One thing leads to another.

My little kitchen is taking shape. Again. We had discovered a leak under the little cabin.  A while back. We knew it was going to be a quite a project as Himself had poked and pried and figured out that the drain exited the cabin between the wall studs and to get to the drain we had to pull the kitchen sink base.  So we letherleak. It was, after all, a really wet year. Having to pull the sink was good news to me as i had finangled our old enamel laundry room sink top from Creston to the cabin and wanted to swap out the aluminum sink for this vintage one. the old brown cupboards    One early fall day with all pressing tasks out of the way, we got hammer and pry bar. Himself had extra plumbing parts and there were 2×4s and other scrap boards under the BIg cabin porch. We crossed our fingers, said a prayer and got to work. And midafternoon, the leak was fixed, the sink top fitted to the old base, the drawer resized and the sink replumbed.   But one thing leads to another.  It is a homeowners creed. You can't do just one project without it leading to another. We went away for a week and it filtered into my head that the sink base should be painted. Then when the base was washed, sanded and painted i knew the uppers were next.  I took off the doors above and liked the open shelves. I painted the inside and out all the same as the base. I culled dishes and sorted anew. I put them all back and declared I liked it!   The cupboards are alll done this evening except for some new or vintage drawer pulls. And i do. I like it!     Then I put this 'look like tin' plastic up for the backsplash.  I think it is a little bright and too shiny.  I will have to apply some stain or paint to make it look old and rusty.  I will study on it for a bit though.

2015 - Spring and Summer

It has been a wet year.  We have had lots and lots of rain.  I mentioned in an earlier post, Himself and I built a deck to set the picnic table on to help keep us up out of the mud.  That deck was a very good thing. 

A couple of weeks ago, The Lake had 6" of rain in one night.  The ditches ran high and the gullies washed.  Then last weekend, The Lake had another 6" over a few days time and twice, high winds tore through ripping down branches both times.

We took Jack, Maddie and Audri down on July 19 and Traci was coming the next day with her children.  When we arrived Sunday evening we found two big branches blown out of the tree house tree.  Good thing we had some young strong children to help.  Maddie and Audri picked up sticks and  Jack helped PaPa with the limbs and hauling.  Traci had her children pick up sticks and limbs earlier in the week after the first wind storm.

 

 Himself tried to get a photo of the downpour but mainly got wet.

With water running this high, the ditch is now called a 'run'. 

Water backing up at the culvert in my ditch!

This was after the second wind storm.

 

We couldn't quite talk Jack into climbing this ladder. 

Oh, did I mention PaPa suggested he climb it with the chain saw?

 

This tree is down by the driveway.  There was no way Himself could reach it from a ladder to cut it so he tied a rope to it and pulled it down with the 4-wheeler.  Then he and Jack dragged branches down the hill below the dam to the big burn pile.

 

There were branches enough in our burn pile which gave the children an opportunity to play with matches.  I handed out matches and gave them paper and cardboard.  We squirted on lighter fluid all to no avail.  All the rain we have gotten has the branches too wet to burn.  One evening, we got enough of a fire going to roast marshmallows but that burn pile is still setting there, waiting to dry out.

 

Our little pyromaniacs trying to strike matches and light fires!
 

Gabby and Maddie stretching their wings. 

  

A pretty view of the beach.

There was plenty of 4-wheeling and buggy rides. 

Because the ground was so wet, we started a Sorry Tournament.
These children are ruthless, competitive and just plain mean! 
I think I only played one game with them, then found other things to do
so as not to get swept back in!  : )

Yes, even Audri and Bella get to practice with matches. 

 

 It was a good time at the cabin.  By Monday afternoon we were using the beach and all the kids jumped in and paddled and swam.  The boys played rough and tough, throwing and wrestling each other and we let them as long as they were not being mean or careless.

