Monday, June 29, 2015

Visit to an open house ...

Last Saturday was a glorious day.  We've had so many rainy days this June (just heard today on the news that there have only been four days so far this month when it hasn't rained somewhere in Indiana) that a day like that is special.  Took off on a road trip.  We had planned on visiting a little museum in southern Indiana, near Oakland City, but found it closed.  Went on down to Evansville and ate at the Hornet's Nest on the north side.  Had a really good salad!  Yum!  Interesting little out of the way place.

Left there and wandered (literally) on down to Woolen Heirlooms in Newburgh for their one-year celebration open house.  Teresa Kinman opened this shop catering to rug hookers and anyone who wants to use wool in a project (quilt, wool applique, etc.).  She literally has everything for the rug hooker, though -- wool (lots!), patterns, hooks, dyes -- you name it, she has it.  We parked across the street in the school parking lot and walked over.  As I approached it was really neat looking; her business is in a building back of her home.  They had set up two tents -- one for a really nice rug show and one for refreshments.  Her hubby, Jay, and her Mom were outside greeting people and Jay was the chef.  When I went in, there were some old friends!  So good to see Becky, Jana, Lou, Jennifer & Chrystal!  Teresa had a warm hug for me!  I just loved her shop and kidded her about expanding into the red barn next door but was told it's off limits!  (And Jay told me the same thing! lol!)  Wendell came over after a spell and sat outside with Jay and visited (and ate).  I think he made a new friend.  Jay is so fun and easy to talk with.

So here's some pictures I took.  Just had to share this with you all so you'll know what we've been up to lately.  Oh, and we had such a wonderful drive home.  Just a gorgeous day.  There were lots of yard sales that day.  We went north from her shop through Boonville and then on north on back highways (after having come down on the interstate) and were amazed at how many more coal mines there are in the Lynnville area.  Awesome!  Love that Indiana Power!

Anyway,  here goes ...

Here's the entry to Woolen Heirlooms!  Teresa has decorated with lots of primitives and antiques and it's really home-like and lovely.
Look at that wonderful smile!  Teresa's standing in the larger tent which contained the rug show.  It's amazing what the women who meet and hook at Woolen Heirlooms have accomplished in one short year!
Here's the main room of Teresa's shop.  As you can see, it was super crowded when we were there.  She has completed projects everywhere, a wonderful way to inspire people and give them ideas.  I 'think' that's her daughter waving (and waiting on customers).
Teresa has a couple tables in the side room, so people can work/hook in there.  I especially love this rug she had hanging on the wall.  On the table is an antique rug that is to die for (!) and lots of other goodies ...
These ball-point pens, disguised as flowers, were there as gifts for her visitors!  Nice!  I love this striped, over-dyed wool table cover!

It was just a nice, nice day.  So glad we made the trip and I want to go back again.

P.S.  Guess what? ... I won the door prize of a gift certificate!  (And I always tell everyone I'm not lucky.)  Well, I may not be "lucky" but I am blessed.  Thanks Teresa & Jay for a wonderful afternoon.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Summer's here ...

Yesterday, Father's Day, was the first day of summer.  Seems like it's been here for a while to me!  I'm not a summer person.  I prefer spring and fall.  Who enjoys sweating?!  Not me!  Today I'll have to be out there sweatin' on the mower.  For the first time in several days it's not raining so we're going to bale hay ...  Wow has our grass grown (maybe I should say weeds).  If it was just the grass it wouldn't look so bad but those pesky weeds grow MUCH faster than the good grass so it's gotta be done.  I really don't mind riding on the mower and now that we have two riders we get done in about 3 hours, including weed whipping (which I do).  That weed whipping is what gets to me; even though I put mucho Deet and Skin-so-Soft on me and say a prayer and do some chanting, I always get chigger bites.  A friend and I were just talking about how you can just walk outside and cut a bouquet and get chigger bites!  Those bugs are relentless!

Anyway ... we have been doing some fun stuff lately amid the sinus infections.  Yes, it's that time of year again for us.  We always seem to get something this time of year and what an awful time to be cooped up inside, blowing your nose and scheduling trips to the dr. so they can tell you to drink more fluids and take antihistamines .....  But I think we've both got it licked for this year and we're off! 

