Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Wouldn't it be fun....

I think it would be fun to have an outdoor shower. A pool, a hot tub, and a lush rolling green lawn would be nice too. Well, I'm not 100 percent sold on a pool ...I worry about my little grand kids....... However, I want an outdoor shower. When the Mr. comes home after he's been cutting hay it would be nice, or when the grands have been "mud bathing" it would be nice, or just on a really hot dry day after working outside it would be nice.

I do live out in the sticks, but I would still need my PRIVACY ! Wouldn't want to get all comfy in the all together and have some one come along.......( Murphy's law) :-D
Here are some pictures just for fun!





This last one is my favorite one. It looks very doable for our skill level and pocketbook! :-D
I would want some kind of a different shower hear though. While I'm dreaming I want to dream it just a little more fanciful.....

So, how about you guys? Do any of you already have an outdoor shower? Do you want to have an outdoor shower?
What's on your wish list for your yard this summer? What ever it is, good luck! :-D
carpe diem.......Seize The Day

Friday, April 23, 2010

Fridays on the farm....

I'd like to introduce you to a place that is near and dear to my heart. It wasn't always so however. It's only about a mile or two from our farm. Just across a few fields.

There really isn't much in the way of "beauty" to recommend it to the average person, just dry land, no water, full of stickers, lizards, and the hardy glob mallow that grows despite the lack of water. There isn't any shade, and the deer come and eat any plants you bring. But despite all that, I love to come here and walk around and think ......and remember.




No perpetual care going on here.....

There are many here whom I knew.

The Mr's ancestors on both sides of his family are here.



We have a niece here


The Mr's sister



The Mr's Grandparents, uncles and aunts and some cousins.



My own dear father



And the Mr's sweet parents.

My family never went to the cemetery and decorated graves. Never. They were buried in two different states and we lived in another one, which made it too far away.
But the Mr.'s family did.
Used to be, on Memorial day, everybody would mow their lawns, and rake the lawn clippings up in trash bags, and bring them over and sprinkle them on the graves and then put down flowers. Then they would all get together at my in-laws home, which is where I live now, and eat potluck and play baseball. I really used to think it was a little different, I mean really, who would even want to be buried in that weed patch of a cemetery? And grass clippings? Who were these country people and why did they do what they did?
But all of that was before.
Before I lived here and knew people here. Before, when our family loved ones were still living. Before my own parents moved here to be near us, Before I had grown up and learned about what is really important. Before pieces of my heart were laid to rest here,
Now.......now I feel peace here.
Not many folks cover their graves with grass clippings any more, and the fad of placing green indoor outdoor carpet has also passed. (thank heavens) Now we mostly just till the ground and pull the weeds and place flowers on the graves. The little kids still climb the rocks trying to catch lizards, and the Mr. is still saying he wants to be buried upon the rocks in a glass box so he can look out over the valley that he loves. ( this would really give the little kids something to see when they were catching lizard huh)
The family doesn't get together to eat pot luck and play baseball anymore, So many of the Mr.s uncles and aunts have passed on, and families are scatted around. But I'm glad to know, this is the place where my mortal remains will be. Close to home, in that dry old weedy place.

I'll be in the very best of company though, wont I!

Carpe diem.......Seize The Day

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

odds and ends

First I would just like to welcome all you who are new to the Stone House! I haven't been a very "with it" blogger of late......but maybe you will find a thing or two that will be helpful, interesting, or amusing, or just friendly. Welcome. Glad to have you come for a visit. Please come again! :-D

Thanks to all who follow my blog, one slim post after another. I enjoy your "bloggish" friendship!

Next,
Cute little baby and mom toes! These little feet have grown and are trying to walk everywhere. Happy 1st Birthday P-Jo! You Check Spellinghave stolen my heart!





Our book for book club this month was the #1 ladies Detective Agency. Have any of you read these books?




HBO had made a series, and it was good. The Mr. and I have enjoyed watching it.
Takes place in Botswana Africa, and it's gentle and full of humor. Very fun. If you are a fan Of JB Fletcher you will enjoy this as well.




Isn't this sky beautiful? There was a little spring snow storm just passing through this morning.



