June is five months away

We are in another blizzard warning.  Wind, snow and blowing snow.  Just another fun day in Minnesnowta.

Twigs from the Purpleleaf Sandcherry or Prunus x cistena

In June is sports a few light pink flowers.

After it blooms is when I should have pruned it.  Maybe next June.

It turns more green than it should in our shady yard…but we love the heavy shade of the Oaks.

In the fall it turns to purple again sometimes with a bit of an orange cast.

For now it rests until spring and June which is five months away.  It was the subject one day for some manual settings on my camera.

Purpleleaf Sandcherry is a Zone 2 shrub so it will withstand our winters.  It is a no fuss plant, never gets extra water and exists from year to year without any care.  My kinda shrub.

Wistful Wednesday: Watermelon and Relatives

I still have a number of old family photographs that are not completely identified.

This one is from Far Guys Mom’s side of the family.

It was probably a family gathering with watermelon maybe the 4th of July. The photo was taken at a lake.  There are three unknowns.

Great Aunt Mae was there and she and Great Uncle Frank lived in Nebraska.  Great Aunt Mae was Grandpa Curt’s sister.  I have no idea if one of those men is Great Uncle Frank or not. (Frank was Grandma Meade’s brother…confusing I know, but it makes it easier when you go to visit relatives…less stops.)

Great Aunt Ethel was there too.  She was Grandma Meade’s sister.

Aunt Marie was there. I wonder what year this was?  Possibly before she was married in 1943.

Far Guy’s Dad Marvin was there.  Where was his Mom?  Taking the photograph? 

Great Aunt Mae seems to be talking to someone….oh well they all seem to be enjoying the watermelon.  Maybe she is hollering at Frank “Sweetie bring me some watermelon.”

I wonder why so many people took photos of people eating watermelon?  You would be surprised how many old photos have that for a theme.

Whenever I eat watermelon outside at a picnic I lean forward so the watermelon juice doesn’t land on my shoes.

PO’ed at the PO

WELL.  You know that Altered Book I worked on labored over for hours and sent off to the round robin exchange? 

Some Postal Employee went postal on my package between here and Idaho.  It looks like it soaked in a mud puddle for a very long time.

So right now I am mad as hell at all the Postal Employees in Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho.  I hope whoever is responsible for soaking a book that was incased in a bubble wrap postal approved $1.89 mailer gets a pox and I hope his penis falls off.  Oh yeah what if it was a lady mail carrier… may her boobs sag prematurely and her hot flashes put Mount Vesuvius to shame.  Mind you it is not just damp…it was dripping with water.  For goodness sakes it is wintertime…too darn cold to have water anyplace…maybe it was left unattended in a post office shower…or maybe an elephant crushed the packaging and peed all over it…perhaps aliens stole it because they thought it was worth reading and when it wasn’t they hosed it down with their super duper space hoses filled with miracle water that never freezes.

I don’t know what I will do now.  Sure it is only a book.  I can make another.  It was one of a kind. How do you go about making another one of a kind?  I would bawl if I wasn’t so mad.

I can tell you this, lesson learned. The next book I mail off will be inside a Ziploc bag and then incased in bubble wrap and insured for $50 bucks.  I used to have faith in the Postal Service…not so much anymore.

I had a rough day.  I didn’t need anymore DRAMA in my day. Perhaps you have a Postal story that will make me feel better?  It was one of those SPF days and I am not talking sunscreen.

 

Chance: A Cousin named Mable

Hiya!  It is me Chance the wonder blogging Border Collie.  My turn finally!

I got a new cousin.  That is what Aubrey said “Chancy you got a new cousin!”

Alrighty then!  I have never had a cousin before, but if Aubrey says I have one then I guess I do!

Mable is little, she is a German Shorthaired Pointer and she is eight weeks old and she just arrived to live next door with Jordan, Gavin and Aubrey.  She has floppy ears.  Far Side looked in them and checked out her mouth…she has teeth.

Mable doesn’t know about playing ball yet, she doesn’t know very much at all…Far Side says all puppies need a period of adjustment.  She has a little whiny voice but I bet that will change.  I am not sure why she is called a pointer, maybe she just points at balls instead of chasing them…it will be fun to see what she does with a ball when she gets older.

We now have three dogs in the neighborhood. Mable and Bailey the Beagle and me.  We don’t see Bailey much she has a special collar that keeps her in her own yard, she visits about every four months when her batteries get low. She barks sometimes, I bark sometimes …not often..and now with Mable we can have quite a chorus!

It was a great day yesterday, I got to go for two long walks and played ball several times.

Tamarac In Winter

We took a drive through the refuge yesterday.  Only the very east side had frost.

