Rural Life

 

After visiting the neighborhood farm 3 times on Saturday, I am getting an appreciate for rural life. The first 2 trips were to get the veggies. And the third was taking Carter and Mamie over there to say hi to Farmer Peggy – and see the cats.

Sassy Elspeth looks a lot like their kitty Benny (and the Jets) from their college house.

This afternoon, after the kids headed back to Dubuque, I returned to the farm to return the little paper bags she uses for the produce. Might as well save her a little work since she's the hardest working woman in the tri-county area – no doubt! I stopped to take a picture of one of the many flower areas she manages to keep alive while feeding cattle and chickens and picking vegetables. Uff da. Hard work I am not cut out for.

On the way back, I'm like, but wait, look at this pompas ass grass we planted this spring! I mean it IS growing. Was it supposed to be knee-high by the forth or hip-high? Not sure. But anything green that comes from my two black thumbs is a victory!

Fake Spring

The sun was mostly shining during my work from home Monday so it felt like spring with the last of the snow in the yard melting. 

After work, I did a quick mile walk to the end of the street to see the sun  – and admit I did not have a shot of all the planets aligned this weekend. So bummed that didn't work out.

But still, I saw some puddle reflections that looked like spring is on its way. I am forever the optimist! 

P.S. No need to mention the forecasted snow by midweek! Not a good sign for Ash Wednesday commute, church service, and choir. Keep thinking good thoughts upward this week!

Reaching Out

I find this statement to be so true. I mean here we are, empty nesters, and yet life somehow gets too busy to stay connected with friends. It's such a travesty, especially when many of us live in the same town. And some of us in the same neighborhood.

I'll be the first to admit I'm a bad friend that way. Not sure where the time goes and suddenly I wonder how people are doing. It's worse when you learn too late they've been dealing with challenges and heartbreak that you knew nothing about. Because you weren't paying attention!

That's one reason I'm grateful for my Girls Night Out group. I can't recall when or how I got in it, but it's great. They make a point of getting together to go out to eat somewhere once a month. Sometimes there's 6 and nights like tonight, we had 11. I don't always make it, but I've started to be more diligent in trying. 

We all need friendship. Whether it's other couples or girls nights without our hubbies or our sisters. 

If I were to actually make a New Year's resolution with some meaning behind it, it would be to be a better friend. To reach out more. To make and take the time to connect – either virtually or physically. 

I've had enough unexpected losses in my life that I really don't want to have regrets. 

But know that even if you don't hear from me, I really do think of you. And hope God is smiling on you with all the blessings you deserve. He's way better at keeping in touch and in tune to your needs. I will try to follow His lead!

A Bit of Corny Fun

There's this unincorporated wide spot in the road that we call Kellner. I didn't know it was so popular until I attended my first Kellner Corn Fest Parade yesterday!

There were people lining both sides of 80th Street/Country Trunk W for the half-mile-ish parade route.

It was fun to see our neighborhood farm and "pumpkin shed" have float. The theme this year was something about the wild west.

Got to see our friend Bob (aka Jingles) – the clown in the middle.

I had to laugh a skeletons representing the beauty of the House of Glam!

Our nephew Colin had his race car in the parade too! His wife and kiddos were throwing the candy.

Colin also delivered a few toy cars to kids in the crowd. That's pretty cool!

On the way home, we just happened to follow our neighbor's float! I don't think seat belts were invented in the old west, so Trevor here is perfectly legal, right?

That was pretty much our excitement for the weekend. Worked on some raffle basket things yesterday. We both had church. I had a senior photo shoot tonight for a boy named Carter – so you have to love him!!

He didn't necessarily love to smile. But I loved the challenge of trying to get him there! I might have used up all my CORNY (to stick with the theme) charming material for the week! Good thing I've got love-to-smile girls in my foreseeable future. 

Though I'm sure Carter had the super model vibe down by the end of our session. Just don't tell his friends!

Just Blowing Through

 It was a very hot day yesterday, but we knew there was going to be rain coming at some point. Maybe thunderstorms. But what we weren't prepared for was crazy wicked winds with it. I mean it seemed like it was blowing less than 5 minutes. 

