Memorial Day

Thank you to all our servicemen and women working in harm’s way to keep our country safe.  Thank you Nat for your service in World War II and thank you Granddaughter Laci for your service now. 

Sunshine today equals a convertible ride.  I got to pick the destination and decided on the Beartooth Highway.  We left home about 10am with Emmi, endured the road construction and had lunch at the Grizzly Bar in Roscoe.  Then on to Red Lodge and up the Beartooth Highway.  For those of you unfamiliar with this highway, it is a link between Cooke City on the border of Yellowstone Park and Red Lodge, MT.  The road is open only in the summer and presents many engineering challenges.  A few years ago, the road did not open for the summer due to extensive flood/slide damage.  The road is usually plowed and opened by Memorial Day each year.  June snowstorms at the elevations found on the road force closure occasionally.  We never tire of the views and scenery—it is breathtaking!  Today the road was only open to the Wyoming border, guess Wyoming didn’t feel like plowing (there was a nasty snowstorm up there Thursday or Friday, I think) and we turned around and came back down.  See, there is still just a little snow up there.  And there is enough snow that these hardy snowboarders were still getting in some runs!

Our friends Mark and Gemma just bought a RV—a small bumper pull trailer, used, and they had some questions so on our way home we stopped to see if we could help.  Michael answered all of Mark’s questions, they got the hot water tank, water pump and propane stove going.  We pulled out the awning and showed them how to secure it—it was soaking wet and really needed to dry out. We explained how you can’t let go of that awning strap when rolling the awning back up—they asked “what happens if you lose the strap?”  I said, “then Mike and Jim have to get up on top of the motor home and push the awning out with their feet while Janna stands on a ladder and tries to retrieve the strap!!!” We told them we were great resources, if we haven’t done it some of our friends have!!  They are excited and will be leaving on their first trip soon, they have a dog, too, and just think it will be easier to travel with him than having to find a motel that will accept pets.  Maybe we can talk them into joining us down south next winter!

Emmi played with Mark and Gemma’s dog so hard that now she is curled up in Michael’s lap, sound asleep.

A Quiet Sunday

On our walk this morning through the wet grass and mud, Emmi thought she would sneak up on Red, my horse, again.  She got fairly close with me watching and then Red snorted-- Emmi decided that maybe she didn’t need to visit Red.

It is cloudy and cold again with a very nasty chilly wind blowing.  Off and on the sun would come out but not enough to make me not want the fire in the fireplace.  So much of the country is experiencing record heat—not us!

Nat came for lunch, steaks, twice baked potatoes, slaw and a slice of that homemade cheesecake with fresh strawberries.

After lunch I started to work on Betty’s quilt—one of my quilting retreat buddies.  It is an absolutely gorgeous lone star quilt in my kind of colors, neutrals and darks.  It will be fun to quilt this one since I like it so much.

Michael worked out in the shop all day, visited with his Dad and with Larry who brought us four dump truck loads of gravel—maybe we can cover up some of this mud around here!

On of the storms that drifted through today.

Columbus Quilt Show

We had a great time at Jill and Terry’s last night.  Jill is the best hostess, everything she does is presented so well—flowers, nicely arranged food and good, good food!  Jeane, Steve and PJ joined us as well and it was just one of those perfect evenings with great friends.

The alarm clock went off at the early hour of 5am this morning—time to head to Columbus for the quilt show.  We picked up Micah (a friend’s teenager who has quilted a quilt and wanted to go along) and dropped Emmi with Nat.  The setting was at the local museum in the metal barn used to house antique farm equipment—open to the outside on one wall—glad we had some sunshine today but it was still rather chilly all day!

It was a great spot for displaying quilts-- very appropriate, very vintage! 

Here’s the quilting machine all set up, we had a good turnout of crowd looking at the quilts.  Even though I sold very little fabric or notions I did hand out a lot of business cards to people inquiring about quilting services.  OK, our feet are wet, on to the next show!

We dragged our tired selves back to Nat’s, got Emmi and are collapsed at home, I hear my bed calling!

