Happy New Year!

Home Again, Home Again

Traveling in the winter through the Great Lake States is always an “iffy” thing – So my kids understand when I say “if” the roads are clear and the weather outlook is good, then you will see us for Christmas. If we are in good health is always another factor.
This year was great on all counts so we packed our Yukon full of gifts and goodies and headed South – then Northwest – then East before returning  back home!

We made a big loop through Wisconsin visiting our bunch of kids and our Grand-loves then headed Northwest to spend a few days with my Mom, brothers, sisters and their families.  It was a Great Christmas! 

Now we’re home and the snow wont quite, our noses are getting stuffy and our throats feel yucky! But we did have a Great Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Glow

Opening Day of Hunting Season

Its opening day of hunting season ~

I got my shot at the deer with the camera. 

Right from the comfort of my warm house. 

First Storm of the Season

Brr … what a difference two weeks makes!  On Oct 30th we picked fresh lettuce from the garden and sliced up the last of our ripened tomatoes for a meal of BLT's. Today is Veteran's Day (THANK YOU TO ALL OUR REAL HEROES) and we had a snow storm.

Between last night and today we had over a foot and a half of snow to move and more expected to fall tomorrow. Drifting caused this first snow to swell up to my hips.  And it wasn't that light fluffy stuff either - it was damp and heavy! I had a good cardio workout moving it. But the good news is - it gave my guy a chance to try out his new snow blower ~ and it worked great. 

It's my Time of Year!

Pumpkin time has arrived.  It’s my time of year! 

Pumpkin this and pumpkin that …

for starters I baked some real pumpkins, cooled them peeled the goodies  from the skin and pureed it. 

Then I made pumpkin cake, pumpkin bread and pumpkin pies … and I’ve only just begun. There’s more pumpkins where that came from. 

Our Maple

Our beautiful maple tree ~

Every year it is one of the last in the area to change,

but always one of the most striking trees around.

Fall in the U.P., 2014

It's been about a week since I took these pictures but I still wanted to share some our Upper Michigan beauties.  Enjoy!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Wow, it’s been over a month since my last posting.  Sorry about that!

Our washer went on the fritz which was no huge surprise since it’s about 15 years old.  So we bought a new set which I absolutely love, love, love! 

My dear man checked with consumer reports and the one we were interested in just happened to be on sale at that time AND it was the number ONE on the best top-loading washing machine list ~ Score, score, double-score!  

So once the delivery and install was complete – the new ones sat out from the wall a little further than the old set which meant my short arms couldn’t reach the shelf.  Not a good thing. But have no fear Super Husband was here to come to my rescue.

He added a lower shelf.  I added a little domestic flair and all is well in my world once again! Curtains hide all the household cleaners - which I can now reach ... 

and the electrical and water hoses are also hidden. 

Happy happy, joy, joy! 

Bond Falls

Living in the U.P. (yes, we're Yoopers) we like to occasionally take a little ride to see some of the waterfalls in our area. 

 click on pictures for close-ups

Michigan is said to have nearly 200 named waterfalls, all but one located in the Upper Peninsula. 

However most of those falls are quite small. 

This week we went over to Bond Falls and I have pictures to prove it.  They've built a wonderful boardwalk since our last visit so it is now wheelchair accessible as well. 

Beautimous!

Beauty beyond the Green Garden Gate! 

 This is one of the prettiest plants I’ve ever seen in my garden.  It’s from an old Hubbard Squash seed that I planted earlier this spring.  I can’t believe it’s just now blossoming in hopes of producing an edible delight. 

Per my past posting, I’m hoping to use this pic in some creative form.  Maybe I'll set it into a fairytale setting or sketch it or who knows what ~ all I know is that it’s my newfound inspiration and therefore I’m happy. 

Awesomeness!

I had to borrow this pic from the internet.  It really got me to thinking – what is it that other people see in me that I don’t? 

Ever since I was young it seemed that people believe there is more to me than what I see.  Through the years I’ve heard that I’m so talented and still I don’t see it.  I’ve been told I should be writing children’s books, cook books, creating artistically and still I can’t seem to find the motivation.

Today I pulled out some art supplies and shortly after I tucked them away in frustration.  What happened to my so called talent?   

Please don’t misunderstand this as a pity party because I appreciate that I’m blessed beyond belief. I honestly just wish I could see what others see in me - yet it eludes me.

For those few of you who may have been checking my page; I’m back. The saying is that time flies when you’re having fun, well … it hasn’t all been fun but time did fly by since I last posted.

A little over a month ago I dislocated some ankle bones and some of the bones on the top and side of my foot. And although the x-rays showed no breaks, I severely sprained my foot at the same time. Oh, and I have heel spurs forming. Wasn't that nice of them to tell me?!

After laying around after ice bath soaks for the foot and ankle, elevation and the use of an air cast, I am finally on the mend.  Yesterday was my first cast free day after overdoing what I thought was healed.  Over use put me back at square one for a bit.

In the mean-time the flowers boomed while the weeds flourished.  The vegetable garden seems to be slow because of the wet, cool weather. So be it!   

We outsmarted the deer this year 

by fencing in all the flower beds.