A Dream Come True

What would you do with a pile of used dock sections?                       Build something with them, of course!!!                                          no, not a deer blind, either.

My guy, Bill and son were busy one weekend not long ago,

busy measuring twice and cutting once.

The tractor did the lifting of

the heavy, weathered 4x8 ft. sections, 9 ft. in the air, they went, and placing them on the temporary legs set between two strong maple trees by the barn and woodshed.  Two of them were set side by side to make the floor.  The north and south sides were also dock sections, everything securely anchored with screws.

 Bill built the rafters which were lifted with the forks of the tractor and then hoisted over the top by Andy, screwed into place one by one until they formed the roof frame.

 By now I'm sure you have surmised the surprise ! is a treehouse, every little boys dream come true.

Next the roof is added with lumber cut from our woods and sawed at Bill's brother's homemade sawmill.  ( I love that these guys know how to 'git-er-done.' )

 By now, there have been 3 little boys getting pretty exciting at what's going up 'right before their eyes.'  They can hardly contain themselves with anticipation.  But, but....

 there is still so much to do.

The roof was on but still needed to be shingled.

"How long is that going to take, Dad?," they all ask.

 Since the entire project is being done with left-over shingles from other projects, there were occasions when 'Dad' had to stop and decipher as to whether or not there would be enough to finish.

(Of course there was, but Andy just Had to tease his boys a bit.)

By now, the temporary legs were replaced with strong cedar poles.   Finally, the 3 Musketeers were allowed to climb the temporary ladder and check it out.  Oh, my gosh, 'Happy' doesn't begin to describe their reactions.

 Their dad had given each of them different colors of spray paint and had told them to paint the walls.  Of course, they loved that idea!  A little blue, some green, yellow, neon, no less.

 And did they 'have at it!'  Kid Graffiti!

 The weather has put a halt to part of this project.

The plexi-glass windows still need to be re-installed and framed.

The door and the rest of the wall needs finishing, as well as painting the outside.  The cracks will eventually be filled and outdoor carpeting has been suggested, (by the kids.)

 Also, no matter what the weather brings, the railings and the steps will be finished.  The boys already asked for 3 benches under each window and hammocks.  We will see.  All we know for sure is,

 there have already been some secrets told up there, and there are plans going on as they whisper when they go to bed.  We've heard that they want a pulley system to deliver their lunch and a zip-line.

This young man is the oldest of the 3 Musketeers and is so happy his Dad built a treehouse and that he can share with his little brothers and all his cousins and friends.  

What little boy wouldn't love this?

We are happy to report:

Not a single screw or nail entered any tree in this project.

The entire treehouse sits secure on cedar poles that rest on concrete blocks.   If well maintained, this simple treehouse will house the children of our Grandloves.  Wouldn't that be something extra special.

\o/

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Life is Grand

By Gum, We Did It!!!

Yes, folks, pumpkin season has arrived.  Early this summer, my husband decided to grow pumpkins in the 1/2 acre garden he had used last year for just potatoes.

 I asked, "Just what are you going to do with all the pumpkins, deer food?"  I was a little surprised when he said no.

The first picture shows about a third of what he got out of his

' little patch.'

He's been pretty busy moving his prize orbs around,

from the pile by the barn to the wagon by the road,

from the pile by the barn, 

to his treasures on the deck for the grandkids.

 I've even gotten into the action, 

loading tractors, unloading, piling by size

(at first), that got old real fast.

We put up a couple signs only by our place

so as not to mess with the farmer on the other side of town.

 There are even gourds of many colors,

shapes and sizes., of which there will be more

(shhh, next year.)

   and then, 

The FREEZE warnings came so we had to

start to cover everything nightly.

 click any image to enlarge and if you enlarge the one above, 

you will see Bill in the cold morning un-covering his pumpkin wagon.

 By now, you may have heard that the freeze

turned into SNOW? yes, and more snow, 

 and still more of the wet, sticky, stuff yelling,

"I'm Here and I think I'll stay."

 Finally, these past 2 days, it warmed enough to

melt most of it and show us the last of the green grass,

and the orange of the pumpkins again.  Yeah!

