Waking up

 Our woods is slowly waking up.  The trees and bushes have had a long Winter's nap.

The Thornapple is awake.  You can see the thorns...it is a nasty shrub. 

Far Guy has been doing some woodcarving...he finally came inside and grabbed a bunch of bandaids and told me not to pay attention to the blood spatters on the patio. 

I am playing with paper and doing misc stuff that never shows up anyplace. 

 I finally got confirmation from Gethsemane Lutheran Church that doesn't have a cemetery and they were cooperative and were also going to contact the Find A Grave Community to delete the cemetery.   Everyone not familiar with the area thinks the cemetery belongs to the Church because it is across the road...it was not always that way...they had a small Church right in the heart of downtown Snellman where they used to have a smelly old smelt fry every Spring...I can say the ladies made some great pies.  Anyways they raised all the money and members all helped to have the Church built on the outskirts of town on the hillside across the highway from cemetery aptly named The Snellman Cemetery. 

Minnesota weather: Windy...a chilly wind like after it hails.   High 58 F or 14C  Low was 39F or 4C.  It is supposed to rain the next few days....we and the woods need the moisture. 

What's Cooking: Leftover Calzones...cook once and eat twice:)

Far Side

Christmas Ornament 2025

 Our woodcarving this year took many twists and turns.  We had a different design picked out but they are very time consuming so the first part of September we came up with a simpler design.

We finished all the wood carved ornaments finally.  

Far Guy did most of the carving, I helped with the sanding and I wood burned the heart. Team effort!

It was a tough year, but through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and prayer we made it through, so it is a fitting ornament for this year.

I have the last 18 Christmas cards in the works...I am slow this year. Some have been mailed. 

We had a quiet Saturday, it was cold.  We went and exchanged a Christmas puzzle that we finished in the hope that someone else might enjoy it this Christmas.  Then we went to the grocery store...chicken wild rice soup is in the crockpot :)

Happy Winter Solstice!  Now we begin to gain light again!

Far Side

Sunday

 Sunday was uneventful.  We finally felt up to working on the 2025 Christmas woodcarvings.  They are in all stages of progress... 26 are nearing completion...maybe. 

Minnesota weather: High was 54F and the low was 29F according to Far Guy...when I got up moisture was dripping off the garage roof. 

For supper we had salad, fish, carrots and pineapple.  The carrots that my baby brother and his wife canned were delicious!

My other baby brother and she who sees robins first came by to visit in the evening.

We have a fairly busy week with five medical appointments...however two are virtual...but one is far away....and so it goes. 

A large warm blanket a birthday gift from neighbor JoLynn!  Thanks Jo! She knows I like sunflowers!

Far Side

Christmas Ornament 2024

 Far Guy wood carved for many days last Summer.  He carved a quilted ornament.  

He carved 109 of them.  They are carved out of basswood although a few may have been carved from pine. 

I painted on them a good long time on Fall days inbetween mulching leaves in the yard. 

I used metallic paints in all different color combinations.  Here are some in progress.

I am pretty sure that no two are exactly alike. 

I gifted a number of them this year to very special people: two of my cousins that quilt and a few bloggers that are quilters.   

There were none left to give away.  But I felt good about the people that got them!

The last of the packages with ornaments have been delivered except for my sister...hers are at the Post Office awaiting her return from vacation. 

2024 marks the 30th year that we have been making some kind of homemade ornament for relatives and friends. 

Far Side

A Wild Life

 Nothing much new here.  Far Guy worked on woodcarving Christmas ornaments yesterday.  I mowed lawn for a couple of hours....not quite done yet but I got side tracked killing ants.  Tomorrow is another day.   It got warm enough yesterday that we finally put the air conditioning on. 

The paint for the Christmas ornaments has been gathered. All very metallic looking paints.  I can still paint ornaments...but the woodcarving is very painful for my fingers and wrists. 

Far Guy was outside sitting on the patio when two fawns wandered into the yard, they walked closer and closer to him, when he spoke to them their Mama came running out of the woods.  His phone was inside but he said the photo would have been awesome. 

We both got to see a Red Fox run into the yard and attempt to catch a squirrel dinner. 

Far Side 

Oaks

 Our Oaks are mostly done leafing out.  They take a long time. 

Far Guy has been doing some wood carving.  The Christmas Ornament for this year has been chosen. 

I have been clearing out files and some papers all unnecessary ...they are shredded and then recycled.  I made some pretty good progress in several stash/messy areas.  Yeah me.

Far Side

Ornaments 2023

 Far Guy was an awesome woodcarver all summer.  

He sent me this photo when I was at the craft retreat back in September. 

He painted all the beaks for me.  The birds are all belly up on the table!

