Wet Morning, Nice Afternoon, Scrabble!

The Ridge

On Sunday, May 5^th I wasn’t in a hurry to get up so it was almost 7:30 when I came downstairs. I did remember waking around 5 with an itch on one of my knuckles so I scratched it. Then when it got worse, I figured it was a black fly bite. LOL! They were hitting marks all of yesterday and we were noticing targeted areas today by scratching. Don’t scratch!! Easy to say, not easy to do.

This little fluff bum was quite wet when he came in from
our walk in the rain.
His hair gets so curly.

At some point, everything got really foggy
all around us.
Spooky

It was a wet morning, well, everything was very wet first thing indicating it had rained overnight or early morning. So, because it wasn’t raining, Bill went outside to another issue we were having. Today, he wanted to feed the water line up into the refrigerator so we could make ice again. It was damaged when the tire blew. Duncan was out for his walk but when he returned, the two of them got busy.

Then, just as quickly it cleared.
Can you remember one of my first pictures of the pond?
Look at the new buds now.

They had success with this but the job didn’t get finished today after all. They needed a longer piece of hose and a plastic clasp. Patty, Gibbs and I went for a walk before lunch and we almost got to the corner when it started to rain. It was heavy enough to get us quite wet so we turned and hightailed it for home. 😊 We stood under the nose of the suite until is slowed down. Bill and Duncan drove to the Acreage for another bladder of water, this one for our fresh water tank.

Mr. Oriole was back

A couple of Blue Jays too

A little hope up there

We had lunch of bacon and eggs and Bill and Duncan went into town for the parts needed, still missing one when they returned. Patty invited me over for a game of Scrabble and we played 2 games in the warmth of their new home. By 3:30 or 4, the sun was starting to make an appearance so we all went out and gathered on our patio. Jackets were on and off, quite a difference in temperatures between sun and clouds.

Soon the clouds moved away completely

At 4:30, I made my tea and we sat until almost 6 before parting ways for supper tonight. Leftover meatloaf, vegetables, a potato for Bill and dinner rolls. We’ll have pears for dessert tonight, finishing off the can. Bill’s world changes tomorrow so he made his lunch and set it in the fridge for the night. 😊 It will be hard to see him leave for the whole day but Gibbs and I will manage. ♥

The winds died off but that just
made the black flies happier

Supper was good and filling. We cleaned up dishes and relaxed for the remainder of the evening. Duncan and Patty popped over for a short visit before our programs started. Bill suggested a fire tonight but still make it an early night. Sounds good and the wind has died right off. What a nice day. This afternoon we had full sun and a high of 18C/66F.

Supper was good!
Good night!

Thank you for stopping around!

A Sunny Day but Cooler Again and Countrified Rodents

Park Place RV Park

On Friday, Feb. 2^nd we remember that it is Groundhog Day.  Waiting for Wiarton Willie, back home, or Punxsutawney Phil, in Pennsylvania, to forecast when spring will arrive is not anything we are concerned about. He would definitely see his shadow here today! We all know spring is 6 weeks away, no matter how you look at it. The temperatures dropped overnight though, after the rain, and it was a chilly, windy 48F/8C when we got up after 7.

Another early morning surprise

The red was SO red!

Bill wasn’t flying, the winds were too strong with gusts up to 15 mph, but he did leave to go to Jim’s and work on something club related. Gibbs and I went for our walk and walking into the southeasterly wind gave me cause to rush the walk a bit. 

Gibbs and I walked before 8:30 and the rays
were beautiful in a picture

these two pictures give you an idea of
how windy it was and we were walking
right into it for part of our walk.

The flags were just a flapping

Not too much, it is his time and I let him get as many (almost as many) sniffs in as he needs to. 😊 Every so often there is that ONE that just lures him in and I may have to tug on the leash “come on, let’s go!”.