Lastly, the table. Not in good shape, but it has been my desire to rebuild the top and use it as an island in our kitchen.
This old kitchen table was here on the farm, stored out in a shed. Once, when our family was younger we pulled it out and used it. Soon we needed something sturdier, So back in the shed it went.
For shame huh?
It's been calling my name for a few years!
But as it turned out, it was too big to use in my kitchen which frustrated me because I didn't want to put it back in the shed. I wanted to use it.
It ended up in the living room, and we're leaving it's top just like it is. I did repaint the legs, which are not as shiny as they look, but maybe I need to take the steel wool to them again.
The tool box under the table, was really a tool box. I emptied all the tools out of it and gave it a paint and prim job. I used my cricut and made a stencil, painted an under coat, an over coat, sanded it an stained it.




Have any of you tried to drill a hole in a enamel ware bowl? I am thinking about turning one into a bathroom sink.......

Hope everyone is doing well. I have strep.......never had it that I know of, my oh my I have not felt well. Went to the Doc. today and had a shot. The teen had it last week..... and once when he was lying down , moaning and groaning, I told him "moaning and groaning would not make him feel any better". Well, if those words didn't come home to haunt me! LOL :-D

Carpe diem.......Seize The Day

Monday, April 5, 2010

Hair cuts and Eastering


The Ewes got their long over due new "do's". Don't they look cold now? Not to mention lopsided, or big headed or something like that! But it has to feel better to them at any rate. It was fun to watch it happen. I got a kick out of the hanging wool bag. It was probably 8 feet tall. Jr took turns with another boy his age, hauling the wool up the ladder, and then getting to be the boy inside the bag, stomping the wool down. I took my camera so that I could capture it in living color, but alas, the batteries were dead! Bummer deal. I was too far away from any kind of a store , so no living color pictures for my post! One guy had some Jacob Sheep, oooohh, I was in love with them! The Mr. wasn't. They had too many horns! :-D



We had our family Easter picnic on Friday this year.
The Mr and I and Jr were going out of town to the city for conference all week end.
We have NEVER left home for Easter before in 31 years! For real! I don't remember one time we have not spent this day with our family and friends, here on the farm, following tradition.
:-D
Friday was somewhat cold and windy, but we persevered anyway. We ate like kings, feasting on steak, brats, hot links, hot dogs, all roasted over the fire, salads, chips, drinks and even chocolate dipped strawberries. All of us were there! That was the BEST blessing a mom could ask for!
Now, before you ask "what in the world are they dressed like that for?" remember our family loves 18th century re-enactments. Hence the 18th century longhunter attire. Our sons take every opportunity to wear their clothing, so that it becomes a part of them... for a "believable persona" an for the most part, they made what they are wearing.........by hand!
....................anyway, here are #1 and #2 sons, skipping along the bunny trail at least for the photo. The little goof balls.





I love this picture of the dad's holding their baby girls. Paislee has been eating chocolate strawberries. Yummy! Wish we could see Evies little face better.



I know it's trite, but it's true...All because 2 people fell in love!
I am amazed when I see us altogether, that there are so many of us! 31 years ago there was just 2 of us. We had a couple of extras in the picture, our DIL's cousin and an exchange student from Germany. They are standing by JR who is in the red hoodie....with the bubble yum bubble hiding his cute face. We enjoyed their company and hopefully they weren't too overwhelmed by our strangeness! LOL
Not the best picture in the world, but this is us, having a good time together. Well OK, the picture taking almost killed off a few of them......kill joys that they are! LOL
I'm glad they all humored me, and stood still for some pictures! :-D


I saved up all the banty eggs so I could boil an hide them for the kids. I don't think there were as impressed by them as I was! :-D I thought they were so cute all brown and small. That little 4 yr old smile is pretty cute as well.

This is a tree that was in Salt Lake, I have no clue what it is, but it is so beautiful. My Mom talks about Tulip trees in NC, and I wondered if this could be one? Does anyone know? It was a treat to see it. We don't have anything like this here at home.

And lastly, this is what we woke up to Easter morning in the city. But it soon melted away. The mountains were pretty with their blanket of fresh snow.

Hope Everyone had a wonderful Easter.
I'm very grateful to the Savior for the beautiful gift of the Atonement.
I know that my Redeemer Lives!
Carpe diem.......Seize The Day