Hop Hop

Clayton and Greta are perfecting their pogo hopping.  When Laura was a little girl, she would tie herself on the pogo stick with a jump rope and then jump another rope as she pogoed.   She was on a jump rope team in elementary school.

Clayton and Greta are loving their backyard.  I love to see them exercising!  I believe it is the best development activity!  Good for the body, brain, and soul!

Swimming Sun Summer

Ingrid attended a birthday party yesterday.  She says, "summer is a state of mind".   She will be busy with volleyball, driver's ed, and lots of friends inviting her over!  Laura said Ingrid's geometry grade was 100 percent.  Can't do better than that!

End Of May

Old Time Ditch Lily

 My old timey flowers are showing out.  I have them in 3 or 4 places

I have seven little banties.  They were born on Eric's birthday.  They have three Momma's and so they are doing good.  I moved them to a hutch by themselves as the big red hens pecked at them.  When I put them in the hutch, one little chick could not hold his or her head up.  I called him/her Bobble head.   Well, the next day with the care of THREE mothers the chick was better and now you can't tell which one is Bobble Head.  I guess it was the youngest one.   I hope they all make it and now have plans for adding raising more.  I can never move the hens when they sit so I am going to put the little rooster and a couple of hens in the hutch and leave them there until they sit.   My favorite Bantie is a BB.  I wish I could find a couple.  Down here a Bantie hen costs from 10 to 20 dollars.  That sounds outrageous to me.

Sigrid is growing up.  She got a phone yesterday.  I told her I would call at 6 everyday.  She said "oh, please, don't!"

I sure have a new respect for Helen's post from her phone.  Sigrid helped me put up a picture but it came from the blog.  I did not bother to explain what I wanted was to pull a recent pic from my phone like Helen does.  Never did get that fete done.  When you type words, the script is one continuous line.  You can't see what the last sentence was.  Like teletype is is just a running line.  I make too many errors and need to back space to fix them.  How Helen types those long posts on that phone is beyond my expertise.  Maddening to say the least.  Posting script is not difficult in anyway but your own limitations.  If you are error prone, the post will be filled with mistakes.  Helen does a great job with it.  I can always understand what she is talking about.  I am afraid if I had to post in that laborious manner I would not post very often!

Copy Cat

I am trying to see if I can post from my phone like Sister Helen!  Well, I can't get any photos except ones I have already put on google.  It will not go to my phone for pics.   I give up!

Name The Sister

Helen sent this to me.  We know it is Jonell's sister Larissa, but which other sis is it?  Helen says Barb. I forwarded the pic to Jonell to ask.  I know Mary Ellen's granddaughter graduated from Alpena, but probably all the Rudd girls went.  Fleta--what do you think? I really don't think it is Barbara.

Memorial Day

Charles Powell--Rev. Soldier
Henry Powell--Confederate Rebel
E. H. Gaddy--W W I
G. W. Powell--W W II
G. H. Aday--Vietnam
and the list could go on and on

Shelter From The Storm

 Just when I was feeling smug about my crow situation, a big storm came and destroyed my defense systme.

 Also, we have drowned Martins!  One of our houses blew into the pond.

 Small limbs litter our lawn this morning.   Larry got up in the night and let Cora Beth inside.   She was scared to death.  Some dogs hate storms and Cora is one!

 The whirligigs on our roof are still there, thank goodness!

 Larry finished our new--old--table.  Erin and Clayton and Greta came yesterday and he gave the the black iron one.

Erin said I did not need one, but I insisted and she got me this pretty bird wind chime for Mother's Day.  I like it and I love the soothing music from the one the Christensen's got for me.

Laura is out of school and Eric has one more day.  Summer has arrived!

Crow Defender

My Whirligigs have kept the crows away.  I realize it has only been a day, but I am hopeful.  Two crows can eat a half a row of corn in a few minutes.

 Clayton and Richard's flowers match.  The Three Sisters thought it was sort of an omen of brotherly love!  No, we did not get together and pick yellow and red.  Since their stones are side by side, it is neat that the colors are similar.

Brothers Together Forever!

Last but not least.  Here is one of Astrid's notes to her teachers.  She wrote all of her teachers a note as did Ingrid.  Mrs. Hamm posted hers on FB and said it made her cry.  It is a joy to read what a young person has written when it flows and makes sense and you can understand what is being said!  Oh, well, she is my Grand Girl--so we should know she can express herself!

Camper of The Week

Well, Miss Greta made a good first impression on the camp counselors this week.

