Meet Esther Lahodny, Cindy Kahr’s mother in law. Cindy writes:
My mother-in-law will be 95 years old on August 18th. She was raised on a farm and was one of 10 children (7th born). When Esther was 4 years old, her dad went to help a neighbor cut firewood. He got his hand cut off and was in the hospital for 18 days before dying from gangrene. Esthers mother (Anna) was 3 months pregnant with twins at the time. Anna raised all 10 of her children on the farm and they all helped with farming and household chores. When the older boys either went to the military or got married, Anna moved to town with her remaining children. She managed a cafe and the girls helped. When Anna died, she had 10 children, 41 grandchildren and 59 great grandchildren.
Esther married a farmer and they had 2 children (one is my husband). She did many of the farm chores including running a tractor and hauling bales. They later divorced. Many years later, she married Gene Lahodny (a custom combiner). They traveled from Oklahoma to North Dakota harvesting crops. Esther pulled their camper from state to state, drove a grain truck and took meals to the field for the harvest crew. When Gene died, Esther had been involved in the harvest business for 44 years. She also enjoyed crafts. She owned a kiln and sold many ceramics, crochet and embroidery items at craft fairs. Esther moved to a nursing home 2 years ago. She misses her home but was no longer able to care for herself. She loves getting cards and I know she would be thrilled to receive cards for her birthday. Her address is:
Esther Lahodny
c/o Park Villa
114 South High
Clyde, Ks 66938
I’ll be getting my birthday card ready to go tonight while I remember. Happy
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This was my day –
Cleaned up again – is this the third or fourth time in about 10 days? No, I wouldn’t have to clean it up but it just doesn’t feel right if I don’t. Remember, I do this stuff because I want to.
Molly spent the afternoon with us – she really is such a good girl!
Look what Hazel found in the pampas grass – a snakeskin!! Yes, I saved it on my counter along with a dragonfly. Isn’t that what you have on your counter??
Reader photos
Evidently about a pailful of walnuts fall in a day so I had 2 pails today – notice what I finally realized I could pick them up with and save my back – a pooper scooper!
This is what I emptied from my cart – it was so heavy I couldn’t lift it up so I had to shovel some out first. I’ll bet it weighed 50 pounds.
SUMMER is available for $5.00 and a SASE. Cash or check made out to Mary ETHERINGTON only.
And these dogs have such a story that I want to retell to you but I’m too tired tonight.
Watch for their story tomorrow!
TO whoever made that beautiful blue and yellow quilt:
Is there a pattern for the quilt and, if so, would you share the information on it. I would love to try and make one of my own. The quilt is gorgeous!
Thank for sharing.
What a lot of work to do in your yard. But looks so nice. I pulled weeds for 3 hours a few days ago in the heat. Had a strong wind so that helped but could sure tell I stayed out too long when I was done. And saw a snake skin next to the house when I mowed-but it’s not on my kitchen counter. 😂
I could use some of those bumper stickers. Looks like they would send a clear message.
Years ago my uncle got a hand corn sheller for Gramma. She used it to take the husks off the nuts. I never paid attention to it and don’t know how it worked, but I’m sure it was handy. Gramma liked it. She would sit and pick out the meat from the shells on the long winter days. I liked them, too.
Mary, you can think of easier ways to do stuff. Be careful. You don’t want to make your hernia any worse, or the rest of your body, either.
I wrote last night, but it didn’t get sent…… and now is gone. Take care, anyway. Betty in Rapid City
Betty – we had one of those hand shellers when I was a kid – wish I had it now.
What an amazing life poor Anna must have had. Esther, too, with all the work that she did. And still had time for embroidery.
When I think of all the animals you have I don’t know how you have time for anything else.
Last night my dog Buster was sick. I put him in the back yard and he didn’t want to come in. He was too busy eating the grass and trees in the dark. I couldn’t see him, but eventually he did. I had the lights off trying to get some sleep. He was trying to go back out. I think he needed to vomit. It’s about eleven and I’m walking him down the street in my Jammie’s and slippers hoping he’ll get it out. I tried. Came back in and he threw up the grass. Poor thing. I didn’t know what I’d find when I woke this morning. Poor dear. He seems over it now. Can’t figure it out.
Carolyn – poor Buster! I hope he’s over it by now whatever caused all of that. My dogs eat grass now and then – my dad always used to tell us it was a sign of rain coming. I sorta doubt it but we believed it.
My goodness, Anna and Esther are a testament to all that can be accomplished when one has to and has the mindset to get done. Esther’s card will be going out this morning.
Those dogs, at the end of the post, are beautiful, so looking forward to the story. Molly, definitely has a friend in Mary. You have open space and active dogs to encourage her to move. I’ve noticed in your posts she comes to visit a lot, and I see and understand why.
Jan
Jan – and when Molly does visit, she is exhausted when she gets home and weve barely done anything. Poor thing – I wish I could do more.
