Yellow Blooms

 The Marsh Marigolds are finally blooming sometimes known as Cow Slips.

The early blooming  smaller Yellow Ladys Slippers are blooming too... they always bloom around Memorial Day and the larger Yellow Lady Slippers bloom around Father's Day. 

Fun to see something blooming!  

This last day of May...the lawn has been mowed at least once...some parts twice, my Lawn Mower has a bad tire so it needs air every time I mow...I need to focus on the ant problem in this area and the Poison Ivy has emerged. 

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More Graduates!

 Our great nephew and great niece graduated on Sunday.  Their parties will be in June on different days.  We can go out for lunch twice! 

Hailey and Mason 

* Photo by Stacey (Hailey's Mom and used with permission)

It was a warm day for the graduation ceremony outside.   These children are cousins.  They are both my other baby brother and she who sees robins first Grands.  Hailey is Grand # 3 and Mason Grand #4  ( 15 total so we have lots of graduation parties to attend.)

We are very proud of these wonderful kids...Mason is going to school to be a Diesel Mechanic and Hailey will pursue a degree in Forestry.  Mason lives just across the road from us and Hailey lives nearby. 

Congratulations Mason and Hailey...job well done!

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Remembering

 Remember those who never came home. 

My Uncle Arthur ( my Dad's brother) was killed during the invasion of Italy.  His body remains at the Sicily-American Cemetery and Memorial.

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Engaged!

 We got a text and a photo from Miss Paige..." Hi! Wanted to tell you guys the news before I posted it on facebook!

A bit later more photos appeared on facebook.

They are in Florida...we are thrilled for them.  They make a cute couple and are well suited to each other! 

Congrats Miss Paige and Cole!  I am not sure if they have set a wedding date yet...most likely next summer. 

*  Photos by others

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6 and Graduating

 Happy Birthday Hey Mikey!  He had a birthday and graduation all on the same day! 

He graduated from Kindergarten yesterday.

Proof he did it!  

Congratulations dude! 

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The House

 The reurbishing guys finished up on Monday.  Far Guy was away from home for 7 days and I was away for for 4 days.  Originally he said it would take three days and he would have the house completely done.  The house has half log siding.

They covered all the windows and doors...when I was here by myself I missed looking outside! 

Here is the house after the sandblasting...he used some special kind of glass to sand blast with...the workers wore respirators almost all the time. 

Then they applied a couple of coats of stain and then some sealer. 

Finally last Monday they removed the coverings from the windows.  We have one security camera outside and one inside...so  we could tell what was going on.  

Here it is completed.  Are we happy...not so much.  I have several messes to clean up...and the little roof that extends over the air conditioner was left unfinished and was not replaced back properly.  They removed that structure to work on the house.

You can see the posts are wonky.   For some reason they painted the furnace vent green...who knows why?   They removed the Ferris Wheel seat out front and dug up the dirt...not sure why they did that either...they also have stain splatter on my natural color Cedar deck out back. 

So I have to sand and stain the posts...bums anyway...and pick up the garbage they left laying around...mostly cigarette butts. 

The kicker was the second day they were here I did not lock the door and they came inside to use the bathroom...how do I know this?  There was wood dust on the floor...the door stop to the bathroom was moved and the security system motion detector showed me exactly when they were inside the house for four minutes...you can bet I locked the door and set the alarm after that.  Yes it was my fault...but bears shit in the woods and so could they. 

Would I recommend this company to anyone?  Nope. 

On the bright side if there is one, he guarantees his work for ten years...I hope it lasts that long as I would just as soon never see that little prick again. 

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Talents

 Cards I have received lately, they are candy for the eyes and real keepers!

Jen’s painted Mother’s Day card on the right and Linda’s embroidered card on the left! They both have a special place on my desk where I can see them all the time.

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Road Trip to Graduation

 Last Sunday we took off from Andy and Jen's home and drove three hours west to a Graduation party for some special boys who we love very much.  (My other baby brother and she who sees robins first twin grandsons who used to live next door to us.)

Driver and co pilot

All we had to do is sit back relax and enjoy the never ending flat land in North Dakota.

 

My baby brother sent us this photo...we did not go to the ceremony ...just the party with great food afterwards!  

Long time blog readers may recall these little boys that are all grown up.  Jordan is headed to school to be a Diesel Mechanic and Gavin begins training to be an Electrician. 

Congratulations!! 

Seems like only yesterday they were little boys next door learning to love dogs.  (Chance helped with that)

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Out to lunch

 We went out to lunch for Noah's birthday.  He filled us in on the happenings in his life...mainly his job and his dog Aurora. 

He hopes to buy a home next summer....he is saving up! 

Three generations at lunch.

After lunch we headed back to our home in the woods.  The house is refinished....more on that soon. 

We are thankful for Jen and Andy and their willingness to let us invade their home while our house was being worked on. 

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24

 Our oldest Grandson Noah was born twenty four years ago! He is Grand #4 in the line up as all the Grandgirls are older than he is. 

We will see him later today at lunch for his birthday.  Hopefully I will get a new photo then.

May 2021when he was twenty two years old.

Happy birthday Noah! Love you lots!

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Sadie and Little Elvis

 Both dogs are doing great and they are happy to see us. Andy is working in the backyard preparing the site for the above ground pool and a new patio. 

Sadie supervises in the backyard in between bouts of playing ball.

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Finds

 Zippers and yarn oh my. Remember when I said no more zippers? Well I lied cause I found a whole bunch for 2$  and the yarn was too good to pass up. Also found a book for the Great Grands, some swim shirts and trunks for hey Mikey and a coke a cola bucket for Far Guy and some brand new receiving blankets for the new baby coming in late June. 