But it definitely left its mark on our neighborhood.

First, we see Mr Deck Chair getting blown off the front deck. Jim rescued him! Then, the power goes out – while our pizza in the oven was only half baked. Then, it was complete silence. Very eerie.

I couldn't resist driving around the 'hood. You see that stop sign there? This was what lay ahead of us and our usual way out of our neighborhood circle. Thankfully the other exit wasn't blocked.

Every street was littered with branches of varying sizes. And since, all the trees were falling in different directions, we're wondering if there was a funnel cloud involved or just straight-line winds. Haven't heard anything official, though.

My golf partner's house was missed but this big ass tree was blocking their driveway!

View from the stop sign looking into the 'hood.

Three houses away.

Our only loss.

Snapped right off between our yard and the next door neighbors'.

Damage around the corner.

And some more nearby on Deer Road. So crazy.

Meanwhile, once the power came back on after 2 hours, our cable and internet were still out. After talking with the help desk guy for more than half an hour, we couldn't get it to work. Thankfully, they sent someone out this morning – even though "we don't usually have techs working on Sunday." So glad they could fix it. Our main concern was needing internet to work from home tomorrow (and of course, blog!).

Good neighbor Mike was also promptly on the scene with this chainsaw this morning so we could get things cleaned up before it got too hot.

And trust me, for someone who loves heat, it was sooooo hot!

Jim and I had couples golf league this afternoon and we were roasting! Thankfully, we took a cart so we could create our own breeze once in awhile.

Mark your calendar. I am NOT turning on my electric mattress pad tonight! Hope you all survived the heat and any storm-related fun in your neck of the woods!

Common Lilac Law

We have a weakness in our house for the smell of lilacs. Maybe it's because we've spent 2 decades trying to get our plant to produce. In the meantime, I have to ask, is it illegal to steal lilac blooms from your neighbors if the blooms are facing your property?

I'm gonna say no.

It's just so nice to have that smell in our house. And I swear I didn't completely kill the plant to get it. 

From Hopa Trees to rhubarb and lilacs in between, I hate that some of the spring blooms have such a short lifecycle. All we can do is take pictures or eat it – on a deadline.

I actually looked in Wal-Mart last night for lilac-scented anything. They just had lavender. Which is not the same at all! So I'll have to settle for a life of crime as the blossom thief!

Don't judge me. Just visit and enjoy that lovely scent in my kitchen. And ignore the plants near the driveway that have been hacked to death!

Veggie Tales

If you're like me and you have two black thumbs, you really appreciate people who not only grow all the garden goods of summer – but sell them, too!

Thankfully, we only have to walk less than half a block for access to fresh pickings. All summer long.

Here's my neighborhood public service announcement:

Produce season is upon us! Come check out the produce wagon and you will find: onions, red potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi. Peppers are just starting to be available. Gladiolus bouquets, too. We also have honey and jams and jellies! Self serve. Thank you to all those who stop out!

Just travel in the town of Grand Rapids to Deer Road and 70th Street and you'll find the delicious, super reasonably priced selection! 

You can tell them Jimmy and Robyn sent you. It won't get YOU a discount, but WE might end up getting a sweet deal on that corn later this summer!

Sticks and Stones... and Zombies?

After Saturday night's driving rain and wind, we (I should say hubby and neighbor) cleaned up the big limb and branches that fell from one of our backyard trees on Sunday. All was as it should be until I glanced out the window and saw this tonight...

If you can't tell from the angle, this rather tall branch / stick (or maybe death sword) has its tip buried in the backyard and is standing perfectly straight. I texted Jim to see if we were on some episode of Survivor that we don't know about, and he said he just noticed it tonight, too, on the way to the ball field.

It wasn't super windy today to drive sticks into the ground. So I'm just going to go with neighborhood shenanigans. I mean, that would help me sleep better. 

That's much more comforting than thinking about recently spotted bears and coyotes in the 'hood playing Ring Around the Rosie.

