summer is flying past.

We have been busy sorry I have not been posting.i will try to catch up with this post. first we camped with friends for about a week.

What a great time but oh my it was hot! Friends came from MN.AZ. and southern Ia.

We have had a local custom of side walk sales before school starts.I remember buying Ben Casey shirts,black gathered skirts and saddle shoes with my friends.We in the 7th grade and were so COOL!What good memories.

Later Buster Brown clothes for our baby son.Oh he was so cute. Small fry(kids clothes) and Dickson's(women's store) Back then the down towns of small town USA were busy and there were many kids,men's and women's stores.Not so any more.Sad.

This year I found fabric, quilt books and a new ruler.I will share more on this in another post.
Today we did corn for the freezer.It is special.We grew our own this year.Will taste good this winter.

I have done several small quilts for Sharon and Don's wedding tables.We will be helping with that this weekend so it is still a busy time.
I will be checking in again soon. Have a great rest of the week the heat has lessened.Thank You Lord.j

Remembering

It has been a hard couple of weeks. Our good friend Dave passed away on the 14th and this morning my beautiful Penny died. She was so smart and fun. She knew when I didn't feel well. She told me when she was hungry and when her water was not cold or clean enough. I will miss her but would not wish her back. She has not been herself for a long time.
Dave will watch out for her until we meet again on the rainbow bridge.

Cloche Party

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Marty is hosting a cloche party.I don't have an actual cloche but take liberties with other things I do have.It is fun to see what others do so take a look over on Marty's page.http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/07/lets-have-summer-cloche-party.

The jar lamp had Easter eggs in it and it was time for a change.My tiny Betsy Ross and Susan B. Anthony cloth dolls were perfect for the 4th holiday.I will leave them in until it is time for a fall change.

This is our cake topper from 1964.I think it has found a perfect place inside this glass dome.It has been in the china cupboard but it is nice to see it out on display for a while.Blogger is messing with how the pictures load so I hope this works out.

We have been gathering produce from the gardens. Fresh green beans. I will be canning them. Nothing better in the winter than home canned green beans. The tomatoes and corn are loving this hot weather. You can almost see them grow.The heat is awful here.Heat index 119 yesterday.Stay cool everyone and drink lots of liquids.j

Catching up.

We have been busy.Camping,gardening and enjoying life.
Cam came for a visit.He will be here for a week. We camped over nite and he did some fishing.

We have added new koi to the pond There are 4 only one wanted its picture taken

The back garden is blooming.

have a great week.j

new peas and potatoes

There is nothing better than new peas and potatoes.This week my friend Carol gave us peas.Enough for me to freeze 4 2 cup bags and a large pan of peas and potatoes.
I looked up recipes for white sauce.I have one I have always used from the Betty Crocker cook book but though I would like something a little different.

shell 2 cups of peas. cook in a little water until tender. Drain
 wash 24 small potatoes boil until tender. Drain

Sauce
1/2 stick of margarine
1/2 large onion chopped fine
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
one cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
3 stripes cooked crumbled bacon (I fried up ahead of time)
melt margarine saute onions, add flour stir in cream add milk as needed may not need it all.stir until thick
add peas.Add sauce to potatoes,stir.
Frozen peas may be used.

our week

We spent a few days camping at Prairie Bridges at Ackley this week.Beautiful weather and good company.
Last weekend the Mn. kids were here for a reunion. While here we finished the flag holder we started when Sydney was here a few weeks ago.
I wish you all a very happy and safe 4th.
j

Our flag

As the 4th of July gets closer a lot of us are decorating with red white and blue. I love Americana and have it in our home year round.
Reading blogs I have been bothered by the way some folks choose to display/use our flag.I am sure some have no idea they are doing something wrong.

So I am sharing a site for flag etiquette. Not sure it will do any good but at least I tried.
http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

judy j

A special ceremony/Retired/weekend/camping/a birthday

On Friday the 17th our daughter in law took the citizenship oath. We were able to watch the whole court proceedings via the internet. I took pictures of her on my computer screen.


Well Mr. T is finally retired. It is going to be an adjustment for us both after 50+ years of working. His last day his boss and other hired man dropped a dock on Mr.T's foot and broke his big toe. Well so much for the honey do list.!
Our weekend was busy with Alden days and the Scallon wedding.
Also had friends come down from Mn. on their maiden voyage with their new 5th wheel. So we were on the go.

 Chuck Grassley was here for our parade.I believe he is one of the few people in Washington that earns his money.

 Of course there it is not an Iowa parade without a tractor.

Today is our oldest son's birthday.
On this date in 1965 I was preparing to have parents and in-laws for a fathers day dinner. Pies were made, ready for the oven. Home made chicken and noodles was on the menu. All was going well---- then I got a back ache. 4 hours and 43 min. from the first back ache pain Daniel Thomas Jaques entered this world. The memory is so clear. What a beautiful baby boy with curly hair. Happy Birthday Dan What a handsome man.
love u mom

Hope to go to southern Iowa soon to take our grandson Cam fishing and camping.The year is going by so fast.so much to do.
Have a great week,j

weekend camping/fishing and a little quilt

What a nice weekend we had.
We camped at Beads Lake with our friends Larry and Mikki.
Sydney was with us from Mn.

The weather was not perfect -----but so much better, to have cool and a bit of rain, than hot and humid.
Food always tastes better cooked outdoors.
We bought fishing licenses. We bought just for the year but are eligible for a lifetime licenses. Not sure yet if we want to spend $100. Need to see how much we use this one.

Bought a couple of new rods and reels. Seems over the years all our tackle was borrowed or lost.
Here are Mr T. and Sydney fishing.

Mr.T caught one Sydney caught 2.Not big but it is the catching,that counts, not the size.

Got home in time to work in the spot we have in the community gardens.Kwak grass had sprouted  best to take care of that before the roots get too deep.
Planted more corn and carrots.
Will dress between the rows tonight with grass clippings. Should eliminate the need to weed.

 While Sydney was here she learned to sew on my new machine.She made a little quilt using the blocks her great grandma had cut out and chose watermelon fabric for the backing and binding from of some great grandmas stash fabric. She did stitch in the ditch for the quilting.I added the border and did the hand stitching on the binding while she and her papa were fishing. It is ready for her to hang on her wall. She made a label so someday in the future she will be remembered as a quilter. These memories are priceless.

 Through the years I have taken a picture of the family on the steps when it is time for them to go home.I can then look at them any time I need to. Here is Sydney.

I will be missing not having her here. We had a great week.
Hope your week is good.j

beautiful sky/gardens/fish/gardens

On the way home Saturday from a trip to Mason City the sky turned a beautiful pink and blue.

 

The trip included the purchase of another frog to put by the pond.

 The fish seem very happy to be back in the pond after their winter stay in the greenhouse tank.

The hosta are really beautiful this year.Francis Williams is really striking.
Hope your week is going as you planned.j