On my desk

 Someone is getting real cozy with me, sliding up on my desk more and more everyday.  Then this happened!

Yes she wanted my attention!  Sadie is 18 weeks old now.  This week she is continuing to be on her own at night...out of her kennel...she lets herself out the doggie door and can get a drink of water when ever she wants.  One mess up and she will be back in the kennel at night.   She uses the doggie door mostly...she still goes to the patio door in the daytime to be let out sometimes.  Sometimes I lead her to the doggie door instead of using the patio door.  She has learned a new word...Hungry, If you ask her if she is hungry she comes running to be fed her ration of food. ...and we have a dog bed in the kitchen where she sits to have a treat...sometimes she goes there and looks pathetic...sometimes she gets a treat and sometimes not....but she gives it a try. 

She misses her other people.

 Smiths Reef

They will be back in a week, they have gone someplace very beautiful...and warm! 

Far Side

What's on my desk

 My desk is a mess.  I have way too many projects in the works. 

I have new stamps to try out, a plate from my Aunt Anna's Estate sale to hang up,  two different crochet projects and several more in that bag that I carry almost everywhere.   My Uncle Hugo's Bible in Finnish..waiting on my desk for a response from the grandchild he raised. Various containers (beautiful boxes) filled with "stuff"...

From my desk I can enjoy the wild daisies that grow on the edge of the river rock.

Perhaps I spend too much time gazing out the window....or outside cleaning up the garage. 

Far Guy is doing some practice carving on this years Christmas ornament.   I have not joined him yet.  The design is being refined:)

Far Side

Wistful Wednesday: Road work

In 1967 my cousin Dwight was just a little shaver.

He is the oldest son of my Uncle Dennis ( my Mom's brother) and Aunt Judy.  He now runs his Dad and Mothers construction company.   He got the contract to build our new road.

One day we stopped to say Hi and  Dwight came over for a hug.  That is his Cat to the left...no one touches his Cat.

The road is coming along, the old highway was built on black dirt...so there has been quite a bit of excavation to renew the base .
We have a new corner now.

Our old corner on the left the new corner on the right.

We add a few extra minutes onto our drive to town and our vehicle is dusty most of the time.   But progress is being made on the road.  The ditches are deeper than they were before and the highway up higher so the snow should blow off the road instead of collect in drifts.
Hopefully the road will be paved before winter.  After all the dirt work is done a paving company will come in and blacktop the road.
Far Side

Lawn Mower Adventure

I guess I have been stuck in a routine…my lawn mower works great…it burns a little oil and needs new mulching blades ( I usually get some for my birthday) but it mows quite well…I didn’t think I would ever get used to hydrostatic drive but I did.  I can even day dream a tad while mowing… quiet time just me and the mower…getting along just fine.

Then my baby brother bought a zero turn lawn mowing machine…only my right foot is involved and that is for raising or lowering the mower deck.…now I have to program my arms; right, left, lean way back to stop or go in reverse… boobs will get in the way. The mower was delivered here and I got lessons. I can even mow backwards…but I never was much good at backing up a lawn mower. My baby brother mowed at his place and then brought the mower back here and said “Use it.”  It will turn on a dime…and someday I will get used to the one back wheel that doesn’t like trees in it’s way.  I have discovered that you only want to get on and off of the front…cause it is a big step off either side….and if you have damp crocs…your foot will slip on the mower deck and you will fall not so gracefully. There is no day dreaming allowed whilst mowing with this lawnmower…vigilance is key to safety.

It was not designed with an older woman operator in mind.  I imagine the kid that designed it…is tall and thin and he used to race go carts.

Fields

Last evening we took a ride around “the block” to see what was happening in the fields.

We had a late afternoon nap because of the rain…yet another inch plus that will make our grass grow.  Soon we should be coming into the dry part of summer.

 

A bean field…two deer were way way out there feasting.

