My favorite month

I asked Jim to complete this sentence for me:  Life has been busier than: 

He replied:

A house painter with a two inch brush

Than sh#*

A one legged man in a butt-kickin' contest

A yearling ram in a field of 40  breeding ewes...

That about says it all I guess.

The skies were beautiful yesterday.  The winding road leading home is canopied by multicolored tree limbs.  It is so pretty this time of year.

We watched Allen and Reagan Saturday while Greg and Alicia did more wine hopping.  The ol' soaks!  We had a wonderful day with them.  No pictures, though.  Sometimes the camera needs to be retired and fun just needs to happen.

Sunday we "hit" Les Bourgeois winery in Rocheport.  Some of you have asked about the wines.  We have some definite favorite Missouri wines.  Les Bourgeois has an inexpensive wine that we serve often, River Boat Red.  It is a good all around semi-sweet wine.  However, Jim and I lean more towards the dry wines.  Our favorite Missouri wines are Norton and Chambourcin.  Norton is the driest and most expensive, but amazing!  If you are ever in Missouri - do yourself a favor and go to Missouri wineries.  I've been to Napa Valley and let me tell you, I will pit our wines against theirs any day.

After a glass of wine we stopped at Greg and Alicia's to check out the tree house Greg and Allen are building.  Did I say tree house?  From the looks of it, if Jim ever kicks me out (or the other way around), I will have a place to run to. 

Allen's Tree House.  If I understood correctly, he and Greg are standing in what will be a room. 
They are looking through where there  will be window. 

We then headed on down the road to visit Tessa and Bill and the kids.  Julie and her boys had just left there, so we missed them.  But we did have a really nice visit with Tessa's family. 
Monday morning found me trying to complete my selections for my StampIn Up starter kit.  Since I've begun scrapbooking again, I've found that my supplies were sorely wanting.  The easiest way to fix that is to become a StampIn Up Demonstrator.  This has been a very time consuming process (decisions, decisions, decisions!) and I don't believe I would have seen it through if it had not been for my mentor, Jeannie.  She has taken many hours of her time putting together spread sheets, explaining the products, and making recommendations.  She is truly amazing.  Thank you Jeannie!

So what was Jim doing while I was drooling over scrapping choices?

He was slaving over turnips.  We both love slightly salted raw turnips.  But a person can eat only so many of those before they go bad.  Turnips are amazing in vegetable soup.  So when our neighbor gifted us with a batch of turnips, Jim took to the task of peeling and cubing them for freezing.  Don't ask me what his old dump truck is doing in the picture.  He discovered it while cleaning the garage.  I do believe it will find a home on the  shelf in the pool room.

Since the kids didn't have school yesterday (teachers meetings I think), I finally took Dakota birthday shopping yesterday.  His birthday was in September, but I always say, "better late than never".  He settled on Tech Skateboards and a cool track.  Apparently these little boards can be manipulated with a flip of the finger.  According to Julie, he spent the rest of the afternoon watching Youtube videos about different ways to use the track and boards.  I figured they are better than another video game!

I also took Travis to get his driving permit.  Unfortunately, we forgot to bring his Birth Certificate.  I suggested they let him take the test and then give the permit to his mother when she brought in his birth certificate and signed the form.  They wouldn't even consider it!  In Missouri a parent or legal guardian has to be with the child for them to get their permit.  They can take the test without the parent, but the child has to be with the parent when she signs for the permit.  This definitely makes things difficult since Julie can't leave her day care and Travis is in school and then goes directly to foot ball practice after school. They resolved the problem by Julie's friend taking Travis (with his birth certificate!) to take the test this morning.  He passed with flying colors.  Congratulations Travis!  The Department of Revenue is open one Saturday a month, so Julie and Travis will then go pick up the permit on that Saturday.  Can things get any more complicated?  I'm sure they can, but what an ordeal!

We got rain yesterday!  The temperatures are supposed to dip to almost freezin every evening this week and climb to the 50's during the day.  Have you turned your furnace on yet?  Or built a fire?  We haven't, but I do believe that is going to change REAL soon!

Vanilla or Not Vanilla...

Last weekend was wonderful.  Along with son, Greg, daughter-in-law, Alicia, and their two sweeties, Reagan and Allen, we headed East to Augusta, Dutzow, and Defiance, MO to visit the many wineries there.

