Mallard Babies

On a recent trip to town we stopped by Dairy Queen for a sundae.  Cherry for me and Hot Fudge for Far Guy.   We always go through the drive through, I manage a sundae in both hands until we arrive at our favorite sundae eating spot down by the river.  Chance knows I will share with him..but Far Guys chocolate is off limits.

We watch the water or kids and dogs in the park, or ducks.

A mama Mallard led her family out of the water then she headed back to the water for a bath.  She splashed and splashed.  Water flew everywhere.  The reeds were tall, I was hesitant to get too close…a long time ago I am sure I was chased by a duck.

The babies stayed huddled together on shore.

As far as I could tell there were four babies.  Good sized and already resembling their mother.  I watched where I stepped and was grateful for plastic shoes that are easy to wash off.  There was poop everywhere.  I am certain it must be from all the adult Canada Geese and not from these cute little guys:)

Yellow and Blue

The wild gardens are getting dry.  God has not sent any water for them lately.

Yellow and Blue

The Ratibida pinnata (Greyhead Coneflower) and the Echinops ritro (Globe Thistle) are in full bloom.

It all depends on your perspective.

Blue and Yellow

If you want a bees opinion the Globe Thistle are the bomb.

At least there are some bees.  There are no butterflies and the mosquitoes have all died off.  There are a few Deer Flies…I have not seen a tick in two weeks:)

Wistful Wednesday: 1915

Old photographs of family can sometimes be a puzzle.

This is a photo taken in 1915, in fact I will go as far to guess that it was taken at Christmas time in 1915.

Grandma wrote on the photo Marvin ( on the right) 1 year and 4 months.  He was born in 1914  on the 13 day of the eighth month..yesterday would have been his 99th birthday.  He died in 1994…at the age of 80…19 years ago later this month.

Grandma Tracie had a favorite sister growing up..her older sister Annie.  Annie was married a year before Tracie.  The other child in the photo on the left is Annie’s first born Lois. The girls (Annie and Tracie) were probably together in town at their parents home over Christmas and took their children to a photographer.

Yes they are dressed alike. Babies were all dressed the same back then, in dresses, it was easier to change their diapers.  Snaps and zippers had not been invented yet.  Little boys were breeched (put into britches or breeches) when they could do up their own buttons before and after using the potty…until then they wore dresses.  Today we think dress and we think girls, back then a dress just meant you had a baby that was not yet potty trained. 

Cousins. At first glace you would think siblings..but not so in this photo.  There were a couple of these photos, only one was marked Lois and Marvin.  The rest are properly marked now.  I am not sure what happened to Lois.  (I talked to a relative, she worked at JC Penney in Bemidji Minnesota and she married a Journalist.) :)

Perseids

Every August the Perseids are visible.  They are left overs from a comet..the pieces that race across the sky are the size of a grain of sand  sometimes getting as large as a marble.  The earth crosses this path of comet leftovers once a year.  They light up the sky in August every year, if the skies are clear.

Sunday night we all discussed the Perseids..Noah, Andy, Jen and I.  Noah said he would go out if he was awake.  Andy said he wasn’t going, Jen said she might wake up and go out and have a look. I told Jen to wake me up. 

I checked them out from our yard about 3 AM.  Then I let the dogs out to do a little business.  I woke Noah up and asked him if he wanted to go to the cemetery with me?  “No Grandma.”  A few minutes later Jen came downstairs and we took off.

The local cemetery is a great place to watch the night sky.  I brought some blankets, Jen brought her camera.  I left mine at home.  It was chilly..but we were entertained by the Perseids.  It is a guess exactly when and where they will appear.  We saw quite a few.  It was too chilly for bugs, they must have all been sleeping to stay warm.

At one point we thought we heard dogs barking, Jen said “Sounds like our dogs.”  We heard an Owl and the nearby irrigator made funny noises as it worked it’s way around the field.  The cemetery itself was silent…three cars came by on the highway.

Back at home, Chance decided that I had left forever and started to howl, which in turn set off Little Elvis and Miney.  A dog chorus!  Far Guy had no idea where I went or for what.  He was worried, as soon as we got home he said “Where have you been in your jammies?”  “Well at the cemetery looking at Perseids with Jen.”  Apparently he missed the conversation we had earlier in the evening.

This is a photo Jen took of the night sky as dawn approached.

The light on the ground on the left is a solar light on a grave.  The light at tree level on the right is an irrigator light.

I love to watch the night sky.  How about you?  :)

Monday

Why can’t Monday be the start of a weekend instead of the end of one?

