72

 My baby brother is 72 today!  Happy Birthday Carey!

I wonder how old he was here...he had lots of candles! 30 maybe:)

Far Side

At least they wore helmets

 This old photo from the Summer of 1969 was among the ones that I scanned. 

My sister and my baby brother on the Yamaha 50 that our Dad brought home for us so we could drive faster to the back fields versus our bicycles.   My sister was 3 and my baby brother was 15 in the photo.  Note Far Guy's 1959 Desoto in the background. 

That was a fun little motorcycle to drive.  

Far Side

71

 My baby brother is 71 years old today. 

Well here he is a long time ago using his new fishing rod in a water bucket.  Perhaps he was practicing his casting with a new fishing rod.  (Maybe I told him to practice casting to keep him busy!)

Note the wash on the line.  The photo was taken about 1957 or 1958 before the old farmhouse was remodeled the first time.  Baby brother is sitting on the front steps of the old farmhouse. 

Happy Birthday baby brother!

Far Side

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

 It is my baby brothers birthday today.  He is 69 years old.   I was just 2 1/2 years old when he was born. 

I ran across this photo when I was sorting through photos this winter. 

We were at the flag raising at the Vietnam Memorial up on the prairie in August of 2012. 

My baby brother was in the Navy. 

Happy Birthday Carey! 

Far Side

68

 My baby brother is 68 years old today.   So I found a photo that is 68 years old. 

Our Mother has marked the photo Carey + Connie 1954, it was taken on the South side of the old farmhouse in Carsonville Township, Becker  County Minnesota....photo most likely taken sometime in the Summer of that year...my baby brother would have been about 4 or 5 months old and I would have been almost 3 years old.   It looks like my baby brother needed a bit of help from his big sister to sit up! 

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

Far Side

Maz and Lulu

 Yesterday I went over to my baby brothers place to photograph his kids and grands.  

There are two new Grands that I have not seen in person ...Maziar who lives on the West Coast and Tallulah on the East Coast...or Maz and Lulu.

Lulu has major stranger danger...born during Covid lockdown was not favorable to seeing many people.

She took one look at me and started to scream.  Lulu is Grand number 9 for my baby brother and his bride. 

Maz is Grand number 10 he was born in June.  Look at all that hair!  

Far Side

Moon and More

My walk after supper yielded a few photos of the moon. 

March 25 Waxing Gibbous 

My baby brother was born many moons ago...I think he should be my older brother any year now.   He is 67 today.   He bumped me out of the most favorite only child position in 1954.   Happy Birthday baby brother!

Yesterday Adventure Grocery Day was not much of an adventure...they were short of Lime Outshine Bars.  Everything else was as ordered....they even put the yogurt in its own bag after several were punctured during last weeks delivery. 

We received word that one of our Grands tested positive for Covid eight days after getting the first vaccination, was very ill for a day and is feeling better now.  

Anything is possible...stay safe out there! 

Far Side

Christmas Eve

 We had a bit of a blizzard yesterday.  It snowed and the wind blew.  I think we got about six inches of snow. 

My baby brother came over and shoveled in front of the door and he and my niece gave my power shovel a try.  For the record she was covered in snow too!

My baby brother and two of his Grands in the toboggan.

This is also a puzzle. 

Far Guy was going to hike to the mail box...winds were gusting to 46 mph so I discouraged him. 

I asked the "toboggan crew" to make a trip out to the mail box. 

Niece Ellen is getting the mail ready for Xavier to deliver.  The puppy Baxter was part of the delivery crew. 

Ellen and the kids heading out.  Making some good Minnesota Memories!

The Toboggan was built in Northern Minnesota. 

Christmas Eve is here, we will get Far Guy to the Infusion Center and pick up weekly groceries curbside.  I have one last package to drop off at my parents. 

Far Side

Baby Brother's Birthday

My baby brother is older today...soon he will pass me up as I have decided to go backwards in age now so in a couple of years he will be older than me.  I was 2 1/2 years old when he was born.  I was the best big sister ever!

Carey and Connie 1954 at the farm in Carsonville Township.

He had knee surgery January 23 and says his PT gal really makes him work.  When he gets done with physical therapy he will have two good knees again.

The Trailcam catches him from time to time as he comes by to visit or mow.  Last summer we were gone to the University of Minnesota and he and his lovely wife mowed our lawn.

My baby brother and his wife stopping by to visit.  Their lake home is just down the road.