 It is harder and harder to get the children to The Lake at the same time but we have got to keep trying -- even if only for short stays.  This is what memories are made of. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Summer

Summer through the screen

 

It is a Monday morning. I am sitting in my pajamas on the front porch listening to 6" of old rain run down the hill and under my bridge. The wrens are singing, the cardinals chirping. Already the feel of a mid-summer day is hanging humid and heavy.  Sitting here, I realize that in the past week I have sensed a change in myself. I think I have accepted retirement. I think i am settling into a more leisurely way. Not leisurely in that I don't want physical activity or to get things done but, hmm, how do I explain it?  Perhaps I am just relaxing and putting all those habits from years of work behind me. Anyway, it is mighty fine sitting on the front porch with my coffee contemplating the high summer day ahead of me.

Summer girls

We have enjoyed three days with four grandaughters.  We have had good summer weather.  We have had 90 degree humid days, cooler days with great thunderstorms and a breezy, unsettled evening.  We have managed plenty of beach time.  The girls had some swinging time after replacing a broken swing so we, again, have four swings (in one tree).  We had fire flies, smores and lessons in lighting fires.  (Dont try this at home!)  We all slept good, had some melt downs, had plenty to eat and plenty of fun. I wish these days were forever.

Wild black raspberries

Wild black raspberries are available here at the cabin but not without a fight. 80 degrees outside but I dress in blue jeans and long sleeves. I spray myself, including my face and clothes, with mosquito repellent. I tell myself to put on my boots but I just can't take that last step. So wearing flip flops and full battle gear, I arm myself with a berry bowl and the nippers and flip flop out to the ditch. It is true that there are big, ripe black raspberries here but there is also Sheep's Coat, wild grape vine, hops vines and other rampant, vicious thorny vines. There is also a high probability of poison ivy. I cut my way into the berry vines. I throw weeds and thorny sticks behind me as I go. Halfway in I decide I need my leather gloves as my hands are already scratched and sore. The day (and I) get hotter by the minute. Sweat runs down my temples.  I capture ripe berries as I go. The sorry part of this whole venture is that the berries on a vine don't all ripen at the same time. I will have to re pick the vines each of the next few days. The moral of this story is that the berries are tempting enough to me that I will cut my way into them and by cutting and trimming today it makes tomorrow's venture easier.  The ditch hasn't been cleaned really good for a few years so between the prickly native plants, the water in the ditch from all the rain and the creature holes in the bank I cannot reach all the ripe berries.  I just have to close my mind to wondering if snake or wild critter lives in that mud hole. Guess I will be glad to share what I can't reach with the birds.  Below is a photo of all things removed.  Can you see the thorns on the light green stem?  They are razor sharp!

so. It has been a wet spring and start to summer. The last wet spring, about 5 years ago, I broke down and built the board walk along side the old cabin.  This wet spring I said 'enough' and called my favorite lumberyard and said please deliver me some treated 2×4s. Girdners, Mercer, Mo had them to me three hours later. 

Today we had just enough rain to keep us from mowing and just enough to keep my flip flops muddy. 

I went to work.

Himself joined me.

It is hard on Himself to help me build what is just a picture in my head.  If I could draw him a plan. If he could look in my brain. If I could adequately describe it. oh yes. If only . . .

As none of that can happen it was a tough afternoon.  However, we persevered. We stuck it out.  We gotterdone . . . at least until we ran out of 2×4s but at least we now know it will get done.

This deck bridges our natural water way. It also houses our 300 pound picnic table which sits level today, the first time E V E R. How do I know it is level? Because Himself leveled it.  Precisely. Within an inch of his life.

PS. I woke up this morning with a building tip in my mind. I firmly belive Gramps helped me figure it out in my sleep. Thanks dad!!

 

My garden project

 

A year ago I determined to dig a garden. A vegetable garden. I wanted to be able to pick tomatoes and cucumbers both at home and at the cabin. 

