House of Flowers

Sunday a.m.
Not much going on. We’ve harvested a wonderful crop of strawberries from the yard – beat the little animals to them this year. YUM – they taste so different from the ones we buy in the store. Much sweeter and stronger flavor.

Got the house TV provider changed and it is working fine. Just as the installer got here Thursday the heavens opened up. We got over two inches of rain in a little over an hour. Lots of thunder and lightening. But he went up on the roof anyway and put up the new dish and took down the old one for us. At one time the rain was so bad we couldn’t see beyond our back yard – we even got some hail, but just little ones and not much.
Yesterday was perfect, not humid and not real hot with a nice breeze. Today is more humid and might have rain this afternoon. And today is the Indy race so everyone is hoping the weather holds until it is over.
Bill’s spider bite is all better but he still has to keep the thumb bandaged as with the slightest bump or touch it starts bleeding again.
We’re getting our outside windows washed today. That’s one of the good or bad perks of getting old. I don’t want to wash them and I don’t feel guilty about having someone else wash them. (I’ll do the insides little by little.)
Yesterday was a good sports TV day. Kyle won the Charlotte Nationwide race in the afternoon (last weekend he won the truck race in Charlotte too) and the Lakers won their game last evening. It always amazes me how those great big men can get as far off the ground as they can. This afternoon is the Indy race (Go Helio) and the Cup car race in Charlotte – Go Kyle. Guess it will be a lazy day for me.
Monday a.m. – no rain yesterday but lots forecast for today – and it is very humid.
Guess I shouldn’t have mentioned Helio or Kyle neither won.
Our company should be getting here this afternoon, Can’t wait! Will be so great to see them.
We finally moved our outdoor table on the back deck to right outside the kitchen doors. So now we use it once in a while. Nice to sit there and listen to the sounds from the woods.

Found out the other day that our neighbors call our house “The House of the Flowers” Maybe because of this?

Bill's Boo Boo

Wednesday a.m. 7:30 in fact
Yesterday was an interesting day – still hot but with a tiny breeze and a few percentage points less humidity.
Bright and early we went over to pick up Jennie – so she is now home too. An update on the satellite on Alfie – it doesn’t go up. They changed the dish from Jennie to Alfie but did not connect it – duh – for some reason we didn’t think it was necessary to tell them to connect it too – just assumed they would – there’s that word!
Also changed our home TV provider from Dish to Direct – I actually prefer Dish but with Direct on the RV (hard to get Dish on the RV as it uses two satellites) thought it would make more sense to have it at home too. One bill vs. two bills. So they are supposed to come tomorrow and of course it is probably going to rain tomorrow.
Yesterday was “let’s get Bill day.” He has many dangerous tools in the garage with which to do himself harm so what does he do……while fixing a salad he tries to slice off his thumb. Lots of blood and big bandage. And before that – mister “don’t work outside with out gloves” was pulling weeds [without gloves] and got bit by a spider! So his hand is all red and swollen – the only good thing is it’s the same hand.
I’m doing a little house cleaning in anticipation of having guests next weekend. We’ll actually have someone stay in our guest room! Really looking forward to it.
The baby birds that were in the garage have grown up and flown the coop so to speak. And the raccoon or squirrels keep getting into my hummingbird feeders on the back porch. They just manage to dump it all out leaving a red sticky mess on the floor. SLAP!

Alfie is Home!

Monday eve –

I WILL NEVER EVER complain about the rain again – well until next time. Since it stopped raining a couple of days ago it has been in the very high 80s (89) and with the humidity of a shower. Just walking from room to room makes you drip.
Still cools down some in the evening though. Last night we sat out on the bedroom deck and enjoyed quiet music in the background and the sounds of the birds in the trees.


It was still light at 9:10.

Very pleasant - we need to do it more often.
Today we went to pick the Alfa up – finally. On the way to breakfast Bill mentioned that he’d like to go and see the new Jeep Liberty with the Hemi. Well guess that upset Willie cause when we came out after breakfast he refused to start. Had to call AAA for a jump start. Somehow (????) the front spot lights got turned and left on and that doesn’t take long to drain the battery. So he’s been told that he is loved and we aren’t going to get rid of him. In fact we won't even talk about looking at the one with a Hemi.
Then up to the RV place – and there was Alfie out front waiting for us. Long time no see. The satellite dish has been taken off Jennie and put on Alfie – no idea if it works or not. Guess we’ll have to check it out tomorrow. All they did was transfer it for us so don’t imagine it works.

