Not So Cute

It's always a battle here to keep animals from eating plants, flowers, trees and sweet corn.  This summer I've had a beautiful pot of impatiens on our back deck but a few days ago woke up to this!

And the next day this!  Even after sprinkling cayenne pepper on and around it as had been suggested by master gardeners.  Bill thought "they" would probably be knocking on our door next asking for a little salt and mayo! 

I really didn't want my flowers trimmed all around like this!!  At the same time, some flowers in the front I planted in a pair of Bill's old boots were being nibbled on.  One evening I saw the culprit - a small bunny.  The last straw was half of a new shasta daisy being eaten a couple days after I planted it.  This was the third year I've tried to get one of those going!  

Bill had to put chicken wire cages around all of our new grove trees to keep deer from tearing them up while we're trying to get them going so I asked him yesterday if he could put something around the daisy.  Notice I also moved a pot with a scrawny basil plant near it.  Someone had said they don't like the smell of basil.

This morning I looked out and the bunny was INSIDE this chicken wire!  (why didn't I take a picture!)   I woke Bill up, and the bunny is no longer with us!! 

Greater Rolfe Days

This weekend was Greater Rolfe Days which happens every year the weekend after the 4th.  The firemen do water fights for the kids on Fri. night and sometimes a meal.  

Yesterday after a day of a nice rain, the sun came out just in time for the rodeo.  Bill got a call to bring the big 4 wheel drive tractor to the rodeo grounds to help get the semi hauling the livestock (bulls, horses, etc.) through the mud to the ring and then went back when it was over to pull the loaded livestock trailer out plus other vehicles and trailers that were stuck.  Good but muddy rodeo this year!

This morning was the firefighters' omelet breakfast.  We served about 185 people.  There was lots of help this year and it was cooler.  We borrow, for free, 8 propane burners with skillets, spatulas & ladles from a company in nearby Havelock.  We get free eggs from a Ft. Dodge egg farm.  We let people put their choice of warm diced ham, green peppers, onions and mushrooms in a paper cup and then they go to one of the cooking stations where a friendly firefighter will cook their omelet and add cheese if they want.  Bill and another guy grill sausages which we have in a roaster.  There are muffins, orange juice, milk and coffee.  It's a good money maker.

There were various other activities around town throughout the weekend like the Lions Club auction, free doughtnuts at the park, free hot dogs for lunch, Freedom Girls' maid rite and salad lunch plus pie and ice cream, games for kids in the old school gym, kiddie parade, library book sale, school class reunions, band at the bar, games at the pool. 

Rolfe has 4 new planters at the main intersection corners this year.  So pretty!!  We're battling the rabbits here at our house.  They really like impatiens and another flower I have.

Carmel Dairy Queen is 54!

Mom, former employee Karen King, me

My mom & dad owned the Dairy Queen in Carmel, Ind. from when I was age one to 17.  I recently went back to visit and planned my trip so that I could go to the Carmel Historical Society's program on the Dairy Queen being 54 this year.  It was to be an employee reunion too - fun!  The Dairy Queen is one of only about two businesses in Carmel still in business!  Back in the day, it was the first fast food restaurant in Carmel and became "the place" to hang out.  At first it was a small walk-up DQ.  They soon added indoor seating and sandwiches and added a putt putt golf course next door.

The Historical Society did a good job showing old pictures of it that mom had provided and telling about the owners since Mom & Dad sold it.  The current owner and manager have had it for 19 years.  

Mom said that the first day the store was open, she was being trained on how to make cones when a school bus full of kids came on the last day of school!  She said she quickly learned how to make and sell cones!  She also says she would put me in like a pumpkin seat by the window while she waited on customers.  

We mostly remember Glenn filling out his order for a tenderloin and fries and sending it down the line!  We made ourselves lots of extra thick shakes and hot fudge sundaes with extra squirts of hot fudge and ate lots of "mistakes".  Glenn and I worked in the back from a young age doing things like dipping Dilly Bars and Buster Bars, weighing out servings of french fries and breaded mushrooms, etc. and during busy times we cleared tables.  I worked there as a real (paid) employee a couple of years before they sold it when I was a sophomore.

The current owners invited us to come to the DQ after the program and see if we still remembered how to make a cone with the signature curl.  None of us had forgotten!  They all looked good!   We took some pictures with the original DQ sign (top picture).

The kid in the blue shirt at first thought Mom needed instructions!  ha ha! 

nice cone Mom!

my cone

People always asked us if we ever got sick of ice cream and all of us answered "no way"!  And we still love ice cream - especially soft serve.

Fun Day Making Cards and More

Last Thurs. I had a stamp class at our house.  First one in a long time.  I've recently found more ladies who like to stamp - three of the ladies are from Algona.  There were 7 of us.  I showed them some of the new products from the new Stampin' Up! catalog, then they made two cards, looked at lots of card samples and had some dessert.

Recently, while taking a detour due to a bridge being worked on, I saw a sign "Vintage Sale" and it was back a long driveway and up a hill to a house I've wished I could see up close.  It's back off the road and I always notice it when I'm working ground in one of our fields!  It's a beautiful setting - log type home and big red shed and other buildings. (you an see it from Hwy. 15 near Tim & Bette Jo's house for those that know the area)  So I checked it out.  Rose had repurposed things for sale in two buildings inculding furniture, some dishes, old jewelry, chalk boards, flower arrangements, etc.  She is open when her sign is out or by appointment. 

So after stamping, all of us went to check out her stuff.  It was fun looking and she even gave us a tour of part of her house!!!  The old truck below is at the end of Rose Knobloch's lane by the road.  Fun day!  

Today is our 7th Anniversary already!  Happy Anniversary to us!

Fresh Tart Cherries

A friend here in Rolfe let me pick cherries from her loaded tree today!  This morning I went over and picked an ice cream bucket full.  It was a windy day so thought I wouldn't be too bothered by mosquitoes or biting gnats.  I was wrong!  They were bad.  But the cherries were beautiful and worth it!  I pitted them by hand and was happy there will be enough for two pies!  I had a cute little round cherry tree at my house in Indiana and I miss it.  We may have to plant a cherry tree.

Back and Leaving Again

I'm just back from a 9 day trip to Indiana and leaving again for La Crosse, Wisconsin in the morning.  No time to do blog posts of my fun in Indiana before heading out again.  Will have lots to share when I get back.

Tonight was our great niece's 4th birthday and we were invited to Diane's for a cookout and blue birthday cake.  She's growing up way too fast!  

Last night was not good around here.  Lots and lots of rain - about 5".  Flooding worse than anyone remembers.  Our county was one of five in Iowa declared a disaster.  As Bill said "our crops did look good".  

Luckily our house is dry but Bill had to do some digging out in the rain and lightening at about 1:30 am to keep the basement dry.  I was out there in the truck to call 911 if needed!  There was a tornado (below) in the northern part of the county.  We farm a couple of farms near where this one was and know the people that took the picture.  No damage to homes thankfully.  We hope to get more sleep tonight but they're saying possible bad weather for us again.