Quilt Show Prep

We woke to another rainy morning and slogged down the driveway for a walk bringing back a very wet and bedraggled puppy!

Many of the seedlings we have planted and still have inside are leggy and not looking so well—the plants need to be in the ground.  So today, I planted the worst looking seedlings in the garden and covered them with plastic—we will see what happens!  Kind of a miniature greenhouse.

The rest of the day was spent hauling stuff out to the truck and trailer for the quilt show.  We think we have it all—hope we didn’t forget anything—Michael made a sign for us that says:  Coyote Creek Quilting. 

I baked cookies for Nat as a bribe to keep Emmi tonight while we go to Jill and Terry’s for dinner and tomorrow during the quilt show, not that he needs a bribe.  Emmi had a bath this morning so she is all ready to go to Granddad’s.

Getting Ready

While in one of the convenience stores in Big Timber the other day I noticed a brochure for a new quilt show being held in the neighboring community of Columbus on Memorial Day weekend.  When I contacted the person in charge I received a warm welcome and decided we would load up bag and baggage and participate in this show.  As I am a representative for APQS, the manufacturer of my longarm quilting machine, we are taking the longarm for demonstration.  Wouldn’t it be nice if I could sell one??  Or two??  We are also taking along some quilting kits—attractively packaged kits containing a pattern and fabric to make a quilt, some bolts of fabric and various other notions.  We will just see what happens in this first attempt to get our feet wet!

My wonderful friend Jeane came up today and helped me put together the quilting kits—without her I would still be downstairs cutting fabric.  Thank you Jeane—you are the best!

For lunch I made another quiche YUM!  And I made a from scratch low fat cheesecake that was delicious! 

When we took a walk last night this storm was approaching But, the storm went around us.  Big Timber was not so lucky—the town received about 2 inches of rain mixed with hail—power was lost and the streets flooded.  Jeane and Steve were without power for a while.

Isn’t this the sweetest little dog??

Mom & Chuck Are Off

Are we ever going to have warmer weather—another cool, breezy, cloudy, rainy day—the only saving grace—no snow.  As I write this at 5pm there is some sunshine—can we hope??

I think I had a cooking first today—I made a pie crust from scratch—if I have ever done that before, it was a long, long time ago!  And it was delicious—we had quiche for lunch with a salad.

Mom and Chuck left shortly after lunch headed for Gardiner, MT for the night.  Chuck has to check in for work at Yellowstone Park tomorrow, Mom doesn’t start until Saturday.  I was sad to see them go having enjoyed their visit very much!  But, they will be back some over the summer on days off.

After they left I put together another little quilt—it turned out well, too.  That’s three little quilts Mom and I made this week—now I have to get them quilted.

The Thimbleberry quilt is finished!!!  Lupine I think. Lazuli Bunting

Michael put a new bumper hitch on our dually pickup and then he washed both the truck and the Explorer. 

A good day.

More Rain Then Sunshine

It rained a lot during the night and most of the morning but this afternoon the sun came out!  Still cool but at least we have sunshine. 

Mom and I again spent the day sewing and quilting.  I finished the Thimbleberry quilt but didn’t get it taken off the frame—photos tomorrow Marti!  It looks good.  Mom finished one small quilt and this cute little quilt/table topper Doesn’t it look cheery??

Michael worked on Steve’s project and even got the engine to run today!!  Amazing! 

When a person goes to work for a company federal law requires that the potential employee submit two forms of photo ID.  Mom had a driver’s license but nothing else—she forgot her passport, so Xantera (Yellowstone Park) wouldn’t let her go to work until she had other ID.  My sister Ann FedEx’ed the passport to Mom today so now she is legal. 

And that’s about it for our day.

Our backyard waterfall and the small aspen leaves. 

Rain, Rain

It started raining in the night and I knew this because I was awake a lot—nightmares, terrible ones!  And, it has rained off and on all day today.  Made for a very muddy walk morning and afternoon!

Mom and I spent the day sewing and quilting.  She almost finished a quick little quilt from a pattern by All Washed Up.  When its finished tomorrow, I will post a photo. 