He is very happy with his repaved parking place. And no big tree limbs overhead. I wondered how Bill would feel driving him after driving Jennie. He says he forgot how great it drives.
Just had to include this - you can almost smell it - one of our beautiful roses this year.

The Chicken Call

Friday a.m.
Just some interesting tidbits – when we were in Mexico this past winter everyone kept asking us “Aren’t you afraid?” Well no, but we should be now. Since the first of the year there have been 63 murders in Indianapolis – yes that is correct 63! When we were up there a week ago we just went where we had to go – no extra driving around – well except for when I got us lost and we had to go through a not so nice neighborhood.
Have to go there again in a couple of weeks, this time I’m taking Gypsy with us.
Also it has rained here for the past 11 days and is supposed to storm this afternoon. But then we are looking at a week of dry weather – I mean no rain – with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s – but humid. And when the TV weatherman says humid it means you feel like you are breathing water. Lovely.
Went into town – Columbus 20 miles away – to go to Rural King – had to buy groceries for the animals! Corn for the deer, salt for everyone and birdseed. Never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be shopping in a store called Rural King. How our lives change.
Worked on my quilt a while – it just keeps getting bigger and bigger – don’t know how I’ll manage to quilt it. Oh well not there yet….
Later Friday
We are waiting on a BIG storm – just west of us it has been putting off quarter sized hail and 60 mph winds. Hopefully it goes around us.
Oh yah – wanted to share a couple of notations from the Sheriff’s Log this week
“12:03 a.m. Abandoned 911 call. Upon call back caller on Fruitdale Road advises she is in the process of a divorce and filed a protective order yesterday. Upon retiring for the night, when she turned the covers down she discovered a dead chicken in her bed. Caller requests an officer.”
“12:10 a.m. Officer is on his way to Fruitdale Road to check out the chicken call.”
And so goes life in a small Midwest town.

Quilting

Thursday around noon
Can’t believe its only noon. I’ve been working on my quilt all morning (got a lot done) and thought for sure most of the day was gone. I have the main top of the quilt put together, still needs the batting and backing and then needs to be quilted. I’ve figured out how to finish the sides – it will end up being more of a bedspread than a top quilt, it will reach to the floor. Went to Bloomington to JoAnn’s to get the material yesterday. Needed four yards and they had 4 ¼……The tops of the pillow shams are done – quilted and everything. Still have to put on the cording and the back piece. This is turning out to be quite a project.

Then I’ll have to do something with the drapes as they match the old bedspread….someday! maybe!
Also went out and deadheaded the roses and sprayed them for bugs. They are blooming nice this year. Believe it or not it is NOT raining today – but is cloudy and overcast.
The turkeys were out in the back yard this a.m. When they saw me moving around through the windows they took off. Guess they have good eyesight.

A Trip to Town - Exciting Living

Wednesday a.m.

Yesterday was an ugly day – drizzly, gray and cold all day. I don’t mind a heavy rain with thunder and lightening as they usually move out pretty fast but that crap yesterday- ish.
So instead of just hanging around her we went into Columbus (25 miles east of us) and visited all the usual places – breakfast at Bob Evans, then to Sam’s Club for gas (do you believe the price of gas again?) What’s up? The price of a barrel is going down, not up. Then to Menards – Bill got some more bushes – to make a hedge around part of the front lawn. Also got some “earth friendly” insecticide for the roses – already the bugs are eating them up. Also if it ever dries up we have to spray everything with the “Deer Off” so the darlings don’t eat all our plants. The joys of country living.
From there on to Hobby Lobby where I got some lead so when I get inspired and start on some stained glass I’ll have it. It too is getting more and more expensive. When we went to the craft fair downtown a couple of weeks ago I saw a lot of stained glass sun catchers about 7” x 7” selling for $25 – 35. Maybe I should go in the business. Nope don’t think so. Don’t want a “job” Then to Joann’s where I was looking for the material I want for the quilt – found it but only a small piece – not enough – so they called the store in Bloomington (25 miles west of us) and they say they have it. Another day another trip to town.
Then of course to Wal*Mart – groceries (but forgot to bring my list so didn’t get everything) Bought John Sanford’s new book – pretty good – finished it last night before going to bed. So that was our entertainment for yesterday.
This morning it still is dreary and cool out, but supposed to clear up later. The baby birds in the garage are doing fine – getting louder every day. Wonder how long it is before they can fly?