Still puddles
and still a lovely sky

I thought I’d try and accomplish something on the horse puzzle this morning so took my water and walked over to the clubhouse. I took the time, first, to move the 2 sheets of Bristol board to a table near the office wall. Temporary, but at least it is out of the way for the music jam tomorrow. I worked on it for a while, paid our electric bill which totally surprised us at how low it was, and then chatted with G as I stared at the pieces some more. LOL I’m disliking it, a lot.

It looks lush and fresh after a rain.
I do like the smell too! 😁

After about an hour, I came home for my coffee and to sit with Gibbs. I’ve decided that for February, at least, I won’t be painting so have put the paint supplies back under the bed for storage. Once Bill moves his planes (!!), it will actually be a nice seating area again. 😊 Bill came home for lunch so I mixed up some chicken breast meat for sandwiches. Gibbs got the juice on his bowl of dry food. Boy, did he gobble that up! Kibble soup.

did any of you ladies do this as a child?
I was taught with wool. The adult version is
maybe using sheet strips instead?

I started this when we bought the Suite
thinking maybe a bathroom mat.
Ha! good thing we didn't wait for it! 

With Pokeno on in the clubhouse this afternoon, I decided to stay home and get my sewing machine out. Stuffy’s material is too tough for my machine and it seemed the bobbin apparatus was not working right anyway, so I put that away. Frustrated. Bill says we’ll get it serviced this summer; it has been about 10 years. So, I worked on another one of my craft projects. Things that I’ve started years ago and every so often just work away at it.

afternoon sky

Still windy but more from the west by now

The puffy clouds leave black shadows on the mountains
to the east

You might remember seeing the ‘corking/spooling’ thing, from the last time I got it out. I’m running out of the sheets that I use so will have to visit a thrift store soon and see if I can find something that will blend well. I know that Bill is out of bread so wanted to make him more for lunches. However, with spaghetti on the menu tonight, I veered away from that and instead, made some Garlic Knots. Yum, they might be good with the meal. ♥

Someone is keepinng Daddy company upstairs. ♥

I had my tea around 4, when the knots were rising and then started my blog while I waited. Bill had his snooze, with Gibbs for part of the time and then we got out for our afternoon walk. 

Kneaded in the bread machine.
Rolled and knotted by hand

Spread with homemade garlic butter
and baked.
I've never made these cute little (big) knots before
so was quite pleased. 

The day has been quite nice but the winds are still a factor unless you are dressed accordingly.  Supper was absolutely perfect! I’m more into the spaghetti than Bill is but he couldn’t deny that the knots were a great addition. 😊 We cleaned up and I finished my blog before finding another good movie to watch.

Yummy!
Good night and Happy Groundhog Day!

This has been a nice day, no complaints.

From a Sunny Start to a Dull Ending, Mostly Sky Pictures

Park Place RV Park

Monday, Dec. 18^th, we were all up by 7:15. Of course, I was the last to get out of bed. 😊 There was no rush. I did hop in the shower right away since I could tell that the furnace was running, warming up the floors and bathroom. Other than that, it was a milder start to the day. The clouds were not prominent first thing and we actually had a clear sky with just wisps of cirrus clouds throughout the morning.

Good morning! 
Bottom right pix looks like an explosion.

As Gibbs and I walked, there
were numerous opportunities
for photos if you looked upwards.
I did.

Gibbs and I walked after Bill left and then at 9:10, I walked over to join the ladies. There were 6 players today and, as usual, we had fun. Second to last is not bad, right? Ha ha, I didn’t do great but it doesn’t matter. Dora was the big winner today by quite a margin. 😊 Back home for lunch and then, feeling homey, I stayed put for the afternoon. Bill had picked up mail from the depot and we received a lovely Christmas card from our Buddies back home. The words were perfect.

There were some boxes of garden/orchard fare
at the clubhouse so I took some radishes and a couple of these.
Don't know what this hybrid is called but it is apple and plum.
So, Plapple? or Applum? 😋
They are quite good and yes, this is the natural colour.