Together

The vows were said under this arbor on the hillside overlooking the lake.

The sand was mixed symbolizing two lives coming together as one.

It was a beautiful day for a wedding to celebrate a young couple starting their life together.  The sun was out and it was about 74 degrees.  We all hoped that some of those big fluffy clouds would come over and stay. Everyone fanned themselves with the wedding programs.

It was a lovely ceremony with the Aunts of the Bride singing.

After the ceremony the Ring Bearer and Flower Girl ran off some of their energy.

 

The signs were all cute, those bales served as seating, some little old ladies brought their own blankies to sit on.

It was a fun afternoon taking photos…perhaps catching some moments that the other photographers missed:)

Changes

Changes can be stressful.  Especially when changes are happening inside the house.  No not a renovation or anything fancy.  Just a new furnace, high efficiency LP that is supposed to be 14 X 29 inches.  I don’t know how tall it is..it is only the footprint that concerns me.

The utility room in this house was a huge mistake to begin with.  Not enough space was allotted in the original plan.  I thought I would have room for a regular washer and dryer..think again they ended up in the kitchen. It didn’t make much difference it was a few years until we finished the kitchen anyway.  Later we bought a Maytag Stacker and it does fit in the utility room but space is limited, what with a water heater, a pressure tank for the well, a sewage lift pump all necessities of course and they all take up space and are mostly immovable.

I hope that the “fixes” we have planned gain some space.  Time will tell.  We are both cranky when it comes to discussing this renovation, which involves some re-plumbing etc.  The 14 year old pressure tank that rarely lasts 10 years will be replaced with a smaller sleeker one.

I made a footprint of this new furnace out of paper and shoved it all over the wall where it should go. I wonder what it will look like in each space I pick, will it work?   It is smaller than the air exchanger that it replaces. 

The old outside wood stove was sold and hauled away yesterday.  One less thing for the kids to worry about.

It was a good outdoor furnace..it kept us and our water warm for 14 years.

It is the end of an era for us, no more wood hauling, cutting, stacking or splitting:)

Minnesota Wildlife

Driving on Minnesota roads is not for the faint of heart this time of year.  In a two mile stretch we saw seven deer. 

Chance was entertained.

Three maybe more came out of this corn field.

How many more were lurking in there?  Corn fed deer will be on the menu for some hunter.

On our drive we saw one baby skunk out during the early evening hours.  He was waddling down the road near Ponsford. One baby rabbit was in our driveway.  The black and white kitty that is a real cat and not a skunk was spotted near our back driveway.  I have not seen that cat in awhile…I thought perhaps the Eagles got it.

The baby Robins flew the rake yesterday.  Far Guy and Chance watched them.

The Mama Robin had two hatches this year both behind a rake that is hanging on the side of the garage.  I asked Far Guy to build some  platforms for her next year.  She or one of her older relatives used to build on top of the step ladder…not this year.  There were four hatchlings in this nest.

Chance has a Chipmunk that he is stalking.  It keeps him busy for hours.  I think he is just toying with it and keeps it around for his own entertainment.  Did you know that Chippys are meat eaters?  One was observed eating a mouse. 

The mosquitoes are not too bad.  Apparently they don’t like the cooler weather that we are having.  I am not seeing any butterflies, but there was a nest of bees that Far Guy got into…Paper Wasps…he was stung several times. Paper Wasps eat butterfly larvae…so that could explain that:) 

Volunteers At The Museum

I have a new volunteer at the museum, her name is Kayla and she is eight years old, soon to be nine.  Last week she created a new Treasure Hunt for children.  She learned how to dust properly in the museum..no spray ever goes on the cabinets..only on your paper towel, how to run the old fashioned carpet sweeper because you can use it while people are in the museum, and she helped me stuff newspaper articles in acid free plastic sleeves ( She was bored with that job.)  She also gave her sister and cousin a tour. She straightened up the school room and made sure all the old desks had at least one book. She wants to be a museum curator when she grows up.

Lois is another new volunteer this summer, she has been working on miscellaneous “stuff” wherever I need her.  She made popcorn for me the day of the Silent Movies which by the way were a hoot.  The Great Train Robbery was my favorite!  I am going to transition Lois to the High School Memory Room to make some copies of some of the really old annuals and copy some of the reunion booklets.

Mary Ann is my new file clerk.  I have a major problem with historic files.  We have two categories “places” and “people” for research.  No one has checked them for correct contents in years.  Some files of “people” were so full I could not cram another file in the cabinet.  So we weeded some of the larger files out and incased their contents in archival plastic sleeves and made three ring binder folders.

