Quadruplets, Reds, Just a Swingin'

Who ever would have thought that we would have Quadruplets in our family.
It's true. Born sometime Fri. the 28th, there were babies born. Tiny, wiggly, 1/8 inch babies were born to the mommy in the above picture. She is the orange gal with the black tail in the left side of the fish tank, as her human family looks on., my son and his 3 sons.

They are resting in the glass of fish water while the tank is being cleaned. After the baby fish show, we had another kind of baby show going on. Having gone to a few graduation parties within the family, it seems we have quite a string of Red Heads running 'round.
Whatcha talkin' bout?
Who? Me?
This young man donated his red hair this weekend. He wanted a haircut at the picnic table so the birds could have his hair for their nest. What a Sweet fella. So, I cut his hair, he held it up in the air and let the wind take it away for the birds to find. He checked this morning to see, and, sure enough, some of it was gone and surely lining a birds nest.
And, of course there was some swingin' going on too.
I AM being careful Grandma!
Just a glimpse of our Memorial Weekend, so far. There will be much more to follow. Until then, have a wonderful weekend yourselves and remember to honor our troops, then, now, and in the future.

God Bless America & God Bless You

Angel Wing, Deer, What is it?

Yes, I messed up my foot again. I don't know when or how, but once again I'm getting zingers around my ankle and up my leg...so....
A little birdie told me to...
Get under the Angels Wing and...
Find a place to rest...(this doe just laid her fawn down for the morning), maybe I can lay down too???
Have a 'Ginger'snap and warm tea...
In the Valley of the Lily...
And don't get stung!
Does anyone know what this fella is? He is about an 1 1/2 inches long with a hard tail...just please tell me he is NOT a tree borer...we cannot loose anymore trees due to drought and insects.

I spent the morning at my Mothers walking around her yard, peeking at the growth of her flowers and fruit trees. I had told her of all the dying trees I noticed on the way to the farm. So many thirsty trees. She, too, is worried about the damage the drought has already done, and what will this year bring. On the local news just this morning, they spoke of the water table being down so low. They said that according to records kept, it has not been this dry in northern Wisconsin for 125 years. We agreed that we were so fortunate to have had new wells dug last fall. We can only imagine how busy the drillers will be again this year, if this keeps up.

I helped her water and feed her treasured chicks. I noticed that they gather around her legs just like the chickens gathered around Dad when he would come near. It's funny how something so silly brings back such fond memories of him. She dug up a Cinnamon Fern for me that had taken root in the edge of her lawn where she did not want it. As I reached for the fork to dig it myself, she refused to let go of the handle...Your foot, she says., still taking care of me. I should be taking care of her.

I asked about the old wringer washer she had when I was just a kid. I wondered if she still had it somewhere. I told her I could remember like yesterday, as she helped me lift those heavy, wet jeans and guide them through the wringer. She said it must have ended up on the rockpile like all things years ago, that no longer served purpose. She was a good one tho, Mom remembered, a good heavy duty Maytag, just like Ma's, she said. How she laughed. How I love her laugh. I see her Mother, my Grams, in her, more and more., the way she stands with her hand on her hip, her mischievous grin, falling asleep on her hand to 'rest her eyes'. How I miss Grams.

A visit does not go by when we don't talk about Dad. How I miss him. How she misses him. How we will always love him. I did not mean this to turn into a somber moment, but I guess it has. I guess I am realizing just how short life is. How valuable our memories are, when we can remember. Mom is going to be 81 in a few weeks. Grams lived to be just shy of her 102nd birthday. Dad laughed his way to heaven at 80. And, I'm shamefully regretting another birthday. Longevity runs in my family, both sides, but it does not mean I want to go there. I guess that as we age, have health problems, age, slow down physically and mentally, age, encounter less energy, life gets a different kind of difficult, doesn't it.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend. I will be going to a few graduation parties, chasing grandkids for working parents, doing a bit more gardening, and sleeping in if I get a chance.

BlessYa, Everyone!

Rain, Hail, Shadows, Let's Bake

YES, we finally got some measurable rainfall yesterday afternoon. It came and went within 15 minutes but , how we needed it. By the picture, you can see how hard it was pouring off the roof, the small hail was skipping off the rocks and the fog was drifting in all at the same time. The temperature dropped 26 degrees in less than 10 minutes from 90 to 64 degrees. It was a torrential downpour as the river of water rushed down the driveway and around the house. But...

Soon it was all over, soaked into the dry ground and already this morning, is dried off in spite of rains the better part of the night.