I am almost finished with that Thimbleberry’s quilt Marti!  One more row and then the bottom border and I will be finished, YEA!  It looks really great.

Why is it so hard to get good customer service any more???  Remember about a month ago I had my Pfaff sewing machine (my 10 year old, very expensive Pfaff sewing machine) in the shop—it had just stopped sewing in the midst of making a quilt.  The repair shop kept the machine for over 3 weeks and today as Mom was sewing the machine did exactly the same thing—made a noise and froze.  GRRRRR—now it has to go all the way back to the repair shop in Billings!  Thank goodness for simple little Singer Featherweight machines—Mom is using that machine to finish the quilt. 

Michael worked out in the shop on Steve’s project all day and Chuck read and played on the computer.  That’s about it for our day.

To answer some questions from readers:  No, we are not in Judith Gap—but our internet carrier shows up as Judith Gap, MT when we log onto blogs—don’t ask us why???

No, Karen—Mom and Chuck are going over to Yellowstone Park on Wednesday in their motor home.  They are both going to work in the Park for the summer—Mom is an auditor (counts the money) and Chuck works in one of the stores.  We will get to see them occasionally on their days off.

This is a recycled photo from spring 2008.

Celebrating Nat’s 88th

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, a little cool but sunny.  We took our walk then Mom and I headed to the quilting studio for some sewing time.  Mom altered some shirts for my friend Gemma and I quilted for a while.

We had lunch and spent the rest of the day getting ready to transport a birthday party meal to Nat’s in town.  I even made a from scratch birthday cake!

Lonn, LoraLee and Katie joined us at Nat’s and we had a wonderful family evening.  Drinks with cheese and crackers followed by marinated steaks, twice baked potatoes,  and salad with Boulder River Ranch poppy seed dressing.  But the crowning part of the meal was the birthday cake—our friends Jeane and Steve owned the Boulder River Guest Ranch and the cake recipe was a ranch specialty.  It is three layer chocolate with whipped cream filling between layers and a chocolate icing to die for.  I shouldn’t have had dinner and just eaten cake!!  And we won’t tell who had TWO pieces of cake (Lonn, Katie and Michael)!

Nat opened his presents and was looking forward to reading the new books he got.  At 88 his mind is still very sharp, he drives and lives alone.  He does his own yard work and pitches horse shoes for fun.  It was a wonderful day—Happy Birthday, Nat.

Burning and Planting

It was a long night—at 1am the phone rang—I didn’t manage to get it answered before voice mail picked up—I thought the number on caller ID looked familiar but the person left no message.  So, we struggled for a long while trying to go back to sleep.  This morning I realized I did have a voice mail but the message was only giggling girls.  Still thinking the phone number looked familiar, I dialed it—imagine my surprise when I heard my Granddaughter Katie’s voice mail!!!!  I highly doubt she intended to call us last night—did someone else accidently hit the wrong button?? 

While on our walk this morning we decided to plant the little trees I purchased at Costco a while back.  And we decided to burn some of the brush piles that accumulate when you cut down trees and clear brush.  Michael got all the equipment going while I called the sheriff’s department to notify them we were burning today.

We planted three of the trees down by the pond and one in the backyard.  Michael used the mini-excavator to gather up dead trees, stumps and brush setting fire to four or five piles.  Our weather is just right for this activity, cool, cloudy, spitting rain at times and windy.  So far he hasn’t burned down the neighborhood!

Mom helped with the tree planting and Chuck has been working hard all day trying to get their satellite TV dish working—finally, just a few minutes ago, success!

We had a great lunch—oven fried chicken, sauteed squash (all the way from Arkansas), onion and broccoli, salad and watermelon.  No more meals for us today!  We might finish off that fruit tart I made last night—it was so yummy!  This afternoon Mom made the cake layers for Nat’s birthday cake.  We are going to celebrate his 88th at his house tomorrow night. 

