Happy Easter!

 

Happy Birthday Paige!

 Miss Paige our youngest Granddaughter and the number three grand is older today! 

She graduates next month and has a job!  As soon as her License comes through she will start her new job as a Dental Hygienist.  We are very proud of her! 

A photo of Paige and her beau Cole. 

Happy Birthday Miss Paige! 

Far Side

Digging out

 The roads were plowed by the time we went to town for Far Guy's weekly infusion.   He was happy to see his favorite nurses and from the sounds of it they were happy to see him too! 

I ran some errands in town.  Lots of people were in town the day after snowy days. 

The roads were a combo of wet, slushy, dry or icy.  Driver beware...only one car in the ditch.

The huge snow bank was created by snow coming off the steel roof.  When it comes down it rumbles as it slides.  

I found an old half finished crochet project...cashmere yarn..so I refreshed my old brain on the stitches and  it may be finished...someday. 

Far Side

Storm Day Two

 The wind blew, it snowed and the wind blew some more. 

Here are my shovels. One Toro Power Shovel the best $100 I ever spent and one regular grain shovel that I like for shoveling snow by hand.  It is plastic and light to lift!

My wonderful nephew Josh plowed our drive and yard yesterday and shoveled the walk for me.  So  much appreciated!

I hope the sun comes out and melts the snow on the patio...it was almost clear before this storm. 

Toward supper time we made a quick delivery and the township road had lots of big drifts...Ranger Blue plowed right through the drifts made by the wind coming off of the fields.  The road will be plugged with snow in just a few hours.  The back way around through the woods was okay.

I made one of Far Guy favorite meals for supper...roast pork, potatoes, gravy and baked carrots.  Minnesota comfort food! 

Far Side

Storm Day One

 It was supposed to start snowing about noon and it began about 9 AM.  Far Guy had an appointment at the Clinic, I dropped him off and ran a few errands.  We were back home before noon when it began to snow really hard. 

We had a quiet afternoon and a nap.  I shoveled the walk twice.   The second time I used my Power Shovel!

So far it looks to be about four maybe five inches of new snow and it is still coming down and blowing around.

June is looking like a mountain.  

I can hardly wait to see what day two or day three brings.

My baby brother had back surgery in Fargo yesterday and reports that he has no more back pain which is a huge relief for him.  He will be there a few more days in the blizzard.  Glad his surgery was scheduled on day one of the storm as so many things are cancelled and roads closed. 

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Calm before the storm

 The blizzard is supposed to begin with snow starting about noon tomorrow. 

We are as prepared as we can be.  Yesterday I finally got all the ice removed from the walk. 

We went to recycle...good to have Ranger Blue out again! 

The highway was free of snow and ice...you can see that the Smoky Hills were living up to their name. 

Far Guy has a bit of a sore throat and a cough. Hopefully it is just the change of households and he will straighten out in a few days. I have one eye on him. 

Far Side

Confused Robins!

 Three Robins were in our yard yesterday. 

There is a Robin in the tree. I know... I know not a great photo. 

Here is our April 2nd Robin! This is the only patch of grass in our yard and I doubt that the earthworms have thawed out. 

Far Side

First Robins In Our Yard:

April 19 2008, April 11 2009, April 5 2010, April 4 2011, March 23 2012, April 27 2013, April 9 2014,  April 24  2015, April 21 2016, April 5 2017, April 29 2018,
some time in late May 2019, March 31 2020, April 4 2021, unknown 2022, April 2 2023.

June is huge!

 Our snowbank named June is enormous!

My other baby brother did a great job tending to June over the winter.  The snow in our yard and driveway has to go someplace and that place is June. 

We ran errands in town.   Groceries and some misc stuff.  We napped in the afternoon. 

Far Side

Home Again

 We have returned to our home in the woods.  The roads were good until we got within 15 miles of home.  The North East wind blew snow across the roads.

We started out with blue sky and chased the weather front all the way home.   We unpacked the car and put most of our "stuff" away.   Not everything fit in the car so Andy and Jen will bring the remainder of our stuff when they visit. 

A storm is forecast for this week.  Today we will stop by the Post Office and go to the grocery store, the cupboards are not bare but they are lacking just a few things. 

Menu's will be planned for two weeks...and we shop accordingly.  Back to life in the country!  As you can see Spring is not visiting our part of Minnesota. 

Far Side

Grandboys

 We  will miss seeing the Grandboys.  They came over for supper last night to say goodbye...their Mom made a great supper; chicken, spaetzle, salad, stuffed mushrooms and popovers.  The boys both enjoyed the home cooked meal! 

Noah

They both made a trip upstairs to see their parents new closet...that used to be Adam's computer room. 

Adam

I caught them on the way down for a photo! 

Far Side 

White

 We have enough white cold stuff... it was -13 F yesterday morning.  That is -25 C eh.  Not fun the end of March.   It looks like all the snowy cold weather will follow us into April with a big storm next week.

Just what we need more white on white. 

Far Side

Masterpiece

 For many days this winter Jen was busy cutting strips of fabric.  Every once in awhile she would say "Lets go to Joannes I need more fabric" so off we would go and she would be busy a few more days.   

