More about May

May was  a month!

Hey Mikey had a birthday!  He is three now!  The terrible twos are behind him now.

He has his Mamas eyes!  Maddie reports he is working on his colors and numbers...he keeps saying he is four not three...

Jonas the Foreign Exchange Student from Belgium headed home.  I took one last photo of him in his new boots.  I said "You will have to wear them on the plane because they take up lots of room in the suitcase."  He has been living with Jen, Andy and Adam the past nine months.

Jonas

Far Guys big sister had one of those milestone birthdays. 

This photo was taken 69 years ago when she was 6 years old...you can do the math.  She is still doing chemo treatments for breast cancer.  The first chemo treatments were real hard on her, the last treatments seem a bit easier on her....not that they are easy just less hard. She has about a month of treatments left and then they will figure out what they are going to do next.

I had the second Shingrix shot on Friday. Cross something off my healthcare list!
I am not as ill as I was with the first one. I have swelling about the size of a softball.   However I did clear my busy schedule for some down time over the weekend.  So far four hour naps are the normal.  I am a good napper.
The shot Nurse was awesome.  I explained Far Guys situation that he is high risk.  So they scheduled me as the first patient in the morning.   I touched nothing except my shoes to the floor...I was taken in almost immediately and ushered out the back door to avoid the waiting room where there was one person.  My regular Doctor works a few days a week out of a very small satellite clinic so  I usually go there to see her...it is a farther drive...but doable. 

Far Side

Lilacs and Chokecherries

The Lilacs are blooming.

These are at the white house with the blue trim.  I try to take a photo there every year.

These are at Annies old house...friend Faye still owns the property and it is surrounded by lilacs ...these dark purple blooms caught Far Guys eye so we went back to photograph them.

The Chokecherries are in full bloom.
And we have a frost warning ...go figure. 

If we freeze these blooms and the berries that follow the blooms will be history.  Two years ago we had a bumper crop...so we will wait and see.

Far Side

Plants

Far Guy decided that he wanted Yellow Pear Tomatoes this year.  The seeds took forever to come.  Oh well it was still freezing at night in the greenhouse anyways.
The seeds are growing slowly.

Tomato on the left lettuce on the right.  The tomatoes will be thinned out after they get a bit bigger. He wants just two plants in the container...the Yellow Pear Tomatoes are determinate growth...which means they only get so tall...which makes them a good container tomato.

He modified two coolers to fit in his little red wagon...he can wheel it around and wheel it to the garage if the weather gets bad. (One of his medications come in coolers so we have quite a few of them)

Grocery shopping was fine.  We now have Clorox Wipes thanks to cousin Bonnie and Wayne...they were shopping and thought of us!

Far Guy had to wait a long time at the Clinic for his infusion the Pharmacy that mixes his medication was all mixed up...so his wait was real long.  He sent me a text and said it would be a long wait.  So I went flower shopping.

The place I went some people had masks, employees did not...I didn't come within six feet of anyone...got my plants and left.

Blue Pansies, Yellow Violas, Salvia Victoria Blue and mostly Red Impatiens.

They should make this area look a tad bit better.

I have to dig around a bit, remove some old packed down bird seed hulls and add a bit more soil.  A good project for the weekend.

We visited two cemeteries and took up the flowers...two more to go...maybe on the weekend. 
I mowed the lawn on Wednesday.  The pollen is crazy bad...covering everything...we could sure use another rain to wash things off.

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Grilled Treats

My baby brothers wife had a new treat for us this week.  We met at his house this week  at his outdoor patio with my parents, my other baby brother and she who sees robins first and Stacey and NJ.  Social distancing of course and keeping Far Guy out of the smoke from the fire. 

A sugar cone layered with small marshmallows, chocolate, bananas and strawberries.  It was very good!  The cooks worked on getting the timing right. 

Several were put directly into the coals...they heat up quite rapidly and tend to burn the cone.  So out came the grill top  for the Cowboy Cauldron and that worked quite well.

The Owls have moved on...the morning it rained they left my baby brothers property.  Maybe they will be back...maybe not perhaps it was a rest /eating spot.

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Yarn and Wood

We have been working in the greenhouse/woodshop.  It rained yesterday so we worked out there until it was time for our naps.  Monday we took a load of kindling to my other baby brothers fire pit and took a whole load of stuff to recycling.

One day I stacked a whole bunch of like kinds of wood together.  Nice and neat!

I blocked another shawl.  This is number four of the five skeins I ordered.

I put it in the shawl box.  I am getting quite a collection.

Back view. 

Note to self never order five skeins of one kind/color of yarn again...the last shawl is almost done.  Good thing too as nine skeins of a favorite yarn in all different colors was delivered yesterday.

I started  crocheting a wasp nest they say that if you put one up wasps will stay away. We need one under the back deck where I was attacked last summer.  Maybe one out at the sauna too as they tried to build a nest there also...  Buggers.

Big day yesterday as my baby brother went shopping and brought us ammonia and a rain gauge for me and blueberry pie and coffee for Far Guy. 

