Well it is finally done!!

Jim and I have been working on perfecting our Adirondack chair with hopes of selling them. So far the feedback is great!! I have several other designs in mind and Jim wants us to do one for the 4Th of July. Someone even suggested getting a booth at our local fair , so might give it a try.

We are making progress in the cleanup, Jim has cut up quite a few of the limbs. Still trying to get a handle on all the weeds, lol. The garden is nearly completed, if the weather continues nice for a few more days I should have it all done.

I seem to have passed most of what is needed to work for Arise, now hit a stumbling block in that you have to pay to get some of the certification done. Phooey!! Oh, well , will figure something out I am sure.

Best to you,

Barbara

Dinner was delayed, but I have an excuse Tornado!!!

The warnings came and this time they were not a false alarm. I was upstairs using the computer when I looked out the window and saw our huge old maples trees being whipped around. We grabbed the weather radio and the dogs and ran for the basement. It was all over in a matter of minutes and I never heard a sound, even when a huge limb fell.

Going outside and checking showed that there was not damage to animals or buildings, only trees and bushes suffered. Not sure if you remember but over the last couple of years I had been working on building a wattle type fence along the drive way to help with the snow. We had cut down many volunteer trees several inches around. I thought they would work as posts for my fence. The other smaller trees I wove in and out of the posts and secured with rope, I then planted vines and hedge plants along it. This last winter showed that it was working, now it lies in pieces all over the yard. The force of the wind was such that it snapped the posts, not just tearing the fence apart. You can see some of the limbs in the grove are twisted.

The spool this large branch is resting on is about 6 ft tall when on it's side, it is the kind used for large cable. I cannot reach all the way around the limb, under it is my clothes line. There is a path from the south/south west showing the direction the storm came. In the corn field the corn stalks are snapped off and crushed in random spots as if the storm skipped across the field. It is a good thing the animal fence is of the string type as the branches from one of the huge cottonwoods hit and uprooted it. Even the heavy metal gate was blown open.
These are heavy feeders that were tossed around as were some of the other large wooden spools.

My arbor was also hit by a branch and bent and it is made of metal, Jim says it can't be straightened. I was so pleased that the rose I planted two years ago was doing well climbing it. Guess I will move it around back and let the wisteria grow up it. In the back ground is my garden cart I pull behind the mower, it is over turned but not damaged. The debris go all across the property and on down the road, again we are just so lucky.
The last picture is of the wreath I made this spring, not a flower was disturbed. I am pleased with this as it uses living plants and so far is thriving.

God is good and so are my friends, Barbara

Rain and other things

We have had rain for days, we really need it for the water table but as far as the crops go we have had enough. We are lucky in that we are not having all the horrible floods like some parts of the country. So sad all the campers who lost their lives, out to have fun with friends and family and such a tragic end.

The wet weather is wrecking havoc with my strawberries as they are getting moldy before they can ripen. We did pick about 5 pounds which I will make into jam so all is not lost. The rain is also slowing down my working in the gardens and yard, our soil has a lot of clay in it and when wet is like glue. You try to dig and your shovel is coated with dirt as are your shoes and gloves. I still have many pumpkins to put in so they will be ready by October and Halloween. Our temperatures have also been very low only in the 60's which also hinders growth. We were actually warmer in May. My good friend Ellen is cleaning out her greenhouse and I have been the recipient of her bounty. I help her as much as I can and she pays me in plants which works wonderfully for me, especially now when finances are strained to the maximum. Now I have about 50 or so more vegetable plants to find homes for, so really need to be able to dig.

The upside of all this is that my roses are all blooming, as you walk around the yard you catch the fragrance of them. I only lost one rose bush this year which is a big plus, just have to make sure to do all the extra work in the fall. The first picture are a couple of the shrub roses the first to grow and bloom. The one in the back is so fragrant, the pink one looks like porcelain. This next on is called Maria Stern and is so striking in the garden. It reminds me of one I lost called Tahitian Sunset, Sunrise?, one of those,lol. The final picture is of one of the peonies which also has a wonderful fragrance, this one was given to me over 10 years ago as a pup from an 80 year old bush. I have dug it up and carted it with us for several moves.

I am not sure what is up with blogger or is it me, it keeps underlining things like it was a web address, strange. It also keeps changing my type face, never a dull moment.

We are moving closer and closer to oldest son's wedding and I am starting to stress. I tend to do that as I want everything to be perfect. I have started putting things in the motor home to make sure I do not forget anything. I have double checked to make sure I have enough boxes for all 300 cupcakes. I need to take out the stand and make sure all parts are present and accounted for and to decorate the edges. I am going to trim the edges with red ribbon as the wedding is Badger colors of red and white. I will also check with Ellen to make sure she can get me the flowers for decorating the stand. I do not want to let them down so please keep your fingers crossed, lately few of my plans have worked.

I am still working on the chair, the flowers I want on it are giving me fits but I am determined to get them done to my satisfaction. If worse comes to worse I will sand them off and start over. I already have the next chair planned so need to get this one done, as it was our prototype it has taken forever. Now that we know how it works the next ones should be a breeze.

I am still trying to find some sort of employment to help out, Jim's unemployment just does not stretch far enough. He did have one good interview and we are waiting to see if he will advance to the next level. I thought I had a summer job through Manpower, but turned out they had enough people so I am back looking. Trying again with Arise to see if there is any work from home jobs that just might be in this area. In the past all the jobs were around us, but none in our state, just so annoying.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day, week, month!!
Barbara