Rhonda

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

We were needing rain so badly. It’s been hot and dry and windy here. The wind helps with making the temperature bearable but it also dries things out faster. We came home last night from Drew’s t-ball game covered in a film of dust. The corn in the fields is looking good but is really needing water. I had started watering my tomatoes and cucumbers, which I hate to do. The grass has even started to turn brown. I’ve stopped hanging my clothes out on the line, the dust from the gravel road is so thick – I didn’t want dusty coated clothes. But today we got some rain! Yeah! We so needed this!

A few pictures of the yard after the rain:

This area of the yard usually doesn’t look like this until the end of July/beginning of August.

I’ve let some milkweed grow in the flower beds – they are a favorite with the Monarch Butterflies.

Yard Art

Not sure where I’m going to put this one. It still needs a little sanding and maybe some stain. Whether I actually get that done remains to be seen!

Last Friday Mom and I went to Wellman to The Barn. A flea market/craft show that’s held periodically. It’s out in the country at a private home and it’s such a neat place. They have a beautiful Quonset hut style barn where vendors set up and then vendors are set up all over their yard. We had a fun time looking around. Mom bought a sign for her dining room. I bought a little old picture frame, an antique basket that’s in rough shape but it’s nice and prim and some white picket fence.

This one also needs some sanding and staining. They are just too bright for me!

There were lots of signs there but signs can be expensive and I hate spending money for something that is going to be outside and will weather. So, yesterday I raided the crib for some boards and made my own. It was a beautiful day to be outside. Drew and I spent the afternoon painting, listening to music and Izzy kept us company and I now have yard art that didn’t cost me anything but my time. I just hope Joe didn’t have plans for the boards!

Trailer Trash

I saw a picture of the cutest little trashcan on Facebook and fell in love with it. After commenting on it and friends commenting on it one friend shared a can that they had painted themselves and I thought to myself, “I could do that!” So, I painted my own trash can. And of course I shared it on Facebook. Which led to me making four more! Mom and Abby and two for friends all wanted one. Now to go camping again so I can use it!

Sunday Fun Day

Sunday we went to Jeremy and Abby’s for a little get together. They grilled hot dogs for lunch and the kids played all afternoon in the water. It was a hot hot day but there was a beautiful breeze and sitting in the shade was quite pleasant. Later they served brownies and homemade ice cream. A very fun day!

Hollyhock Surprise

Two surprises – first my Hollyhocks bloomed red. I was expecting black! I forgot that my pretty black hollyhocks didn’t come back so I planted red ones in their place. The red ones are so pretty but I miss the black ones. They were so different. I might have to plant some black ones too. Red and black would look together I think!

Second – as I was watering flowers and taking pictures, I heard an odd noise. At first I thought it sounded like a bumblebee. A very loud and odd sounding bumblebee. But to my surprise it was a snake. Now snakes don’t usually bother me too much but this one was a pretty good size. I’m assuming it was a bull snake. They can grow to pretty big and they will rattle their tails. I didn’t get a good look at this guy – he was just as startled by me as I was of him and he didn’t stick around. I know that snakes eat mice and rats and that’s a good thing. I just hope he stays away from the house now. I think the crib would be a better home for him!

Wandering Wednesday

Drew and I and Izzie went for a wander this evening before getting cleaned up and settling in for the night. I don’t have beautiful pristine flower beds. Although I love to see that kind of flower bed my wild beds work for me! I have lots of weeds and nothing is really planned out. I just let everything grow willy nilly and enjoy what blooms!

T-Ball

It was a beautiful night for a game of T-Ball. Their first home game. I was thinking how all four of my kids have played on these fields and how many hours I’ve spent out here. Then it dawned on me – I played on these fields when I was little too! So I’ve really spent a lot of time out here!

Lake Belva Deer

The best part of pulling in on a Thursday – no neighbors! The campground pretty much filled up by Friday evening.

As usual our first camping trip of the season wasn’t planned – just a spur of the moment decision on Thursday morning. Let’s go camping! We loaded up in the afternoon and headed out and got there around 4:00. I left Joe at the campground and Drew and I ran back into town for groceries for supper. We had a simple supper of brats and poppers and a mint dessert I made earlier in the day. A bike ride around the campground and then a nice quiet evening.

Up the next evening and headed back home. Joe had to run to Pella for work so Drew and I stayed home and watered flowers, fed and watered Izzy and the chickens and let Izzy out to run. Then we packed up clothes for the weekend and when Joe got home we headed back out. We rode bikes again and fixed a quick supper of leftovers from the night before then Dad and Mom came out for a visit. It was a beautiful evening to sit and relax.

Flowers from home to brighten up the picnic table!

Saturday was such a nice relaxing day. We slept in, had a late brunch, rode bikes, sat around, went for another bike ride, Drew played at the playground, rode bikes again! Dad and Mom came out for supper and we went for a walk then had a fire and s’mores. It was one of the most relaxing days we’ve had in so long. It was a perfect day.

Always have to photograph an unexpected heart!

Sunday saw us up early and heading home by 8:30. I think that may be a record for us – we usually don’t leave until afternoon but we had to be in Burlington by 1:00 for a graduation get together for a cousin. It made for a long day but we had a great weekend and lots of fun with family. Glad we decided to camp and that we made sure to go to Burlington for some family fun.

Lights For The Pergola

I’ve been seeing lots of ideas on Pinterest using solar lights and jars for outside lighting. When I came across one using ceiling fan shades and solar lights I thought they would be great for my pergola. We put the pergola up a few years ago and although we love it, it hardly gets used. At the time we didn’t have it in the budget to put in a floor so we used rock instead. This is okay but unfortunately the kitties think it is a litter box sometimes, the weeds like to grow in it even though we put landscape paper down under the rock, and it’s the perfect play area for a six year old and his Tonka trucks. So, we really don’t use it much. We do hope to get a wood floor put in this summer sometime. Then next year we’re hoping to put a clear fiberglass roof up and I have big plans for all the tin Joe has stockpiled and has never used. I want to put sides halfway up the pergola using the tin and old wood. Then we could really use the pergola – it would be a great place to sit when it was raining, my lawn furniture would be somewhat protected and wouldn’t blow away, we could eat some meals there. Lots and lots of plans for this area. I haven’t landscaped around it because I want all the work to be done first but I can see in my mind how pretty it will be – someday! Until then, I dressed it up a bit with my homemade solar lights and they look so pretty at night!

I found these ceiling fan shades and loved them. Other people must have liked them too because they only had three in stock and I need six. Hopefully they will have more the next time we go to Menards. Then when we got home I realized I could have saved myself some money and just used canning jars – I have plenty of those and they would have matched my flag. Oh well – I have another project planned for canning jars and solar lights anyway!

Peonies and T-Ball

It’s always nice to get back into our routine after a long weekend. Although holiday weekends are lots and lots of fun, there’s something to be said for the regular day to day routine of living.

My peony bush has finally bloomed and it is beautiful! I’ve never seen so many blooms on this bush. I have four other bushes I planted last year. They came up this year but are small and aren’t blooming. I hope they do better next year. Five bushes blooming would be so pretty!

Waiting patiently for his first time at bat.

Drew had his first t-ball game. It was held in Parnell. The game was to start at 5:30 but after some kind of mix up they ended up not playing until 6:30. At least they didn’t just send us home. We were willing to wait an hour and get the game in and not have to come back some other time. They don’t keep score, everyone gets to bat and everyone goes out on the field. It was pretty comical to watch and the boys all had fun. We stopped in North English on the way home for ice cream. Next game is Friday in Williamsburg. We just might have to stop in North English again on our way home – they have great ice cream!