Thank You Lord, for the much needed rains.
Ben kept saying, ' Do you see him? Do you see him? ' Upon a closer look, I see what he was seeing....do you see him? It's his Daddy's reflection in the window.
The house cooled off just enough last night to satisfy a huge chocolate craving with peanut butter frosting on top.....mmmmm, mmmm, Good!
Have a Wonderful Spring Day

God IS SO Good

Knock-Out Work

Good Morning!

I could not resist showing you my Knock-Out Rose. I have never been lucky with any of the roses besides your wild roadside variety, so I thought I'd give this one a chance to prove to me that it is worth all it's hype. They say it should grow here, so next spring will tell the truth. In the meantime, let's just enjoy it's charm.
So, since we are knocking out, I thought I'd ' knock- out ' some work yesterday. I spent a good part of the day working on cleaning up the grove beds and planting a few annuals in them. This one has Johnny-Jump-Ups, a few Verbena, and a few perennials like Bee Balm, violets, Bluebells, and another that smells like vanilla, tiny white-flowered, deer loving, press on the side of my nose to remember-plant. Danged if I can remember. Anyway I found it growing in the yard and moved it into the bed so DH wouldn't mistake it for mowable grass.

The other two beds have Verbena, Dianthus, Sweet Williams, a couple variety of Hostas, Lily of the Valley, volunteer Bee Balm and Bluebells., and a few fern.
There was a Dragonfly Birth yesterday. They were flying all over amongst the trees while I worked, getting their ' new wings '. Mom called saying that the deer flies and horseflies are back too. Love the dragonflies but not the other two.
The Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly was getting the last taste of nectar from the end of my lilacs. Due to this drought weather, so far, all of my plants and shrubs are suffering with very minimal sized growth. This lilac blossom is so small.
We sure can grow some pretty rocks around here tho. And interesting like this little ball I found. It's about the size of a large grapefruit and sits in the water rock. A water rock is just a rock that happens to have a few hollows to hold water. The birds think I'm O.K., when I remember to add their ' splish-splash '.
Someday I will show you ALL my favorite rocks. I know, now you think I have a few of them in my head. You may like to collect trinkets, I collect local rocks.

This pink one with all it's jagged spider holes, just happens to be one of my loves. I must have gotten that craze from ' me Pappy ', cause of the love he took in building their split rock fireplace. It's beautifully done. I will show you someday.
How bout this cool granite that the ol' fellar cross the road gave me? Loveit!
Or this petrified wood that we found years ago on a party-barge ride with Mel on the flowage...

Loveit!
I'm easily distracted while I'm supposed to be working. I couldn't resist noticing all of the new growth on the trees around me....like this branch of pine candles sprouting new cones.
Here's a closer look for you. Click on any of the pictures for an even closer look.
The new spruce growth is just as beautiful, all lime tips extending every where.

These are last years spruce cones that will be pushed off by the new growth. Notice the little Asian Beetle tucked in toward the top right of the back cone.

These little fellas were brought in to control the Army Worm infestation we had a few years ago. Now they need to control these guys that are everywhere and Stink to high heaven when squished.
There's the grove I worked on yesterday which is between our horseshoe driveway that surrounds the house. The third tree down is our next project after the rest of the vegetable gardens are planted the next couple of days. We still need to gather more rocks and get that last bed ready for perennial that need dividing. Do you see my headstone? The kids think I'm kidding.
Maybe, just maybe, I can convince Bill that this grove needs flower beds too. We will see.
My day was exhausting in the unusual 90 degree humid weather we have been having in May, of all times., but so satisfying to get another job behind me. Thank God for the breeze or I would have spent the day inside enjoying the air conditioning. Never, have I turned on the air in May. Our normal air time, is mid August and then only for a few days. It makes me wonder, What is Aug. going to be like...in the meantime, we are still praying for some much needed rains.

Have a wonderful day

BlessYa'll

Busy, Busy, Rush, Rush

Thank Goodness for strong coffee. We had the busiest GrandLove Weekend. We witnessed a Dance Recital, a Birthday Party, a Roller Blade Demo, a Wrestling Match and lots of hugs and giggles.

It was a blast to see everyone. This entry might be a bore for some of you, but as I entered my first day on blog land, I'm all about family so, here we go again.

