Last November Day

 We had a quiet day yesterday, I worked on sympathy cards and Far Guy worked on a woodcarving.  Church online was fine...the Pastor read Christmas Hymns. 

On Saturday we went down to the lake to check out the ice...there is some but the lake is not froze over.  It was a pretty day on Saturday and 40 F....Sunday it turned cold, windy and it spit snow all day.

Jen sent a photo of Cee Cee. 

What a doll.

Down at the lake the Cattails are fluffed out.  In these strange times you could collect it and use it for insulation in your shoes if the soles need a little help...you could also use it as diaper material...and if you need a natural cotton ball you could collect a few.

 

Far Side

Cee Cee Baptism Day

  We drove up North.  Our Great Granddaughter Cee Cee was baptized last evening.

The baptismal gown has been packed away in the trunk since it was worn by Great Grandson Hey Mikey for his baptism.  The gown hung in the living room all week.  The cap had blue ribbon but Jen brought some pink ribbon along with her. 

We met Jen, Andy and Cee Cee in the parking lot of the church...everyone else was inside at Mass.  I changed out the ribbon and Jen dressed Cee Cee in the backseat of her vehicle. (luckily it was reasonably warm  40 F)

Jen and I both wore masks...I stayed a distance away and just watched. 

The gown fit just fine.  (Big sigh of relief)  For those of you who don't know...this baptismal gown was made out of my wedding dress....next door neighbor Jo and I made it.

I knew that my big girl camera wouldn't like the dark so I used my cell phone to take a few photos. 

Cee Cee looking at her Great Auntie Jen as if to say "Why are you wearing that mask?"

Jen and Cee Cee 

 

 Saying Hi to Great Grandpa.

Other family members were already in the church.  We did not go inside..we felt that it would be unnecessary exposure for Far Guy.  We left for home as Jen and Andy walked toward the church with Cee Cee.

Andy took a video for us ...so it was almost as good as being there.  The important thing was that she was baptized.  We got to deliver the gown and see her dressed in it. 

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19

Far Side

Grand Day

 Jen took a photo of the Grands lined up. 

Left to right oldest to youngest. 

Left to right tallest to shortest.

They are Adam = in school and working, Noah = working, Paige = working and waiting to get into a school program, Maddie = working and  Savannah = in school and working.

We are thankful they all have jobs and homes/apartments and are healthy! 

There was a bit of a tallness challenge between Paige and Maddie...Maddie was disappointed that she lost. 

Sometimes I still see them as small children.  

We are blessed to have them in our lives!

Far Side

After Thanksgiving Day

 We visited via zoom with daughter Jen and her husband Andy and all of our Grands and our two Great Grands...it was wonderful to see them all. We had a good visit. 

Far Guy and I roasted that 8 pound Turkey Breast...we have turkey coming out our ears...enough to have sandwiches, biscuits and gravy and who knows what for a number of meals.   I like turkey... but once a year works for me. 

For fun I joined Jigsaw Planet and made some puzzles.  Some I made are more difficult than others.  I will get the hang of it sooner or later.  I like puzzles and with the online ones there are no pieces to lose.

Here is a link to this puzzle.

I hope you all are staying safe out there! 

Far Side

Thanksgiving Day

 We will have turkey dinner here at home just the two of us...we will join our youngest daughter, her husband and some of our Grands via Zoom.  Staying safe this year we hope to be able to celebrate with our family next year. 

Stay safe! 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Far Side

The 31,081st Day

 That is a whole bunch of days!  31, 081 days equals 85 years and 34 days. 

Yesterday morning my Aunt Anna fulfilled all her days here on earth.  Aunt Anna was a breast cancer survivor for many many years.  Then she was diagnosed with Metastatic Bone Cancer, she has been having chemotherapy treatments for the past several years...they were doing no good and would have to be increased... so three weeks ago she decided to stop treatments and to spend her last days at home.  Her only daughter cared for her for a few weeks and a week ago Hospice brought her a hospital bed and comfort care.  I spoke with her and she was thankful for the great care her daughter was giving her... she said if it were not for her daughter that she would be in a Nursing home.  Very recently her son came home to be with her.  So the house was filled with the voices she loved.