Far Guy is a wonderful volunteer.  He fixes “stuff” and loves to give tours.  He works for me one day a week.   What a deal.  I am usually only a phone call away just incase when he has questions.

Of course my best volunteer is Tess, she knows the ropes and could run the place in an emergency. Tess greets people, answers the phone and works with obituaries, and whatever office tasks I have for her to do. Often I give her a “pile” of stuff to sort through and she will brief me on the contents...she is a reader and is quickly becoming an expert on many subjects.

Jen is my display volunteer.  She keeps the display out front looking great!

Virginia is my Grant Writer/painter gal.  She loves a project and has been working on different parts of the museum throughout the summer.  I am behind on my picture taking.  I do have the “befores” just haven’t had time to take some “afters.”

My spring volunteers Gravy and Dawn were so helpful getting the museum ready for the Governor’s Fishing Opener. When I look back they were miracle workers..sent at just the right time!   Gravy has been in to help Far Guy move the last of the cabinets around to permanent spots.  I have been working on displays for those cabinets.

The young people from AmeriCorps will be back for the month of September volunteering at the museum on rainy days. ( On non rainy days they will be working on the North County Trail)  I have shelves for them to build for storage, windows to wash, displays to freshen up, kitchen and bathrooms to be painted  and a jail cell to recreate…complete with a bed, stool, sink and door.  I also have a back hallway that I would like cleaned and painted..it is an emergency exit without a purpose…but it is a filthy mess.  I have a spark of an idea of what to display there…we will see what happens.  The worst part of having so many volunteers in the building is that I have to supervise them all..some of these kids have never painted before..I hope at least one is a bit of a carpenter.  I have asked the Board Members to help, the big problem is you never know when it will rain, so nothing can be planned until the last minute..however I will have all my ducks in a row..I hope.

I encourage you all to check out your local Historical Museum if and when you decide to do some volunteer work:)

Wistful Wednesday: 1917

My Father In Law was three years old back in 1917.  He had a cousin just about his age.  They were good playmates.

Last winter I took the time to write to a relative of that playmate/cousin and offered to share the old photographs.  Most likely they thought I was weird.  I didn’t hear back from them.  I guess it takes a special kind of person to look back on old photographs as part of your history…

Young boys once, playing in the farm yard.  Cousins because their parents were brother and sister.  James and Mattie…Marvin and Francis… A machinist in the B-26 Bomber plant and a WWII Veteran.  Born two months apart in 1914..one in August the other in October.  They died thirteen years apart..one in 1994 and the other in 1981.  One had three brothers and one was an only child.

One lived in Minnesota and the other in Iowa.  Cousins, playing horse at the farm just down the road ninety-six years ago.  Little boys long gone but in this photograph they remain little boys forever:)  

Chance: Self Serve Dog Spa

Yes, you heard that right.  Far Side found a place you can take a dog for a bath and not make a huge mess at home.  Far Side said I wasn’t quite as handsome as I could be, and she thought my fur felt grungy.  I had to curtail the big chipmunk hunt.  She made Far Guy come along to the “spa.”

I have been to that place before. The last time I was left there for the afternoon.  This time I walked right into THAT room and up the ramp into the shower..I astounded them all.  Well I am a Border Collie and we are pretty smart as dogs go.

Well…they double teamed me…what Far Guy wasn’t washing Far Side was rinsing.  The “Spa” provides the hypoallergenic shampoo that I needed and towels ...lots of towels.  Then I was blown dry.  Far Side finally said “Gosh you feel good to pet again.” She looked funny covered in hair.   I guess I am “blowing my coat”..otherwise known as shedding a lot…most likely from the hot spell we had a few weeks back.

 

We came home and they brushed and brushed..until I was deemed the most handsome Border Collie in all of the Midwest Minnesota.

I went right back to chipmunk patrol duty.

Hat Box Surprise!

Recently I found a hat box at a garage sale.  I lifted the cover off and discovered six hats inside.  Perfect for a little girl I know.

She didn’t know what kind of a box it was..but now she has her very own hat box.

Of course we had to have a hat show!

They were very fancy hats in their day.

Trying on hats can mess up your hair.  This one was cotton.

Of course one was woven..kinda a straw hat.

There were three black hats.  One with a bow, one with a chain and one was more of a boys derby..which she said she would give to her brothers..maybe.

This one was her favorite, I think she liked the silky bow…and it might be on backwards.  But hey..you never can tell what may become a fashion trend next.

Aubrey is our Great Niece and she lives next door.

