Be sure to vote today....

There's an old saying you've probably heard and that is "elections have consequences".   I think we have found that to be too true, especially in recent years.   This may be one of the most important elections ever.  The future of the United States of America as we know it is at stake.  Please, exercise your right to vote today!   

Until next time...

Aren't they cute?

Any one remember this from years gone by?  I scanned this note card that I found while looking for something else a few weeks ago.  I was quite surprised to find a larger framed version at the farm house while we sorting through things last weekend.  I hadn't remembered they had one hanging up anywhere.  You've got to admit, even if you're not into country note cards, these little guys are adorable.

Since I was country when country wasn't cool, as the song goes, here's my own little farmer boy photo, along with a little girl.  Hmmm, wonder who she could be?

Yep, that's me at age 3.  The little boy on the left is my age and we were attending the birthday party of the little boy on the right who had turned the ripe old age of 4.   All this information was written on the back of this old photo, or I might not have known the ages or the occasion.  Aren't those boys just the cutest in their little overalls?   (they were cute when they got older, too!)  As for me, I always loved being around the boys!

Until next time...

Of work and winning and stormy weather

This past weekend was a busy one at the farm.  We all gathered for another weekend of painting, window washing and other fun (?) stuff.  One of the cousins who does carpentry stopped by to look at the siding and gave an estimate on a small repair...he told us that we were wasting our time painting before the sale!  Hmmm. 

Since we haven't gotten to go to Branson this month, I'll have to be content to grab a few minutes to enjoy the views at the farm whenever I take a break from working.  It is really quiet and peaceful.  Once in a while when we're working, my brother-in-law likes to kid around with "you know this is a lot more fun than being in Branson".  I don't think so!   

Thanks to all of you who commented on my last post about the mysterious happenings at my house.  I'm glad to know that we're not the only ones experiencing such.   Here's another photo of the abandoned house that I used in my last post.  Doesn't it look like it was a great house at one time!  Too bad that it wasn't kept up and still livable.  Frankly, I think this is what my house will look like soon, if we don't get time to give it some attention!  :) 

My son was home over the weekend.  He spent most of his time Saturday in Columbia at Faurot Field where the game between the Missouri Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners was played.  The Tigers won 36-27!  Yay, Tigers!  It was the University of Missouri's homecoming, too.  My son said it was one of the best games he'd ever seen.   There was over 71,000 in attendance at the game so he was very late getting home.   We got home early enough Saturday night to see part of the game on television.  

We've been under a severe thunderstorm warning this night.  Also, we're under a tornado watch until 6 am.  It was very warm out today and windy.  The kind of warm weather that you just know will probably brew up a storm.  I don't sleep easily when the weather might turn nasty.   I'm hoping the trees won't lose all their leaves yet...I want to take a drive soon to see if I can capture some fall color before it's gone.

Until next time...

Mysterious happenings....

What is a strange happenings post without a photo of a haunted house?  Well, to be honest, I'm not sure that this old vacant house that I took photos of the other day is haunted...but it makes a good prop!  Cue the scary music!  Woooooo!!!

Since Halloween is right around the corner and even tho I'm really not all that into Halloween, I still thought this might be a good time to share the story of some unexplained happenings here in my own house.  This may turn out to be rather long.  Hope you stick with me and let me know what you think!   I saved the strangest story for the end.

In recent years, we've been experiencing some strange sounds and happenings.  One night while I was at work and my daughter and husband were downstairs....she was at her computer desk and he was watching television.  They both heard what sounded like someone stepping down off of a chair, then scooted the chair across the upstairs bathroom floor.  Then after that they heard a door shut.  Both of them ran up the stairs to see what was going on, but saw nothing out of place.

Another time, while they were downstairs, they heard what sounded like someone walking down the hall.  Thinking I might have gotten home early, they came up the stairs to see me...but it wasn't me!  I was still at work.

Yet another time, my daughter was sitting in her computer chair at the desk and a cool breeze went by behind her and she caught a whiff of a floral perfume.

Both my children have heard music in the house, when there wasn't a tv on or music playing.  My son even walked around the house trying to determine where it was coming from....didn't find anything.  The neighbors were quiet, so it wasn't them...and their houses aren't real close to ours.

I've heard loud sounds in the bedroom.  Sometimes it sounds like a chain or something is sliding down the wall.  That is about the only way I know to describe it.

One night there was a loud crash, and the cat took off running.  Another time, she got spooked and her fur stood on end with her tail getting big.  There was nothing to be seen.