One day I took over a shawl for her ( I left the package outside the door), so she could feel the warmth and love from her family...her daughter sent me a photo.

  

She loved all the colors! 

There will be a private family service with a Celebration of Life next summer. 

I guess that is the best we can hope for in these Covid times. 

My Aunt Anna was a marvelous person...one of my favorite people.  Her only living sibling is my Father. My Father is nine years older than her.  Are we sad...yes...but happy that her earthly struggle is now over. 

Her daughter wrote "Heaven got a little bit brighter this morning.  We will miss you Mom."

Job 14:5 A person's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.

Far Side

Dog Day

 We enjoyed my baby brother and his bride's dog all summer.  Stiney was a frequent visitor when they went hiking the trails...he had his own water dish and knew right where to find it under our patio table.   Stiney would run the perimeter of our yard...his nose collecting all the news. Here and there would be a flash of the little black dog.  Sometimes on his rounds after a drink he would come over to get his back scratched...he knew I was always game.  After another round or two he would settle happily down for a short rest.  

He was a frequent visitor on our trail cameras. 

Here Stiney is held safely in Beth's arms getting a ride back home.  Stiney had good days and some bad days all summer....old age and liver problems. 

Earlier this month Stiney appeared on the trail camera...he was looking for my baby brother.  Shortly after this they all went to Oregon for a visit...sadly yesterday Stiney went to the Rainbow Bridge.  ( I think the Rainbow Bridge might be a bit like Minnesota for Stiney as he loved it here.)

My baby brother and his bride will miss this little black dog very much.   Me too.

Far Side

Chilly Day

 It snowed early Sunday morning...not much but enough to make you think winter was coming back. This was snow number 10 for us...and this one will melt too.  The walk and the patio were cleared off by the afternoon sun. 

In the afternoon I went for a ride.   Checking out wildlife on the trails...I saw the feral kitty tracks and a few sets of deer tracks. 

The moon was out...

The moon is just above the bare Oaks in the background. 

I went to another vantage point ...the sun was still out.  If I were to place a guess the sun and moon were equidistant from the horizon.  The next time I venture out for a ride I need winter mittens and possibly my real heavy parka.   

I made potato salad...cause that was what I was hungry for...it paired well with meatloaf and cooked carrots.  I have not made meatloaf in a long time.  The leftovers will be frozen and some day encased in a puff pastry and baked...we will see how we like that! 

Far Side

Sunny Day

 The local Post Office is only open for a few hours on Saturday mornings...I got up and dressed cause they frown on jammies and got the Christmas Ornament packages in the mail.  One person came into the Post Office to wait in line behind me. 

Far Guy and I walked to the mail box and afterwards we sat in the sunshine and watched the birds.  It was good to sit outside.   It was about 35 F or 1 C eh! 

I went immediately upstairs and mostly finished my dusting and vacuuming up there...Far Guy says he has no dust on his train set...I will tackle that and show him the dust another day.  His idea of dusting all that old train stuff is waving a swiffer duster around while he holds the vacuum hose in the air...he also uses canned air.  For a long time he had a remote control aircraft that moved lots of air...then one day it crashed too many times. Uffda. 

Far Guy worked on the Christmas letter...I looked at Christmas paper designs online and will order our paper on Monday so I can pick it up on Friday at a local business.  Far Guy ordered all the postage stamps online. 

Hairy Woodpecker...a female I think.

Embrace every sunny day you can! 

Far Side

Another Day

 One day seems just like the other.  

Yesterday after usual house stuff I began the process of packaging up the 2020 Christmas Ornaments.  The are simple wood carvings this year.   I will give a few away here on the blog after Thanksgiving. 

I made quite a mess on the dining room table. 