Mid-summer someone gave me a start of rhubarb. Forced to fish or cut bait, I  chose a spot up at the top of our yard where the soil is better and where the garden would get the most sun. I dug a small patch which involves removing 6" of thick sod and roots. I planted the rhubarb and grubbed me out a 6' X 6' plot. 

Later in the summer and fall, I spent 2 or more days digging out the sod, turning the soil and then covering the area with newspapers in an effort to kill the grass and weeds. By winter I had about a 12 X 12' garden.

This spring I took advantage of early warm days and enlarged the garden by another 6 or 8 feet. I hope to double the garden's size again this summer and fall.

Now my labor looks to be paying off. The tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes are twice the size as our vegetables here at home where our problem is too much shade.  If this garden turns out as well as it seems it will, we will grow our vegetables in Mo and leave the Creston beds for the flowers.  Shade loving flowers, that is!
 

 

Asparagus!  We have started a small patch here beside the rhubarb.

And the potatoes never look this good, up home. 

Rainy May

We are at The Lake. it is raining and cool. Usually we are outside mowing or gardening. Today Himself is in the big cabin and I am in the little one. He is cleaning and I am saying I am. Ha!

I have done the dishes and I am poking into the corners and under the bed.  I will dust and sweep but there is certainly no urgency or need to hurry and I am enjoying the leisure.

The forecast is rain and more rain.  It is cool, only 50 degrees today and it reminds me of the Memorial Day when we built the dock and the guys were in the frigid lake setting the posts.

We will be thankful that we don't have that to do this weekend!

 

Bird watching

Who ever would have guessed when I was a child that I would grow up into a lover of flowers and birds and all things nature?

This is an Orchard Oriole. Some live at The Lake. They seem to like neighbor V's oriole food better than mine. Rats!! But we still see them flitting around . . . And the hummingbirds like our food just fine!

 

Another Summer Gone Sept 12, 2014

This has been a great summer, but to quickly gone.  Herself retired as of  May this year, and it has allowed us to spend just about as much time at the cabin as at home.  We had no real major projects this year, other than finally giving in to putting in a kitchen door in the old cabin. We had to cut out the kitchen window and enlarge the opening to fit the door. Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly when we attempt a project. Nothing major, just had to eliminate an outlet and move wires, but we did it.
We also spent time planting more flowers on the big bank, and now I have started planting honeysuckle shrubs on the bank by the road, looking forward to,  and planning on the time I won't have to(or be able to) mow it anymore.
As we had more time at the lake, we both did extra work for the lake assn. Herself walked the gravel road leaking from the K road into the lake area and picked up trash that people throw out.  There are no 5 cent can and bottle laws in Missouri, so people just throw stuff out. 
I, on the other hand, did extra mowing for the lake, pulling the trailcutter mower with the 4-wheeler, and using the big lake mower to try and keep things mowed up. A never ending job this year with all the moisture.
We also cut down a lot of dead trees on the kid's lake lots and keep busy mowing them.
We still have not installed a permanent heating system yet, but still looking.
We did install a new inside, on demand, water heater. And it keeps up with baths, showers, and laundry, so we are very pleased with it so far.
What will this winter bring. Hopefully we will spend at least some time at the lake.

2014 Thursday May 15: a Work Day

It didn't start off as a Work Day.  I slept until 7:30 this morning.  That is later than I like but maybe it was meant to be because I worked my buns off today, later on.

We didn't bother with breakfast this morning; it was catch as you can.  I ate tuna salad and I think Himself had a bowl of cereal.  Then we loaded up and drove out to find the Amish Store.  The New Amish Store.  Yes!  I don't have to drive all the way to Jamesport anymore! 

The Amish Store is over by Modena.  (Modena didn't even come up on the GPS.)  But take the road to Modena after the "S" curves, go to the top of the Hill.  A phone call to my hair dresser mid drive when we hit Mt. Moriah because I hadn't found the landmarks.  "Go back, take the Modena Road, the Variety Store is closed on Thursdays but go on past there and the Greenhouse is open".  So we did and we found it.  And wrote a nice check and brought home fine flowers from the Modena Amish family that used to live at Redding, Iowa. 

