Heros Welcome

Last night my Dad returned home on the WDAY Honor Flight from Washington DC.   My other baby brother was his escort.

Some of us went to the airport to welcome him back.  Far Guy, my Mom, my sister in law (She who sees Robins first), Cousin Art, my niece Stacey, my niece Megan and nephew Frank, and five of my great nieces and nephews oh ya and me.

It was a wonderful welcome, a band played and there were signs and flags.

These beautiful girls with their signs.  Anna, Hailey and Olivia.

One of the littlest  flag wavers, Teddy.

Kelly who is just three months old.

We were anxious to see them and welcome them back.  We felt honored to be there to help with a Heros Welcome.

I will write more about the Honor Flight in the next few days.

Trillium

The Trillium are in full bloom.  There are areas in Northern Minnesota where they brighten the forest this time of year.  We have a few in our area.

We saw them up near Lake George.  They had city wide garage sales last Friday.  Far Guy didn’t buy a thing and me well I bought more glass for flowers.

Trillium grandiflorum

When we got home we checked out our Trillium and sure enough she was blooming….just one plant and one bloom.  The seeds are said to be dispersed by insects…maybe someday we will have more plants.

Another one turns Seventeen

Well you cannot stop them from growing or turning older.

Today Noah turns 17.  How did that happen so fast?

This is the photo I put on his birthday card.

Uffda, so tall and so handsome!

Look at that smile!  It seems like yesterday, but this photo was taken in August of 1999.

Noah and Grandpa having a serious talk about “man” stuff. I know you have probably seen this photo before but it is one of my favorites!

We had a lot to learn.  About boys…Noah is our first Grandson…and since we only had girls ouselves and we made it through three granddaughters…boys were/are a bit different than girls.  Easier…much easier.  Just my opinion.  Quieter too. 

Happy 17th Birthday Noah!

I took this photo yesterday. We helped to celebrate his birthday a day early!

Noah, You are one of the kindest people I know.  Responsible could have been your middle name.  You are a wonderful gentleman and it is a pleasure to be your Grandmother.

 

Blue

No luck with Bluebirds…yet.  I never give up hope. However there are a few other blue visitors to our yard.

A Blue Jay must be passing through.  We only see them occasionally during the winter.  When he comes into the yard all the other birds leave.

And a sweet little Indigo Bunting…he likes the suet feeder.  He has been here a few days, flying in and out of the yard.  I wish he would stay…but I am certain he will move on. 

Last night was a beautiful evening to sit outside and watch birds.  There was no wind! No bugs…and about 67F or 19C eh!

Busy days

This time of year the projects seem to stack up.  We mowed the lawn one day this week.  We had heard on the news to let some Dandelions remain unmowed for the honey bees.  We have more than plenty of dandys to share.

So what did I accomplish this week?  I worked on some more glass flowers.  I helped Far Guy with a few wood carving painting projects.  I spring cleaned some more cupboards in the kitchen… I am about 1/3 done.  Not much to show for the week…but I was busy all week. 

One night on our evening rides we heard a baby bird just having a fit.

A unknown baby bird with orange feet at the neighbors.

We are enjoying watching the Hummers coming and going from our feeder.

My feeder is made of red glass, the liquid inside is clear sugar water.

The Baltimore Orioles found our Oriole feeder yesterday, I waited for them to return, got sleepy sitting in the sun and had to have a nap. Busy days…

At the cemetery

Some of the prettiest flowers this time of year are at the cemetery.

Phlox subulata at Riverside.

A beautiful Fern-leaf Peony ( Paeonia tenuifolia) in bud at Linnell.

I was glad to see that this plant was untouched by the frost the other morning.  I enjoy this plant every year.  It marks the grave of a young neighborhood boy who was five when he died.  In a few days the flowers will be open.

Wistful Wednesday:Aunt Skinnie and Jimmie

This is an old photo from the photo album of Great Aunt Frances or Aunt Skinnie as she was affectionately known.  The photo was taken in 1922 when she was 19 years old and Jimmie (Uncle Jim to us) was just a babe in arms.

