1200 Miles Away From Home

For months, we've known we'd be taking one last trip to TX., only this trip would be different.  We, my husband, brother and I would be moving my youngest sister back home to WI where she's already started another adventure of her life.   

The guys took care of packing and clearing out the huge shop and storage in the garage and around the yard, filling a 16 ft. trailer and the boxes and back seats of both the pick-up trucks.   My sister and I packed boxes and totes, marking each one by room, main items, etc. preparing them for the fellas to load the 26 ft. U-Haul.  She packed her car herself with her music, guitars, banjos, a mandolin, lap harp, keyboard, and a few harmonicas.  Yes, she's very talented and loves music.   

 The guys sure packed the U-Haul tight all the way to the top 26 ft. long and 8 ft. tall, and not a thing was broken by time we unpacked in WI.

 We had plenty of laughs throughout our long 9 days of packing.  I'd asked, " Hey, guys, turn around "~~~~and so they did.

 They had to hold the last mattress in place as they pulled down the door and locked it for the long haul ahead.  There was only one thing left to do, ... pick her peaches !  We gals were about to do that when we learned the guys already had them in cool storage and on the truck.  We had to thank them.  It was in the upper 90's to 100 all week with humidity so high that we were wet t-shirts immediately when we stepped out the door of the house.  We gals were grateful to be working inside most the time., and the guys never complained once.  We all got it done and

 locked and loaded, strapped down tight, we headed on the road again.

click on this photo to see the Texas smoker that her husband built several yrs. before he entered eternity.
Click Any photo for a closer image.

 We became a 4-vehicle caravan for the next 2 days and over 

1200 miles.  We were in contact with 2-way radios for the trip...the only way to keep in touch with all drivers at once.  It worked great.  I got one cell phone call to remind me to turn on the 2-way. lol

 Finally we pulled into the driveway ' at the farm ' (Mom's) where my sister stayed a couple nights until she'd closed on her new home another 13 min. away.  That's already so much better than 2 days away.  Mom's wild roses welcomed us all.

We have traveled from WI to TX and back again

with God in the bucket seats beside us, all safe and sound.  Lil Sis has traded sweltering weather, fire ants, scorpions and black widows for our state birds, these nasty mosquitoes, long, hard winters and bitter temperatures.  Everyone says, " WHY? " when she tells them she's moved back home from the south.  Her answer is always the same, " To be with my family. "  

We are so glad to have her home again.

Until next time....

BlessYa'll

Weighing-In

to enlarge any photo, simply click on it

 The deck finally has colors other than snow white!

I love my copper kettle full of red, white and blue.

 Million Bells have become one of my favorite annuals.  They come in a ray of colors but for me, all are great.  The brewery box on the corner is full of orange, white and reds that need no tending other than a drink of water.

Deep purple, more red and bright yellow are on the picnic table with a home for chickadees....or maybe a tree frog will make this his humble abode. 

 The faded child's trike is parked in the succulent garden

with chives and a Wren-sized nesting box.  For all I know, there could be tiny imaginary beings with magic powers dancing within.

Most recently our resident doe and one of her fawns were playing chase at the edge of the field until ' little one ' wore out and just wanted to rest a bit before carrying on. 

 That very afternoon Ms. Turkey strutted through the yard, in a hurry to get from one edge of the lawn to another.  We never did see any of her chicks as yet.  I wondered if it was the turkeys or the deer that were knocking the cherub and the birdbath over each night.  Lo and behold....it was....

 not the deer or the turkeys but it was this little rascal, 

Ms. Raccoon.   No wonder the birdseed would disappear and the water would be gone or tipped out of the bird's

bath and drinking water.  She sure is cute but such a rascal!

click on any picture to enlarge

Totally unrelated to any of the animals or flowers in this segment, but worth mentioning, is this bag of change.

Do you keep your change in jars, etc?  How much do you think that bag of money weighs and what is the total amount weighing-in?

With that weighing on your mind, I wanted to let you know that I will be taking a road trip for a while and departing from blogging during that time.  I think I have just enough to get me to my destination and maybe back home again.  When I return, I will share some of my activities and sites.  Until then, 
have a most wonderful time smelling the roses and playing~

I'm going to.

BlessYourHearts

Making Fun

The Grandloves are out of school and the summer fun has begun !

 Time for barrel rolling, faster and faster...

 Playing ball with your best friend~

 collecting butterflies, grasshoppers and fireflies~

but please don't do it, don't eat the bugs!

 Look, it's a kid looking back at me...

 Ready or not, here I come...

 Maybe you should dip him in chocolate first...

what a crazy kid !

 No grandlove leaves until they've had their

turn on the tire swing...Higher~~~

 Laughing and splashing fun,

Can't get enough !

 The canoe transportation works...

Let's go fishing !

Most of these photos were from previous years of summer fun but when I saw them again, I was quickly reminded of some of the lazy summer days spent right here.  We are proud of the way our Grandloves spend more time outside than inside, making their very own fun, just like we did when we were kids.  

We never had a pool, but we did have waterholes and picnics at the lake and running in the rain.  We chased butterflies and fireflies and looked up the names of every bug.  And as a kid, my 8 siblings and I did our chores first and then rode horses all day and ran through the woods making rooms out of the fallen leaves.  We tied limbs together with twine and made our corrals for our horses while we ate our apple and then shared the core with our 'ride' back to the barn.  Life was sweet and always another adventure.

  We played all day out of sight of our parents, muddy feet from crossing the creek, or hay in our hair from playing with the kittens in the hay mow in the barn.  We always had at least one dog that ran along with us while we biked up and down the driveway.  Mom and Dad never worried about us getting into trouble or loosing our way on the property.  We knew our boundary...just so long as we were inside and washed up in time for supper.

Life was good as a country kid.  For that, I still remain grateful.

I find it ironic that my Grandloves would someday be playing the same ' made-up ' fun and games as I did as a kid.  It makes me proud.  We must have done something right raising our own.

God sure knows what's best !

Have an incredible time this weekend.

Remember a few of your ' days-gone-by ' and~

Thanks for stopping !

Go Ink~

It has been raining, I've seen all Bill's westerns at least twice, so 

 since the pen and paper were right there, why not try a little sketching.  I flipped through a few garden magazines and 

gave it the ol' college try.

 Pretty sloppy, and I kept falling asleep so there are 

many errors in ink, lines where they do not belong.

 I was going to highlight in colored pencil,

but I rather like these ' black and whites.'

 I'm hoping I can still do this after my nerves get

released of their pinches.  I do love to sketch.

It seems I always want more...

like being able to do this from memory rather

than looking at a flower or a picture of one.

Maybe if I get to heaven, it will come to fruition.

By then there will be no need to satisfy personal wishes.

Have a wonderful week.

Get out and don't forget to smell the roses~

and the lilacs.