My fountain needed a cleaning recently.  I asked MK to do it for me and I got the bright idea to pour a couple of bottles of bubble solution into the fountain when she got done refilling it.  Sort of looks like the head on a beer!!! Made me think of Bricker.  So I dedicate my beer fountain to Brick.  This Buds for you big guy.

Last week MK spent three days at the Boonville Oneida County Fair.  This is an event that has been going on in this area since the horse and buggy days.  She went up with some of her friends to learn about showing cattle.  She came home all fired up to show cows next year with the same friends.  She's so lucky that she was born after the first of January so she can still be in 4H since she will still be 19 on the first of next year.  Her friend's dad said that she can show one of their calves since we don't have any.

While I was there on Thursday I saw these two Scottish Highland oxen.  They were beautiful to look at but I kind of felt sorry for them, there they were on one of the few warm days that we have had this season with all that hair.  That yoke is pretty impressive too.  That piece of equipment is not only useful but it is a hand-carved work of art.

There is my girl in all her damaged glory.  Doesn't look so bad from here you might say.  I have the urge to photoshop an eye patch in.  If you look closer you can see the large crack in the grill and in the bumper and in the side panel above the tire.  Did I mention that it wrecked my alignment that I had the week before and I want them to check my new rim for cracks?

Saturday MK and I attended the annual Old Home Days on the circle in Vernon Center.  This too is an event that has been going on for many, many years.  There is a parade with fire trucks, my personal favorites, and old fashioned cars.  Then there are booths with crafts and different churches have their offerings of goodies to sample.  The local FFA has their Maple Sap house on display and of course the firemen have the smokehouse and other safety displays.  I can never resist getting the handouts that are meant for the children.  Fortunately the local volunteers are all friends and tolerate the crazy woman who lives on Indian Town Rd.  I put the fire hat on Brutus when I got home and he hammed it up for the camera before taking it off and chewing on it.

The people that Doug works for raise Golden Retrievers, among other money making ventures on their farm.  Two weeks ago one of their bitches had puppies.  They are so roley poley I couldn't resist taking some pictures of them.

Another of their mother dogs had puppies on the 31st, quite unexpectedly.  There is such a contrast between the newborns and the two week old pups. 

This one is still damp from the mom licking her off. 

Saturday evening when we went to pick Doug up from work MK and I decided to thank him for all the great things that he has done for us lately.  He really has gone above and beyond the call of duty.  I won't elaborate because you other men may begin to hate him and you women will surely get jealous of the man that I have.  We'll just say that he is a treasure.  We decided to take him to a swank restaurant for some food that he loves but doesn't get very often.  Then afterward take him to his favorite kind of show.

When he got done with his chores he washed up and changed into some clean clothes and we drove into Clinton to his favorite restaurant.  You can see it in the background.  You guessed it, McDonalds.  He isn't allowed too much fried food since heart disease is rampant in his family and his is a heart that I want to keep healthy.  But we decided that a treat once in awhile wouldn't hurt.  After a greasy fried meal,  (YUCK!!!!!) we walked next door to Clinton Tractor and Implement.

He and MK talked equipment and barns and crops to their hearts delight.  They compared different pieces of machinery and she climbed on several of the tractors that were displayed.  I had the pleasure of listening to them and hearing Doug tell me that it was an evening to remember.

I think this is my favorite picture from the whole evening.  That stance of his is what I call his "farmer" stance.  That's the way he stands when he is talking machinery and it's comparative virtues, crops and whether they will yield well, cows and if they are with calf or not.  That is definitely his farmer look.

Do I know how to show my man a good time or what.  My daughter too for that matter.

It started like any other day.  I cleaned the house and had some breakfast.  Went with my husband to take the Durango to be fixed (the insurance co finally released it to the repair shop).  Then I told MK that I was going to start mowing the lawns.  The forecast is for nice weather until Friday so I thought I would take advantage of that and mow in the mornings and sew in the afternoons when it warms up.

So I strolled out to the shop, pulled the mowers out and did some preflight maintenance.  Checked the oil, full.  Filled up all three fuel tanks, check.  Then I gave Doug a call at work to find out if the load of wood on the bucket of the backhoe was slated for the burning pit.  Once he gave me the go ahead I was going to dump it and light it.  I wanted to use the backhoe to pull the tractor tires that I had sunk into the side lawn once upon a time when the boys were very little.  They had spent many an hour climbing on them and pretending I don't know what.  But now they sit unused and the weeds grow up in and around them and they are truly a pain to mow around.  So I was going to remove them and just leave the sandbox which needs to be weeded as well.