I had to make some of my own boxes out of old checkbook boxes....no going to the Dollar Store to get pretty boxes to shove in the envelopes that will be mailed.  Far Guy came to the rescue to make a few boxes too.  I ordered Christmas bags and tissue paper from Wally World and was pleased with the result.  So I am ready to make a trip to the Post Office and make some deliveries locally...keeping my distance from everyone. 

Then I sewed buttons on a cowl.

 

I am so not a purple person...but I know someone who is.  The cowl is more purple than this photo shows.  I do love the purple buttons they make me smile. 

Brother in Law Ron is very sore after his bypass surgery but he is supposed to get home today.  The Doctors are pleased with his recovery...although it will never be fast enough for him! 

Far Side

Grocery Day

 Well what do you know we got almost everything on our grocery list. They are still out of green enchilada sauce but daughter Jen found some for us....and I have one can in the pantry shelf. Ah yes hoarding big time.  Usually when I use something it goes right back on the list.  

It was a nice day around 40 F or 4 C eh!  So I disinfected the first grocery order right there in the parking lot...I get lots of stares but I just don't care. I didn't disinfect at the next curbside pickup ( I disinfected at home)...and then went by the Post Office drop box and the drive through at the bank and just about that time Far Guy was done with his infusion. 

Far Guy noticed some construction going on at his old house in town...he lived in that house for 19 years. 

Looks like it is getting an enclosed porch.   It is used as a meeting place for disabled folks. 

Town was not real busy...the deer hunters are gone. 

The Governor of the Great State of Minnesota has ordered a "Dial Back" for the Covid outbreak.   Closing bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters etc...but schools can remain open along with stores, barbers, beauty shops and churches.  Restaurants can do take out business only.  This Dial Back is in effect from Friday night November 20 until December 18.  I notice lots of bars were advertising specials to empty their taps before Friday night on facebook. Where ever will the bar flies go for a month?  Home??  Imagine that.

Far Side

Dreary Day

 Another grey November Day... 

To cheer up we went to drop letters off at the Post Office...no contact there and I used an antiseptic wipe to open the drop box.  Then we recycled....there was one person there so we waited in the car until he left. 

Then it was off to the cemetery where no one was alive.  I needed a few photos of headstones to replace some bare grave photos.  I need to go back there one day soon and get a few more photos...I have a list now.  I made that list after I got home.  I also need some obituaries...but that will have to wait until I can go inside the County Historical Museum and do some research.  It is something I should have done last winter/before Covid.  Anyways now I can make the list of what I need...it will be a start.  

We had some exciting news...a relative got in touch with us... a fourth cousin of Far Guys on his Maternal side of the family...and it seems Far Guy could belong to the Sons of the American Revolution and our daughters to the Daughters of the American Revolution.   I have to do a bit more research to back everything up ...but it is a real possibility...so fun to connect with someone else researching to share info with. 

Then it was off to the old Linnell School corner to take a photo for a friend. The corner looks so much different after the new road construction.  

I grew up on one side of this corner and Far Guy's Grandparents lived on the other side of this corner a long time ago.  Far Guy's Mom taught at this school before she was married and then again after the war.  

Far Side

Noodle Day

 As most of you know we are big fans of freezer meals.  Yesterday was a cooking day. In the morning egg noodles were made and dried.  In the afternoon chicken was cooked up.  The noodles were cooked rinsed and joined the chicken...it was a fine meal and freezer meals will be made after it is chilled. 

Far Guy's Paternal Grandmother made homemade noodles often...they were one of her specialty foods along with blueberry pie and the best fried potatoes ever!  The first meal I had at her house was chicken and noodles served on depression glass plates...we ate on the porch that overlooked the front yard.  When it came time for the blueberry pie I gave most of that to Far Guy as blueberries are not my favorite...I like them frozen or in pancakes.  Grandma hung white towels and then noodles over the backs of the oak chairs in her kitchen...I can still see that kitchen...the cupboards with red trim and decals in the center of the cupboard doors the big kitchen sink and the old phone that hung on the wall.  There was no rhyme or reason to her silverware drawer...everything was in the same drawer. Good memories!  