 We are greening up quite a bit.  It rained yesterday so I will have to mow soon. We needed rain badly as the ground was powder dry.

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Owls and Cowslips

My baby brother has no squirrels in his yard.  He has two Owls. 

This one is high in a Norway Pine.

This one is hanging out on a dead tree ( we call them dead heads as the top of the tree is gone.)

My baby brother says he thinks they are Barred Owls and he thinks the one on the dead head is a youngster.
Interesting to see.  They watch their little dog closely when they are outside!

The Cowslips are in full bloom down at the lake...also called Marsh Marigold it is Caltha palustris and it is in the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae Family)

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Memorial Day 2020

Like so many things in this Covid-19 world we now live in Memorial Day has changed...although maybe for the better...gosh did I just say that?  More people have had time to reflect on those who have died...hopefully taking a bit of time to reflect on those servicemen who died in the trenches.

My Uncle Arthur  was killed during the invasion of Italy, he died May 20 1944.  He is buried in The American Sicily-Rome Cemetery In Nettuno Italy.  He was 23 years old when he died.

If he had made it home to be buried he would have been buried on this hill in Minnesota.  The first flag in the photo is on my Grandmother's grave because she is a Gold Star Mother.  My Paternal Grandmother was mother to 14 children; 12 boys and 2 girls.  Hugo  and Arthur were in WWII, my Dad, Andrew and Arnold served during the Korean War.  Hugo was injured and spent a long time in Military Hospitals and Arthur never came home.

It is the soldiers that never came back that are honored today.
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Clinic, Groceries, Amazon and Cemeteries

The tourists are here.  In town on Thursday it was just nuts.  Hubbard County has it's first case of Covid -19 and Becker County has 32 or 33 depending on the source.  Far Guy had his infusion appointment and then some lab work that took 3 hours...guess who didn't grab her crochet bag?  Guess who had a nap, walked up and down the street and played games on her phone while she waited... Far Guy kept calling me with updates on why he was waiting so long and what orders had been faxed and what was messed up...guess who had to pee real bad by the time we got back home?

Anyways most of the groceries were there...no ammonia, no lysol wipes, no paper plates, no ice cream...Far Guy could not figure out why there is an ice cream shortage. 

Most of Minnesota is supposed to open back up on Monday May 25. 
We will see how it goes.  We will keep on doing what we are doing.

Far Guy was locked out of his Amazon account.  (When he signed in he had to get a code from his email that never came to his email acct...go figure) I finally had to contact customer support for him, they called him and he had to prove over and over it was really him before they would reset his account.  Who the heck can recall what you have ordered in the past three or four months?  Finally they decided that it was really really really him and unlocked his account.  What a frustrating experience.

We visited some more cemeteries it is a good activity as most people there are dead already.  We trimmed away grass from a number of grave markers.  It was a good reminder for me that I need to spend more time at three or four country cemeteries getting photos of graves for Find A Grave.

A tree in bud at the church where I was baptized in 1952.
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Blooms

I mowed the front yard.  I left the dandys on the side yards for the bees.

There is a good crop of dandys on the side yards.

Little Violets that took up residence against the house.

A Trillium about to open.

We had a busy day.  Visited two cemeteries and left flowers.  I am still working out in the greenhouse/woodshop...Far Guy has lots of stuff treasures. I have been delivering buckets of kindling to the neighbors fire pits and stacking like kinds of wood together on top of the benches. I am about 2/3 done out there.

The suitcase was repacked with some summery clothing should the call for new lungs come. 

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Noah : 21

Ah ...Noah our oldest grandson turns 21 today!  Such a magic number...we all remember when we were 21.

Photo taken one week shy of his 21st birthday.

It seems like we turned around once and blinked and he grew up just like that!

Noah's Mama took this photo 20 years ago in April of 2000. 

Happy Birthday Noah!  You are so special and loved always!

He is our first grandchild to complete College with a four year degree.  I asked him if he planned to continue his education...he said with a smile "Not right now."

Far Side/Grandma

Update On Lung Transplant List

Far Guy is back on the Lung Transplant list as of Tuesday.  He had a long video chat with his Pulmonary Transplant Specialist.   They are starting to do transplants again.  Most likely he will remain on the list until he is 71 which is in 9 months.  Covid 19 is still a concern.  It was a tough decision...once he enters the hospital for transplant he will be alone with no family visitors.  After three or four days when he comes off the ventilator he can use facetime to connect with family.  However the visitation policy may change as time goes on.

So we wait...let go and let God.

I must repack the suitcase...switching out winter clothing for summer and make sure the craft suitcase has some projects!  If and when he gets the call I will take him there and stick around a few days, if our rental is ready I will stay if not I will come back home until it is ready.  We will be gone from home for 3 to 4 months.

Far Guy is stronger than he has been in a long time and has not had a cough since early February.

The Pin Cherries are in bloom.  Food for birds.