I sat down just a few minutes ago and called our friends Mary and Gene.  We met the two of them while participating in a shooting sport down in Arizona several years ago and became great friends.  We have traveled together, spent time at each other’s homes and in spite of the fact they live in Washington and we live in Montana, we stay in touch.  It had been a while since we had talked and it was just so good to talk to Mary today.  Hopefully they are going to plan a trip to come and see us this summer.

 

The little tree in the backyard keeping one of the rhubarb plants company.

Mom Is Here

Spent most of my day getting ready for Mom and Chuck’s arrival.  I did get the lettuce, radishes, chard and peas planted in the garden.  Michael tilled the garden with the mini-excavator—seemed to work.  And he got the larger garden site mostly done—the dirt there needs to dry out some before we can plant.  Memorial Day weekend is the soonest we can plant anything outside and even then we better be ready to cover it on cold nights. 

Can you tell what this is in the photo??  The indentations at the left of the photo are the bear’s claws and the flat round part to the right is the pad of his foot.  Seems like we have had a visitor!

Mom and Chuck arrived about 4pm—it was so good to hug my Mom!  We visited for a while and brought all the quilts inside that Aunt Margaret and Marti sent for me to quilt.  I absolutely love the “schnauzer” quilt and its backing they sent me!  Then it was time to make dinner—grilled pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, peas, salad and a divine berry tart—one of the best desserts I have ever made! Now we are all sitting and relaxing—reading and computer stuff. 

Michael cut down some of the dead aspen trees today for firewood.  He worked outside a long time. 

My horse Red was taking a nap in the sunshine.  We have taught Emmi to not chase or get too near the horses but she just had to try and sneak up on Red this morning, she couldn’t figure out what that big, fat red thing was—it was so cute—this is as close as I let her get!

Not A Good Day

Oh, boy, where do I start!  It was a beautiful morning to start, warm and sunny.  As I write this the temps have dropped, we have a fire in the fireplace and rain/snow forecast for tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night, UGH!

Michael struggled all day with mechanical issues and I tried to quilt.  At lunch time I did a little house cleaning and saw the storm approaching fast so decided to mow the lawn really quick—our lawn is very small.  I got the mower that Nat recently donated us, quickly mowed the little patch of front yard and went around to the back—started the mower and it threw rocks everywhere, OK—wheels are too low, raised the wheels and finished mowing the yard.  About 2 hours later I went into our master bathroom and about cried—there is a huge hole in the big plate glass window over our garden tub probably caused by one of those rocks from the mower.  The rock penetrated only the outer layer of glass but the window will have to be replaced. 

Michael is still outside struggling with mechanical issues on the small skidsteer and I am making soup—seemed like the day for it!

 

We finally have leaves on the trees!

The Dentist

For several years I have been going to a dentist and hygienist in Billings.  While I never had the dentist perform any work, the hygienist made me dread going to the dentist—she was rough, rude and she hurt me—why I stayed with her for this long, who knows.  Two years ago the dentist had a massive stroke at a very young age and has not been able to come back to work—his practice is now for sale.  I decided it was time to seek another hygienist.  A friend recommended this new group in Billings.  A totally different experience!!!  Pleasant surroundings, very nice, gentle hygienist who praised my teeth caring skills and I like the dentist.  So, problem solved!  And, they let me watch TV while she cleaned my teeth!

After that experience it was off to various places for errands and grocery buying.  We had lunch at Famous Dave’s and it was delicious. 

We were back in Big Timber at Nat’s to get Emmi by 4pm and now we are home relaxing—car is unloaded and most everything is put away.

Tomorrow I really need to start house cleaning and get in some quilting—my Mom and her new husband left Arkansas this morning in their motor home headed this way and should be here sometime Friday or Saturday. 

Grooming Dropout

And our daily sideshow compliments of the courting grouse!  When I put Emmi out first thing this morning, up on the hill sits the grouse!