This old photo album is a real treasure.

Red-berried Elder

We have had this very large shrub along our driveway…I have always admired the blooms.  I finally took the time to look it up.

The blooms are white panicles and face upward.

It is a Red-berried Elder.  The berries will be toxic to humans but birds should enjoy them.  It’s real name is Sambucus racemosa.

The shrub is quite tall and some of it has died off, it needs a good trim, but I will need to use the chainsaw or a lumbermason who lives next door. I just looked it up, it is typically a Zone 4 shrub and we are Zone 3…so that is why some of the shrub winterkilled.  If I were into horticulture and new plants I would collect seed and plant a bunch of the offspring out, or take cuttings from this shrub in the spring and observe them for about ten years and then name the best one after me.

The Red-berried Elder blooms just after the Pin Cherries ( Prunus pensylvanica), and just before the Chokecherries.

Choke Cherries almost in bloom.  Her real name is Prunus virginiana.

I love all the native shrubs that produce berries for the birds.

Menahga Gardens

When were were touring the city of Menahga for garage sales we ran into the Menahga Memorial Gardens est 1992.  I had never noticed these gardens before and I think they merit another look see in about a month!

Here is a look at the flowering trees, not much else is blooming there…well some dandylions.

Beautiful flowering trees!

Menahga has a summer concert series called Sounds of Spirit Lake.  It is a series of free concerts on the shores of Spirit Lake. We attended a few last summer and we hope to go again this year.  Outdoor events are good for us to attend, we can move our lawn chairs around where ever we want…away from the pefume.

Made in Poland

I had some good luck at a garage sale.  I peeked into a box of old ornaments and found five made in Poland Ornamants. Polish Ornaments are glass and hand painted. They were imported into the United States probably in the 1950’s.

They weren’t marked…so I asked.  25 cents each…well alrighty then!  Should I tell her thay are worth much more than that?  Nope…I am keeping my big mouth shut.  A fair value is somewhere between 6 and 10 dollars each.

See how Poland is stamped on the cap?  That is how you tell it is what collectors call a polish.  These five were probably part of a set of twelve.  The seller stated that they were ornaments her son and his wife wanted to get rid of.

Polish ornaments are cousins of Shiny Brites.

One of the ornaments was a Shiny Brite…it is called a Stripe.

These are not old they are new, but for 10 cents each they came home with me.

Here you can see how small they are compared to the polish.

It was a good day going to garage sales throughout the city of Menahga.

Maddie: Prom

This is Maddie’s Senior Prom.  She will graduate in a few weeks.

I always have to get the back of these gowns, because in a few years they will have forgotten.

Maddie and her beau.

I was relieved that the bracelet I made for her fit!

Maddie’s group of friends

Chance loves Maddie, and she loves him

Paige and Maddie, they are one year apart in age…355 days. (yes we were busy when they were little)  I said back then, “Just wait until you are buying prom dresses and then wedding dresses!”

Grand March

It was a fun afternoon, it is wonderful to see them all dressed up ready for a night out!  It was a good thing prom was last weekend, this weekend they would have to wear parkas…it sleeted yesterday and was barely 40F or 4C eh…and windy. 

Spring Emerges

The forest fire smoke finally left our area, we got some rain, not sure how much as I keep forgetting to get out the rain guage.  It has been cool, the furnace still comes on several times a day. We will have freezing morning temperatures over the weekend…it is opening Fishing Weekend….traffic in town has increased.

Our first Hummer showed up on May 11, 2016.  He/she should have a little down filled parka.

Far Guys Lilac may bloom in May this year!

One day I worked on spring cleaning the kitchen, I am maybe 1/4 done.  At this rate I will be done in a month.

My Fern-leafed  Peony might have a tiny bud.  Larry from Iowa sent me this plant a number of years ago.

We have the Oriole Feeder out with grape jelly…so far they are a no show.

Garage Sale season has started!  One of our favorite activities!