Baby Birds living with us

Monday a.m.

Miracle of all miracles we heard from the satellite installer over the weekend!!!! BUT – he “SAYS” he will be back in town in two weeks and will contact us then….Yah – we’ve heard that before. Time will tell.
Yesterday was cold, cloudy and raining off and on all day. What happened to our beautiful spring weather – oh yah that’s right we live in Indiana. So any way it was a good day to cook. Made pineapple upside down cake – actually two of them (one box) – and one is gone already. Also used up the left over ham from Mother’s Day and made Ham and Lentils. Yummy. We had company for dinner too. So we don’t have too much left over.
We all watched the NASCAR race in the afternoon and Kyle WON – yippee. He also won the Saturday Nationwide race and led 179 of the 200 laps in the Truck race Friday night – until he RAN OUT OF GAS!! Didn’t he hear me yelling at him that he needed gas? Geeze. Guess he is getting his Mojo Back.
We have guests at the house. A couple of tiny birds built their nest in the garage and now they have babies. So we have to make sure to only close the garage when necessary – just before going to bed at night and to open it as soon as we get up in the morning. We’ve watched them bringing food into it and can hear the excited peeping when mom shows up. See it in the corner above the door

A little closer look
I know its blurred but you can see the opening to the nest - so neat.

Still Monday early afternoon

It is so ugly out today - been drizzling all day and cold and damp. Been doing the Monday chore of laundry so have been staying downstairs. Decided to sew for a while. I drug out the quilt I'd started last summer for our bedroom - forgot I had the whole top made. Wow. So today I've been working on the pillow shams. I have the tops done and have started to quilt them. Forgot how fun it was to see something come into being. Need to go buy more padding before I can quilt the bed top. And the material I bought in Mexico that I was so sure matched what I was using is not even the same color let alone the same design - sigh! So will try to get more at JoAnn's or will have to make a change in how I was going to finish the top.

Bill is laying down - he was pulling around sacks of cement the other day and his back is hurting again. Sure hope it's just muscle pulls not anything serious again.

Walk in the Woods

Saturday already
Bill is out working in his tool shop (garage) rebuilding a little wooden wagon we have for the yard. The poor thing was falling apart – the wagon not Bill. He says it will be better than new when he finishes. Probably will.
Well after going to the market yesterday and seeing Morel Mushrooms for $39.99 a pound – yes you read that right it is not a type – I put on my boots and long sleeves and a cap (copperheads, ticks and poison ivy) and headed down the hill in search.

This is the only fungus I found – pretty but not tasty. Guess I just don’t know where to look.

From just a little ways down back – looking up at the house

Went down the north side through the old logging road

And just wandered around – nothing…..Its amazing how quick you can be in the middle of the forest and not be able to see the house. But I always know what direction to go to get home – UP! Decided I really need to get more exercise.
We are again having a few days of dry weather with nice temperatures. Only a couple of nights ago the county was under a tornado watch for a couple of hours. Up here on the hill we just had a few sprinkles of rain but could hear the thunder from around us. A couple of our friends that live in the “lowlands” were saying they have to replant most of their corn crop as it got washed out. I’d hate to be a farmer and have to depend on Mother Nature for my livelihood. She can be a B***h!
UP here every day the grass looks prettier and greener

and more and more flowers are blooming. Especially the roses that made it through the winter.

Haven’t mentioned Jennie in a while. She is at the RV place getting her awning fixed. Found out in Mexico that it would open but not close so didn’t have the advantage of its shade while there. Also got the satellite dish moved from Jennie back to Alfie (who also is still at the RV place) Nope haven’t been able to get a hold of the installer since we’ve been back. So don’t know if it works now that it’s been moved and reconnected or not. Grrrrrrr. We’ll pick up one or both of them next week if it isn’t pouring.

