memorial day

What a beautiful day to be road trippin...and we tripped to our state capital in Pierre.

The Capital building is a beautiful old building built in 1910, 100 years old this year. We admired these memorials on the grounds to servicemen and the fallen.

Mr. B is a Vietnam veteran and my dad a Korean veteran. Mr. B's grandfather served during World War I and seven of this man's sons fought in World War II. My brother is also a veteran. We are extremely proud of our family members who served their country.

Mr. B talked about a close friend and neighbor who's name was sadly among those who died during the Vietnam War. b

MOOOMEEE!

This little baby robin was so lost last night as we were trying to put away our outdoor toys - tent, swimming pool and chairs. He just clung to the rung of the lawn chair hoping his mommy would soon come to rescue him. The gran-girlie's enjoyed watching him and had a lesson on baby animals. Mr. B finally had to gently relocate him to a safe place. Who doesn't remember that feeling of abandonment when they couldn't their mother...b

sailing

A little windy today but we put our boats in the water anyway. What a fun day we had - boating, tenting, swimming, playing on the jungle gym at the school and root beer floats. We all went to bed tonight very tired...b

sailors

I decided the gran-girlie's and I should go sailing this weekend so I put grandpa to work cutting out our little wooden boats while I sewed the sails. Only the brightest of striped fabric would do.

Next up our little 'ocean' needed some attention so grandpa took care of that also.

Idea sailing conditions will be if the wind is blowing parallel to our shoreline at 7-16 knots. Of course we won't launch if winds are above 30 knots.

The girls love the water. Hope we can make little sailors out of them and they bring their life jackets...b

crazy lady

I had a very busy day yesterday getting ready for company this weekend. Company seems to be the only thing these days that inspires me to get my work done.

In between housecleaning and planting flowers I did manage to get my bike out and polished up. It's the best bike! Our family got me and the mr. bikes one year and do we love them. I can't wait to do our yearly Spearfish canyon ride beginning with pancakes at Cheyenne Crossing.

Wouldn't it be fun if I could just leave this geranium pot in my basket all summer, take a posie pot with me wherever I go? And people would say, "There goes that crazy lady..." b

smiles

I'm still chuckling over the gran-girlie's birthday party and their cakes. Their mommy made them each a cake in the shape of a big cupcake and this year they decided a piece of it wasn't enough and demanded forks and dug in. It was pretty cute. They didn't seem to mind that their mother cut all the guests a piece off the backside of the cupcakes.

A two-year-old birthday party is pretty fun. They got lots of new summer toys to play with, a lion bubble blower, games, a t-ball set, sit and spins and best of all two new trikes from Aunt Tara. Their feet don't reach the pedals yet but sadly soon will...b

a bird in hand

I've been saving this picture of the bird pouch I made and sent to daughter for her birthday. It had to be a secret until she received it in the mail. It's made out of an old wool sweater that I felted then cut up.

The handmade birthday card was kind of an afterthought. Believe me when I say I am no threat to Hallmark, these handmade cards take a lot of work and time.

School is out today for the summer, don't you wish you were a kid again...b

duck weather

It's duck weather again. We had lots of rain, wind and thunder last night and more predicted for this afternoon. Guess my plants will have to stay in their box for today at least.

I made these little duck bibs for the gran-girlie's, aren't they just so bright and cheerful? They like ducks....b

simply beautiful

Simply beautiful says it all. Stopped in at this flower and plant shop to pick out a few posies for around the house. It's always terribly hard trying to organize what you need when you want it all. The weather is finally warming up enough to stick a few a flowers and tomatoes in the ground. So tomorrow I'll dig out my garden gloves and a bag of manure to start in...b

happy birthday...

Happy birthday to our daughter today!

Isn't this picture funny. Pure 80's, avocado appliances, kitchen carpet, my glasses!

The birthday girl just turned two in the photo, the same age the gran-girlies turned a few days ago.

How do I describe this birthday girl...happy, sunny, bright, energetic, fun. And she is still that way, a joy to be around.

