Busy weekend/graduation/pond progress

Wow time goes so fast.Here it is the middle of the week already. Last Friday we went to my youngest sister's daughter's graduation reception.It was a cloudy day when we left home but the sun came out and the day was perfect.
All my other siblings children have graduated.Samantha and Jake(J D to his friends) are the last 2. Jake is a freshman. He is so much taller than his big sister it is truly funny to see them together. "The LITTLE brother"

Here is Sam with her mom.I missed getting her dad in there.





Lorna made Sam's quilt from mom and daughters jeans.Cool quilt.












On the way home we stopped at a Natural reserve in Marshal co.They had a pair of trumpeter swans. The other was farther away and not posing for the camera.
There were also buffalo, one with a calf.








We also made a stop and another sister's to look at her gardens.I lust after her white iris.I really do need a start of that one.








The pond progress is slow. The baby fish are in and happy but the really hot weather has driven me indoors so the hypertufa is not done. Soon I hope.There are hosta moved in under the spirea.More plants will be planted around the pond and rocks Mr T. has collected from years on the farm.
I hope everyone has a good rest of the week.j

New water feature.

We have started the new mini pond in front of the front porch.The large pond is to the back of the house in the hosta garden so we don't hear the water moving out here on the porch.This new one will be for the baby fish.As they grow bigger they will go into the bigger pond or go to live in someone elses pond.
I am taking out the block wall and leaving only one row with the cap block on it.
New wiring will be done so the *wonderful*orange drop cord will be gone.Hosta and other shade plants will be planted.Stay tuned for more pictures.


The wahoo bush,on the patio side of the porch, was severely cut back last year.You can see it behind the stack of block toppers.We had so much rain the leaves got a fungus.
I'm not sure it will stay. There are several whaoo bush starts I think will be transplanted to other places in the yard.It is a very interesting bush,the seeds look a lot like a bittersweet seed.
googled---http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1985-11-01/Wahoo.aspx

Enough for today.I better get to work.j

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

I tried to send this on to Tom Lathrum and Tom Harkin but it came back as undeliverable.Must be because I have sent other e-mails and voiced my concerns that they have blocked me as spam!

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

A friend sent this along to me. I can't think of a reason to disagree. I am sending this to virtually everybody on my e-mail list, and that includes conservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we disagree on a number of issues, I count all of you as friends. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2010." It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I know that many of you will say "this is impossible." Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval rating of any entity in Government. Now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us. We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American heroes. ********************************** Congressional Reform Act of 2010 1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below. A. Two, Six-year Senate terms B. Six, Two-year House terms C. One, Six-year Senate term and three, Two-Year House terms. 2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when he/she is out of office. 3. Congress (past, present, and future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. 4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor; not, a career.. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serving their term(s), then going home and back to work.

Are we there yet / Insect bites and hives

When a friend sent this to me today it was so true





It has been a busy weekend with me ending up at the doctors office this a.m.
We worked outside Sat. and Sun.
Some time on Sat. something bit me on the back of my left arm.At 2:30 Sun. morning I woke up with a very bad itch on that arm.By then I had hives all over arms, legs and torso. I took an allergy pill and a shower to reduce the itching. Helped a little. I did not want to visit the emergency in the middle of the night.

Not a pleasant thing let me tell you.I have never had hives before.


Now I know how really uncomfortable they are.The first picture are of the 2 bug bites.



In the other you can see the hives.


The new small pond is coming along really well. The small fish should have a new home in a day or two.

The garden plot Mr.T. and I have at the community gardens now has a fence around it.Green beans and onions are planted so far.Tomato plants are in here at the home garden plot.I'll post pictures when there is something to see.j

We the people

I got this in an e-mail. Thought I'd share.

Growing up

Our oldest grand daughter got her driving license today.They grow up too fast.Way to go Hallie!

Mothers Day weekend/a bit sad

I called my mom to see how her day went. She is 83 and still going strong.She is in the middle (standing flowered shirt) of some of my cousins and spouses.
She still gardens,mows her own yard and has more energy than I ever do.

I heard from 3 of our 4 children. Picture from the 70's.The kids laugh at the matching outfits.Polyester Yikes!!
.I was glad to hear from each of them but each is having problems because of this economy. It is not improving, for them , like the news media and our president want us to believe. We know better.

