Coffee with Good Company

Last night our church ladies held a little get together, "Celebrating Autumn". The program included our ladies choir in which we sang "For the Beauty of the Earth", "There is a Season" (Eccl. 3:1-8,11) and on the lighter side "Java Jive". The blessings we have in fellowship shared with other women friends and family over coffee (and dessert too), is something to be treasured. Thankfully I was able to share the evening with many local friends and also the company of my Mom and my aunt Bonnie.

Clownin' Around

To add to the long weekend excitement we went down to have some fun with the Grin family. They had a local parade and other community events. Ross entertained us as usual with his fun games. This time he dug out his clown costume and made some balloon animals. It was so nice to see him again! Dad had a fun reunion revival of the Farmers Four quartet that he sang with for high school. They sounded good and even had the nice vests and hats to add to the show!

K-nooking 2008

This year was a small get-together with my family. Since Ross and Wade weren't around. So was just Mama and Papa, Jane and Doug, Becky and Jason and Dean and I.
We had a fun time- Dad made his first attempt at ever dying Easter eggs which was comical. And then we kept up the tradition of K-nooking (spelling questionable but sounds like kan-nooking) This year I won!! Whoo Hoo! This game always creates lots of laughs. Anyway we had a Happy Easter!

Project Smoker: Step 1

Last Sunday we went for a visit to my parents. We really had a fun visit and also had a project! Ever since we smoked sausage with Dean's uncle Ed, Dean has been calculating a plan to make his own smoker. Well here is step one. We got an old tank out from the basement of the old Duffner house. It took some work and by the time we were finished the stairs going down to the basement were barely hanging on.
We also got another tank out for Dad for his new burn barrel. It is always fun to explore that house although it is sad to see how things deteriorate over time so much has come appart since Dad bought the place 20 years ago. But the memories live on as we take the old and make them into something new!

Holiday Hunting

This Thanksgiving was a bit different from our usual. We went down to Mom & Dad's but we were the only kids home. So our plan was to hunt with Mom & Dad. We went out in the morning, before our Thanksgiving feast and Dean helped Dad get a nice little bambi for eating. Then we had our neighbors Richard and RaeAnn over for a late dinner. Afterward Richard joined us for the rest of the days hunt closing the day with Dean getting his buck! It's rack was damaged so it was a 4 x spike. But a nice big & fat one!

Carwash

Sunday we had a nice day just to hangout with family. Ross and Mom washed their cars. No water fights!
I got to snuggle up Snickers a bit! She is starting show her age a bit as she is now 10 1/2 yrs old.Remembering that spring of 1997 when I brought her home at Easter. It was so beautiful out no snow then we got that really bad April storm. I don't think she knew what to think of the snow!

Dew Drop Inn

Saturday, we went with Mama and Papa to visit my great aunt Lily. She has lived in the same home since the 1930's when she married my late great uncle Art. When I was a child Art was the postmaster and they had the postoffice on the main floor of the building and lived upstairs. But what I didn't know much about was the interesting history this place has. Originally the building was an old church, then moved into Heimdal and made into a cafe, then into a cafe/bar with a hotel upstairs called the "Dew Drop Inn" which my uncles Art and Rody ran. Then later a Lumberyard and finally the postoffice until my uncle Art past away in the 80's. The living quarters upstairs was originally 8 hotel rooms which is the size of maybe 2 hotel rooms today. In this day in age we really are spoiled with our "own room" idea of space.

With the Grins

Saturday we spent the day with the Grins- Mama Ruth and Papa Dean that is. It was a rainy gloomy day so we visited, and Dad and Deano fixed on the vaccum cleaner for Mama. Later that evening we went out for supper it was a good time. And a good reason to celebrate, Dad's harvest is complete!

Harvest Time 2007

My Papa - in the combine. "Nothing runs like a Deere."
It's Harvest time and that means both of our families are busy. Dean has been going out to his folks some to help with harvest and baling. Sunday, Dean and I went out and made some straw bales.


