Little Library

 We stopped by to see the new Little Library.  It is really cute!  These gals are quite the carpenters and painters!!

I looked at the books but didn't take any.   Next time I will take a book to swap.

I might even have some bookmarks to share:)

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Warm Spell

 We are having another warm spell 83F/29C  and rising for a couple of days this week.  Maybe it is Summers last hurrah. 

Photo of the hanging flower baskets in town this year. 

The roadside sweet corn stands are open, the going price is $6.00 per dozen.  It is tasty!  

My other baby brother says the road construction that we have been dealing with all summer is supposed to be completed by Labor Day weekend.  We will see. 

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Forsythia

 The Forsythia in town are all blooming. 

This one is wasted in a parking lot...

I did a mega shopping yesterday, stocked up on many things we use all the time.  Tourists will be here soon...or maybe they heard about the road construction that will begin May 13.  The road construction is between us and town, the detours will add five or six miles to our trip to town.  So we will have to leave earlier than normal.  Plus it is not supposed to be done until November.  Uffda

The new Aldi store is open now, it is located in a terrible spot for traffic.  After shopping you have to turn right instead of left because of the traffic...and then you need to go down the road a piece turn around and go back into town.  Only those high or crazy would attempt a left turn there.  

Far Guy is doing okay...he is pretty much pain free! The scan he had only showed one stone...so he should be good for now!

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Area Happenings

 We went for a Ranger Blue ride last evening. 

Clouds and sun were interesting.

A old stand of pines was logged off. I wonder if the neighborhood bear used to live there.

Titus wanted us to stop and visit...so we did.  He loves Far Guy.  Titus is part Border Collie and part Great Pyrenees...he is a tall boy.

Sunset over the trees and the bean field.

Deer in the bean field, the bean field to the South of us was being harvested...note the dust going West and away from us.  

It was a nice evening out and about.

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Bridge

 We have road construction in our area.  Yesterday we went to have a look to see what was happening. 

No sneaking past the road closed signs anymore.

The bridge across Shell River is being replaced.  From the looks of it...might be next year before we get that road back. 

Progress is slow.   The detour adds another 20 minutes onto any trip going West.

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How do you like them apples?

 We have a small Apple Orchard about 20 miles from us.  They are only open on weekends. 

The apple of the weekend was Honeycrisp

We bought some and they are crisp and wonderful...just picked off the tree flavor. 

They have some things for kids to do and tables and chairs sitting near the orchard.   They were a friendly bunch.   The farm originally belong to their grandfather and now two grandsons (brothers) own it. 

It was a nice drive over and back...a good Sunday drive. 

When the huge grocery store does not have apples...a small business does!

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A drive

 Yesterday Far Guy had a medical appointment two hours away.  He is doing just fine, feeling a bit better everyday, he has gained three pounds (probably because he is a good cook) and his strength is improving....the best part is that he is not struggling to breathe. 

I took this cloud photo the other day...no blue skies yesterday...and it is raining.  I probably should have taken my camera on the drive...we saw Eagles very close up as they flew right in front of the car and Sandhill Cranes in a field.

We hear that a neighbor had a successful bear hunt...so our bear is most likely gone!  One of our other neighbors said that their dogs were awake and barking all night because the coyotes were howling. 

I am working on the design for our Christmas Card.  I really like both of my stamps. I just need to figure it all out. 

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Long Weekend

 Every week can be a long weekend when you are retired.

I manage to do odds and ends all day yesterday.  Stuff that had been neglected or put on the back burner.   Far Guy worked on his new/old car...a window was not rolling down properly...but it is now...I was in the garage when it was all torn apart...I wondered how many parts he would have left over.  

Seed heads on the Virgin's Bower. 

Interesting seeds! 

The Yellow Pear tomatoes are still producing a few tomatoes a day and there are many green ones yet to ripen before we get a frost.   It was a good year for tomatoes.  

The potato harvest has begun...I hear that the potatoes are smaller this year...according to someone who drives one of those potato lifters.   Those fields are all irrigated...but he said that even with irrigation they still needed rain which they didn't get.

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Weekend

 We finally got a bit of sun, probably won't last long ...the S word is in the forecast.   It is not my fault either...I was tempted to put the snow shovels away...but I didn't want to tempt fate.

Far Guy changed oil and the oil filter on my lawn mower...so it is ready to go! 

My baby brother, his bride and Baxter visited with us in the afternoon.  Baxter has sure grown while he was gone...I will take some photos of the cute little bugger soon. 

I caught up on laundry, cleaned the bathroom and in the evening we watched the miserable Hockey Championship.

I worked on some of the May Baskets while watching the miserable game.  St Cloud lost. 

The other day when we were out and about we watched for protesters ...didn't see any but heard there was a bunch of arrests.  I am sure they were out by the next day...

This is Line 3 that will carry oil from Canada to Lake Superior.   It replaces an older line and will be safer than the old line.  

