Missing photos from last week

Just for you, Mary.

Quilt again

I made Tessa and Grandma pose in bed with the quilt. They said they felt silly. Tessa has a great blog--check it out by clicking on her name.

Our Herd

Our herd started with 2 calves and it was so fun to feed them and now suddenly we have 10 calves and, frankly, it is hard work and makes me perspire. Morning feeding isn't so bad cuz John and I do it together but evening feedings it's just me. The first night I had quite a time. They are strewn all about the yard and a shed. The first one I fed got loose and started chasing me down and sucking furiously on my arm and leg as I was trying to feed another. Flies are glomming onto me, and I'm hitting the creature to get him away. Got him retied and moved on. One claf started circling me and winding me up in his rope and almost took me down. Then there are the head butters who like to butt the pail as if it was their mother's udder, so a tight grip is required. Then there are the 3 dogs who think they have come upon some fine dining and eat the calf poop--oh well--it's just milk--yuk!
I was wet, irritated and exhausted by the end. They have distinct personalities. One is blind in one eye and acts a bit off kilter, one is very tight lipped and doesn't like to open his mouth, one is an escape artist and now has a big chain attached to his rope, one is mellow and patient and rarely makes a sound, and one is obnoxious and bellering all the time. I probably need a bunch of chickens now.....

Sunflower bug

I saw movement on a sunflower and this bug was so well camoflaged. I've never seen a bug like it before and it wasn't a bee. The colors exactly matched the colors on the flower. I just stood there and thot to myself, "How could anyone not believe in God?" Anyone know what this bug is?

Camplife

Hope was pretty cute when we got to the campsite. I expected her to be off running right away but she helped set things up and then began "nesting" like I like to do--making the camper cozy.
She put the tablecloth on the picnic table and set the table with real dishes and then wrapped silverware in washcloths and told me that's how they do it in fancy restaurants.

Camping

We went camping last weekend near Winona with Tessa and Matt, friend Mary from Mpls., and Hope. It was most enjoyable! Hope probably had the most fun swimming and hunting frogs and toads and playing with some other kids near us. The second night was kind of cool. Must take heavier quilts if we go again this year.



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I'm Looking Over....

Ever since I've known John, he has brought me four leaf clovers. He seems to have an eye for walking thru a field and spotting them. He always looks like a cute little boy when he presents them to me. Such a wonderful mate I have!

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Joy

When I am around Hope I always think, "What a joyful little girl!" She caught grasshoppers, made us pancakes for breakfast, learned how to use a sewing machine, crafted, and we went to the Caledonia fair. It was a bit lonesome when she left.







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Hope

This is Hope who is the daughter of my friend, Melanie. On Thur. I picked her up from Tessa's house and got to be Grandma til Sunday.
This is Matt and Tessa's backyard looking out at the Mississippi.





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Catfish

Trevor's friend, Dustin caught 2 catfish yesterday. The one in the pail was still swimming so the dog was fascinated. The boys put butter, garlic, and seasoning on them, wrapped them in foil and cooked them on the grill. I suggested they maybe should open a restraunt since they like to cook and don't have current employment. I got the LOOK.

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New babies

Yesterday we got 2 bull calves yesterday. This is one of them and a dog who is rather smitten with them. We haven't had any cattle for a few years so it's fun. The woods and valley have gotten so overgrown without cattle tromping around. Hopefully we can get a few more and have a little herd. I've been feeding them milk replacer and bits and letting them suck on my hands. They're drinking out of pails so want to suck on something since they're still really young. Matt named them Clyde and Floyd.




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3 Amigos

Ok.. I'll stop after this. I don't remember what the boys were doing with the truck or where the tank came from but they looked like septic pumpers so they were good sports for their mother and posed. The sign says Three Amigos Pooper Pumpers. They had a great childhood!




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Postcards

I'm having fun blogging at Tessa's with high speed as opposed to my dial up that's not working now.
Since all but Tanner have left the nest, I send the kids a postcard every week to keep in touch and to put a little Scripture into their lives. It's been fun finding old pictures, throw away pictures or pictures I put together. This one I put together. What a blessing to have these 4 children! And to think I was never gonna have any kids.....Oh-what I would have missed! Love you kids!





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quilt maker

John's mom is the one who hand sewed these quilt blocks. She came out to visit yesterday. She's still pretty spunky for 87!





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Life

We went to the farmers' market on Saturday for flowers and sweet corn. There was even live music while we strolled thru. Some poor guy singing and playing guitar while sweating in the hot sun. The lady that sells sweet corn and muskmelons has quite a following. Now you have to stand in a line to get her goods. Corn was great and this big bunch of flowers were only $5.
Saturday night we had guests for dinner(because I now have a table and chairs!). It was a nice evening with the Dahls!











This spider was out in the porch and I was looking forward to watching him every day but he vanished. He had pretty gold on him. Probably a her since I'm seeing a lot of webs and eggs out there. Does that mean it's almost fall?:(




There are sunflowers growing by the porch. Didn't plant them. I've got a feeder out there so this must be seeds that fell. The hummingbirds like to flit in and out of them to the feeder.






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I have a full time job keeping 2 hummingbird feeders filled. The last 2 weeks they are crazed and eating so much. And there are MANY of them. They fight, dive bomb, and sqwak at each other.
Does this mean fall is coming and they are preparing for their long trip?
I don't want summer to end!!

Cooking

On Monday night the kids came and ate with us. Matt taught us how to play Catch 10 which was a fun card game. When the kids were little we'd go camping with Becky and her kids. 8 little kids running around having fun! It made Becky and I kinda miss those days. On Tuesday 3 moms with about 9 kids came and camped next to us. Then it felt more right with the sounds of little ones having camping fun. John brought some glow in the dark plastic that was left overs from something they made at work. He gave it to one of the moms for the kids to play with. A while later as we were sitting around the fire, 4 boys came to show us what they'd done with it. They were wearing shields, belts, headbands, wristbands and looked like little warriors. And they glowed in the dark!




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My sister the firebug. She has an unnatural fascination with fire.




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Home Sweet Away From Home

We got a pop-up last year. Only camped one time and John and I slept in the van that time so this was the first time we got to sleep in it.
It has a king size bed on one side and queen on the other. It even has a grown up potty chair!





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