Happenings

 My best friend Susie and her husband live North of us deeper in the woods than we are.   Her husband left on a Fishing Trip so we got together for lunch, conversation and a whole bunch of giggles.   We have children the same age and used to live across the road from each other back in 1975.   That is a 50 year friendship I am so lucky to have!  It was nice to get away for the afternoon...to enjoy the company of a like minded person!  We met at a place called Ice Cracking for lunch and a bit of slot machines!  No big winners but we still had fun! 

The woods are coming to life in the warm weather.  The Pin Cherries made their presence known...usually the blooms are frozen so there are no berries...if there are berries they are tiny and although it makes great jelly it takes a lot of berries...and the birds need food too. 

Late Thursday night we had a hungry visitor.

One of the Security Cameras caught him ripping down feeders and making a mess. 

The feeders were repaired and several were taken in...only a few will remain and be placed in a bucket inside the house overnight.   Bear have awfully good memories and he/she will be back.  I believe this is just about the earliest we have seen a bear...although one night over a week ago he visited Baxter and Smudge's house and they gave him/her the what for! 

It was a day. The high was 79 F or 27 C eh.  In the afternoon we had wildfire smoke come down from Canada...I hope they get a good amount of rain up there...we are dry here also. 

I brought home a Bacon Double Thunderburger for Far Guy for supper...that and a salad was a perfect end to the day.   Far Guy's weight he lost is just not returning as we had hoped.  He had another conference with his dietician.  He will try to do more high calorie stuff...smoothies...dried fruit...he is supposed to eat 6 times a day...and sometimes he is just not hungry. 

Far Side

Friends with gifts!

 Last week two of my friends gave me gifts for my birthday. 

My favorite licorice, a fall flag, a puzzle and some glass bluebirds from longtime friend Susie!  

A bag, the cutest scissors holder and scissors and some yarn from Sam! 

I have two very thoughtful friends! Thank you gals! 

Far Side

New Ornaments

 We received a few ornaments in the mail.   We opened them Christmas Morning.  

GOD BLESS THE USA 

Our friend Sue from Indiana sent these ornaments...she works with vinyl stencils. 

She also sent this little donkey.  Thanks Sue! 

 The Legend of the Donkey

God used a little donkey to carry Mary to Bethlehem, where Jesus would be born.  Many years later a donkey would carry Jesus to Jerusalem, where He would die upon the cross.  God marked the donkey's back with a cross.  It is a reminder of God's Son Jesus, who was born and died for all.

This year our ornaments were hung on the fireplace mantle where our children and grands stockings usually hang. We were just not feeling like putting up a tree...maybe next year.

 I did take the Santas down from the wreath by the door.  Time to redecorate it with snowmen.

I have not made a list of things I want to accomplish...yet.

Far Side

Change

Sometimes it is a really good thing to have lots of photos of some of your favorite things.

One of my favorite barns in a cotton candy colored sunset.

Or maybe a firey sunset… many times I would snap a photo of this barn as we left our neighbors.

The towering old barn was shortened and got a new roof.  No quite the photo op that it was but  most of the barn was saved and will be put to good use.
Change isn’t easy…but sometimes necessary.
 

Wistful Wednesday: Chuck and Ardith

A month ago I told our youngest daughter.  “I have some sad news for you, your bestest friend in the whole world died.”  She replied “Oh Chuck died… that is sad.”

Chuck was a thorn in her (teenage) side for two weeks every summer.  He would come to the door and ask  “Can Jenny come out to play?”  When she hollered “NO” at him he would press his nose against the window of the piano room until she would draw the curtains and play piano so loudly she couldn’t hear him.  He would walk away shaking his head saying “I don’t know how they put up with that racket.”   He irritated her and she irritated him.  When he would first show up for his time at the lake she would greet him by saying “Aren’t you dead yet?” He would answer her “No and is that anyway to talk to your bestest friend in the whole world.”

Chuck was from Indiana, he was a Deputy Sheriff and a Jailer…one time he even ran for Sheriff.  He and his wife Ardith would vacation up here the last couple of weeks in August when it was the warmest in Indiana.  Chuck fished everyday he could, Ardith sewed. Ardith was a banker and the church organist, they vacationed with children and grandchildren for one of the weeks and the other was usually their quiet time.

High on their list was going out for supper.

 

Chuck, Gene, Me, Ardith, Sue and Keith (Chucks brother)

The waitress took this photo at Y’s Steakhouse in September of 2000.

We found our way to Chuck and Ardith’s home in Indiana one Fall and had a wonderful visit with them.  They had the cover on their pool and Chance thought it was just a blue tarp…and walked right out on it. Talk about a confused looking dog!

Sadly Ardith would suffer with large cancerous tumors in her abdomen that eventually took her life in 2011.  Chuck was very lonely after Ardith died.  He called a few times to talk and then the calls became fewer and fewer. He came up on vacation a few times but his last visit two years ago he didn’t even attempt to go fishing. Chuck joined Ardith in heaven on October 10 2015.

Chuck had a wonderful sense of humor and could tell stories for hours. Sometimes you didn’t know if he was pulling your leg or not.   He used to kidnap Captain one of our Shelties, Captain could be found in their cottage quite often …for nap time and a snack.

Chuck and Ardith were good friends. It is sad that they are both gone…times change and people die.  But it is still good to have friends that can make you smile long after they are gone.

I wrote about Chuck before Straight Lake: Legend of the Cap.

Chance Gets Company

Company is coming, I am so excited! Miney is coming for a sleepover, she belongs to my sister, the tall guy and the two little boys, she is a Sheltie and she is beautiful!

I am waiting patiently..how much longer til she gets here anyway??

She is here! Everyone meet Miney, that is short for Hermione (Harry Potter books), her littlest boy couldn't say her whole name..so she is Miney..I Love Miney

We run and play ball, we share the ball. That's what friends do SHARE..besides that Far Side says "Sharing is a good thing." .. I think it might be one of her rules. I hope she remembers the rule that says Miney is not allowed squeaky toys at night..

We rest..and wait for SOMEONE to throw the ball.

I teach her how to catch snowballs in her mouth. I am a bit of a show off..life is good when you have friends:)