Turkeys and deer

Thursday a.m.
Well guess I’m not doing so good with my posting – time flies. Right now I’m sitting here at the computer printing out some small stained glass patterns that I want to do. Some for the 4th of July that I can hang in the front door. So while that doing..
Have had a lot of rain, in fact some flooding down off the hill. Especially in the fields where the farmers new crops are just coming up. Luckily we didn’t get any hard frost so all the flowers and trees here are doing just great.
Took some pictures of a couple of our visitors yesterday. The Tom turkeys with their neck ties. They sure look fat and shinny this year.

Also we are a regular stop for this pretty little deer.

Bill put out a new motion light yesterday and last night when a raccoon walked by it and set it off it scared the animal half to death. He jumped three feet into the air and landed running. Now if he would just stop getting into the bird feeders.
Today it is supposed to get up in the 80s and it is very humid out – not looking forward to that. Will be like a steam bath.

Lots of ham and calls from the kids

Sunday afternoon –
Bill brought me in the first rose to bloom from our garden this season. A beautiful two colored pink one. As I held it to my nose to take a sniff of it marvelous fragrance ----a spider jumped off it. Landed on my chin and ran down my sweater – both of us were batting at it but think it got away. Ah well the thought was sweet.
We had our ham and sweet potato dinner – yum. Only problem is we now have enough ham left (and I bought the smallest one they had) to last for a week.
Mainly just watched “chick flicks” on the TV last night. It got down into the 30s again, never warmed up past 50 all day.

Monday a.m.
Well I meant to post that yesterday but was too lazy to climb the stairs to the computer after dinner.
Heard from all our kids yesterday – nice to know what they are up to. We just don’t keep in touch enough anymore. Tried talking them into coming here to Indiana for a visit but don’t think I got too far.
Today it is supposed to start warming up some but it is also supposed to start raining this afternoon --- for the next five days!

Mother's Day in the Country

Mother’s Day around noon.
Got up shivering this morning – got down to 37 out – what’s up Mr. Weatherman? Sun is shining brightly but not warming up much.
Went into Columbus for breakfast this a.m. Us and everyone else in town it seemed like. Place was packed.
On the way home we parked in Nashville for a bit and walked around looking at some of the booths for the Spring Arts Festival. Some pretty and interesting things. One thing I saw and liked and should be fun to do was a photograph [8 x 10] surrounded by a six inch stained glass frame. Might try that soon. Otherwise just usual stuff you find at a doing like that. Maybe next year I'll get a booth and try to get rid of some of the stuff I've got around here.
Think I mentioned the napkins and napkin holders I finished last week – thought I’d add a picture of them. Machine embroidery and beads.

Also took some of the outside yards. North side yard where pond is. Looking East
From pond looking West
Same thing - different view

Pretty flowers and lots of green.

Going to fix a spiral cut and glazed ham for dinner tonight – and baked sweet potatoes – just sounded good. And it’s a good day to have the oven on.
I'll continue to update this as often as there is something to ponder upon but will not continue to send out emails about the updates - so check back off and on to keep up with our slow life here in Brown County.

Baby its cold outside!

Saturday a.m.
Wow – yesterday it was 80 degrees and beautiful then last evening a storm passed through and today it is only 45 out. With a frost warning for tonight! In May?? What’s with that?
Found a little bird in the kitchen yesterday. Scared the heck out of me as it flew past my face. Poor little thing kept flying into the screen and falling to the floor. Finally I got the screen open and away it went. Hope he/she is okay. A couple of them have built a nest in one of the bird houses on the back deck. Hope the raccoon leaves it alone. The first one they built there got all torn up one night.
We’ve even seen a couple of hummingbirds already. Did I ever mention that since the house was painted the big red-headed woodpeckers have left it alone. Guess they don’t like the paint or the paint keeps the bugs they were after out. Thank goodness – they had made some really big holes in the siding.
Didn’t go looking for mushrooms, every time it gets almost dry enough to go down the hill it rains again. I think the season is almost over already. Oh well, next year.
Never thought I’d say this but even I got tired of watching NASCAR yesterday: practice, practice, qualifying Nationwide, qualifying Cup then the Nationwide race. Some of the “double duty” (the ones who drive in both the Nationwide and Cup races) drivers put in a really long day. My favorite driver, Kyle, came in 2nd. But tonight he starts 39th in the Cup race. Not good.

