Simple Sunday

Found this at the flea market and got a kick out of it.
Wanted to share it.
Who is she?
What is she doing?
Relaxing after a hard day's work?
Who knows?

Enjoy your day!

Duker-day...and the horrible week

Duke here.

As some of you may know, my mom and sister went away for a whole week to something called LauraPalooza. Well, actually it was two weeks, but I got to go to where she was for the second week. That was a good week and I'll talk about that next week.

But that first week? It was horrible.

I knew something was up when I saw her packing the suitcases. And I know from experience that the suitcases mean that I'm not going. I know that when I'm going on the trip, she packs in the huge thing called a dufflebag . I don't know why. I just know that suitcases means I'm staying home.

And Sosha shared in my misery.

And she packed both her suitcases and then she packed some extra bags. I knew that this was not good.

My mom wants you to know that behind me is the door to the shop. That's why it's so dirty.

Very early that Monday morning, Mom and Jamie got into Jamie's car...and they were gone. And it was very quiet here. And things just weren't the same. On top of all that, Dad was very busy and Sosha and I were left home alone for very long days. It was a bad week. Every night Dad talked to Mom and that made me happy. I never got to talk to her, but just knowing that Dad was talking to her made things a little better.

Even if I banged on the front window to be let in, no one was in the house to let me in.

The house was quiet. Not that we got to spend much time in it since we were outside all day. No little breaks in the house like Mom gives us when she's there. No following Mom to the chicken coop and begging for the treats she gives the chickens. Just Dad. And he was always in a hurry. Especially for the the last couple of days.

Old picture (obviously it didn't snow while they were gone).
And no one was here to take pictures.

What last couple of days, you ask? The last couple of days before he loaded up the car, opened the door and told us to hop in, and we left! Then the very good week began! And I'll talk about that next Duker-day.

This is me the last time I took that wonderful trip!

The Joy of Painting...

For some reason, we were all Bob Ross fans in this house. I think it's because he had a way of convincing us that even we (who could only draw stick people) could create works of art.

My son and father-in-law got into a Bob Ross kick when Jon was just a little guy. After my father-in-law passed away, Jim found a "painting" that Jon and Pa created together. We matted and framed it and it now hangs in Jon's living room.

I love these PBS remix videos. Enjoy Bob Ross -



Have an artsy sort of day!

Poetry on Wednesday

AT NIGHTFALL

I need so much the quiet of your love
After the day's loud strife;
I need your calm all other things above
After the stress of life.

I crave the haven that in your dear heart lies,
After the toil is done;
I need the starshine of your heavenly eyes,
After the day's great sun.
             
                               ~Charles Hanson Towne

A Little Something to Share...

I just have to share this with you. If you know me well, you know that I help out over at Beyond Little House, which is the primo site to go to if you want to know, ask, or share about Laura Ingalls Wilder and such related tidbits. Anyhow, we have been doing a read-along over of These Happy Golden Years, which is wrapping up today with the very last chapter posted just this morning. Volunteers have taken on chapters to do up summaries and are welcome to do something a little different, give it their own little flair. Well my friends, you absolutely must go check out today's final chapter post. Even if you're not a huge Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, it is so worth your time!

First Day Home...

After thirteen, yes I said THIRTEEN, nights spent sleeping in beds that weren't my own, I spent the most peaceful and glorious night restfully sleeping in MY OWN BED! I believe that I have never spent this much time away from home. Ever.

I've yet to finish laundry, catch up on bookwork, and straighten the house (that my husband had left wonderfully clean and neat), but I have unpacked, so there's that.

I have not uploaded pictures or written of my adventures, but I promise that I will!

I'll leave you with this though...a little of what I woke to for six mornings spent in northern Michigan -

Taken through the window above the bed. I had truly just awoken!
Believe me when I say that it was much more beautiful than this simple photo.

And what I enjoyed while reading, or talking, or listening to the sounds of nature. Or...doing nothing at all -

Enjoy the rest of your day. I am going to fix supper tonight. My husband truly deserves it!

Checking in...

Another LauraPalooza has come and gone. I'm still floating on Laura-love. :)

I've had limited internet for the past couple days (coupled with sheer exhaustion) and will have next to none for the rest of this week. I will share my LauraPalooza experiences, complete with pictures, next week when I return home.

For now, we're headed for a few days of rest, relaxation, and a bit of tourist stuff.

See you all soon!

A Day of Rest....

...before the fun begins!

We made it to Mankato last night. Road weary and a little slap happy, but it was a smooth journey. We had no internet access Monday night and were just worn out last night, so today I will share what we've been doing the past two days. Be prepared to be blown away. Not.

Out of Michigan and into Indiana!

We traveled through Illinois and Iowa (where we spent Monday night).

Saw some of this.

Some of this.

More of this.

And lots of this.

Finally this! Minnesota!

We made a couple of short stops on the way and I will blog about those later. We even browsed at a big antique mall where I spent less than $10! We'll rest today and maybe explore a little. Jamie's just two weeks out of surgery and feeling pretty good, but she did all of the driving (I offered many times) and could use a day of rest before the fun begins!

The only downside - I miss Jim terribly. Thank God for cell phones. :)

Simple Sunday

How cute are these sisters?

Ready or not...

I'm coming back. I think.

I've been gone about two months, right? I didn't plan it that way. It just happened.

On our way to LauraPalooza 2010

Sometimes I feel as if I have to be entertaining or informative, but what I had to remember is that I started this blog as a journal of sorts. So, while I'm hoping that my day-to-day life is fun to read or teaches a valuable lesson :), I can't let the pressure to please get to me. Plus, this dang Blogger has been giving me fits. It either tells me that I'm following every blog that I ever followed (even those I long ago stopped following) or none at all. Therefore, I have missed some of your posts. And I miss you.

Here's a little bit of what's been going on:

My daughter and I are leaving for Mankato, Minnesota and LauraPalooza on Monday!  While we had planned to go to De Smet, South Dakota and Walnut Grove, Minnesota (two Laura homesites) and I am terribly sad that we're not, I made the difficult decision to cut those out of the trip. It was the right decision, but that doesn't make it easier. We are stopping in Pepin, Wisconsin on the way home (Laura's birthplace) while heading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (one of my favorite drives). A few days at Jim's family cabin in northern Michigan will be a relaxing way to finish off our trip. Jim is hoping to meet us up there with Duke and Sosha and I'm really hoping that it happens.

Ice Cream Social - LauraPalooza 2010
Looking forward to seeing friends that I don't otherwise get to see
and missing friends who won't be there...

Although nowhere near where it used to be or should be, business has kept us busy lately. It seems to come in bursts, but no complaints here!

Did you know that by around fall Jim and I will once again be emptynesters? No, of course you didn't! Jamie bought a condo! Her first home. And we are so very excited for her. It's a good time to buy and luckily for her, her dad doesn't mind a little home improvement since the place looks like it stepped right out of the 70s. Jamie's got some great plans though, and the place will be so cute when it's done.

So...what else? It's been incredibly hot here in Michigan, as I'm sure it has been in many other parts of the U.S. It usually doesn't bother me unless there are several days in a row of hotness. And there have been. We're in for a slight cool down though. I'll take 80s.

Jim bought me a little laptop! And I'm taking it on our trip. I might even check in here so look for me.

Be safe, stay cool (if you're in a hot spot), and I'm excited to be back!