Still a tad warm

 Only 92 yesterday.  The AC is working just fine thank goodness! 

This pretty White Admiral Butterfly was soaking up some water on the patio.  We had sheet lightning and rain early Tuesday morning.  We got 4/10 of an inch of rain in one rain gauge and 3/4 inch in another.  Let me tell you any rain is better than no rain. 

Our bank upgraded its digital banking platform so I spent some time figuring that out.  I just followed the directions...and it seems to work. 

Far Guy woodcarved in the afternoon while I watched Heartland and worked on a crochet project.  My baby brother, his bride, Baxter and Annie visited in the late afternoon.  Good for us to see different faces and the dogs! 

Supper was Pulled Pork Quesadillas and fresh fruit.

After supper my other baby brother and she who sees robins first stopped by to visit.  They are still recouping after the wedding.

We have been playing one game of Splendor in the evenings...I am losing...Far Guy 3 me 1.  

Far Side

Flowers and Cards

 Ha!  It was cooler yesterday.  Only 90 F or 32 C

My flower garden is showing some color. It is one week post transplant.  With the warm weather they should have made great roots. 

We got some wonderful cards in the mail.

Thank you friends for thinking of us! 

Far Guy is still just a bit better.  No huge improvements.  He fussed with his new/old car a bit and did some woodcarving.  We heard that the Woodcarvers group will start meeting again soon.  We will join them when Far Guy is feeling better. 

Far Side

Still hot

 Our weather is unusual for early June..our average high for this time of year is 75 F.  It was 94 F yesterday but cloudy which makes it seem cooler.  We still need rain.  We fill the bird bath twice a day...and the dog dish that we have outside for Baxter is visited by squirrels and a chippy. 

Far Guy is feeling a tad bit better than he was on Saturday.  I hope he continues to improve...we will see.  The Doctors in Minneapolis are aware that he is not well. 

We had a quiet Sunday.  I started a new project and it is working out according to the pattern...it will be a success!  We went by my Aunt Anna's Estate Sale and picked up flowers in one cemetery.  In the evening we sat outside and Far Guy helped water the vegetables and the flowers. The lettuce has sprouted. 

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Wedding at the lake

 My Niece got married yesterday...she picked the hottest day of the year.   It was about 98 F. 

We sat in the shade out by the lake at my baby brothers lake place.  He has been babying grass on the hillside all Spring....it looked really pretty.

They said their vows out in the sunshine on the patio.   The Pastor was a bit long winded and he was sweating buckets....black shirt and all.  

It was a casual wedding.  The beautiful bride is my other baby brother's daughter. 

Far Guy was not feeling up to going.   My baby brother picked me up and I stayed for the wedding...Jordan brought me back home right after the ceremony.  We were babysitting Baxter (my baby brother's dog) and Annie (my sister's dog) because they would have been in the way during the wedding and the doings afterwards.   They missed me while I was gone, Far Guy said that Baxter serenaded him...and Annie just snored.

  Last week I made Lemon Cookies for the wedding doings. 

Today is Andy and Jen's 23rd wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary kids!!

Far Side

Minnesota Snowball

 Ha!  The Minnesota Snowball is blooming on a day when it was 98F (36C  eh!) ...it was a tad warm.   I did a few things outside in the morning.  The bulk of the day I spent inside...laundry, cleaning a bathroom, playing 52 pick up and put away....started a new crochet project...and I had a nap. 

The Snowball blooms are small this year...probably because it is so dry. 

We sat outside in the evening...Far Guy kept me company while I watered the new flowers.

 Today we are supposed to have another scorcher.  The house is cool, the Air Conditioner is working just fine. 

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Sheep Tank

 Our latest gardening adventure began with the purchase of a watering tank for sheep.   Way last winter I noticed that there was one for sale at the local Farm Store.  I wrote down the numbers, went inside paid for it and it even fit in the vehicle. 

Far Guy built a stand for it when he was feeling better.  We located it behind my garage where it gets full sun and it is protected from the north west winds.  We gathered a few rocks to put in the bottom to help with drainage. 

We had plans to start our own tomatoes but that just didn't work out...so I did the next best thing and we shall see what we get.  

How can you resist a tomato that is already flowering? 

It is an unknown tomato it could be anything...I was just sold on the flower...so it is a surprise tomato! 

We both like Yellow Pear tomatoes.  Who knew a yellow tomato could have such great flavor!

This one is a Rutgers...it will be red...and I hope it tastes good! 

I bet y'all are curious to see the sheep tank?

Far  Guy chose wood that was available.  Red Green would be proud. 

We have a fence that will be set up soon as we get some extra help...cause the deer will be interested.

Far Side

Lettuce Wagon and A Peony

 We planted lettuce in the little red wagon.  Parked it on the patio next to the kitchen window.  

The lettuce wagon

A bright spot in the day was the Fern Leaf Peony that Larry sent me a few years ago. 

Everything is so dry...the grass out in the full sun scrunches under your feet. 

