bessie gets a bath ...

 

since it's hot out and since Bessie was filthy dusty -- it's bath day ... I'm bad, I really don't wash her very often .. twice a year at most and well, never gets waxed.  Dad waxed the last one a couple of times ... he did make mention last week that it needed a bath ... ya, this from the guy who washes his lawn mower twice a day ...

 

 

remember this tree from Wednesday?

 

 

today ...

 

yep, tomorrow is September and it STILL.HAS.NOT.RAINED.

 

buggers ...

 

Marie

 

a whole lotta watermelons and mom ...

 

 

 

goodness

 last night's pickings -- one never knows what's hanging out amid the weeds ... pretty shady amid the weeds and up against the cornfield -- which has been a blessing in disguise.

 

software upgrades not going well -- still unable to install the SQL database program to run the new program -- I was pretty close to choking a geek via the phone yesterday .... argh ...

 

going to have to call in the "big guns" today .... some punk who knows it all ...

 

chit chatted with the roofing dude too ... September is going to be noisy, busy and expensive!

 

Happy Friday!!!!



and the darkness reigns ...

  as in 5:10 this morning ...

  no power ... and in rural America,  it becomes dark -- and there is no flushing ...

  so I packed up my towel and tooth brush and headed to the office.   sometimes it's good to have an office in an old shack that once was a home!  (even better to have showered just before bed)
 
  so, no pictures of my sad sad sad looking patch ... find 'em on my facebook page ... I did pick an ATV load of watermelon last night -- more tonight and tomorrow for Saturday's market -- they seem to have weathered the heat better than expected --

  the growth has stopped -- unless it rains, then the small ones will take off ... the vines adjacent to the cornfield look pretty good -- the shade from the corn was helpful ... ditto for the squash ....

  it appears the pumpkins are baking in the field --

  what a year eh!

  
  well, more time to sew, and travel and ....

Marie


ps.  on my camera is my super-secret quilting project ... have to wait until the gift is gifted!   queen size quilt -- it was a bugger to get loaded but the quilting went slick!   now it's make needs to attached the yards of binding and get the hand sewing done!

Wordless Wednesday (sort of) picture heavy ....

 

6 days of 90' + heat and no rain can be the kiss of death for some things.

 

 

 butternut squash -- sad squash

 

 

 for real -- mowed crp and ash trees turning and ya, the end one is almost all orange --

 

busy sunday ....

 

when it's hot.

sew.

 

it's going to be a hot week.

hope I have time to get to the pile of mending!

 

 

Happy Monday!



hotter than hell

 

  I went up to the patch this morning ... this is on the return trek -- the heat/humidity/haze rising over the Valley (7:15am) ... it was 75' when I left the house ...

 

 

the patch in the early morning heat -- with the current forecast I'm not sure what will or will not make it ... still no rain.  the squash & pumpkins will make it, the early cantaloupe is done -- watermelons -- well, it is iffy.  time will tell.

 

the recent overnight visitor caught on film.  ugly bugger isn't it ... that is one large opossum.  these critters need to move back south where they belong .  argh ... ugly.

 

he didn't fall for the baited live trap next to his tail ... more marshmallows tonight should be enough to entice 'em! 

 

 

So, when Mother Nature gives us 100' weather for a week ... that's the opportunity to sew -- 2 hours at the Bernina, 1 hour cleaning the space -- and 4 hours at the long arm last night.  Binding this morning, pictures this afternoon!   I had a blast quilting last night, tried out all kinds of fun stuff!

 



Market Morning

 

it's an assortment -- things are ripening fast.  ripening before they reach their full maturity size/weight.  too hot -- and the lack of moisture.  according to the weather dude on the radio - we are back in a drought -- I'm not sure we were ever out of a drought ... but since I wasn't consulted ....

 

it is what it is -- just gotta roll with it -- and count the blessings. 

 

today's load is an assortment of melons -- crimson sweets, sangrias, jubilees and the lone sugar baby -- and a couple of yellow dolls and a yellow black mountain sweet ....  and two squash from a semi-dead vine ...

 

 

I awoke to the rattling of the cat pan at 4:09 this morning -- then I heard (seen) the great white hunter stalking the yard with his new halogen flashlight .. humm -- the only creature a stir was Edgar, the cat.  Me thinks Edgar had a visitor, Mr. Raccoon -- I'm not going to make my stroll to the shed and the truck until it is light out.   Certain surprises in the morning are unnecessary. 

