Remember

Queen For a Day

I saw this picture and was reminded that when I was young there was a television program titled, I think, Queen for a Day.  I recall one woman crying when she was presented with a new washer and dryer.  Something I take for granted day in and day out.  There are days when I still say a little thank you that even if the washer and dryer reside in what is the back entry to our home it is on the main floor.  Just off the kitchen, where it is easy to use, sits my working pair.  More times that I like to admit, the dryer is piled high with a load or two to be folded.  When we remodeled and brought the laundry to the main floor we also turned an upstairs bedroom into a bath.  It took one carpenter a couple of days to put the cloth shot in place from the bath to the laundry room.  It takes a right angle to get the clothes to their destination.  I still call it my $500 clothes shoot.  Well worth it in my opinion.  Time to fold laundry and be thankful I am not a pauper.

Cats and Buterflies

The other day when I went out to capture a picture or two of the monarch butterflies two of the cats were sunning themselves in our back yard.  Seldom do cats pose.  They are really Kelsey and Hannah's cats.  I can not even pet them as they are not the friendliest cats.  The gray one is Bud and the other is Oreo.  They either share the same mother or are cousins.  The other cat is the black one that the girls named Midnight. 

Joe Pye Weed and a monarch.

School Days

Because Kelsey and Hannah live next door we get to often enjoy their company.  They have been coming over for breakfast since they started going to school.  At first it was to help Malissa get to work on time.  I like to think that now it is because the girls want to spend a bit of time with their Grandma and Grandpa.  Either that or they like our food better. 
Yesterday was their first day back.  Kelsey is a senior and Hannah a freshman.  Finally they will attend the same school again.  Hannah has been a 20 + minute drive away.  Kelsey has been here in town for the past three years.

Cucumbers

This is my first picking of cucumber.  The onions are ready to pull and dry also.

One easy summer cucumber salad is to peel and slice them along with some onion and then add a bit of mayo. 

After they are refrigerated for a few hours the water in the cucumbers along with the mayo will form a delicious dressing.   Salt and pepper to taste. 

Blackberries

I went out this morning to harvest the first of my blackberries.

I have one bush.  Some years twice this is about all I have

harvested.  This year it looks to be my best crop ever. 

Sweet, juicy, berries from our own back yard.

More about Fair

Fair is over for this year. But there are still pictures to share. 

Kelsey took a pen of three chickens and another pen of one.  All her chickens got blue ribbons.

Hannah took her black blue ribbon bunny by the name of Herbert Ninninger.

 Kelsey is taking her bee project writeup to state fair.  Hannah has her Anzac Biscuits going.  Both girls had several projects that were considered.  They consistently do wonderful projects.  A lot of work goes into each exhibit.  Most of the items that go on to the Iowa State Fair have excellent write ups included with the project.  Unlike at the county fair where the kids talk with a judge, the only communication with the judges is done with the project folder at state fair.  Hannah also has a poster that was a state fair alternate.  For some reason this is going too.  The poster has to be redone as she had used chewing gum on it and because of the heat it melted and ruined part of the poster. 

The friends they stayed with in Australia introduced them to this Assie/New Zealand cookie.

Kelsey did the art work for this poster and made it a fun presentation.

I wanted some original art for one of our guest bedrooms.  This should be fun to frame and hang.