A double batch of noodles drying on parchment paper covered cookie sheets.  I made one batch and Far Guy made one batch...his are equal in length...mine are long and short and in between. ...mine were also stacking this way and that...but they all tasted good.  We use the recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

We get along well in the kitchen.  He could make this dish all by himself if he had to. 

Far Side

Snowy Day

 We got about two inches of snow. 

So now it is colder too.  Far Guy shoveled the walk and I shoveled the patio...two inches is a piece of cake to shovel.

We have Pine Siskins at the feeders now, they came with the snow....no doubt they are just scouts and more relatives will follow.  They fought with the Chickadees and Assups for space at the feeder.  Why they wanted the black sunflower seeds instead of the thistle seed is beyond me. 

I finished up the Christmas Cards they are packed away for now...one day soon I will do the address labels...I have time.  Far Guy has not begun to work on his letter. 

We prepared supper together...smoked pork chops, corn and apricot sauce.  Yummy! 

Brother in law Ron had bypass surgery yesterday he had five bypasses.  We heard he came through the surgery just fine. Son In Law Andy's Father was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

Stay safe out there!  Covid is everywhere! 

Far Side

Lazy Day

 It is colder now and it snowed again. The high yesterday was 34 F or 1 C eh!  We watched small snow tornadoes out the window....it was windy. I think this is snow number 8. 

The fat tree rats are almost constant visitors in our yard.

The last of the Christmas cards are drying on my desk and a few cowls got big buttons. 

We were both at loose ends yesterday...so we both had a nap.  It seems the afternoons get real long lately. 

The Hallmark Channel has been on all weekend...who really knows what is happening out there in the big bad world...I am certain if something earth shattering happens someone will call us. 

Far Side

 

Quiet Day

 We had a quiet day doing our usual stuff; housework, laundry, cooking and free time.

I worked on Christmas Cards and sewed buttons on some Cowls that I finished this week. 

Just a few that are finished.  They will be gifts most likely...I crochet to keep my hands busy.  Some of this yarn has been hanging around for a long time. 

 Bad news for some of the people we like...my Aunt is entering Hospice Care, Son In Law Andy's Dad is in the hospital with something they are unable to diagnose and an old friend has Pancreatic Cancer. 

Many people out there are struggling.  My prayers are with all who struggle with health issues Covid related and non Covid related. 

Count your blessings if you are in good health! 

November is half over today...the days are dark and dreary....which is usual for November weather.

Far Side

Fine Day

 We had a fine day yesterday.  We recycled and made a drop off at the Local Food Bank where there was a line outside but also a grocery cart outside for donations.  I had a few things that we were never going to use...so maybe someone else can benefit.

My other baby brother stopped by...she who sees robins first sent over blueberry muffin mix, disinfecting wipes and several jars of canned venison.  (She reads the blog.)    He wore a mask and we talked at a good distance outside...one of his daughters and several of his grands tested positive for Covid....they are all doing okay...their symptoms were like a bad cold.

We had the venison for lunch and it was fantastic.

Our snow melted...cause it warmed up a bit. 

Far Guy has been watching a series on his computer in the evenings...every once in awhile he would laugh out loud...sometimes he would say "you have got to watch this!"   I decided to watch for myself yesterday afternoon...funny stuff...just the break we need in our ever so serious lives.  The series is on Netflix and is called Norseman.  I give it a 10 out of 10.  Not everyone may appreciate the humor...but we sure do. 

Far Side

Snow again

 I am not sure what # snow this is...I have lost track.  It snowed big flakes for quite a while. Enough to make the ground white.

I couldn't pick up groceries until after Far Guys appointment...so he was with me...just like a little kid watching which people had masks and which ones did not...it was fairly exciting for the old guy to see people! (Groceries are the highlight of our week!  Old people are easily entertained.)

