Chance: My View

Hiya!  It’s me Chance the blogging Border Collie!  Finally my turn.  I have been out and about.  Come on along!

I climbed a tree at the park.

I went for a walk with my bestest friend across the rusty bridge.

We stopped for a rest at the old red bridge.  Here is a raspberry!

 

One day we went to the lake.  Some of the ice is gone.  I almost got my feet wet.  The ice was singing, the shards of ice were rubbing together making the most beautiful music.  Far Side kept saying “Stay away from the Poison Ivy Berries.”  I tried.  Finally she said “Chance get in the freaking car.”

Everyday I go for a walk down the driveway.  I am a good old boy, at least that is what they say.

They are slowing switching my food to a “light” diet.  They mixed my new food and my old food half and half…but I still had some tummy troubles.  Far Side says she hopes that is in the past because it was no present. ( I threw up outside three times.)

I still have some “ouchy” joints some days…but I still run after the ball.  I am 10 years and 5 months old now.

Far Side says clean teeth are the key to a long life in dogs. She cleans my teeth, she has a friend who is a retired Dentist and he gave her some proper teeth cleaning tools for people but they work on dogs just fine.  I don’t like it very much but Far Side says I need to “Get over it!”  So I do!

It takes all kind

A wonderful old friend used to say “You never can tell about people, it takes all kind to make the world go round.”

Far Guy parked in front of this piece of art one day last week.

This must be the newest use for indoor outdoor carpeting.  It not only covered the hood it covered the sides of the truck. I wonder if tiny seeds from trees will sprout there this spring? 

I wanted to get a photo of the entire truck…but just then the owner appeared.  I hot footed it back inside my vehicle!  He hopped in and took the keys down from the visor…who would want to steal this truck anyway?  He looked kind of familiar to me, but I just couldn’t place the face…perhaps it was one of my old classmates.

I wonder what kind of glue he used?

The Foot/Rusty Bridge Park

Here is the rest of The Foot Bridge Park…newly renovated. (Technically is is called The Red Bridge Park)

This is the new bridge…we call it the rusty bridge.  It was paid for by the Minnesota Department of Natural Recourses.  How much did they pay for it?  Who knows?  I know the paving and parking lot was $220,000.00  Part of that was supposed to have been paid for with a Grant from the State of Minnesota…our tax dollars at work.

 

This is the bridge that used to cover the span to connect one side of the river to the other.  Now they have planted shrubbery around it and built steps. At least they didn’t hack it up.

The old footbridge in winter.

This is the old beach house.  It is a historical building so it might be safe from destruction.   Far Guy says there used to be a ping pong table in half of it and boys and girls changing rooms in the other half.   This used to be “the place” to go in the summertime. Some of the town kids practically lived there all summer.  There were diving platforms and rafts and life guards on duty. ( usually teachers)  I can only remember swimming here a few times.  Far Guy was always gone all summer although he was able to get there a few times over the 4th of July when his parents made in back in town for a few days.  I am not certain why this City Beach was abandoned…liability perhaps.

There are street lights now and green benches and a number of trash receptacles and red picnic tables and a drinking water fountain.   

And a sculpture.  I heard there are supposed to be more…it is becoming more of an artsy fartsy town all the time.

Tree Massacre

Yesterday we ran errands.   I keep “things” pinned to my bulletin board until I can’t stand it anymore.  The weather was half ways decent so we went to what the newbies call The Red Bridge Park ( The old farts call it The Foot Bridge Park) in town…newly renovated or massacred….I suppose it just depends on who you are.

The park has old willows flanking the river.  One such willow was known as the picture tree…because of its sweeping branch.

 

Noah and Adam in September of 2011

It was a branch that a youngster could stretch out on.  Both of my grandsons are much taller now…but I wanted to show you the magnificent branch.

  It has been butchered.

What were they thinking?  I realize that Willows grow fast but not fast enough to replace that branch in my lifetime.  I am not sure if there is a City Forester or not, but if there is he needs his head examined.  

Whipped Cream or Meringue?

The snow blew directly off the field creating hills and valleys kind of like whipped cream or meringue on a pie.  The snow is gone elsewhere but in the drifts it remains…cold and a reminder that winter is not yet over even if the calendar does say it is Spring.

We went for a drive.  The crows were busy, and we saw two ducks on the river. The wind was raw and it said “Winter” to me.

Yesterday only the snow drifts inspired me.  Old Man Winter was an artist. There is more moisture for the wildflowers in the ditch!

The snow was in various forms of melting all day yesterday.  We didn’t have to shovel. No shoveling is a good thing.