Her sewing room is upstairs...she took over that room for sewing the day Adam moved out to his own apartment.  I rarely go up there...she needs her own space sometimes and I am no help when it comes to sewing.  Her Dad helped her cut strips of fabric one day. 

Finally she shared her project.  

Here you can see that it is strips of fabric.

Art and fabric come together for a masterpiece! 

Far Side

Faithful companion

 Little Elvis is thirteen years old now.  He is my constant companion.  He can hear a little and see a little...he is elderly and sleeps a lot so we get along just fine. 

He moves when I move...his nose must still be pretty good because I can rarely sneak away.  In the night time if I get up to go to the bathroom he follows me and then goes to get a drink of water and is ready to settle back down again when I return.  

He and Sadie get along mostly, she is very jealous of him and will nose him out of the way.  He does run and bark with her outside. 

I will miss him when we go back to the woods.  

Far Side

Yarn and other stuff

 I bought some yarn for the new great grand babies blanket.   I have had fun buying her some cute little outfits over the winter. 

Karina will arrive sometime in July and the nickname I will give her is most likely Ree.   Her big brother and big sister are very excited. In fact they could not keep her name a secret...one day they told me it was a K name but they couldn't remember what it was...ask Mom. 

I will make one more run by Hobby Lobby for some water color pencils...it will be a busy week organizing "stuff" to pack up and take with us to our home in the woods later this week.  

Far Guy has three appointments this week and I have an errand or two or three. 

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Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

 It is my baby brothers birthday today.  He is 69 years old.   I was just 2 1/2 years old when he was born. 

I ran across this photo when I was sorting through photos this winter. 

We were at the flag raising at the Vietnam Memorial up on the prairie in August of 2012. 

My baby brother was in the Navy. 

Happy Birthday Carey! 

Far Side

Stuff

 We recently updated our Advance Health Care Directives.  We also had Power of Attorney and our Wills updated  ( to replace a Will drawn up in 1991 so it was about time).  It was something I had hoped to accomplish over the Winter.  Our Lawyer is a really nice guy and recommends a legal check up every five years. 

Now to get the New Advanced Health Care Directives to the Clinic and Hospitals that we frequent.  

I am also working to renew our Passports...Jen says we are going on a Cruise next March.  Something to look forward to! 

Spring is still elusive up here and some sub zero weather is headed this way.  Maybe the last hurrah of Winter...I can always hope. 

A bit of Spring time on my desk...boxes.   One of my favorite things to collect! 

So pretty all stacked up! 

Far Side

Change

 I frogged ( term for ripping out yarn) part of Winter Wonderland that I was not pleased with. 

Before...

After...

I like it much better! 

Each section is a different pattern.   I cannot see myself finishing this project anytime soon as I have other projects that are calling my name. 

Far Side

Good progress

I am making progress on the Grandchildrens photo albums.  I will be caught up through 2022 this weekend.  It has been a long project.   I still have some early photos of all of them at home.  I will need to scan and fuss with them. 

 Hope I have the original of this photo taken back in 2006 in Elkhorn Nebraska at Thanksgiving.  The children are ages 10  to 5.   The dogs are all gone to the Rainbow Bridge...they were faithful friends to all the children.  Dakota, Daphne or Daffy, Chance and Miney...this was BLE  Before Little Elvis. 

Many good and some funny memories going down memory lane with this project.

Far Side

Are you awake?

 Morning visitor.

There is not much room in the bed when Sadie shows up.  I was watching the news and she wanted me up and about.  Sometimes she will snuggle a bit...but not yesterday.

Far Side

Mixed Up

 My footwear is not the only thing mixed up.  Any shoe will do. 

I wanted to show you what Spring looks like here and grabbed my slipper, couldn't find the matching slipper so I grabbed one of Far Guys old shoes that he gave Sadie...at least they were opposite feet. 

Spring missed the memo that it was time to arrive.  I took this photo yesterday about an hour after Spring officially arrived.  Spring is bringing us a couple more inches of snow this week.  Spring does not care that we are tired of snow.  Spring is mixed up. 

Far Side

Catch Up

 Sunday was catch up time with crafting friends that live just 20 miles away.  Debbie fixed a very nice lunch and her craft room is just perfect to work in.  Debbie is Sarah's Mom and I met Sarah about 12 years ago she is one of Jen's crafty friends.  We have been on many Craft Retreats together. 

I took along stamped cards to watercolor.  We all worked on cards in some shape or form. 

It was a good outing!   I have not been watercoloring at all this winter so that was a good activity for me to do. 

Sounds like we are in for another wintery week.  On the main highway out of town there are 6 foot high snow drifts from the wind last week.  

Far Side

Thinkin about

 May Baskets!  I decided on a pattern and began cutting out parts. 

I got quite a bit done yesterday ...all the basket parts are cut out and will be assembled at home.   I was making good progress and then had a mechanical failure that Far Guy helped me with...I needed someone with stronger fingers to wrench on an allen wrench.  In the meantime I lost/misplaced/threw away the smallest round die that cut out the shiny do hickies in the upper left...simple circles...I probably have a similar die at home so I put this project away for now. 