Seeing what great shape your dogs are in, I know the “sad eye” doesn’t work at your house! Your yard is beautiful all cleaned up. What a story about Esther and her mother Anna! How did they do it? Raise all those children alone and run a farm as well. It makes me feel like a real lazy bones, but so does all you accomplish in one day, Our Sonny, who you met a few times, is at the end of his life, and we are suffering right along with him. He has congestive heart failure and coughs a lot. Last night was a terrible night and next week we are going to have to make that terrible decision that all pet owners face eventually. You know that heartbreak so well, I know. 12 years is a pretty long life for a dog, but no number of years is ever enough when you love a dog so much.
I should say that Max is on the left and Eddy on the right – Max came as a rescue from Mexico he a shepherd cross, Eddy is a golden doodle. Both parents were cream coloured and all the pups were black with some cream or white on them.
The last two pictures with two dogs in each picture are from me. The first is Tina on the left and Spice on the right. They are my son’s dogs and our Eddy loves them. The next picture is of Max(our neighbours dog) and Eddy our dog. They are best friends.
Teresa – thanks! I’m going to transfer your info about them in tonight’s post because it’s so touching.
What a story of the birthday girl. Park Villa is in my home town and was right across the street from where my Mother lived before she passed and where I grew up.
Brenda Ks – what a coincidence! Do you know this family by chance?
How interesting that you are from Clyde. I probably know you-if not, probably know the name. Which house did you live in? One has been torn down and replaced with a clinic. Cindy
Your yard is looking better with each day of clean up. How is the trail to the woods? Love fresh tomatoes from the garden, love a BLT sandwich. That is a clever way to pick up those black walnuts and save your back. We finally got a large floor cabinet for the laundry room and i spent the better part of the day putting items away and getting it organized. Much of it was still in boxes from moving a year ago. We got the cabinet off marketplace and I wanted to paint it and add more shelves before we moved it inside. Its marvelous. We had a major storm come thru last night but no tree branches on the ground. Lots of thunder and lightning and much needed rain. My card will get in the mail tomorrow for Esther, what a joy to wish her a happy birthday.
Kim from WI – sadly the wilderness trail is still blocked by huge fallen trees which will require a boom truck and our tree guy is so over loaded with work I’m not sure when he can get to us.
It’s a beautiful summer morning here. Slight breeze, 68 with blue skies. Suppose to go to 90. I’m sitting outside on my back deck enjoying coffee in my nightgown cause our barn and garage block any neighbors. It’s so nice enjoying the better air today so started laundry to hang on lines.
Gotta savor these sweet days.
With only one black walnut tree left in our land, we still find piles of black walnuts all shelled and stacked up by a porch step or corner by the barns. It makes us chuckle knowing the squirrels worked hard to get the green off and now have their pantry ready for the cold months ahead so we just leave them. We use the pooper scooper to get the apples off the ground that drop from our trees. Then dump that container out back for the deer.
Kathy – I wasn’t smart enough to think of the pooper scooper but that leaned over stance is hard on my back, too – like vacuuming or raking. I can’t even believe I’m writing this but we’re having a thunderstorm now – no wind at the moment – and two pretty good sized walnut branches are already down on my pristine lawn. I love that you feed the squirrels and the deer! But its a lot of work for you
Once upon a time, I had a black walnut tree but didn’t use the walnuts. A guy from work took them and laid them out on his gravel driveway and drove over them – a lot – which took the husk off I guess anyway he said it worked. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Mary your place looks so lovely. All the work is worth it. Molly looks as if she should visit more frequently and follow hazel and keeper around! And that dragonfly on your counter is beautiful! No wonder you saved it. The joy of ordinary.
Jean – you said it: the joy of ordinary which is almost the theme of this blog – the blog about nothing OR. The blog about ordinary!! I love it! Yes, Mollie gets zero exercise and gives them the sad eye for more food. I’d put her on a diet so fast it would make your head spin. Her owners can’t walk and Mollie suffers from it.
Have you ever seen a Garden Weasel for gathering nuts, an apparatus that picks up nuts from the ground? It saves all the bending over. It’s a ball made of wire with a long handle that allows the nuts to go inside of it when you roll the ball over them. My friend has one and absolutely loves it.
I did a Google search and found that there are different sizes for small, medium and large nuts. You can find them online at Amazon, Ace, Home Depot, etc. from what I have seen…
Just a thought!
Gail – I’m going to look up Garden weasel right now! Wow, I could sure use that – my lower back is not good.
Please read my email to you . I don’t want in the comments.
Sorry you have been having to clean the yard so much! Do you not eat your black walnuts? Our second fall here we researched what to do and getting the husks off was such a messy job. Then Darrell powerwashed them and we dried them out for several weeks. Then got a goody getter walnut cracker and finally got to enjoy some. Just love their flavor 😻
I am 6 weeks past knee replacement now and have to go to physical therapy twice a week. It’s harder each visit. Still feels stiff and sore but better than the pain before surgery! I am driving without any problems so Tuesday will be my first time back to my sewing group an hour away. ❤️
Pamela – already 6 weeks!! I hated therapy myself but evidently it did its job because my knees don’t hurt and they work well so hang in there. Now that you can drive things will be better. Hugs to Penny and Lucy!
Donette – I can’t find your email! Would it be under your name? Please resend and I’ll watch for it.