Mini family reunion!

We're expecting a great get-together today. Trev and Rhonda and the four grands from Maryland are coming to spend the day. Also, Missy and great-grand, Hailey, will be coming. Of course, Micah will be bringing Audrey and Hazel. (Trev's family traveled here by van to attend [grandson] Aaron's wedding next Saturday. They're making a full-blown vacation out of it.)

There are plans in place to play with and feed horses and to go swimming  in the lake. I'm sure there will be lots of talking (I do a lot of listening) and laughter.

Micah's little Audrey tried climbing out of her crib for the first time a couple of days ago and fractured her left arm. Poor little tyke! She's adventurous like her mom. She came walking out of her bedroom saying, "My bone hurts." They weren't sure it was serious at first because she wasn't complaining and seemed to be using it, but took her in for an x-ray and it was, indeed, fractured. She got a soft cast over the weekend but today she gets the real deal. I stopped by their place yesterday and she was kind of proud of her achievement. She proclaimed, "I broke my arm!" and held it up for my inspection. Micah called this morning and said that Audrey had removed the soft cast sometime during the night so she's taking her to the doctor a little earlier than planned this morning. Hopefully she will get the hard cast right away and they can join the family reunion very soon!

I'm hoping to post some pictures later! Y'all be good and shalom!

Omigosh! Lisa's wearing...

TRI-focals!

And I LIKE them! Who knew I would? They'll take some getting used to, but it's nice to be able to see well at three different distances. (Please excuse the goofy expression. It's hard to take your own picture...)

We've been having tons of rain the last couple of days. Hope the garden doesn't get too soggy!

Micah had her first day of work today. She got a part-time job cleaning at a motel in Park Rapids. She was sad about leaving her girls with someone else but, actually, her only option is family members since they're the only people who will sit for free. With two girls it would cost her $6/hour for a sitter and she's only making $7. I've offered to babysit on my days off, but that's only one weekday per week. Hope she can make enough arrangements to cover her workdays. She also has jury duty next week. Her life is so complicated! (This job is just for the summer. She's hoping to earn enough to buy dog grooming equipment so she can work from home. Prayers appreciated!)

Bob and I just finished doing chores, so now I'm going to check up on my ATC site. Just mailed a batch off and I'm looking forward to receiving some cards soon. Just like Christmas in June!

Talk to you later! Shalom!

Still enjoying the yard...

Remember that little red flower I took a picture of in the back yard? Here is a similar picture...

They're called geum triflorum or Prairie Smoke! I like the second name best! Here's what they look like when they blossom...

Are they cool or what?!? Many, many years ago, when Bob and I had just moved here, I remember seeing a field full of these and wondering what on earth they were. How one little specimen got to my backyard I can only wonder. One of God's little gifts... I'm going to keep an eye on it so I can see it bloom in person.

Oh, Glenn, I forgot to answer a question in your email. The little red bird in my header photo is a scarlet tanager. I've only seen a couple in the 23 years we've lived here. This little guy was pretty curious about us.

Well, I'm off to water the plants on the deck. I just watered all of the raspberries and the sprinkler is working on the large garden. Bob's mowing and the yard's looking pretty good...for what used to be a pasture! :)  But it's our little slice of paradise on earth.

Thank you, Lord, for this green and peaceful place.

Shalom!

More playing in the yard...

Today was a day to finish up planting the two gardens!

My little garden now sports dahlias (in the back around the old wheels and cream cans). In front of them is a half row of lettuce. I'll sow more of that in a couple of weeks. The six circles are zucchini and yellow summer squash. After I finished this, Bob and I finished planting corn, peas and carrots in the bigger garden. Now to sit and wait. :)

 

 

I also checked on the raspberries I planted in the back yard. This is the biggest one. I think they will all make it, so in two or three years we'll have some berries!

 

 

 

This little plant was growing next to one of the sumacs. I'm not sure what it is, but it's kind of pretty!