I am always a little blue on birthdays we don't get to spend together.

Hope it's a grand day indeed for you! love you, mom

spring baby

I busted in on this baby bird today. I scared him all most as much as he scared me. All I saw was feathers until he jumped, I think I woke him up from his nap. His mama should know this is a roosting house not a bird house? Oh, she was watching me alright and I was getting a royal chewing out. It's an odd looking baby bird, see those two yellow stripes under his eyes? Like something out of star wars! He looks big enough to leave the nest soon and isn't that the way with children? They simply leave the nest too soon and another spring of our lives is over...b

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Gran-Girlie's! Can't believe you're two today. It seems like only yesterday that you were born. It has been a fun two years for us and we love being your grandma and papa. We are anticipating the days, months and years ahead when we can communicate more with you and share new things with you. It has been fun seeing the world through a child's eyes. With all my love... grandma b

supply & demand

Rounded up my dishrag yarn to see where I was with my supply and if I needed to demand more, ha. I can't leave yarn laying out as the cats think it's recess time for them. We have gotten up in the morning more than once to find my yarn or a project strung out from room to room. So needless to say I have yarn safely tucked in hiding spots here and there. I think a big round-up may be needed.

Knitting dishrags is a pretty mindless project and I never go anywhere without one on my needles...b

weekend recap

It was finally a nice weekend and we got lots of sunshine at the grandgirlie's house. They are so lucky to have this large playhouse in the backyard. Their daddy was making a few adjustments on it and they had to be right in the middle of things helping. This play set makes me want to be a kid again.

I laughed when I read this on my calendar this morning...One of the more inconvenient things about having grandkids is that their parents get to make all the rules. b

Weekend Warriors...

Oh my gosh! What kind of grandmother am I? I took all kinds of sweet photos of the grandgirlie's this weekend and I come home and post a picture of our cat Birdie.

But it was just too funny...I no sooner had my bag unpacked and our cat Birdie jumps in. I think she meowed, " Next time take me with you!"

Should I tell her we were at the grandgirlie's or not? Maybe she is saying, "Just stay home and be with me and Pearl."

Birdie is a two person cat and only likes me and the mr. Our family says she is just an evil cat, they just don't understand her.

So tomorrow I'll have to post some cute photos of the girls. We had a fun weekend, always do...b

muffins...yum

Enjoyed this banana nut muffin that came all the way from Rolla, North Dakota as well as a pistachio nut one. So good!

I wonder if Leeder's grocery store in Rolla would consider doing a muffin of the month club? Send muffins south to all of us who suffer from having a lack of fresh baked goods in their own town? Well, my waistline says I'm not suffering, but trust me when I say I am. We don't spend much money on store bought cookies and cakes.

The sun is shining here and Mr. B. just went out to mow. Check back here Sunday when I'll have other sweet things to talk about...b

Just rambling...

Shhh...hear that? It's the grass growing like crazy after all this rain. And this weekend it will be mower after mower starting up and running all day. Could everyone please mow between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.? You're invading my quiet time, ha.

It's graduation here this weekend and not even a pot of geraniums hanging by my front door yet.

I worked these towels up quickly the other day. I think they still need some tweaking but after I've finally decided how I like them I will be tired of this project and move on to another project.

It's hard being a crafter with no store in town to buy supplies. b

Guten Morgen

Good Morning... I am taking time to smell the coffee today. It's still raining here! Days and days of it already. But it's a good day to stay inside and work on this flour sack towel. I helped the tochter with her back stitch and now can't put it down myself, thanks for the inspiration Tara. And while I'm embroidering maybe I'll catch up with what Martha Stewart has been doing, (I tape her shows) throw in some laundry, do a little picking up and of course feed myself. As Martha says, "Wednesdays are a very good thing." b

down time...

I am feeling some much needed down time and I'm thinking it may start right now with a 'good for me' fruit smoothie and this anticipated book borrowed from my daughter-in-law.

