I Did It - 31 Posts in 31 Days!

So, I didn't mention I was trying to do this in case I failed...but, I did it!!!

Blessings from Wisconsin!

One of My Weird Collections - Taxidermy Chickens

Another fun tid bit of information about me...I collect taxidermy chickens (and other small critters).  It all started with the stuffed barred rock hen in the white basket.  I bought her from Diane H. at the Ringle Harvest Day several years ago.  Then I bought the basket with hen and chicks from my cousin, Vikki.  Then she found me the bantam rooster.  Another friend found me the stuffed duckling. 

I know I'm weird...I love these old taxidermy birds.

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Stir Fry Veggie Mix for Freezer

We washed, cut and bagged several different veggies for Anna's party.  As usual, I had too much.  So I made up stir fry veggie mix freezer bags.  I used my Food Saver vacuum sealer.

I use this sealer a lot.  I also did the same for extra hot dogs, hot beef and even my cowboy baked beans.  If you don't own one of these sealers, you should invest in one. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Huey Lewis

I loved Huey Lewis and the News growing up.  I had their poster plastered on my walls, listened to their cassette tapes all the time and was in love with Huey Lewis.  He was my "dream guy."  I did see them in the early 80's at Apple Valley (between Madison and Milwaukee).  I also was able to see them this past Sunday night at Lac du Flambeau, Lake of the Torches Casino and Resort.  It was amazing! 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

American Kestrel

These photos are from google image, as I haven't been able to get a good picture of the ones we have nesting on our barn.

The American Kestrel also known as the Sparrow Hawk is the smallest falcon and raptor in North America.  They range in size from 7.5 - 12" with a 20 - 24" wing span.  The male weights 2.8 - 4.2 oz. and the female 4.2 - 5.9 oz.  The life span of the Kestrel in the wild is 5 years.  They typically eat grasshoppers, dragonflies, lizards and mice.  However, they do eat other small birds.

The reason for this post....

A few years back, we agreed to let the Marathon County Bird Club put up a nesting box on the side of our barn.  They were hoping that a pair of Kestrels would take up residence there.  It took a year or two to attract the Kestrel, but now we have had several years of these falcons flying around our fields.

They are beautiful, talkative (making many unique calls) and we do like to have them around.  However, this year, they have decided to prey on my small chicks.  These little ones are like chicken nuggets to those falcons.  I've seen the mama hens run to cover with her wings covering her little ones.  I have decided to keep the smaller chicks in cages with their mamas for at least a month till they are a bit bigger. 

That is life and nature after all....

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Baby Raccoons

My sister-in-law rescued 2 orphaned baby raccoons.  These 2 little cuties lost their home in a severe thunderstorm that knocked down some trees.  She left them for a day to see if the mama raccoon would come back, but she didn't.  

They live in Indiana and brought them up to the graduation - because they are bottle fed.  She hopes to find a zoo or organization to take them in and or release them back into the wild.

 
They sure were cute!  They made the funniest noises - especially when you rubbed their backs.  The almost purred like kittens. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Congratulations Anna

Saturday, May 26, 2012 - Faith Christian Academy

Anna, our youngest daughter, graduated from high school over the weekend.   Her class had 10 graduates. 

The speaker was Kevin Hermening.  He was one of the Iran hostages (Iran hostage crisis - 1979).  He lives in Mosinee, WI.  He gave a very inspirational speech - on Memorial weekend.  He talked about memorial stones in our lives.  He related these memorial stones from the bible, how the Israelites made stone memorials to mark something God delivered them from.  He said each of us has memorial stones that we have made and will make in our lives.  These events will change us and we should make a memorial stone not only to remind us what God has done for us, but as a testimony to others that they can be a witness of what God has done.  All I could think about, was Anna's memorial stone of cancer.  Our decision to send our children to Faith Christian Academy the year Anna was undergoing chemotherapy to limit her exposure to germs and illness and our staying an additional 6 years.  This has been a financial sacrifice for us, one we chose to make.   This memorial stone is one that changed our lives forever.  We are stronger for it.

People kept coming up to me and asking if I was sad to see the last one graduate.  I said "No, I'm blessed.  I'm happy to see this day, it could have been so much different.  God has been so good to us, blessing our family, healing Anna completely and allowing us to celebrate this joyful day." 

Memorial stones - I'll say!

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Hanging Basket

We are getting ready for the graduation party....I wish my yard looked this nice all the time!  We have been working outside all week and now today we need to clean the house.

