I won!

 Sara over at Punkin's Patch had a drawing and I was the winner!!  Yeah me!

Fun stuff...a project bag, a note pad and her Lamb Camp ...the bottle lambs booklet!  The lamb camp booklet is a treasure in itself! 

 Head on over to Sara's blog...she is better known as the crazysheeplady. Over there you will find great photos about her flock of sheep...she does the hard stuff...raises bottle lambs that are rejected by their mothers...and takes in/rescues sheep that need a home and special care from Sara.  She washes, cards, spins and knits the wool from her sheep. I have been reading Sara's blog for many years...following the ups and downs of her life on Equinox Farm (falling in love with all her critters). Her blog is a treasure!  I am a winner just reading her blog however I do appreciate the gifts!!  Thanks Sara!

Far Side

Sun bursts and dogs

 On Sunday afternoon I headed over to flippin' happy home and more decor.  It is a small shop on Washington over in Grand Forks North Dakota.  It is where Jen consigns her artwork and some of my crochet items...she was working and the shop owner was there and gave me permission to take some photos. 

This is the piece that I helped Jen paint a few days ago.  It is just beautiful! 

I will be showing photos of the shop from time to time...it is an interesting place. 

It snowed here and then turned cold.  

The sundogs were out.  Here is a photo of one sundog.  They almost always signal really cold weather.

Stay warm! 

Far Side

Puzzling and a few movies

 This puzzle was hard.  Never again will I buy a puzzle with so many dark pieces...it was a struggle...but it is finally done. 

The next puzzle has flowers and a couple of dogs...maybe it will feel like Spring instead of Winter.

It snowed here yesterday a couple of inches. 

This week I watched three good movies.  A Dog's Purpose, Carryon, and Jerry and Marge Go Large ( a true story).  All great movies and well worth the watch. 

Presently my crochet project has a few glitches to work out, so it is still in process.

Far Side

Stones

 Making art...

with polished stones...artwork by Jen.

Far Side

1991

In 1991, Osage had its Centennial.   Some how I got roped into helping with the Centennial Quilt.  Anyone in the community could make a quilt square, it was quilted and still hangs inside a glass case at the new Osage Community Center.   

 The photo was taken inside the old Community Center/Senior Center/the school where I went to 5th and 6th grade...I believe we are in the 6th grade side of the schoolhouse.  I believe my Mom took this photo.  These photos were were amongst my Mom's many photographs. 

I am at the end of the quilt in the red shirt...my shirt says Pine Springs Resort as that is the resort that we owned at that time...a summer fishing resort with eight cottages and a campground. 

All of the ladies are gone now...on the left is Grace...she made the best cookies ( she and her husband lived two farms away from us), next to her and quite hidden is Auntie Esther/Far Guy's Aunt...we loved her very much.  I am not sure who the man is in the photo...maybe Mel?   Standing talking to me is Dorothy...I went to Release Time classes at her home when I was in Grade School...in later years I helped her teach Release Time ( Release Time was always on Wednesday and was like Sunday School...called Release Time because the kids got released from school to attend...we would form a line and walk over to Dorothys house) Dorothy dedicated an area in her basement for Release Time.  Then the lady in red...is Harriet...a sweet lady...her husband Ray was a favorite ...when my baby brother and I would be with our Dad at the repair shop...he would buy us soda out of the Coke machine!  Then there in her red shoes is Olivia...in these years she always made me a cake for my birthday...she made the most delicious chocolate cake with boiled icing...sometimes when she would make the cake and it wasn't my birthday she would call me to come over to have coffee with her and Walter!  Olivia worked for my Mom for many years cleaning cottages at my parents resort...she was the best kitchen cleaner ever. Olivia also grew huge Dinner Plate Dahlias. 

I wish I could recall the conversation that day...I do not...but it was still a good day.

Grace, Auntie Esther and Olivia all stitching away.  Dorothy is in the background. 

Good memories of some great women.

Far Side

Spirit

 The Christmas Spirit is leaving the neighborhood, those that hired their decorations done have been de decorated.  Funny thing one side of the street was mostly decorated and the other side was not.  Interesting.

Jen decorated very nicely near the front door...very cheerful! 

Three medical appointments this week, leading up to five next week.  Usually we are organized and the right hand knows what the left hand is doing...we are both scheduled for appointments at the same time one day next week...good thing they are in the same town. 

