Holy buckets! I can’t give up drinking my coffee on the porch but I’ve got a quilt over my lap because it’s 57 degrees. Where did summer go? It drizzled all day yesterday – you’ve never seen such sad dogs. No wilderness trail rides in the mud.
Thank you for the many birthday cards! I have a favorite shown here. Sing it with me!
I wish I could send a thank you to each one who sent a card but look at all of them. As I laid them out in the table I read each one again.
You really loved Kay’s garden, didn’t you? I know she appreciates your kind words and yes, I can tell she loves working in it. My back would break, I think. Kay was in my news last night, too. Her daughter lives just up the road from me and there’s an old barn across the road that the fire department burned down last night. I drove up there yesterday and took these pictures.
I so hope they could save the cupola for Kay’s garden. It’s sad to see the old barns falling down – here’s another neighbor’s barn that will likely fall down in the next big wind.
Isn’t it just beautiful? Think of the stories that barn could tell – and I hope the cupola can be saved – it’s such an interesting shape.
Since it’s such a cool day today the dogs could go somewhere with me in the car so maybe I’ll go to Lone Rock to shop at the Quilted Steeple – a quilt shop in an old country church. And yes, I’ll buy some fabric – I need some new inspiration. Tonight is Thursday On Main but I might need my winter coat! Ha!
Reader photos
What will I do with all these pencil trees? I suppose I’ll line them up in the basement under grow lights until a friend wants one. I know – I make so much work for myself according to my mom.
The fields are lush and green.
My coffee is cold since I’m sitting in the chilly porch so I’ll let you go.
What did the seamstress name her two daughters?
Polly and Esther
Thank you for the post today. I enjoyed the barns but hate to see them go, they needed love well before now. The red one is amazing, huge! And those barns will keep disappearing and only replaced by boring metal pole barns. So sad.
The pencil tree is so interesting, I wish I was closer because I would adopt a give-away. I don’t think I have ever seen one in person.
I am really in the dumps. Recovering from my back surgery is slower than expected even though the doc told me he took out much more of the ligaments than he expected. And to add to my misery, my beautiful Betty with big yellow eyes has disappeared. Don accidently let her and Olivia out Sunday night when he came in from the garage. He must have left the house door open for a long time because they have never hung around that door, normally only the front door when I go out on the porch with the dogs. Even then they don’t go out, they act like they want to but never do. Monday morning neither was waiting for their breakfast and no where in the house. I found Olivia scared to pieced huddled on Don’s workbench in the workshop but Betty is gone. The very few times they have been outside is when Betty opened a screen and they went out a window. Then they stayed right up at the house, never wondering off in the yard. And it’s not like Betty to miss a meal. I have called and called, I can’t wonder in the woods because I can’t walk far yet, but I have called and listened but never heard her cry. This is not Betty to be gone so I am left to assume something got her which makes me more upset. She was a baby when my girlfriend caught her and gave her to me and I loved that beautiful shiny black cat. Olivia keeps looking for her.
It cooled off her too, which is a blessing. Blessing to everyone.
Linda – don’t fall into despair yet – can you put her litter box outside? That what I’ve always heard attracts a cat back to the spot they disappeared. You know I understand your worry – I would be frantic and all because someone didn’t pay attention. I have lost several animals when I wasn’t here and I’ll never get over their loss because I knew if I had been here they would have been ok. Men in general are off in space – they don’t listen and they NEVER think of the consequences of their actions – never. Don’t give up just yet – I’ve had cats disappear for more time than I could believe and when they show up again I am shocked. When was your back surgery? Why don’t I remember this was scheduled for you???? Linda – I am nearly as upset about Betty as you must be. I will offer up a prayer for her safe return.
Will you send me a private email? maryehazel2020@gmail.com
I’ve heard not to put out litter box but instead an item or 2 of your clothing as she might catch your scent.. sure hope Betty shows up soon.