Yesterday we were busy all day.   We had a hump of soil that needed to be taken care of  moved to a hole and leaves were all stacked up against the east side of a garage...I mowed the front yard...we had to fix the freaking mower again.   I told Far Guy how I would have designed that poor excuse for a part that falls off.  He agreed that would solve my problem...so would a new lawn mower.    If it doesn't rain I won't have to worry about the lawn. 

I spread some diatomaceous earth trying to control some big biting black ants.   Then I noticed some PI and the war was on...but first I had to fix a sprayer...a couple of times...I had parts...Far Guy said to throw some of the worthless spray nozzles in the garbage.  He was working on some car parts and I kept interrupting him. 

Finally got the sprayer fixed and went off to kill something...Poison Ivy.  Gosh it felt good! 

Far Side

Flower Garden

 Far Guy and I went to town, he waited in the vehicle while I went inside the Greenhouse. 

I found what I wanted...mostly.

We came home and planted...

Most of the flowers I picked out had no blooms which is just perfect for transplanting. 

Red Star Impatiens, a Coral Impatiens, a mix of Impatiens, Salvia Victoria Blue, and some Violas...

The Violas were blooming so happily I couldn't bear to clip their blooms off.   I just smile when I see them! 

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Summer begins

 Around here we think of summer as June, July and August....or from when school lets out to when it starts again.  

I am already thinking summery foods...we had some potato salad over the weekend...it is a summer food but I have been known to rock the boat and make it in the winter. 

I dug up the small flower bed...I suppose I should plant some flowers in it.   Next year I think I will just have pots of flowers.  

Far Guy and I repaired the lawn mower, I mowed the far driveway to test out the mower...it blows a little less grass and dirt at me.   I have my very own pair of Safety Glasses now! 

I checked out the weather report...no rain....the other day it rained about as much as I can spit.  It is going to get warm...like August warm later this week. 

I baked some cookies for a "doings" next weekend.  If it is close to the 100 degree mark as forecast we may just send over the cookies.  I baked them, let them cool and put them in the freezer. 

Far Guy hung up the Butterfly house for me...it was a gift from Mark and Cindy in Oregon....Mark built it and Cindy painted it!  With the price of lumber it is a very expensive gift!

Far Side

Decoration Day

 I grew up hearing Memorial Day called Decoration Day.  It was to honor those who never came home from the Wars. 

My Paternal Grandmother is a Gold Star Mother, her son Arthur was killed May 20 1944 he never came home, he is buried in Italy.

Far Side

Cemetery Visits

 Far Guy and I did errands on Saturday morning, garbage to the transfer station and a trip to town for special orders....a new/old car part and a lawn mower part.   Town was busy and were so sorry we missed a visit by cousins Jack and Pat.

In the afternoon my baby brother called... so off we went to clean up some headstones...we got a number of them done...using plain water and a soft brush.  

I managed to do a few photos for Find A Grave while he was finishing up. 

On the way there something caught my eye...in one bend in the road...

The early blooming Yellow Lady Slippers. 

Far Guy started supper for me and I made it home in time to eat with him.

Far Side

All in a day

 The Cemetery looked real dry when we dropped off flowers, and it was mowed...could have used a good trim but that would be too good to be true.  So far we have just visited the cemetery where Far Guy's relatives are buried.   Not sure that we will make it to the others...time will tell.

I was busy all day...laundry, making potato salad...and other things I put off all week.   I was headed for a nap in the late afternoon but I watched Wish Man instead...a good movie I give it a 9 out of 10...it is another true story. 

They are resurfacing our road ...something about heavier trucks can use the road now.  The County must have extra dollars to spend. 

Far Guy is about the same, no huge improvements.  He gets in his walking everyday...sometimes it is hard for him but he keeps on keeping on. 

We keep hoping for rain.

Today is Far Guy's sisters birthday.  She is an undisclosed older age. 

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Entertainment

 We bought a solar fountain to put into the birdbath.  

It gives us much enjoyment!   Old folks are easily entertained! 

Hopefully blogger will let me upload an image...I have a new photo editing software...it was an app ( Pixelmaker Pro)....I don't have it all figured out yet...what can I say...I am still learning! (Not sure how I got the water blue)

Have you played the game Splendor?   Jen and Andy introduced us to the game.  I ordered one.   

I watched two shows on Netflix this week Greater and soul surfer I give them both a 10...excellent movies!  For my series I began watching Heartland....I should be reading more as bookclub is next week...I am reading The Radium Girls.

I mowed the side and back yards and some of the Wild Gardens yesterday after grocery pickup.  Mowing was a dirty job again. 

I took my Dad to Bingo and I won 57 dollars so we got our money back...breaking even is a good thing. 

Far Side

Cool

 It has turned cool here after the dust storm. 

I have mowed our front lawn twice, the side yard I left for the bees.  I tell ya what I looked like a survivor of the dust bowl from the Dirty Thirties when I came back in.  I washed my boots off outside and stripped at the door.  What wasn't covered in dirt was covered in pollen.  Uffda...we need rain. 

