So to continue the vacation story:
After our stop at Hartwick Pines for a picnic, we proceeded farther upNorth. We had a football game to watch. Nephew #3's team was playing. Unfortunately, they were playing a team that has won the last 41 games, and well . . . they now have won 42. It still was a great game, and nephew #3 is the best darn nose guard in upNorth Michigan. And I'm not at all biased.
One of my top ten places in Michigan, Hartwick Pines and its tiny but beautiful Chapel in the Pines.
My mother recalls going to Hartwick Pines when she was a child. We need to get the greats there soon, so that this can be a five generation memory!
www.michigandnr.com/publications
My mother and I occasionally take trips together. We hadn't done one recently, so we planned a day trip and an overnighter. Thursday we went to the west side of the state to visit State Parks we used to camp at and to see niece #3, our most recent engaged one. Time goes so fast, doesn't it? They are little kids, and then they are showing us around the house they'll be living in when they get married. Yikes.
Touchdown, MSU!
We won, 42-10. We were supposed to win, but it is always nice when we do what we are supposed to do.
Well, maybe not technically. According to the calendar the first day of autumn is September 22. But the mornings are the tell. Summer mornings are spent on the porch, watching for deer playing in the field across the way. Now, now, first light doesn't hit until after 7:00, and by then I am well into my day.
If you're in the area on Memorial Day or Labor Day, stop by for the spread!
My old abandoned pumpkins from last year . . . volunteered this year!
I had to stay home in the morning because the Culligan Man was coming. In the afternoon I had my monthly studio time. This time I shot cameras!
Holland Michigan's lighthouse. It's actually qute small, 45', but is one of the iconic lighthouses of Michigan.
Yesterday it dawned on me: I had not been to Lake Michigan all summer. We had been scheduled for a girls' weekend this weekend, which would have taken us there, but it was postponed due to a death in our hostess's family. So I hied myself over to Holland State Park, and got there just in time to see one of the big ships leave the harbor.
Still getting organized from the weekend . . . and it's almost time for the next one! Yikes~
This came out really dark, but i do believe i caught a circada emerging from its shell. This is on the pear tree out back.
My flickr friends have seen this over on flickr, but I just have to put it here too.
Introducing!!!
The GLAD STICK.
Remember the joy stick? Well, now there is the glad stick.
This unique product is made of recycled wood scraps, acrylic paint, and glitter. Holds your glad upright, so the world can see its pretty face.
The glad stick comes in a multitude of colors. Each glad stick comes with an authentic scrap of material to tie the glad. The material is softer on the plant than twine would be.
The glad stick sells for 3.00 each, or 4 for 10.00.
Call now. Operators are standing by to take your order.
She just wasn't going to let me get too close. Maybe next time!
Do you know what it says on a tube of toothpate? In small print? you have to read the small print because they never tell you anything scary in large print. Large print is what they want you to see. Here's what the large print says: FOR BEST RESULTS, SQUEEZE TUBE FROM THE BOTTOM AND FLATTEN AS YOU GO UP. But the important stuff is small. Tiny. If more than used for brusing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
You can die from toothpaste.
I stay at my mother's every other Friday night. We watch old movies and eat popcorn, and sometimes my brother Crits joins us. My nieces cleaned the playroom where I sleep the Thursday before I was last there. This note greeted me when I pulled back the bedspread.
Funny girls, aren't they?
My good flickr friend, urbanmkr, had this wonderful poison ivy diptych that I'm going to study in the high hopes that I DON'T get poison ivy this year! Great public service!
Another studio session last night Perspective2. My brother Boo and his family graciously agreed to be my guinea pigs for this month.
The big doings out at the farm this weekend: The door to the big barn was repaired and reset.
The barn guy wondered: how did they do this in the old day, without the modern mechanics.
Hey, those old farmer types were pretty smart. And they had some fantastic horses.
I make such a bad country girl . . . I don't even know the different kinds of bees. Last year I finally was shown what wasps are, but bees . . . i'm at a loss.
I keep a patch of milkweek behind the garage for the monarch butterflies. I had noticed something had been eating on them, and as monarchs and their caterpillars are the only thing that dine on them I knew I had to pay attention.
