Hark! Back! Issue #2

Hark! Back! Is a look back at blogs that appeared in a now defunct blogging site before I started with blogger in September of 2008.  They are in no particular order. 

April 05, 2008

Conversation with a three year old

Last evening I spent some time with one of my Great Nephews...he was three on April first.  I asked him what he wanted for his birthday...the party is on Sunday...he replied "Cake."  I asked him what kind of presents he wanted..."Balloons."  I made the mistake of calling him "Honey"...he replied "My name is not Honey it is Mason."  I asked him if I couldn't call him Honey anyway...he replied "No, I am Mason" then he would scrunch up his face, roll his eyes and extend his lower lip.  I explained that Honey was a nice name...and he changed the subject.

During my conversation with my new Honey/Mason...I discovered he had a haircut by Pam, had a good day at Barbs, Barb has two dogs with no names, his sister was asleep and so was his Mother, he wants to be an Excavator driver when he gets big, his Grandpa is not my brother, his Grandpa was never ever a little boy, his Dad was never ever little either, his Dad is big and Grandpa is his Dad's favorite.

I have an old jar that I keep on the counter in the kitchen...filled with Tootsie Pop Suckers.  Most small children leave the house with a sucker in hand.  Mason always chooses one for himself and one for his sister...he wanted a green one again.  I have never tried the new green ones...but they have passed the Mason test...he said they are yummy.

Well while I was enjoying my conversation with Mason his Grandmother was out walking and saw six Robins behind our house.  She always seems to be really lucky seeing the first Robins of Spring:) 

*******

Mason and Chance in April of 2015

Mason is all grown up...he was 21 on his last birthday and yes he is an Excavator driver.  He has a beautiful gal who is Miss Minnesota this past year.

Far Side

Parties and Baxter

 We had two parties this weekend.  Saturday was Mason (Great Nephew who lives next door) High School Graduation Party.  We got to visit with a number of neighbors that we don't see often. Pulled Pork, buns, baked beans, potato salad, chips and cake were served buffet style. 

Sunday we celebrated my cousin Geraldine's 75th Birthday.  More food was served; ham on buns, potato salad,  pasta salad, fruit, pickles and many different kinds of desserts. Her children gifted her plane tickets to Finland in September...boy was she surprised!   It is a girls trip with her daughters going along and a daughter in law. 

Needless to say we didn't cook for ourselves this weekend! 

Sunday Baxter's family deserted him so he spent some time with me.  He listens to me much better when my baby brother and his bride are not around!  (Just like a little kid.)

Baxter and Lilac blooms! 

Far Side

B

 We have new blooms.  Pin Cherries are in full bloom. 

Fun to watch the blooms in the woods. 

Baby...My baby brother and his bride welcomed their 11th Grandchild.  Bjorn is here safe and sound, he lives in New Jersey and his Grandma is there to snuggle him...he weighed 10 pounds and 2 ounces...uffda!   We may get to meet him in person in August...that is their usual time to visit!   Bjorn joins his two sisters and two brothers at home. 

Far Side

Sunday Happenings

Our Great Granddaughter Cee Cee made it home from the hospital yesterday!  Maddie says she is a fighter!   We are happy they are home and all together again.   Thank you for all the prayers!!

We had a quiet day. We watched the church service online.  The music was much better this week.

We worked in Far Guy's garage for a short time, the wind was real cool.  Nephew Josh and Great Nephew Mason came over and took down a dead tree for us.  They will haul off the wood for their campfire ring.

I prepared menus for the next ten days as groceries will be ordered for pick up later in the week.  There is not much room for off the cuff cooking... everything must be planned.

In the evening we met with my parents, my other baby brother and his wife and my sister and her husband up at my brothers shop...staying six feet ++ apart. We enjoyed Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen.  Everyone is doing fine.  No one is sick.

Far Side

A few wildflowers

There are a number of wildflowers blooming now.
Here are a few.