In other news I heard that a major highway will be closed all summer because they are putting buggy lanes in.   Making it safer for the people who use horse drawn buggies. 

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Tree and town report

 Curbside grocery pickup was a success...we got everything on our list. It was a miracle!  I got gas for the car and went through the car wash...we are having weather that is about 40 F during the day...I will take it.   Far Guy called me for his ride while I was inside the car wash.  He waited outside the clinic in the sunshine for me. 

We drove down Main Street to see the 2020ed tree. 

 

Yup still 2020ed...I wonder how long they will leave it there?

At home groceries were disinfected and fruit washed...even the bananas.   Did you know if you scrub bananas vigorously they turn all funny...one week Far Guy said "What in the world is wrong with the bananas?"  A gentle rinse is what they get now. 

So we are all set for a while or at least another week.  I even ordered some stocking stuffers for the Grands. 

The Covid numbers are very scary in our area.  I wonder if another lock down is imminent...Dial Back/ Gov Walz solution to the pandemic doesn't seem to be working very well here in Minnesota.  Stay safe out there! 

If you have not entered the drawing for the hand carved one of a kind ornament then leave a comment here and you shall be entered. 

I will be drawing winners on Saturday! So I can get them mailed out the next week. 

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Sunday Drive

 We went out for an ice cream date.

The trees are changing at our favorite ice cream eating spot.  Neither of us got out because the bees were really bad.  All bees in Minnesota go a bit insane after the first frost...they are very aggressive. 

All the detour signs have been taken down on our road.  So we drove over to see what the new road looks like. 

Big changes to this corner. 

You used to go downhill to make this corner...not so any more...what a big change. 

I am certain that everyone that lives on this part of the road is really happy that the construction is over.  We didn't go any further down the road...we will do that some day soon. 

Far Guy spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up his new old car.  It was fairly nice out so I carded some dog hair...two or three nice afternoons and I will have it all ready to spin! 

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A storm, groceries and art

I dropped off mail behind the Post Office and picked up my online grocery order.  It is always an adventure to see what they are out of...this week it was ham, dish soap, a cheezy bacon dip and Cara Cara oranges.  Everything was disinfected and put into our own grocery bags...I take ice bags along for the small sub zero cooler and an insulated grocery bag.  This was my 18th online order...my computer printout keeps track of such things.

I headed over to Goose Poop Park...my timing was perfect as it had rained the night before...a heavy rain so most of the goose poop was gone!  ( they had 75 mph winds in town...lots of leaves down and a few branches and one tree that landed on NJ's new pickup...ouch)

There are five new sculptures in the park and three new ones downtown.   Since downtown is a tourist trap I will wait to photograph those sculptures after the tourists leave.  There were several bikers that came by on the trail...I just walked in the grass most of the time I was there...staying far away from everyone.  It was sad to see that the Little Library that used to be there was gone.

Goose Poop Park

This one is called "Dimentomorph"  

If you ask me it looks like a leaf on a stool.  What do you think it looks like?  

Oh well...

I had a nice stroll through the park and was on my way to pick up Far Guy when he called for a ride...so it all worked out! 

A branch at Goose Poop Park.

We got 1 and 4/10 inches of rain at our house, it was very windy.  Some leaves were down.  The storm hit about 2:30 AM...it was thundering and lightening almost constantly.  The power went out a couple of times but always came back on.  I watched the trees sway in the wind for awhile and then read until the storm passed.

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Road West

The road a mile west of us is  under construction.  We took a tour last weekend...just to see what was going on.  No one was working.

 an old corner

All the corners will be different and the road a bit taller so the snow blows off.

Last year my cousins construction company worked on the first four miles this time he was outbid on the five miles. 

Downtown Ponsford progress can be messy!

We are going east now to recycle instead of west.  We had been using the recycle bins just beyond the Firehall (the red building on the left).

Yesterday was another quiet day.  I worked on my milk can project.  I sprayed some weeds in and around the greenhouse/workshop.  I angered many ants near the sauna and in the wild gardens.  I sprayed Poison Ivy around the perimeter of the lawn.  I carved two Christmas Ornaments...Far Guy woodcarved and used that new trimmer to trim around trees and buildings! 

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Lilac and other stuff

The late Lilac is blooming.  I believe there are 16 blooms this year. Pruning right after they bloom helps to promote more blooms next year.

This is the Lilac named Donald Wyman...it was just a tiny sprig when Far Guy planted it many years ago.

See it is growing!   

Our trip to town was short and sweet I got almost everything on my list delivered curbside...they were out of Naan Bread...but my baby brother and his bride were making a grocery trip later in the day...and they located some at Wally World.

Far Guys weekly infusion took less than 30 minutes this week.  Both of us having Cell Phones really helps on Thursdays. ..as long as I remember to charge mine up.

On our way home the Detour signs were up...showing people the way to go ...right into a Corporate Farmers field. (ha)

No doubt some dumber than dumb people will go that way....especially confusing at night! 