Like I said, Thank Goodness for strong coffee. Austin was fascinated with each drip the coffee made to fill the pot. Grandpa was explaining just how it worked when lil Austin says, "I love you til we die."...pretty profound statement for a four year old.
Our Granddaughter Ryele (Rye), had her Danz Kraze Spring Show which featured 50 performances from pre-K to High School age gals that entertained us for 2 1/2 hrs. It was great to see the progress the kids make in a couple of years. I still think the littlest ones are the cutest. This was Ryele's 2nd year of dance. Her team consists of 7 little 6-7 yr. old darlings. She is on the far right getting ready for a kick. Sorry for the unclear picture, as we sat way high on the bleachers.
The stars are lavished with roses at the end of their performances from their admirers. We are so proud of the sweet young lady Rye is becoming.
Her big brother was more than happy to support his little sister. Afterall, she has gone to every hockey, football, softball, and soccer game that he has played and been his greatest cheerleader. He is so excitedly looking forward to high school here at the Huskys, and more excited to enter the Doghouse Gym.
AARGH!!!!
A special young lady turned 7 on her Danz Kraze Day...Happy Birthday Ryele.

Her Mom said it was Birthday Cakes for Ryele this year. Her favorite flavors of Cho. Peanut Butter and Strawberry Cream Cheese. She told her Mom she didn't want a regular birthday cake. And they were delicious. It seems her Mommy has to be on crutches for 6 weeks due to a stress injury and torn ligament......ouch.
Mr.-Mr. has a new exercise run. Ryele got him when she finally mastered her bicycle this spring while Daddy was on a business trip. He promised she could get a hamster if she learned while he was gone. She learned in an afternoon, with such great incentive. The exercise run was a birthday gift from her brother.
We also went to a Roller Derby Demo, compliments the Birthday Girl! I couldn't believe she took right off on those skates. Her Daddy said she had a lot of practice with her balance on the ice, playing hockey. Another future athlete is in the family. You go girl!
Christopher sure loves his dog, Bandit. He is getting old and arthritic, but sure tries to continue to please his family. Bandit has been a faithful friend for 14 yrs. already.
Christopher's brother Austin, well, he's just a goofus. He loves to entertain us with his funny tricks and faces. So much energy comes out of these two boys, that Grams and Gramps are exhausted after a visit just watching them.
We also witnessed a Wrestling Match by Christopher Giggles and Awesome Austin. Given the opportunity, these little guys will make great competitive wrestlers someday. Lil Austin already has some of the holds down. Boy, would their Uncle Stacy love to coach them.
This was the only driving that Bill did. We followed our daughter back to her home after the birthday party . He has not been wanting to drive much this weekend.

We passed this pretty place along the way. That is one big farmhouse. If walls could talk, I wonder what it would say. Darcie said it was built in the late 1800's. It was nice of her to drive us past it. She knows how I love the old places with a history.
I hope I didn't bore or exhaust any of you. It was a great weekend for a couple of GrandFolks who don't get away very often. When we got home, it was back to the grindstone. We restocked the cabinets and the freezer, Bill and the boys put a fishing floor that rests on the seats in the bow of Stacy's boat, he and Andy took it for a test run hoping to land some walleyes. Bill mowed the lawn, I potted more plants, made lunch and supper, did laundry, put one of the window air conditioners in, and planted some potatoes in tires for a trial. I'm pooped out, plum tuckered, tired, exhausted, ready for bed.

Hope you all had a happy but productive weekend.

BlessYourHearts for way up north.......

4:46 a.m., Invention

Good Morning!!!

This was my morning sky at 4:46 this morning...I just had to share.
One of my die-hard hunters is up to inventing time savers again. This time it is a sprayer system for the food plots that the guys have dispersed about our acres for the fall bow and rifle hunts. The all are avid hunters and are always fiddling with something new. If it isn't out there the way they like it, they build it better or cheaper than what's on the market.

This time it's a sprayer for weed killer, fertilizing , watering, or whatever else they can think up. You know the old measure twice, cut once phrase?, well, this is measure once, calculate, know your coverage before purchase of weed killer and fertilizer, phrase.

He has already taped out the area he will be driving. He drives the first loop so he can see how far the water spreads and how wide. Notice he is measuring the water exactly, so he can calculate accurately.
He tapes again to see the width, then calculates the width times the distance times the number of times he has to go the distance first measured, and he knows how far his tank of water will go.
This is the sprayer set-up he has engineered. It works pretty efficient, but, of course, being the engineer he is, he says he still has lots of ' tweaking' to do.

For one, he is not happy with his spray. The system is right, but the angle still needs some adjustment. Anyone else would probably be quite satisfied, but not my perfectionist.
Apparently, because the spray is too high on one side, and too low on the other, the dissipation of the water is not consistent, so it must be adjusted. He also considers the wind direction and the heat of the day.
No wonder, for myself, who measures nothing, goes crazy with these boys of mine sometimes. Ya Gotta Loveum. Bless their hearts that they are so meticulous.

Now, if only they could apply that same theory to their personal lives...hmmmm.

Life is so full of 'curves in the road'. This way, that way, no this way!

Have a Simply Lovely Weekend

From Up by Us in WI