The cab was a little more crowded than I remember from my childhood days of riding with Dad. Dean and I both fit, but it was a little snuggly!

NBC's Today Show: America the Beautiful: Amber Waves of Grain shows the beauty of the area we live in, #6 of the 10 most awe inspiring locations in our nation.

Dad and Me

Monday morning I went down and spent some time with Dad. We mainly worked on fixing the combine tires and visiting. Nice to have a little time to hang out with my papa.


Snickers came along too, but she was mostly interested in a nap.

Giant Caterpillar!

When Mom and Dad came up on Sunday they brought an interesting critter with them. Evidently after leaving the church yard they found this HUGE caterpillar on Dad's pant leg! So they put it in a container and brought it up to show us. It is unbelievable! Pictures just don't do it justice. Anyway we placed it in our Monarch pail and now overnight it has spun a heavy web-like cocoon around itself. I did some research online and found out that it is a Robin moth or Cecropia moth. This site has a good way of searching by characteristics of the caterpillars. To read more about the Robin moth type it's name in the search or read Encyclopedia link. Some good photos at WormSpit. During Mom and Dad's visit, they had to try out or new couches with recliners! Dad and Deano sure look comfy!

Corn Feed

This weekend Little Flower had their annual Corn Feed. Mama and Papa came up for a fun little picnic.
It was a busy weekend for church, as they installed the new pastor on Saturday night and I sang in the choir for that and then I was the song leader for Sunday morning mass.
At the corn feed, Paul Bingham told me that he sang a song at the bar with a band and that it was on MySpaceVideos, check it out. Guess he is going to do this again so is writing more songs about hereford cattle to familiar tunes.
Also this weekend was Daryl and Susan's 6 yr. Wedding Anniversary! Happy Anniversary! Glad it wasn't the 104 degrees that it was 6 years ago!
Just recently I started a family food blog so that my friends and family can share recipes; check it out at: Fabulous Family Food

Family Fun

This weekend we also had some fun at the Grin farm. Just like the good old days! We played baseball, croquet, and just fun visiting! It was a bit warm - so we kept hydrated by taking a water break. I really loved the opportunity to get together with both my brothers and just hang out at home with the whole fam-damily!

Mama Rut's Flowers

My mom is such a good gardener, I think it is her favorite hobby. She has beautiful flower beds and vegetable garden. Thankfully she has shared some of her perennial flowers with me, to get some beautiful blooms around here too! Thanks Mom!

Independence Day Parades

Over the past few days we have done a little celebrating for the 4th. On Sunday, July 1st we went down to see Mama & Papa and Ross & Sheila. We took in the parade there and had fun visiting with many friends and relatives. We watched the parade with the Arnston's and we got to see Kinsey for the first time.


On the 4th we went to the parade in town and joined Daryl & Susan & girls, Donna & boys, Darren, Renae & Bernice. Amber had a good time catching all the candy!



Yippee!We had a good ol' time!
Later we took in the firework show-they are always so beautiful!

Number 31

What a wonderful number! I had a wonderful day of celebrating my birthday. Mom, Dad and Bonnie all came up for supper. Later Daryl, Susan and girls came over too. Hopes were to have a bonfire but it started to rain later so our bonfire was cut short. Had a great time anyway.

More Mother/Daughter Fun!

Other events on the trip included shopping thrift stores and clearance racks. And fun staying at the hotel with the Bear themed room!!! They had bear bedspreads, curtains (both window and shower), lampshades, wallhangings and even soap! We felt like kids again!

Visit with Mama & Papa

Sunday we went down to visit Mama Ruth & Papa Dean. Such a beautiful day, so we helped Dad with a few projects to get ready for calving. Although he already had about 5-6 calves in the barn! It was a fun time and nice to have warmer days! Spring is on it's way!

The Deans going to work!

Cute Calf!