Harvest Moon

The harvest moon is the first full moon after the autumnal equinox.

Chance and I went in search of the moon.  It was ever so faint during twilight.  It snuck up on us..it was not visible so I took some photos of trees etc..and looked at the river..then all of a sudden there it was.  It travels high in the sky quite fast.

I was expecting a large orange glob for a moon..maybe tomorrow night.

We were waiting over on the cemetery road..not much happening there..a real haze was in the air. Dust more than likely..it is real dry here.  The sun set quickly.

Not much traffic out on the road..so I stopped for a photo. The moon is right over our house!

One last shot..this one is for my Dad.  Why?  Because he told me that the moon would not be completely full for a few more nights.

Looks full to me.  Did you see the moon last night?  If not you can catch it again tomorrow night.  Chance and I will be out watching for it! :)

A Little Beehind

Oh my, I am a little behind at home.  The fridge should be cleaned out along with my garage and my car.  I worked really hard yesterday trying to clear off my desk at home.  I made some headway..enough so I could dust. Ha.

In the afternoon I went into the museum and cleaned out my desk there.  I am creating an office space upstairs for the museum computer and printer so that I can accomplish something during the winter. Last year I had no idea what I would need..this year at least I have a clue.

One day at a time. I would stop and smell the roses but they are all frozen..

Sedum and a little beehind:)

Free at last

Free, free at last..no more alarm clocks, makeup and being sugary sweet when I answer the phone.  Ha!

I am looking forward to some jammie mornings out on the patio watching the birds before it gets so cold I need a parka.

I took some photos in town last night.  It was a pretty evening after a warmish day of 72 F.

 

The foot bridge.  It is not called the Red Bridge except by the “newbies” who don’t know a thing.  I noticed one of the newbies put up a sign that said “Red Bride Park”..we are not even going there.  Far Guy has threatened to begin a campaign to paint it blue or orange or yellow any color but red.  To the tried and true kids from Park Rapids..there is only one Red Bridge and this is not it.  “Our” Red Bridge is only a memory.

The North East shore of the river..all decked out in it’s autumnal finery.

The old railroad bridge..you can hardly tell where the train went through town anymore..but this old bridge tells the story of those old tracks.

Looking north along the Fish Hook River.  It is that time of year when the evening light fades fast.

I am looking forward to some serious camera time in the next few weeks:)

Time Flies

Someone really should slow things down a tad.  Why is it when you get older the days/weeks/months seem to fly by?  Whoosh and the summer is gone.

It was 24 F here early yesterday morning that is –4C for my Celsius friends.   Just a little frost must have been out there..I slept through that frosty time of the morning.   How do I know it was 24?  My thermometer had a new low..it is digital and gives me the all summer high 98F and the low is now 24F.

Time also flies at the museum.

We had our “Antiques Roadshow” program with many interesting items brought in.

The controversy continues between the Museum and the County Commissioners.  A Public TV reporter did a lead news story on the museum.  I tried my best to avoid her..but I did not escape.  They should give you time to thoughtfully come up with answers..but they want honest reactions to their questions..so that is what they got.

I have been clearing items off my desk one by one, but as usual people bring more stuff to me everyday.  Yesterday I wanted to holler STOP already! So I did.  Anything else brought into the museum will be stacked on the shelf and dealt with next spring.

I made lists..two of them. Work lists and final closing lists. 

I have one day left.  Today.  Far Guy works on Friday and my last vacation day of the season is Saturday.  Yippee!!

Of course I will be dragging tons of work home with me..but that is the nature of the beast.  I will put in a few hours here and there.  At least at home I can ignore the phone and  work uninterrupted.

The AmeriCorps may be back for a day or two and I may have to supervise them.  One of the best AmeriCorps workers a young man by the name of David was injured in a freak accident on Monday night. His is going to be okay.  ( Their van was stuck in a sandy beach area, they jacked up the van, David crawled under the van most likely to adjust something and the jack collapsed pinning him under the van.)  David was part of the crew I worked with last Saturday.  Far Guy and I were both relieved to hear he will be okay.

