Fall Harvest

The first day Samantha and Sage spent with us this summer, we went out to our corn field.  We measured the corn and the kids.  Then before they left we measured everyone and the corn for a final time.  All the grand kids grew.  The corn grew even more.  Every day or so we would check to see if the corn was growing.  The corn grew over a foot in less than two weeks.

 Kelsey and Hannah standing in the same spot this fall. 

Yellow Gold

The combine is harvesting the spot where we measured and watched our corn grow.

Another one bites the dust.

Halloween Decorating

May I introduce my silly little Halloween person.

He/she came to our home courtesy of Kelsey many years ago.  She gave it to me in a rather off handed way, saying something on the order of  "Here Grandma, this is for you ".  While this grandma was thinking ugly: she was saying "Well, Thank You".  Many years have passed and I have become fond of this ugly plastic bendable fellow.

One year while rummaging in my box of decoration I could not find what I have fondly come to call my Halloween Man.  It was then that I realized how much I had come to regard him as a Halloween fixture.  At first I put him out to please a little girl, now I put him out to please me.  From year to year he sits on a different shelf.  Wherever he sits he is a reminder of the love of a little girl. 

Summertime is Winding Down

   Yesterday was a lovely summer day.  Sunday was cold, rainy, and an all around bad fall day weather wise.  Today we have rain again.  What I like about summer time is the fresh food.  My garden is not large yet we have carrots, beans, beets, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, and asparagus.   We have raspberry bushes and blackberry bushes.  The rhubarb plants keep us supplied with all we can want to eat.  Almost everything gets eaten fresh from the garden.  Canning and freezing are done at a minimum.    What I do like to do is to make sweet pickle relish out of the larger cucumbers.  Late this summer Hannah made relish to take to 4-H fair next summer.  This is not a picture of her small cute jars of relish.  We took photos of her and her relish on her Mom's camera and I do not have them.  This is my batch of relish and my mismatched jars.  Hannah and I both love to hear the ping when the jars seal.  Warren will enjoy relish on his burgers this winter and it will make a fine addition to chicken and pork salad.

Pickle Relish

6 cups of ground cucumbers- do not peel but cut down the middle and remove seeds

1 cup ground onion

 1 teaspoon salt

Mix together and let stand for on hour. Next drain for one hour.

Combine in a kettle with

2 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

Bring to a boil and then hot pack in jars.

On recipe makes about 3 pints

(As I copied the recipe, I thought that we do not use the term kettle any more,

so this must be a very old version.)

Iowa State Fair Memories

Our  state puts on a wonderful fair every year in the middle of August.

Dad tells of going with his parents and grandparents to camp and visit the fair.

We drive a much greater distance and elect to return home to comfort mattresses

rather than spend the night in sleeping bags.

Kelsey and her Dad were the soda jerks.

Hannah worked in the food line.

Warren, Malissa, and I worked in the dining area.

 

The Grundy County Pork Producers provided us with matching T shirts.

We are not sure orange is our color.

Hannah wants them pink next year.

Our work crew was a great group of guys and gals who started work a bit before

3:00 in the afternoon and worked until 9:30 at night.

We were a tired troop.

 

The best part of the Iowa State Fair is that is is a "forget the diet day".

Everyone had a double dip ice cream except Warren.

In the morning we were able to see the girls State Fair 4-H entries and

take in a small portion of the wonderful things to see and do.

Biking Pictures

There are some beautiful spots along the trail in the Lanesboro, MN area.

The bike paths are wide, paved, and rather flat.

Just the way I like to ride. 

I got a few good pictures of Warren riding.  

The ones he took of me were all blurry.

We got a gal to take our picture.  

I think I shall have to find a purple top for our next photo.

Our weather was perfect.  It was not hot nor humid.

Lanesboro, MN

Warren and I are off on a mini vacation to Lanesboro Tuesday morning.  We will stay at a B & B we have enjoyed before.  The bikes will be packed in the back of Warren's pick up as the trails are plentiful.  We will also bring along some books to read.  It will be a three day two night get away.  We are hoping it recharges us for the fall harvest season ahead. I plan to take lots of pictures and bore you when we return.

My Dad has had some health issues lately.  He went into the hospital early on the 12.  At first they said he had food poisoning but now are not so sure.  He came home on Tuesday.  Every day he shows some small improvements in his ability to get around but as of now he is using a walker with assistance.  Therapy is helping him regain strength and a bit of mobility.  Cindi has been his around the clock nurse and without her they would not have been able to have him home.  Mom and I have taken care of the many details and phone calls that have been needed the past week or so.  Health care  is not an easy road to travel.  Hopefully with a bit of time and assistance they will be able to enjoy life again.

First Day of School

Our two sweet neighbor girls came for breakfast on their first day of 

school Wednesday.  Most mornings they join me for breakfast.  Hannah 

has to catch the bus earlier for middle school so the over lap time

is about five minutes tops.  Kelsey usually has an omelet and Hannah cinnamon

toast or granola..  Both served with Sunny Delight.