A lovely day for a ride

While Bruce was off fishing, again, really - does this man ever stay home and work? As long as I'm not the one who has to get up at the butt crack of dawn and go sit in a boat for hours, he can go fishing as often as he pleases.

Sorry, I got off track, where was I? Oh, back to 'while Bruce was off fishing', Lady and I took advantage of a beautiful morning to go meet the neighbor's new horse, Ranger and their pony, Willow. All three horses were very excited but cautious as they were behind an electric fence in the ditch and Lady is very familiar with an electric fence.

"I see horses!!"

 

"Well, hello neighbors, why don't you come along with us?"

 

Unfortunately Lisa was not home so we went on down the road and headed home. Lady does not like bridges, she believes there are trolls and they live under bridges. On this route we crossed 4 bridges, a veritable nightmare for her.

 

Lady approaches each one with much trepidation, then tip toes across, if I would let her, she would race across like the devil himself was hanging on her tail.

 

Lady spotted the neighbors Holstein heifers...

 

 

....she has never seen black and white cows before.

 

"Cool paint job, man....."

 

"Really cool....like, rad man..."

 

We met our mailmam, Janet and Lady has never met a person she didn't like. If she could get in the jeep and sit on Jan's lap, she would, I was just hoping she minded her manners and didn't blow her nose all over Jan.

 

 

"Not ANOTHER bridge!! AAUUGGHHH!!!"

 

 

Just a mile from home we met the maintainer, a real heart stopper for my lovely little mare. It was big and yellow and noisy and dusty and she wanted no part of it. Luckily, George, has horses of his own and slowed nearly to a stop for us to get by. The only other choice was to take the ditch and Lady is sure trolls live in ditches also. We need more miles.

 

 

After 6 1/2 miles, we reached the safety of the barn, when I slid down from the saddle I could hardly walk, we definitely need more miles.

 

"What are you complaining about, I am the one hauling your sorry butt around, you could get off and walk once in awhile you know!"

 

 

I hate a sassy horse.

 

But a nice dust bath and shake and all is forgiven.

 

 

 

 

And an extra feeding of oats doesn't hurt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scary things in the refrigerator

There are people who wash plastic bags and reuse them.

(I'm guilty)

There are people who save the waxed paper bags out of cereal boxes to use.

(I'm guilty)

There are people who reuse aluminum foil over and over until it's too little for use.

(I'm guilty)

There are people who covet the nice little Ziploc containers that go through the dishwasher and live to hold leftovers another day.

(I'm guilty)

But let that Ziploc container get shoved to the back of the refrigerator with calico beans and hide for a month, nasty things begin to happen, science experiments gone wild, calico beans with hair. No amount of money is worth opening, hurriedly dumping the contents and washing it.

Ask me how I know.

Pinterest

Have you fallen under the spell of Pinterest? If you have not been on this planet in the last year or so, Pinterest is an online bulletin board where you can 'pin' things you find interesting on the internet, it is all the rage.

You will learn the deepest, darkest secrets of the friends you follow on Pinterest.

Take my friend, Carla Sue, she has pinned 17 different Whoopee Pies! Red Velvet, cookies and cream, mocha , banana, raspberry and cream, s'mores, a blue one, there is even a whoopee pie pan to make it easier. (P.S. Happy Birthday, CC on this Friday the 13th, hope you aren't spooked!)

My sister, Rosanne, is all over Pinterest as her mind goes 100 MPH, she is planning a Halloween party, a chicken coop and a wedding with burlap. I do believe she is going for the all time record in pins from a single person. If she has been gone, I know she is home by the new pins that show up. I kid you not, one time 15 minutes after she landed, she was pinning. We might have to do an intervention.

Another friend, Kim, is gearing up for Christmas by the look of her boards. She is a master decorator of 'junk', things most people would not see the potential. Every year she has a Christmas open house, I go to be inspired and she never lets me down. I race home, itching to decorate.

Sister in law, Sue, the glass artist, is always pinning some new fused glass bauble that I pine for. Two years ago she made me these fused birds on stakes for the pond. Aren't they just WONDERFUL??

 

Yesterday, Rosanne, with Jr. her needy little dog, in tow came to go to garden club and then spend the night. Jr. is very afraid of cats, our mother's cat gave him a lesson he has never forgotten and our place must be the house of horrors where cats are everywhere. Throw our special needs cat, Clyde, into the mix and it's hard to tell who is most freaked out.

 

Things got interesting at garden club when one member accidentally locked her keys in her vehicle. Never fear, with a few itty bitty glasses of wine under our belts, we women can do anything, including unlocking a car with a coat hanger.

 

 

We were soon rewarded with the vehicle flashing lights and honking. We wanted to try our hands at hot wiring but she did have the keys.

 

This morning Rosanne, Jr. and I had some quiet time in the gazebo before she hit the road. Did I tell you Jr. is needy?

 

"Please, please don't leave me here, it's a nightmare out there I tell you!!!"

 

 

But then, we have our own needy dog.

 

"Please, please, PLEASE Bruce, take me on the 4-wheeler, I'll be good, I promise!!!!"

 

 

PLEASE???

 

 

 

 

 

OTTO!

Remember Otto? The bullfrog tadpole that our California Kids netted and released into the backyard pond?

 

The pond is very lush with grasses and plants so it has been nearly impossible to see if he was still in there, or if he grew his back legs and blew this pop stand.

