Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau

Monday, May 31, 2010

Remember and give thanks!


 I remember posting about Memorial Day last year
and showing you the Avenue of Flags
that our small town displays 
at one of the local cemeteries.


It is a grand sight.
Seeing our flag flowing in the breeze always gives me a great feeling.
Seeing row upon row of them 
gives me goosebumps.
I love this country!

I am also glad that our citizens
set aside one day to 
honor the men and women of the armed services
who have served,
and given their lives in that service.

I just viewed some photos
that have been posted on
Pioneer Woman,
showing homecomings
between some of this nations soldiers and their families.
Stop by there and enjoy the entries,
but keep a kleenex handy because...

Freedom is not free
and you will see some dear Americans who are paying for 
you and me to enjoy that freedom.

Giving thanks today
for all who have gone before me,
and hoping I can do my small part
to 
protect what others have died for.


 Happy Memorial Day everyone!


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

A Sneaky Peek of Paint!

















Sorry these pictures are so lame,
the computer is so sluggish this morning!

Tiling starts today
and hopefully I'll be able to share 
more later!

Lots of happy dancing going on here!
Stay tuned...

Thursday, May 13, 2010

P.A.I.N.T.!


I've been trying to keep myself busy 
while we waited
for the painter to get his life straightened out.

There has been a lot of waiting with this house building gig.

There will be more waiting
before all is said and done.

I decided to give myself
a little happy patch
to look at while I wait

for topsoil
grass
shrubs
rocks
whatnot.


I'll show you more of it later.
Meantime....

ThE long P.A.I.N.T. wait is over.

Men are working again.

After a pause in progress,
a short delay,
a tense weekend,
and one AWOL painter...


Men are working again.

This is what it is all about.
Men showing up for work.
Men working.
Men taking breaks.









Men wearing work clothes...






Men operating fancy equipment...








Men working together
like a well oiled machine...










Men taking turns working...
rolling here,



rolling there...




spray here,
spray there,
spray everywhere....


These men got the ceilings sprayed,
the walls primed
and 
now
they
are
ready.

Ready for.....


color.

Tomorrow the color comes.
I don't know if
I will be able to sleep tonight.

We've been busy selecting
tile,
grout,
garage doors,
and cabinets,
but nothing will make me as happy as
 seeing the colors go onto the walls.

I'm pretty sure I am going to freak out.
In a good way.
i.can't.wait.to.see.it.!!!!!!!

It's all about the color, after all.

Nighty Night...
don't let the bedbugs bite!

















Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Spring Plantings!







In case you thought this post was about lovely flowers,
sorry to disappoint.
I just drug out those pictures
to lure you in
one more time.

I'm sneaky like that.

But I digress.
This post is about 

Manly men.
That should peak your interest too.

My manly man
likes to do things 
in a big way.

When he decides to do some 
spring planting,
make room for this bad boy...


My man likes oak trees...
nice BIG oak trees.

When the neighbor said,
"sure, help yourself,"
my man did not waste time.
He hired the big guns.

First they dig a big hole.
Like this.
If we had real soil, it would look soft, black and crumbly,
but no. 
That was back in Illinois, before I got in the covered wagon 
 and headed west to Kansas.
Kansas has no soil like that.
Ok, don't get me started ...
Here is the first hole.






I didn't really enjoy standing downhill from this rig.
Here he comes to plop a tree into the hole.
I use the word plop loosely
actually there was no plopping.




My man does not plop anything.
Neither does this truck.





My man is a big guy,
but even he looks short beside this monster!






Easy does it...






After the tree is in place,
The blades come back up
and then they fan open like this...
and the truck moves away.



Once a safe distance away, the blades fold back up
and the truck goes hunting
for another unsuspecting tree.





After all the trees are dug and plopped planted,
The builder makes sure
that the tree is standing straight and tall.

He uses a level.









Each tree gets 4 or 5 steel stakes
and he ties the tree to these stakes
to make sure it stands straight and tall
for the first year
in it's new home.


We do this every time we move trees
and it is a happy day when those things come down.
But for now,
no Kansas wind is going to bother this lovely tree.




Day 1. Scout out prospective trees and tag.

Day 2. Dig holes, plant trees, make sure all holes refilled with dirt, smooth over holes with box blade.

Day 3.Go to church and take wife and son to lunch,
 Stake and tie trees, build dams around base of each tree and water profusely,
(pick up bag of chocolates and card for Mother's Day),
lounge around admiring trees.

I think that I shall never see
a thing as lovely
as a tree.

The End.






Monday, May 3, 2010

Aqua Loveliness






Didn't Hubs do a great job 
picking out the color 
for these lovely 
septic tank pipes?
He really stepped out of his comfort zone
with this choice.

He would have preferred brown or gray,
but this was the only option.
It's all about the color, after all.



This team works like
a well oiled machine.

Align. Level. Align again.





Note:
When someone insists that I take pictures
for this blog...
they had better smile,
or at least look happy 
that I am finally 
taking said pictures!






It is always important to crop strategically,
when posting about ditch work...
not all ditches  need be
photographed!






I want this guy's job.
Load. Dump. Wait.
Actually, Melvin dug all the trenches,
so he deserves a rest!


Melvin dumps the rock
and




these manly men rake the rock.
Yo. Rake the rock. Rake the rock.

I could make a rap song out of this....


Rake the rock.
Rake the rock.
I got me some men
to- rake- the- rock....


You rake!
You rake!
Go rakers!
Go rakers!
You rake!
You rake!






This rock raker is resting
He is rockin rock raker.
He is a rockin rake star!!!!
At least he smiles for the camera!
Yo. Peace out.


Get back to work you rock raker!
No resting!
No rapping!
Rake! Rake!
See Jim!
See Jim rake!




ok, I had way too much fun with this....


This was very hard work.
Much grunting and sweating took place
and very sore muscles ensued.
I am very glad this job is complete,
especially since it rained all weekend.

Timing is everything!




"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

About Me

My photo
Welcome to my happy place. A place where I can share ideas, projects, and dreams. I am a nester, a crafter, a creator and a dreamer I hope you will find inspiration and encouragement for the journey you are on. I am a Jesus follower, wife, mother and nana. Blessed beyond measure, just trying to live my life gracefully and make a difference in my small world. Join me!