Last post for a while...

We will be having a house-guest for the next couple of weeks...Lorelei!  Not sure what day she will come, but I have things to do.  I may pop in and do a post here and there, or I may not.  Maybe by the time I get back to blogging we will have blossoms of some sort from this year. 

Hopefully I will get some pics of her while she is here.  I picked up a new coloring book, crayons, and one of the little potholder looms, today.  You know they kind that has the stretchy nylon loops.  Not very useful as a potholder but thinking she might enjoy making some.

Last week when we were at her house I discovered something else she likes to watch on TV--How Its Made.  Does anyone else watch it?  I always find it fascinating to watch how things are manufactured.  But it always leaves me wondering who came up with all the 'machines' that does so much of the work automatically.  And who works on them....

I will visit some I am sure...and will let you know when I get back to blogging regularly.

Not newborns....

Everywhere we go, we see newborn calves...well, not just newborn, but ones very, very young.  And one or two that I think were literally just born.  But we are never at a place to stop.  So I ran across this old photo and thought I would post it.
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I finished a couple crumb blocks this morn and I patched a pair of Roger's jeans this evening...the only sewing I have done in a couple or three days.  It was fun.  I actually took my time and did a neat job.   I really don't mind the patching, it is when the material gets so far gone that there is nothing left to patch to that I find patching a chore.
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It got windy, or what we thought was windy as we came home yesterday, but it did not hold a candle to the wind today.  It was there when I woke and though it may have slowed down some, it was till strong.  All day long.    And it felt like it was direct from an iceberg.  I am not sure if it got above 50º today.  Such a change from yesterday's shirtsleeve weather.

More Sandhill Cranes, and a 1st

With seeing the Sandhill Cranes yesterday, we thought it might be a good idea to head north to the Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife place...to go to the viewing station.

As you can see, we did see some...but they were not close enough for me to get nice photos.

And now for the total surprise of the day....

Can you see it?  Yep, a butterfly.  I totally did not expect to see one.  I could not get within 5 feet of it.  This photo is cropped.

And though I don't have photos to show them, I saw a frog hopping across the road and into the drainage ditch, and I saw a turtle!  And up there where we were, we still seen snow....and ponds were mostly frozen still.  All in all, a good day.

Feeling like spring....

We had coffee on the front porch for the first time this spring!  While sitting there, I heard something.  It took a few minutes for it to dawn on me that I was hearing Sandhill Cranes.

(I have put up bigger pics than I normally do.  For the best viewing, right click on each photo, then click 'view in new window, or view in new tab')
We finally spotted them but they were too far away.  Fast forward a bit as I was hanging up clothes, I started seeing more.  I got my camera, and got Roger and we took off trying to find where they were coming from.  Or if they were going to land in some of the fields around here.

We could not find either place, but we sure saw the Sandhill Cranes.  I bet we easily saw a thousand or more.

They were too far away for me to get any really great photos, but at least you can see some of them.

There would be a line heading out, about the time we heard another line approaching from the south, the one we are watching would start circling...and they would circle till the next line came and then they would head out together.  We did not ever see them pause again to wait for a third line of birds.

Finally a few flew just a bit closer...

Sorry for the photo overload, but I just couldn't narrow down my choices.

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Just think, in one day, we finally got enjoy sitting on our porch and having a cup of coffee, I got to hang clothes on the line, and as an added bonus, we got to see Sandhill Cranes.  And not just a handful which is normal for right here.

When will I see them again

These are from last spring...just can't help but wonder how much longer it will be before we see them again.

I am just so anxious for some color.  
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I have just piddled the day away doing normal chores, plus did sew a few lines.  I just feel better when I sew a few lines.  I did go down to do some cutting but got so cold I could not stand to be down in the basement.  It is me.  Not that it was actually that cold.  Every evening I go through a spell of being cold.  I sat here for a couple hours with a flannel shirt on and fleece blanket across my lap/legs.

Bubbie must get cold, too.  This morn when I got up, he did not come to see me.  I meant to check and see if he was outside, but got busy answering email, and checking some other things on line.  An hour or so later, I got up to go do something and thought of Bubbie.  I started to go check and noticed my jacket on the floor.  (I hang it over the back of a chair quite often.)

I thought how did that get in the floor, and about the same time I thought 'Bubbie'...I was right.  He was curled up asleep under it.  He had such a sleepy look on his face.  I would love to know how long he had slept there.  Any time I make a quilt, or lay down anything I have been handling a lot, he tries to pull it to where he can get under it.