I think the strangest happening of all is the day I was getting ready for work.  I had showered and had opened my bottle of foundation preparing to put on my makeup.  Nature was calling, so I sat down the bottle of foundation and went around the corner...there is a half wall between the vanity and toilet...when I finished and went back to the sink to wash my hands, I noticed that there were drops of makeup on the floor.   Looking closer, I noticed that these drops were about the size of a nickel and were almost perfectly spaced in a row leading back to the wall between two closet doors opposite the vanity.  I had a plant stand with a plant next to the wall between the two doors...our bathroom is rather large...and there were some drops on the leaves, too.  Well, I had to go to work so in my haste I cleaned up the mess and finished getting ready and didn't think to take photos.   I was certainly very puzzled as to how that happened.   But when I got home and told my family, I showed them the drops still on the plant and a few had ended up veering off in another direction on the floor that I had overlooked while cleaning up the mess,  so they did believe me!  I am wondering to this day how that happened.  My hubby said I must have shaken the bottle.  No, I didn't and even if I had I would have had to have thrown the stuff over my shoulder, because the drops were directly behind where I was standing.  And how would they have ended up so perfectly matched in size and evenly spaced?  I didn't count the drops, but there were quite a few!  I can't think of an explanation for this.  I didn't shake the bottle, the bottle was unopened and just where I left it.   Strange!!! 

Okay, you probably think I've really lost it!  But all of these things have really happened.  I don't really believe in ghosts, but I have no explanation for any of the many strange sounds and happenings we've experienced.

How about you?  Have any strange goings on in your house?  If so, please share!  I wish someone could tell me how my foundation ended up in perfect drops on the floor!!  Very, very strange.....

Have a good weekend, everyone!
Cheryl

Thursday's random thoughts...

Looking up at jets going in opposite directions.  Since we live in the middle of Missouri, I imagined the one on the right going to Kansas City and the one on the left is heading for St. Louis.  I often wonder who is on board and where they've been or where they're going.  Or, hmmm, is my frequent-traveler son on one perhaps?  Notice the leaves on the trees are not cooperating this year with nice fall colors.

I wish I could be this lazy!  

October 2010 - Thomas Kinkade calendar on my wall

I love Kinkade's paintings and wish I could just crawl inside this one and live there!  Doesn't it look so pretty and serene?  You just know the inside would be just as immaculate and carefully decorated as the outside.   

Speaking of decorations, here's one of the few fall things I've been able to find.  I have a large tote of fall stuff that I put out each fall and this year when I opened the tote, I found I was missing several things including one of my favorites that I bought just last year!  This is just one of the mysterious happenings that has occurred that I'll be posting about soon.  And, yes, I've looked high and low for these items and can't find them.  Hmm.

 

Here is a barrel head that I painted several years ago when I was into crafting. 

There is a delightful store in Boonville, MO I just discovered called Never the Same that has a lot of items that have been painted with pumpkins and such for fall and already some Christmas stuff is appearing.   They use old items that most of us throw away and paint them.  They had some really neat wine bottles painted with a snowman or Santa with mini lights inside. 

Here's a closer look at the mouse on the pumpkin in the photo above.  That's as close to a mouse as I want to get!   Btw, my wall is really a nice shade of beige, not blue as that photo above this one makes it look.   The light in here is horrible for picture taking.  

That's all, folks, for this Thursday's random thoughts and photos.  

 

Until next time....

A little fall color...

This is the first Monday that I haven't had to think about going to work, unless it was a holiday, in quite some time!  I must say that it is rather nice and my furbaby is very glad, too!  She has been spoiled rotten by my hubby and daughter while I've worked nights.  They have let her get away with way too much!  For example, the photo below shows her laying on the island in the kitchen.  She thinks that is her spot from which to survey all the goings on in the kitchen.  Do you think I'll ever be able to undo all the bad habits she's been allowed to develop?

We worked at the farm all this weekend in the house, the garage, the machine shed and sorted, washed and boxed up stuff in preparation of the sale.  We've gotten a lot done the last few weekends, but there is much more to do and then we will try to paint the inside of the house.  I took a couple of outside photos today in an effort to show the fall colors even tho the colors haven't reached their peak yet.  When they do, I don't think the colors will be as pretty as in other years.  I hope I'm wrong.  Here's today's photo looking south from the farm house.

One more...

I hope to have a little more time for blogging now.  At least when the work at the farm slows down and I get caught up on things here at my house.  I still have a post about blogging in mind to do as I mentioned several weeks ago.  I haven't forgotten, it's just been put on the back burner for a while.  I also am working on a post about strange happenings here in my own home...more about that soon.  

Until next time...

Of October leaves....

"O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away."

~Robert Frost, October

Since I haven't really been anywhere to take photos this fall season yet, I will share two from last year.  The top pic is a larger version of the one above in my four seasons header.  The other is from the same park.

Our leaves are changing rapidly now and I hope to get to take at least one day to drive somewhere to enjoy the colors in the next week when they will probably be at their peak.  I don't know that the fall colors will be at their best this year here in my neck of the woods since the daytime temperature has mostly stayed very warm for this time of year. 

Edited to add:  These photos were taken at Rothwell Park in Moberly, Mo. 
 

Until next time...

