Busy!

It's been a long time since my last blog post I know.  We got done planting maybe two weeks ago at midnight before we started getting quite a bit of rain at 12:05 am.   With several days of rainy, cool weather ahead, everybody was contemplating whether they should try to get all of the beans in the ground or wait until warmer, drier weather or get them in quick in case it was going to be one of those springs when it keeps raining every couple of days with not enough time in between for the ground to get dry enough to plant again.

Turns out that is what is happening so we're very glad to be done.  Some here still aren't.  Now all of the fields have to be sprayed when it gets dry enough.  Bill says that may be tricky.  

My mom left today after being here for a week.  We kept busy while she was here.  I was finally able to take her to Carnegie Cafe in Lake City.  It's a very nice restaurant in an old Carnegie Library.  Diane and her girls, Diane's friend, Mom & I went to Storm Lake for pedicures or manicures and ate at the girls' favorite place, BozzWellz.  The little girls spent the night with us - Camry for 3 nights straight.  We made cards with my friend Deb and Bill's mom.  Mom got a lot done on her Christmas cards (lucky her!).  Trip to West Bend to the meat locker for Butter Braids (only $7 since they are made in that town and you can buy seconds at the grocery or meat locker), bacon, and steak & roast seasoning that's also good on asparagus.  Cookout here along with shooting practice for the guys and a Gator ride for the girls.  Church on Sun.  Supper and bowling at the bowling alley.  Mom was able to go to the last day of school for the talent show before she headed southeast.   

I have a P.E.O. convention to go to Fri.-Sun. in Des Moines.  Seems like we have lots of fun things on the calendar for the summer already.  

Trees are Blooming!

The crabapple trees have been blooming in our area the past week or so.  I think they are so pretty.  We've now planted three of them in our yard.  Unfortunately, the little red bud tree seems to have died over the winter.  This was the second winter for it.  The leaves of all the trees are just coming out.  We have cut the grass once so far, and it's really growing fast.

Yesterday we got just enough rain to stop field work before noon, but then the sun came out and we were able to get going again by late afternoon.  The weather looks good now until Sun. night and then rain for several days.  They're saying 1.6" for us. 

Happy May Day!

Did you get a May Day basket today?  I saw a friend post on Facebook today that it's too bad we don't still give May Day baskets.  Why not do it if you like that tradition?!  

Stampin' Up! came out with a berry basket die this year so I immediately got it knowing that I'd use it for various things for years to come.  All you do is put two sheets of card stock on the die and run it through the Big Shot and all the pieces (6) to make the basket, trim and handle are cut out in less than a minute.  (if you'd like to have one too, go to my web site - top right) Let me know if you have any questions. 

This first green one I dropped off on our neighbors' door this morning.  They have a daughter so want her to have memories of receiving May Day baskets.  The pink one is for Diane and girls.  I hope I can get it to their door before they get home from school, but if not, I'll do the ring the doorbell and go delivery.

We got a tenth of an inch of rain late morning which stopped our operation but the wind has been blowing and Bill and Tim think we can get going again now.  So I'll have to do the quick basket delivery and get back to the tractor.  We're close to being done planting corn.  Then we'll start beans but lots of rain in next week's forecast.

These are so quick and fun to do that I need to make up about 10 to have ready to give to several people next year!

sorry, blurry picture

 

Green Already

Remember back in March when we burned the CRP ground at Bill's Mom's?   It took only around two weeks to grow back nice and green!

We have been waiting for nine days for the fields to be dry enough to work again after getting about 2 1/4" inches total of rain and cold weather.  Finally yesterday we were able to get started again after planting about 500 acres of corn before that rain.  Bill hopes to be able to get back to planting today.

I'm waiting this morning for my work orders. 

Here we go!

The weather is good so all of a sudden the past couple of days the tractors and planters are going and things are hoppin'!  It's fun to be back out there!

We have friends visiting for a couple of days staying at Peggy's.  John has been wanting to drive the quad trac so he did my job and I made lunch for everybody yesterday.  Then Peggy, Mary Jeanne and I made cards all afternoon!  I now have 16 cards for various occasions ready to mail!  

We copied these ideas from cards I found on Pinterest.  I don't enjoy designing - I just like to make them.  Mary Jeanne's family is Irish so she really liked this card I had made so she made herself a sample.

We had a field cultivator break down so parts are being picked up and the guys will get them installed.  In the meantime, I'm catching up our laundry, etc.

My favorite flowers are daffodils and I want to have LOTS of them here around our house, but I'm having trouble getting them going.  I had only 3 blooms in one spot.  Last Fall I planted a few more trying another location and yesterday saw that 2 of them are blooming.  Will plant more this Fall!

I've mentioned several times that I love Our Iowa magazine.  There is a column called From the Mouths . . . - always funny things that kids say.  Here's a couple good ones:

We were attending the funeral of an aunt who had lived a long, fulfilling life.  As the minister began, our 3 year old grandson stood up in the front pew and asked, "What's in the box?"  At that moment, the solemn service became a celebration of life.  (hahaha!!)

While watching her dad grilling the meat for dinner, our 7 year old granddaughter exclaimed, "I love my steaks.  I could never be a veterinarian."
 

Free Shipping and Special Deals

Besides the Free Shipping through the 10th, every Tuesday Stampin' Up! posts specials for the week.  Be sure to check my web site cindykemna.stampinup.net often and especially on Tuesdays to see what the specials are.  Here are this week's:

Order online at cindykemna.stampinup.net.  You can view our annual catalog there and also the Occasions catalog.