Oh those flowers are beautiful!  and different than what Wal-Mart has to offer. 

Well, so much for our nice morning drive to the Echo Valley Greenhouse.  The title of this post is "Work" so we'll get on with that!

I have signed on to mow Vi's yard this summer.  She made big noise about paying me well.  I have mowed three times, as of today.

The first time I just plain mowed.  There were no extras.  No weed eating, weed pulling, leaf blowing.  she paid me $20.  The next time we mowed, trimmed and primped.  I expected $25 and got $20.  Okay.  I know exactly what happened.  Vi's Great Depression upbringing made her wig out, cheap out.  She meant to pay the $25 but couldn't do it.  Shoved a twenty dollar bill at me. 

Last time Lanny mowed with the rider and I push mowed and used the weed eater.  This time I pushed the whole thing with Vi's self-propelled mower and then cleaned up with the weed eater.  Vi paid me $20 again.  Now, you know, Vi is 80 years old and I would mow her lawn for free but she was vocal and vain about paying someone to mow for her so I am taking her $20.  I am taking it because I go above and beyond.  I pull her weeds.  I 'leaf blow' her sidewalk to get rid of Maple Tree helicopters and grass clippings.  I pick up 350 sticks and put her dog out on the leash when it is appropriate. 

And besides, mowing Vi's Missouri Lake Lot is the best work out ever!  I am building stamina and muscle and getting paid to do it!

Meanwhile, Himself mowed all the lots and lawns today that he possibly could.  He did not mow Craig and Traci's because 'Pegleg' did yesterday.  Pegleg is like a Benji wannabe. 

We are both tuckered and stiff and sore today.  We figure this is just the way it will be, here on out.  Our muscles don't stay toned liked younger folks so we are always in the process of building muscle. 

We will have plenty of Work Days.  We will have plenty of sore and tender muscles. 

a Wednesday, May 14

We are at Too.  The weather is unseasonably cool.  It only got up to 59.8 degrees today -- but who is counting?  Even this cool, we worked outside today.  Himself cut trees and firewood and I helped him carry and stack wood and then we hauled the tree tops to the burn pile below the dam.  We also helped Craig's neighbor George clean up his old wood pile.  It had been there so long it was just purely rotted.

It has been cool, cloudy and damp all day.  That is good for working outside once you get the number of clothing layers figured out.  You go out feeling cool so you usually have on one more layer than what you need.  The way I work it, I go out and work in my layers until I'm sweating, then I strip the top layer off.  It would be better for me if I would go out and work a little cool and not work up a sweat. 

We are sitting inside now, at 8:00 pm.  Himself is watching "The Hummingbird Wars" outside our living room windows.  I have been sewing (cross stitch panel for Virginia -- I will be so relieved to have it done.  I have 1-1/2 flowers to do and then that is it!). 

While taking the tree branches to the burn pile, we saw a flock of Bluebirds.  We have never seen that many before.  There must have been 100!  We doubt that they will all stay but I hope a few do! 

 

Here is a pair of Eastern bluebirds, photo out of the internet. 

 

Guess which is female? which is male?  Tisn't fair, is it?

Week Day at the Cabin

It wasn't a work day.  It was just an ordinary weekend day.  We got up early; I had things to do in  Princeton and I just plain want to get up early so I can sleep at night.

Himself did some mowing today.  I did get to town to get my bangs trimmed and to pick up groceries and mower gas.

Later I increased the size of my garden by 100%.  I increased it by using my right foot and a spade. 

If I doubled the space dug up, that is an increase of 100%, isn't it?