Long Pool Recreation Area

Ingrid and Astrid--taken at Long Pool!

Almost Heaven, Harrison

 Erin is loving her backyard.  She says it is so private. She is like Fleta and me--rather not be neighborly.

 She said she put the hammock under the Magnolia tree.  Below is her view.  I bet it really smelled wonderful.

 After Camp, Greta Ann came out and kept her company.

Hope you are on the mend, Erin!

Work, Work, is the Word Today

I plowed the entire garden today.  Some of it was so hard I had to go over it time and again but I got it done and it looks so much better.

Larry mowed the wet grass around the pond.   Now it will dry out.  Water was still standing but the little Cub mowed it all without a stutter.

 Above you can see how low and wet the area is in front of the pond.  Larry and the Farmall took care of all of it today.

 The dirt line going toward the pond is a lateral line for our wash water.  We are not through with it yet, but we have the line all buried and just like the final connection.

 I live on Crow Mountain--named not for Indians, but birds.  They were going along the rows and pulling up all the corn.  They eat the seed and discard the little green top.  I may have to replant a little bit.

I went to the Everything's a Dollar Store and bought some of these Whirligigs.  I hope they scare the crows.  After the corn has just a little growth the leave it alone.  They are also pulling up my watermelons and green beans.

Made The Team

Ingrid is officially on the High School Volleyball Team.  She decided not to try for Dance as that would be two periods she could not take a "valid" class!  Hope she has an enjoyable experience playing High School Volleyball.

Cluck Cluck

At first I had one little Bantie sitting and now there are 3 on the next.  More Mommas to care for the little chicks.  I sure hope a few hatch.

 The pot that held my hens and chickens got water in it and froze and burst in the winter.  Only have a few left.  Hope the multiply.

 Flower from my garden--the old type flowers are the best as they are hardy.

 Flowers I bought for myself for Mother's Day.

 Bug in my flowers.

 Four O'Clocks keep coming back.  Fleta says they are ugly.

 I have planted several Mums but most of them die.  This one is thriving.

 Larry got me new shoes for Mother's Day.  They cost a bunch...I will have to wear them the rest of my life--they are Birkenstocks.

Larry bought these at a sale and is repainting them.  They are very comfy.  Will have 6.  He has 3 finished so far.

Wood Thrush

 My new bird yesterday was a Wood Thrush.  They are closely related to Robins.  When I spotted this bird my descriptive word was graceful.  The swift brown bird is built like a Mockingbird and has a beautiful song to sing.  He sang to me and I am thankful he stopped by.

 I often see the Wood Thrush down the lane coming up to our little house, but yesterday he flew up to my yard to say hello.

You can listen to his sweet music but it is not as lovely as hearing it in person or is it "birdson".

Schools Out For Some

 Clayton and Greta went to the Parks and Rec Camp sponsored by City of Harrison today.  They both had friends there and enjoyed the activities.  They will swim several hours each morning.  Clayton is conducting Summer School in their spare time.  Greta will learn a lot.

 Sophie likes her new back yard and by darn if any old ground hog is going to live there!

 This is Astrid's favorite teacher--Mrs. Hamm--I think she teaches Chemistry.  Mrs. Hamm has no children.  She and Astrid are big buds.  Astrid attends her work out class at a local gym early in the morning a couple of times a week.  Mrs. Hamm played basketball in college.  She is a neat lady.

Ingrid got this in the mail today--says she is responsible, hard working, intelligent, competitive, friendly, funny, a role model!  Wow, what great compliments.  Ingrid deserves them all!  Ingrid tried out for High School Volleyball today.  I have my fingers crossed!

Ready For Church

Greta is ready for church.  A teacher at Sig's band concert told me that he could tell kids who went to church without asking as they could sit quietly and listen for 30 minutes because they sit in church and behave during the sermon.  Is it true?

Three Little Pigs

First little pig sent money to buy flowers for graves.
Second little pig went to store and bought bushels of flowers.
Third little pig put them all together into beautiful arrangements.

Three little pigs cheered all the way home!

 Above all the flowers the second little pig bought at the dollar store.

 Above might be Clayton's or Mom and Dad's not sure.

 Lots done.  I know below these are Janet's and Sister Patsy's.

 Not sure but either Maples or Dad and Mom's or Clayton's.

 Grandpa and Grandma Gaddy's.

 Below pink for Sweet Sister Debbie Lee!

Just part of the mess.

Second little pig is going back today for more flowers as first little pig sent plenty of money and third little pig will be back at work again.