Emmi had her first appointment with a real groomer today and it was a disaster!  In the 10 months we have had Emmi, I have groomed her twice—she was a little fidgety and didn’t particularly like me messing with her ears but we got it done.  OK—I decide to take her to a real groomer thinking the groomer will take the hair out of her ears, clip her toenails and give her a good haircut that I can follow.  Yea, right!  The appointment was to have taken two hours, maybe more if Emmi became stressed—I called at the 2 1/2 hour mark and the groomer told me to come get her—she couldn’t finish.  When I got there Emmi was beside herself and so was the groomer, she would not let the poor groomer come anywhere near her head with the clippers but when I turned the clippers on and started to clip a little around her ears, she was fine!!!  I paid and we left—so now I have a groomer dropout—we will just have to practice every day until we get it, won’t we Emmi???

Had a great lunch at the Rib and Chop House and paid a visit to the Livingston bookstore, Sax and Fryer that is an institution—one of the best bookstores you will ever enter.  Lots of Montana books.

Then it was home stopping in Big Timber to pick up a customer quilt and ice cream—Mike and I needed ice cream but instead have decided on wine after our stressful day!

The grooming dropout!

And a last note:  Politicians are like diapers, they both should be changed regularly!

A Busy Day

Over in the wee hours of the morning, I woke sneezing and sneezing—we had left the door open and I think some kind of pollen snuck in and attacked me.  Made for a pretty miserable day!  Even benadryl didn’t touch it, so I hear my bed calling me at an early hour tonight!

In spite of feeling poorly, I did manage to accomplish a lot today—laundry, mowing, quilting, and paperwork. 

Emmi has been in trouble most of the day.  On our walk this morning coming up a steep hill, I stopped to take a photo of a bird.  When I got to the top of the hill, Emmi was no where to be found.  I called and called, still no Emmi.  I hiked back to the house and had just started the Kawasaki mule to go look for her when here she came from down the driveway.  I scolded and scolded her so she has kind of avoided me today.  When Mike got home she sang for him and told him how woeful her day had been.

Michael went over to Lonn’s to help repair some broken water lines and was gone all day long. 

We think the grouse are looking for somewhere to nest—the two grouse are putting on quite the show every morning.

Ugly old thing isn’t he—if I was the female and saw that thing coming at me—I would run!!

They’re Back

Today was a day for the birds—returning birds that is.  Every year on or about May 13, the beautiful little lazuli buntings reappear.  Some years we have dozens all summer, some years only a few stick around all summer.  And, Michael saw a hummingbird in the garage and had a time getting him to leave the garage.  

After our walk, I fixed fried chicken and deviled eggs, we loaded the car with picnic, us and Emmi and took off—it was such a beautiful, beautiful, warm day.  It is amazing how grateful we are for these nice warm days after days and days of gloom and snow.

Our destination was Neihart where our friends Nancy and Royal own the Neihart Inconvenience Store.  Named “inconvenience” store because Royal says it is damn inconvenient for him to run it!  Nancy was manning the store today, Royal was back home on the ranch ditching hay fields.  We had a nice visit an purchased a couple things before heading back over the hill.  Neihart is located near the ski resort of Showdown and last week when we got 10 inches of snow, Neihart got almost 6 FEET!!!!  The snow was still very much in evidence—probably 3-4 feet in places.  There were some ladies having coffee in the store who said they were snowed in unable to get out of their houses for 3 days!

We stopped in Big Timber on the way back picking up milkshakes and went out to visit with Nat for a while, now we are home with our feet propped up listening to the birds chatter outside—it is so nice to be able to have the doors open at 7:30 at night. 

Hey, what’s up there?? This is a nice deck, at least it was before that fast little black dog chased me off!

Lazuli BuntingOne happy little dog.

A Miscellaneous Day

Another beautiful day in Montana.  After our walk we loaded up and headed into town—Michael needed to pick up some things at Steve’s for the project and Steve was donating some kind of tractor/mower blade to Michael’s treasure pile.  We also borrowed Jeane and Steve’s garden tiller.  I got to visit with Jeane while the “stuff” was loaded. 

Michael needed parts at CarQuest and I needed a few groceries so he dropped me at the local IGA.  When I finished he wasn’t back yet so I walked across the street, sat on the curb in the sunshine and had a little snack (I was starving, it was after 1pm and we hadn’t had lunch)—just as I sat down, our friend Kelly with her daughter Bonnie drove up and came over to visit with me—it is great to live in a small town! 