There is a method of gardening called 'The Ugly Garden'.  Mind you, I said 'The Ugly Garden' not 'Gardener'.  This is a good example of Ugly.  I hope to make this 3 times bigger and it won't be ready for gardening until next spring.  We will just have to ignore it or learn to appreciate ugly until then.

Himself did a little mowing for the Lake, I visited Vi and then a 4-wheeler ride around The Lake and Marie.  Now time to sit on the porch and read about Shantyboat life.  A River Way of Life by Harlan Hubbard. 

2014 May 6

We came to The Lake today; we hadn't been for a couple of weeks.  We knew we would need to mow.  So we did.  I rode, he pushed and trimmed.  With two of us working, it takes a couple of hours.  Before we got this big fancy rider it would take two of us three hours or more. 

We have a nice John Deere zero turn mower with a 48" cut.  It is nice.  and fast. and modern.  and I can start it all by myself (while reading the directions printed on the fender : )

The push mower is a different story.  It has lost its 'pull' handle and Himself has attached a stick.  The pull rope no longer rolls back up by itself so after he pulls the rope to start the mower, Himself has to manually turn a pulley to rewind the rope.  If it doesn't start the first pull (or the second or the third) he has to rewind that rope manually before pulling again.  Also, there is another manual adjustment he has to make before it will start but he told he I needn't pay attention to that maneuver.  Evidently it something he doesn't want me to attempt.  Evidently I will never have to start this mower on my own.

The push mower is a 1966 Lawn boy.  It was Dale Gibson Hofmeister's, bought new in Prescott.  Lanny bought this icon at his folks' Prescott sale. 

It is a relic.

He will not give it up.

It is light weight.  It is two-cycle which means it keeps running while mowing banks and ditches.  The oil and gas is mixed so the mower doesn't die if it isn't level.

It is not an attractive thing but it is useful.  It is more than useful; it is a necessity!

I have taken on a mowing job this summer.  I will mow Vi's steep, lumpy lot.  Himself will have to start the push mower each time for me.  He tested me out today to make sure I could use it properly without maligning or abusing it.  I think I passed the test.  I believe he will start it up again another day and let me push it up the hill to mow for Vi. 

I am one lucky girl.

What to do in Winter?

 

We drove down one cold Sunday.

We drove to the cabin.

Temperatures were mild, snow melting.

Cabins were colder inside, than day outside

We wanted to hang out and chill

but the chill of the cabins kept us from that. 

 

We checked cabins and grounds for problems.

We put away, rearranged and pondered.

We admired and remembered

and what I do most, I took pictures

 

I took photos of shapes and colors and things

that please my eye.

My eye will be more pleased
 when the calendar says Spring.
When trees are budding, tulips peeking
and the temperatures moderate.

 



Too Long / Too Cold

It has been a cold winter.  We have had snow too; we aren't buried in snow but we are sure in the deep freeze with the temperatures.

Some January's we have a thaw and we have a weekend at the cabin.  Some Decembers we get down.  We have not been down to Too since late October or early November.  Just checked the checkbook register to find out (since I'm not keeping a journal for the last six months or so.  I wonder why?).  Anyway, we came down the weekend after my first cataract surgery, November 8, 9 and 10.  We haven't been back since.  May not get back until June the way it is going.

We leave these lights up year around.  I love the festive look.
 

I remember one New Year's eve that we had four children at the cabin.  We had a great celebration.  It was warm enough to take walks and I took photos of the children standing on Rock Monument.  We went outside at midnight and blew our new year horns and yelled "Happy New Year!"  I think PaPa even had one big firecracker to boom.  It was a good time.  go here - - >  click

 

I wanted to put these old-fashioned Christmas lights up at the new cabin but settled, instead, on using them on the garden shed porch. 



 

Himself and I don't remember such a cold winter for a bunch of years.  I remember a year in late 80s that was cold.  We drove to Minnesota one cold New Years weekends and the temperature never got above zero. 