 

so, here we go again, animal patrol!

 

 

the russians have arrived ....

 

so while in the picking mode early on, I heard the wup wup wup of a helicopter and being near the hospital -- it's a regular event -- well this dude came in fast, low and loud ... and it was military ... he swooped over me ....

 

and disappeared -- only to re-appear later ... and well, there I am; the hindquarters pointed skyward -- picking cucumbers ... happens everytime.  Thankfully there is no horn to honk on a helicopter. 

 

seems like a waste of fuel to cruise around the Valley ... another beautiful evening ... I'm sure the valley view was damn spectacular ... even my tush.

 

squirrel food -- yes, I sell corn to city folks and tell 'em it's squirrel food -- I have beach front property for sale in Traverse Township (just in case you are interested) -- sent this one as a text to farmer Kevin -- better be getting the big green machines out of the shed and having that baby!!!!

 

Thursday nights pickings ... squash were on a dead vine so I picked 'em. 

 

I've tried to be good with the picture storage -- so I've only stored pix's at home and well uploading them to either here or facebook is sending me into a tizzy.  Someday faster internet will arrive in rural America.  My next attempt to speed it up is a "mobile hotspot" from Verizon ... going to try one out in September.  Argh.

 

T G I F -- Diva

 

 

gems and jewels from the last week

 Edgar the barn cat ... always has a dirty nose -- not sure where or what he burrows into ... nor will he let anyone pet him ....

independent cuss.

 

 banana squash -- I've never planted them before -- it's huge.  and the question of the season -- when is the dang thing ripe?

 

I just noticed ... if you look closed at the passenger door (right side Aussies) .... it appears I've strangled a cat in the window.   I blew it up ... its a picture of a cat on a bag of kitty food ... a brief moment of "what the hell is that"

 



Day Seven

strolling frog musician in the front perennial bed -- he and his band mates play year around.

 

street scene from the former web cam atop the Government Center -- looking north ...

 



 

Winter of 2010- 2011-- it was so deep at the office.  it was at one point taller than the front fence.  and since the Christmas roping was still up, I'm guessing this was during the Holidays.

 

the same year ... Dad and fergie working in the yard ... in the dark ...

 

 

Nick -- had to mention Nick, since the heat wave has arrived, the air conditioning is back on -- and there is something rattling somewhere in here and it sounds just like Nick at his chow dish ... I kept hearing it yesterday and keep thinking (with a smile) -- the next move would be him leaping on my desk.

 

 

Day Seven - I am thankful for WINTER!  Yes, I crab and moan about it, but I like winter -- there is nothing better than watching a snowstorm and enjoying the beauty of the whiteness -- unfortunately, it needs to be plowed, shoveled, moved and de-iced.  And I generally don't have spare time to enjoy it -- I need to make time to enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Day Six

 

on day six - I'm thankful for my faith.

 

 

My faith in people ...

 

My faith in a higher being ...

 

My faith in myself and the choices I've made ...

 

 and I could not choose between these three pictures ...
three of my all time favorites

 

 

Day Five

 

 

 

Today I am grateful for the ability to see the world as an optimist.  My glass is always 1/2 full.  I think it's pretty safe to say --- I look for the good in everything and everyone -- and sometimes I tend to see the good --- when I really should be seeing something else.  It is okay to see the world thru rose colored glasses -- .  I choose to look for the good.

 

1 - Cousin Heidi for overcoming a lot of challenges with a lot of hard work to earn her doctorate. 

2.  Cousin Cyndi -- who never fails to make me smile.  She is one of kind.

3.  Jean and Jan at Jacob's wedding -- it was a fun party! 

4.  Becky with her borrowed expensive Coach bag ... pretty but dang expensive ...

5.  Jean and Grandma at the Grandview Hilton ... we made the best of it!

 

 

 



Day Four

 

 

I am most grateful for my family and friends. 

Life is all about the people ...

 

money and stuff is just stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob and Shelley's wedding gift -- the quilt

I pieced it on Saturday the 10th

bought and pieced the backing on the 13th

quilted on Tuesday the 14th

(love that long arm -- 2 hours later I was done)

started the binding on Wednesday the 14th

finished the binding and
washed and dried it on Friday the 16th

and lastly

presented as a gift on Saturday the 17th!