I went to the park yesterday morning about 10 to listen to patriotic music.
The local DJ played wonderful patriotic songs for over an hour – we sat in lawn chairs or leaned against our cars. When taps was played, it was almost overwhelming.
Each of the flag poles has a local veterans name on it – Mareen and I sat closest to her dad’s pole – it was very touching.
I came home in such a good mood I decided to move into the porch. This one huge cactus tipped over as I was trying to move it so that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. This is a picture of the huge thing that I couldn’t even roll around!
Here’s the first trimming.
And the final step – I don’t care if it doesn’t survive – I will plant several pots with those pieces I cut off and hopefully give all of them away except one.
The porch so far.
The next scene – notice who’s in my chair.
So I guess if I want a chair I’ll have to move the matching recliner to the porch.
I’m not always enamored of panel quilts but I love this one!
Here’s something I want to put in the back yard – can you guess what Rick said?
I love it!
Last week Hazel and I went on a walk with Sam and Ivy, Aidan, Lucy, and Owen and Ema (she’s the bread baker) and her kids, Emmet, Gilbert and Harriet. All the kids except Harriet in the stroller rode little bikes or scooters or roller blades.
This is what my plant is – slang term is orchid cactus.
And this is what I’m reading and enjoying very much! An eye opener for sure.
Glad I mowed and trimmed yesterday – we got a heavy rainfall last night and early this morning. Too wet to weed so guess I’ll have to sit in the porch and read. Ha!
Our new way of life has made me appreciate the small things – I’m never bored and can be delighted by the ordinary things in my world that I might have missed before Covid-19. How about you? Are you coping? Are you adjusting?
Be Still…….talk to you tomorrow!
Bored–how can anyone be bored, there is always something to do around the house whether it’s for fun or chores. Younger people just don’t think that staying home is “living”.
Marie Beers – you’re right! Most kids need to be entertained – they have no imagination as to what they could do outside at home!
When I was growing up on the farm, I NEVER EVER said I was bored. If I did, my parents found something else for me to do involving chores. I have always been very good at entertaining myself and I really can’t say that I am ever bored. I may tire of what I am doing at some point but then I just do something else!!
I love the “greenhouse”!! I guess he said yes with your response of “I love it!” Would that be fun and high enough you wouldn’t have much bending over to do!! Lots of natural light and warmth!!
Your plants all look so happy! Hoping the weather doesn’t produce this afternoon. Tornado watch until 8. I am in Liscomb this week…Eldora and Garner were both in the towns listed. I don’t think we got much rain here last night but sure got it the days before. Everything is so green. I’m not looking forward to the mosquito crop!!
Enjoy your porch, Telle is!!
You gave that cactus a serious haircut! I’m sure it will survive. We had about 3/4″ rain early morning. Sunday night we had about 4 1/2″ in a little over a 3 hour time frame. So far the sun is shining today.
Judi L – wow! That’s a lot of rain!!!
No rain so far today. Our fields are still wet, lots of puddles. Am I coping? With the precautions and virus,yes. My husband was in the hospital for sixteen days. He had to have a colostomy, and then after the surgery, he had a mild heart attack and then a large heart attack. It was an exhausting two weeks not knowing what would happen. He is trying to get his strength back and recover at a nursing home just down the road from our house. Of course, there is no visiting only waving through the window and phone calls. Every day is truly a gift. The small things are really important. Have a great day relaxing on your porch. Telly certainly is!
Diane in WI – m so sorry that you’re husband has been ill. And you can’t even visit! A lady that I used to visit at the care center died Sunday – she liked Hazel and I was just waiting for the day when we could visit again. Sound like your husband is close by and a wave is better than nothing! Keep us posted, Diane!
We are still under lockdown over here (Belgium) and although face masks are mandatory most people get around that problem by only wearing them in the store (grocery). More stores are opening although restaurants etc and we cannot visit friends or family. Thank goodness for computers to keep in touch. What we must remember is to wash our hands, disinfect everything in sight and remember the 1 meter space rule. Fortunately we have had great weather so far so we can spend time in the garden. Take care of yourselves and try to follow the rules and remember we are all in this together.