I am pleased as punch to have another year behind me.  I think I accomplished my goal, and that was to bring more people into the museum and to have programs that reach out into the community.  Like I told one of the volunteers..this ain’t your Grandma’s Museum anymore.

Just a reminder please enter the Snow Daze Contest here and at Muddy Boot Dreams!  It is cold enough to snow real soon here in Minnesota. The contest will close Friday September 28th at midnight:)

Wistful Wednesday: September 26 1912

One hundred years ago today my Grandmother Hilda gave birth to her first son.  She and Grandpa named him Wilbert Samuel.  The oldest son, the first of fourteen children.

My Grandparents had been married fourteen months before Wilbert was born.

This photo is from 1919.

By summer of 1919 Wilbert was seven years old, Hugo was five, Jalmer was three, Ervin was two and baby Oscar was born May 31 1919. ( He helps to date the photo!)  By this time my Grandparents had been married eight years and they had five sons.

I always think my Grandmother looks tired in this photo and I bet she was.

This is one of my favorite photos. Uncle Wilbert is cutting my Uncle Hugo’s hair.  You just had to make do…I suppose you could always wear a cap. Wilbert was the barber and cut everyone’s hair..well at least all his brothers hair..when you have lots of brothers you get lots of practice.

My Uncle Wilbert married my Aunt Senia ( Who is still alive, but lives in the Nursing Home.)

This may be their wedding photo.

My Uncle Wilbert died in February of 1990.  He had the flu and was recovering in the hospital and died.  He was 78 years old.  I had many opportunities to have coffee with him and visit…I wish I had written down some of his stories.

Uncle Wilbert and Aunt Senia had three beautiful daughters.

My Uncle Wilbert was like all of my father’s brothers. They were all strong men physically and emotionally, steadfast in their faith and good fathers with a keen sense of humor. Salt of the earth.

One hundred years..I often wonder what it was like back then.  My Grandmother was a midwife later in her life.  I imagine that she was tended to by her mother and sisters for the birth at home:)

Pretty Leaves

Some of the Maples have some really good color.

One by one the leaves give up  and change color.

I hope they hang on for a few more days.  I will get my last day of vacation this Saturday..so if the leaves last four more days I will get many more photos:)

The Last Week

Far Guy had another injection last week.  The anesthetist takes a needle and injects a local anesthetic and a steroid into his face, just under his ear.  The injection is to calm the Trigeminal Nerve which in turn halts the false pain signals that the nerve transmits.

Here is my record of the injections so far.

May 14, 2012  Injection: the pain was held at bay for 7 days.

June 28, 2012  Injection: The pain became worse.

July 5, 2012  Injection:  Pain free for six weeks.

September 20, 2012 Injection:  So far so good. 

We are hopeful that this time it last for months…or years.  This is the only procedure that the Neurologist would advise for the Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia that Far Guy has endured for almost four years.

The Gaillardia is still blooming and the big old bees are sluggish.  It has turned cold..and the Fireplace is on to warm us up in the morning.

We spent Sunday afternoon with good friends.  We had a lovely salad and steak lunch at their lake place…it was delicious! It was too cold and windy to go out on the lake..but the view was great! It was so good to get away and just download for a little while.

This is my (our) last week at the museum. It closes September 29. The building has no heat and this is Minnesota. Our program this week is “Our Take On Antiques Roadshow.” I have a volunteer recognition luncheon this week and two Boy Scout groups coming after school for tours. It will be a busy week.  Five days and counting:)

Teamwork

Saturday was a very busy day filled with teamwork.  Naturally I was the team leader.

A few weeks ago I met a group of AmeriCorps youth. This group is part of the NCCC or National Civilian Conservation Corps.  They are in our area clearing a hiking trail around one of the lakes.  They toured the Museum and asked me if I had any projects they could help with.

I made a list. HA..one of those things I do best. Projects..oh yeah I have a few.

At the end of the day I was exhausted..have you tried to keep up with three 18 to 24 year olds lately?

We worked on four projects in the basement.  We cleaned out a vault to store the leftover rummage sale items.  We packed up the sale items and got them stored away.

We made arrangements to pick up our etched glass panels that were a donation from McDonalds in Park Rapids. ( When they remodeled they removed the glass panels.) There are scenes etched in glass..the water tower, the old Germania hall, the First National Bank, a logging scene and the Carnegie Library.

