Leave of Absence

Where have I been?  Mostly just here “down on the farm” but definitely NOT in my happy place.  As farmers, the last thing we want is rain in October.  Murphy’s Law (in which anything that can go wrong, will) would require us then to have almost 6” for the month.  And the next 2 days look rainy.  Color us unhappy.  Are you feeling my pain sisters?  Here’s a little lookee-loo: 

  I know this is out of focus but I was a long way away and I blew this up so you could see the truck badly stuck in the mud.  It doesn’t even look bad from this distance, but I would have wanted my TALL BOOTS to get up close & personal to that one.  I worry about the men when the conditions are bad but I worry even more when they put 2 tractors on a truck.  There’s just too much horsepower & opportunity for an accident.  We had none, thank the Lord.  The truck however, stayed in the mud that day. 

These 2 trucks were moving under their own power.  But it didn’t last very long:

This was a full time job.  Always one tractor but often 2 like this to pull trucks from the moment they enter the field until they leave it:

Those guys WILL NOT be getting stuck.  But he’s my contact with anyone in the field as I’m not excited about driving out there and sometimes someone needs lunch sent  out.  (I’m not naming names Mr. Picket Fence, I’m just sayin…….)  He’s so far off the ground that he has to come part way down so I can hand something up.  Sheesh.  Those are some major mud pies on those steps too. 

And can you imagine how long it takes us (us? what, do you think I help?  Do you see the word “stupid” on my forehead?) to wash up the equipment before it gets stored for the winter? 

There now, don’t you just wish you were a farmer?  Are you bored yet?  Well, I am so lets move along.  And I promise, no more farm tales – even if you beg.  Ya, uh-huh.  Just like I’d beg for a root canal.

Moving on.  I’ve always enjoyed Fertilizer Fridays and especially love when Tootsie gives us little lessons about all things gardening.  I enjoy gardening as much as the next guy – and quite often more – but I’m stumped on what is wrong here.  The nasturtiums are drooping.  The black-eyed Susan's look terrible.   Am I using the wrong fertilizer?  Too much water?  Too little water?  Wrong light conditions?  Help me out here Tootsie!

Wait.

Wait.

Wait a little more.

OK, here – these two definitely look funky:

 

A prize to the 1st one who answers correctly.  Perhaps a bucket of snow????  Or maybe a dead leaf?  It’ll be to-die-for.  Get it?  die-for?  dead leaves?  Well, if I’ve got to explain everything, what’s the point, I ask you?  Anyway, the prize is nothing you’d want so I guess I won’t send it.  (got out of that, didn’t I?)

Now this dogwood and monkshood don’t look too bad for being snowed on:

I’ve been raking leaves and shredding them to use as mulch both now (when everything freezes) and also in the spring as a soil additive.  The container plants have all been cleaned out and pots put away.  Garden decorations have been put away.  If it ever dries up I may mow one more time to chop up any remaining leaves.  Or not.  We’ll see.  I’m not going to drive thru water to mow.  You with me?   I’ve put all my tools in one spot so I can clean, sharpen & oil them for the winter.  (talk is cheap)  A gardener’s work is never done! 

Loose threads didn’t meet this month because of harvest.  We’re all farm women in that group and we all get October-depression.  It’s always cured by wrapping up harvest.  Unresolved issues this year!  Maybe there’s a Dr. Phil show in our group.  Oh, I can hear you now.  You’re saying, “you mean he hasn’t already done a show on you wacko’s?”  Or you might say, “go rob a drug train and take a pill”.  Or, I know.  Get together with the Woolies!  So I did.  Thank God--other females to talk to. About non-mud topics.  Woo-hoo.

I was so excited about going to Woolies,  I forgot my camera – can you believe it?  So I’ll need to beg, borrow or steal pictures from Karen.  When I get pictures, I will post them.  We had lots & lots of eye candy this month too.  Karen is off to Des Moines, Iowa to vend at an AQS show this week along with her friend Kari at New Leaf Stitches.    Those 2 will make friends where-ever, so I’m not worried about them being bored!  Hope it’s a great show girls!

Since I wrote this yesterday, we’ve added another inch of rain and now it’s snowing.  October just isn’t as much fun as it used to be if you hear what I’m sayin’.