The grocery report was dismal.  No 20 ounce bottles of water, no Green Enchilada Sauce, no Blueberry Muffins, no Cara Cara Oranges, and no antiseptic wipes.   I ordered a Pork Roast and some fatty looking Pork Chops I never would have bought were substituted... in the reading department Co Jack Cheese was interpreted as Pepper Jack Cheese.  So they get an F this week. 

Sure I can make my own blueberry muffins and research how to make my own green sauce...it is just easier to order.  

I think we are on the brink of more shortages.  I was able to get a bottle of Lysol with bleach so I can make our own antiseptic wipes if I have to. 

The Covid numbers are going way up around here.  A wonderful lady died this week she was in the Nursing Home and we think it might have been Covid that contributed to her death.  She was married to Far Guy's Uncle.  She was 90 years old. 

One of Far Guy's Doctors said " Just assume that everyone has Covid." 

Stay safe out there in the Covid world. 

My earache is much better...hope it stays away:)

Far Side

Big Happenings

 It gets dark real early now...I don't like it.  I am still sleepy from the time change.  I am NOT napping in the afternoon...but some evenings I cannot stand it and have to lay down for an hour or so.

Jen shopped and sent us a special light to use in the winter months...it is supposed to improve our moods and make us happier people.  (She is hopeful!)  We use it in the morning for 20-30 minutes we have it set up between us on the computer desk.   We turn it on when Far Guy is reading the news and I am checking emails and playing a game. 

We cleaned out our deep freeze...it needed it. A hair dryer and a ice scraping tool made it go so much faster.  We made a new list of what is in there and where it is located....chest freezers are a pain in the butt...luckily neither of us fell in. 

I am working on the last 20 Christmas Cards. 

Progress with the Fall/Spring cleaning upstairs is really slow.  Too many other projects happening.

I ordered groceries ...so that is another big adventure that will unfold today!

I changed the sunflower out for the turkey...

Now that makes it a Thanksgiving wreath.

Far Side

Veteran's Day 2020

 Thank you seems so inadequate but it is the best I can do...Thank you Veterans from all wars in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to those that served at home and in far away lands.  Thank you to those who died protecting our freedom.

Thank you to young soldiers and old soldiers who read this message today.  Thank you!

Air Force Flag

 

Far Side

Rain

 We had rain and no snow...but it has turned cold.  

I was busy yesterday catching up with some cleaning and laundry.  Over the weekend I stamped twenty more Christmas Cards...so I worked on them for a while in between times.. Then I got an earache so I had a nap with a hot pack on my ear.  (It was real windy on Sunday and just like a little kid I get earaches )

Over the weekend I tried a new recipe...yuck...I gave it a 3 out of 10 but Far Guy loved it.  It was ground beef and cream cheese stuffed pasta shells with green enchilada sauce and cheese.  It also made a sink full of dishes. So I won't make that again.  I kept the recipe in case Far Guy wants to make it for himself...as it was two servings went into the freezer.  I could re do the recipe someday IF I was real bored. 

Far Guy asked me what gourmet meal I was planning next.  I told him to go for it! 

Far Side

 

The Hunt for Deer

 I come from a deer hunting family.  I went hunting with my Dad and learned from him how to walk quietly in the woods, how to properly place a shot and how to gut out a deer.   My brothers are hunters too.   Far Guy comes from a deer hunting family.   Far Guy and I deer hunted together for many years.   We loved being in the woods together...now we live in the woods and I hunt with my camera.  (Less clean up!) 

"Our Woods"  sixty plus acres owned by my brothers and I are the hunting area.  We live on the South part and my brothers live to the North.  There are a number of good places to hunt here.  

My sister in law "She who sees Robins first"  is a hunter.  She had real good luck yesterday morning and got a really nice buck. 

She was just thrilled!   

This deer's relatives decimated her small container gardens last summer. 

My other baby brother and she who sees Robins first.

They will process their own deer meat.  They are really fussy about fat and hair... the meat will be properly cared for and it will be canned.  Canned venison is the best way to eat deer meat if you ask me. The flavor is wonderful and it is fork tender.  I have a jar from them I have been hoarding...now I can open that one because they might share a new jar with us! 