Not much was happening.  There were no birds and only a few deer tracks.  We always hope that we will see a wolf.  We admired all the sign posts that were newly painted last fall.

Snow and brown reeds.

At least down at Tamarac Lake there were some fishermen.

Day fishing is allowed in the refuge.  The shelters must come down at dark.  That little blue cube on the right is a portable fish house.

It was a nice day about 27 F.  Very nice weather for January. 

Chance enjoyed the outing, he loves our little adventures almost as much as we do

By the time we headed back home the sun came out and there were just a few frosty areas that had not melted in the warmth of the sunshine.

The moon was out.

Frosty

Jack Frost paid a visit.  At times yesterday the sun almost made an appearance, my eyes started to hurt and water but the sun didn’t make it through the clouds ( since my cataract surgery my eyes are sensitive to bright light). 

The frost was beautiful.  I had to do some Museum business so we went to town and headed north to Itasca State Park.

The entrance to the park we wanted to use was closed, so we took a different way home.  Today we discovered something we didn’t know.  A historical site marker for a CCC Camp where Far Guy’s Dad was in 1935.  The snow was too deep to explore the area properly and too far from the highway to get good photos.  We will return to the newly discovered spot when some snow melts.

Bad Medicine Lake  just off that point is an island obliterated by the fog.

Came home to stalk some snooty Chickadees.

I also found some time to play with manual settings on my camera.  So far it has been a frustrating experience…I must be a slow learner.  One day I took no photos at all I was so disgusted. I am sticking to it one miserable shot at a time until I either master it or go back to automatic settings.

It was 27 F or –2 C yesterday.  Wonderful warm weather that we all appreciate after that cold spell. 

A little good news, the High Efficiency LP Furnace is apparently quite efficient.  We called for a LP Fill and the delivery guy said that many people have filled twice and three times to our once.  We used 231 gallons in 106 days…not too bad for as cold as it has been.  I have the thermostat programed perhaps that helps too.  We still miss the outside wood heat, but we are adjusting.

Projects one by one getting done

I made gift tags out of some of the Christmas Cards.

Recycling at its finest.  Cut out whatever part of the card you can save and then fold it over.  I make my gift tags all different sizes…just because I am anal retentive and want to change things up a bit.  Years ago I would have measured them so they would  be exactly the same size.  I would not made use of the cards with glitter either years ago..too messy..this year I threw caution to the wind and had a bit of glitter all over the table and me.  You could punch holes for a bit of string or ribbon like in the olden days before sticky tags.

See all different sizes and some glitter too!

All the addresses were updated in my address book and in Far Guys data base for labels.  All the Christmas letters made it to the “library” and all the photos were marked with the year and put into a photo storage box.

I sent off my Altered Book for the book exchange and wrote cards and some notes to people who were heavy on my mind.  Another sympathy card was sent out too.

My Mother brought me a gift of four Shiny Brites or Shiny Brite relatives from a church sale.

The far one was made in Austria, the gold one was made by the Coby Glass Company, the pink one is an unknown and the blue one down front is a Shiny Brite.

This year I added two boxes of the new Retro Shiny Brites that are sold at Menards. I was there on a 50% off day..so it was two for one…so now I have one box of Retro Shiny Brites for each of my grandchildren.

Yes the Shiny Brite tree is still up.  I have really enjoyed it after Christmas this year.

I will begin the un-decorating soon.  It is quite a project. Every ornament has its place!

Divorce in 1913

Far Guy’s Great Grandmother divorced her husband in 1913 or 1914.  They had ten children together, her husband Winfield …some called him “Winnie” was a drinker and a wife beater. 

I think.. just my opinion that Martha was greatly attracted to Winfield, she was willing to overlook his shortcomings…her love would make him change. ( Play the violin music now.)

One child lead to more children…more fights and more “making up.”  They were not well to do, but her father and mother were.  They secured her a place to live that Winfield could not sell.  I am certain that her father Xaver Aleck did what he could to protect her and the children, both of her parents died in 1903.  She must have felt very alone.

Much later something happened…not sure what…it was the straw that broke the camels back…she was pregnant and the baby died.  Soon after the oldest son beat the living daylights out of his father and threw him out of the house.

Martha divorced her husband.  At that time she had nine children ages 3, 6,10,12,13,16,19, 22 and 24.   The two oldest would marry that year.  She was raising seven kids alone.  I have heard that the kids would see their Dad drunk in the streets and ignore him.

The oldest son was Far Guys Grandfather and in early 1914 he would leave Logan and come to Minnesota to settle down.  ( Some say…if he had stayed he would have ended up killing his father…so it was best he came to Minnesota.)  He did not return to Logan for years, none of the children attended “Winnies” funeral in 1936. After Winfield died Martha said “He can’t hurt me anymore.”