Northern Snow Bedstraw..yes the early settlers collected this and used it in their beds.  You can also roast the seeds and brew it like coffee.

The fragile Harebells amongst the bedstraw.  Did you know that Harebells are found all over the world?  Me neither.

I believe this is Oval Leaf Milkweed.

I sprayed Poison Ivy again yesterday and noticed a number of Monarch Butterflies on these Milkweed.

I made the rounds and had a volunteer driver for part of the day...Jordan,,,he said "I don't think I have my license on me" ...I said "Well I am the closest thing to a cop in this part of the woods...so you are safe."  He is a good driver and is getting better at identifying Poison Ivy.   He drives and I spray...

Saturday was a catch up day for me...cleaned the bathroom, did laundry, played 52 pickup and put away and did a bit of dusting before I rewarded myself with outside time and the Poison Ivy.  FYI the woodticks are still out.
Far Side

Otto

I had an Uncle named Otto, he married my Dad’s sister my Aunt Marie.  My Uncle Otto was a marvelous man, a lifelong educator, a artist and woodcarver with a wonderful sense of humor.

I have a Great Nephew who will carry on that strong name.

He has beautiful blue eyes and cheeks you just want to pinch…but I didn’t. Otto is about 13 weeks old now.  His Mother reports that he is teething but is a very easy going baby.

Otto is here with his parents and his brother and sister for a vacation at the lake.  Otto lives in New Jersy so this is the first time I have gotten to see him. Otto’s Grandfather is my baby brother…he has eight grands under the age of five and Otto is the youngest. They are all at the lake this week.

My adventure

About six weeks ago my niece Toots gave birth to a much awaited baby boy named Ray.  She and her husband live a little more than an hour away.  I had a gift for the baby and wanted to deliver it before he out grew it and before the weather and the roads got bad.  They also live about ten miles from a second hand shop that usually has old photos.

Some of the roads near one of the lakes had icy curves but other than that it was a nice drive.

I enjoyed seeing their new home, meeting the dogs, having a good visit with Toots and of course meeting baby Ray.  I got to hold him for a good long time. Ray is my sister Julie’s grandson.

His little outfit says Hero and he had a golden cape attached to the back.

I finally irritated him enough taking his photo that he woke up!   He is a much loved little boy.

It seems I picked a really good day to be gone. The next day we had our third snow.

We have 2+ inches of snow on the ground. I guess we are beginning our six months of winter.

So I had a good adventure… stopping to take photos whenever I wanted,  visiting at a second hand shop where I am known as “the old picture lady,” meeting baby Ray and I topped off the day by getting back to town just in time for my oil change appointment.  Far Guy and Chance did just fine by themselves for the day.

Where did the day go?

The days seem to go faster and faster.  We had some teenage boy company, one needed a little first aid and later they were pizza delivery boys ( we shared pizza with them, they are growing boys with bottomless pits for stomachs!) and I found some icy treats in the freezer.  One (Jordan) visited Chance several times…and there were hugs all around.

Far Guy and I carved out on the patio until the warmth and sunshine chased us in for a nap.   Supper was potato salad and some of that pizza.

We went for a ride in the evening.  There were many deer in the bean field.  Some were runners and others were too hungry to run off.

Sunset on the bean field.

The sun is almost gone behind the neighbors barn.  Another day is over…summer days go much faster than winter days.

Chance: Visitors

My turn!  Yippee! 

I had some visitors!  Kids my favorite kind of people in the whole world!

Jordan, Aubrey and Gavin with ME!

Jordan and Gavin are twins and they used to lived next door.  I tried to steal Jordan once when he was about three years old, I encouraged him to follow me home…and he did BUT I didn’t get to keep him for long.  Jordan tapped on the window and that got Far Guys attention and he made me take Jordan back home…in fact he followed both of us back to the scene of the crime.

The twins and their sister live far aways now and have two dogs of their own.

 

Far Side had a photo shoot with them and I got to supervise…in this photo I am off in the woods and have every ones attention! 

