Remember our Fallen

And remember what they died fighting for...

Simple Sunday

New Trillium near our blueberry patch. Taken by my husband with his cell phone and pixted to me. Believe me - big feat for my husband who is not a big texter, let alone pixter! ☺

Look who came to join our family!

Chicks! Little baby chicks. Don't ask me who is whom (waiting to match the personality with the name), but I introduce to you: Eliza Jane, Alice, Lena, Minnie, Ida, and Hetty!

Brand new chicks in their new home.

Yep. I finally wore Jim down. ☺ He wasn't really thrilled with the idea, thinking that they will eventually be his responsibility. Not that it's ever happened before, but in my defense, those ducks weren't mine either! A few weeks ago, I talked to him about it again. I wanted to be in full agreement. I wouldn't do it if he was dead set against chickens.

 He stopped what he was working on (sweet man that he is), we cleaned out the duck coop (which the dogs have been using as their dog house) and Jim built nesting boxes (not that we need them yet). We decided to put them right in the chicken coop because, believe me, it was safer than the house! Two very interested dogs and a cat. I keep a close eye on the nightime temp in case I need to bring them in for the night. They have a heat lamp and their house is very tight, warm, and cozy.

The like to sit on the edge of the nesting boxes. Practicing their roosting techniques.

Then I decided that maybe we didn't have the money to buy and feed chickens. Then I changed my mind. The cost is pretty minimal actually. So last Friday, Jim had to pick up a few things at our local farm store and asked if I wanted to go. "And get my chickens?" I asked. And we came home with six cute little chicks.

All snuggled in for the night last night.

I'll keep you all updated!!

Taken just this morning. Look at those feathers coming in!

Next up: a garden. We haven't planted a garden in several years. Weeds, allergies, lack of time. This year's the year to begin again though. We're starting small. Wish us luck! If we can ever get it planted. If this darn rain doesn't quit we may have lakeside property...

We're becoming regular farmers!
☺

Celebrating a happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, my love. And I'm sorry that I giggled last night when the waitress asked if you wanted the two-piece, three-piece, or SENIOR fish and chips meal. ☺ I love you!

Another tough day...

 Today would have been my dad's 82nd birthday. He died on December 23, 1992 leaving a big, sad, empty hole in our family. No one could ever even attempt to fill it. No one would ever attempt to try...

1951 - My mom and dad on their wedding day.

Early 1970's. This is my favorite picture of my parents. Love my dad's slacks!

Christmas 1976. Getting ready to carve that Christmas turkey!

Christmas 1982. Yes, this is my mom, her mom, and the three granddaughters. But look behind them! Dad waving. I ♥ this one!

This was taken at our wedding reception in Oct. 1985. My dad and  his brother-in-law, Bob. They were good friends too. I think this is a great picture of my dad.

We just don't have many family pictures. I think this is in 1988(?) Maybe after our mom had been in the hospital and my sister and I (and our kids) drove to Florida, which would be why we were all together.

Summer 1972. Sleeping Bear Dunes. My dad and I walked all the way up and decided to run (not all the way) down. I love this one!

I miss you, dad. We all do.

Simple Sunday

My dad and I - 1976

The reckless side of me!

I like to plan ahead. I have never really been fond of doing things spur of the moment. Over time I have accepted that, if I wanted to spend a rainy day "down in the city" with Jim, I needed to accept that I could just drop everything and go. That is now...without kids to shuttle and so many volunteer commitments.

So begins the story of my reckless spontaneous decision yesterday...

I saw Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band in 1977 at (what was then) Pine Knob (now called DTE Energy Music Theatre) in Clarkston, MI. It's an outdoor venue with a covered pavilion where the stage and the prime seats are and the "Hill" where it was general seating. We had tickets on the hill. I was 16 and it didn't matter that it had rained earlier. It was a great show.

A Bob Seger concert in 1977

A few months ago, I heard that Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band would be appearing at The Palace of Auburn Hills in May. I really wanted to go. I shoved it to the back of my mind though. "Shouldn't be spending money on such silliness," I told myself.

Of course as the time got closer, I started kicking myself for not buying tickets. "Too late now," I told myself. "Still don't have the extra money to spend," I reminded myself. Jim told me several times to go ahead and get tickets, but I just couldn't justify spending the money. *sigh*

Darn it though! It was Bob Seger. Michigan born and still a Michigan man! At 66, this could be his last tour. He'll have to retire sometime. It just seemed like we shouldn't miss it...

And then he played his first show on Tuesday night. I heard that the first song he sang was "Roll Me Away" which is my favorite of his. And I heard that he played for over two hours and it was a good, really good, show. I may have whined a little at this point.

Yesterday (Thursday) was his second show and in the morning I said to Jim that I soooo wish I would have gotten tickets and I soooo wish that we were going. Jim told me that he had heard there were still tickets and that I should check it out. And I did. Then I decided that we just couldn't spend the money. Then I whined to Jim again. Again he told me to GO SEE IF THERE WERE STILL TICKETS! And I did. And there were.

Not good tickets, mind you, but there were tickets. I called Jim. Twice. He told me to BUY THE TICKETS. And I did. I think it was hitting 2pm and the concert started at 7:30 and we live about an hour away. If you know me well, you know that I like to be early to these types of things. Really early. There's really no sense to it, but it's just one of my lovely quirks.