I’ve gotten really behind with reading & writing blogs this month.  I want to say thanks to all you dedicated people who stop by and leave a comment.  I truly appreciate you!  :)

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

 

 

I Got Nothing

I’ve got nothing to say today.  Oh, don’t be so surprised.  It could happen.  But it.  (whew)  I just feel a little short on time, so I’ll save my “nothing-ness” for later.  I’d just like to Flaunt my Flowers for anyone wishing to take a peek.   Follow the link above to see others flaunt their flowers too!

Above are impatients.  Below is gailardia.

 

Above:  Blackeyed Susan.

Below: my 1st Foxglove Blooms

Above:  Phlox.    Below: Nasturniums

It has been such a cool summer – even for us.  Just because I live in Minnesota, doesn’t mean it’s the artic circle and we do have hot, humid summers.  Except for this year when I think we’ve hit 90 only 2 or 3 times and even rarely over 80.  Far be it for me to be critical but I gotta object to the north wind we had yesterday – meaning it came to us from Canada……I suppose it’s no one’s fault really.  And I’ve gotta remember all the good things that come to us from Canada.  (How’s that for digging myself out of a hole?)

We’ve had too much rain also.  And, since I’m sure you want the “farm report”, I gotta say it won’t be our best year.  We’re a good month later than usual getting in the wheat – it needs hot weather to ripen.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed to start tomorrow.  Soybeans & sugarbeets?  Well, we don’t know yet but since everythings late this year and we work against the freezing weather in a normal year, well, you see where there could be a conflict.  But it will be what it will be and we’ll be thankful for God’s blesssings.

The carpenter is making great strides on our new deck and will share later.

Yesterday was our first annual Woolies and Peeps day at Mrs. Farmhouse’s home.  I hope to get some of that on my blog soon.  The show ‘n tell will know your socks off!!!  in my humble opinion.

Heartbreak Hotel

Everyone that remembers Elvis, raise your hand!Everyone that remembers his song Heartbreak Hotel, sing along with me: 

“Well since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell. It’s down at the end of lonely street at Heartbreak Hotel.” 

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

Now replace the word “Baby” with “Puppy” and you might see where I’m going with this.  Mr. Picket Fence and I needed to board our Baxter (aka Mr. Perfect) at the kennel for a day or 2 for the very first time.  It was like sending our oldest child to kindergarten.   Aaaaaargh!!!!  You’ll need a little background.  Baxter is a one-year old Brittany Spaniel and this is how he looked THEN:

He’s not melting your heart, is he???? 

 

 

 

Here’s Baxter learning how to be a farm dog.  It’s important for a farm dog to know where all the mud holes are…

 

Baxter-r-r-, that’s the basket for old newspapers. 

But look how perfectly cute he is…..

 

 

Baxter “bonding” with Bob.  Why did we name him Bob?  The Mr. always wanted a Bob-Cat.  (Sick…)

 

A perfectly adorable 6-month old Baxter.

 

 

A full grown Baxter getting a cuddle from Mr. Picket Fence and our granddaughter, the “Divine Miss O”

 

So, anyway, about the Heartbreak Hotel.  The big day arrived and we took Baxter, his food, a treat and his favorite toys to the Bed & Biscuit – where it’s fun to be furry!!!  The dogs get to have play time – as long as they behave and as I’ve always said, Baxter is almost perfect.  In fact, I’m still saying that and I think tomorrow could be the day!  :)  If your cat stays there, they get to go bird watching.  (they sit & watch a bird video.)  So at the end of the day, Mr. Baxter was tired and he went home with this:

 

There were a couple doggie treats (& the bill!)in the bag.  I searched & searched for a report card.  They must have forgotten….

 

And this is what he did as soon as he got home:

Enuf Baxter??  OK, I agree.  Let’s see.  How about Fertilizer Friday? 

Jump over to Tootsie’s to see lots of other gardens.  Click on pictures to enlarge – I think.  Altho maybe I didn’t do it right.  Whatever.  Here’s my offering:

           CONFESSION:  These pictures DID NOT come from my garden but from a friends garden that I visited last night.  Her yard is awesome!  (and a front porch that is to die for!)