Whipped Cream or Meringue?  I like Whipped Cream on Sour Cream and Raisin Pie but Meringue on Lemon Pie!

March 26: Snow and a Birthday

It snowed yesterday.  Winter chased Spring right out of Minnesota.  The wind blew and there were snow whirlwinds coming through the yard.

It rained first and then it snowed.  This is our ball throwing wintertime bench.

We only got a inch of snow not enough to help the trees out or to help out the drought situation we will be in as soon as it warms up.

Sixty-one years ago I became a big sister when my baby brother was born.

I will always be the oldest and he one of the middle children.  He was born on a Friday.  Of course I don’t remember exactly what happened that day…I was just 2 1/2 years old.

Last night he sent me a photo.

 

The weather in Tulsa OK was a bit uncertain yesterday.  This was a wall cloud as seen from his office …what looks like a flag in the center must be a reflection in the glass.   He said “When the cloud started to rotate and suck up water from the ground we went to the stairwell.”  The revolving doors of his office building were blown out from the winds.

Happy Birthday to my baby brother I am glad you made it to 61!

Wistful Wednesday : William Tell 1978

The Spring and Summer of 1978 was a really busy time.  We had a three year old and a six year old….and a dog named “Snuffer.”  Far Guy was so busy at work and getting ready for the William Tell Load Competition that we hardly saw him.  The team practiced “loads” in the evenings and on Saturdays for weeks.

The William Tell Competition was named after the guy that shot the apple off of someones head.  Load Teams came from all over the United States and the World to Tyndall AFB Florida.

The teams got points for their flight time and arrival times.  The Canadians announced their arrival with an upside down pass next to the Air Traffic Control Tower.   They also had lots of “Moose Milk” …the different teams would host get togethers and meals.  I think The Happy Hooligans served BBQ steak and no one knows remembers what they drank.

Anyways arrival times got points, maintenance on aircraft got points, load crews got points and the pilots scored points with hits to targets.  In the end the points are totaled and the highest score won.  In 1978  they took 2nd Place which is/was a pretty big deal.

The Load Crew also had to take a written test.  The last question was “How many photon torpedoes does the Star Ship Enterprise carry?”  Far Guy says “I got it wrong.”

Merle, Gene, Jerry (RIP), Jim and Phil

The loaders were designated as A, B, C and D.   Phil was the trainer.

The A guy was the Crew Chief he had the checkbook and checked things off as the tasks were completed.  B and C guys had various tasks inspecting, installing wings and fins and fitting the missiles to the aircraft.  The D guy was the jammer driver.  The jammer was a specialized vehicle that transported missiles.

Arial Targets that were rockets were fired over the Gulf for the aircrews to shoot at.  The aircraft (F-4’s) would go out in groups of 4’s to intercept the targets.  One of the aircraft had to get close enough to positively identify it as the target before any of the other aircraft could release their missiles, he would peal out and the firing would commence.   In 1978 it was a “Live” fire however the missiles did not contain warheads, they did have guidance and control units.

Later as years went by in this competition technology was such that they could shoot at the target but the missile never left the aircraft and ground control could tell if it was a hit or a miss. Sort of like a giant video game.

Far Guy says “It was one big party.”   Have you ever been Hooliganized?   WELL. As I understand it…they tried to Hooliganize almost everyone…especially women.  They all had numerous stickers in their billfolds.  The stickers were red and white and said The Happy Hooligans.  I will leave it to your imagination where they were placed.

Spring Things

I am like a kid sometimes.  I have a “thing” for boxes and cases.  There….I said it I am a hoarder of boxes, cases and maybe even tins. I saw these Spring like boxes in an second hand shop…who could resist?

Right now they will hold colorful plastic eggs and candy for a possible Easter Egg Hunt!  After Easter I will find something else to store inside.

Now doesn’t this look interesting?  It is a wooden case…very well made too.

It holds a variety of second hand art supplies; crayons, markers, colored pencils and oil pastels. 

I was most interested in the colored pencils…I had hoped they were water color pencils..they were not.  BUT I think I read someplace that baby oil or alcohol can be used as a blender so that you can use a colored pencil and get lots of colors and shades.  I will have to try it…someday.  I can doodle in color!!

My husband was already eyeing those markers. I will share….although yesterday he made a comment to one of my friends… “ Sometimes she rolls her eyes so far back in her head that she can see her own brain.”

Uffda

Cooking Comfort Food

I spent the better part of the weekend cooking.  I made baked beans on Saturday and on Sunday we made Jen’s Tortilla Soup for Far Guy. 