Last summer four miles were redone on our nearby highway, this year the next six miles will be done.  It will not be a big deal for us this year.  But some of our neighbors down the road are going to have some fun travels getting to their homes the rest of the summer.  "Minnesota has two seasons...Winter and Road Construction."

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Change

We went for a drive yesterday.   Two miles from home we noticed big changes happening. 

An entire woods is disappearing.   Oak woods that have been there since before I was born....and who knows how much longer than that.  The land was in a trust and then the land owner died and left it to some college someplace who apparently sold it to a cooperate farmer.   Center pivot irrigators will inhabit part of what was Native Prairie and the Oak Woods.

I was so angry last summer when they tore into the Native Prairie...such sadness for the Prairie Wildflowers that bloomed there...long ago there was a school and lilac bushes on that part of the property.

Now sadness for the Oaks that sheltered deer and probably some coyotes.  When I was growing up it was a shady pasture for cows.
.

The property across the road has also been sold at least that is what the sign says...Far Guy's Great Grandparents Lemon lived and farmed there. I suppose those Oak trees will be gone too before long...part was Oaks trees and part farm fields.

Sometimes change can be good...sometimes us old folks that remember how things used to be 70 years ago should just accept change.
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Mantle and Chickens

I put the Nativity on the mantle yesterday.

We delivered more wood carved ornaments.  I had a bunch of errands to run so we did that in conjunction with ornament deliveries.

Drove one of the gravel roads that was worked on last summer and we will stay off that road all winter...it has no shoulder and steep ditches and the road is a lane and a half...the township was screwed on that road project.

At one of the delivery spots I was met by chickens...Blue and Purple Ribbon at the County Fair Chickens.  They talked to me.  Good thing I am not afraid of chickens...

We are supposed to get snow and then it is supposed to turn colder.
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Thursday Happenings

We still have snow and it is cold.

My brother's construction company was involved with the dirt work with the power poles out on the highway.   Dirt was removed and a new pole was set in place.  Water was ponding in between the power poles...we have had so much rain I said it would have cattails before long.

On our way back from town we stopped so I could  take a few photos.

In the evening my Dad and I went to Bingo.  We didn't win.  Dad was hesitant to go...he fell last Saturday and has two black eyes and a big scrape on his forehead...he was checked out at the ER and is fine just bruised.   I told him if he wore his hat no one would even notice.   It was dark when I left for Bingo...it won't be light again when I leave until March sometime.

It is good to have the appointments behind us again this week.   Friday is a free day!!  Yeah!
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On the road again

Took a drive out on the new road to see how far the paver got today.  4 miles!!  Yeah for us we have half a road now.

This is our corner.  Soon the long trips around will be history along with a constantly dusty car.

This section of road used to have a large hill...not so much anymore. We followed the water truck along, he will make passes all night long so it is good to finish paving.

I may wash our vehicle today just to get a layer of dust off.   By the weekend both lanes should be paved...and maybe even the center line marked...progress!!
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Green

Some of the area fields are so green it almost hurts your eyes.

We are taking different roads out of here...since our main road is being worked on.  One day we stopped to admire the green field...and the barn that these people built.

The power poles and other cables are being moved.   Our television signal is lost sometimes in the middle of the night.

I was taking photographs one day and this guy came up to talk to me.  Seems he was an Inspector from the County and he wanted to know why I was taking photos...because I can was my reply.

Took my Dad to Bingo...we both Bingoed once...not big money just little money...enough so we can go back next week!
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Cemetery Visits and Deaths

We visited three cemeteries over the weekend.  We took flowers and have picked them up from two of the cemeteries.  We don't like to leave them on the graves too long as it is hard for the people that mow and trim.

The Phlox subulata is putting on its annual show at Riverside Cemetery.

Saturday at St Mary's Cemetery. I will go by and get the flowers there soon.

There were two deaths this week...old neighbors and friends.

  Al was 93 and we lived next door to him and Erna for about 10 years.  They were good neighbors.  They had a dog named Peaches that I used to dog sit.  One day there was a snake by the front step...I called Far Guy and told him I had the revolver out and I was going to shoot the snake...he said "Call Al"  so I did and Al came over and whopped it with a shovel...then held it up...I slammed the door and locked it...he just grinned at me and laid the snake on his bumper and drove away.  In the winter sometimes the Shelties ( we had four) would follow Al home from ice fishing on the lake...he would call and say "Holler for your dogs."  He was the local skunk trapper too.   He and Erna sold their lake place and moved to town.

Tess would have been 80 years old later this year.  She was a lovely woman who volunteered for me at the Museum.  She was a gem.  I will miss her...I should have stopped and visited her last week when I drove by her home..but I was in a hurry to get home myself.  She used to come into the museum about three days a week and I would get caught up on the local news and she would help me do whatever projects I had in the works or she would greet people!  She volunteered for the museum all three years I was there.  Tess leaves behind her husband Doc...he had Doc's Truckstop and Cafe in Osage for many years.

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