This afternoon Sam, Aidan, Lucy and Owen came for some fun – and it was a perfect afternoon! Aidan put many miles on the old golf cart, Lucy rode part of the time and Owen and Lucy each had a blower to clean off my driveway and sidewalks. Lunch was yogurt and granola, grapes, cracker tv mix and Orange Julius – 5 years ago Aidan sat in the porch and had an OJ and he said “awesome!” Haha!!
And Ivy came, too.
Tonight all three dogs are sacked out!
Last Friday Connie and I went to Ames to shop at Quilting Connection and then we visited Lincoln View Farm west of Ames. What a gorgeous setting and lovely place!
This place was pristine – so clean and tidy everywhere. I loved their dog named Sprite, a smooth coat collie.
Yes, we both bought plants.
We also shopped in the barn for antiques – I bought a cat picture and a quadruple plate baby cup to plant a succulent in.
And now the postscript. On Monday night the farm experienced a serious fire from a power surge into their electrical system burning the barn to the ground with all those vintage treasures inside. So sad – she says she’ll rebuild and open again next spring – the resilience of an Iowa entrepreneur!
Thanks for reading – I think I’m caught up now! Be Still.
Oh such beautiful gardens. Looks like a perfect day too.
Thought u might enjoy this.
https://www.facebook.com/100007001654135/posts/2655181851391844/?
Hopefully u can access it
Kathy Niemann – I did enjoy it and think maybe I should name some of my older plants! Good idea!
Oh, no!! How awful to have that fire take out everything. . . So sorry to hear this.
That is one big honkin’ hosta there by the little deer statue. Oh, my goodness. Taking up a whole lot of space.
Love the pictures of all the kids lunching & “working” on the farm! What fun for them & for you, knowing how much you love having kids around. Looks like Hazel is guarding her pool,!
Orange Julius’ are the best!!
Stay safe everyone. . .
Peggy S from MN
That is a beautiful garden. And more work than I could do. Really sad to loose there barn and all those wonderful old things.
Sprite is adorable to, looks so calm and happy.
That Hazel is a rascal , you must have to bath her all the time. My Ginger turned 2 on June 1, she chews everything, pulls the stuffing out of all her toys. Then chews the toys up. I throw 2-3 away a week. I’ll be glad when I can garage sale again as toys are getting low. I can’t afford $8-10 for a pet store one. She can chew it up just as fast. I’ve taken some old socks and stuffed them with sewing scraps, sew the end up and she loves those to. Our high here today was 68 and overcast so very cool. We have a couple of more days like this then the rain again. Washington on the west side doesn’t get humid we have no humidity. So I never wear summer cloths when I’m home. Only on vacation.
You cat pictures is cute and the cup will be a great little planter.
Hi to everyone that are still mostly staying in place. We will be in phase 2 next week we hope.
Mary, I hope you do another year of UFO, that sure motivates you to do something you really don’t want to finish. Then when you do they are beautiful.
Reply to “Bobbie”: I, too, have a dog that is a chewer. Stuffed toys are gone in a matter of minutes so I have found that she does well with bones. The one she seems to really like is Nyla-Bone. I buy them, 2 at a time, at our pet store where I buy her dog food. Good luck!
What fun days you are having! Can’t beat time with beautiful children and visiting a gorgeous garden with Connie! Stay well!💙
Hi Mary,can you send a photo of your cupola please, I looked but couldn’t find it. Sad about the fire,such a loss of beautiful old thwe are
having some cold, we t days this week, so snuggling under the quilt I am
working on.take care, sandy
Sandy – I’ll take a picture tomorrow
Mary, this post—the children, their activities, their lunch at your porch and the visit to the farm and beautiful surroundings were a balm to my hurting soul in the midst of NYC where most of my neighborhood has been vandalized. Then I read Lincoln View Farm burned down! Praying for all for God’s provision and protection going forward, and God especially bless her for the will to rebuild. Sending love to all.