 That bit of news sure put smiles on the grandloves again.

We are thinking here, they said, as they wondered how they would carve this years hand-picked pumpkins grown right here at Grandma and Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch.

We cut the prices this weekend and the wagon will

need restocking in the morning.

After this venture is all over, I plan to put another bug

in my guys ear about a long roadtrip.

I wonder~~~~

til next adventure I cannot wait to show you,

Life's Been a Blast

Just Dance

 Have you ever had one of those days?

Today is mine.

All I want to do is to plug in the old jukebox,

 sit back and have an A&W, or

 just dance!

I'm sure you all know what I mean.

Just having One of those days, even tho

From the cold northern WI outdoors,

Life is Still Darned Good

\o/

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Every Day

 I cannot believe I'm going to say this but,

I'm glad fall has come and that the snows are following.

We have filled the last jar,

 sold hundreds of pumpkins to carvers, bakers

decorators and lil pumpkin eaters.

 The last of the squash have been baked off

and preserved for that next pie.

Yes, fall has been so busy from the gardens 

and the fields 

to 

the kitchen.

We are physically exhausted but it is such a 

gratifying kind of tired.  Much has been accomplished.

Much is appreciated.  Every day we

truly realize ' Thanksgiving.'

\o/

/\

What a Ride

We wouldn't have it any other way!

Living the Good Life

Don't let all this gorgeous fall color fool you.  
We already have had the frost to encourage such beauty,
but we also have had our share of rainfall...already a couple inches today ~ I'm not complaining, just missing our crayola box full of fall colors.  The orange tree on the right is already bare.
Soon, I will show you what sits between those two maples in front of the full woodshed.  Speaking of firewood, the heat from the register at my feet feels so good as it pours outside.  My dear man built me a fire to warm the floors.

It was another busy day in the kitchen of Dar n' Bill.  I had cabbage soaking in salt water overnight which was then blanched and packed into canning jars.  I covered them with a sweet-sour mix of brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and a bit more water.
So good to go with a pork roast in the dead of winter.  All I have to do is to thicken the sauce and maybe even add bits of crispy bacon and sauteed onions.  To top that meal off, we will have to open a jar of the applesauce Bill helped me make today. 

I must say, it has been exciting to be as busy as a little mouse packing seeds away for the winter, only We are lining the pantry shelves and the freezers.  I am grateful, however, that the only things left to do are more apples to freeze for pies, and carrots to blanch and freeze.  I am totally Out of Jars...or I'd be making more applesauce and pumpkin and apple pie fillings.  ( Hey, Cher, could you send me your Apple Pie Filling recipe? Thanks Sis. )  Maybe I can wrangle up more jars without buying them...a girl's gotta get sensible.  

It's been another busy, busy day and I am tired, tired, tired.
God sure has had his hand in there, being good to us.  We feel good and are taking advantage of every second we have to survive another wicked winter.  Handy groceries a reach away is so nice to have.  And the price is right!

Good night folks.  I'm signing outa here and off to bed I go.
You all have a wonderful Sunday.  Prayers for everyone.
Life is So Darned Good

Business as Usual

Well, hello folks.
It has been a ' trying ' month, to say the least.
Besides computer woes, not having one, getting one, returning the ' lemon ' and finally getting another one, life up here in north WI. has been a very busy one.

We have been harvesting, and harvesting and harvesting...then canning and canning and freezing and freezing, dehydrating and dehydrating until my fingers are ready to fall off.

Apples, tomatoes, more of both, and pumpkins and potatoes, and carrots, kale and cabbage...the freezer and the pantry shelves are full.  I'm beginning to sell and sell and sell.  We are in produce overload.  What doesn't get saved or sold from this point on, will be donated cuz we are just to pooped to putter any longer.

I will soon have pictures to show you, once I get the past months worth, loaded, but I just wanted to pop in to let you know that I'm still thinking of all of you and very happy to be back with the world of friendships I have developed here in cyberspace.  You have been missed, greatly.  

Until then, 
Life remains good, even with side-effects of  
* Business as usual * for we have been raised 'strong.'