There are six panels.  For now they are in the Resort/Business Room downstairs.  The frames may have to be painted.  A project for next spring.   My parents hauled them from a members garage to the museum..and the corps loaded and unloaded them. Youth!

This is a photo of the High School Memory Room..before.

This is the after we moved everything out in preparation for the painting that should be accomplished this week.

Yes, we discovered a big hole in the floor.  That building is always full of surprises.

Nope no buried treasure..just a hole of unknown origin..that has a pipe.  Possibly it is an old gas line from the early days.  One of the corps said perhaps it was an ancient outhouse??  The building was built in 1900.  I would assume that the floor in the basement was dirt for a long time.  This hole had all kinds of rotted wood in it.

Some not so good teamwork: The County Custodian gave a report on the state of our building this past week.  I requested funding for some new carpeting in the foyer and stairs and repair of door jams that are tripping hazards.  The meeting was not good.  We have very little support from the Commissioners..even though they still own the building.  The building is a Historic place and designated as such.  There was mention of the asbestos in the boiler room. “But no one ever goes in there”  Well.. except me.  When our request for a lock box to house the key for the Fire Department was brought up.  One Commissioner said “Let it burn.” There was a big write up in the paper..here is the link.  Talk about a kick in the pants.

Five more days left.  I was supposed to have yesterday off as a vacation day..that did not happen with the AmeriCorps group coming in.  I may take next Saturday off or just close the building one day early.  Far Guy and I both worked yesterday.  Far Guy handled the tour that requested coffee be served afterwards and he finished up a huge scanning project that he was working on.

It will be a busy week this week.  I have scheduled three work days at the end of the week for Board Members..and I have a list:)

Autumnal Equinox

That is the big happening today..somewhere around 9:49 AM our time.   That means Fall has arrived.  We will lose two minutes plus of sunlight every day now…sunsets happen faster than in the summer and twilight seems non existent. 

The trees are changing fast.

The Maples are the trees that bring the  brilliant orange color to our area of Minnesota.

I am not sure that the color will hold another week..it is not quite prime color yet..but very soon.

Happy Fall Y’all :)

Snow Daze

It will snow one of these days.


Would you like to guess when it will snow in North Central Minnesota?  Would you like to guess when it will snow in the Okanagan area of British Columbia?  Do you like notecards? ( Mostly with flowers on them?)
If so leave me a guess.. the date ..and then morning, afternoon, evening or overnight. The person with the closest correct guess without going over will win!!
Then head on over to Jen’s  Muddy Boot Dreams.  Jen moved to the Okanagan last December.  She is anxiously awaiting that first snowfall…so enter a guess at her place too!  Take it from me a trip by her place is a treat for your eyes..she takes beautiful photographs!

Here in Minnesota we are not so anxiously waiting.  I wonder who will have the first snowfall?  I hope it is Jen…I wish her lots and lots of snow:)

Guesses so far:
Oct 11 Rita
Oct 13 Morning Blissed Out Grandma
Oct 14 to 15 Overnight Geri W. (my cousin)
Oct 19 to 20 Overnight Mo and Steve
Oct 21 5 PM  mary s @ momandad00
Oct 22 Geraldine
Oct 25  Afternoon Karen
Oct 25 Evening Muffys Marks
Oct 27  7:45 AM Muffie
October 27 Evening Lisa from Area Voices Blog
Oct 28 to 29 Overnight Shirley
Oct 30 Muddy Boot Dreams
Oct 30 Country Gal
Oct 31 linda m
Oct 31 evening MJM from Area Voices Blog
Nov 1 to 2 Overnight DJan
Nov 3 Crafty Gardener
Nov 4 to 5 Overnight Judy Area Voices Blog
Nov 6 Afternoon Stephanie
Nov 7 Ann Area Voices Blog
Nov 7 to 8 Overnight Lanny
Nov 8 early afternoon marlu
Nov 9 to 10 overnight Cathy Monroe
Nov 15 Nancy
Nov 17 Kathy
Nov 17 Maple Lane
Nov 21 evening Susan R. Area Voices Blog

September 20

Well this is the day that comes around once a year that reminds me that I am not getting any younger.