We had lunch with Jeff and Jane last Saturday, in celebration of Father's Day, and ate at the Cheesecake Factory (a first for all of us).  It was pretty good, but the best part was spending some time catching up with the kids.  They are so busy!  And that's good.
So yesterday we enjoyed our left-over cheesecake, which was way too much to eat in one sitting anyway. So yum!
Couple weekends ago we drove to Berne and helped celebrate our sister-in-law Carolyn Foster's 80th birthday.  It was a surprise for her, and Lisa and Kevin did a fine job surprising her (with lots of help from Lori & Steve of course).  Sure was good to see all of Wendell's family together in one place!  Carolyn lives at Swiss Village and it's a wonderful place; that's where the party was.  We like Berne; it's such a neat, tidy little German town.  Along the way we drove through Ridgeville, where we lived for 15 years, and it's always interesting (and sometimes sad) to see what has happened to the house and the town where you used to live ...  It made for a long day because it's about a 4-hour trip up there but it was worth it to see everyone again.  Probably should have stayed over but we wanted to be home to go to church the next day, our pastor's last day before retirement.  Now that was a sad service; I cried!  Very emotional for everyone.  But he and his pastor-spouse are very deserving of their retirement after serving the United Methodist Church for over 20 years.  It was a second career for both of them.  Terry talked several times about attending seminary at age 50 and I admire them both.  Here's to a long and happy retirement Terry & Nikki!

Here's Carolyn (seated) enjoying her special birthday.
Here's Jesse & Syd, Lisa and Steve's kids.  Syd looks just like her Mom!
Here's Josh (Kevin & Lori's oldest) with his lovely family: wife Julie, Jackson, Jordan & Jencee, tryin' out the birthday cake!
Travis (Kevin & Lori's second son) & Lindsay with Ryker.  They're expecting a girl this year!
Here's Kayla (Kevin & Lori's youngest child) with her significant other ...

Here's our niece & nephew, Lisa Foster Arnold and her brother Kevin Foster.  These two, and their spouses, did a great job of putting on a surprise party for their Mom!  Well done you two!
Now you know what's been going on in my life!  Have a blessed week.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Some ups and some downs ...

Been pretty busy lately.  Now that I can see better I've been doing more cleaning around here than usual!  For instance, this week we cleaned the garage (Wendell's downstairs workshop).  It hadn't been done since before his bad time.  So that means more than a year ... In fact, one year ago today all of that awfulness began ... ANYWAY, he's celebrating one year of his second life today.  That's the way we look at it.  Back to the garage cleaning -- I'm so glad we did it!  It's surprising how quickly things can get away from you.  Not only is it cleaner, it smells better; no more greasy, oily smell in there.  At least until he works on something in there again.  (Sigh !!!)  He keeps telling me: "it's a work shop for *#&^ !@+# sake."  Okay, I guess ...

Recently we visited the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes for the first time.  We were impressed with how much these (volunteer) guys have done with their space in such a short time.  I recommend it as a great way to spend an afternoon.  Here's a few pictures from the IMM; I took a lot but only putting a few here:

Here's the section on Red Skelton.  He's a native son of Vincennes and served in WWII.  They had some neat memorabilia about him!

The museum was arranged in order of wars fought by US troops.  All the way from the founding of the nation to the recent wars in the Middle East.

They not only had indoor displays, but a growing outdoor display of various planes and ground equipment.  They have a huge building that serves as a workshop and if you're lucky and they're working on something in there, you are welcome to go in and watch and ask questions.

Here's a snow cat (we think) parked in the back lot that has yet to be restored.  There were several interesting pieces back there ...
The week after we took that day trip, we went to Parke County.  We've been there before but actually never left the beaten path to see any of the covered bridges except the one in Mansfield.  So that day we took one of the four colored routes (the red route).  We saw four bridges and really enjoyed the quiet drive with no one riding our bumper. 

McAllister's Bridge ...

Neet Bridge

Bridgeton Bridge with dam and mill.

The Bridgeton Mill
I was shocked to see all of the BIG buildings in Bridgeton.  I'm probably one of the few people in this part of Indiana that's never been to Bridgeton during the covered bridge festival (or any other time until now).  It's hard to believe that they fill all of those large buildings with 'stuff' and that they can afford to have them stand empty all of the rest of the year! Yikes!  The mill has been all 'tourist-ed' up (as has the entire town actually).  I don't recommend going to Bridgeton, even the bridge is new and not old.  And now I'm wondering after looking at all my pictures -- are they all painted red with white ends?  We do intend to return and take some of the other routes to see the other bridges.  (I'll check out that color scheme thing ...)  It was a nice drive.  But NOT during the covered bridge festival time!

Well, that's just a little of what's been going on in my life.  I'll try to put more on here, and more often, now that summer is coming on.  I usually stay pretty close to the house and the AC, and away from the chiggers and mosquitoes in the summer -- LOL!