After the photos they got out my tennis ball launcher and took turns launching balls just for me.

One of the twins asked “How old is Chance?”  Far Side replied “Almost eleven.”  The twins said at the same time  “Same as us!”

Harlow’s Blanket

I finally got Harlow’s Blanket finished.  It is just a simple crochet blanket.   The yarn was a bulky chenille…soft, warm and cozy.

 

It was fun to crochet and it went real fast once I got started.

Here is Harlow sawing some z’s  on the new blanket.  He is seven weeks old now.  I got to hold him for quite awhile…warm sleeping babies always make me relaxed and sleepy.

I didn’t put a fussy trim on the blanket…it is just plain and meant to be used.  Harlow is my other baby brothers eleventh Grandchild.  I have 7 Great Nephews now.

Holes in trees

The  rat- a –tat- tatting noise echos through the woods.  It sounds like something is being attacked.

Someone is looking for a new home.

The woodchips fall to the forest floor.

This tree is at the end of our short driveway…luckily the old piss popple tree (Aspen) is leaning away from the road…and the wind is hardly ever from the east.

This is the culprit and we are feeding him.  He is a male Pileated Woodpecker. The bird book says “His diggings oval to oblong holes, indicated his presence.”

That and his rat- a- tat- tatting.  FYI usually they will not bother a healthy tree…just ones that have bugs and are dying anyway.

Mason and I are watching this tree.  Mason ( Great nephew) is our resident lumberjack or lumberMason he lives next door.

Baby News

We got a new Great Nephew.  He was born to our niece Megan and her husband and joins big brother Teddy.  Eight pounds four ounces …he seemed so little when I held him.  It has been about a year since I held a newborn.

Jen offered to take photos of him.  He was either asleep or crying.  I got to take a few photos too.

His name is Harlow.  An awfully big name for such a little boy.  Although he is very strong and holds his head up really well for being just six days old.  He has lots of hair on the back of his head which is very dark… he seemed just perfect to me.

My other baby brother has left me in the dust…this is his eleventh grandchild.

I am crocheting Harlow a blanket…hopefully I will get it done before it gets too warm outside.  I  had my eye on some bulky soft yarn for a long time and when I found out he was a boy I picked out my favorite little boy color yarn…but it is still in the bag on my desk.

Saturday Activities

Funeral, wedding reception and birthday party.  Life goes on one gathering after another.   It made for a full day and time enough for an afternoon nap.

Gary’s funeral was well attended.  Many of Far Guy’s classmates were there, some who he had not seen in years.  Barb told us “I am just numb and I am so lonely.”  47 plus years with the same person and that is bound to happen.  Gary was 65.  There were so many people there that we didn’t stay for the typical Minnesota Funeral Lunch of hotdish, Jell-O of every color and pickles.

At the funeral the fellow sitting behind me was ill, he coughed and coughed.  I am not sure why sick people just don’t send their regards…or come to the church to pay their respects and leave and take their germs with them.   I am certain I flinched every time he coughed, half way through the service I was tempted to count his coughs.

I saw my first casket that will head for cremation.  It was a covered with a blue damask fabric.  You would think that Funeral Homes would rent a coffin for the service…a big fancy one with metallic fleck paint…one of those expensive jobbies.  Many times you just see the Urn and a photograph.  

One of my many second cousins was married in a private ceremony late in the afternoon.  We were invited to the reception and dance.  The music was so loud it was hard to visit  and the thumping of the base stirred up Far Guys Trigeminal Neuralgia…so we didn’t stay long.  Wedding cake, nuts, Hershey Kisses, coffee and punch were served.

It was much calmer at the birthday party for Great Nephew Mason who turned nine.  Of course there was more food, fried fish (fresh caught), salad and then birthday cake and ice cream.

It was a warm day with the thermometer reaching 49 F here or 9 C.  The snow is melting fast! 