The weather was about as good as it can get, with the sun shining and the temperatures hovering around 80 degrees.  The kids were better than the weather.  You would think taking kids to wineries would be a tedious affair, but not with these two.  They were in and out of those car seats enough times to make your head spin, and yet they did not complain a single time.  It truly was a magical day.

I spent more time than I care to think about putting together a slide show of the memories, but for some reason youtube does not like it - even though I used the same program (Windows Live Photo Gallery) that I always do.  So then last night I decided to just load a few of my favorite photos of the weekend.  Blogger didn't like them.  This morning after spinning all night, the pictures had still not loaded.  Grrrrrr.

So here I am, saying life is good.  Time is short.  Fall is busy.  Technology is frustrating.  Family is priceless. The colors of Fall are breathtaking.  And I am still around and will catch up with all of my bloggy friends soon!

Now I am going to try one more time to load a picture or two.  If it doesn't happen almost immediately, then too darn bad.  This will be a vanilla blog.  I like vanilla, don't you?

Brotherly love.  Allen watches over Reagan - except, of course, when he is tormenting her.  So often I want to call him little Greg... he is so much like his daddy!

Mother and daughter - words of wisdom

Nobelis Winery Vinyard

Nobelis winery in Augusta had these huge balls for the kids to play on.  They spent forever rolling down the long hills and bopping each other back an forth. 

If I could only read her miind right now

Reagan and Allen on the way to the last winery - what troopers!



Rolling Missouri hills hinting of fall colors



Allen and Greg - love the people, love the scenery!

According to Wiki.answers, 'In vino veritas' is Latin for 'in wine, the truth'. It refers to the fact that, owing to their inhibitions being lowered, people are more honest after they have been drinking alcohol, and often say things they wouldn't say if sober.  I do believe that about sums it all up!

Vinyard mural painted on the side of a metal building

  Well how about it!  This post isn't vanilla after all.  Now I am going to try linking to one of my youtube videos that did load and leave you with the sounds of children playing.

Like I said, I'll be around the blogs soon.  I promise!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f89UIl3NWqc (thanks Iggy for getting a good link for me. you're the bestest!)

Together Again



I've had this utility cabinet for a few years now.  It first belonged to my grandma, then my mom, and now me.  It is kind of like a magic cabinet - it holds way more than anyone would ever think possible.  Canned goods, paper goods, canners, canning supplies and other odds and ends.  It is amazing!  And the best thing about it is that it has history... my family history.  Love it.





Utility cabinet with an endless capacity for holding stuff

 As I mentioned in my previous post, we spent Saturday at my Aunt Jane and Uncle Ivo's estate auction.  Imagine our surprise when Jim spotted a twin to our cabinet.  A twin!  I can only speculate here, but I am assuming that when this family of eight children divided up their parent's possession's, mom took one of these cabinets, and her sister, Jane, took the other.

There are two of them!

And now they sit side by side, with a concrete wall separating them - just in case there are any hard feelings or unsettled sibling rivalries still exist.  I did hear them whispering to each other last night after they thought I had gone to bed.  Something about "remember when..."

For $35 and a little heavy lifting, we were able to rejoin these two

Back seat of our truck after Jane and Ivo's estate auction

The reason all this junk is in the backseat of our pickup was because the bed was already full to overflowing.

The bed of the pickup - filled to the brim

So..... like it or not, folks, there will be more auction posts in the coming weeks. 









What a busy last few weeks it has been around here.  This weekend was certainly no exception.

My late Aunt Jane and Uncle Ivo's estate sale was this past Saturday.  My head is swirling with thoughts about that.  We did come home with some things that are treasures to me.  More about that in a post soon to come.  I promise.  Especially since I am pretty excited about some of my finds.

Sunday we went to the Heritage Festival in Columbia, MO.  Our friends, Bernie, The Osage Bluff Blacksmith, and his wife, Patti, the Osage Bluff Quilter, were there, demonstrating the almost lost art of Blacksmithing.

The Blacksmith had quite a crowd watching the embers fly as he hammered and pounded red hot mounds of iron into things like forks, dinner bells, crosses, and all sorts of things. 



Patti had her hands full answering questions and selling the wares.  I hope they had a successful couple of days.

 My mind is still boggling at the amount of work that goes into making the period costumes, setting up shop, working all day, taking everything down at the end of the day and dragging it home, only to return the next day to do it all over again. 

Patti & The Blacksmith

Jim bought this torture hook.  He claims he will be using it to turn meat on the grill.  Uh huh.