A fork buck was taken by my cousin's fiancee on the first day of the hunt.  His first deer so he was real excited about that. 

So our woods have yielded two deer this hunting season...I believe each hunter can take two deer this year. The hunt ends next Saturday....so there is still hope for my brothers to get their deer. 

It is fun to see enthusiasm for hunting. 

Photos are from facebook.

Far Side

Windows and Two Rides

 Far Guy helped me and we finished up the windows...yeah us we are done with windows!  I began a deep cleaning upstairs...Fall Cleaning  instead of Spring Cleaning...it will take a while.  I will clean one small section at a time.   Good thing about working upstairs is I can leave a mess up there and walk away.

After windows we went for a ride in the Desoto.  Since the speedometer sticks at 25 mph Far Guy got an app for that...  we had it up to 56 mph...fast enough for us... we had it out on the Highway and then we drove over to Steve and Jo's and honked the horn...only Putz and Odda were home.  We have been waiting all week to go for that ride...it has been too muddy to take the new old car out. She ran like a champ! 

Then we went for another ride in the other vehicle ...up North to drop off some gifts at Susie's...we are behind on our Birthday and Christmas visits and gifts.  She was making Evergreen Swags outside.   It was fun to visit at a distance...better than no visit at all. We have been friends for 45 years.

They live further in the boonies than we do.  It was a mostly cloudy dreary day.

How about that ...a Swag was my Christmas gift! 

I hung it up as soon as we got home. 

Far Side

Pocket Shawl and other stuff

 I found a pattern for a pocket shawl on the interweb...it had a long fringe so I adapted the pattern...and it had small pockets...so I changed that also.

As I worked on this project I wondered who I would give it to...two people came to mind...I think I have it figured out. 

 I can tell you it is very warm...just working on it warmed me up. It is bright and cheerful!

I learned a bit about this larger project...I have yarn to make a another...a bit of a different pattern... perhaps sometime this winter I will start that project.

I am back to smaller projects with a quicker finish again.  (gifts)

We did our Wally World pickup...they are out of the 20 ounce bottles of water that Far Guy likes for making his coffee...we have to use bottled water or buy a new coffee maker every few months. 

I finally got the French Door washed up and sparkling...two more windows to go and I can cross windows and doors off my Fall work list. 

My baby brother came by with his huge mulching tractor...the wildgardens were done in no time!  Stiney (his little dog)  tracked him all the way over here and then went back home by himself...Stiney has not been feeling well...he is old and has liver issues....but he was running like the wind yesterday.  It is hard to have old dogs...you never know from one day to the next how they will be. (Stiney has been on many walks through the trails to get to our house so he knows his way around.)

My other baby brother and she who sees Robin's first came to visit and give us the Covid report...some neighbors tested positive but are feeling okay.  Scary times we live in...is there any rhyme or reason why some people get so sick and others have mild to no symptoms? 

Far Side

Busy Day

 Another busy day yesterday...picked up curbside groceries...no Naan Bread or Green Enchilada Sauce.  We have another order in at Walmart that I will pick up today.  We did get a Turkey Breast so we can have Thanksgiving dinner. 

While Far Guy was at the Infusion Center at the Clinic I stopped by a locally owned appliance store and ordered a new refrigerator...ours is 22 years old...I ordered another Amana.   Not sure when it will be here but they will give me a heads up before it is delivered.  (There was one other customer and one salesperson in the store and we all wore masks.)

Back at home we unpacked groceries and then did some more projects...Far Guy cut out some wood for carving and I messed around with glass flowers ...it was perfect weather to be in the greenhouse/woodshop.

My baby brother stopped by along with his bride and Stiney. 

He has new wheels...it has heat and air conditioning and will be outfitted with tracks for winter ice fishing.

I put up the Thanksgiving Flag.

We have just a little snow left in the yard.