The plan was to till the small garden and get some lettuce and radishes planted but unfortunately mechanic Mike could not get the tiller running—Steve and Jeane said it hadn’t been run in 2-3 years. 

So, with time on my hands (yea, right) I decided to clean out all the flower beds and the yard.  That took me all afternoon and then some!  Emmi was a big help bringing me many sticks.  After I got all the trash hauled to the burn pile, I washed the little sports car—we think we may go for a ride tomorrow. 

And now I am enjoying a glass of wine, I am pooped!

The house is cool in the mornings, it has been warm enough to not have a fire at night.  Emmi finds the sunbeams and curls up.

Why We Live In Montana Kind of Day

A glorious day, almost 70 degrees and sunshine.  We were able to take a long walk this morning without getting too muddy.  Emmi was delighted to be out and about without her coat!  She frightened this guy out of his hiding place and he showed us his displeasure--

Michael took off after our walk to go and help Lonn and LoraLee brand calves.  I got ambitious and sprayed a tank full of weed spray—the sunshine we had yesterday really made the weeds pop out.

At our quilt retreat I received some encouragement from other quilters about starting to sell some quilting fabrics out of my studio particularly in the form of kits.  Today I ordered 6 bolts of fabric from Maywood Studios in pretty sunflower/summer colors.  I had all ready ordered some patterns so it will be fun to put it all together.  

Emmi and I spent some time sitting outside in the sun and enjoyed watching the birds at the feeders. 

I loaded a huge quilt onto the frame today belonging to my Aunt’s friend in Arkansas, Marti.  Marti—that is one big quilt!  The backing she chose is a beautiful navy blue and the quilt is a Thimbleberry pattern that kind of tells a Christmas story—it is a gorgeous quilt.  And yes, Judy, I do quilt as a business for other people. 

A wonderful Montana day!

Sunshine

We woke to a beautiful day here in Montana, sunshine and blue skies!  Still had to just take our morning stroll down the driveway, it is much too muddy anywhere else to walk. 

Michael spent the day outside working on the little skidsteer and I quilted all day.  I tried a dragonfly pantograph on my little quilt I made yesterday and while I like the way it turned out, pantographs are a pain!  Too much walking round and round the machine.  Think I will stick to freehand from the front of the machine!

Our dinner with Denny & Ellen and Steve and Jeane was great.  We haven’t seen Denny and Ellen in a long time and it was so good to visit with them. 

I clicked on the computer yesterday afternoon, checked Facebook and read the saddest news.  While we don’t personally know Mike and Pat McFall, we know who they are and read their blog.  As well, Gina and Rollie who camped with us this past winter have been staying in the same park with Mike and Pat, visiting with them, helping them move into the McFall’s new home and just having a great time it sounds like.  The McFall’s lost a son to leukemia two years ago and received the sad news that their oldest son died in his sleep Tuesday night at the young age of 55.  Our hearts go out to these people, to have lost one son is a tragedy, to lose two is unbearable. 

Party and Quilting

OK, where is the sunshine?  Woke to snow this morning and again it has rained and snowed all day.  The forecast is for sun tomorrow????

Just a short walk today down to the road from the house.  Emmi looked like a little dirt ball when we got back.  This afternoon she went outside and played in the mud earning herself a bath.

I spent the day getting ready for our little gathering tonight.  Denny and Ellen are back in the neighborhood and are coming to dinner with Jeane and Steve.  Peg and John were to have joined us but their poor little schnauzer Banjo is very sick again. 

Simple food tonight, burgers on the grill, baked beans, roasted potatoes and strawberries with homemade shortcake.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Look what I did this afternoon: 

It is a very simple little quilt, the pattern is called “Just Can’t Cut It” from the company All Washed Up.  The photo doesn’t do it justice, when I have more time tomorrow I am going to try again, the fluorescent lights put too much of a glare on the fabric. 

Off to finish dinner preparations. 