When we left the festival, we decided to head 15 miles or so up the road to Clark, MO.  Patti was telling us there is an Amish community there that sells furniture, wonderfuol baked goods, and stuff.  Even though we knew they would be closed on a Sunday, we decided to take the short drive before heading home.  We were glad we did.

Scenic drive to Clark, MO.
We must have hit the returning home from church services traffic.  Buggies were everywhere. 

I'm pretty sure Ida and Eula didn't know these grass mowers were on the wrong side of the fence. 
They didn't look like they planned on going past the green, green grass of home.

Children were playing in many of the yards.  It looked like they were all dressed in their Sunday best, but as far as I could tell, not a single child had shoes on.  I had to smile and shiver a little at this, since the high temperatures yesterday were only 65.

I'm pretty sure Mr. Stinkeye here is saying he hopes everyone has a wonderful week!

Yes I did



I took time time to sit on the screened- in back porch to enjoy the peaceful rain we are blessed with today.
Soup,  rain and a good book on my Nook (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson).  What a lovely combination.



Rain soaked Oak trees.  Are they really calling for temperatures to drop into the 30's tonight?

From the inside looking out.  My plants are soon going to have to find a home inside.  I could sit here all day.  What did I do with that sweater of mine?  I need it!

Best laid plans...

Our free Rural Electric monthly newspaper has a section advertising events around Missouri. 

Usually we read it and lament over events we missed.  We say to each other, "We could have gone to that!"  or "That would have been a lot of fun."

So we were pretty excited when, as we sat drinking our coffee, Saturday morning we looked through the events and saw there was a Bluegrass Festival going on in Dixon.  We're big bluegrass fans.  Dixon is a tiny town of around 1200 located 60 miles or so from us.  The scenic drive is along two lane, winding, hilly, blacktop highways.  As we topped hill after hill we'd gaze off into the distance in wonder. 

As we drove into Dixon we noticed the town seemed to be unusually quiet for a place hosting a Bluegrass Festival.  After driving around like lost souls for a bit, we finally stopped and asked.  .... Yes, we asked for directions!.  Some local group was hosting a BBQ in a parking lot and a kind lady told us the Festival Park was back the way we had come.  She had not been there before, but if there was a festival, that would be the place.

After we did a bit of backtracking, there it was - the bluegrass pickin' campground.  But it was empty.  Dead.  Nada.  Apparently our little free newspaper got the date wrong.  We now know the festival is held on labor day weekend.  From the looks of their website it is going to be a pretty big deal. 

Our reaction to the mis-information

So how does that saying go?  "When life gives you lemons, make...."  We made fried chicken out of it.  Defeated, we headed back the way we came.  But with some little side trips.  As we saw the road signs - this way to Crocker... this way to Meta... this way to Vienna..., Jim started reminescing about his childhood trips to extended family who lived in Meta.  He finally saw the gravel road that lead to their old home place.
Driving slowly down the road we watched red tail hawks soaring on the breeze.  A family of goats were open grazing in a farmer's garden.  I'll bet they were grounded when their extra curricular activities were discovered.



Yea, big guy, you are soooo busted...



We drove through the water of several low water bridge crossings.

View from low water bridge crossing.  Jim's childhood memory was just around the bend.

We finally stopped at Sugar Creek Restaurant in Meta.  My friend Patti had recommended it on her blog a few weeks ago.  The fried chicken dinner was really good.

A few years ago a friend and former co-worker told me she and her husband were refurbishing and opening a restaurant.  Since my friend lives in St. Thomas, I always assumed her restaurant was in St. Thomas.  But we had never visited her restaurant...    Imagine my surprise as we sat waiting for our food, in walks my friend, Tiffanie, ready to work.  Just by chance, we were in her restaurant.  It took me a bit to get the answer of 4 as I was putting together the fact that Patti's recommended resaurant and my friend's place were one in the same.  It was great fun catching up on families and happenings. 

Here's my thinking.  If the CoOp newspaper had not gotten their information wrong, we never would have taken the scenic drive.  We would not have gone down a gravel road of Jim's memory lane across low water creeks.  And we never would have happened into an old friendship at Sugar Creek Restaurant.  I'm thinking I'm glad a mistake that turned into a nice day was made.

Maybe I should also mention that one other time this same newspaper listed a community-wide flower garden event in the beautiful little town some distance from us, Ste. Genevieve.  We decide to take that drive, much like the drive of this past weekend, only to discover the flower show had been moved to another weekend. 

