A new year for me ...

Today's my birthday.  It's just been a really good day so far ... beautiful weather, went to church, talked to one of my kids (so far) and my sweet granddaughter, read some on my current book ... what more could you ask?  We're enjoying an extension of summer in my part of Indiana.  It's been very warm and a little too humid for me but I'm not complaining because soon I'd just be complaining about the cold weather so ......  Yesterday we took a long drive over into Illinois and enjoyed brunch, a festival in Robinson, visiting about half a dozen antique shops, and topped it off with a frappe.  It was my pre-birthday celebration so I could just do a lot of nothing today!  And then got to see Notre Dame win a football game on TV last night.  God is good!

Lately we've been mowing a lot.  And keeping busy with the usual stuff it takes to keep an 8-acre parcel looking good.  And there's always house cleaning, laundry, shopping, errands and other "stuff".  I've enjoyed hooking with my friends and sewing with the Project Kindness women especially.  Speaking of that, here's some pictures (thanks Jane!) of some of the things we've done at PK:

Clothing protectors for adults at the Glenburn Home.

Miscellaneous lap quilts and fleece throws, also for Glenburn.

Surgery dolls, I 'think' for Peyton Manning Hospital or Riley.

One piece fleece hood w/ scarf for the homeless in Terre Haute.

In addition to this, we've made a LOT of pillow cases that we'll take to a couple of places here in Greene County.  Plus we're starting on some walker pockets.   For fun everyone made themselves an apron to work in out of homespun.  We need to take a group picture some time in those aprons ... hmmm.

Wendell took his tractor to the WRVAA Show in Elnora a few weeks ago.  It started off nice but turned into a rain out for Saturday and Sunday.  We went down on Thursday and enjoyed seeing all of the flea market things and walking through the tractor display.  And of course had a homemade ice cream, too.  Talked to several old friends there.  Some of them are trying to talk W. into going back to work at the sorghum shed but he just can't do that anymore.  But it's nice to feel missed he says ...  Here's a couple pictures from that event:

He has it all loaded and ready to take off.  It was a beautiful day!

Here's his tractor on display in the Case tractor area.  As you can see, the weather was starting to look iffy that day.

The gas station display area.  Some neat old things here!

Ford was the feature tractor this year and here was an unusual one.

Just a small portion of the tractors at the WRVAA show this year.

We spent a lot of time talking to this guy who owned this Corvair pickup truck.  It had a side loading ramp and a rear engine (which Wendell is talking with him about).  It is all original!  Cool!

We've enjoyed some really breathtaking sunsets this summer.  And the flowers have been beautiful, too.  Here's a couple pictures.  I especially like the sunset with the red roses in the foreground.  My morning glory vine have been blooming just the past couple weeks.  And I really like the clear true blue color.  (I never get tired of seeing the sunset out my window.)

Take care and have a very blessed week.  Remember, God is good.  All the time.  

Enough already!!!

This has been the summer that won't go away!  I am so over summer!  LOL!  I used to have a friend that was often saying she was "so over" something or other.  That phrase is sort of a pet peeve of mine.  And I was thinking what some other pet peeves of mine are.  Hmmmm ...  Let's see, in no particular order:

• chewing with your mouth open
• people who stop just inside the door or driveway of public places (decisions, decisions)
• or, groups of people who stop to chat in the middle of the aisle
• parents who are blind to their problem child or grandchild
• texting while driving
• not washing your hands after using the bathroom (yuck!)
• littering (especially on my road!)
• loud cell phone talking in public (hey, absolutely not necessary)
• tailgaters (I'm married to one)
• people who don't know the difference between the words idea and ideal
• leaving just a tiny bit of something and putting it back in the frig (ARGH!)
• overuse of the word "like" ... 
• or, "you know" or "ya know what I'm sayin'?" (especially athletes).

Whew!  Glad to get that off my chest.  😊

Anyway, here's what I've been doing lately.  Not a lot but keeping cool inside and it's making me sort of feeling like you do in the winter, so it's reverse cabin fever I'm experiencing.  Today I just gave up and went out (early) and pulled weeds in the flower beds, cut back some dead stuff, pulled out lily stems, etc.  It was good to be out and about.  Was in, showered and kicking back by 10:00 a.m.  Hooked last night with Jane, Jan & Julie.  I've been working on a spiral pillow top and that's shaping up.  Good to catch up with these special women; it's nice to have someone to listen to me b***h about relatively small problems!  I've been sewing and weaving a lot this past month.  And mowing!  Yikes!  We have to mow at least once every 10 days if not more often.  So let's see what I've taken pictures of ...

Here's the beginning of that pillow top; I'm further along on it now after last night.

I've purchased a yard each of these wonderful Robert Kaufman woven flannels and plan on making a simple snugly quilt from them this winter.  Aren't they yummy!?

Just finished the mass of this quilt top; still have three borders to add.  First a thin black line, followed by an orange somewhat thicker border, ending with more of the grey around the edge.  What do you think?  It's prettier in person than it looks here.  

Wendell loaded up his tractor last night and took it to the WRVAA show, which will begin tomorrow.  Hopefully there will be good weather for the weekend.  Cooler and no rain would be good ...  Poor guy had a trailer tire blow out on the way down.  Long story but he made it home safe and sound ...

Had to add this one from the game camera.  This turkey was moving in for his/her closeup I guess.  This picture cracked me up!

And I thought this one of mother and fawn was pretty special ...

Okay ... he's still around.  This big buck has avoided the hunters for a few seasons now.  (As you might notice, something's obviously wrong with the clock setting on the camera.  My guy will have to fix that ...)

Well, that's all I'll bother you with just now.  It's been a long, hot summer and I'll be glad when autumn officially rolls around.  I long to sit out on the front porch without sweating, to rake some leaves, to smell the air just after the farmers finish harvesting, to go for drives and enjoy the beautiful fall color, to walk in the woods, to see the river again from my kitchen window, to have to have a blanket on the bed to snuggle down into.  Just to be out and about again!  Life is good; God is good!