Enjoyed the blog today, nice to see you and Connie take a day trip, we all need a change in scenery these days. The farm you visited is lovely and I like the cat picture you found, really cute.
What happy, beautiful children on your porch. I love Owen’s dimples.
The garden you visited was lovely, especially all those wonderful hostas. Thanks for sharing, Mary.
Looks like everyone had a good visit!! Your porch looks so cool and inviting! The kids did a wonderful job cleaning for you too!
I had read about the fire…on FB I think, so very sad. I hadn’t been there but it was a place we might have visited. Net year now. Will have to search for The Quilt Connection. Hen and Chicks is open in Conrad so we have been there., so is the Calico Hutch, have not been there yet.
I look forward to your posts…thanks for doing them!! I am in Minnesota this week, back to Iowa this weekend. Still nothing on an apartment.
Oh, My Goodness!! What an ending. Just think, you saved the cat picture and the baby cup. This kind of reminds me when we purchased 6 baby chicks at a feed store. Two days later the feed store burned to the ground. I always told my girls that we saved them.
What beautiful gardens you and Connie visited. I love garden tours. Thank you for this one.
Stay safe, Mary.
Sue in Oregon – I thought the same thing – that picture and cup would be gone now! And I think about the other things that I now wish I had bought. Oh, your lucky chicks!!! Yes, you did save them!
Mary, you look so good, Connie too. Those children are just precious. Hard workers to boot!
I didn’t realize that wasn’t Telly, and thought the two of them found a fun mud puddle. But no.
The farm is truly beautiful, so sad about the fire. I’m sure they will bring it back to deserved beauty.
Loretta’s vet finally called, they are changing her meds. I surely hope it helps. She was up all night, in a kinda trance for about 20 minutes, then bolts around like a scared cat. Then that repeats. I had to put socks on her feet. One of those lamp shades of shame would go right across her wound. Her socks are newborn to 3 months size. We are thinking positive, so she will get better. I hope it doesn’t take long.
My lilacs have little buds on them. Exciting
Jo in Wyoming – I missed something – I thought she had a lump on her throat? What are the meds for? Why the socks? I’m sorry but I’m not following. I hope she’ll be ok! Those cones are awful – couldn’t we figure something else out for our dogs? Please let me know – if you’d rather use my email, I’ll be watching.
Our dog had recent surgery. During the day we put a noodle around her neck, put slices every two inches so it could bend. Still had to keep an eye on her so she didn’t lick her incision, but she left them along for the most part and the noodle was more comfortable for her.
Marj R – hooray for you! I’ve seen the noodle action and thought it was brilliant!!!
Our daughter went to college in Ames at Iowa State, but we never visited Lincoln View Farm. Looks like an interesting stop. Have you been to the Reiman Gardens by Iowa State? It is a lovely place for a stroll.
Always love your decorating ideas. I never thought to put a succulent in a baby cup. I just bought several succulents, now I know where one is going to be planted! Thank much for the idea!
Linda from MN – Reed and I visited Rieman Gardens and it was simply wonderful!! Last summer I couldn’t walk so couldn’t go but this summer I’d love to go back! Maybe Connie would want to go? There’s our next outing!!!
Oh what a fun day with the kids!! I have 2 of my grandkids spending the night.
Love all the pictures of the farm. Too bad about the barn burning. Such a beautiful place!
It was 97* here today!
You captured the very essence of a balanced day to me. Children, outdoors, nature, friendship, food shared, pets adored and supporting homegrown business. I have felt for these women and men trying to help with school work on line with their children and do their own jobs so having a break now to be outdoors is good for everyone. We too in our area lost a small family owned business to a fire recently we supported so my prayers are on many who are rebuilding after riots and a fire.
Kathy in western ny – it was a good day yesterday – Samantha needed a break, too. Not only is she a teacher at a private school, she had to help her own kids with schoolwork. So she was teaching online and then helping her kids online. She is worn out like so many moms who have been trying to do it all during the pandemic. We need to get together every week!
So sad about the barn. Iowans are madd of strong stuff and yet it has to be devestating. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.