The end of the school year is a busy time at the newspaper, with event after event to cover, along with all the other daily, weekly and monthly activities. Last night I covered my third meeting this month, then I have to try and decipher my notes the next day, yikes. Actually just trying to understand what they are talking about at these meetings is pure torture for me.

It doesn't take much to overwhelm me these days. Maybe I just need a big dose of granddaughters! b

Oodles of fun..

My daughter and I raided the fabric store this weekend and came away with some fun projects. Distance makes our working together impossible but it will be fun to compare what 'our creative minds' come up with. Experience is on my side but enthusiasm is on hers. We make a good team, huh? Two heads are always better than one when it comes to choosing fabrics.

I did manage to add a chicken project to the mix and we agreed they will make cute potholders.

Collecting projects is my main hobby. I laughed one time when a lady in a yarn shop said she told her daughter that when she dies she has to promise to get to the house and empty out her project closet before her husband could find it. I think all crafters are the same...b

bowling scenes...

Saturday bowling scenes...

Our daughter bowled at the state bowling tournament here in South Dakota.

It was nice having her here for the weekend and Mother's Day.

Never being a bowler myself it was fun to the observe bowlers. I have to say they seemed to be having a lot of fun. b

Friday Favorites

What do these objects have in common - knitting needles and pansies? As the song says, "These are a few of my favorite things."

When I bought this pottery pitcher at an 'Arts in the Park' event I had no idea what I would do with it. Isn't it just perfect for my knitting needles, with the woolie sheep on the front of it? I keep it up high, away from little fingers. Don't touch my knitting needles, you know.

And look what the Post Office released? In my honor don't you think? b

curvy clutches

These little curvy clutches were so easy and fast to do up. And better yet, was able to use up bits and pieces from other projects. The back and top of one is leftover fabric from my kitchen curtains. I like to coordinate my accessories with my kitchen you know, ha. Most of the fabric is from a small tote bag I gave to my daughter.

And talking about daughter, she will be here this weekend. It's always a huge treat to get to see her. Now that she lives close to the Canadian border visits are far and few between.

Our weather is cold and rainy today. Still have flannel sheets and pjs out. And of course you know how I love flannel, so no complaints from me. b

I'm a Little Teapot...

"Polly put the kettle on,, grandma used to say to me..."

I must have sang this song too many times to grand-girlie's this weekend. You know how you can't get a song out of your head? Can you hear Doris Day singing this song?

Our girlie's love songs with motions. It was fun watching them trying to get their hand on their hip.

I received this cute tea set from my brother and his wife a few years ago for Christmas. I love anything with chickens on it. The antique tea jar I've had for years... b

The Takeover

This little squirrel wasn't a bit bashful when I stepped out on the patio. With one eye on me and one on his lunch he wasn't budging. I thought he was pretty cute and kept getting closer and closer to him. They usually hang out in our front yard trees where Mr. B occasionally puts out corn for them. But this lucky squirrel found a pile of dropped seeds from the finch feeders. And I suppose once food hits the ground it should be fair game.

I don't think anyone was more fond and entertained by the squirrels than Mr. Bs dad Buss. He even got them to eat out of his hands! This little critter brought back memories of Buss and reminded me of how much we miss him... b

Pansy

Pansies are my favorite flower in paintings, photos and on fabric. Aren't they delicate, so old-fashioned.

And I'm finding the older I get the more old fashioned I am, and I'm actually enjoying the freedom of it.

Pansies don't really grow well here in our South Dakota climate, only for a short time in the spring. Just like me they like cooler temperatures.

I was nicely surprised one spring when were were in North Carolina to see pansies growing everywhere.

Nope, I can't resist a pretty pansy. b

It's a Monkey!

Looks like three monkeys to me?

Visited the gran-girlie's this weekend and while the guys golfed us ladies went to the zoo. We saw tigers, giraffes, monkeys and more. Hmmm, no camels or elephants?

It was fun seeing the animals through a toddler's eyes. Hope we get to go back again soon.

When we got home we fed and put our little monkeys down for their naps and this grandma went home very tired...b