Sunset and Clouds

Most people think that Minnesota has mountains.  I suppose because Little House on the Prairie was filmed in California where there are mountains.

Minnesota has some hills and some cliffs along rivers and the North Shore..but no mountains.

We have hills nearby called The Smoky Hills.  I grew up in their shadow.

Sometimes the clouds at sunset makes it seem like there are mountains.

Chance and I spent some time watching the sunset on Tuesday evening.  He is good company..I let him hang his head out the window.  Dogs are so easy to please.

It was a beautiful sunset. 

The best part of the sunset was like molten lava along the Shell River.

Probably the best photograph I have taken in a while.  I was real pleased with it.

I was happy, and relaxed..I had the whole dirt road to myself…no traffic…no one to stir up the dust and mess up my photographs.  I could drive down the middle of the road slowly…and stop wherever I wanted.  I passed the river once looking for wildlife…when I turned around in the middle of the road and headed back the sunset was perfect.  Sometimes the best photographs are not planned they just happen:)

Wistful Wednesday: Uncles

My Dad had eleven brothers.  They are all deceased.  My Dad and my Aunt Anna are the last remnants of their generation.

These are two of my Dad’s brothers.  Oscar and Ervin.  The automobile is a 1932 Model A and it belonged to another brother Wilbert.  My Dad said “That is Wilbert’s shed in the background.”  

My Uncle Oscar (John Oscar to be exact) farmed in Minnesota a few years.  He was adventurous and headed out west and lived in Montana and Idaho most of his adult life.

My Uncle Ervin was a farmer that could bake better bread than any woman in the country..because he grew up being the bread baker for his Mother and his 13 brothers and sisters.

I wonder who took the photograph:)

Flying recon in the yard

Far Guy’s newest passion is flying recon through the yard.

It entertains us in the evening when there is no wind..he flies and I photograph.  It doesn’t take much to entertain the aging.

It even has lights.  I don’t fly it, I have a hard time chewing gum and walking at the same time.

Sometimes I wonder where he is trying to land it.

Here he is flying recon over the daylilies.  Notice the green grass? 

We still have some patches of snow for Chance to lay in after playing ball.  It has finally warmed up  a tad.  The ice is still on the lakes.

I am hoping for a warmer week at the museum..maybe it will get to 60 degrees F in the building!!!  Not sure whether or not the Governor or the Lieutenant Governor are coming to the open house at the museum on Friday or not.  Some people say we are on “the schedule”..some people say we are not.  I just hope I get everything spiffed up, cleaned up and organized by Friday..it will be a busy week:)

Confirmation 2013

Fourteen years ago a tiny baby was baptized.  Our first Grandson.

And then he grew…and grew…

Into this handsome very tall and still growing guy that affirmed his faith In Jesus Christ!  Baptism day to Confirmation day…how time flies.

Confirmation Sunday was yesterday.  We got up early and traveled north..along with  potato salad in a cooler.  After Confirmation it is customary to have a lunch.  We had home made buns with ham and cheese, fruit, vegetables, potato salad, chips, nuts, mints, and cake.  A perfect lunch for 21 people. ( A ice cream pail of potato salad will feed them all with just a tiny bowl left over.)

Noah and his Great Grandparents (my parents)

Noah and his Mom..I think I will frame this one.  I love the love that they have for each other and it really shows in this photo! 

He wanted me to take a reflection photo in his really cool sunglasses so I did. 

He is growing up..not only taller.. so fast.  It is almost scary for this Grandma.

There was some discussion about his hair.  His Mother thought perhaps he should get a haircut for confirmation.  He  told me he liked his hair just the way it was..and so did I.

If you ask me he looks like one cool dude:)

Prom 2013

We were invited out for a pre-prom dinner by Savannah and her parents. 

Getting ready for prom must be hungry work..she wanted to eat baby back ribs..so she did.  Her Grandpa borrowed her his hooded sweatshirt so she wouldn’t get anything on her dress.

Her dress was beautiful…and so is she.