This photo was taken 60 years ago.

This one was taken in 1960.  52 years ago.  I was nine then.  I am not sure what my baby brother was doing with the BB Gun.  Maybe he was going to shoot the candles out on the cake. I am certain I did not get a BB Gun for my birthday.   Why?  Because I got a bike.

Yes, it was a boys bike.  I never learned to ride a girls bike.

I have my birthday off from work.  Far Guy has an appointment.  It will be a quiet day..perhaps I will have a nap:) 

Wistful Wednesday: Aunt Anna

My Aunt Anna had surgery a few weeks ago.  She is recovering at home.

This was about 1936 when Aunt Anna was one year old.  Aunt Marie (8 years old) is holding her.  Uncle Arnold( 4 years old) is standing by.  It looks like Aunt Anna is struggling with Aunt Marie…they were the only two girls in the family..but they had a bunch of brothers. If you knew my Aunt Marie..she liked to be in charge because she was the older sister..so seeing Aunt Anna as a child giving her the “what for” makes me smile.

 

I will guess that Anna was 10 to 12 years old in this photo that would make the year 1945 to 1947. That is her Mother and Father.  (My Grandparents Y.)

Grandma has on her huivi ( scarf) and Grandpa has no tie.  I am sure Grandpa is also wearing his long underwear as he wore them year round.

I think this is Aunt Anna’s High School Graduation Photo.  So that would have been sometime around 1953…very near the time that her Mother ( My Grandmother) died. 

My Dad and My Aunt Anna are the only children left in that family (12 boys and 2 girls).  Dad will soon be 86 and Aunt Anna will soon be 77. 

Aunt Anna will wear a body brace for about nine months until her back is completely healed.  She cannot bend forward or backwards or from side to side.  She cannot pick anything up off the floor or reach for anything over her head.  When we visited with her last week we told her that she is just going to have to ask for help when she needs it.

In less than two weeks I will be done with work and I can go over and help out.  I think “the cousins” were trying to work out some kind of schedule…there are enough of us. If we all pitch in it will work out just fine:)

September 1982

Books..she loves books and going to the library. 

This is our youngest daughter Jen/Jennifer/Jenny.  The caption in this newspaper article says “Jenny can’t read yet, but she likes coming to the bookmobile to choose material for her sister to read to her.”   This was in the September 26, 1982 issue of the Fargo Forum.

Thirty years ago.  When she was seven.

When she learned to read she would make up words.  If something started with a w, any w word that she could think of would do.  She just wanted to read quickly and did not have time to sound out the words.

One night a week usually on Tuesday or Wednesday we would pack up our bag of books right after supper and spend the evening in the library picking out new books for the coming week.  One night it was very cold out..way below zero, so cold that our back window shattered in the cold while we were inside the library.

Reading was encouraged.  Jen spent hours reading to me…mostly in the late afternoon as I cooked supper..she would be perched on a stool in the kitchen at the breakfast bar.  I had to pay close attention for words that didn’t make sense.  I would encourage her to sound them out..when that failed I would have her spell the word to me, so I could help her.

Jen learned to read and became a really good reader…she stopped making up words.  In High School she began to write poetry.  I am not sure when she decided that she wanted to become an English Teacher…but she has a Master of Fine Arts Degree in English and teaches at a Community College.

She still loves books. One day last July she came by the museum to change the foyer display cabinet.  It became a display of books..large and small..I smile every time I walk past or dust the top of the case..all this from the little girl who struggled to read.

Today she is 37.  Happy Birthday Jen:)

Chance : Leaf Scout

Hiya!  It is me Chance the blogging Border Collie.  I have been out scouting leaves for Far Side.  If she leaves the yard I must accompany her..even if it means giving up a game of ball with Far Guy.

See I found her some.  Now it is time to go back home.  How many photos does she need anyway?

Hurry up slow poke I have a date with a ball.

The freaking leaves took so long he gave up and went in for a nap.  Oh well I suppose she wants to take more photos of me anyway.  I should ask for a raise.

(Chance is that a leaf on your butt?) 

Might be..whatsittoya? Leaves are all over the place:)