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Tootie is still feeling good today.  She got up ready to go to school...I am so glad that she did get over this quickly.

While we were over there, she told me again that she wished we lived right next door.  She said that way she could just put on her jacket and walk over....or if she came home from school and no one was there, she could come over and knock on my door.  I don't know why she said that...they don't even let her off the bus unless one of us is there to get her.

Friday 5

It is time for some randomness...hoping I can do them quickly.  Hoping I can catch up with everyone in the next day or two.

1.  Does everyone think about stopping blogging?  It seems like I cannot go two weeks without skipping a day or two...so, I get to thinking why not just quit.  Plus the fact that I just don't take as many pictures as I used to take.  For some reason, I just cannot totally give it up though.

2.  The flower above was actually taken in the fall...but still it makes me think spring. It is a crab apple tree.  When I worked at the orchard, I always found blooms when I was picking apples in the fall, so this is not really that unusual. 
 
3.  We just got back from Lorelei's...some of you know we were just over there for 3 or 4 days cause she was sick.  So, was up early yesterday morn and texting her mom...Lorelei had gotten up at midnight with her tummy hurting, and started vomiting at 1:00 and puked every hour till 7:30, then that turned to diarrhea.  I thought oh, no...here we go again.  But she didn't have a fever.  Luckily, her mom had that day off, but both her and Lo's Dad had to work today, so Roger and I got ready up in the morn and went over to be there for her.  I was expecting her to have that real sickly look when we got there.  She did look tired but not like she had looked last week...and no fever still.  By the time it was bedtime, she was begging to go to school today, but we kept her home today just to be safe.  She was fine though and will be going back to school tomorrow.

4.  I am anxious to sew a bit.  I have a project started, but just the cutting stage.  But I always have crumb blocks going till I can actually sew a little bit whenever I  have that itch.

5.   If it wasn't 1:30 a.m. in the morning, I would fix myself a pan of cornbread...and I would probably eat the entire thing. 

Linking to Random 5 Friday....

Another little thing...

When I was down by the railroad, I noticed this bagworm...seems no matter how I work with it, it is still drab.  But I am posting it anyway.  I think I always noticed things like this from childhood on.  How I would have loved to have had a digital camera when I was a kid. 

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It has been overcast and wet here this entire day.  It was raining when I first got up...but felt like it could break loose any time.  and actually did rain some more.  Just a fine misting rain.  But guess what?  Most of the snow is gone.  I think all that is left is from where it was piled when shoveled. 

I think my cats must have spring fever!  They are into one thing and then another.  Just constantly picking at each other or getting into something that is mine.  Or into places they have no business being.  Worse than spoiled rotten kids.  This is Mama Cat and Puss Puss.

And Bubbie spent the night out.  I do not know what he thinks he is doing, but you can just see the mischievousness in his eyes.  If any cat's eyes can talk, his does.  He is either picking at Roger or at me half the time at least, and mostly picks at Roger.

He goes over and wants to sit with Roger, gets up there and sits about 5 minutes...insisting that Roger rub his chin.  Then gets up, runs to the door and looks back at Roger as if to say, WELL?  are you going to let me out or not. 

When he comes in, and he will usually be wanting back in within ten minutes...he always comes in and stops right ahead of us and doesn't move until we reach down and pet him.  Such a good life!

Remains of autumn

We decided to get out for a little drive today.  I saw some of these dried up remains and they were just so beautiful.  I could not get close to this but loved the background.  It was at the edge of the Big Raccoon Creek.  I cropped the photo I took to get this image.  I played with it a little bit with Picasa.

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Normally, each comment is emailed to me.  The other day I just happened to notice that though I was getting comments, they were not all emailed to me.  So, if you have a question, and I don't reply to your comment, go ahead and email me.

Moo-oo-ooo

Just a few shots from the road...well, paused in the road.  The calf was a bit afraid.

The other cattle could have cared less...

they looked at us, but we were of no concern to them.

The little guy moved farther way.
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I feel pretty much back to normal today...did not sleep Friday night.  About the time I would be nodding off, one of the cats would do something.  I finally just sat and read.  But yesterday I was wiped out all day.  Didn't do somethings cause I figured I would just mess things up.  I have learned not to sew anything or do any cutting when worn out like that.  I went to bed before midnight though!  Did not get up till 9½ hrs later.  Felt like a new person today.

We ran to Walmart for a few things, and on the way there we passed through part of the strip pit area and then by these cattle.  I bet no cows anywhere have had their pictures taken as often.  I sometimes wonder if their owners see me...they are just catty-corner  from them.  I usually feel that the big cows expect a treat so feel like they are treated well.
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Now, for a little bit of fun...imagine catching this when ice fishing!  Edited to add:  I don't know why I said fun....I mean to say time for something amazing.