 





Of course, the nosey neighbors had to see what I was up to...

The petunias are happy in their little pots...or bait bucket, whichever the case may be.

 

 

Hope you're having a great day!

 

Shalom!

More yard and garden news...

Just came in for a sandwich and some tea after some yard/garden work. It's finally warming up enough to plant the garden and some flowers!

The containers on my deck are filled with flowers and tomatoes. Now to wait while they grow and produce! 

This little pack of petunias has yet to be planted...

My manager at work gave me a bag full of raspberry plants that she had thinned out of her huge raspberry patch. I planted them at the edge of our yard among some sumac. I'm hoping they'll think they're back in their original woodland habitat. I'm also hoping it will help Bob to avoid them with the lawnmower until they're big enough to see! Spread like crazy, little raspberries!

 

Said manager also gave me a 50 lb. feed bag full of dahlia bulbs! Those are going to become part of this little farm vignette that Bob and I created this morning. (See it out in the yard?) I will plant them around the antique implements and the rest of the plot will be planted in summer squash and lettuce.

 

 



I picked up one more 4-pack and some seeds this morning. Lettuce, carrots, peas, zucchini and yellow summer squash, all in that tiny bag. I'd better get out the recipes so I don't fall back on just boiling the squash!

 



Here's to a lovely summer for all! Shalom!

A little gardening...

With all of the cold weather and rain, most Minnesotans are behind schedule with their gardens. We just planted some rows of corn yesterday in Bob's garden, and this (see photo) is the extent of my gardening ambitions for this summer!

These tomato plants were $1.59 apiece! I chose them mainly for their exotic names. (How's that for master gardening technique?) Two are heirloom varieties, which I think means they have no disease resistance, but who could resist names like Cherokee Purple and Boxcar Willy? The third is a good old Beefsteak tomato. I'm looking forward to some great tomato and Miracle Whip sandwiches on toasted bread! The petunias are also chosen for their name: Celebrity Watercolors! I may buy a few more if I have more pots than plants. The tomatoes are going in large containers on my deck along with the flowers, so I can do my gardening without ever getting  my feet dirty. :)

I love this time of day. That's Bob garden in the foreground.

More evening sunshine!

Hopefully things will warm up in our neck of the woods and our gardens will take off and produce. Hope summer is treating you well!

Shalom!

Poor neglected blog...

Well, it's obvious that I'm having fun with my Pen and Ink blog, because I'm seldom HERE. But I will drop by now and then to add photos of the grandgirls and other tidbits. Glenn, if you're wondering where I've gone, you probably already know to check my art blog! :)

I can't believe I haven't posted these photos of Micah and the girls joining me for a walk! Micah pushed the girls 10 miles (from Nevis to Dorset and back) wearing her rollerblades and I joined her for the last 4 miles. Here are the photos...

 

 

 

 

Micah changed her footwear...

 

 

 

 

This is crazy, because I REMEMBER posting these photos before. I even remember what I wrote under them! Too much blogging makes you forget what you did when! So forgive me if this is a repeat. I don't SEE the pictures anywhere on my blog. Sheesh! (After some thought, I realized that I posted these on my Exercise Log Blog. Too many blogs maybe?)

Grandpa Bob feeding Hazel Peach...

 

 



 

Audrey following in Grandma's footsteps...

 

We've been doing a fair bit of babysitting lately. Along with walking, working and doing art, my days are pretty full. Bob is into feeding the horses and is on the lookout for a potential milking goat.

 

Micah has finally decided that selling Herbalife isn't all it looked like it might be. She's had several requests from old dog grooming customers to groom their dogs. Adam and his dad, Doug, are working on tearing down an old barn which they are going to rebuild at Micah and Adam's place. Then she should be able to do some dog grooming, which will allow her to stay home with the girls.

 

Life continues! I spend a lot of time praying for family members living in tornado alley.

 

Off to do more art, perhaps. (If the basketball game lasts long enough!) :

 

Goodnight for now and shalom!