Irrigators working real hard even though it just rained and low areas of the field are filled with water which become mosquito breeding areas.

Hay field with deer and no irrigation.

Corn field no irrigation.

Irrigation again on a small grain of some sort field.   The grain looks like it is getting close to harvest.

We saw seven deer on our little trip around the block.  Chance enjoyed the outing. During the summer he rarely goes with us during the day because it is too warm.  Evening rides are his outing.

Cold

Still cold.  It might warm up a bit on Sunday afternoon.

Chance is real bored, he wants to go for his ride…I cannot blame him.  He hasn’t been for a ride since Wednesday. 

I put away downstairs Christmas except for the Nativity set…I wasn’t ready to put that away yet.  The Christmas totes were gone through…we have a few Christmas decorations that belonged to Far Guy’s Mom…they found their way into a pretty box with a note explaining them.  So I explored the Christmas Totes….vacuumed their area and put them back. Dusted too if that counts.   A bunch of odd ball stuff was piled up to mark for a rummage sale.

The Shiny Brite tree is still up, I am not ready to put that away yet either.

Far Guy worked on his latest flower carving and it is awesome.  I will photograph it soon…before and after painting.

Chance slept…chased his treat ball around, pestered someone to play ball (I did) and he tried to lead us to his treat drawer many times…his restricted diet must be boring for him.    When I was cooking supper he was a pain…underfoot and insistant that he was hungry “NOW.”

I hope to make some more of these funky bead creations over the winter.  This one still looks good but it has faded a bit.  I bought some heavier copper wire which might work better.

Hope you all are staying warm. It was turdy below zero here.

New Corners

We are getting a new corner in the neighborhood, the neighboring township must have some bucks to spend to fix the old township road.

This is a traffic jam at the corner.  Potato digging machines were hogging the road.

The corner in progress on day one.  This corner is on our usual route when we go for a evening drive.  We usually see deer in the hayfield that is just up yonder and is all green. Previously this corner was full of Jack Pines and Milkweed.

 

We drove down again yesterday to see how it is coming along. Day two.

Old road on the left the new one on the right.

My other baby brother’s construction company is doing the work.  It is not done yet…maybe next week.  I wonder how the snow will blow…probably off the road.

Other road news concerns our State Hwy 225 that was given to the County along with 9 million dollars for a new road…either that or four way stops at all of the many corners that this stair step road has…it’s new name will be County 26…that will take some getting used to as it has been State 225 ever since I can remember.  The County is calling it a dangerous road because you have to slow down for the corners…duh…their other solution is to make it a 40 mph road with 40 mph corners….right now the corners are about 25-30 mph corners…been that way ever since I can remember…and a few were 10 mph corners but great fun on a bike.

Here is an old 1924-1925 Road Map.  Can you find the stair steps? The road back then was built on section lines and you had to go through Ponsford to get to Detroit Lakes.  Later a new road would bypass Ponsford in effect killing the town…the new road would go from Osage straight west to Detroit Lakes.

Busy Week

We had three doctors appointments this past week, so far only one appointment for next week!  A week off for me as Far Guy can go to his Physical Therapy appointment all by himself.

Far Guy has a new Pulmonary Specialist who trained with the Doctor ( Alpha 1 Specialist) that we saw at the Mayo Clinic…so we feel that Far Guy is finally in good hands.  Far Guy is no better, but he is no worse either in regard to his Alpha1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.   The no worse part is in part due to the weekly infusions and staying away from sick people and anyone wearing fragrance of any kind including bug spray.

We had a date night last night and went out for a quick Walleye dinner and then headed over for the Spirit Lake Concert.  It was Bluegrass this week, there was a change of venue due to rain so it was moved indoors to the high school.  We stayed for half of the concert and then it got really warm so we came home and played cards with the neighbors.

We managed to up the total of Christmas Ornaments Ready to Paint: 55  Painted :3 Total 58.  This next week I will begin to paint a few more.