I wish we were close enough to visit those gardens. Absolutely beautiful and so sad they lost the barn and contents. Question… I love metal yard ornaments. Do you know what the pictured large metal ornament is made of? It looks like tracks from a conveyer belt of machine of some type? And how big is it? Could not compare to get perspective. Thanks, Mary! Take care and be safe!!!!!
Mary in MO – this lady’s husband made yard art everywhere you looked! I wish I had taken more pictures – I was too busy with my mouth hanging open! The shovels, the farm equipment pieces, etc, etc were all works of art! I gotta go back when she reopens!! That “tree” was probably 4-5 feet high – it was by one of the ponds so I wasn’t real close to it. Give her a little time and then email her about those details. I just don’t know the answer.
I love that cup! So glad you “rescued” it before the fire! Beautiful photo of you and Connie!
60,000 people estimated at mainly peaceful march in downtown Houston. Service here next Tuesday. Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts. Two day spikes in virus numbers reported for last two days; hope 14 days out does not show big spikes due to march!
Tanya in Houston – I was wondering about a spike in Covid cases – I hope that doesn’t happen – anywhere that held marches.
Sad to read about antiques n barn burning down! Wonderful gardens! As usual Mary, thanks for wonderful pictures! So enjoyed the visiting children and their playful dog.
Oh my goodness, those gardens are just beautiful! I love hostas and wow! that is a big one! I’m not seeing the picture of the teacup? Anyway, it is very sad that the barn burned down. Would love to know how you make the Orange Julias drinks! They look really yummy. The children are so cute!
Mary, did I miss your story about your barn? You said that you were going to look for pictures and that you would tell us about it. I hope I didn’t miss that. If I did I will just have to go back and find it! Jan in MA
Janice. Hebert – no, you didn’t miss the story of the barn – I gotta get my dates figured out so I can write it. Sorry to be so slow.
Janice Hebert – I’ll post the OJ recipe – it is the most refreshing drink!L
So I had to make orange Julius drinks this afternoon for us to sit down outside with as yours sounded so good. I used OJ, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream on top. Used my hand immersible blender in the cup it came with. Looking forward to your recipe.
Ha! When my computer refreshed the site after I posted my comment the picture of the kitty and the cup was there! Cute! Jan in MA
What great photos! I am envious of the beautiful barrel cacti. Sorry to hear about the barn, but glad you saved the cat picture and the small mug. My husband is recovering slowly and showing progress. Each day is a gift. I understand their policies, but I wish I could physically see him not just through a window. I think I’ll be happy to see a new year! Take care.
Diane in WI – greet your husband from all of us!!!
I will certainly do that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mary for all you share with us online! Even when you’re “down” about something you can always find the words to make me smile.
So sad to hear of the loss they suffered with that barn burning. They certainly must be “giving” type
people – to have those beautiful gardens to share with all and have the antique barn as well.
Thank you, Mary for all you share with us online! Even when you’re “down” about something you can always find the words to make me smile.
So sad to hear of the loss they suffered with that barn burning. They certainly must be “giving” type
people – to have those beautiful gardens to share with all and have the antique barn as well.
Those gardens are beautiful!!! So bad about the barn and antiques. Paula in KY
What fun to have the children visit and to help with things. You are truly blessed! Your knee replacements have certainly given you a new life! How thankful you must be! Loved all the pictures, you and Connie are both so beautiful, so nice to see you together!! Keep enjoying life – so wonderful!
We were in Alburnett IA on Tuesday for shearing of a lot of llamas. Sunny lives there now and it was so fun to see her, help out with the shearing and take home her fiber. I will send it to Illinois to be made into yarn with her fiber from last year and also Libby’s and Brownies. Then, maybe, I will be done having the fiber processed. I will have more than I will be able to do in the rest of my life I think!
They had 6 new baby llamas and it was such fun to watch them with their mamas!
Kathy Hanson – oh, what fun! Not only to see your girls but to see the babies!!?