Anonymous – Very interesting to know that things are pretty much the same in Belgium! Thanks for keeping in touch with all of us.
Thank you for always sharing so much of yourself with all of your readers. I look forward to all of the excitement on the farm. When I first met my husband more than 30 years ago, he had a huge cactus like yours. It just got too big…and I didn’t know anything about growing cactus. Somewhere along the way, it disappeared…maybe as babies came along. I have not been bored during the virus shutdown. It has been an opportunity to reflect on the things that are really important and just enjoying the beauty of spring. We rushed outside yesterday to hear if anyone played taps at 3:00 pm. We thought many of our talented neighbors might be playing, but all we heard was silence. But we were so thankful for the many service men and women who have given so much to give us freedom.
I LOVE the Greenhouse bus! Would have to paint it, Maybe green or with a floral motif. Great upcycling!!!
I absolutely LOVE your porch!!! I think I would happily live there all summer long—though I know—humidity!!!
The greenhouse bus is perfect!! I can see why you want one!! I always wanted a boxcar in my backyard—I was a huge fan of The Boxcar Children when I was growing up!
I’m sitting here waiting for our Governor to update us on the COVID news for reopening. I’m not bored at all and am happy as can be to stay put while everyone else rushes out and exposes themselves. We have 50 respirators going at the northern Colorado hospitals in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley. Normally there are 2-3 being used. So it still doesn’t feel safe to go out much more than I have been for the past two months. 24,500 cases in Colorado right now with 1,088 deaths.
Diane Bauer – I have always dreamed of having a caboose in my yard! Then I wanted a little trailer to park out in my grove. Now I want a school bus! And Rick doesn’t want any of them. No surprise there.
I appreciate hearing how everyone is dealing with the pandemic, thanks for sharing Anonymous in Belgium.
Mary, I was shocked at how how you cut that cactus back!! I didn’t know you could do that! I have some unruly succulents that are in for a surprise.
I love that school bus converted into a green house, how do people think of these things?! Seriously, I’d paint it a less offensive color and put a planting bed on the side you see to help cover the tires. It really could be a lovely spot in the yard and so useful!
Just looked at all the new babies hanging on your cactus before the hair cut!
Your porch looked so inviting. Definitely move your other chair in there!
I love the bus green house too…deer n elk couldn’t eat the plants if I had one!
Thanks for the pictures, Mary!
Thanks for all of the great photos today! Your porch looks so inviting! I imagine you get a lot of use from it during the summer. I just had a pedicure and now am wearing my sandals again. Now all I need is a haircut! I, too, am reading “American Dirt.” It is a good book but one that is so intense that I have to put it down after awhile and go do something else. It is due back to the library on Thursday, so I need to keep reading. I had no problem with the quarantine as I had my dog, Bailey, for company–plus there is always something to do. Besides reading, I enjoy cooking and just being home. My 9 year old great-granddaughter and I developed a “pen pal” relationship while she was home from school. She lives in Kansas so we do not get to see each other very often. This way, we can stay connected through our letters. Looks like we may be in for a storm later on so I hope everyone is close to home now!
Like you, not always a fan of panel quilts. But I think this may be the nicest I’ve seen. Usually we are passing through Iowa on our way to MN from CA this time of year in our Motorhome. But this year both of my grandsons who were graduating from college (one with a master degree, the other a bachelors degree) had no ceremony. We are sticking close to home and no not bored, but ready to get back to normal.😊
What a wonderful idea for a greenhouse! Are those just little strings of Xmas lights hanging in your screened porch?
Nancy Watkins- yes, two strings of white lights – gives it such an inviting glow and at night it’s so nice to sit there with a glass of wine or beer after dark.
I love your ending “Be Still”……a moment of peace and quiet each time I see it. Thank you!
Your patio looks so relaxing. Hopefully, one of the animals will share a chair with you.
Did Rick get you a School Bus? I love it as a Green House.
Enjoy the patio and watching your beautiful yard grow!
Karen Gaither – if hell freezes over you’ll know I got a bus! Ha!
Rick probably said “What the Hell”. I’m sorry, Mary, but I cringe when I see pictures of you in a crowd of people, and no one is wearing a mask. Stay safe, we need you and this blog.