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!
Far Side

Busy Thursday

My Dad and I were total losers at Bingo, but we still had a good time

Had a weird thing happen in the morning...still cannot figure it out.  My phone rang while I was at my parents...It asked if I wanted to join the Facetime phone call between my brothers, sister and myself...so I joined...  who knew that four or maybe even more people could see each other and all talk.  My other baby brother said his phone rang and he got the same message as I did...and my baby brothers wife said the same thing.  She answered my brothers phone...he was in surgery getting a new knee.    No one knows who initiated the call???  I didn't even know how to hang up...my other baby brother was laughing because he didn't know how to hang up either.  Eventually I think everyone hung up on me.

Anyways my baby brother has another new knee...he was up and walking last night and should get out of the hospital today if all goes well.

I shoveled snow over at my parents...it snowed in town just enough to make things slippery.   Far Guy was delayed at the infusion center so I managed to squeeze in a visit to the yarn shop.  Yarn may have been purchased.

We are done with appointments for the week! I went in for my blood draw after dropping off Far Guy at Pulmonary Therapy.  Later in the day my blood work came back and I am normal...even my cholesterol...how about that!

Pretty roses at the grocery store.

Far Side

Catch up

I am still real tired as is Far Guy.  He has seen the Doctor for a follow up and is still wheezing and coughing. ( The Doctor says that this flu/crud takes time to recover from.) Next week we go to the University of Minnesota for an appointment.

I am finished with Physical Therapy for my injured hamstring/sit bone.  The next step is injections...they suggested that I see how it goes. I do the whirlpool and heat packs here at home.

I saw the Hand Surgeon, I have Dupuytren's Contracture.  He will do surgery once my fingers start to curl....he said it is slow moving and right now only one finger is affected.  I am to keep massaging my carpal tunnel scar tissue daily...he won't do surgery on that either until my arm sleeps during the day.  He said "use what ever pillows you can to support that whole arm all night long."

We attended the Confirmation Party for our Great Niece Hailey on Sunday, it was a nice party with lunch at my other baby brother's home.

We got to see new baby Erwin he has a head full of black hair! He looks a bit like his brother Harlow.  Erwin is now 12 days old.  He weighed 9 Ibs  7 oz when his was born.  Our niece Meg is very busy with four children under the age of six.  Erwin is # 14 Grand for my other baby brother.

My baby brother and his bride are here for the summer at their home on the lake.  We haven't seen much of them as we have been recuperating.  We did get to see our two nephews Logan and Kirk and Great nephew Turner briefly.  They flew in for the weekend to work on a Zipline.  Logan lives in Seattle and Kirk in New Jersey. They will be back later in the summer.

Only two Doctor appointments this week... practically a week off.

I am still crocheting nests for Wildlife Rescue Groups.  It is something that doesn't take lots of concentration!

There you are all caught up.

A Nuthatch at the suet feeder.  His nickname is Assup.

Far Side

Wistful Wednesday : 1961

I found this old photo from 1961

I was ten years old. 

That is most likely my birthday cake.  My baby brother would have been seven and my other baby brother almost one.

This photo was taken in the first remodeled kitchen at the farm.

My mother made my baby brothers shirt and that bib overhauls my other baby brother is wearing.
She sewed the curtains too they were a pale yellow with a brown design. 

Note the days of the week flour sack embroidered towels hanging next to the old rotary dial wall phone...with a short cord...it was beige.

The plaster of paris fruit hung in the old kitchen too...and must have been a favorite of my Moms since it appears in the new kitchen.  The new kitchen had birch cupboards with stainless steel hardware...and a double sink.  The linoleum on the floor was a medium green color...it was a tiny hex pattern...I scrubbed it many times.
Far Side

Wistful Wednesday: Christmas 1977

This photo was taken at my parents home on the lake December 24, 1977.

My baby brother has his arms around all the girls.  My sister is in the back she was 11 years old.  Trica age 5 and Jennifer age 2 in the front.  My baby brother would have been 23 in 1977 and he was a student in Tulsa Oklahoma and not yet married, but would be the next summer.

Trica and Jenny had similar dresses, floor length, gingham and white dresses with flowers on the front.

My Dad ( age 51) in back, then me (age 26), my other baby brother ( age 17), my Mom ( age 48) with Jennifer, Trica and Julie in front.

I think someone in the family still has that couch…although it has been recovered.

Wistful Wednesday: 1st Day of School 1967

This is a photo that my mother took on the first day of school.

 

I was a Junior that year, my other baby brother would have been almost 7 years old and in 1st Grade and my baby brother would have been in 8th grade that year.

Looks like we have all the school supplies we need. This was way before book bags or backpacks.  My mother must have thought my other baby brother was going to grow some and those pants could be rolled down as needed.

