Wood Pile

Steph wanted evidence that we really did get wood. This is Grandma collecting wood.
This is a mistake but it is easier for me to leave it here than take it out. There will be NO more pictures like this this year. We had a good frost last week while I was gone and I am told the tops were hit hard but underneath is ok, if I got the message correctly. The weather shows us to be in the mid 20's Wed night so I will go home tomorrow and pick tomatoes and whatever else I can salvage.

Mike took these 2 pictures to show my crazy pumpkin plants. After the frost, I will be able to see how many pumpkins I actually have hidden in there. I know there is a huge squash that I can't wait to show off.

Now back to getting wood. See Jessie did work. She did lots of work. You won't see me doing anything.

So I lost that picture. It is so easy to delete a photo when you don't want to. I will add her picture later.

Mike cutting down a tree.

The unpiled stuff is the 1st load we got.

This pile is the 2nd load. Just the bare, white wood. The barky cedar was already there.

And this was to show her entire wood pile but there is the cedar and load of pine that we got in the back that you can't see. I think she will be able to get by this winter. We are hoping to make one more trip out there. We will see.

A pretty shiner

Mike's mom, Jessie, went to take some papers to her neighbor. She visited on their porch for a few minutes and as she started to leave, she crashed down the stairs right onto the concrete. She got scraped up and bruised but really came out of it in pretty good shape. Her glasses didn't break, but it scratched the lenses real bad. I wasn't going to take her picture until she woke up with this pretty shiner today. I thought it shouldn't go without some recognition. I don't think I would want to take her on in a bar fight!

Church laughs

I leave home for a week and now I have so much to share with everyone. I will split it up and maybe not even do it all today.

As long as I have been going to church, not much new and exciting happens there. OK, maybe not much new and exciting ever happens in church but I got a kick out of this. It certainly is no where near as funny as something my friend Amy shared but we won't go into that right now.

So we were in SS class and a returned missionary was sharing the church's involvement in Oklahoma a few years ago following a horrible tornado. Of course the elders donned the famous t-shirts with lettering saying the were with the LDS church. After things were somewhat in order, the local officials released an article to the press. In it they expressed gratitude for all who helped and said that they specifically wanted to single out 2 organizations who were especially helpful. The 1st was the Mormons and the other was the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. Yep. I got quite a good laugh out of that.

And the other was that a baby was to be blessed. The men started gathering in the front of the chapel. And then one of them says, "Oh, the baby." He goes back to his wife and gets the baby. I know I entertain easily but I got a laugh out of it. And then later he bore his testimony that he really does love his daughter.

Preparing for Winter

Mike and I are in Panaca getting fire wood for his mom for the winter. We got 2 truck loads on Tues and today (Thur). We still need to make one more trip out for wood but it will have to wait until next month when we come down again. I took a few pictures of us getting the wood and meant to take a picture of our loads, but by the time it was all loaded up, we got to eat and then we were anxious to get home and be done. If I remember I will take a picture of the wood piles tomorrow. Meanwhile, you will just have to take my word for it since I am too lazy to mess with posting any pictures tonight.

The fruits of my labors

This is my old way of getting an extra pan going for canning.
This is my new and improved way of canning. Don't be surprised if you see me on a camp chef commercial. I am very impresssed with how quickly the camp chef heated my water. I should have been canning on a camp chef for years. I really was impressed with it's efficiancy. (As long as I remember to refill the propane tank.)

Here is my final product. Not too bad for 4 days work. I will post my final tally after I get them all cleaned up and boxed up.

And yes, that is Mike's side of the garage. I have pretty much taken over all of the garage with my canning.

Contest

OK. I think we should have a poll to see which "Norman" everybody chooses for Julie. Do you like my Norman picture or Julie's Norman pictures?

DEX and me

I have heard that Julie is dating someone. I have been waiting for her to send me a picture but she hasn't so I had to take care of things on my own. I asked "DEX" what I should do and he said 1-800-ISEEYOU. This number connected me with a paparazzi who promised me quick results, cheap; very cheap. I couldn't resist. This is what their extensive search came up with.

Their business card also had a web page. It was www.eternalmatch.com. Some of you may be interested in checking it out.

Don't worry Julie. You can't hide from my new paparazzi friend.

Maybe it could be a lesson for the rest of you too.

Mom is home

I've been busy harvesting and canning. Not very much of anything but a little here and there will add up. Just wanted to let everyone know that mom went home from the hospital today. She sounds good.

Harvest

Mom is doing well. I talked to her today and she sounded good. She doesn't have to have rehab and should go home in 3-4 days. She even put weight on her leg today.

My job for today was to pick beans and corn and can them and pick swiss chard and do something with it. I completed most of it. While I was picking the beans, there seemed to be less than the last 2 pickings but when I got canning I had 8 pints. The other 2 pickings I got 6 pints. So I am up to 20 pints. That's almost 2 pints a month for us to eat. I didn't get to the corn. Hopefully tomorrow. It won't take long. I picked 1/2 a ton of swiss chard. It was in need of a good picking. I canned 4 pints to see how I like it. Then I gave the rest away. There is a family in the ward with something like 9 kids and most of them are boys. The boys helped till my garden this spring and get it ready to plant. So this is the 2nd time I have dumped swiss chard on them. The kids all say that they like it. I'm glad they will take it. I guess the rest of you can be glad that you are far enough away that I won't leave it on your doorstep.

Mom's surgery and my rant

Most of you who care will already know this before you read it here but I just wanted to let everyone know that Mom had surgery to repair the surgery that she had several months ago to fix her broken leg. They were hoping to put a rod in but didn't think they would be able to. Well they got the rod in. Now I just hope her recovery goes well.

I also have to sound-off on the new family search program. I believe my worthiness to hold a temple recommend may be in jeopardy if I go on there very often. People go on there and do the stupidest things so others have to go on and correct them. I am not saying that I am above doing stupid things on a computer but that is why I have stayed away from new family search and now I am the one trying to correct their errors. I will get over it but here is my caution. Please make sure you know what you are doing, BEFORE you start doing a bunch of stuff in family search. Thanks.