Of course, Midsommar hits next week so maybe my Scandi-hoovian gods are setting up for the summer solstice. Wait, that sounds way more interesting. I'll keep you posted.

And naturally, I'll have my camera handy.

Be careful out there!

World's Tallest Elves

In round one of our Christmas winter storm, we got about 3-4 inches of snow in our neighborhood. I worked from home anyway since schools were closed and I figured roads would be crappy – and I had the afternoon off.

I heard some noise mid-morning it was Santa's tall elves snowblowing our driveway! Teamwork! Thanks Mike and Mike. You're definitely on the Nice List!

I did venture out to get some last-minute things that took me hours to get, thanks to a bazillion people doing the same. Uff da. I can't even imagine what tomorrow will be like. If you're going to shop on Friday, keep this in mind...

I was glad I didn't have much gift shopping to do this year. Most were shipped or delivered electronically. And since hubby rested in the recliner most of the afternoon, I was able to wrap his gifts at the kitchen table and he was none the wiser. 

So I'm all set to enjoy all of tomorrow off for what is supposed to be the windy-blowing-drifting snow part of the winter storm action. I've heard wicked things about temps and windchills from friends and family in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Y'all don't have to send it this way every stinkin' time! 

Saying prayers we'll all be safe and get where we need to to celebrate Christmas this weekend. 

I realize not everyone is blessed to have the world's tallest elves living in their North Pole neighborhoods, so be careful out there!

Technically it's Still Autumn Right?

The brownish-green grass disappeared overnight and now the only color out there in our winter wonderland is white and a few brown and orange autumn leaves holding onto their season for dear life.

Sadly, they're not long for this world.

As predicted, we officially got 6 inches of snow in Wisconsin Rapids. I think only 5 on Blue Jay Drive but it all still weighed in at "heavy and wet." Schools were closed so most of our team worked from home again. 

And while I was working, the neighborhood snow angels swooped in to clear our driveway. I love that even though hubby is the one laid up, they treat me like a helpless female who can't remove snow. I don't mean that sarcastically. I love that. And am so grateful that for today I didn't have to try and remember how to operate the snowblower. Thank you, Mike and Mike! Jim thanks you and my back thanks you, too!

To illustrate how heavy that snow is... remember these straight trees (at right) from our front yard yesterday?

Mother Nature likes to bend them apart so they look look like fuzzy rabbit ears. Or, as a friend pointed out, wings. Maybe snow angel wings? I tried to get a selfie in front of them to look like an angel, but as Santa pointed out the other day, my name does not appear in that column either!

Over lunch, I did break out the lens ball and got this somewhat creative shot. I need more practice but I still think it's cool! Since winter hasn't technically started, I'm guessing I'll get a few more chances.

We could still get another inch or two tonight. At least I know I don't have to travel in the morning since Friday's already a work-from-home day. We were also lucky we didn't have to deal with power outages here either. It's been a very long couple of days for many of you.

Take care, enjoy the last days of fall, and be careful out there! 

Non-Labor Day

Happy Labor Day! I had some work to do today but it was not in the office or anything resembling an office! Finally got out to golf on my "home" course! My neighbor Marigene and I enjoyed the views at TriCity and were satisfied with a hit or two, too! 

Been forever since we golfed together. Had fun catching up since it seems like summer flew and left us behind! So it was good to have a mutual day off. We did not labor at all – just worked on par putts. Didn't make them, but worked on them!

This afternoon, I relaxed in the sun and visited with another neighbor. My friend Cindy and I just chit-chatted and caught up. I guess the theme is that I've been gone (busy) and I had catching up to do!!

Spent the rest of the afternoon preparing to do just that – be gone.

Heading to Boston before the crack of dawn for a work conference so packed this afternoon and did my Saturday chores, which slipped my mind Saturday. And Sunday. 

Since I have to leave the house by 4:30 a.m. for an early flight, I'm actually gonna have to cut this day off short. Alarms are one thing. Stinkin' early alarms another!

Hope you found time to relax today! If you had to work, I thank you! 

If I Go Missing...