I approached the backhoe adjusting the headphones on my MP3 player, minding my own business when a swarm of these vile creatures of darkness flew out of the door handle and attacked me without provocation.  (actually only one stung me but it sounds more exciting to say that they attacked)  Truly I wasn't even within arms reach of the door yet and I hadn't even touched the tractor yet.  The only thing I can think that might have provoked them is the buzzing of the headphones.

Right above my left eye the little bugger chose to attack.  Of course, what is your first instinct when a stinging creature decides to sink it's piercing, sucking mouth part into your flesh?  You slap at it.  And that is just what I did.  So not only did I get a bee sting in the head but I hit myself there as well.  (not very bright!!!!)

Being allergic to yellow jacket stings I immediately ran to the house, went inside and invoked my main nurse.  "Mary-Kate, Benedryl and an ice-pack, quick!"  I said.  She immediately assumed a bee had stung me.  (we are such kindred spirits that we can read each other's thoughts, to steal a phrase) actually I was clutching my head and chest at the same time since my breathing was getting somewhat tight.  She not only brought the Benedryl and ice-pack but an Epi-Pen as well.  There ends her nursing proclivities, she had to leave the room while I gave myself a shot in the thigh.  Doug was called and he rushed home to take me to the ER.  The rules are if you use the pen then you have to go to the ER or else you don't get another pen.

In the ER they triaged me and tagged me and took me back to a room as quickly as they could.  By then I was feeling more shaky, swollen, achy and sheepish than anything else.  Hooray for Epinephrine.  Of course having been there done that before, to coin a phrase, I knew that it could all go south in a short time and that was another reason that I was in the hospital.  The dr. examined me and wrote scripts for the usual steroid, stronger antihistamine, and a new epi-pen, gave me some of the same, and sent me on my shaky way.

Then I proceeded to do a dumb thing.  I decided to go ahead and mow the lawn anyway.  Bad idea when you are full of histamines.  The reaction came back with a vengeance.  MK to the rescue!!!!  She called her dad at work and he came home, picked up my meds, drugged me again, put me to bed and went back to work. 

Here I am now, a bit on the groggy side, sadder but wiser.  The moral of this story is stay away from disgruntled yellow jackets and don't do anything strenuous afterward and marry a most loving man who is willing to take care of you in a crisis without complaining. 

Epilogue:  My hero did battle with the bees and won.

My daughter brought in the mail today and among the other packages that were there was one from Saintvi.  Being the wonderful loving and considerate woman that she is it didn't include baked goods like she sends to Bricker.  She knows that if I were to sample her baking I would probably blow up my stove and declare myself retired from baking forever.  Instead she sent me the pattern for the canvas bags that her niece needs and a sample bag to follow. 

Thanks Saintvi very much for sending the package.  I will get on it right away.  Just one question, do I have to stick with plain canvas or can I use prints and may I do some embellishment with my embroidery machine?

Outside my window...........the sun is shining and it is a beautiful day.   I think that it might even stay cool and comfortable out today.  Nice enough to get the beans picked and some weeding done which was neglected because of the rain and the time needed to freeze the produce which I have gotten so far.

I am thinking........ that very soon the weeding is going to have to go by the way and time is all going to have to be spent putting up what comes out of the garden.  There are loads of tomatoes coming and then it will be time for corn and after that apples and on and on until the snow flies.

I am thankful for...........the ability to do all that I can to provide for my family.

From the schoolroom............all is in readiness for Matthew's home coming and the start of a new year of learning.

From the kitchen.............Mary-Kate has it all clean and ready to cook up some delicious meals in it today. 

I am wearing...........jeans and a white tee shirt

I am creating..........juggling around some ideas for a few more baby quilts.

I am going........to town to drop off videos and library materials.

I am reading............nothing at the moment, no time.

I am hoping............that this week goes fast, Matthew comes home on Sunday.

I am hearing...........bird song.

Around the house...........too much silence for my liking.

One of my favorite things..........spending time with family, summertime feet, listening to the birds sing early in the morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week...........stay on top of the garden, get some work done in the sewing room so that I can start some projects.  Anticipate Matthew coming home.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you.............

My cowgirl talking with her brother on the phone.