We Are Molding

It was raining during the night and it has rained/snowed/sleeted all day long.  The temps are warmer than they have been but it is still awfully wet around here.  I could use some Arizona sunshine about now.

I guess I should stop complaining, I sure am getting a lot of quilting projects and work done—can’t get outside to do yard work, might as well quilt.  I finished my Aunt’s little yellow log cabin quilt today and it turned out well.

Michael worked on Steve’s project all day and Emmi and I held down the fort inside.  I’m working on some ideas to expand my quilting business and spoke with the nicest woman in California today that sells quilting patterns.  She ships the patterns to me, doesn’t take credit cards—when I get the patterns, send her a check!  One of her patterns is consistently in the top ten selling quilt patterns in the country so it isn’t as if she is not busy!  I am excited, once I get the patterns then I will order fabric—it will be like Christmas around here!

Emmi and I took a quick walk this afternoon and saw Mr. Skunk—we have been seeing and smelling him around, wish he would find a new home—he will find a new home if I ever catch him at just the right time!  On our morning walk these greater sage grouse were hanging around again, tormenting Emmi.

A Little of This and That

Took a walk, talked on the telephone, made lunch, researched free quilt patterns on the internet, mixed bread dough and got a quilt partially loaded onto the frame before Kathy came for her computer lesson just after lunch. 

Last fall I helped Kathy and Jim purchase their first ever computer and gave them a couple of beginner lessons.  Well, Kathy has progressed from that beginning and just needed some help with downloading photographs and sorting them.  Took us most of the afternoon cause there was a large amount of chat and gossip thrown in!

Sarge, Mike’s high school buddy showed up about the same time Kathy did and he and Mike spent the afternoon chatting and gossiping—yes, I heard you gossiping!

Michael has worn Wrangler blue jeans all his life.  We purchased two new pair on our last trip to Billings and were in sticker shock when we found out the jeans now cost $30/pair.  While in Costco that same day he noticed the Kirkland brand of jeans cost only $12.99 and decided to try a pair.  I haven’t stopped laughing yet and he wore the jeans yesterday!  Of course the jeans were baggy in the thigh, that’s how they are made and by the end of the day, the rear of the jeans was about to drag the ground.  I think he might have thrown them in the trash last night!

Emmi kept surprising this grouse on our walk—sending it up a tree each time.

And Emmi didn’t spot this deer but the deer was sure keeping a watch on that little black dog running around.

Happy Mother’s Day

Today was one of those homesick days, I wished very much to be in Arkansas with my family.  I spoke with my Mom early this morning and wished her a happy Mother’s Day.  She is the best of Mom’s—she taught me to take up for myself, that I was just as important as the next person.  She taught me manners, how to cook and how to sew.  She taught me that family, friends and community were important.  She taught me the value of hard work but she also taught us (unlike my Dad who thought work was play) how to play—she loves to travel and has instilled in me that love of “go”, too.  Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, I hope it was an enjoyable one!  My niece Niki and her husband Eric hosted the family gathering for lunch after church.

It rained during the night and melted a lot of our snow but left us with mud, mud and more mud.  Walking was slow this morning as we slogged thru the mud!

Nat came for lunch, steaks on the grill for the guys, some of Shirley and George’s salmon for me.  I fixed garlic mashed potatoes and veggies with ice cream for dessert.  Nat and Michael spent a long time after lunch talking about old times.

I finished turning back the pieces on the Mexican Star wall hanging and topstitching the edges, giving it a curved pieced look.  I am so happy with the way the little quilt has come together, now for quilting it! 

Michael worked on Steve’s truck all day and Emmi spent the day in and out of trouble.  I potted the flowers and herbs I bought in Billings a while back—put the pots on a rolling cart and sat the cart in front of the glass patio doors today.  While I was downstairs quilting this afternoon Miss Emmi decided to go digging in the dirt.  I think that brat better get locked in the quilting room with me from now on!

As the crow flies, these mountains are over 40 miles from our home.  Aren’t zoom lenses great??  And my point and shoot Canon PowerShot SX10IS only has a 20X zoom.