Blessings from Wisconsin!

Cat Scrathing Post

My cats love our porch.  They perch on the rail, sleep on the chairs, peek at us through the kitchen window and .... use it as their scratchin post.

Here is Pumpkin sunning herself on the rail...

She casually walks along the top to face the sun...

Acting all smug...

"I'm bored...oh...I know what I'll do..."

"...ahh...now that feels good."

Crazy cats...all 3 do this.  My husband was mad at first, now he has accepted it - annoyed by it - but, he decided to just let it go. 

It's funny, the older you get, the more these little things don't bother you.   If you read my pack rat post - obviously nothing bothers me.  My husband...was mad at first, now he has accepted it - annoyed by it - but, he decided to just let it go. :)

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Lucky Penny Day

"Find a penny pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck"

Blessings from Wisconsin.

May 21 - Memo Day

May 21st - Memo Day

I remember learing the proper way to send a memo.  The to, from, subject, date style.  In school and at work I had to type dozens of memos this way. 

I have worked as a receptionist and have taken down thousands of those pink telephone message/memo sheets.

What about post its.  I still have visions of legal binders coming across my desk plastered with yellow post a notes filled with numerous memos.

Today...we use the "e" messages as our memos.  To be honest with you...I hate the "e" form.  My kids laugh when I don't understand what the symbol or group of letters used for a word or sentence means.  

For me and what I do everyday, I just write it down the old fashioned way....paper and pen.   I have to keep a notebook with my "to do" stuff or I will forget to do something.  I always write stuff down, because I love crossing stuff off.  Once a whole page is crossed off, I put a big loop through the whole thing.  I don't know, makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

Blessings from Wisconsin.

New Meaning to "Mama Hen"

These old gals just won't give up.  They know they laid eggs in one these boxes..."now, which ones are mine?"  Forget about trying to move them...I have peck marks on my hands and arms.  They are waiting patiently for this....

their own chicks.  It is funny to see how a pair of hens will share the chicks.  They just cluck away and the little ones follow.  I LOVE it when they are under the wings and all you see are legs. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Burt & Ernie Market Lambs

The picture in my header is of the whiter of these 2 lambs.   Anna initially called him "Mr. Buttons."  Now, with the addition of the other lamb, she decided to call them "Burt and Ernie." 

These 2 lambs are her 4-H project lambs for the Market Animal Show and Sale.  All lambs in the county are weighed in on the same day, raised all summer and then weighed in on entry day of fair.  They are to have a rate of gain of .45/day and weight between 110 - 150#.  These requirements must be met in order to sell your lamb at auction. 

Anna wanted 2 smaller lambs - as she is trying to get the rate of gain champion.   We'll see....we are trying a higher quality feed...they do like to eat.  I just hope they make minimum weight.  

I will post on their progress.  

Blessings from Wisconsin. 

Date Your Mate Month

Many of my followers know that my husband had a bicycle accident.  He went over the handle bars and shattered his wrist.  He needed surgery and has been off work for 10 weeks. 

He wasn't able to do anything for MANY weeks - he read alot of books.  It has been nice having him home with me during the day.  I will miss him when he goes back to work.

We really didn't get to go on "dates", we went to some rummage sales and had lunch out a few times.   Just spending time together is enough for me. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

May 17th - Happy Pack Rat Day!

I'm a little nervous to publish this post.  Many of you know that I resell items as a business.  I "buy out" whole estates, bring them home and sell the items.  For me, there is a fine line between - resale and hoarding....so, are you ready???  I really don't want to show you this....but, here goes... 

This is my kitchen table this morning....I do have my "to do" list on top...I have to tackle this mess TODAY!

I do sell on Ebay - this is my shipping pile.  Nice, however, not in my dining room.

When you are in this business, it is nice to have a trailer to haul - but, using it as a storage has made more work for myself...unloading to load....???  I really hate me at times!

 My "weathering" pile.  I like to keep stuff that I want to age or "weather" outside my buildings....who am I trying to fool?  Anyone can see that they are already weathered....

Well, now you see it...my "stash"  Or as Mike and Frank from American Pickers would say...."honey hole."  This is my pole building....I still have a studio and shop - we'll save that for another post!

Did I mention....I do flea markets?!? 

As you can see from the stack of books in this building....I do have plans to or at least had plans to ....  "Unclutter Your Life!" 

Blessings from Wisconsin.