I'm not saying I suspect a forthcoming coup from the residents in the back yard. But if I go missing, please look there first! Their numbers are growing.

Yup, my neighbor – one of the human ones – showed me a few friend back there today. He said, "Your friend's back!" but this guy is new...

He – or maybe she – is smaller and darker in color than Freddie and Frankie. Which reminds me, I'm running out of F words, er names, to call these guys. I like my friend's suggestion of Fernando. Singing an ABBA song while walking around would be very calming.

Until Fernando makes a move.

Which happened. And I squealed as predicted. And when I got into the house, Jim wasn't surprised when I said I saw a snake. "I thought I heard you." 

Like I said, if I go missing, there may not be someone to hear me. These guys are pretty s-s-s-s-sneaky! 

Be careful out there!

Glass Houses and Fishbowls

Happy June! Since June is here, I can share my column for our monthly church newsletter. And bonus, you get pictures – which I didn't share in the newsletter. And to be clear, I love my neighbors. I'm not mad. Was under a deadline and it was a convenient subject matter!

Glass Houses and Fishbowls

For the past 20 years, we’ve lived in seclusion at the end of a subdivision outside of town. And by “seclusion,” I just mean we had a creek and woods behind us, trees between our property and the neighbor on the right, an undeveloped wooded lot to the left, and pine trees lining the yard across the street. 

Seclusion. Privacy. Nice. 

Then one recent day, we heard truck gears grinding and chainsaws buzzing. We looked out and saw professional tree-removal crews clearing that lot. Of every. Single. Tree. Not one left to buffer us and the new lot owners planning to build a house! The next week, the neighbors across the street caught the bug and had their line of Robyn’s privacy pines cut down. 

Suddenly, I feel like we’re living in a fishbowl! Like we’re exposed. They can see everything we’re doing. Not that we have anything to hide, of course.  

It quickly reminded me of the proverb: People who live in glass houses (or fishbowls) shouldn't throw stones. Which is pretty much inspired by the gospel lesson where Jesus reminded those set to stone a woman for adultery that only the person who has not sinned can throw a stone at her.

Which pretty much inspires my 2022 version: Don’t be so judgy!

New flash: All of us have sinned and fallen short of perfection. But it’s remarkable – and sad at the same time – how self-righteous and judgmental we can be. I saw a man in town this week holding up a cardboard sign asking for money for food. Was my first instinct to think “I wonder how he fell on hard times. Maybe I can help him”? Or was it more like “He looks pretty sketchy. If I give him money, would he even use it for food?”

We’re all guilty of thinking the latter. But it doesn’t mean we’re lost causes. 

God reminds us to show compassion for others because he loves us without fail. No matter what He glimpses of our attitudes and actions in our hearts and glass houses.  

So, if you’re driving around my bare neighborhood, keep your stones in your pockets. We’re all swimming in this fishbowl together. And by the grace of God, there’s room for more.

_______

And here's some before and after pictures. 

Before: Wooded empty lot to our south.

After: Cleared lot.

Before: Tree-lined lot across the road.

After: Hello, neighbors!

P.S. Mr. Deck Chair says I'm going to have to be a bit more conservatively dressed from here on out. Lord knows I am not going to sit out back near the snake pit just for the sake of privacy!

Howling and Prowling

As we drove through Sedona last week, we had our fun identifying shapes in the rocks. Make that, shapes we THOUGHT we saw in the rocks. So look closely above at the coyote howling at the moon. Then tell if you can see a coyote in this picture...

How about now when we drove further down the road and it was more in shadows?

How about now?

Or maybe now??

If you can't see the coyote there, I can tell you where else to look – our back yard. 

Yup. Our next-door neighbor saw one prowling around and walking from our yard into his the other night. I guess it's mating season so the male coyotes are kind of aggressive now. Don't know if it's pure coincidence that a bone was found in the ditch. Somewhere there's a three-legged deer I think.

So watch your little dogs and other fur babies that you have outside all the time or just for walks. I know I'm not taking any chances. I'm gonna WOLF down a lot more ice cream so they don't stand a chance trying to drag me away.

Be careful out there.