I have several hat boxes, just another of those things I collect..to put other “stuff” in.  None of my hat boxes have hats in them.  No surprise there.  I like them because they hold “stuff” in a pretty way. 

In the day when hats were the norm, a hat box design was almost as important as the hat.  A hat box protected the hat from dust, sunlight and moths. A hat box was meant to hold just one hat…not six..except if you are a little girl:)

SS Check or not?

That is the question?

I had a telephone interview with the Social Security people, I am going to turn one of magic ages in 48 days.  I  told the gal I just wanted info…she wanted me to sign up right away.  I told her I wasn’t ready quite yet. JEEZ LOUISE.   She said it would take me 14 years to catch up if I wait until later to retire.  Now let’s see in 14 years I will be 76…most possibly pushing up daisies.  It seems practical for me to sign up to get the check. It seems like such an old lady responsible thing to do.  Did ya know you can have the check go right into a debit card?  Me neither.  Whoever thought I would be old enough to get a check? Heck I thought I would never make 50, 60 seemed impossible and Social Security unreal. THAT WAS FOR OLD PEOPLE.

I just need a little time to think about it. Am I really, really, really that old?   I am sure I will adjust to the notion in a few weeks. WON’T I?  I am certain the old lady that impersonates me every morning in the mirror will be glad to have some extra spending money:)

Music in Menahga

You wouldn’t expect much from the little berg of Menahga ( pronounced MEN aw gah).  Population at the last census of 1,306 Finns.  Menahga means “blueberry bush” in the Chippewa language and the Blueberry River runs through town.

The town was able to snag one of those fancy smancy grants from an Art Council and they have been having a series of concerts on Friday nights all summer. (Bringing arts and culture to the backwoods.)

Far Guy and I had a date night!  By the way all these concerts are free..they did pass a bucket, in hopes that they will raise enough money to continue the music series next summer.   It is a simple venue, the band sits on a flat bed trailer near Spirit Lake, and the concert goers bring their own chairs.  Neighbors Steve and Jo went along with us..group date night!

The music was wonderful, a blend of Irish and Celtic music by a band called Ring of Kerry.  It was a beautiful relaxing evening looking out over the lake as the sun set. Did I say the band was awesome?  Well they were and you all know the only music I am half fond of is old rock and roll.

Can you imagine how songs about drinkin’ and sailin’ and fighting over land along a river could entertain a bunch of Finlanders?  Maybe we all had a hard week and it was just nice to sit in a chair and be entertained! :)

Hidden

Sometimes I would like to be a deer hidden in the woods. (Except for the bugs)

She thought she was hidden.  She came out of a corn field lickety split in front of us and hid in the brush.

My cousin Todd has a tree farm…perfect spot to hide…

A doe and a fawn that still has spots.

The tree farm is right next to a luscious pea field…yummy yummy. A safe place to raise a  fawn…everything they need but water.  I suppose they head for the lake in the early morning…possibly through the corn field.  Gotta love the area farmers…sharing with the wildlife:)

Goodbye July

So long July.  The rushing around, hurry up summer is half over month. It doesn’t feel like July or August in Minnesota.  It is unseasonably cool with daytime highs about 75 F or 23 C and overnight lows around 50 F or 10 C.

The cool temperatures bring more people into the museum.  I have more interruptions and get less done.  I met a gal from another museum last week..she couldn’t believe that I was the only person on staff.  She clearly understands what it takes day to day to run a museum. They have three people on staff and one tour guide.  Peachy.  They also get six times the funding from their county.

I accidently ran into all the County Commissioners exiting the building next door, I stood there and shook their hands like a good politician would, one of the A$$ holey ones was on his phone..I stood my ground and made him shake my hand anyway.  I invited them all to the museum, of course they won’t show up..they are too busy with the many million dollar renovation to their building…and I cannot get freaking carpeting or new door jams.  The door jams are a big tripping hazard…someone will break a hip someday.

I am getting burned out..can you tell?  I have eight weeks and three days left until I close the doors for the winter.  I still don’t have a contract in place…the Board is still working on it..I think they must be in a deadlock about the raise I asked for last APRIL.  They are real movers and shakers.  One of the Board members wants to continue monthly evening programs throughout the winter. I said “Go for it.”

So goodbye July..Hello August.  I am ready for you.

The small grains are turning color. 

The Common Milkweed and the Goldenrods are in full bloom.

I am not seeing Monarchs or Monarch larvae at all this year.  There is plenty of Milkweed…I wonder what happened to them all.  I will collect some Common Milkweed pods this Fall because I saw a cute Christmas Ornament that uses the empty pods:)