Far Guy is doing R and D on a new flower carving.  Here is the inspiration.

We headed to Sheilas place one night to take photos.  Sheila is attempting to carve Indian Paintbrush also.  I have an idea how I would do it…but right now I just don’t have the time to carve it…only to think about carving it. Sheila graduated from High School with Far Guy and is also in our woodcarving group.

Oh yes Community Education called and would like us to teach another soap carving class this winter. So I said yes…Far Guy and Sheila have agreed to help.

I didn’t mow the lawn this week, but I did spray a bunch of Poison Ivy along the road….It is a job I really enjoy.  I also weeded my poor pathetic flower garden that the squirrels have decimated.

We finally got about 2 inches of rain Friday evening.

Nearing sunset on the runway at Sheilas.

Ugliness

Daughter Jen said I was too cranky so I have been TRYING to look on the brighter side of life the past few days. IT ISN’T WORKING. I must have relapsed.

Seems to me that there is an awful lot of ugliness going on lately. 

People in Wally World up in Grand Forks North Dakota were shot by a madman, one died and one was wounded then he shot himself.

A sixty year old woman’s head and hair caught on fire…musta been mixing explosive combustible ingredients of some kind.  You think she would know better.  Wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age.  She died.

A group of young men stole grocery carts full of meat from the Wally World in town, they were going to resell the meat for money to buy drugs.

People on probation for a felony are given credit for time served and released back into society.

School is out and for some children school lunch was their food for the whole day.

The way we treat our Veterans at Veterans Clinics is deplorable…I know this from first hand experience.  I was silent (it was really hard) and listened to their woes…money and budget cuts and they are just there to do Health Care not Health Insurance.   They cannot provide care to every medical need of the Veterans.  I had heard mixed reviews…now I know for certain that we as Americans should be ashamed of ourselves for not insisting our Veteran’s get the healthcare they need.

Discouraged…yes I am.

I think I will stop listening to the news for awhile, too bad there isn’t a good news only channel.

Thanks for listening…I feel a bit better now.

 

Tent Caterpillars  along the back roads.  Hopefully the birds will find them and have a feast.

Summer in Minnesota

We saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes in a hay field.

I am not sure what the bird was that was sitting on the hay bale.  We usually don’t see Sandhill Cranes in the summertime.  I have seen them in the spring and fall when they are migrating…but only one other year have I seem them in the summer.

Summer is advancing quickly.  The temperatures at night are cool.  52 F or 11C eh.  Quite cool for July night time temperatures.

The Fireweed is blooming.

We are getting company from Iowa this week, an old friend will spend sometime with us…I am not sure I can call him an old bachelor…he was married once upon a time and has a daughter and a grandson.  I am certain he will show up in a tank of a vehicle…picture some old Cadillac with leather seats.  Last time he was here whilst he was driving all over the area I could stretch out full length in the backseat and have a nap when I became bored with the men’s conversation. 

The neighbors shared their company from Oklahoma this past week, we had several nights of meals together followed by a rousing card game called “Oh Hell.”

 

Static Lightning

On Sunday afternoon our phone line was hit by static lightning.  Our phone line and Internet line are all together.  So we have not had telephone except for Far Guys cell phone and no Internet.  It was fixed but failed again so now they think it is a problem in a splice…and may require a special repairman.  I am not certain when it will be fixed.  Right now Internet service is intermittent.

The mailman was particularly perturbed because we had a package and he tried to call us for hours to find out what to do with the package.  Finally he delivered it and told us our phone didn’t work.

It is hot here.  Unseasonably hot.  91 degrees F or  32C.  With about 90% humidity.  It rained a bit today as a cool front moved through…it cooled off some but not enough for black dogs or old women.

It was practically a Florida monsoon type rain, it rained while the sun was shining between three and four o’clock and my camera kept fogging up.

Five weeks left on my countdown till the museum closes:)

A Christmas Ghost?