Spring has sprung up north. Jen’s Bleeding Hearts are blooming. 

We are off to some more sales today…never can tell what kind of treasures we will find.

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Busy

 Hurry up and wait for workmen.   The new hot water heater and the two bathroom toilets were replaced.  

I was the doorman for awhile...a young high school kid was bounding up and down the stairs!  Then he had to take off and go back to school.  Very nice and efficient people we hired for that project.

The house refinishing guy did not show up yesterday.   

I have been working on my Winter Wonderland in the evenings. 

Never mind the ends they will be encased in a border:) 

See the snowmen?

They need some little scarves I think...maybe some day.

Busy days:)

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Refinishing

 The log siding on our home needed to be totally refinished.  It is a messy job.  We hired someone to do it that guarantees his work for ten years....we will see. 

Before

During

In Progress

It is a bit darker that I would have liked, but it isn't as dark as Far Guy thought it would be so it is okay. 

It is messy here.   I have plumbers coming  today to install two high rise toilets and a new hot water heater.  

I believe that the house will get a coat of sealer next...and that stuff is pretty smelly.  

Given our air quality and all the dust/fumes here at the house Far Guy and I will be staying elsewhere for a couple of days. 

Yesterday I baby sat Baxter,  he was in a funk all day missing his people.  He was so happy to see them when they returned!   He likes me just fine but I am not a replacement....he didn't eat his morning meal until late in the afternoon...what a turd!

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Floating Garden

 I spent the day at my baby brothers yesterday.  He and his bride were constructing a floating garden.  

It was trial and error...mostly wet error until after lunch and a nap.  Baxter had a nap too. 

We constructed the platform using some drainage pipe filled with empty water bottles to help with floatation.  Two layers of plastic snow fence covered the structure and many zip ties were used!  Final construction was the addition of some pool noodles. 

It floats...will the plants grow?   We shall see...there are strawberries, beans, squash and tomatoes. 

We squirted it around on the dock and got it on the front of the kayak and Beth paddled it around and shoved it off into the water.. 

It has a bit of chain on both ends to serve as an anchor and it is tied to the dock.  The beige structure is a kayak launcher. 

My baby brother and his bride and Baxter.  ( I think all dogs like wet legs!)

Refinishing our log siding is still in progress....slow progress.  Due to the air quality Far Guy is safely away from home for a few days while I hold down the fort here. 

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Nest

 We are having the log siding refinished on our home.  It will take a few days.

Eagle in a nest

We got everything moved away from the patio.  I sure hope it looks good after all this fuss and mess.   They covered all the soffits yesterday with protective paper. 

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Foxy

 We have a fox here in the woods.  We saw it in the ditch a few days ago. 

The ditches are turning green which here in Minnesota means that the deer are out grazing at the edges of the road at night and in the morning. 

We are seeing some green in the trees. 

See a hint of green through the trees? 

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Happy Mother's Day!

 I took my Mom to lunch yesterday and then to her favorite fabric store.  It was a nice afternoon. 

Mom is still struggling with swollen fluid filled legs.   She likes her apartment in Assisted Living. 

A photo of my Mom in the late 1940's.

Happy Mother's Day!

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Paige Graduates!

 Paige graduated on Friday afternoon from the North Dakota State College of Science.  She completed her course of study as a Dental Hygienist. Onward and forward to adulting!

It was a two hour drive, we sat outside the Pub and watched the Graduation Ceremony online.

The place where Paige has worked for the past two years hosted a party for her in the back of the Pub.  Ham and cheese buns, chili, chips, dips and cake.  They told us that they love Paige and will miss her.  Many of the customers came by with cards and to wish Paige well.  Some even went to the graduation ceremony!

Congratulations Miss Paige!!  Job well done!

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Cheerful

 I saw this blooming shrub in town, it is a beauty...I made a u turn to go get a photo.

Forsythia! 

Yellow is such a cheerful color!  Spring could be here!

Far Guys weekly infusion went well,  I ran some errands while he was at the clinic. 

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Joining

I joined Far Guy for both of his appointments yesterday.  The morning appointment was unplanned.  He has a vitreous detachment in his left eye.  He will be fine.  Old Age strikes again!

In the afternoon after his last appointment of the day and after a trip by Hobby Lobby  our youngest granddaughter Miss Paige joined us for a late lunch/early supper or lupper. 

Don't you wish you could look that good after coming in from yard work?  We had a good visit!  Paige Graduates on Friday ( North Dakota State School of Science in the Dental Hygienist program)

Galla Creek asked how I join my odds and ends of yarn.  This may not be the right way but it works for me.  The knot is easily hidden amongst the stitches.

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Small project

 I finally had time and the eyesight for a small project. 

I had a whole bunch of odds and ends of yarn.  I was NOT going to throw them away...but I had been carting them around for some time using them as starts for the crochet bags.  The last 8 bags got their starts...and it was time to move along!  ( Now I should not buy any more bags at Hobby Lobby or any more zippers at garage sales!) See the stitching along the top edge of the bag...that is a start! Once the start stitches are in place you crochet off of them:)

I joined up all the yarn. Tedious work...I wound it into a ball and just guessed that I would have enough to complete the project. 

I was about a yard short so I just added from a small ball that I had on hand. 

I will probably keep this bag for myself. 

I watched A Man Called Otto while I crochet this bag...I liked the book A Man Called Ove much better than the movie. 

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