Not this time. We left with plenty of time, but stopped to eat and let our GPS mess up our route when we pretty much knew how to get there. So, we got to The Palace less than an hour before the start of the show. I am bordering on reckless here now! Less than an hour before the start of the show? Not like me at all!

We were lucky we had that little bit of time though, as I had to recover from the many stairs we ascended up to the next to the last row of seats. That didn't bother me once I caught my breath (but there was no way I was going back down ☺). We were there. We were going to see and listen to Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band put on an awesome show. AND THEY DID!

A bad photo with my cell phone zoomed in. Yes, zoomed in. But you know what? It just didn't matter. We were there and it was an awesome show!

Can you think of a Bob Seger song that you would have liked to hear? We heard it! He sang his hits and he sang newer songs. He sounds great. He is Bob Seger. AND WE SAW HIM!!!

I don't want to end this on a negative note, but I have some concert pet peeves:
*Pot Smokers. Seriously? I don't want to inhale it.
*Standers. I came to see Bob Seger, not your back.
*Singers. I came to hear Bob Seger, not you.
*Farters. Please visit the restroom! :-)

That said, we're not spoil sports. Sing (sometimes), stand (not through the whole show) and fart (once in a while, if you absolutely have to). But please leave your pot at home! Although, it was slightly entertaining. I saw them all leave. Then the next time I looked over at them...they were eating... and I mean really eating! ☺

Does every concert have the "enthusiastic dancer"? Our section had one. She danced through almost the whole show (and I saw her turn and ask the people behind her if she was in their way, they didn't seem to mind). She really danced...badly. But she was so darn happy and enthusiastic about it that it was fun to watch her!

Great day. Great concert. Sometimes we have to be reckless and spontaneous and just have fun!

1977

2011

 He's changed a little bit since the last time I saw him, but then...so have I.

1977. No, this was not my date for the concert back then. :-)

2011. I had a much better date for this concert and we had a great time!

And thanks to the great waitress at the Big Boy on Hall Road in Clinton Township who let us in after they had closed when we assured her that we just wanted dessert. It was after midnight. She was at the end of her shift and was just super nice.

Antique-ing

I think I've said before how I never really was one to go "antique-ing" until my patient, long-suffering husband accompanied me to LauraPalooza in Mankato, Minnesota last July (he even attended some of the sessions). I would do the same for him, for sure! I told him that, on the way home, he could choose whatever it was that he wanted to stop and do along the way.

One of the things that he chose was stopping at antique stores that we happened upon.

It quickly turned into one of my favorite things to do! I mean...I've loved antiques and have been doing ebay for some years, but the browsing, the searching, the finding little treasures. I loved it. And Jim was pretty happy because it has given us something that we can enjoy together.

On our way home from our MGWA in Kalamazoo convention in March, we decided to look for a couple of antique stores along the way home. We found a couple and I found a few finds, of course! ☺

What do you think of my treasures?

A white baby gown, a teeny butter mold, and some old photos.

I can never really tell the age of some things, but I love these long white baby gowns. This was a very simple one and it was affordable. So it became mine!

A little butter mold to go with my big one.

Again, not sure of the age, but love the little heart design.

I started collecting antique photos of children, babies, sometimes families last summer. I can usually get them at a good price and it's a collection that doesn't take up a whole lot of room...yet. ☺

So sweet!

Jim and I spent the afternoon yesterday at a couple of antique stores and other lovely distractions on a weekday (that ended up raining...again) that was too wet to get anything done. I will share those finds next week!

Simple Sunday

My mom

Thinking of my mom...

Today we would have celebrated my mom's birthday...

Love you Mom...Miss you so very much.

A walk about the place...

Spring has finally sprung! I didn't want to believe it at first, but it's still here after several beautiful days and a couple of rain (not snow) storms. Here's a taste of springtime at our place...

See how green it is! The trees have leaves on them!

Our immediate backyard. We have a very large yard. This is right behind the house. Soon that snowball bush will be covered. I have to remember to take a picture as the beauty only last for a few days.

Duke. A happy and not cold and not wet and not snowy dog!

Again. See he's smiling. He's so happy that spring is here. Please ignore the background as we are out back by the business and Jim has been cleaning out the building that is behind Duke.

Sosha is enjoying the warm weather too. After all, she is originally from the south!

One of my little Catalpa trees. I don't know how big they get before they start flowering. They're one of my favorite trees. A few years ago, Jim planted a few babies in the yard just for me!

They're just starting to get their leaves.

These are our plum trees. I love them this time of year and they smell so good.

See how pretty!

This is the apple tree in our neighbor's yard. It's actually our yard, as we own and rent out the house there.

Our woods and the trees with  leaves. Soon all of the trees will all be covered!

Yes, back to Duke. Please ignore the dandelions. They pop up the day after the lawn is mowed and our yard is way too big to keep up with them.

The Lilies of the Valley will be popping soon. Love them!

I haven't planted a single flower yet, but here is a hanging pot that I bought from my nephew. I think it, and the geraniums I bought from him, ate up my flower budget for this year, but it's a band fundraiser and the flowers are always beautiful!

Hope you are having a beautiful spring day...wherever you are!