Maybe this litte paper isn't the most reliable source of event information... Just maybe....

THE Lake

We went to The Lake this weekend.  Locals to mid-Missouri who read my blog already know I mean the Lake of the Ozarks. 

The weather was perfect.  The skies opened up with large drops of rain just after we unloaded the car and got settled inside our friends, Patti and Gerard's, cabin.  About an hour later... here comes the sun!

Patti is "the entertainer".  I'd have to say her style is simple elegance.  She always makes things look so easy when she entertains.  Everything that can be done ahead of time, is.  Nobody would guess all of the work that goes on behind the scene... but I know...  and appreciate the relaxed atmosphere. 

Dining at the Lake of the Ozarks - Patti style!

A Spanish dish of rice and seafood.  Its official name escapes me - but it was oh so good!

A moonlit boat ride.  Terrible photo.  What can I say...

Breakfast of Baked French Toast and sausage links - once again overlooking the lake.
The french toast recipe can be found here.  It is a Pioneer Woman recipe and we all know every one of her recipes are the best ever!  Plus, it as easy to make!

You see everything on the Lake.  Not a care in the world.

The lake boating activity by mid-morning was mind boggling.  It was a much bumpier boat ride than the previous evening's late night cruise.

A friend of ours bought our son & DIL's trailer years ago for their lake home.  After visiting with them for a bit, we headed back out.  Jim snapped this photo as we were waving good-by.  I was too busy trying to keep from passing out.  It must have been the sun beating down on my head while standing on a swaying dock, but it was definitely touch and go for a bit.  Fortunately a bottle of water and some cooling breezes soon revived me.

Maybe sail boats are more stable than they look.  Personally I cannot imagine sailing on such choppy waters.

This little wood duck joined us as we basked in the sun.  Life is good!

Try it... you'll like it!

My friend, Patti, at  Osage Bluff Quilter, posted a recipe last week for canned tomato soup.  One of my favorite meals has always been tomato soup and grilled cheese.  In all my poor sheltered life, I had never tasted homemade tomato soup.  Until now.

Saturday I spent the day canning tomato soup.  What a messy mess I can be in the kitchen.  Anytime I follow a recipe the first time, it seems to take me forever.  After that things always go much quicker and cleaner.  The end result, though, was fantastic.

Quarts of canned tomato soup

Saturday I canned.  Sunday we dined on soup and grilled cheese. 

Can't wait - must try now!

The meal was topped off with a glass of cool, refreshingly tasty, Apple Blossom Wine from Holy Cross Abbey Winery in Cannon City, Colorado - compliments of Greg and Alicia (thank you guys, it was delicious).  What a wonderful blend of flavors!
 

Homemade tomato soup, grilled cheese, and Colorado fine wine - life is good

We have been getting rain showers off and on over the past few days and the temperatures are now in the comfortable 80's, replacing the oppressive 100+ temperatures of the past few weeks. 

Thank you for the recipi, Patti.  It is definitely a keeper!

Burning down the house

My baby girl, Julie, turned 31 last weekend.

We celebrated with a meal of pulled pork, oriental cole slaw, the best augratin potatoes ever, baked beans, and the worst red velvet cake ever (you win some, and lose some).  It took six matches to light the candles on that god-awful cake.  The candles lit up the room like fireworks on the 4th of July (kiind of like her smile) and we were praying the smoke alarms wouldn't go off.  She almost blew all those candles out in one puff (or four or five...)




Burning Down the House


Julie was our rough and tumble little girl.  She really had no choice, since she had an older brother and sister who never slowed down... she just had to figure out how to keep up!  It seemed like if something was going to happen, it was going to happen to Julie.  Like the time she almost caught the house on fire when she laid her coat and hat on top of a lit kerosine heater.  I believe she was only 3 at the time.  I still remember that charred coat laying in the middle of the driveway, where it landed when we threw it out the window. 


Cowgirl Julie

And then, of course, there is the matter of Julie's hair.  Oh what a rats nest it always was!  But she didn't care.  She was off and running each morning and heaven help the person who tried to slow her down by performing the useless task of combing the tangles out of her hair.

Six year old Fishergirl



Today our dear Julie's a wife and mother of three, stepmother of one.  It is no surprise that while surrounded by all of that testosterone, she rolls with the punches, and joins in all of the outdoor activities with zesto.

Outdoors-woman

So, happy birthday Julie!  You will always be my baby...





Christmas 1980