Far Side

The Little Great Grands

 I get to see the Great Grands and three of the Grands on the nights that we clean at the Air B & B.  It is a great cleaning crew.   Since I clean the kitchen the two Great Grands sit by the counter in the kitchen and have snacks.  Snacks are not allowed elsewhere in the house.  They are getting used to my rules.  ( When they run out of snacks a spoonful of peanut butter keeps them busy.)

One night when they were visiting here, I had them in the kitchen sitting by the counter eating bananas and fruit snacks ...and chocolate milk.   

Hey Mikey wanted to leave the kitchen with his snack...I told him "NO" he asked "Why can't I go?"  I replied "Because I have rules and I am a mean old Grandma" ....he agreed and stayed to finish his snack.  He proceeded to tell Far Guy that I had too many rules and was a mean Grandma...and Far Guy said "Well I love her!"  Hey Mikey said "WHY?" 

Both of the Great Grands are getting used to me and call me Grandma now.  It has been fun to see them nearly every week. 

Cee Cee is almost potty trained now!  They are both growing like weeds. 

Big brother helping little sister open her birthday gifts. 

Far Side

 

Sad Eyes

 Someone loves to steal my slippers, she is a thief with sad eyes...because she knows they are not hers.   She just likes to retrieve them. 

She gives herself away every time she steals them...she wags her tail...whop whop whop on anything she passes and she sounds off with a low throaty growl...a sure sign that she has something...this week it was a ball of painters tape from the project Andy was working on, Jen's mittens, another cardboard box...and the most exciting of all she retrieved a pair of scissors and took them to Far Guy. 

After all in dog years she is probably a teenager...persistent and demanding sometimes.  

She and I have an ongoing fight about the patio door...if I am in the kitchen she will put her paw on the patio door to let me know that she would like to go out...I ask her to sit...if she does I let her out the door and if she refuses I don't let her out...she has a perfectly good doggie door elsewhere that she can use.  Sometimes if looks could kill...I would be dead...cause she can give me "the look." 

Far Side

Happy St Urho's Day!

 Since we are Up North for the Winter we miss the St Urho's Day parade.  It was held last Saturday when the weather was horrid here...we didn't even think about traveling.

If you are not familiar with St. Urho...legend has it that he chased the grasshoppers out of Finland when they began eating the grapes.  

"Heinasirkka, heinasirkka, menetaalta hiiten"   Grasshopper, grasshopper get the hell out of here.

Far Side

New Toy

 I enjoyed using Jen's die cutter so much, I ordered myself one...mine is smaller than hers. 

It is a Spellbinder Platinum 6, it cuts very intricate dies. 

I am having fun playing with designs for cards. 

I got the desk partially straightened up....only to begin another project! 

Far Side
 

Nordic Mosaic Photoshoot

 I finished!  I have the photos now! 

A photo inside.

A photo outside.

The back is not as pretty as the front but still acceptable.   I will block this project when I get back home and then it will join the other projects I have finished to give away someday. 

Back to the Winter Wonderland Mosaic Crochet project now.

Far Side

Notes: 3.5 Crochet Hook, Stylecraft Special DK in Lipstick and Cream.  The pattern is from Juniper and Oakes.  It took about 4 months from start to finish. 

Storm aftermath

 It finally stopped snowing.  We have enough.

The kids should have a snow stick! 

My desk in the craft room.

I  need to get this mess organized this week...I cannot work on anything without moving something. 

Sunday evening...everyone is watching the Hockey game and I can tell just by the cheering what is happening...I will now join them for a few minutes...they all enjoy Hockey much more than I do.

Far Side

AND it Snowed

 It snowed and snowed.  Andy and Jen moved lots of snow...must be way over 8 inches of new snow and it is blowing around.  It is a blizzard. 

I worked on cards and my Nordic Afghan was finished shortly before supper!!  Yeah me!  I will take a photo of it when it stops snowing.  

Far Guy woodcarved.  

Andy tore a hole in the wall upstairs made a doorway and put up shitrock and made the old opening into a wall...I suspect that custom cabinets will fill a huge walk in closet and this is just step one. 

Jen sewed on her newest project.

One more day of windy crappy weather...the blizzard might be over by noon on Sunday.

How about a photo that is partially Springy as we remember that only the clocks are springing ahead.

 

 

Remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms...I don't care if you say your batteries are not dead yet...spend the money on batteries...you are worth it.  

Far Side

Somebody is 3

 Cee Cee our Great Granddaughter celebrated her third birthday yesterday.  How can she be three already? 

We had a party! 

Cee Cee loves Minnie Mouse. 

Great Auntie Jen made her a Minnie Mouse Apron.

The scarf I made her a long time ago ended up in her gift bag along with a Barbie and some clothing! 

A monster quilt from Great Auntie Jen and Great Uncle Andy.  Jen made a quilt for Hey Mikey also so he wouldn't feel left out.

We had pizza and cake and ice cream. It was a good evening with family.  Andy visited by phone as he had a prior commitment, Adam had to work but Noah joined us. 

Far Side