Service

To all who have served and those that serve now,  may God bless you and keep you safe.

Our sons served. Our oldest son retired a few years ago.We are so proud of them.
have a great week j

Checking in/busy time

What a dreary day we had on the 14th. Weather was cold and wet. Not good birthday weather,but it was a good birthday Cam and Becky were here. I got a Big cookie for my 65th birthday. Cam really likes BIG cookies. Speaking of big he is nine now and is getting so tall.They do not stay babies long.

It has been a while since I posted. The gardens and yard are priority now. I need to get everything done,in the yard and gardens, before Mr. T is done in the fields with spraying. Then it will be camping time!!!
There is progress but still much to do. The block is done around the pond.The sitting area where the berm was is done.
 I have a ton of lime stone rock to move. Maybe more than a ton!! See the pile off to the right. There are 3 piles of rock to move.

The pots are all planted.They are all on the deck for protection*again* from last nights frost.

The 15th of May is supposed to be the last frost date for our area in Iowa or so the old timers say.Hope they are right.Those pots are heavy.

 I got the old cement planters painted  a terra cotta color and filled. They will look good by the pond.

The planter is done Hosta moved in and the grass is seeded around it.When everything is placed and beautiful I will post new pictures. For now I better get back out to moving rock.Have a good week.j

Busy Saturday

We drained the pond Saturday getting it ready for the fish.It was in bad shape after the winter.

For several years the limestone has been shifting and this past winter caused them to move even more.

So it is time to move all the stone *again*.
Because it is hard to sit on the east side and see the fish we are doing away with the berm and putting the veggie(bog) filter lower where if it runs over the water will run back into the pond. There will be a sitting area on the west side. (*Besides I need the dirt from the berm for the new planter that will go around the Lindon tree in the front yard.*)
We got most of the stone moved and we are ready to proceed but the weather is cold and windy and Mr. T is dragging his heels.

We stopped at 3 places for bedding plants yesterday.I love marigolds! can hardly wait to get them in the ground. Need patience it is still to cold. Maybe next week. 15th of May is the last frost date for Iowa so the old timers say.
So much to do so little time.
Enjoy the day j

New dress and bonnet/seedlings

I finally got another of my dolls dressed. She has such a sweet face.She is oil painted.Made from my own pattern. Her shawl is a vintage collar. Her dress is made from reproduction civil war fabric.

A Homespun bonnet and homespun checked bloomers.

 Here she is trying on a fancy bonnet.

look at those cute toes.She is for sale.

$150.00 plus shipping.

The seeds have sprouted and we have a good stand of seedlings. More tomatoes than we will need.Will be sharing with others. The lavender and the pampas grasses look good.

I pray for those who have had flooding and tornadoes.

Hope you all have a storm free weekend.j

Signs of spring.

 I am linking to Outdoors Wed.

What a beautiful Easter day we had yesterday. Sun shining, very little wind, warmer than it has been for the last few weeks. It was a perfect day for egg hunts and spending time with family.
For us it was a day for remembering Christ, and spending time in our yard. There were so many signs of the promised spring.
The forsythia is blooming.
The first 2 asparagus shoots.
The rich black dirt of the newly tilled vegetable garden.
Tulips ready to burst open.
My first daffodil.
The last picture is of a tiny fern peony.My friend Carol gave me a tiny start last year.I did not think it made it but it surprised me.Nice surprise.
There is much more to do in the yard to make it beautiful but,yesterday, we get a good start with the cleaning. 
Have a great week.j

An Easter wish

To all my blog friends,

I wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter.
"Christ is risen!"j

Thunder snow

It is April 19th and we are having thunder snow. Do you believe it??? Will it ever end???I am not one to complain about the winter because I really do hate hot humid weather but enough already with the snow.j

Prom weekend

We made a trip to St. Micheal Mn. this past weekend to see our oldest grand daughter dressed for her first prom.We had planned to go on Friday in our motor home and stay the weekend but mother nature had other plans. That 4 letter word the chills us.SNOW. There was just a dusting in most areas but south of Fairbolt was  3-4 inches. Winter just does not want to let loose.

On our way we noticed the water was very high in the rivers.The far line of trees in the center of the picture is the river bank.

Many plans were made and changed but we got there in time to see her get her hair done. I had taken the tiara I wore 49 years ago to my prom and she had thought to wear it but decided not to have big hair so it did not work out. She did put it on so I could take her picture. The little neighbor girl though it beautiful and she put it on too.

Sydney the younger sister is the one who, found the dress Hallie chose, while they were dress shopping.It is beautiful.

 Here is the head piece she chose to wear.
 She is a heart breaker for sure. Beautiful!
Here she is with her handsome guy

It was so cold all the kids were shivering.

There were 182 in the grand march.What a wonderful day they had. I wish it would have been warmer but in 49 years Hallie will say boy was it cold on my junior prom.
They grow up so fast.
Have a great week everyone.
j

Spring/lots of pictures

I am linking to.  http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/Wow us Wednesday.

  It is over a week since I shared anything. I have been busy cleaning. Yard,gardens, porches,patio etc. The weather has been beautiful. I stopped at the greenhouses to see what is new. Of course I had to bring home a few things just to put in the greenhouse. There is nothing that smells better than purple petunias. Not all purple petunias,smell good, but they had the right ones yesterday. I try to put a pot by the steps so when people stop by they get that good welcome site and smell. Besides the hanging  baskets were on sale.The light shining on them today made them glow.

 My little roses I bought before Valentines day are budded and blooming. The cyclamen also is blooming again.This tiny space has brought me such joy through the years.As small as it is I can really pack a lot in there.I have planted some seeds and have a flat ready for more.

I have been working on the screened porch.It was really in need of a deep clean. Including scrubbing the wood floor.The floor is boards we bought at the auction when they remodeled the library. It was the shelving.

The little chair is in need of a redo but it is so comfy I will put that off for a while.

This porch looks out to the patio.In the winter we put plastic over the screen and that is still there for a while.Needs to be a bit warmer before we take it down, for now when the sun shines in it is so nice and warm. A great place to sit and eat lunch.

This space is where I have things I love but have no place for in the house.The things that don't match anything else. No room for my Hoosier cupboard so it is out there.

The blue cupboard is one of the original lockers from the Popejoy Iowa school.It is signed on the back by an Ingelbritisen. It is storage for my vases and pots on the right,table clothes etc on the left.

Also out there are my collection of baskets and picnic baskets, woven and metal.
Everything out there is old(except the little refrigerator.)Not antique but vintage. Including me.
So you can see nothing matches but I love it all so it will stay for a while..

The weather is going to get cold again but it will not stay. The garden is tilled and the strawberries are starting to stand up tall.The weeks are flying by. Enjoy everyday j