By this time, the clouds had rolled in so I had no desire to sit outside. What a wimp. It wasn’t cold but in capris and a sleeveless top, I was just as happy to try my hand at more crocheting. I had to teach myself how to do the Magic Ring (again) and then I made a bad choice of yarn to do the new pattern I found. Blech, another time. Right now, I’ll stick to my worms. I made my tea around 3:45 and started my blog.

All around us, the sky was gorgeous at
4:30

No words can describe it.
And this doesn't even show the brilliant reds the
way I saw it.

Gibbs and I went for our afternoon trip around the park and then it was time to think of supper. I had ground beef out so just decided on something simple. It is the meat I fall back on when nothing else sounds feasible. 😊 A hamburger, gravy, onion, celery mix over potatoes with vegetables on the side was the result. Yum, I love this meal, at any time. I guess I grew up on something similar and it was always a favourite. Oh, we had the last slices of one loaf of bread too.

Gibbs watches as I prepare supper.

A good hearty family meal from my childhood.
Even including the home made bread (but not the olives).

After cleanup, with the dishwasher running, we watched an episode of Bosch Legacy together before I finished this post. It was a good day!

Today's Christmas adornment.
Not sure what the flower is but
it was Bill's Moms so I'm proud to wear it.
Good night!

Thanks for taking the time to see what we’re up to.

A Bright day, Gaining Confidence, Birthday Boy

Park Place RV Park

On Monday, Feb. 27^th Bill was happy that it was once again calm and he was able to head to the field for more flying. We were all up at 7 and discovered that there will be confidence building required for Gibbs to go out with Daddy. He had to go out this morning but was appearing fearful of the leashes. ☹ Bill had to carry him out and then it was a stop-go-stop-go walk for most of their walk.

Rose's flowers are blooming
This is a morning picture

We need to work on it so he can get past that fear. It was lazy for me and Gibbs while sitting together after Bill left. I was washed and ready to go over to the clubhouse so just relaxed until 9:10. I played on my online games and read a chapter or two. Today, Adele and Susan were absent, as expected, but Dora, Barb, Patti and I had a great time. We were very evenly matched in our final score. 😊

This was a pretty picture
No help on this one

For lunch, I made bacon and eggs and that was tasty and filling. When Bill closed his book to have a snooze, I walked back to work on the puzzle. After a couple of hours, it was done, and I hadn’t over-strained myself. Ha ha. It’s a glorious day with a clear blue sky and although the wind did pick up this afternoon, we were very grateful for the sun’s warmth.

Gibbs found 'stuffie' on our walk
so spent the rest of the evening making sure he was
safely tucked away - many times

He thinks we can't see it
Sssh, don't spoil it

Bill finished a J.A. Jance book called Cruel Intent and I’m still working on Long Shadows. I guess I have too many hobbies on the go! 😊 Is there such a thing? No planning was required for supper as Bill suggested bacon cheeseburgers first thing. That left it simple and so when I returned, I took Gibbs for a walk. No hesitation with the leash or the steps. Funny guy. 

Here he is, all in one piece
but with a broken arm

He did find a small stuffed toy on his walk so after his business was done, turned and hi-tailed it home to bury it. ♥

Supper was delicious, I had to comment on how thick our burger patties are compared to the ones we eat at a fast food place. We were cleaned up from the meal before 7 and watched the Finale of AGT All Stars. It’s hard to pick a favourite so we’ll just wait and see who walks off with the title. 😊 We had programs recording and a few from last night to watch later. 

A good burger again
We had some Yogourt cake for dessert

Today, is my 3rd biological grandson's birthday. He's now a teenager! Happy 13th Birthday, Nathan! We reached 64F/18C and this was a good day!

Happy Birthday Nathan
Patrick's little big man 💖

Who's the teenager? 😁
Good night!

Thank you for the visit.