Enjoyed the picture with Hazel peeking out the door, she’s never far from the action, is she.
Bored? What does that word mean? There is so much to keep me busy; I am thankful😊. Yes, you do need a school bus green house. A jungle theme painted on it would be pretty! I agree about panels, but I do like that one a lot. I have trouble because they are often not square and they end up looking off. Hazel loves to help you! I enjoyed your description of the patriotic songs. That is such a neat idea. Hot again.
Your porch is so nice, looks like a relaxing place to be in the summer. Thank you for giving me the name of the orchid cactus. I asked my local nursery about it, they did not have one. Not sure I could fit it in my house. I have several plants now & running out of places to put them. I never get bored, always something to do, but I wish it would be over soon.
I always get a smile on my face when your blog pops up. When I saw the picture of the bus I thought, “What is she thinking???” and then I saw the inside and thought, “YES, YES, YES!!!” I’m with the others about painting it.
A long time ago I saw a church sign that read, “Be still and know that I am God” The next week it read, “Be still and know.” The next week, “Be still” and the last week, “Be”. I loved that. I found it peaceful and thought provoking at the same time.
Pamela in MO – I’ve been meaning to email you. I will tonite!
This has not bothered me at all. I could stay here on the farm for two weeks straight and just go out once for groceries. Does that mean I am getting old? I am anxious to see how it goes when I get back in the fabric shop next Tuesday. We are only open on Tuesday and Fridays so that is not bad but I have enjoyed doing as I please every day. It’s the little things!…..Paula in KY
I haven’t even made a dent in my UFO’s and endless mental list of projects I wish to create. But made hundreds of masks so did use some stash just taking up real estate in my sewing room. Absolutely not have I been bored nor anxious to be out mingling with people. My children are extremely cautious over us and keep their distances when calling and wanting to stop in, as well as continue to ask us not to go places unless necessary. I respect their caring knowing they want us around for years yet to come. I must say I have been reading my cookbooks and recipe clippings looking for some ideas so when I make my every 2 week grocery run, I pick up some new to us items to try so our meals aren’t boring either.
Mary, did you get any bad storms today? The weather map didn’t look good. I just hate the news when they say “tornado hit eastern Iowa.” Or like that. Then they proceed to tell and don’t mention the specific location. Don’t they realize that we all need a bit more specific location? The national news does it all the time.
Betty Klosterman, Rapid City
Betty Klosterman – we’ve had a series of thunderstorms but no tornado action around us. South of us 2 hours west of Des Moines had a bit of wind damage but I don’t think too much. We are called North Central Iowa lots of times on weather broadcasts – if they say that, we are likely involved. Mason City is close to us and sometimes we’re included with that location.
The weather map showed a wide strip right thru the center of Iowa from north to south. You were definitely in the path. Glad you didn’t get it. Betty
Betty K – oh, me, too! I see another thunderstorm brewing in the west so it the dogs will be nervous again.
Ugh…I have one dog who shakes at the sound of thunder and the other heads to the bathroom in the middle of the house. I have sat on the floor with her before to calm her holding the other one. With us having a record high of 92 today I hope we don’t get one but odds are we will.
I love how your porch looks. It’s so comfy looking. I love the dogs making themselves at home, mine do the same. I love the greenhouse bus. People are so clever. I haven’t been bored yet. I have so many things to play with and a spit and shine on the house every so often. LOL. Hugs,
I love the bus too!
Love the bus, can’t imagine what Rick had to say. Looks like a great place to garden. Not so hard on the knees with a garden like that. I can’t tell you how many times we went to the basement in SE Iowa and even slept there in Kansas City during tornados. One year at GNR they rounded us all up and made us go with our pets to tornado shelters. It looked like Noah’s ark. It would really be awful to go through a tornado in a motor home, and I live in fear of big storms when we are out in ours. So many campgrounds have big trees that are beautiful but lethal when they fall. Loved your parade!
Your porch looks so inviting. A few years ago I got a 18’ teepee for Mother’s Day. We had such fun in it. Dinners, sleepovers, naps, sewing bees. General escape hiding place. Because of the air flow, it was always cool. It, like your porch, was great for ice tea and a book.