I remember a spell in the 60s where the temperature hovered around 0 degrees.  It was a year of The Miniskirts (no jeans allowed at school) and we had to walk from the High School to a store building uptown for one of our classes.  We walked about 4 blocks and literally (about froze) our fannies off.  Oh my. 

Forecast for this upcoming week is temperature below 0 every night and barely creeping above zero during the day.  At least one day, the thermometer will not even see the zero mark.

We will be thankful for Spring this year. 

And maybe I'll look forward to Global warming : )                   just kidding. 

 

 Someone had a vision. 

This photo is filed as "tree house tree".  

 

The pic was taken early 2013 but the tree had been studied from numerous angles for the last 5 or 6 years.  Studied and drawn and visualized . . . upon.  Ha!  That is not proper English but I know what I mean : )

 





 

Joe either climbed or was boosted up to be the first to sit on this high perch but he climbed up himself next tree house visit. 

 

Someone else could visualize the end result and he helped set four, 4 X 4 posts in concrete and then the next day came back and climbed 30 feet into a tree.  He tied a rope on a big sturdy limb for a swing rope and then used the chain saw to cut off all the interfering, in-the-way branches. 

 

Is this Craig who has assumed the position of a tree frog?

I am keeping in mind that this is, again, 30 feet up

and if that were me in this pic, I'd be tied to the trunk of that tree 

-- not trimming limbs and branches. 

 

 

Then Master Carpenter Dana moved in. 

He squared up Nana's mis-appropriations with only a few grumbling remarks.  I tried to explain to him that it is hard to use the 3,4, 5 rule around a knobby tree.  I'm thinking he didn't hear me.  I measured it out three or four times and the last measurement was so much closer to square then anything I had come up with previously, that I pounded in the final stakes!  And Craig and I and Himself set the 4x4s in concrete.  Plumb and level.   

 

But if you climb the ladder and have a look, you see I was a little 'off' of square.  okay.  big deal, Dana.  hahahaha just kidding : )   

 

With Dana directing and Craig, Chad and Lanny providing muscle and their own expertise with hand and powers tools, the guys were getting the job done.  

 

oh dear; what is this?  Craig is sending hand signals and Dana is still trying to straighten out my 3, 4, 5' miscalculations. I'm sorry, Dana!  Really! 

 

Work, work, work. 

What a team!  What a crew!

They all worked with the end in mind. 

Ta Da!

Look at that!  A real life, good-looking tree house! 

Dana designed the railing and it is just plain neat and used up left over materials. 

 

Then it was time for the Show Down. 

Jack was the guinea pig.

  He was the first to take the plunge.

Brave boy. 

Down he went!  The look on his face made it all worthwhile! 

 

Maddie and Gabby and Hannah were right in line ready to try it.

You know it had to make their legs shake

 and their tummies turn, but they did it! 

And soon after, Joe too. 

 

Some like it more than others but they'll look back at their childhood

and will remember that moment. 

 

The moment they stepped off the ladder and soared.

 

I'm proud of each and every one. 

 

Then someone had a vision of a rope ladder.

 

Gabby drilled holes in 2X2 boards one day. 

Gabby had the vision.   

 

Maddie helped string the rope through the steps. 

We had to do it two times before

Maddie managed to climb the swaying ladder

 and help her Nana come to the conclusion that the steps needed refined. 

 

Back to the drawing board. 

 

Joey came on duty to finalize the rope ladder

and he helped install the hooks and eyes to anchor the rope. 

 

Now, later, both Audri and Bella have climbed the ladder.

They successfully reached the summit!

That rope ladder may stretch and shrink

 and have to be restrung or shortened,

 but it will help little and middle-sized people to build muscle,

  develop grace and coordination and, most importantly, 

make childhood memories.

 

And did I mention that Traci and Nana have climbed the ladder? 

 

 

After the glory of the tree house and rope ladder,

the one-rope swing remains popular --

even before breakfast and wearing a nightgown.