I suppose it was quite a scandal to get a divorce back in 1913…in small town Logan Iowa I am certain the tongues were a wagging, everyone knew what Winfield had ben doing…but behind closed doors I bet many women were thinking that Martha was very brave.   When Martha died in 1944 she was laid to rest next to Winfield in the cemetery in Logan.

 

***

Some women are so stupid they think that they can change men, it is impossible, they are what they are, if they drink before you get married odds are they are going to continue drinking.  If they hit you once while dating odds are when you factor in a few kids and married life stress that the hitting will become a beating.  If they can’t hold down a job what makes you think marriage will help?  No amount of love will change them. Love does not conquer all.

I am not a fan of divorce, especially when there are children.  In some cases it is the only way a woman can survive. I think it was that way for Martha …she divorced so she could survive.  24 years married to a drunken bum and wife beater was long enough.

Back in 1913 only one out of a thousand people sought out a divorce.

Wistful Wednesday: Logan Iowa

The Logan Iowa (Harrison County) area was where Far Guys Grandparents were born and raised.

This is his Great Grandmother Martha Aleck. She was born in a log cabin in 1868 and married in 1889.   She was divorced in about 1914.

This photo was most likely taken about 1889, I think it may be an engagement photo or wedding photo as her ring is featured prominently.

 

She died in 1944.  This photo was not dated, but I suspect it was taken in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s.  I think this photo was taken near her house in Logan with the cemetery in the background.

This was Martha’s house in Logan Iowa, I took this photo in 1986.  That same day we visited the cemetery in Logan.  I took a few photos but not many.  I should have taken photos of grave markers.

Evelyn, Aunt Charlotte, Far Guy and by the tree Marvin and Uncle Herman.  When I found this photo I wondered what they were looking at near those trees. A grave marker maybe.

The last few times we were that way we didn’t have time to stop.  Too busy, had to be home for something or it was winter time.  ( Our oldest Daughter used to live in Elkhorn Nebraska a suburb of Omaha.  Logan Iowa is about 30 miles from Omaha Nebraska.) 

I didn’t realize that the Lincoln Highway went right through downtown Logan.  The Lincoln Highway used to be the East West route between New York City and San Francisco…at one time it would have been a wagon road.  They have a wonderful history center in Logan and I would like to see the old train depot.

I sense a spring time trip to Iowa coming on to answer a few questions and visit some relatives.  It should be on the list of things to do!

 

Still Cold

Thankful for power, heat, water and sewer. The HIGH yesterday was -18 F or –27 C, and it was windy.  So far so good it may be tolerable and above zero by Thursday and downright balmy by Friday.  Whoo hoo!  I know it won’t last long…but at least it will be a reprieve from the deep freeze.

What a wild ride this winter weather has been. Up and down.  What is up with the weird weather?  I guess the Farmers Almanac predicted a very cold winter and called the winter of 2014 “Days of Shivery.”  I usually buy an Almanac and put it in the “library.”

Far Guys Direct TV was not fixed, well it was fixed for about four hours and then it was back to the same old searching for satellite signal.  We are on the list for a repairman again.  We are all camping out in the Living Room at night watching old westerns…Gene Autry woke me up yesterday morning.

So far we are fighting off the cabin fever.  I still have projects strewn all over. None are finished but many are started.

Chance has cabin fever bad, he has jobs you know; getting the mail, playing ball and chasing squirrels.  We play with him inside but it just isn’t the same and he hasn’t been for a ride since last Friday.  He just wants extra treats to eat…and whines until we can’t stand it anymore. We are trying to consult with each other about what treats he was given and when…Far Guy made him a new batch of treats with brown rice flour and pumpkin and he really likes them. He is not starving because there is food in his dish at all times.

Some of the neighbor gals were over to see the Shiny Brite Tree today and a few more are coming over on Wednesday so by the weekend I can put it away for the winter.

That’s all that is happening here..other than a few springtime dreams of flowers and green.

Scabiosa at Living Legacy Gardens July 2013

Photo Bucket List

This year I hope to make some photographic progress.  Taking more photos in manual mode and reading my owners manual.

That baby buffalo is still on my list as is lightening.  This year I want to add Northern Lights, Perseid meteors in August and mountains somewhere.  A Moose and an Elk or two would be good also.  I read in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer that Golden Eagles are in the bluff area of Minnesota.  We saw a Golden once in early spring…I was not fast enough to photograph it.  I would also like to snap a photo of one of those Cardinals that are along the river in Park Rapids.

I think it is good to dream.  I rarely go anywhere without a camera. You can’t take a photo if you don’t have a camera.