Sounds like another day or two of nice weather and then winter will return.

Far Side

A day

 It turned out we needed a new pressure tank instead of a new pump in our well.   That involved two workers trapesing in and out of the house.  They did not have masks so I gave them some disposable ones. Far Guy went outside to sit in the sunshine.   I had to move some stuff for them...and then clean up after them when they were finished.  I opened the windows and turned up the heat and all the exhaust fans while we sat outside for a couple of hours.  My baby brother kept us company and then his bride showed up with our parents.  It was good to see them...they were going for rides in the ATV since it was such a nice day. 

There has only been a few people in our home since March...Jen, Andy, my Dad and three repairmen. It is a worry when someone strange comes inside....I disinfected things I knew they must have touched. 

After all that we ordered our groceries for the next week.  We had lots of misc on our lists...everything was ordered and we will see what we get.  I hear that turkey will be in short supply...lots of people eating Thanksgiving dinner at home I guess. I ordered a turkey breast...that will do for the two of us if we get it. Last week I got canned pumpkin for pumpkin bread...sometimes that is in short supply in a normal year. Normal...not quite sure what that is anymore.

Far Guy washed up my lawn mower...and I have a vacuum cleaner that totally comes apart so I cleaned that up...a few more projects crossed off the list...it was a day.

Far Side

More Fall Projects

 The weather was excellent yesterday 68 F and sunny that is 20 C eh! With the nice weather we were able to tackle some more projects!  It is what we used to call an Indian Summer....not sure that is politically correct...but so what!

We had a a tree that came down in the nasty winds last Saturday so Far Guy took care of that....a rotten old Piss Popple (Aspen)...when they fall over the branches just explode into small pieces all over. 

I straightened up some "stuff" in the new old car garage that used to be my garage. Vacuumed up some leaves that were tracked in. 

Then I went to Far Guy's garage to work...I vacuumed out the car we actually drive one last time...then I began the big cleanup...uffda...I spent the afternoon in there...I resorted to putting stuff in a bucket for Far Guy to sort through...he said it was all garbage....so I could have just thrown it all out ...but then there was bound to be a treasure in there.   I found a few treasures myself and screamed three times...I let Far Guy take care of those treasures.   Since we keep bird seed in that garage...little creatures like to visit...nuff said. 

I finished up the Christmas Cards that I had stamped.  I came up with 111 to put in envelopes....awaiting the cheerful Christmas letter that Far Guy will write.  I really need 15-18 more cards...so someday soon I will stamp some more.  Just when you think you are done you are not...certainly I can count...somedays.

100 red envelopes and 11 blue ones

I am burned out on Christmas cards at the moment...I still have time.  I am working on crochet projects in the evenings. 

We have a few more windows we could wash and wild gardens to mow down...and today we are supposed to be getting a new pump installed in our 22 year old well.  It has been acting up a bit...so my other baby brother contacted a "well guy" for us.  My baby brother will come over just in case I need help doing something for those workers.  The well is inside the grain bin that is in our yard.  Holy cats we had to move a bunch of lumber...White Oak and Black Walnut that Far Guy has been hoarding.  He said that some of it will be campfire wood next summer for my brothers. I have not been in the grain bin for several years...I had no idea the stuff that was in there...uffda.

Not sure how the election will turn out...someone will win and someone will lose...the important thing is that we voted. 

Far Side

Oh Deer!

 This deer must like our yard as he/she visits daily. 

Sure is a pretty little thing.  Firearm Deer Hunting Season starts this weekend here in Minnesota.

So who knows if he will be around next week. 

Far Guy thinks it is a Doe Fawn I think it is a Buck Fawn...it gives us something to argue about.

We can both talk to this deer and he just moves his ears in different directions. This fawn was most likely born in our woods and throughout the summer got used to our voices. 

In other news...my baby brother and his bride and good old Stiney stopped by to visit since we had a nice day to visit outside on the patio.  It should be a good week of above normal temperatures and all the snow should melt by the end of the week. 

Far Side