The back of her dress was corseted..after dinner she thought maybe it should be let out a little.

She went to prom with three of her best friends.

They all walked out together during the grand march.  They are a good group of kids.

Savannah was a little nervous.  She said “I have been dreaming about prom for a long, long  time and now I finally get to go.  It seems so unreal.”

Trica and I enjoyed seeing all the different dresses. Every color you can think of and every style…some were the same exact style but in different colors… sparkly with a cut out back and a slit up the leg.  Far Guy commented on a few of the short dresses..”Holy Cow that dress is short.”  He was correct..and some of the real short dresses should not have been allowed to leave the store without matching pants. 

The young men all looked so handsome.  Two were obviously horsemen, their western cut overcoats and hats gave them away.  Many wore white tuxedos with colored ties.  Some twirled their dates as they were center stage…and some of the more theatrical kids struck a pose.  It was fun to watch:)

Loony

Last night after supper we went for a ride.  On my way home from work I saw the loons on the Mill pond.  A pair.  They mate for life..but take separate winter vacations..then meet up again in the spring to fool around and raise babies then in the fall they leave  as a group with other loons and go their separate ways for the winter.

I watched this pair for quite some time..it is magical to see them again.

They are waiting at the Mill pond for the big lake to open up.

Not much chance of that happening real soon.  Usually Straight Lake has three pairs of loons.  They are very territorial..and will not share “their” part of the lake.   Usually they have laid their eggs by now and are sitting on the nest tending them. 

Here is the link to the loon cam, it is not active yet but should be any day now.

It is still cold here in Minnesota. It freezes at night, and barely hits 50 degrees F during the day.  The wind has been howling the last couple of days. 

With the electric heater in my office at the museum it got to 54 degrees F (12 C) today! Work is progressing at the museum.  I had some wonderful volunteers this past week! If you keep moving all day long you don’t get the bone chilling cold shivers until the end of the day.

I guess the Governor will fish on the river.  It should make the National News..Minnesota is so cold they still have ice for Opening Fishing.  One more week will tell the story:)

Towanda

The phone rang early.  Far Guy answered..and he quickly turned the phone over to me since I had been dealing with the “mess” for months.

Someone in their infinite wisdom changed to a different computer system.  During the change only half their information was retained..I heard they lost 2 million dollars because of this “little” computer glitch.

We have been part of this glitch for months..since January.  I have talked with many people at this provider of service..a different one every month.  (I keep track of their names and the time of day I spoke with them.)

They coded something wrong.  I asked them to fix it.  They said it would take at least two months to fix..that was four months ago.  I kept calling and complaining politely.  They always said they would get back to me with an update.  No one ever called back.

Then they sent me a letter that said I was way overdue and owed them $63.  I waited on hold one day for 20 minutes and finally hung up.  Let the bums call me, eventually someone will call.

The phone caller (collector) wanted payment right now with a credit card over the phone.  Ya sure..not likely.

I asked if the problem had been solved..”What problem ?  The problem we have is you did not pay your past due bill.”   I explained and she said “WELL, I will have to go back through 135 pages to find that problem.”  I said “FINE I will wait.”

After a while she came back on the line and said “I see that problem, it has not been resolved, it is still under review. Now lets talk about your outstanding bill.”  I said “FINE when did I make my last two payments?”  She found them..it seems that if something is under review..and you make a payment the payment goes to the oldest bill..unless you tell them different.  So I was paying part of the reviewed bill, and nothing was being applied to the other billing..which I had paid in full.   She said “Well it is your fault, you should have told us to apply your payment to the active account.”  DUH.. I said “You mean to tell me that you couldn’t have figured it out yourself?  You are wasting my time,  I don’t owe you anything ..correct?”  She had to agree.  I asked for her full name..she wouldn’t give it to me.  I said “Sounds to me like you people are real messed up calling people and telling them that they are past due on a bill that is non existent.”

Towanda:)

Pretty Picture: Loons at the beach.

May Baskets

We were surprised with a May Day basket!

What a great basket these two delivered!