Linda, I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful Betty. I agree with, Mary. Our cat, Fluffy, who lived to be 22 years old! got caught under the porch in a snow storm. She didn’t cry so we didn’t know she was there. One day she came to the door as skinny as can be, but still alive. Please don’t give up hope yet. Also, my husband has had three back surgeries and his doctor told him it takes a year. It does.
I agree about the barns. Here in Ohio, people buy them up for the beams and the lumber. It makes me sad to think of all the animals and kids who were in them and the people who took care of them.
The quilts are truly beautiful today and I love seeing the little dog on the Log Cabin and the beautiful Hawk. We have Red tailed ones here and one that kind of screeches. So far, the mama deer with twins and the other mamas with singles are doing ok. I worry about them with traffic. I have been super busy with so many things since we returned from Iceland. I declared that August is for ME to quilt. My husband just laughed. He said I told him that about June. True!! I hope everyone is doing well.
Ohh Linda! I am so sorry Miss Betty is missing! Don needs to get out there and look for her over and over! That’s terrible! When I was about 9 we spent a couple of nights in our pickup trailer out in the country. My mom let my sweet calico cat, Tammy, out the door to potty and she never came back. We looked and looked and they told me something must have gotten her. Oh I cried so much. Now, some 55 years later I caught myself calling my Penny Tammy. That shook me 😢. I am praying she comes home safely soon 😻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes, love that card! So happy you received so many cards. So sad seeing the barns left to decay. I remember being in Wisconsin on vacation & seeing a round barn. I’m not sure why anyone would build a round barn, but it was unique. Love the stitchery. And that puppy on the quilt looks like it could be Boots:s brother or sister! We continue to get lots of rain, actually we’re having downpours. We’re at the lake for a couple weeks & I’m working on a Quilt of Valor for a friend in Alabama. Mary, I’ve never seen a pencil tree, how interesting looking,
Alice – I’ll print some more information about pencil trees / you’re not the only one who is unfamiliar. When we were kids our dad would always tell us this when we saw a round barn : a man went crazy in that barn! And we’d all say why/ why? Because he couldn’t find a corner to pee in! And we’d laugh and laugh!!!
I never met your dad but I with that sense of humor I would have liked him! 🙂
Such an interesting post today. And such interesting weather! Much more so than our predictable daily UN-interesting drought and high temps.
The birthday card! Too funny and clever for words. Thanks for sharing such an interesting card.
Ohh, now I know about the pencil tree. I never knew what to call those. They, too, grow into interesting shapes.
On the clematis photo at house number 4209, I noticed a garden sculpture created perhaps of glass vases and dessert plates? Very clever and again, interesting.
And the little black and white pup, so cute and such an interesting expression on its sweet little face.
I could go on and on, but I will stop here…. and go back and look again through your very interesting post.
Blessings!
Lindah – I hope the reader that sent the clematis picture explains the glass sculpture – she told me something about it
I was going to say I have a 14 ft avocado tree in my living room, and realized it was drooping. So I watered it, then thought OH! I need some thread for a project I’m going to work on at a stitch in public day. Then stood there was looked around to figureout what I was doing before I watered the tree. Oh yeah! I’m an old barn lover, and trees, now if we could have a little less water, my grove has lots of mud and the deer are moving into the front yard, the side yard, everywhere. At least they don’t dig holes like the darn groundhogs!
Dee – I think you’ve had more rain than us BUT our hay hasn’t been cut even once this summer! As soon as he thinks it’s dry enough it rains again!
My husband picked out a cat at the shelter some years ago and it is the colors of Kay’s cat. He calls it a diluted calico. Her garden are beautiful. If I get over that way sometime maybe I can stop and see if you want to get rid of one of your newly potted plants.
I too hate seeing the old barns falling in disrepair and disappearing. Also all the old farmsteads that use to be in those groves of trees. Then the trees go and all trace of the people that grew up there are gone.