I saw my Rheumatologist yesterday, he has run out of options for me...so he is referring me to the pain clinic.  Not sure what they will do.   My sudden rise in skin cancers is most likely the side effect of the RA meds that did not work for me.  My RA Factor has doubled and my Ferritin level is very high...not sure what will be done about that either. 

Sometimes no plan is a plan. 

Far Side

Guilty or Innocent

 I have a pair of red crocs that I wear as house shoes.  Guess who loves to steal them?

Guilty...but sadly guilty.

Now if she could only speak and tell us where the other shoe is???  Perhaps she thinks if she keeps it hidden I won't be able to leave.

Far Side

Playing with fabric

 Jen was playing with strips of fabric one day...she allowed her Dad and I to help.

Fabric is put on two sided adhesive paper and ironed to adhere it.  Then they are cut into strips...the other side of the backing is removed and it is put in place on special paper...when it is all done it is put on a canvas.  I worked the blues on the right side while Far Guy stripped backing off of strips until his thumbs locked up. (I know from experience that this is painful...but we still had to laugh a bit)

I was only the consultant on the next piece. 

Both pieces have gone to the shop in Grand Forks.  

I can play with fabric as long as no sewing is involved!

Far Side

Cool Wedding

 There was a wedding this weekend, it was supposed to be an outdoor ceremony.

Peach all dressed up

Maddie, Brenton and children.  Brenton's Mom was married over the weekend, because of the severe cold it was moved indoors.  Cee Cee and Peach spent a fair amount of time on the dance floor:)

The weather was bitterly cold with a high temperatures below zero.  

Far Side

 

Word for the year: Focus

 Five days into the New Year and I finally decided on a one word intention for the year.  Focus.

I need to focus on many different things and my list is in my head...perhaps I will share it in detail someday. 

For now I am focusing on going through my photo files...I have so much to do...but I have to start before it gets so out of control that it will be impossible.  Going through the photo files will help me with another project on my list...update the Grands photo albums.  A Grandma with a camera has its advantages.  I gave Paige a flash drive of her wedding photos...so I can cross that off my list. 

You can see we still have a bit of snow.  It has turned bitterly cold.  The high yesterday was -1F or -18C eh.  And it was windy...someone described it as teeth breaking, snot freezing cold.  I cannot argue with that.

We had a quiet day yesterday...I made vegetable beef soup.  Some was frozen for quick meals during the Winter.  As I write this on Saturday evening Jen and Far Guy are watching Sioux Hockey, Andy is of town for a Robotics tournament and Sadie makes the rounds from person to person for attention.   I am going to focus on my crochet project unless I get distracted by the puzzle. 

Far Side

Book Club 2025: January

 This month we read Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann.

I gave the book a 8.5 out of a 10.   It is a non fiction book based on facts.  The subject matter should have been in a High School United States History Class...but I do not recall that it was. 

Most of the gals in book club appreciated the book...not enjoyed...because the subject matter was a tad gruesome at times. 

The yarn in the photo is very dark...a new project I am working on...actually I am working on two different crochet patterns for the same thing and we will see how it all turns out. 

Far Side

Puzzling

 We like to put puzzles together during the Winter.  We have finished two so far this Winter.

The Pringles puzzle all the pieces were in the can. 

Disney Villains puzzle...sadly this garage sale find for a dollar was missing a piece.  The black pieces were a struggle.

This one is now on the puzzle table. 

I had a Video Chat with my Spine Specialist, they have prescribed yet another medication...Lyrica and have scheduled me for a different steroid injection.  If that one fails I will get a referral for surgery. 

Far Side

Shiny Brite

 Our daughter Jen set up a tree filled with Shiny Brites as a Christmas surprise. ( Her Christmas surprises always make me cry.) Jen is very thoughtful and always does everything to make us feel right at home during the Winter. 

The tree sits out in the game playing area, where Far Guy woodcarves and I put together puzzles.  We enjoyed the tree every day. 

It was so much fun to see all the special ornaments on a tree again...it has been awhile since they were on a tree and appreciated!  

We undecorated the tree and put away the ornaments a few days ago...thanks Jen for one more Shiny Brite Christmas.  Hopefully is is the beginning of a Shiny Brite New Year:)

Far Side

Happy New Year!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful 2025!

Far Side