 

A Gorgeous But Cool Day!

The Ridge

On Thursday, Apr. 28^th I woke up from a rough night. I didn’t sleep well, having gone to bed last night with a sore throat. I had it on Wednesday when I woke up so spent the day gargling with salt water and it seemed to have abated by 10:30. Not so. Why is it when it hurts to swallow, I just keep swallowing. It wasn’t until I got up at 3 and rinsed my mouth out a few times that I was able to drop off, a few times at least.

It was pretty frosty this morning
Even the most shallow edges of the pond were layered in ice
King of the Hill ?

We were all up at 7:15 to greet the day. I gargled again and my throat felt a bit better. It was bright outside with full sun embracing the sky. It didn’t look like much wind and of course, Gibbs was anxious for his walk. I put on my heavy fleece coat and opened the door. I tucked his leash and treats in my pocket. 😊 At the end of the lane, I put it on and we walked to the west. We didn’t get very far and he stopped walking.

I do love pond pictures with the sun reflection

No encouragement helped but when I asked if he wanted to go home, he turned around and headed back to the laneway. What a goof! I took the leash off and after checking out the geese in the pond, he beelined up the lane. He wastes no time at all running up the stoop to the door ahead of me. Bill had made his coffee so I made my tea. It sure is nice to have the Keurig even though there is some adjusting to get a full cup.

My 2nd hand shoes were bought a few years ago
and this morning the soul is falling apart
Time to retire them

If this is a cold, I knew the saying ‘stuff a cold, starve a fever’ so I made myself a bowl of hot oatmeal with dried cranberries. It was good and hit the spot. We went outside with Gibbs and as we worked in the Bunky, he ran around the place. Not too far and always running back to see if we needed his help with anything.

I don't like the cold of frost but it makes for
lovely pictures

😊 We’re feeling more confident every day that he won’t run far but haven’t had the experience when a vehicle comes up the driveway – yet.

Our peony bush in the berm garden is
sprouting leaves 

Tiger lilies and Evening primrose up on the berm

Bill installed a bar in the Bunky for the clothes we store out there for the winter and then he removed the inside door. It was an added feature in 2016 when we changed it from a storage shed to a place for guests and storage, but the door has seen better days. It was falling apart and becoming more annoying than worth it. We haven’t had overnight guests in there for at least 3 years now so want to change it up, more for our own use. My use.

A strong rack for our heavy coats

Bill removed the inside door and I took what
I could apart and removed the small nails
Stay tuned for the next step

We came inside at noon and made a sandwich for lunch. Then we took a drive into Hanover. We needed to pick up some greeting cards and a small gift for Gerry. His birthday dinner is tomorrow night and it’s a special one. We want to take something for him. We stopped at Walmart for some milk, while in town, these trips are going to become fewer and fewer and more combined now that the price of fuel is so ridiculous. Diesel jumped .15¢ overnight. ☹

The grader make a few trips down North Line

Back at home, we were all ready for a snooze. I knew I was tired after that restless night and know I dropped off for at least 30 minutes. Bill was gone within 5 minutes of laying down, he’d worked harder than me this morning. We had a cup of tea together when we got up at 4 and then for supper, we had burgers rather than the leftover spaghetti. Was I surprised when Bill found one of my very favourite movies on tv!

This morning, I noticed ice from the drain pipe
into our water barrel
No, the whole pipe was not frozen, just a couple of inches
from the bottom

Bridges of Madison County never disappoints us, no matter how many times we’ve watched it together. ♥ Tonight was no different. It brings back wonderful memories of our holiday in 2011 to visit the town of Winterset and the Roseman Bridge. 

A normal evening sunset about to happen

This has been a beautiful day, temperatures reached 8C/46F. One more cool night and then we’re on the upward climb, back to spring. 😊

Our own memories on Roseman Bridge in 
Winterset, Iowa
Good night!

Thank you for coming by! Your comments are always appreciated.