Love the old barns. Makes me think of playing in my grandparents hay loft. Looking for new baby kittens. The goat card was great!
So sad about the barns. All I can think of when I see them in that condition is all that wonderful wood! My Dad was a woodworker, I have a deep appreciation for it apparently!
Your pencil tree is magnificent!! I’ve never seen one that big before.
Polly and Esther! I snort laughed! I’ve got a true story for y’all. My Mom worked with a wonderful gal name Rhea. She got engaged to a great guy whose last name was Polster. Rhea called my Mom a couple of days later crying. When asked what was wrong she said, “it’s his last name…my future last name! I’m going to be known as Rhea Polster.” HA
😀 😀 😀
My maiden name started with a “Z”, and my main criteria was to move up in the alphabet. If a guy’s last name was Zimmerman or something like that, I wasn’t going to take a chance on liking him!
My sister knew a woman named Candy Cane. When she got married, her new name was Candy Bar.
Lynn – NO! That’s pretty hilarious!
Rosemarie lived across the hall from me in the dorm. Everyone called her Rose. Rose married Dan Rose. She became Rose Rose. (I notice that my checker thinks there is a problem with that name. It is underlined.)
Jessica – that’s better than the Polly Esther joke!!!
This is for real. My Mom Esther was born in 1915 and I was born in 1953 and she named me Polly. How surprised we were when polyester fabric came out in the 60s-70s. We had nothing to do with giving it that name.
Polly – oh my goodness! What a unique claim to fame! That joke really hit home for you, didn’t it? Haha!
Jessica
Love old barns also.. That property is across road from my daughter it was never taken care of so they bought property last week and are cleaning it up one shed they will try and fix up. They did salvage some red barn wood from barn. It was becoming unsafe over there when barn started falling down.
It always saddens me when the old barns come down. So much history lost with each one. They don’t build barns like that anymore.
Your pencil trees are so interesting. I’m not sure I’ve ever known anyone else who had one and yours is so healthy!! I propagate my Chinese Money Plant (or lefsa plant) the same way. I recently planted 10 pups, have given away several, but still have 4 or 5. They just keep growing and getting bigger and are taking over my house!
I have the Grands for a few days. They have been helping me water my garden. Their stuffies get taken for walks around the cul-de-sac in my old doll buggy and they take turns riding the trike. Graham’s legs are just finally long enough to make the pedals go. Laurel has been experimenting with acrylic paints so I have new artwork for my refrigerator! Tonight we will have a movie night with popcorn–a favorite tradition when they come to visit.
Diane – I saw the picture of Graham just able to finally pedal! A milestone for sure. My money/lefse plant is finally getting big – outside and maybe that’s what it took. I’m not willing to separate anything just yet but all extra plants will go to the basement greenhouse during the winter – which is fun when it’s cold outside. Wish I could give you a pencil tree plant!
I’m learning with the lefsa plant that the primary growth is in the spring–maybe that’s true of all plants. I had so many “pups” this spring and that would have been when my plants were all at least a year old. I pulled 10 off of 3 “mother plants”. I’m sure I’ve got that many more, now! For now, I’ll let those little pups just grow where they are and fill in the pots.
One of my lefse plants has leaves that must be 3” across – I’ve only had small leaves before. I hope I can keep this big one alive and healthy!
Besides building two huge wooden barns on our farm, my husband “rescued” several old barns on farm property that we bought. We never tore them down because we just loved them so much. One such barn had a ceiling that seemed so very low – until we discovered three feet of petrified cow manure on the concrete floor! What a job that was to clean up but it turned out very well. We downsized and moved to a cottage on two acres and I have slowly been bringing rocks from our former farm to line the edges of my flower beds – I’m about 3/4 done as I just bring a couple of buckets full at a time. I do love how they look – each one is different.
Bonnie – oh my gosh, that’s a clean up for sure!! The fieldstone is so fun – because there’s no two alike.
That goat card made me laugh out loud!