Peek-a-boo! and other true stories....

I think it was Gill that asked where Mr. Cardinal was when I showed the picture of the female cardinal.  I had to work with this one in Picasa to make it presentable.  He would pick at the food and disappear behind that orange side of the feeder.  Then raise back up and watch me through the window.  It was just as if he was playing peek-a-boo!
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I warn you this is a long post...but read on...I think you will die laughing at the last section.
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So, we just got home from Lorelei's this evening. We have been over there since Tuesday. She has been sick off and on ever since she started school.  And really and truly a lot of the kids have been sick.  It seems to be normal.  But she has really had the ups and downs since Christmas.  She would seem to be over something, and then start again.

So, Sarah asks me Monday can we come over to stay with her...sometimes it happens till her dad is off when she is sick through the week.  But he was heading back to work...so we got ready and headed over there.  Sarah had taken off half a day to get her to the doctor...they said it was viral when Sarah told them all that she had been sick...and she had talked to them on the phone on previous ocassions.

Lo had got up feeling and acting better that morn, but to Roger and I she still looked sick.  And was just not quite herself.  That night she was up during the night crying cause she felt bad...I went in there and just stayed with her a few minutes.  she just wanted to hold my hand...when she let go, I thought aha, she is back asleep.  I started to ease out of the room...she pops up and says 'Nite, nite Mamaw.  Are you really going to stay tomorrow night?  Give papaw a hug and tell him I love him.  When you go home, hug Mama Cat, Bubbie and Puss Puss and tell them that I love them and miss them".....these last were actually after I told her we were staying another night.  Such a child!

It is so long to go into, lets just say she ended up back to the Dr. on Thursday and this time she got an antibiotic and she got up back to her old self today.  Though I won't fully believe it is over till she goes more than a couple days feeling good.
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Now for some laughter....the following happened just a couple of hours ago...I swear to goodness I am not making this up.

A little background is Roger takes his watch off fairly often and loses it for a short while...usually when he is working out in his shop, or sometimes when he showers.

 So tonight we were sitting here and out the corner of my eye, I saw him looking at his right wrist but I didn't think anything of it.  He looked at me and said, "Well, Rosemary, (Mary is my middle name) I have lost my watch again."   He was totally serious...and he started to get up to go look for it and says, "NO, I didn't it's right here...on my left wrist!"

Oh, how we have laughed...I can still see the look on his face.  He got up and went in the kitchen and yelled at me, Hey I found my feet--they are on the end of my legs...Hey, I bet I could find two new cars out in the garage.....and on and on.

Mrs. Cardinal

With the snow we had Sunday, I could no longer resist putting out bird food.  I had not seen any cowbirds in a few days, though I did see starlings.

  I am not even sure I got back in the house before the birds were out there. 

Luckily, I have only seen a couple of cowbirds, and the feeder still had food in it this evening.  I think maybe now I can continue to put feed them.  I don't mind feeding a few starlings and cowbirds, but I don't want to put out the birdseed and them get it all. 

We always I spread a some seeds for the squirrels...there are only a couple that regularly. come unless it gets real bad.  And I don't even mind then.  The little songbirds do not seem to be bothered by them.

Hi, Sandra!

Every time I see a cow on someone's blog, I think of Sandra, the Madsnapper.  So, I thought I would post this for her.  Any time I see a good cow picture, I think of her, sometimes even tell her about it.

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I have started a new project in the sewing department.  Another quilt of course.  It is going to be a slow process.  I don't even know how many 'blocks' I have to make.  The blocks in this quilt are actually triangle shaped when finished.  Maybe I should call them units. 

I actually took time to make a sample block from some of my regular fabrics.  It goes together easy.  So I have started to cut the batiks.  It is batik fabrics my daughter bought...plus some from my stash.  The best I can do, it is still somewhat slow cutting.   So it will be a while before I have anything to show you.
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We are supposed to get freezing rain tonight....I am hoping that it does not get bad.  Have things to do tomorrow, and may not be on here much but will probably catch up with you tomorrow night if nothing else.

A touch of snow....cinemascope view

Snow at last!  It started snowing before dark last night and did not stop till way up in the day.  At least, not that I know of.

I took a short walk down by the railroad this evening.  I just could not get any pictures I liked, at least not until I tried the cinemascope button in Picasa.  Then I liked them.

I was even lucky enough to have a train pass!