We finished up shopping yesterday. I had a special project that I was working on and "The Ghost of Christmas Past" must have taken up residence here this past week. My project has been put on hold, anytime you count on certain pieces of equipment to work as advertised..they don't. It is just a long line of many irritants lately.

First there was a thermostat that wouldn't shut off, It was a balmy 85 degrees in here. Then the "New" one would not turn the furnace blower on. So I froze to near death.

Then there is the water circulating pump that brings the warm water from the wood boiler outside, it began to make funny noises. Some special stuff that only cost one arm was added to the boiler water. A replacement sits at the ready all warm and toasty to be rewired and installed if need be.

Far Guys Bunn coffee maker sprung a leak, not all the time, but intermittently..sometimes it would leak and sometimes not. ( I did not try any stop leak either) Often the counter top was full of clear water. We went to town and since he is the coffee drinker, he chose a different kind of coffee maker, one that dispenses a cup at a time, no carafe to break..and this one does not leak ..yet.

One morning last week the "Ghost" got my computer monitor. It was fine at 2 AM and black at 6AM. We hooked up Far Guys monitor to my computer and it was definitely a monitor problem (Sylvania). I got a new HP 19 inch, it is OK, takes up about the same amount of space as my old 17 inch monitor. Far Guy nearly put out his back trying to load the last one on the shelf into a cart..they are wired down. It seems some people grab them off the shelves and run out of the store.

Far Guys Christmas gift ( the one I wanted him to want), might be coming on time..hooray! At 7:30 this morning the phone rang, it was the mailman "You have a package ! What should I do with it?" Luckily I got to the phone before Far Guy, I replied "Deliver it!" HA! That's what the Postal Service is supposed to do! Our mail man is lazy, he would rather we pick up the offending package at the Post Office. Fooled him!!

Then I checked the email, it was from the company that I ordered the what I want him to want gift. It follows :
Thank you for shopping with us.
Due to a technical error, the wrong item was sent out to your address.
We have since corrected the error and reshipped the item out to you at ***.You will receive it by approximately some time next week, or very latest the week after.
Our sincere apologies again for this error, please let me know if youhave any further questions on this order.

My Reply: What am I supposed to do with the item that YOU sent in error? Is it Like a Merry Christmas thing? The Mail Man just called and he is delivering the wrong package this morning. End of message, nope no Christmas Hugs and Kisses or Wishes from me.

People not doing what they are supposed to do irritates me to no end. Equipment that must be disposable and not working when I want it to work irritates me. If I were a drinker I would be three sheets to the wind today. What kind of throw away, lazy, good for nothing society have we become???

On a lighter note, I am baking, Pumpkin Bread cause my Grands love it, and I will wrap some up for the neighbors and smile this afternoon when it is delivered. Oh yes, It snowed again..another four inches to add to this wonderful winter wonderland we call Minnesota.

Pumpkin Bread : A wonderful recipe from Joyce! 4 eggs, 3 Cups of Sugar, 2/3 Cup Water, 1 Cup Oil, 2Cups Pumpkin or a 15 oz can ( I like Libbys), Mix and add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1, teaspoon Nutmeg, 1 (plus, I like cinnamon and use about two ) teaspoon Cinnamon, 2 teaspoons Baking Soda, 3 1/3 Cups of Flour..Mix well. Bake 350 degrees for one hour ...will fill two loaf pans. Will also fill 7 small loaf pans..bake time is decreased to about 35 minutes with the smaller pans. Try to remember to spray your pans before you fill them..if you don't then sometimes they stick to the bottom of the pan.. and you are left with half of the loaf in the pan..that's what happened with my first batch..the Grands won't mind..I tried my best to put the bread together like a big ole puzzle.

Now IF I could just get everyone to tell me what time they are coming and going, and for what meals they will be here for..I really could smile and enjoy the rest of the day. Oh ya, I am just the Mom, I am supposed to know this stuff.:)