WHAT the HAIL* * *

Hey, Grandma, have you seen my swim goggles?  

click on any photo to enlarge

What the Hail...is going on with this weather?  We had a short-lived hail storm a few days ago.  The powerful rains lasted less than 8 minutes dumping 2 inches of rain and then came the hail.

 As small as what the actual hailstones were, from tiny to the size of a dime, it still did a considerable amount of damage to our vegetable gardens.  The green beans were torn and left pounded into the mud.

 The onions have white spots on their leaves from where they were pelted with the hail.  The same happened to everything that shows it's growth above the grounds surface, sugar snap peas, green beans were left with the burn marks of the icy hail.

 The broad corn leaves are now in shreds but the corn will be fine so long as it doesn't get hit again as the ears develop further.

 The carrots lay on the ground with broken fronds.

 The tomatoes lay all over the ground pounded off by the hail's fury, leaving it's mark all over the tomatoes that managed to hang on.  The white spots speckling the fruit and the stems show proof of damaging weather.

 We remain grateful that the pumpkins were just getting their start.  Had this storm arrived when our pumpkins were fully grown, we could have lost the entire field of them.

 We do not, however, hold much hope of eating cucumbers this year.  Our patch was destroyed leaving only once cucumber. Before the storm, you could not see any ground where the cucumber plants once were. 

 Tiny crystals of ice certainly can create a lot of despair for the average gardeners such as ourselves.

 What the hail did not destroy, the rampant rains washed away.

 The rain fell so hard but when the hail started, and the wind from the west, we thought for sure our west windows were going to crack or blow out under the pressure.

During all of this, Bill was splitting wood at the cabin and was forced to run for cover, it came so quickly.  He headed for the garage to sit it out, saying he had to keep moving his chair back because it was hailing in so hard....and loud, he said it was so loud pounding against the metal roof.

Traffic pulled off the highway because it was so slippery with the couple inches of hail.  To top it off, the power was also out for several hours.  Never a dull moment.

Through those amazing 8 minutes, there was still room for a miracle.

 Not one of my paper thin poppies were destroyed.  They stood tall throughout the storm while the corn got cut down to half it's size.

So in spite of ice at the end of July and damaged gardens, we can rest assured that the root crops will still produce for us.  We may not be eating many tomatoes this year but we will have our carrots and beets.  I even think the cabbage will make it.

All my life I've heard that if you want to see a rapid change in weather, come to Wisconsin.  We do have it all.

Have a great week and stay safe.

Fight's On ~ With Mosquitoes

We've been so busy  this summer.  How bout you?  

 It's hard to believe that a few weeks have already passed since our TX trip but it has.  We still hadn't fished so we took a day off from catching up with the weedy gardens and decided to ' wet a line.'  Down the steep steps to the shoreline of Crowley Dam we went, only to be terrorized by the mosquitoes~and were they ever vicious.   No one was having any luck along the dam, 

 so we moved down the river further to Mom & Dad's old fishin' hole to see if we'd have any better luck.  Well, the mosquitoes were so large, we could see the wood ticks catching rides on their backs.  Mercy, they were terrible and biting hard...the mosquitoes, that is!

 Finally, a couple lines wiggled enough to create a little excitement for the Texans.  One small catfish, one small bass, both CAR's (Catch and Release).  They let them go to grow up as big as their Grandpa's...maybe next year they will be keepers.

 The Bald Eagle across the river in the tree top kept an

' eagle eye ' on the lines as well, in hopes of an easy meal.

 The mosquitoes began to die down now that we had the long grasses trampled which stirred them up so awful when we first arrived.  The crew decided they would hold out til sunset, never another wiggle tho.

 It was still as it should be, with good conversation, good folks, relaxing and fun and jokes to pass the time on a beautiful afternoon.  What more could we ask for really,  except~

 a breath-taking sunset on the Flambeau River where we all learned to fish as kids with our folks.  Life is good~

thanks to God above.

\o/

/\ 

  It's time to get back in the gardens but ~ now, about all the rain, Lord, we sure could use some warm sunshine to dry out the gardens enough to weed them.  I know You're on top of things and I thank You for all your love and patience with me.  I can always depend on Your tender love to get me through Your training program in my life while I whip around like a cane of climbing roses in the wind about to break.  As I get back on my knees to weed, I will remember how personal and humble a chore that is.  I'm reminded of how praying maintains my personal relationship with You.  ...  Amen

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.