I have a Canon Point and Shoot that fits in my pocket.  It takes okay photos…not as good as the big girl camera, but I won’t leave my big girl camera in the car in the extreme cold or extreme heat…or for someone to notice and steal. 

What I have learned over the past year:

Never exit a vehicle with your camera bag unsnapped.  I was getting lax about that…and then Jen called with news that her bag was unsnapped and her camera flew out of the bag and Andy drove over it.  Smashed it to smithereens.  Now that is a sad thing.  She also braved the water in a kayak on Lake Superior with her big girl camera. She is a gutsy photographer. ( Andy said he was sure she and her camera were going for a cold swim that day.)

It is really nice to have someone especially a daughter share your passion for photography. She will often say “Lets go take photos Mom.”

Patience.  You have to have a fair amount of patience and time to just wait.

Patience photographing wildlife. Hoping for one great shot!

Patience waiting for the light to be just right or for rainbows to form.

For Lady Slippers to bloom.

Seeing how many Orioles you can get in one photograph.

Most of what I photograph is right in the yard…or within a few miles of home.

All my photos are backed up to two simple save devices and to disk..but I am way behind on my disc back up…I have to purge some photos first.  I save way too many photos.  I have to learn to save only the best!  I absolutely love the digital age of photography.

We are fine, yes it is freaking cold. The HIGH yesterday was –14 F or –25C.  Wind chills are brutal.

Cozy

Our daytime temperatures were hovering just a few degrees below zero and the roads were okay so…

We left warm and cozy for a wedding yesterday afternoon.  A neighbor boy got married. Time sure goes by fast…we are witness to our friends grandchildren getting married.  I think that may put us in an “old” category.

This little church was the site of the nuptials.  It was cozy inside and packed with guests.  It was a lovely ceremony.

As we left the church the sun was starting to set.

We headed to the reception where Hot Chocolate awaited the guests.  We visited with friends and neighbors.   There was a pasta buffet …not my favorite food..but my husband enjoyed it.  There was going to be a Wedding Dance too but it had been a day and we came home early to avoid the severe wind chills.

I think we are done with weddings now for a bit.  The next one is in November.

The Direct TV Repairman was here earlier in the day.  Far Guy is in business with his TV again, it was a problem with a cable inside.  Someone did not use a Direct TV approved cable when he hooked up the receiver.  I guess we both have HD TV’s but only a regular dish, and the whole shebang should be upgraded and new cable should be installed…maybe next summer.  I don’t “watch” much TV but I do listen to it. 

We are staying home now for the duration, we are warm and cozy and have lots of projects to work on!

Still FFFreezing

We are hunkered down.  The larders are full, we are awaiting the storm and the extreme cold. (Wind chills will be –40 F to –60F with actual temperatures hovering at-35 F or -37C )  We along with hoards of other people headed for town to stock up yesterday while it was above zero.  Whilst we were in town it sleeted and then rained…unbelievable.
 
I got to go into one of my favorite shops; “Linda’s  Recycled.”  She is an old classmate of mine who is even crankier than me. ( Hard to believe but true.)  I needed a book.  I hoard books both in the house and on my Kindle Fire. Now what could I possibly need another book for?

I joined another Altered Book Round Robin.  Altered books are old books with good bindings…that are altered artistically with fabric, paints, stamps, stickers you name it and it can go into an altered book.  Of course I could not buy just one book, I could not make up my mind so I purchased: Apples of Gold a pretty little book with great sayings “Patience---in time the grass becomes milk.”  Working and Playing an old reader with beautiful illustrations from the 1950’s “See the Gingerbread Man put him in the pan” said Mary Ann. AND last but not least The World’s Best Dirty Jokes  “ The Judge came home and found his wife in bed with his best friend.  “Hey what do you think you are doing?”  To which the wife replied to the man in bed with her “See I told you he was stupid.” It is from the 1970’s so it isn’t real racy…but probably not appropriate for an altered book exchange.  ( Two of the gals would be fine with it, but I don’t know the other gals…there are eight of us in the Round Robin.)

I have projects going all over the house..scrapbooking, Christmas Cards, a photo project and some Christmas decorations are still up along with the Shiny Brite tree, two unfinished crochet projects and now I add to that an Altered Book Project and I have to make more Sympathy cards as they are leaving the house faster than I can make them…cold weather will do that… people drop like flies.  

The Direct TV Repair person is supposed to be here this morning if he doesn’t freeze to death.

The third fourth thing finally broke..Far Guy’s DVD player bit the dust.  It was 12 years old…he tried to repair it…unsuccessfully…but I am certain some motor or some part of it will be salvaged.  AND the new one he bought is not working properly…the instructions are in the box in the garage…downright handy when you are trying to figure out how new things work. He is not a happy camper.

Wherever you are stay safe and warm.