Are you still with me?  Good.  Because sometimes you save the best for last.  Even if it’s not the best, it’s PRETTY DARN GREAT.

Our summer gathering of my quilt group – the Loose Threads – met at CA’s summer lake home.  It’s a beautiful new home that sleeps 16!!!!  And has a great view:

We had some really great show ‘n tell.  LL made a Country Threads pattern in civil war repro fabrics:

 

I am the skinny gal holding the quilt.

Not.

 

 

 

JT’s offering was a handful of miniatures.  How great are these?

 

These are 3” blocks……..

 

 

 

The remote control is there to show the size of the quilt.  Those are 4” blocks.

 

 

 

 

3” Blocks

 

 

 

 

Don’t you love this border?

 

 

 

I love, love, love this fabric.  I hate it when there’s a new fabric out there that I haven’t seen.  You know?  I’d better get a-shoppin’.

 

Baxter!  Come!  Sit! Roll over!  Stay!  Play Dead!

Well, he’s got a handle on the last one.  I’d better get back to training Mr. Perfect.

Ms. Faye

Observations on Life

Today I was at the clinic to have my blood drawn.  The tech asked for my name & birthdate – you know the drill.  Naturally, I cheerfully complied.  BUT, I ASKED HER, what if I had dementia & didn’t know the answer???  Good question she said.  I’ll need to find that out.  Now with my “off the chart intelligence” (hold your horses.  I didn’t say which direction off the chart, now did I?  I’m thinking sideways…), I just figure that if I had dementia, I wouldn’t be there alone, now would I?  So anyway, the tech is 1/2 way into sucking my blood when she said “will you tell me your name & birthdate?”  Oh,ha, ha, ha – isn’t she the funny one?  We decided that if she had dementia she might as well go home for the day and tomorrow she’d forget to come back.  By that time the job was done.  I guess she “forgot” my boo-boo bandaid and lollipop…….

Today is Fertilizer Friday.  Here’s what I’ve got:

Oh for pete’s sake.  How did that picture from the Duluth Rose Garden get in here?  It’s tough to get a good picture when it’s raining like cats & dogs.  Am now wondering what else it could rain like.  My Mom had another expression which I’m not going to share because truthfully, it sounded very racist.  (You know which one I mean don’t you Jean?)  I don’t think she meant it to be.  Still, her saying never made any more sense than raining cats & dogs.  Let me know if there are other expressions.  So now maybe if I kill enough time writing this, I can still snap a bloom or 2 before dark. Regardless, I want you to hop on over to Tootsies to view some wonderful gardens.

Here’s what I could find after “the big wind” and .3” of rain:

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

   Isn’t summer great?  There’s something new every day in the garden.  Besides mosquitoes. 

   

So when everything is ship-shape and tip-top in the garden (grin), it’s time to head to the shed.  Stacks of lumber.  Mountains of tools.  1 or 2 ideas.  Let’s get creating.  Guess what it is.

I cut 4 of these:

  Mark 15 degree angles.  Yes I know there are better protractors out there but this is what $1 will buy……

 

 

 

 

 

Miter gauge set at 15 degrees.  (I like to draw the line as a double-check of the angle.

  This tilts the saw blade to 15 degrees for all the top & bottom edges.  Now I have 4 boards with sides, tops & bottoms cut at 15 degrees. 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you figured out what it is?  Of course.  It’s a fairly useless, oddly shaped box!

Without a bottom and now with a bottom!!!!  (I really look ahead, don’t I?)

 

 

But wait, there’s more.  How about a handle?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now we’re cookin’.  Skip past adding feet, sanding, staining, painting and you will have this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Picket Fence said I didn’t do a very good job painting it.  Excuse me?

OBSERVATION:  It’s never a good idea to mix a mostly white dog with rich, moist, heavy black soil:

That’s our Baxter.  To know him is to love him we like to say.  We also like to say we’re young & beautiful…..

Wish I had more time to say nothing about the block of the month wool project I’m doing for Farmhouse Woolens, but it will have to wait for another day.  I also have nothing to say about Baxter and of course there will be nothing to say about the Loose Threads gathering next week. 

Hugs,

Ms.Faye