Bad Blogger

Sorry I have been neglecting my blog lately. I probably have no followers anymore! I snapped this photo on the way to Shirley's Bday party as I loved the patterns in the countryside. This says summer to me. It smelled really good out there too! If you are reading this that means you are still checking in with me, thank you for your patience!

A new niece on the 4th of July!

July 3rd, 2011

July 5th, 2011

Kenzley Reagan Heath was born on July 4th at 7am.

Chicken Shot

I posted a bunch of chicken pictures from Kris's flock and thought I would share just my favorite here. Kris I'm down to my last dozen eggs so if your hens are still laying in the oppressive heat let me know and I'd love to pick again. Does the heat slow them up? I would think so. This hen is so striking, does she have a name, Kris?

Shirley's Birthday

It was Shirley's 81st birthday a few weeks ago and she posed for me under her beautiful rose arbor. It's been a few years since I have attended her birthday lunch and it was a very nice afternoon.

Three generations

Here's the birthday tag I made for Shirley's gift.

Fourth of July Humor

Our cabin neighbors two doors down have a funny sense of humor. They cleaned out the top of their hill lot to create more parking and tenting space for all the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Nobody actually slept up on the hill because of the storm on the 4th but hope to in the future. One of the daughters explained that in their family they call Sandy Point, "old money" the golf course area is "new money"so this hilltop was named "no money hill."

Red!!!

A bit of red caught my eye this morning....

He stayed long enough for me to snap a few pictures.

We had a few cardinals for a few years but it's been a couple years since we have had regular visitors. I hope this one has a mate with a nest somewhere. I could hear him singing all afternoon in the woods behind our house but only saw him for a couple of minutes.

June Blooms

Peony season just does not last long enough....

I don't have enough sun to grow zinnias so I cheated and bought these already blooming zinnias. I'll do my best to keep them in sunshine and keep them blooming as long as possible. I just love zinnias, found these in Battle Lake a couple weeks ago for just $1 per round pot.

A Visitor

Hmmm, who's that in the front yard?

He strolled into the back and knows he's being watched.

Luckily, he didn't seem interested in the hostas.

In this picture you can see all the hostas are doing well in their new home under the pine. I'm going to add some impatiens (for the rabbits to eat) a little more mulch and it will be done.

Sunday

Well, I'm trying to! I've been working on the new hosta bed under the big pine. The first step was to pull over 100 little buckthorn seedlings, evil things. It's best to pull them from the roots while you can otherwise you will battle them forever cutting and spraying. Then I dug up and split a variety of hostas and dug new holes under the pine. It was a cool sunny day for working and the evening was just beautiful. Today I'm moving bark from our mulch pile and spreading that around. Some of the hostas are rather droopy looking but they'll pop back soon and very soon I will have an after picture for you.

Dan is a very good painter so when he's in the mood to paint it's a good thing. I kept busy digging new hosta holes, that's what I'm good at. :) I haven't killed one anyway.

Isn't this a nifty idea??

Leaving you with a lovely scene found online.

Corgi Love

Here's a picture of Shari with her new baby, Daphne. This picture captures how much they love each other. Isn't it sweet?

Speaking of sweet, Carly enjoy her new puppy too!

Here she comes!

There they go! Isn't that cute little Corgi butt?!

Sorry, Ellen, the pictures I took of you with Daphne are on my phone and I haven't downloaded them yet. I'm sure I will post the one of you with her in the back seat!

Chickadee sketch

Years ago, 10 maybe, I found this unframed chickadee sketch at a rummage sale for a dollar or so and I finally found the perfect frame for it. Dan and I were cleaning out his Fergus office early this spring and there was a framed document that he didn't want so I took it. It was the perfect size for this little chickadee. Shari noticed it this week and thought the matting complemented it nicely too. Whoever drew this captured the delightful spirit of the chickadee and that's why I love it. It sits just under the fireplace mantel.

Before Shot

This is kind of a before picture as it's just after Dan trimmed the lower branches that have been dying for some unknown reason in the last few years. They used to be full and healthy. Dan suspects the spraying in the ditches every year, but who knows. The top broke off in a storm a few years ago and that may have stressed the tree too. Anyway, I'm going to do a little gardening under this tree and when it's finished I'll post a new picture. I already hung up a cute birdhouse that Shari found for me at the Pengilly rummage sales with the help of her friend Carol.

Random pictures

Daphne coming & going!

(The Clusiau's new Corgi)

Carly in one of Ellen's hand-me-down dresses.

Isn't it pretty on her?

It's a miracle-the sink is empty!! Actually it's a picture to show how the old schoolhouse light works in this area. It's fun when purchases like that work out and it took less than a year to get it in place-not bad.

I think the white lilacs are my favorite.

Remembering Patty....

This post is for my cousin Patty Plessner Ruth who passed away early Friday morning. She was only 45 years old. I have many happy childhood memories that involve Patty including swimming at the Madison pool, mud pies & oil soup, playing cafe in our kitchen/dining room, three-wheeling, visits to your family cabin on Pomme De Terre-learning to waterski & kick the can, embarrassing Kristi and her date by wearing her bras over our clothes, and spinning so hard on the mini merry-go-rounds at the Hoffman school that somebody even peed in their pants. Our moms were not pleased. You had a lot of fun ideas and many of our antics resulted in getting in trouble after Karen reported us! I am so sorry that you died so young and that your family is heartbroken. You raised two beautiful, smart daughters and I know how proud you were of them. You were a cherished wife, daughter, sister and of course a cousin to so many of us. I picture you in heaven with Grandma Anderson and that brings me some peace. Thank you for being a very special cousin and playmate. We will miss you.

Summer...

Well, I'm officially off the school clock for the year but I will need to return tomorrow for a few hours. I had some last minute drama with our grading system this afternoon but was able to get the job done the old fashioned way for the cumulative grades. We went until 11:15 with students this morning, a potluck and then meetings until 2pm. So not a lot of time for other essentials but enough whining. I get it all done tomorrow. It's hard to believe that the year is actually over. It was a good year and they always seem to go extra fast. I should mention that I got my 25 year pin today-yikes!!! I was the only one at that level and Louisa got her 30, none higher than that, she seemed shocked too. It will be 5 years before I suffer that embarrassment again. I know I should just be proud of it but it's hard not to feel old. :)
I love old maps and have used them for bulletin boards but never considered them for wallpaper. I like it in a small area.

This is pretty too, like a patchwork quilt.

Raise your hand if you love these linens!!!

Have a lovely weekend!

Graduation parties will take up a large share of mine.