During the month of October I painted almost every day.  

I found some leather cord to use for the hanger.  They are simple painted Cardinals each one is a bit different.

I have a few left to hand deliver, all the far away mailings have been delivered.

Far Side

Changing leaves

 The leaves are beginning to change color.

Fall is most certainly here.  It was quite chilly yesterday with a high of 60 F or 15 C eh.

I mulched leaves on Friday for the second time.  The leaves are falling fast.

My other baby brother and she who sees robins first and their Grandson Jordan visited us yesterday. 

Far Guy putzed with his old car Tilly, I am organizing paper for the Christmas cards and we now have 50 Christmas ornaments ready to paint. Progress is slow but sure. 

Far Side

Woodcarving Flowers

 Far Guy is working on a flower project ...a huge bouquet of wildflowers.  It is a work in progress. 

Some painting has begun.  All the flowers get Gesso ...the white stuff.   Jen painted a few flowers and I painted a coneflower.

As you can see my Nordic Mosaic project is nearby...so I can keep Far Guy company.  

Far Guy is feeling better today.   He started taking his allergy meds again.  Not sure if that made the difference or not but I am thankful he is better! 

Far Side

Saturday Stuff

 24 F or  - 4 C  it warmed up!   

We had a quiet Saturday.  Jen is feeling better and no one else is sick...yet. 

I worked on the Grands photo albums and my mosaic crochet project.   Far Guy woodcarved.  He has an idea for a bigger project.  

Recently he finished an orchid woodcarving. 

Far Side

Woodcarving

Far Guy has been busy woodcarving, he has a spot downstairs and has a huge dust collector system that takes all the dust out of the air. 

He recruited Jen to paint for him and to find good homes for the carvings.  

She is keeping the water lily.  No surprise as she likes anything to do with water.

This is the Gaillardia or Blanket Flower....I heard it is going to someone special. 

Far Side

Crafts

 Jen has a Craft Room here and set up a desk for me, I brought some projects with me and will enjoy the nice bright space to work in.  A space you can just leave "stuff" sitting out and no one cares. 

If blogger would let me upload a photo I could show you. Instead it is being a brat.

I have oodles of things to work on...I stamped images on watercolor paper for cards like a mad woman before we left home, and Jen has stamps here...someday I will get some more watercolor paper and raid her stamp collection and see what kind of cool stamps she has!   I have the stamp for next years Christmas Card!  I brought that along and I have some other projects to watercolor.   I have three afghans to work on and a Christmas gift to finish and I have a new pattern for mittens...so many crafts...

Jen painted a picture since we got here and I assisted her hemming some curtains.  Neither of us are accomplished seamstresses but we got er done...hope both panels are reasonably the same length! 

Far Guy is going to start woodcarving again soon.   He left his woodcarving tray at home so I found him a wood tray at Hobby Lobby that he can convert that will be similar to what he has at home.

Supposed to get a blizzard here Saturday night through Sunday night...we will see. 

Far Side

Yeah photo uploading is working again!

Ornaments 2021

 Most of the 2021 Christmas Ornaments have been delivered.  

Far Guy did all the carving this year.  ( My thumb was just not up to wood carving)  I did some touch up work and sanded them all in preparation for painting. 

Meet the 2021 Gnomes! 

Welcome to the dining room workshop.    The peanut butter jar stand should be patented, it works so well!   I can work on 12 carvings at once.  

The carvings this year are various sizes, shapes and colors.   There is ONLY one orange Gnome and that goes to special friends in Wyoming. 

Some have beards and some have smiles.  Each one is unique and one of a kind.   I used acrylic paint, sanded some paint off and did a brown wash and then added a sparkly glaze to the Gnome hats.

We are very pleased with them and hope that everyone on our list enjoys them.   110 carvings were made. It is truly a labor of love. 

Far Side

Sunny outlook

 Far Guy finished some of the woodcarvings he has been working on.  They have been painted and sealed. 

This is one that was finished.  Dontcha just love yellow cheerful flowers!

Far Guy likes to carve flowers.  I can carve flowers but don't enjoy it as much as he does.  He is looking forward to getting the patio table out and sitting outside to carve on sunny days.   We need a new umbrella for our patio table...the last one wore out.   The Christmas Ornament for 2021 is ready to carve...that is one project that takes most of the summer.   We sure miss our woodcarving group.   

Yesterday Far Guy came up with a design for a stand that will hold the sheep tank/vegetable garden at a good level for him.  Fresh veggies ...now that is something to look forward to! 

I did some laundry and worked on my mosaic crochet project...as soon as that one is done I have another idea brewing in my head for my next project...and I think I have the yarn on hand...since I might be a yarn hoarder.  I watched more episodes of Anne with an E...I am really enjoying that series.  Then I watched a cooking show and had a nice nap.