The Spark

I think I have misplaced my spark.   I need to sleep some and just relax, since I completed the last 30 days of antibiotics for the Lyme’s I am doubly tired. I think I should have been taken off the medication gradually because I feel like crap really rotten. 

I have five days off of work…well really four and a half because I have to go into the office and make an appearance at the luncheon with a gallon of potato salad that I have not yet completed, but I will by the time it is needed.  I must remember to smile and not be bitchy. When asked how I am I will answer “Just peachy and you?”

A few nights ago the neighborhood “gang” was trying to make sparks…and they said they made some but they were too little to see.

Sometimes mine is too little to see too.

The boys gave the spark making a good try and suggested that perhaps I should take a movie of them.  It is probably a good thing that these boys are all in different class rooms.

I am sure my spark will be back in a day or two:)

Watery Sunday

Sunday we helped celebrate the twins birthday..they are eight.  Hard to believe that they are that old!

This is the neighborhood gang.  They ride their bikes by and holler Hi! They all adore Chance and sometimes stop by to play ball with him.  The twins were very afraid of Chance for a long time..then they learned to throw the ball for him..it was the bridge that they need to form a friendship with Chance to get over their fear of dogs.

We had a water balloon fight…it was great fun.  Katie gave me a bucket to fill with balloons so I would have lots of ammo.  The kids really had a good time.  Some of the best placed balloons would just bounce off and splash on the ground.  HOWEVER I did get wet!

This is “the eight”  all Grands of my brother and “she who sees robins first” who live next door.  I can’t believe I got all of them in the same photo while they were having a squirt gun fight.

Our weather turned really warm and humid. It was 100 degrees on Monday. In the evening we had a storm breeze through and we got 1 3/4 inches of rain in just a little while.  North of us at Bemidji the winds were 80 mph..our daughter has a tree down in her yard.  We lost power for five hours.  We went for a ride and then read by book light and Kindle and slept until the power came back on.

It looks like a very warm week.  However at least we have power unlike many people out east..and now we got rain, which I wish the west would get to put out the wildfires:(

Puppy Sitting

We puppy sat on Saturday.  Putzer  an Australian Shepherd who lives just down the road and his sister Odda.

I made Putz a new toy and he loved it.

A pop bottle in a sock makes a great toy for a puppy.

We took him out to the Fire hall Open House and he saw lots of people and had his first walk on a leash.

Later in the day he was exhausted so I took him back home to spend some quality nap time with Odda.

At supper time I went and got him and took him over to the neighbors.

Aubrey and Putzer

Kids and dogs..what a great combination!

Puppies need lots of socialization when they are little..the more people and situations they are exposed to the better.  He got great exposure to kids with their little hands, quick movements and excited voices.

Chance did real well with the pup..of course the puppy followed him everywhere.  Chance was patient and even laid by the outdoor kennel when I asked him to keep the puppy company while I swept out my garage. Ever tried sweeping with a puppy attached to a broom?

I am reminded that although I like puppies I don’t want to have one everyday..luckily I can just go to the neighbors and play with theirs:)

Waiting for snow..

We are waiting for snow..no I have not heard that any is coming.  The ground is barely white. My prediction of no measurable snow until February is getting closer to fulfillment every week…

Next door there is some big time waiting happening.

New shovels ready for three kids to shovel some serious white stuff.  They told me that they love to shovel.  Their Mom told me “ We only had one shovel and they were fighting over it.”  She did what anyone would have done..she went out and bought three shovels, one for each of the little darlings. Now there will be no more fighting over shovels.  I told them to come over and shovel at our house if they run out of snow at their place. 

It is below zero here.  It was –5F or –20C at 10 PM last night.   It was a cold damp day yesterday, the air was bitterly cold.  If it would snow it would feel warmer…at least I think it would. 

18 more shopping days until Christmas..gifts purchased 2.  Ornament project completed. Trees decorated..0.  Decorations up..one carved Santa from a garage sale, I cleaned out my wood carving bag :)