I worked with oil paints today in regard to a craft project. Whew! I forgot how strong paint fumes can be. I need to get this done while I can be out in the garage porch. It was perfect conditions today with breezes and the humidity dropping by the hour. God bless good screens for the patio doors. Those biting bugs could look but they couldn’t touch.
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Noreen
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Noreen
The heat, humidity, gnats, biting black flies and mosquitoes are all just a bit much for our long awaited summer months. I did a half trot, half run to the east garden to check on my tomatoes. I almost put my arms out of joint by swatting the bugs that swarmed. The initial bite and the welt it brings is nothing compared to the long lasting itching. I am thankful for my sewing room as a respite. Dennis may have to put the florescent grow bulbs that I have used to start garden plants into the light fixtures down there. The energy from the blue and red rays of the grow bulbs might bring a bit of benefit while being forced to stay indoors.
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Noreen
Fleeting Thoughts:
Having coffee on the patio this morning before the humidity and heat geared up, the sound of Morning Doves was welcomed. The cooing brought separate but similar memories to Dennis and me. The memories stemmed from days of early morning farming times. Getting dairy cows into the barn for milking went hand in hand with the soothing coos of the doves. Sharing the farming memories with each other this morning, speaks to the essence of our souls . . . peaceful, simpler times.
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Noreen
What a day! It was 16 first cousins together for the first time in more years than I can remember. It was a Riebe Reunion (My Mom’s side of the family) at the Forest City Thresher’s site. Cousins, spouses, children and grandchildren made up a group of 70 plus people catching up, reminiscing and exchanging emails . . . and you can’t forget the recipe exchange. The chatter was ongoing as was the feast of “pot luck.” How wonderful to get together for an occasion other than for a funeral. This evening is time for some quiet time as Dennis and I are already in our jammies.
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Noreen
Night, Night – Sleep Tight
In 1992 My mom Lena embroidered a set of pillow cases for me. It was one of her favorite patterns to embroider. At that time I crocheted the edging and today was the day when the two came together. Finding treasurers is awesome . . . finishing them is priceless. In times past these wonderful bed linens were usual and customary when the head was laid on the pillow. In times past needlework was customary. On Stauffer Avenue it’s making a comeback.
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Noreen
It was an errand day. Well deserved haircuts sure feel good. I had a list and my pilot, Dennis, was in charge of plotting the route. Mankato is 45 miles from us and it takes the better part of a day to complete the lists. As Dennis and I get older our needs are minimum, but when a certain product is needed that we can’t purchase locally, it does call for an errand day . . . or as Dennis calls calls it a “Road Date.” I will confess that after everything was checked off the list we stopped at Perkins. I so enjoy the “55 and over” (yes that is 55 years old and over) menu of potato pancakes. Yum. I would never make them at home as grating all the ingredients is timely. Before I dig in I always give my Dad a barely visible salute with my fork before I dig in as they were one of his all-time favorites. It always feels so good when we arrive at home safe and sound.
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Noreen
Priceless Treasures – Part 2
I am at the point in the sewing and craft area that I have a mental plan as to the projects I want to tackle with the supplies I have on hand during the cooler temps of winter. If these darn mosquitoes don’t knock it off I may be driven to those projects sooner than later. With all the dusting and sorting that has taken place it will feel like an entirely new room. It’s in the same rationale as driving a newly cleaned and polished car makes the ride seem smoother.
Today a brick wall was hit. While work on supplies at hand was completed it was pretty much black and white. Either it needed to live another day in my stashes or it was put in the waste bin. Purposely I had left one of the larger totes to the last. That tote contained items that have been completed by my Mom, my mother-in-law Esther Schafer, and my paternal grandmother Laura Wendlandt. Without question it all remains worthy of being cherished during my days and on into perpetuity. These items represent who we are in today’s world. Each stitch within these embroidered, crocheted, or quilted items represents the strength of the women in my past. Do I need to have something tangible to continue to relate to my heritage? Most likely not. I just marvel at the creativity that is most certainly going to be lost due to the fast pace of living. Taking time for one-of-a-kind pieces of art and history is on the decline. I enjoyed labeling the items as I found suitable storage.
As I posted in the past, I am working my way through yarns and threads to the best of my ability. Will they be revered as I revere the items that I worked with today? That’s not for me to be concerned with. I do not press my crafts to impress anyone, but only for my own personal enjoyment and the challenge they bring.
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Noreen
Just Hanging Out
Two wonderful days of mild temps brought bliss here on Stauffer Avenue. I attended a picnic meeting yesterday and missed out on the time at home. Dennis made good use of a cool 65-degree day by getting the backyards mowed. I tend to do a “one note” day. If the majority of the day has been spent away from home, I don’t get into huge projects during the late day here at home.
This morning it was just tipping the temps at 60 degrees and the strong breeze made it feel like October. I had my garden shoes on by 9:30, ready to do my share of mowing grass. Dennis headed out after he had the push mower running and away we went. We were done by the stroke of twelve noon and ready to hang out on the patio with some coffee.
The napping kitten found just the right spot for balancing
itself for a nap. Mama Cat was just a bit off to the side.Obviously, we weren’t the only ones ready to kick back. Sitting on the patio Dennis motioned to me, and when I followed to where he was pointing, the yellow mama cat was sprawled out on a Lilac limb. I checked the area around her and each of the two kittens had also found a crook in the branches to take a snooze. It’s really hard sneaking up on them for a photo op. They truly are their mom’s babies. You can look, but no touching – yet. I did manage a photo of one of them. During a time when the patio is empty, a glance out of the bathroom window tells an entire different story of the two shy kittens. They are romping on the patio chairs, chasing each other through the blooming yellow lilies, and of course toughing it up with each other to where it seems it is just one ball of yellow rolling around.
Cuddle time and it seemed like one of the
kittens was elected to keep watch. They are the
real deal when it comes to tree hugging.After a bit I noticed the leaves were rustling and I noticed the chilly breeze was meant for cuddling as both kittens shared one nap area. I will admit that I am putting out a saucer of milk once a day as mama cat is still letting them suckle. Mama cat is quite small and she seems to be taking to motherhood with a lot of grace so it seems only natural that we need to give her our vote of confidence. Whether they stay in our area or not, Dennis and I know that we are helping them off to a good start. Surprisingly, one out of the four original kittens was black. Keeping two out of four is perhaps pretty good odds for stray cats. There is a black Tom cat that comes and has some Meow Mix and the kittens frolic around him and he seems to take it in stride. This may be a family in the making or those in the wild know when to hold it and when to fold it.
Oh yes, life of Stauffer is sweet – and it’s a great place to just hang out.
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Noreen
A day of being invited to a Minnesota Assessor’s Region II meeting as a retiree was special. Great fun catching up with others that are retired and also commiserating with those that are counting their days before they fill out their exit paperwork. Everyone was in charge of grilling their own chicken or steak for the noon meal. The chit chat never stopped. I had to smile as I observed some of the wide-eyed and bushy tailed newbies ready to take on the Minnesota Department of Revenue with all the state’s mandates while placating the taxpayers. God speed.
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Noreen
We attended a benefit for a family member and the hours slipped by visiting with people we have not seen for a time. Getting home for a late afternoon nap didn’t hurt either. My Dad called it “checking the eyelids out for cracks.”