My first quilt (1972) is named “Polly Esther Sue”…She is a polyester double knit hand appliquéd sunbonnet Sue and is as bright as when she was new. She is also loaded with cat claw pulls.
Suzanne – oh, that’s perfect! In 1972 that would certainly have been typical.
Our daughter and son, born in ’70 and ’72, each have a polyester quilt made by my Nana’s good friend, Hazel, because my Nana passed before our kids were born. It was so nice of Hazel to make them. She definitely filled a void for my mom after Nana passed. We had lots of Hazels in town, great name:)
PS I laughed when you said you had to drink coffee to stay warm, Mary. It is sooooo HOT here all summer.
Usually it is 70’s in June, 80’s in July, and 90’s and a few 100’s in August. It has been mid to high 80’s ALLL summer. UGH.
Loved the photo gallery today!
Loved the variety of subjects covered today. So sad to see the barns go away. Going up on a farm and playing in the hay mound was always a joy. But really we were supposed to be throwing hay down for the cows. Interesting picture of the hawk. Husband was able to get a ground hog today. Yeah. I spent the morning getting things ready for Hot Dog relish, Mary’s recipe. Then baked 6 1/2 dozen cookies while it was cool. Then went out and worked on weeding the flower beds and cleaning out flowers that have died back or need trimmed back. I think that’s enough for today!
Rita – yes, that’s enough for one day! I need to make relish this year because I’m completely out but I’ll need to go to the farmers market to buy everything. Ugh. We always called it the haymow. And we did have fun up there – like someone else said we always looked there for new kittens.
Loved everything in today’s post. I love barns. We have several pictures of barns hanging on our walls. Hate to see them go. I agree with someone above — sad to see all that barn wood going to waste!!
I loved the joke, but must admit, it took me a second to get it! Guess I’m getting a little slow in my old age!
The garden photos have been great. Someone is working in the garden a lot more than I have.
The old barns bring back good memories of playing in the hay loft with cousins, even when we weren’t supposed to. Also, the old barn was the location of the hand cranked corn sheller.
The Quilted Steeple is on my list of a place I want to visit sometime when in Iowa.
Now I have The Lonely Goatherd as my earworm. I keep singing it and my dog looks at me like I’m nuts. LOL
Janet B – haha! Ever since I got the card I’ve been hearing it – funniest card I got.
A really cute birthday card! My daughter turned 50 today-I’m not sure about her but it makes me feel really old! Really great garden pictures and I love the lawn edging in the photo with the landscape rocks. Would that reader share the source? It’s still really hot and dry here in SC.
I bought up all those goat cards in stock at a tiny bookstore in Wisconsin, and the clerk said they sell like hotcakes. I saved the last one for you. I have many old lady cards but I know some of my friends might not find them as funny as I do. My husband and I often spend a half hour looking and laughing at cards. We are easily entertained.
The garden tour was a special treat!
When I see those barns about to fall down, I think of all the porch benches and country picture frames that could be made.
Donna – I’m so glad you saved that card for me because I love it!! I show it to everybody. I love old lady cards – there are some I can’t send to just anybody. Ha! Yes, all that barn wood going up in smoke. Very sad. I’m just glad I didn’t let my barn go – I started about 40 years ago by fixing the foundation so it didn’t lean. More repair, siding, roof, pens – the whole thing. But you just can’t rebuild a gambrel roof barn these days.
Donna, here is an idea that my friend came up with. When she found a great card, she would use a sticky note to sign her name on the inside as that way I could send the card to someone else. If she hand delivered the card she would also put a sticky not on the envelope. But I can always find extra envelopes. This idea is not only economical, but more importantly it shares those great cards with others.
So sad to see the barns lost. They don’t make them like that anymore so, once they’re gone, they’re gone. Yes, hopefully the cupolas will be saved.
Cool and sunny here today. Plenty of rain yesterday so, the gardens are loving it..
