The 250th birthday has been quite a bash, hasn’t it? I’ve enjoyed television in the porch for hours. So many parades and celebrations! But across North Central Iowa we almost washed away from about noon to 2:15. We got 3 inches of hard rain!
And it rained so hard the water went over the threshold in the quilt shop and yup, I’ve got water from the north end of the checkout counter to the door. Nothing damaged because this has happened before but I grabbed every towel in the dirty laundry basket and threw them down on the wet floor. Ugh.
This sticker was on one of my cards and it has special meaning. Many years ago on the Fourth of July Mareen was at a family party and after a couple beers decided to belt out “Proud To Be An American”! It’s been “her” song ever since. 🤣
Molly is here because the fireworks around her house were so loud last night that she just shook. We’ll probably hear some in the distance tonight but nothing like in town.
I cleaned the girls’ bedding out this afternoon – they really are sloppy eaters.
Some conversation about my cards:
Reader photos
More photos from me:
And her oldest son, Andy, painted the flag. I have flag pictures around my house – I’ll try to keep posting patriotic things if you will, too.
I’m closing with a love story like I’ve never heard. From Carolyn Rector:
Meant to tell you my sister was here for two weeks and I’ve been off your radar. My 48 year old daughter was married for the first time on June 27 to a wonderful Irish 52 year old guy who had never married. They met in an Irish Pub in Washington DC on St. Patrick’s Day back in 2011 and have been friends for a long time. We are all super happy for them and I was glad to have my sister from Colorado with me.
I just thought I’d share my happy news. I feel you are a friend of mine and always happy to send cards to your friends and friends of the blog. I love your blog and everything about you and Rick. God bless you.
Carolyn Rector of Ohio
This should be a movie!
Still watching fireworks on TV – the Nashville production was unbelievable – actually lots better than Washington – music AND fireworks.
It’s been a fabulous Fourth, hasn’t it?
Mary I so remember that year and the song……and that was many years ago for sure. Oh, we had some fun times didn’t we? I watched the fourth on TV as well. If I remember right we were celebrating your birthday as well as the fourth. Take care everyone.
Mary,
Yes, 4th of July was fun. Very relaxing day for us and we did get some rain too. We went out on the boat about 9 pm for the firework show. It is held on the biggest lake in our town but we have a great view from our boat on the lake we live on and no traffic to get home after the show either!! After the firework show, people living on our lake set off their own fireworks and when they send up a particularly beautiful firework, all the boaters honk their horns. It’s fun and boat horns have quite a range of sounds if you didn’t know. From the old fashioned “ah-ooh-ga” to short song segments! It is entertaining for sure.
It’s been sprinkling all day. When it seemed to have stopped, I decided to run down to check on the chickens. I grabbed an umbrella thank goodness! I wasn’t very far from the coop and it started pouring! Chickens were all huddled under the coop. Safe and dry. I was wet, especially my pant legs.
The picture of the single lily is in my side garden. Something, probably a rabbit, chewed off all the green leaves leaving just the stem and the bloom. Beautiful anyway. The mug rug with the piano is just darling.
Carolyn, thanks for sharing your daughter’s wedding story. I wish them much happiness.
Have a great week, everyone! 🌻
Oh my! It certainly has!!!!! We spent hours watching flyovers and tall ships….how marvelous!!!!! What a wonderful country we live in. I’ve always thought the two greatest blessings one could have is to have two parents who love and want you and to be born in this country. I got both those blessings, and I thank God for them frequently.
A beautiful post. I have loved all the patriotic quilts and decorations this month. That Jan Patek quilt is really something!
Thanks for sharing my daughter’s story. The wedding was a huge celebration of love.
We’ve had so much rain in Chicagoland it’s caused a lot of damage. Streets, homes flooded, water detention areas and creeks overflowing, trees down, etc. Parades and fireworks canceled. I lost internet because of a lightning strike so I’m using my phone. Anyway, loved the pictures, as usual! Sounds like your birthday was extra special!!
3″ of rain in an afternoon–WOW! Are the farmers happy or is that simply too much in a short span of time? I’m afraid my basement would be flooded if we got that much here. We do need the rain, however. A couple of days ago the stats said 133,000 acres burned in Colorado so far this year. And it’s barely July. We have a long fire season ahead of us. Pueblo lost over 100 homes a couple of nights ago.