What a beautiful day we had for Mothers day. Sun and a bit warmer not really warm but ok by me.
Sat. we drove with friends to Ames for supper.

We did a bit of shopping.
I got a new set of silverware at JC Penny.Love sales!
Then we stopped at Best Buy.

Mr.T. has been after me to get a new laptop for traveling and yes he bought me a new laptop for mothers day. What a guy. He is good to me.

Now he has a new toy to play with(wink, wink). I don't do the installing and all the stuff that has to be done when one gets a new pc. I will leave that to him. He has called twice today to see how I like it and to tell the truth I have not even turned it on. I like my desk top just fine. Has everything I need on it.
The new one needs more of my things in it to make me comfortable using it.

Only problem the Ames Best Buy store was out of the model we wanted---- so we went to the Waterloo Best Buy on Sunday to pick up the pc.
That way we got the sale price. Did I tell you I love sales????

Our same friends went along and we made a day of it going to several stores looking for a doughnut pan and other things.
Who would think that a simple doughnut pan would be hard to find. I will be ordering it on line.
Even the kitchen stores did not have one.

Here is the recipe that started the pan hunt.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/PrintRecipe?RID=124&radio=1

BAKED DOUGHNUTS
1 cup Round Table Unbleached Pastry flour or 7/8 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water

• 4 ounces Round Table Unbleached Pastry flour or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 1/2 ounces sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ounce dried buttermilk powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 ounces vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1) Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2) In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil and water (or buttermilk or yogurt) until foamy.

3) Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

4) Butter or grease the doughnut pan; non-stick pan spray works well here. Note: even though the pan is non-stick, since the doughnuts are low-fat they may stick unless you grease the pan first. Fill each doughnut form half full.

5) Bake the doughnuts in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. When done, they'll spring back when touched lightly, and will be quite brown on the top.

6) Remove the doughnuts from the oven, remove them from the pan, and allow them to cool on rack. Glaze with icing, or coat with cinnamon-sugar or any non-melting sugar. Hope you all have a great week. j

National day of prayer/ asparagus soup

Prayer
It is a right we need to fight to keep. I am saddened that our President stated that "America is no longer a Christian nation."
I don't believe this is true. We need to take a stand and tell our leaders how we feel.Our country is changing and not for the good in a lot of ways.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." - Psalm 33:12

On our National Day of Prayer, then, we join together…to petition God to show us His mercy and His love, to heal our weariness and uphold our hope, that we might live ever mindful of His justice and thankful for His blessing.
-President Ronald Reagan (who signed a bill in 1988 making the first Thursday of May a National Day of Prayer)

Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts we are about to receive through the bounty of Christ.
Amen
One of God's gifts is asparagus.

This recipe was given to me by Judy Fults in 2009.
it has become one of our favorites.I double the recipe.

Asparagus soup
One bunch asparagus(20 stems or more) trim off tops set aside
2 T. butter
1 medium potato ,diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 tsp.salt
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/8 pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1T. water
1/2 cup heavy cream


Cut tops from asparagus cut stems into 1/2 " pieces
In a 4 qt sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.Add onion,cook 3 min., add asparagus stems, cook 2 min. more.
Add broth,salt dill,pepper and potato. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer until stems and potato are tender.
In micro wave add water to asparagus tips/cover and micro wave 1 min. I like mine a bit more tender so I do 2 min on high.
Remove soup from heat and puree in blender until smooth.Stir in cream and asparagus tips. Serve warm or cold.
The soup base may be frozen. Thaw, heat/ then add heavy cream.
I serve this with plain, or dilly, oyster crackers.

2 bags oyster crackers
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 T. dill weed
1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix.

Put crackers in a paper sack
sprinkle with dressing mix and dill
.pour veg. oil over crackers.Shake well. let stand in sack at least an hour.Store in sealed container.

Grandparents day

What a great day for a drive to Mn.
It is about 200 miles to Sydney's school.We had thought to spend the afternoon in her classes but that is no longer allowed.I am very glad the schools have a good security in place but it is sad it is necessary.


It was pizza day.



pictures of our visit with Sydney for Grandparents day.
best friends the tallest in class and the shortest.






Sydney is about 1 inch taller than her 4th grade teacher. Her daddy is 6'7" so she will be tall.