Just before supper the Junco's came...that usually means snow...at least it would be some moisture.

Far Side

End of the week

 Our weather is finally seasonal...chilly... but not freeze your butt off. 

This week I finished gathering all the Income Tax stuff, it is ready to go to the accountant next week...yeah me!  I also corrected all the change of addresses from Christmas in my address book....and on my computer address list....yes I keep both current.  That was my "paperwork" for the week.

Christmas decorations have been put away properly...I had them laying on the stairs and shoved through the railing upstairs... no one visits so who really cares...well I guess I do. 

I found a very old stale bag of pretzels shoved way back on the top shelf in the laundry/furnace/pantry room.   I dumped them out under the bird feeders...some squirrels liked them others ignored them...one would grab one and take off.   The next morning they were all gone...we figured a squirrel had been really busy all night long.  The next night there was a bit of moonlight shining through the clouds and I saw a deer by the bird feeders...mystery solved.  

  Far Guy is woodcarving and painting. ( I help him paint a little)

 He goes over to my brothers shop and visits his new old car...the brakes are better now...and they are working on replacing a Pinion Seal what ever that is.  Some kind of a special gas can that cannot spill has been ordered...I think it still needs a special wooden box that is strapped down...and we have to make a gas run to town these old cars need non- oxygenated gasoline and that is sold only a few places.  Who knew.  Alcohol in gasoline is the problem...it is harder on the older gas tank, fuel lines and engine. Old cars always an adventure.  

Far Side

** Daughter Jen had a Robin on her deck yesterday... A Robin in January...isn't that something!

Woodcarving

 I had two woodcarving projects...one has been in my carving tote for a year...the other was out in the woodshop just hanging around.  I have more unfinished carving projects...these were just the two I chose for this week.

The rolling pin was a turned project from my Cousin Chuckie.  Nice to have that one done...I put a hanger on it and hung it by the fireplace...yes Christmas decorations are still up.  The Santa was a project started years ago and is now finished. 

I have not carved in a while...I miss going to the Woodcarving Group on Monday afternoons...soon it will be a year since we have gathered.  The group always shared ideas and tips and tricks. 

Far Guy carves just about every day.  

We are making progress on going through the woodcarving stash of magazines.  My goal has been four issues a day, by the end of the week I should be done. 

Far Side

Activities on a cold day

 It was chilly yesterday. About 24F for a high  or - 4C eh!  My baby brother and his bride came over for a chat...they got cold. 

Far Guy woodcarved on a flower

It still needs leaves and a different base.  It is a work in progress.

I crocheted a wintery head band for Little Miss Cee Cee...hope it fits.

I packed up gift bags for the Grands...stuff that would have gone in their stockings. We will deliver them before Christmas someday when we want to go for a drive.  I have four sets of ornaments yet to deliver...hope to get two sets delivered today.

Today is adventure grocery day... big excitement!! 

Far Side

Another Day

 One day seems just like the other.  

Yesterday after usual house stuff I began the process of packaging up the 2020 Christmas Ornaments.  The are simple wood carvings this year.   I will give a few away here on the blog after Thanksgiving. 

I made quite a mess on the dining room table. 

I had to make some of my own boxes out of old checkbook boxes....no going to the Dollar Store to get pretty boxes to shove in the envelopes that will be mailed.  Far Guy came to the rescue to make a few boxes too.  I ordered Christmas bags and tissue paper from Wally World and was pleased with the result.  So I am ready to make a trip to the Post Office and make some deliveries locally...keeping my distance from everyone. 

Then I sewed buttons on a cowl.

 

I am so not a purple person...but I know someone who is.  The cowl is more purple than this photo shows.  I do love the purple buttons they make me smile. 

Brother in Law Ron is very sore after his bypass surgery but he is supposed to get home today.  The Doctors are pleased with his recovery...although it will never be fast enough for him! 

Far Side

Rudbeckia Carving

 I painted the Rudbeckia carving for Far Guy.

The base comes from vacation 2018-2019 and it has been spoken for...it is a very pretty carving. 

Not sure what he will carve next.  

I mowed yesterday and took care of some weeds and had a nap. Just like that the day was over. 

Far Side

Inspiration

 Far Guy was looking for a new flower to carve. 

I suggested Rudbeckia because it is one he has not carved before.  He had a false start that didn't work out...but carried on...I asked him if he was carving a bouquet...he said NO.

This is a Rudbeckia in our wild gardens...it may be the one called "Rustic Colors."  It was his inspiration.

He has asked me to paint it. 

Here it is waiting on the dining room table. 

I will give it a whirl! 

Far Side