I was sitting on the picnic table when I saw the monarch butterfly wend its way from the far side of the garage. Right behind her was: the hummingbird. That hummer was dogging that butterfly, and eventually ran her off.
ah, nature
my neighbor has the coolest scare girl. One of my projects for the weekend is to gather material so that I can have one. Monkey see, monkey do, eh?
You Are a Peacemaker Soul |
 You strive to please others and compromise anyway you can. War or conflict bothers you, and you would do anything to keep the peace. You are a good mediator and a true negotiator. Sometimes you do too much, trying so hard to make people happy. While you keep the peace, you tend to be secretly judgmental. You lose respect for people who don't like to both give and take. On the flip side, you've got a great sense of humor and wit. You're always diplomatic and able to give good advice. Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul, Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul |
You can call me corny.
My house is no longer visible from the north road. Come to think of it, neither are the barns!!!
Good season for corn-growing, I guess.
How to:
1. Get a jar with a lid.
2. Get a hammer and a nail.
3. Pound at least 7 holes in the lid.
4. Pull up some grass.
5. Stuff grass in jar.
6. Wait for twilight.
**The secret to reaping a bumper crop of fireflies is starting the hunt at twilight. (Also must note, we in the more northern states have a lingering twilight, which aids in the capture rate.) Twilight is dark enough so that one can see the flare of the firefly, but light enough so that one can follow the insect's path once the flare goes off.**
7. A soft, cupping movement of the hand is advised.
8. Gently gather the insect in.
9. Open the jar and quickly slip in the firefly.
10. Repeat.
11. After first firefly captured, must add a thump to the top of the jar before adding more bugs.
After the catch has been duly oohed and aahed over, open jar and let the fireflies free.
Have fun!
I recently upgraded my camera! It was a little hard to do. I hated to spend the money, but I was doing studio work that required a camera that could work with strobe lights, and my little Fuji didn't, without a major work-around. It also had very few settings that could be used (ISO being one of them). I had researched cameras and so, when my tax refund came, I purchased a Nikon D80.
I purchased it, then didn't use it for a week. Buyer's remorse? Lack of confidence? Who knows. Eventually I did use it (had a studio session coming up). Now, I wouldn't be parted from it.
This must be an early bird.
My lunch hour is 11-12. Makes for a short morning, a LOOOONNNNGGG afternoon!
Three American Literary Giants. Can you identify them?
This is the south-east side of the corn crib. Grandpa planted a trumpet vine at the south end years ago: it is not a trumpet tree. I keep trying to make it tidy, and have added the hollyhocks. (All farms need hollyhocks, don't you think?)
Another way to tell it is July: the berries are almost ready.
I thought the luna was rare, but it turns out it is quite common. Only thing is, it doesn't eat, so it only lives a week, and that is why we seldom see them.
Monday morning is trash day. I rolled my barrel back into place after the trashtruck had gone. This was right at eye level. Too cool!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_luna
The corn is supposed to be knee-high by the 4th of July. I believe it might be a good year for corn!
My mom hates to have her picture taken. I have no idea why. She's a beautiful woman.
Anyway, her 80th birthday is coming up in august, so we told her she had to let us take her picture then without fussing too much.
She decided she'd better start practicing now.
The Keys to Your Life |
 Anything good that comes in your life will come from your own self reflection. Don't rely on other people for advice. They will harm you more then help you. Anything bad in your life comes from sinking to the level of those around you. Remember to lift people up, and refuse to participate in anything petty. |
I was glad that the power came back on sometime between 2:30 and 5:00 a.m.
And how is your day?
My sister-in-law is an awesome, inveterate garage sale aficionado. She loves to find things for me out at the farm.
I'm in love with the cow lights, which are perfect on the "milk house".
part of my weedy wall garden. This garden is pink/blue/white/purple. Another garden has blue/purple/yellow/orange. The third garden, the spring garden, has whatever will show up early in the spring. I also have a hollyhock patch and a nasturtium patch and a tiny little weedy vegetable garden.