I think that plant was called Gold Drops.  It was an old plant that almost everyone had in their flower gardens.

Wistful Wednesday: June 1973

In June of 1973 we were on leave between Lowry AFB in Denver and MacDill AFB in Florida.  We went home to Minnesota before heading to Florida.

Yes in June in Minnesota you may need a sweater and a hat on a small child.  Our daughter Trica was 14 months old.

My baby brother (19 years old) and Trica on a rope swing in the back yard at my parents farm in Carsonville Township.

Recently I saw a mother with a almost new baby…with no hat…and the day was chilly, a blanket wrapped losely around the small child.  What is wrong with new mothers now a days…babies need to be wrapped up. I guess it is no skin off my nose if they want to spend all night up with a screaming baby.

Trica was prone to ear infections and keeping a hat on her made all the difference in the world !

March 26

Today is my baby brothers birthday.  He was born a long time ago on a stormy March day.  My status as an only child was never the same again.

I was 2 1/2 years old when he was born. 

In a few years he will retire.  He is building a lake house nearby, it has been fun to watch the house come together.  I have been the official photographer.  After 15 months it is almost ready for furniture…and that will probably happen later this week.

Living room, dining room and kitchen.  Beyond the french doors is the porch.  It will be a wonderful gathering place!  The ceiling is pine from some Norway pines that had to be removed and the oak floors are from oak trees that were removed to make room for the house.

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

Sauna Delivery

My baby brother ordered a Sauna and it was delivered last Friday.

It was made in Royalton Minnesota and it is a all Cedar hand made product.

It came on a larger trailer and was unloaded onto this small trailer to make its way down the hill into its final spot.

It was a very interesting process.

Up the ramp and onto the deck

Around the corner into the spot that was designed for a sauna.

The trailer had a break apart axel and with a jack and blocks it was lowered into place.

Here is a peek inside. That is a Swedish Stove there in the middle.  Four people fit nicely…six if you have skinny friends/relatives.

My brother pretending to pour water over his wifes head.

Our parents came to see the new sauna.

My baby brother was quite happy with the sauna delivery….he will be even happier when his house is finished.  I have been the official photographer for 13 months now.  The house is still about 2 or 3 months from completion.

I heard the sauna worked as advertised.

Veteran’s Day

Today is the day to thank all the Veterans in our lives. Those that serve now and those who have served.  Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air National Guard, Army National Guard at home or overseas….THANK YOU!

Far Guy

My baby brother, my nephew, my dad and my husband.  Thank you all!

Luckily these family members made it home.

My Paternal Grandparents were not so lucky. Five of their twelve sons were in the military.

They all returned but one.

My Uncle Arthur is buried in the Sicily Rome American Cemetery in Italy.  He was 23 years old when he was wounded and died during the invasion of Italy.

Some gave all.

Wistful Wednesday: 1958 My 7th Birthday

In September of 1958 I was 7 years old.

In 1958 I was in first grade, and my baby brother was four years old, my other baby brother was not even a twinkle in my Dad’s eye yet nor was my sister. My Dad would have been 32 years old that Fall.

My Mother took this photo and baked the birthday cake.  We are standing on the south side of the house in front of the Honeysuckle bush/tree.  This was the old house before it was remodeled.  That is my bedroom window, my room was just off the living room, it was small with just room enough for a single bed and a dresser… My brother was probably still sleeping in his crib.

Back in 1951 I was born at 1:20 AM and weighed 7 pounds and 11 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long.  My Dad was in Korea when I was born. I would go home with my mother to my Maternal Grandparents home.

Yes I am older today.  You can do the math. 

Later today Far Guy will take me out for a late lunch/early supper where I will have a half strength frozen original margarita to celebrate.  (Full strength makes me sleepy and looking for a place to nap it off.)

Happy Birthday to me!

Brothers

My brothers had a busy day, first they set up a Stingray Tree Tent.  I heard they didn’t read the instructions. My older brother is collecting “cool toys”…I asked him what was next on the list a few weeks ago…this is it. His grands are gonna love it!

It is a way cool tent.  You hop on the bottom part and then open the zippered trap door and go “upstairs.”  It is anchored to three trees.

Far Guy is inside.

You can lay on either level, the top one being the one with no bugs.

We have skeeters now.

After a quick trip to town for steaks, they got some landscape bricks from us and built a firepit to cook up the steaks.  I made potato salad.  The meal was rounded out with other salads, fruit and Smores. My parents and my Aunt Anna joined us…then they all went fishing and we came home to fed Chance and woodcarve until the skeeters drove us inside.