I use Great Northern and Pinto Beans for the baked beans.  I soak them overnight.  The next day I boil them at least twice changing the water with each new boil.  I fry up bacon ends and a yellow onion finely chopped.  I mix up a slurry of brown sugar, catsup, mustard, dark molasses and water.  I add the bacon and the slurry to the beans and bake them for a couple of hours.  After they are cooled down I bag them in serving sizes for meals.  Perfect to take out and warm in the microwave.  ( there are no measurements for the slurry, I just eyeball it) I didn’t even boil the beans all over the stove…for once.

I baked chicken for the soup.  Then it is shredded then I add cans of Chicken Broth, Diced Tomatoes, Cream Of Chicken Soup, Black Beans, Corn and some Taco Seasoning. Oh and a can of green chilies…but we just added some Peperoncini finely chopped instead.  Far Guy taste tested it.  He said it was great.  I don’t eat it…remember I have compartments in my stomach…and corn should never be put in anything…but served plain in it’s own bowl.  I have never eaten Black Beans either…yew…  Far Guy likes this soup.  He eats it on soup night when I have vegetable soup.

I will have to make a big batch of my vegetable soup after Easter.  I have only three bags left. The last time I made it was the first week in December.

We also did an inventory of the deep freeze.  Sadly the raspberries are almost gone and the blueberries are all gone.  Larger quantities will have to be picked next summer.

Far Guy had an event to attend on Saturday.  So Chance I had the whole day to ourselves. 

A Nuthatch in it’s favorite position Assup!

Harlow’s Blanket

I finally got Harlow’s Blanket finished.  It is just a simple crochet blanket.   The yarn was a bulky chenille…soft, warm and cozy.

 

It was fun to crochet and it went real fast once I got started.

Here is Harlow sawing some z’s  on the new blanket.  He is seven weeks old now.  I got to hold him for quite awhile…warm sleeping babies always make me relaxed and sleepy.

I didn’t put a fussy trim on the blanket…it is just plain and meant to be used.  Harlow is my other baby brothers eleventh Grandchild.  I have 7 Great Nephews now.

Spring’s Arrival

Just before it became officially spring at 5:45 PM.  It snowed.  Winter never got Spring’s memo. The memo was probably something like this “ Get the #&%* out.”

Chance was not real happy with me.  I made him go outside just to take a photo.  If he could have scowled or stuck out his tongue he would have.

The snow melted as soon as it hit the ground.  As you can see we have many different shades of brown in our yard.  No green no flowers.  Not very spring like.

This little bunny rabbit was balanced on the wreath outside the door.  He was a garage sale find a few years ago.  He replaced the red lights and the snowman that said “welcome”.

Bang Bang

Let the target practice commence!

I have been waiting for my Permit To Purchase a Handgun to arrive.   It finally came in the mail yesterday.  Both my other baby brother and my husband said “I bet they are reading your blog to find out what kind of radical you are.”

Since I had the little beauty that fits my hand so well all picked out it was just a matter of doing some more paper work and paying the bill.

I opted for the Crimson Trace which is a laser sight.

We headed over to my other baby brothers shooting range.  He spent some time with me and gave me some pointers.  I hit the target several times from 25 feet away!  The gun handles well and I am practicing getting used to it.

I will be attending a Permit To Carry Class sometime in the near future. 

Here is that pretty red trigger that I mentioned in an earlier blog.

I am pleased with my selection.  I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and I will exercise my right to bear arms. 

No More Picnic Weather

That warm spell was sure nice, it is long gone now and I miss the warmth. 

It was almost picnic weather and I had a hankering for Potato Salad.  In fact I mentioned it as a possibility for Easter Dinner.  Far Guy looked at me like I was nuts.

We are back to 40’s F or  4 C eh!  Not exactly picnic weather.

 

I have a few new projects in the works and I spent one nice afternoon in the woodshop.   It is warm in there on sunny days.   I have a picnic table out there I suppose I could have my picnic there. 

Of course no new projects are finished.  I suppose I should think about concentrating on one project at a time instead of many.

I tried my hand at folding a Origami Basket.  Although I am a paper hoarder person, I did not have Origami Paper…but the local Ben Franklin did.   I think I suck at all crafts where you must be exact…like sewing and paper folding…eyeballing something just doesn’t work.  I will get one basket all properly folded before I give up…unless I run out of Origami Paper.  I had hoped that the baskets would be large enough for May Baskets…but they are not.  I have another idea that may work but so far it is only in my brain.