We gave them their baskets.

Chance helped deliver to these three.

Can you see a theme?  May Baskets = Smiles!

Some girls were not at home.  So we hung their baskets high on the light fixture so the dog would not eat the candy.

I still have to deliver Teddy’s May Basket.  I didn’t get it to a drop off point today.   It is his first May Day!

I hope where ever you live..you got a bit of a May Day surprise.  What a fun day! :)

Wistful Wednesday: May Day 1954

It  must have been a cold snowy late spring in 1954..59 years ago. 

May Day 1954 and count them seven May Baskets all for me because my baby brother was way too little to eat candy/cookies back then.

I will be delivering the May Baskets I made after supper this evening.

I made some for the grand boys last weekend..and the baskets earned me some hugs..I mentioned to Adam that he was suppose to run after me and give me a kiss, he just shook his head and said “YEEEW.”

How about you?  Will you deliver at least one May Basket to a non suspecting not in the May Day Loop type person ?  If so I hope you will share their reaction.

Happy May Day! :)

Chance: A Close Call and a Winner

It’s me!!  My turn again.  After errands yesterday we stopped by the lake to smell look around.

The sun was shining.  It was a beautiful day and 60 degrees above zero!! I smelled looked around.  I wandered out on the ice until Far Guy said  “ Far enough, that is as far as I want to wade.”  I wandered around..close to the edge.

I got a drink, I was thirsty, and it was a warm day.  Far Side was sure I was going to end up in the water.  Then all of a sudden they were both hollering at me to “COME” as I was teetering on the edge…Far Side even put down her camera for a moment.  I didn’t fall in..cause I listened and came when called.

I wasn’t scared.  But..I learned later..that if one of those guys gets ahold of you they don’t let go.  I was getting my drink about four feet away from this guy.  He raised his head out of the water to look at smell me.

It is a Snapping Turtle..not a very big one but big enough.  WHEW..Far Side said “Let’s go.”  If you click on the first picture you might be able to see him right next to the boat ramp.

Now for the Winners!  We drove in the yard and Far Guy said “Looks like we got some winners!”

The area voices local blog winners are Jess who guessed April 30 afternoon and Brenda who guessed April 28 afternoon.  No one guessed exactly right..so Far Side will send them both a carving. (Brenda we still need your address..we sent you an email.)

The blogspot winner is Birthday Gal Francine at Primitive Stars she guessed the ice would be gone on her birthday!  She has had a long winter too as she lives in Winterpeg.

Congratulations to all the winners!  Far Side and I will make a trek to the Post Office tomorrow!

Melting

The snow is melting quickly.  The fields are turning black and the ditches are full of water.

Far Guy says the snow stick is now an ice stick.

There is still an inch of “stuff” to melt.  A couple of days..or really sudden if it rains.  It hardly paid to rake and clean up the yard last fall.  The snow was so heavy that it brought down lots of twigs.

This is Shell Lake.  My cousin Chuckie says that once the ice loses its snow cover it will be two weeks before the ice leaves the lake.  Shell Lake is getting close to being snow free..the whiter spots are still snow.  It will be touch and go to have the ice going out before Fishing Opener May 11th.

The rumor has it that the Governor will fish on the rivers if he cannot fish on area lakes:)

Looking for open water

We took Jen and Andy through Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge yesterday.  Jen had not been there in years, and it was Andy’s first time there.  We go over there quite often, there is always something to see, it is one of our favorite drives.

These Hooded Mergansers found a small pocket of water to swim in.

The Trumpeter Swans were putting on quite a show, there were another pair on a pothole nearby and they kept talking to each other.

There was a deer watching the swans..can you see him?  This was along the Ottertail River.

Further over on Tamarac Lake, the fisherman were out whilst the Swans were waiting for the ice to melt.

It was a beautiful day, it showed 72 degrees on our thermometer.  Andy and Noah carried the patio furniture out of the garage.  It was a pleasure to sit outside and soak up some sun! 

The snow stick had a massive melt of six inches yesterday:)