Your little parade looked like a hoot, I’m sure everyone in it enjoyed it and the onlookers enjoyed it too.
I went to the dentist today. He told me he had gone 4 months without a hair cut! I ask if he wore pigtails. We both laughed. His staff kept coming in to see his new do. He truly got his money’s worth this time.
We’re all learning how to slow down and it’s ok.
Stay safe.
Ps. It’s miller time at my house..my husband swats them, I gather them before Loretta eats them, yuck.
Hi Mary, news on the dog in the photo with Stella, it’s a Maltese terriot they are gentle and have soft long hair, so it’s just the dogs hair that is plaited. It belongs to Stella s grandma’s sister in Taipei.Telly has chosen the best seat in the house! Best wishes from sandy.
Your Memorial day sounded like it was relaxing. The porch looks really comfy too. We used to have one of these cactus’s too. It called African Milk Tree Plant (Euphorbia Trigona). Ours was huge and we had to cut it back and make several other starter cactus’s from it. They grow really fast.
Absolutely adore the up-cycled bus! Someone had a wonderful idea, although, I can’t say I would want a yellow bus in my back yard. But if it was painted and maybe decorated, it just might be okay. Hazel looks quite comfortable and you and she may have a battle over that chair.
Linda, love the panel quit, so cute and well done. I am still trying to finish a baby panel quilt for my sister, who is having an “OOPS BABY”. LOL I just can not for the life of me get in the mood to do it, and the baby is due with in the month.
We have had so much rain and more expected today. Our grass needs cut, but we have standing water, so cutting is out of the question at this point.
American Dirt sounds really good. Extraordinary actually. May have to get this one from the library.
All the best from South Carolina
Brenda in SC – well, just let me crack the whip for you so you’ll have that baby quilt done before that baby arrives! Show me what youve got done and what you’re stuck on. I have a finish in a few days, too, so let’s both get motivated. I wonder if your sister is Happy about her oops baby – tell her that there are people like me who would trade places with her at the drop of a hat!! Even at this old age!
Mary, she is over the moon about this baby!! It’s a boy and she has already raised 2 girls.
I have got to quilt the baby panel quilt and put the binding on. No biggie! Just have to start it…LOL…OH, and FM quilt the baby’s name on it……COLTON……and Date of birth……really, not too much to do! So glad my machine does all the work!
Brenda in SC – oh, isn’t that just wonderful that she’s thrilled! How old are her girls? And the name is Colton? There are two Coltons who go to our church and of course there’s my cat named Colton who was named by a little girl relative when he showed up here. Please keep us posted about this special baby!
I love being home!! I’ve never been bored way too many projects to do, flowers, vegetable garden this year I’m so excited to have this year. I just wish there was more hours in the day or I didn’t need to sleep!!
Coping, yes. Adjusting, yes!
We’re so much more resilient than we might have believed. I get so choked up anymore with patriotic music and displays, it must be old age; but as someone who has lived in other countries of the world I can easily say I would never, ever want to be anywhere else than right here in the good ol’ USA~ nor do I ever take its liberty and freedom for granted. Thanks for taking us along to your celebration. God bless America!
Mrs. Goodneedle – I think about you enjoying your porch!
Love the school bus greenhouse. Thanks for posting it.
I love the panel quilt. The pieced blocks add so much to it. I’ve definitely not been bored being quarantined. I’ve been in the yard potting plants, spray painted a beautiful metal birdcage a neighbor had thrown out, and am repainting a pair of metal birds. Indoors there are always quilts to work on. I’ve been working on quilting some that have been waiting to be finished, made a quilt for my new grandson (Wyatt born today!) , made two quilts for my daughter in law, started two new quilts, worked on a Dresden quilt, and the list goes on! Who’s bored?! My husband has been busy in the yard building the new aloe greenhouse and selling some sports memorabilia on eBay. We will be heading to Iowa to visit the new grand baby.
Susan K – how wonderful – a new grandson! Congratulations to all!
Thanks! It’s our first grandchild so we’re so excited and can’t wait to meet him!