 

 

The goldfish are always easy to see because they are such beggars, anytime I show up, they swim over hoping for some food. We should have painted Otto a fluorescent orange!

 

From time to time, I would be around the pond doing something and heard a "Splash!" so I suspected Otto was still in residence but today I know Otto is here!

 

 

I was by the pond and there he sat, I slipped back into the house for the camera and got off this one shot before Mollie bounded over, "HI! WHAT YA DOIN'?? CAN I HELP??" By that time Otto was long gone with a 'splash' into the pond.

 

Mollie doesn't understand stealth.

 

 

Mugged by a Llama

A week ago, Bruce and I went to the Hanover Old Time Music Festival. Hanover is an old settlement south of here and every year they have a celebration with polka music, petting zoo, corn shelling, saw mill running, put hay in the barn the old fashioned way, run a cider press and other things that shows how hard people used to work on the farm. It is a far cry from today when most everything is done from an air conditioned cab in the tractor.

They also have an old house that is furnished with that period appliances and furniture, it's amazing at how similar the things are to the house I grew up in!

I'm not big on polka's but it was a hot day, I knew I wouldn't do anything at home and Bruce would take me out for dinner, hey, I have my priorities. I also took my book and a big jug of water, while he tapped his toes to the music, I was immersed in my current story. Works for both of us.

I was impressed at how many instruments some of the musicians can play, first an accordion, then a trumpet, switch to a saxophone, then concertina or harmonica. That is pretty impressive. I was also amazed at how young some were, polka's seem to be the older crowd choice.

 

One of the men in the second band makes these accordions and they are beautiful!

They also had Grandpa's barn that housed a flock of chickens, a baby calf and 2 Llamas, a mother and youngster. The youngster was so friendly and took offense if you did not stop, pet and admire him. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant with his face right by mine because they can spit, but this little guy was very well mannered, his mother evidently taught him never to spit in public. Bruce walked right by while I was petting and he couldn't believe it. He turned his head and stared at Bruce until I told him, he hurt his feelings, so he came back and petted the baby.

A little girl was walking behind us, looking back and talking to her mother, I was ready....."Well, HELLO there little girl with the golden hair!!"

                        

 

She turned around and was up close and personal with the baby and wasn't quite sure what to make of him. He thinks he just met his new best friend, she was his size.

 

 

When we looked around at the crowd that day, it was smaller than other years but it was hot, HOT, and that could be a deterrent. Most of the people working and attending are older than us and we are no spring chickens ourselves. We wonder in a few years if there will even be a Hanover festival?

 

With 99% of the population removed from farming now, it's important to remember how hard it used to be. Would you rather do this to get your corn picked and shelled?

 

 

Or this?

 

 

 

You make the call.

 

Hilltop Wedding

Bruce and I were invited to our young vet, Britt's, wedding last night to be held in their pasture. It was the most spectacular wedding I have ever been to! This literally was out in the middle of nowhere with 600 guests expected. The logistics was mindboggling.

Just providing power for all the lights, DJ, food tent, etc. involved running power lines several hundred feet and mounting a big electric box. It handled everything that was plugged into it.

This was the sign at the road, with subsequent signs on the winding path down the lane, skirting the pond, through the cattle yards to where the big event was held. I apologize for the blurry photos, I was in a hurry and it was getting dark, but you get the idea.

 

 

 

 

"Sigh, sniff, sob....."

 

We parked and walked to where the wedding was to take place and "WOW!!!" This is truly God's setting for 2 young people embarking on a life journey together!

 

 

The main seating was hay bales covered with a multitude of blanket and rugs with some chairs provided.

 

Mark 'giving' away his only daughter, who works by his side everyday in their vet clinic, I'm sure it was bittersweet.

 

 

Britt and Luke

 

Two of the several little bell ringers, the one on the left just discovered he was out there without his parents and erupted into howls, his brother quickly plugging his ears!

 

 

The happy couple after the vows and kiss.

 

 

Nothing was overlooked or lacked a farm/4-H theme. This is Britt's show box, set up by the port a potties, nothing, and I mean NOTHING was left out that a guest or wedding party might need!!

 

Look Closely! I thought that was a HOOT!

 

The BIG tent set up with tables, chairs and dance floor that her uncle built. You can see the big electrical box in both pictures.

 

 

The food tent, I should say endless food, after they fed us and the catering truck left, out came the snackies! Chips, salsa, Chex Mix, meat and cheese tray and crackers, as if we were hungry. But if you provide it, we will eat it!

 

Gourd hearts, awwwww.....

 

 

Even a TV set up with a feed to the IA State game! It was definitely an IA State crowd and the only thing better would be if they had won.

 

 

 

A view at twilight......

 

Bruce and I put on our dancing shoes and did ourselves proud on the dance floor, when the DJ played something we recognized. It was a hot night but we were caught up in the celebration and sweated all over each other. We think the world of Britt and wish them a lifetime of happiness, I'm sure this wedding was all she dreamed it would be.

 

We talked to some friends who were there with their daughter, another farm girl with her long time boyfriend and I could see Brooke taking notes! This could be a wedding for her in a few years.

 

We watched these clouds build and fire off lots of lightning and it did rain later, about .3" inch - then we hear that just 8 miles north of us, Paullina got 2.5", DANG IT!!!

 

 

What the heck are we doing wrong??