Life

Saturday night we went to a 30th anniversary party for friends, Andy and Cindy. It was a nice evening for being outside, visiting, and eating good food.
Monday I hung out with Loretta doing computer stuff with her new laptop. It was fun. Up until last month we exercised together 3 times a week. Then I got a herd. I missed keeping up with her and realized how much when I spent the day with her. I love her heart for the Lord and she's fun.
Today I did an errand for Tanner and then went to the library. What a treat! I got the next book in a series I'm reading, a Chinese cookbook, 2 quilt books, and a book by Eudora Welty who friend Mary recommended. I feel so happy and like I have a pile of treasures after spending time at the library. Then I come home and look thru the treasures and I'm happy all over again. One of the quilt books was written in the early '70's and it has stories told by women quilters from as far back as the late 1800's. I finished it already--very interesting.
I got a diet book in the mail for a diet I'm going to try. There will be no dieting in Heaven :0!!!!!!!
Maybe I'll take 2 months to read it......

Poor Boys!

Today John and I put little rubber rings on the calves' marble sacks so they will become steers rather than bulls. This was the first time I got to participate in this event. John used his rodeo skills to lay them down and hold the back legs and I got to do the rest. Other years we've let the calves get too big and then someone comes and does cutting and pulling and there's blood. Didn't want that to happen to the babes! So I learned a new skill today--one I hope to not use too often. They all look like it didn't phase them much.

Sunset

Has anyone noticed how very early it gets dark these days? Those long summer nights seem to be a thing of the past. This was at 7pm Sunday. Yesterday morning when John and I were out feeding the herd we saw the sun coming up--it was huge and orange. I'm a house person so this calf feeding is good for me cuz it gets me out to breathe air and observe the beautiful world God made. I'm having a hard time with so many hours of dark--I'm used to staying up til 12 and now by 9 I'm thinking it MUST be about bed time. I'm sitting under my happy bulb which is sposed to simulate sunlight(what a farce). But I'm happy!!!

I got it...

I've had this on my fridge for a long time. This was all a nice thot but I don't think I really GOT it until Matt went to prison. Those were some dark, tough times, but I can honestly say I wouldn't trade them for anything because of all God did. I grew closer to my Heavenly Father than I had ever been, I grew to trust Him more, saw His grace at work, knew His love and that deep down joy no matter what (count it All joy), and the praise goes to Him for all He did.
Sometimes if something bad happens now I have to get hold of my thinking and remember---
He has taken me thru thus far and He will faithfully take me thru this too. And that's the wisdom for today.

Ready to cook

And there's all the mammies behind her wearing their aprons. I just love her!!

My new friend

I'm so excited! I have a new friend and here she is. Someone made a paper mache dress form and I got her for $1. I got the cute rocker for $1 too! It doesn't take much to thrill me. I also got an old full apron and it fits her perfectly--she's wearing it now. So it was a fun morning garage saling with Johnny!

Free Counter

Arthur and Minnie

It's Arthur and Minnie again. Don't they even look a little like the Waltons? I'm wondering what the thinking was with Grandma wearing ankle socks with high heels--might have been a "missionary" thing. I remember the missionary men wearing sandals with socks.
Grandpa and Grandma always said they couldn't imagine one being without the other. God honored that and when they were 80 they both died in a tornado. God took them together in the wind. They served the Lord faithfully for many years. What a heritage!

Love Letters

My grandparents were missionaries in China for many years. My dad was born there in 1917. Arthur and Minnie both grew up in Northfield and knew each other as kids. Over the years they wrote many letters to one another and saved them all. At one point, probably when Japan invaded China, they decided they could not keep carrying around all these letters and before burning them, they laid them all out for a picture. Shortly after they were put in a Japanese prison camp. My grandpa was a lot like Grandpa Walton and Grandma was a lot like Grandma Walton. He'd be having a good time and she'd say, "Oh, Arthur". She was prim and proper and he always had a glint in his eye.

Yesterday I started a new Bible Study based on the book" What's So Amazing About Grace?".

Everyone wants grace and I could definetly give more grace so I'm excited to learn

29 Blissful Years

This is my daddy who is now 91.

On the 8th John and I marked 29 years married. And then there were the approx. 9 years dating! My dad married us in Birnamwood, WI at the church he was pastoring. It was a huge affair with 2 sets of parents, 2 sisters, and one brother-in-law, and us! I made my dress from a nightgown pattern(no, it did not look like a nightgown)--a halter dress. I was finishing sewing it right before the event. I have always worked best under pressure. When Tessa got married I made her dress and was sewing on it right before we left home.

John thot we should go visit the guy who married us so last Sunday we went to Amery. Visited mom and dad, changed their living room furniture around, stayed at my sister's, and made Chinese dinner and banana cream pie to celebrate my dad's birthday which was on the 11th.

It's been a great 29 plus years and reminds me just how fast time goes.

Jody

Today I went to Galesville to visit my friend, Jody. She is going to have back surgery next week so I made her a "comfort quilt" to recover under. Her daughter, Randi, just lost twin baby boys.

Heartache. But there is the hope we have if we know Christ. Randi's precious boys are with the Lord and Randi will be reunited some day. And they will be perfect and whole! God is good!

My Job

This little herd of ours is turning out to be a lot more work than I am used to. This week 7 of the 10 calves had scours(diarrhea). Medicine didn't work so I went to the internet for home remedies. I'm a big fan of home remedies for people or animals. I found a recipe so was mixing big quantities of beef broth, water, soda, and Karo Syrup and feeding them every 4 hours and then hand feeding bits(corn, oats, pellets). After 48 hours I was exhausted. Now they are back to milk replacer twice a day and I'm watching their poop with paranoia. It's hard to get used to having to be home at certain times to feed them--I was spoiled with freedom! And this is why I don't want a job.

2nd Maiden Voyage

Tonight I was privileged to go out on the river with Matt and Tessa in Matt's latest project. Last year he got the boat his grandpa had. He gutted it and fixed the motor. It was a splendid ride and a beautiful night to be on the river. Matt fished for a while. Caught one that got away.

Labor Day Labor

I spent yesterday making a purse for Tessa. I saw this fabric at Hancock Fabrics and it screamed "Tessa!". She wanted it bigger than the pattern I usually use so I had to make a new pattern. It was good creative fun!

John's Find

John found a lovely wicker rocker sitting by the street near his job. It needs a bit of repair on the back and I'm thinking I may be able to revive my macrame talents from the early '70's to fix it. I was addicted to macrame back then--OH, the plant hangers I made! Maybe it's not something I should revive.

My blogging is sporadic because I am dealing with dial-up that keeps disconnecting on me .