Something new...and changes

I find myself in a somewhat giddy (does anyone even use that word anymore?) mood today.  I suppose that I could blame it on fatigue, which would be a plausible excuse seeing that we've been working so hard and on the go so much.  But, I don't think that is it.  First of all, I'm just feeling really weird knowing that this will be my last week at work.  It will be an adjustment again to get back to "normal" hours.

Here is a photo that I took a couple of weeks ago on my way to work:

As I passed this, as they were going so very slow, I saw in front of the mushroom that it had little seats and was a carnival type ride of some sort.  I wondered where it came from and where it was headed.  You never know what you will see driving to work and, of course, driving home after 11:30 pm is often an adventure trying to dodge the many deer and various other animals who seem to love to hang out on the highways.  I won't miss the late night driving! 

Secondly, the next thing is that I'm just so excited about this new computer I got last weekend!  I'm still trying to get used to things and it took me awhile to figure out how to upload my pictures to the blog, but I think I finally got the hang of that.  There are a gazillion other things I need to learn.  Can't wait to spend more time with my new purchase.  Can you see me grinning?  My old computer was so very slow and I know it was about to quit me.  So, I'm a very happy camper.  I can even see my background so much better and I've decided to change it soon.  It isn't quite what I thought it was. 

Before I go, I have to show a few photos that I took the day I got my computer.  These were taken in Columbia where Best Buy was happy to have me part with my money.  It was a gorgeous fall day.

 

Yes, I stopped in at the Golden Arches or some say Mickey D's for a nice iced tea.  It was thirsty work picking out a computer!  The hot air balloons and roses and balmy temperatures make you think it is still summer, but the balloons are a fairly common sight in Columbia on weekends when the weather is nice. 

And one more...

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog and leaves such sweet comments, I appreciate them so much!   I haven't had time to visit each of you yet, but as soon as I can I'll be dropping by.  I hope each of you has a great week ahead and are enjoying a beautiful fall.   I see a difference in the color of the trees here nearly everyday now.  It's a wonderful time of year! 

Until next time....

The View....no, not that one!

This is a view from my FIL's house overlooking part of his farm.  That is a soybean crop down the hill behind the old hay barn across the road.  The picture was taken by my son just a day or so after the funeral.  The house is just behind him and has a big window looking out at this view where my FIL loved to sit in his later years gazing out the window.  It is also a good view at night because you can see the nearby city lights twinkling just a short distance away.

There are other nice views on this farm, but this is a favorite.  We will miss this farm when it is sold, but not as much as we will miss the people who lived there...my hubby's parents.

I remember well when my father sold his farm and how big an adjustment it was not to get to go there anymore...not to get to fish in the ponds, ride the horses, hunt for deer and the hundred and one other things one does on a farm.  There's just something about the country life that really grabs your heart strings and never lets go.

Life goes on with many changes.  And speaking of changes, I resigned from my job this week.  Next week will be my last.  I have been saying that I will retire before winter, so I did it...but not without mixed feelings.  I will miss my friends there and I guess I feel like I'm getting "old" when I say I'm retiring.  Oh wait...I am getting old!  Okay, I'm getting older.  Whew, that sounds better.  Soon, I'll finally have more time for blogging and there will be no excuse for my house to be dirty, right?  And I can't wait to get started on that stack of books I've been wanting to read! 

As you can see by the photo above, the trees in my part of the country haven't turned much yet.  I've seen some color beginning in a few trees here in town.  Fall has definitely arrived, tho, in the much cooler temps.    Last Sunday night, my kids were here so we made a fire in the fire pit out back on the patio and sat around it talking and making S'Mores.  It was really chilly and the fire felt good! The S'Mores weren't bad, either.  ;)

Are you enjoying the fall season, too?

Until next time....

An update

Hello friends, I apologize for my long absence.   After a long, lingering illness my father-in-law lost his battle to live.  He had a long and good life, and we are comforted to know that he is in a much better place now where there will be no more suffering or pain.

The family has been going practically non-stop for the past month with work, travel and staying at the hospital by his side.  We are all exhausted, to tell the truth.  But work has already started to get the house and farm ready to sell soon.   The children decided that since none of them want the farm and there are interested buyers already, to just go ahead and get it done.  So, we will be working all this weekend and the next and however many weekends it takes.  There is much to be sorted through and cleaned up.  Our own projects will have to be put off until after all this is done, but it can't be helped.

I have missed having the time to visit everyone and I want to thank each of you for your thoughts and prayers.  I hope to get back to at least reading and commenting soon, if my computer doesn't play out.

My ancient computer has been driving me crazy the few times I've been trying to surf around...it is so very slow and just crashes now and then.  I need to get a new one as soon as I have a bit of time to do a little research and shopping.  Any recommendations?  Laptop or desktop?

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends, and enjoy the fall season.  We are having beautiful weather here, lately.   I just love autumn! 

Until next time...