It may freeze here 34 and 36 F is too close for comfort.  Far Guy brought his Strawberry Basket inside. 

Yesterday we got soil for the Sheep Tank...and my baby brother helped me unload it.   Nothing will be planted until the weekend.  Carrots and lettuce...we will purchase a couple of tomato plants because we didn't get our seeds planted this year. 

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Windy and Four

 It was so windy yesterday that dirt from North Dakota came to Minnesota.  Yes it was that dark in the daylight.

This photo was taken just after a tree fell over the power line down at the lake...we were without power about 2 1/2 hours.  I was mixing up the most awesome biscuits for supper and Far Guy was getting ready to stir up some Chicken Alfredo when we lost power.   So we went to town for a drive through supper.  When we got home I readied my book lights just incase...I crocheted by the window and when I was ready to give up the power came back on!  (note to self maybe you need a lighted crochet hook)  

Hey Mikey! Our Great Grandson is four years old today!  

Gotta love those curls!  Happy Birthday little dude! 

Far Side

Perspective

 Flowering Crabapple. 

This flowering Crabapple gets small apples...I know this because this is the tree where I park every Thursday when I pick up my online grocery order.  The birds eat the fruit.  They are not large enough to do anything with.

My parents yard. 

I commented to my Dad that his Crabapple trees were beautiful.  He replied "Those are worthless they don't get any fruit." I told him perhaps they were just to look at...he muttered something under his breath...

Dad wants productive trees...most people stay away from the Crabapples with fruit...they are messy and attract bees.   In town they litter the sidewalks and get stuck to your shoes....there are some boulevard trees that have nice sized fruit if someone were inclined to make jelly. 

Far Side

White Blooms

 We have some new blooms.   Sure hope it doesn't freeze.    That is a real possibility later this week...be wary of the super flower blood moon Wednesday and there will be a partial lunar eclipse visible in our area early Wednesday morning...then the moon sets below our horizon for the total eclipse.  (Friday it is forecast to get down to 38 F ...that could be a freezing night for sure) 

Chokecherries in full bloom. 

This is another bloomer. 

These upright blooms belong to a Hawthorn...yes it has long spiky thorns.  Most people call it a Maythorn around here it is called a thornapple ...woodcarvers use the twigs for stems of flowers they carve.   It will get berries that the birds will eat. 

Yesterday we watched church and made a big batch of Baked Beans for the Summer.  I soaked the beans; pintos and northern beans overnight.  We cook them up add lots of secret ingredients and when they are cool we package them into servings for two...they will be a side dish over the summer when it is too hot to cook...they will accompany some brats or hamburgers on the grill.

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Outing

 We drove up North and a bit West to see Noah for his Birthday!  

He posed for the birthday photo! 

We visited and then went out to Lunch at Noah's favorite Mexican place.  The food was excellent and the company awesome...Noah, Adam, Jen and Andy.   We also had some marvelous cupcakes that Jen bought at a specialty bakery...I had the to die for Turtle Cupcake...dark chocolate with a caramel center! 

We got to meet Noah's puppy a Shiba inu/American Eskimo Mix sometimes called a Imo Inu named Aurora and Adams rescue cat Phoebe (Calico)...no photos I wanted to just meet them.  Of course we got to spend some time with Little Elvis too...he still loves us.

I finally got to hug both of my grandsons!  They have both been vaccinated!

Far Guy did okay...he helped drive...he said that is the easy part just sit and steer.  He is still not back to normal activity and is plagued with the shortness of breath.  We needed a day away...and this was a perfect outing!   We have looked forward to it for a long time! 

The old blue milk can has been transformed!  I still have all the contents of the milk can project ready to spin...someday. 

Far Side

22

 Our oldest Grandson Noah is 22 years old today! 

This photo was taken by his Mama when he was almost one year old.  What a cutie he was!  He treated us to different "stuff" than the three grandgirls.  The biggest one was being prepared while changing diapers!     Climbing ladders ...driving vehicles...being very mechanically inclined so much so that we had to hide keys... being a fussy eater...loving all things Lego.  I got in BIG trouble during his potty training times cause I told him to pee on trees....it irritated his Mother so much that he delighted in visiting many trees.   

He has grown into a very kind but a bit shy handsome young man who we are very proud of! 

Happy Birthday Noah! 

Love you lots!

Grandma

Updates

 We used to have two Trillium plants...one was probably eaten by a deer. 

We still have one plant and it is blooming now. 

Far Guy is a tad better.  Nowhere near normal but we are taking it one day at a time.  He had a Cat Scan and it was normal.  His Team of Doctors in Minneapolis are aware that he is very short of breath.  

Grocery pickup could have been worse...there are no canning lids, clothespins or Kleenex this week. 

I tried a new recipe...how to make Chicken Schnitzel...I followed the directions of a famous cook.  Far Guy said " I think she lost her taste buds when she was in prison."  Needless to say I won't be making that recipe again.   It made six servings...four are going into the freezer for consumption some night when we are desperate starving to death. 

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