I have loved seeing all of the patriotic quilts! Keep them coming! I got out my Uncle Sam this year, but that’s about as far as I got.
I am back to stitching resting gowns and angel baby pouches, so no quilting. Yesterday, I made 20 pouches–these are for couples who have miscarriages, which is what the hospital chaplains say is the greatest need. I have another wedding gown hanging here that will be deconstructed in the next week–I think that makes 7 that I’ve worked with thus far. My sister just told me I am to get my Mom’s wedding gown (they’ve been married 71 years this October!) which Pat also wore. That will be a fun one for me to work with!
Diane – I love that you make use of wedding dresses and it would be so special to those parents who get one! Thank you doing that!!
3” is ok but an hour or so south of us got 8” I think and they are flooding! I do hope it doesn’t rain for a couple days so I can get everything mowed twice. Grass is long now so I’ll have to cut it high and then cut it again tomorrow or Tuesday.
8″–yikes! I will hope you get a few drier days so you can get your mowing done. I know that is quite a job for you! Lots of sunscreen for your days out there!!
Enjoyed the blog this morning. Variety galore!
We did not get that heavy rain that Central Iowa and DesMoines experienced. Stay safe.
Cleaning my sewing room and killed a couple of spiders. Yucko.
I stumbled on a fantastic documentary on the history chanel yesterday. I had never seen it although it is dated 2010. It is a twelve part documentary that starts with beginning of America and then continues with how we grew as a nation up until the present that existed in 2010. We really are a melting pot of smart, creative, brave, industrious people who saw a problem and found a resolution—from the creation of the Erie Canal to the Hoover Dam and so on. I will soon be 76 and watched the whole thing with a good deal of pride for what Americans have accomplished in its 250 years. You can’t help but be “proud to be an American”
A long time ago in March the History Channel broadcast a wonderful series on Green Architecture that included the Parthenon and Temple of Zeus. Details I never knew. I can see why you want to view the America series again. I hope you had a chance to see Ken Burns The American Revolution. I have it running now as I stitch since I enjoyed it so much the first time. I think it was eight episodes.
That is Greek architecture. The series may have been about both Greek and Roman building.
Hi Mary, happy 4th July! Damp day here, l made soup and did a bit more sorting out sewing stuff, found one of your books, ln it you could send away for wool from your sheep!Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – yes! Before goats I had sheep and when we had the wool processed, we asked them to keep the names with the wool. It was fun!
Mary….Happy 4th to you! I also watch Nashville and taped DC and some specials on PBS. My 4th will continue for a few days.
So nice you got some rain, I wished Ca. would get some. The weather people are saying we will have one heck of a El Niño next winter. If we do, will be in trouble as our drainage is awful and Ca. doesn’t know how to save this water. Today was just a quiet lazy day for me except to water my backyard!
Speaking of celebrations Saturday I guess NY Harbor was the place to be. It was a sailing vessel extravaganza. It looked like a perfect day. There are sure to be many videos here and there if anyone wants to take a look. Sail4th250
Li – I watched ABC almost exclusively and they showed the sailing vessels – beautiful!
I got to see the Tall Ships in Newport Rhode Island in 1976 . It was a beautiful sight, We were even able to board a few,
The image of the happy couple makes me think that they were made for one another. How wonderful for them both to have one another.
Thank you. We are all over thrilled with their new life together.
Mary, I had to laugh at your comment regarding the Nashville and DC music and fireworks because I told my husband the very same thing just before we turned off the DC show because it was so bad. I just found my bd card for you and will get it in the mail. I’ve been organizing fabric, etc. Now packing and heading up to ND to help with the grands for 6 weeks or so. I gave my hubs directions for watering and caring for my flower planters. I hope he follows through and keeps them all alive. We certainly could use rain here. One farmer told my husband he got 3 bushels of wheat per acre. That’s not even worth driving a combine to the field for. Our wheat has been totaled out as disaster this year. Next year has to be better we hope.
Martha – you have good taste – I watched in awe at the Nashville production and did you notice how many times the singers sang YMCA in Washington? I can figure that out!