Took a quick trip this morning to Iron Mountain to have my oil changed and batteries changed on my key fobs. Now laundry is calling.
Enjoy your trip to the quilt shop. I always like to go and get inspired for another project.
Good afternoon, Mary.
Cute little dog on the quilt. And we do love our pictures of the gardens, don’t we?
And that hawk! So magestic. All so important in the balance of nature. I love to see the hawks in flight. Surprised he would sit still for a photograph. I occasionally catch one sitting on the edge of a field when I’m driving down the road.
We’re still hot here in Ohio. Need a break i think.
Up in the 60’s now, but still chilly. So nice to sleep with open windows.
Grandkids had their last swim lessons this morning. A little cold, but I still had to drag them out of the water.
Love the Jen Kingwell quilt!
Our “barn” , more like a shop, burned a few years ago. It was eerie walking in and seeing the light fixtures melted and dripping down. My husband cleaned so much soot and burned items out. I found it depressing and overwhelming. He did one step at a time. Today, it’s repaired and full of “great stuff”. I miss seeing him have such fun in the barn.
My mom had a dog like the picture…her name was Fuzz Bucket.
I love the flower gardens. We’ve had a lot of rain, which is great…however the hail keeps knocking off the flower petals. A few artificial flowers gives me the color I need.
Summer came here to Central Indiana and won’t let up! High 80s and high humidity make outdoor chores miserable (thank goodness I have very few outdoor chores!), and even the overnight temps have been in the 70s. Love that you received a table-full of birthday cards, and the one with the goat is hilarious. Many old barns around here have been let go, but a couple barns were actually dismantled instead. One of them was reassembled about a mile away on another person’s property. Glad it was saved.
Hey wait Mary, let me grab my purse and car keys and I’ll meet you at Quilted Steeple!!!!! You are the color queen so would love see what you decide to purchase for inspiration.
The cold air is coming here tomorrow so made a meatloaf to take to camp for a 70 degree day. With salt potatoes and fresh corn on the cob we’ll be eating well for a change from the heat.
I love the joke! The pictures are all wonderful as always. Hugs,
Sandi if you are the lady from Australia do you have a recipe for ground kangaroo? My daughter in Texas bought several different kinds of meat from a meat store near her and I told her I would check if you had any good recipes. Thanks Rita in Iowa
Polly and Esther. HAHAHAHAHAHA I do know of a woman names Quiana and always wondered if her parents knew there was a fabric by that name or if they just “invented” it.
It took me a moment to realize that the goat card was a parody of “Sound of Music”. Now that will be today’s ear worm.
So sad to see old barns falling into disrepair and then to have them burned! I know; it’s so expensive to maintain a barn for as little use as they are to modern farmers and firefighters need practice. Our barn burned in 1976 and I occasionally still pop over the hill and am surprised the barn isn’t there.
Have fun at “Quilted Steeple”. That is where my friend and I did our retail therapy in June when I was up. Always lots of goodies there.
I love old barns and it’s always sad to see them deteriorating. I too hope the cupolas can be saved.
We finally got a little rain yesterday. It wasn’t enough to register in the gauge but still got everything wet. We’ll take it
What we wouldn’t give for 57 degrees! It’s mid 90’s here and the heat index is over 100. Love the hawk, the sweet face on that dog, and those cupolas. Hope they can save them too. Enjoy your porch.
Love the goat card 🤣 and the sewing joke!
Your pencil tree “farm” is gorgeous. And as always, I love the reader photos – such gorgeous gardens and such creativity displayed with trh needlework and quilts!
I’d love a house buried in the stand of trees – so cozy!
LOVE that card!!!
Ah, the barns – I hate to see them deteriorate and disappear. Unfortunately, I fear it’s inevitable as the need for them is going quickly.
I did a little retail therapy at a quilt store and quilt show last week and was indeed inspired to catch up on the mystery block-of-the -month that I started 7 months ago. Finishing those last 3 blocks felt SO good!