear the joy in my voice?)

Lets see there are bats in the building, Tuesday and Wednesday there was a sewer smell that permeated even my clothing.  Wednesday it was like a Sauna in the building as temperatures soared to nearly one hundred..and yesterday a small child emptied an entire soap dispenser into the garbage can in the bathroom. ( Luckily only a small portion went on the floor.) Oh and a tree limb fell and took out one of our benches outside..one of the “Ethyl” benches.  Gus the Ghost has been active..he has been turning on lights at night…who knows all these incidents could be his mischief. 

Jen came in last weekend and changed the display case in the foyer.  She has quite an eye for combining items to come up with an attractive display.

This display is the first one that people see when they enter the building.  During August lots of women will be coming and going for the Quilt Exhibit.

I am trying very hard to get all the accessions out from under my desk..all the ones that people kept piling there last summer or the summer before that.  I am behind…I will probably never catch up.  Everything needs paperwork, numbers, photographs and a thank you letter and then it is entered into the computer..and it all takes time.  I am not so sure that I am cut out to do this museum work…I know that I need an extra day or two off soon…if nothing else I need a mental health day:)

Wildlife and Warm Weather

We were out for one of our Sunday drives on a Tuesday..or maybe it was Wednesday…it was one of those really hot evenings. Every day this week has been hot and humid.

I did not sweat to death at work…I thought I might be overtaken by my sweat glands and drown..but I survived. ( I didn’t smell real great..but I was alive.)

Chance was bored and wanted to go for a ride and hang his head out the window.  He hunkered down in the AC all day long and was feeling perky.

These baby ducks looked like they were cool. I am not sure what kind of ducks they were but they all huddled together and swam away from me.  Momma and Daddy Duck were not in the area. 

We went to look at the horses…one of my favorite fields in the area.  The horses were too far away for good photographs.  We saw this in the pasture instead.

A very beautiful coyote.  He or she looked at us for a long time..then Chance couldn’t stand it anymore, he had to bark and the coyote ran off.

We came home to cool off and saw a mama deer and a really tiny spotted fawn in our driveway.  Far Guy had been seeing the tiny tracks for a few days.

The Deer Flies are just terrible, I am sure they are chasing the deer out of the woods. I am a tad allergic to them and swell up from their bites.  They sometimes bite me so hard that they draw blood and I say bad word, bad word:)

The Carving Exhibit

Art and what is art is very subjective..what I like and think is cuter than a bugs ear..some people may find weird.

 

This is a wood carving.  Paul is a professional woodcarver..he gets mega bucks for his “stuff.”

 

This is a project that we are all working on now..Byron carves with us and is teaching us how to end up with a bouquet of Lady Slippers. ( Mine will be a work in progress for many weeks.)

These are Sheila’s carvings..she is very talented.

All these fish are carved by Kenny..he is an awesome carver.

These are Reynold’s Bark Carvings we attended a class taught by him last summer.  He was featured recently in a Carving Magazine..he didn’t show up last week ..I hope his head didn’t swell too big after being published.

These are Dave’s..he just retired last January..he is a power carver..he uses power tools to carve.

The Loon on the top of the case belongs to a gentleman that I just met last week…Bob (I think) a retired teacher.

These carvings belong to my cousin Chuckie.  He is a self taught carver that began whittling with a carpet knife over his noon hour.  Yes, he carved those chain links out of a 2X4 piece of wood.  He likes to carve birds and ducks..and Santas.

Last but not least is Far Guy.  His whimsical bark carvings and his thread spool.  I did the house on the left. 

More woodcarvings another day:)

Art or Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I am not sure about all the Artsy Fartsy “stuff” at the Art Museum upstairs. 

This is the main gallery with all “The Masters.”  I was coveting her TWO air conditioners.  I am not sure what the pew is for..perhaps just a resting space for weary art appreciators.

I liked this painting the best.

I bet you can guess why? 

 

I guess these are ok..I can take them or leave them.

Sometimes I hear the piano music..

This is all in the main gallery which used to be the main courtroom in the Courthouse. 

There are offices off to the side..that is where the Woodcarving exhibit is going on..there is an Open House this Saturday for the general public to meet the Woodcarvers.  They will have to meet me downstairs, before or after they view the exhibit.  Many of the Woodcarvers that we carve with have exhibited their works.  Tomorrow I will show you some of their work:)

Wistful Wednesday: 1936?

This photo may have been taken in the summer of 1936.  The babe in arms was born in October of 1935, I believe it is my Aunt Anna.  The fellow holding the baby is most certainly my Uncle Wilbert, he was born in 1912, so he would have been 23 years old.  The little girl who I think is my Aunt Marie would have been just about 7 years old and that little boy..could be my Dad who would have been almost 9 years old…or is it Uncle George who would have been almost 12 or Uncle Adolf who would have been 13 that year?

The only clue we have is that this is “Wilbert’s Family” and it is.. just which members? ( My Aunt Senia wrote on the photo)

I don’t see my Dad in the little boys face, but I don’t see my Uncles faces either.  I do kind of see my Aunt Anna in that cute little chubby baby face.  Aunt Marie, the little girl on the left has her face down, so it is really hard to tell if it is her or not.

This is a school photo of my Father..possibly taken about the same time. I need to restore this photo..it is in very poor shape.

I still cannot decide if it is my Dad or not.  Now that I have the photo enlarged I will have him look at it someday:)

Wild Turkeys!

Sunday morning we took off early to pick raspberries.  I am starting to get into the hunting/gathering mode.  Raspberries are high on my list.  I put them on cookie sheets inside the freezer, when they are frozen I put two servings in a Ziploc freezer bag and then I put six of those bags into another larger freezer bag and next winter we will enjoy raspberries!

I had an appointment to pick berries at my cousins over by Frazee.  Jen and Andy went along, they were good sports getting up early and entering the sauna that met us all outdoors.  It was really warm and humid, the Deer flies were biting something fierce, the hum of bugs serenaded us as we picked.   My cousin got a new pup..he eats raspberries right off the bushes.  We almost filled our quota..we picked 23 pints.  I wanted 30.  It will do.  It was miserable, sweat was dripping off my nose..and we about picked the entire patch.  Lots more berries are coming on.  We can go back again some other day.

On the way home we saw Wild Turkeys in the field..Jen wanted to see them up close and personal.

They were down in a ravine..hiding..  Her Father said “She better look out..Turkeys can be vicious.”  So Jens Hero took off after her..

Here is one turkey..headed for the fence line.  There were little turkeys too..and the little ones could fly!

Here is a big turkey:)