Rain, mushrooms, flowers and leaks

Thursday a.m. – more thunder storms last night. I kind of like the rain in the evening, makes everything smell so good. Today is supposed to be really nice – in the mid 70s. Then more rain tomorrow and cooler for a few days. A week or so ago we had one storm that lasted for about three hours – during the entire time there wasn’t one second without the sound of thunder. It was amazing.
Since we’ve been home we’ve had a few trees cut down. A couple over by the Alfa parking pad (too many limbs dropping off them.) A couple behind the carport where the convertible is parked – makes it easier to get in and out with the car. And some from the back yard – the real back yard off the back deck. So now [someday] we’ll have to do some landscaping there……
Before the clearing

After cutting

A couple of our neighbors are taking all the wood to use for heating next winter. The tree cutter found some morel mushrooms back there. So I keep saying I’m going to go down the hill looking for more. So far haven’t done it – by the time I get around to it the season will be over.
We have some beautiful flowers blooming now. Everyday something new pops up. These are Clematis – a vine type thing.

When we got home we discovered that the big bathroom ceiling was leaking AGAIN! Same place as last year. So now the insurance company has decided that the roof wasn’t leaking –after replacing the whole thing- it is the siding on the dormer window that is causing the leak! So four or five people have been here checking it out and now we’re waiting for the final decision on fixing it. The new senior apartments they around building just south of town are looking better and better – just kidding- maybe

Thursday later on –
I always knew that Bill was a bit of a clean freak – but vacuuming your vacuum…….hum…..

I’ve been playing around with my sewing machine. Made some machine embroidered napkins and then of course had to make some napkin rings (but should have made them bigger – oh well next time.) And a couple of necklaces - have to use up some of those beads.

Still not used to living in the sticks. This county has been having problems with house taxes. They didn’t issue any bills for several years. Well they are getting caught up in spades. Just got the taxes for 2010 – due by end of month. In January we got the taxes for 2009 paid in January and before that in October we got the taxes for 2008 they were due in November 09. Bam, Bam, Bam……What a screwed up mess.
Saw a guy in his pick up with his snow plow blade down scraping the leaves from the last rain off the road. Guess those blades are good for lots of things.
Got the paper today, as always the Sherriff’s Log was worth reading – were a lot of stray cows and horses about last week. And a lot of flooding of the back roads with trees down. Glad we are up on a hill and don’t have to go anywhere if we don’t want to.

Back home in Indiana

Wed – 9 a.m.
Well we are home again after spending the winter in Mexico. Spring has arrived in all its glory here in Brown County.
We’ve been home a little over a month already. When we got here all the trees were still leafless and barren. The view from the deck over the valley was depressing.
Little by little they got their leaves

But that didn’t last long. Due to the unseasonably warm weather (this April will go in the books as the warmest in recorded history) with several over 80 degree days the trees budded quickly.
We have zillions of little fishies - guess they were busy under the ice this winter.
The redbuds were magnificent this year. Just a couple of our trees in bloom.

The daffodils have come and gone to be replaced by all kinds of wild flowers.

The little town is swarming with tourists already. One of the reasons is the magnificent wisteria tree – I’m surprised the weight of the flowers doesn’t pull it off the building.
And I was glad to see one of the old buildings we pass going into town made it through another winter.
Every year more and more pieces of it rot away.
We haven’t picked the Alfa up yet – it’s still in storage but we have put more rock on it parking pad. Good thing we did. When the truck came to dump the rock it sank up to its hub in the wet ground.
Had to use the backhoe to pull it out. Now they’ve used something refereed to as “53” – it’s a combination of smaller rocks and some compound that after wetting gets as hard as cement.
Have had to buy new bird feeders as the raccoons got into the old ones and broke them and made a mess. Here one of them is visiting us at dusk. Out on the back deck.
And down in the back yard.

I’ve been in a moody blue funk since we’ve been home this year – It’s our son John’s birthday in a few days and it is still hard to get past it. But I’ve decided that it is time to put my big girl panties on and get busy doing things. Also have a non threatening medical problem that will have to be fixed - same thing it took five surgeries to fix four years ago. That I am angry about.
Figured if I’d get one post done the rest will come easier and quicker.