I have been working inside the greenhouse trying to get it cleaned up.  Yesterday I was working under a bench...I had to crawl under there to vacuum up some leaves...my head hit a small wasp nest...it went rolling off  like a ball.  Nothing was flying out so I continued on with my work.  Far Guy took care of it...no wasps.  He looked under the rest of the benches as good as he could for more...but none were noticed. Life is just one adventure after another.

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Evening drive

We went for a ride on Monday night.  Just to get out of the house.

It is greening up out there.

The farm where I grew up.

Oh deer!  We just saw four.  Saw some Eagles but they flew away as did a very large Hawk.

It was a nice drive.

Far Guy is busy with another carving project.  I worked inside and outside and in the greenhouse.  I ordered some more yarn...supporting small businesses in New Jersey and Indiana.  I am blocking one shawl upstairs and have another started.

Far Side

Someday Project: Rhubarb Jam

Far Guy made his Seafood Gumbo. ( I helped, I cut up the peppers and deveined shrimp) anyways... I needed space in the deep freeze for it....out came three quart jars of frozen rhubarb.  (Friend Jill gave me all the fruit from her deep freeze when she moved to Florida.)  Far Guy says "What are you going to do with that rhubarb?"  He doesn't really care for rhubarb.

I thought a crisp or jam.   Jam won.

I measured  a bit then just dumped it all in the pan...added sugar and dumped in all the pectin I had...then a box of raspberry jello just for good measure...it makes the rhubarb look better!  I mashed it up with the potato masher and stirred...it smelled really good cooking.  I had no idea if it would turn out or not...possibly not a jam but a runny ice cream topping.

When it had cooled a bit.  I put it on a biscuit and took it outside to share with Far Guy...he was wood carving in the sunshine whilst I was slaving away at the stove.

It was declared delicious!

So much for that someday project at the bottom of the freezer.   I shared with my parents, my other baby brother and niece Stacey.  I put it in plastic containers...forgoing jars, lids and the canning bath that are the usual for jelly and jam.

One small container made its way back into the freezer.  Old frozen rhubarb makes great jam!

A bit swirled in my Greek Vanilla Yogurt is a great lunch!
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Bird Report

We are a rest stop for birds heading North.  They stay a few days and then take off.

Oranges and grape jelly is out for the Orioles.

The Scarlet Tanagers like the suet feeders.

The Butter Butts (Yellow Rumped Warblers) are ground feeders, but also like the suet feeder.

We also have a couple of Hummingbirds that showed up immediately after I put up the feeder.

It is always fun to see which kind of birds show up year after year.
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Noah: College Graduation

Noah graduated yesterday from the University of North Dakota with a degree in Chemistry with an emphasis on Bio Chemistry.

They had a  Live Stream of Graduation with some speeches and no students present.

These photos appeared on Facebook.

Of course I took a few myself on Friday the day before his official grad day.

Way to go Noah!  We are very proud of you!!

The cake says it all "This shit just got real!"

Noah is seeking employment with his degree in the meantime he has his job at Noodles. 

So it was a busy couple of days at Andy and Jen's home with both boys graduating.

Far Side

Adam: High School Graduation

Adam is the last of our grandchildren to graduate from high school.  His Senior photo has been on the line up behind the sofa since Christmas.  This Grandma needed time to adjust to the thought that he would graduate!

I made a sign and we headed off to Drive Through Graduation.  We knew we could stay far enough away from people to be able to go to our daughters backyard for a bit and then go onto graduation.

His parents held a private Graduation Ceremony for him and his brother Noah (more about him tomorrow.) There were speeches and everything and a slide show inside.  They brought the slide show outside so we could watch the past 18 years and 8 months fly by in just a few minutes.

Then it was time to get back in the vehicle and go to Graduation!

Signs pointed the way to Graduate Drive By.

The kids were lined up outside of the school.  There are about 24 kids in Adam's Graduating Class.
The evening air was filled with shouts and laughter, some music, car horns and one irritating sheep bell.

Congratulations Adam, you did it!  We are proud of you! 

There was no time to stop, the cars kept moving.  I took a quick photo! 

This itty bitty little town did a wonderful job recognizing the Class of 2020.

Art work on Adam's parents car

Adam was just 8 days old on September 11, 2001.  It was a scary time then.  Now when he graduates from High School we are in the middle of a Pandemic....and times are scary again.   He will have lots of stories to tell his grandchildren someday.

Far Side

Me and my shawl project

My third shawl in a ball  shawl/scarf turned out very nice.  I may keep it for myself.

It is very colorful but I am getting tired of this color of yarn!  It can be worn many different ways.

I wrapped it around my neck and asked Far Guy to take a photo.  His attempts were hilarious.

I finally took a selfie...my first selfie.

No makeup...just plain old me.  My hair is getting longer and is very silvery.

See proof I do exist! I could have smiled more...could have opened my eyes more...could have put make up on!

Our go to town adventure was uneventful.  This week no ammonia, no Lysol Wipes...same old stuff missing.  Far Guy got his infusion in record time and we were back at home disinfecting groceries.

Gas was up to $1.76 a gallon tourists must be coming. We always see a increase in the price of gas this time of the year.  Towns all around are probably still at $1.46.

Far Side