Someone Hit A Milestone

 Hello Friends.

Well on June 16th my baby brother

turned a young 60 years old.

Ever since we have been going to my mom's

he has become fascinated with the freighters.

To the point when I got in the car each time,

he wanted to know if we would see any

on our way up or back from my mom's.

So Bob and I took my brother Tom

over to Harsen's Island for his birthday

so he could see the freighters up close.

Here we are on the ferry getting ready

to take off.

On our way now.

It is a 5 minute crossing.

Here comes the first freighter.

The queen of the lakes herself.

Big Paul Tregurtha.

This is the biggest freighter on our great lakes.

She is 1,013 feet long.

Here comes the second one about

5 minutes behind.

The Canadian freighter 

CSL St Laurent.

This one is 730 feet long.

 Tom was really enjoying seeing these

freighters and decided to take pics

for himself.

Finally the last one before we left.

This one going down the channel,

while the other two were going up.

The American Mariner.

Another 730 foot freighter.

I was so glad my brother got to see 

some freighters that day.

After the American Mariner passed,

we headed off the island.

It was a good thing we did too...

as it started raining when I was driving

back to catch the ferry home.

We had a nice lunch.

Tom had a BBQ pork sandwich with fries.

I had a Turkey Reuben with fries.

Bob had some kind of Jammer sandwich.

It was Roast Beef, Bacon, sauteed Mushroom,

Swiss Cheese on a Ciabatta Bun with

a Horsey Sauce.

Not for me, but he liked it.

We shared a bucket (6 bottles) 

of Labatt's Blue beer.

It is a Canadian beer that we like.

The next evening my sister and BIL,

Bob and I, mom and Tom

had dinner at the Olive Garden

to celebrate my brother's birthday.

He got a free cheesecake 

which looked really good.

Bob and I indulged 

in a Strawberry Mango Margarita.

I had Chicken Parmesan.

Bob had Steak and Shrimp Tortellini.

Mom had Spaghetti with one Meatball.

The rest had Ravioli with meat sauce. 

All in all I know my brother had a few

wonderful birthday celebrations.

I hope he has many many more.

In other news,

The estate sale is over and done with.

Thank the Lord.

Next Monday Tom, Bob and I are

going to head back up to decide

what to do with what is left.

The remaining furniture will probably 

be put to the curb for FREE.

We cannot sell it in our store.

Its not in good shape.

The remaining books will be

donated to St Denis Catholic Church

for their book sale.

If  anything looks good the rest will be donated to

St. Mary's Catholic church for their

White Elephant sale.

Ladies from both churches approached

my friend who was doing the sale,

asking if we would donate.

She passed the info back to me.

My brother and I agreed to do it.

My mom would like that since

she volunteered at both churches. 

Birthday Blessings To All!

Janice

Friday Finishes

 Hello all my friends out there.

Today I wanted to share with you two new finishes.

This will be a short post.

I did finish the Summer Saltboxes

and recently got them back from

Hobby Lobby where I have them

frame all of my pieces.

Debbie does an awesome job.

This is the left one.

Once you look at the flag on the second one,

you will see why.

These sheep are adorable.

However I always love a good horse.

I did stitch all of that white at the bottom

for both.

It is suppose to look like 

an old Polaroid picture.

I have  seen where some folks dont stitch it...

but I wanted to.

In other news,

Monday Bob did get a new truck.

This was the first one on the lot he saw.

We took it for a test drive and it came home.

His van was no longer viable for him

to use as a work one.

It had almost 200,000 miles on it.

The back doors would no longer open...

not good when you need to put things inside.

Then it needed new tires and the transmission

was going on it.

So he is a happy camper now.

Yesterday was the first day for

my mom's estate sale.

Most of her furniture went

except for the one bedroom set (she has 3 bedrooms),

the couch, loveseat and recliner are still there.

Not sure if these will sell because

they were original to when my parents

built the house in 1990.

My mom NEVER bought anything new

since moving in...except for new

living room curtains which she replaced

only once and a she had to have a new

microwave.

All that money stashed and she could have 

bought herself something new. 

Also yesterday my brother sent me this pic.

A tree fell on his house with 

the high winds we had.

His neighbor called him at work and he left

immediately.

He arrived to having the fire department

on his roof accessing the damage.

Thankfully no roof damage.

The city also was there because my brother 

called them a zillion times to have this 

tree removed...which they did not...

so guess what...they are going to pay

for any damage done once they

have the tree removed.

Tonight the First Nation Canadian's

hold their annual Summer Solstice fireworks.

They set them off right across the river from us.

We always have a front line view and enjoy

watching them.

Well hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Friday Is Here Blessings To All!

Janice 

Where It Began

 I have always been fascinated with old churches.

This one has a deeper meaning to me.

This is the church I was baptized in.

The one where I made my first communion.

The one where my parents took us for weekly mass.

The one I was married in with my first husband.

The one where my children were also baptized

and made their first communion.

Weekly mass with them here as well until I moved.

St Peter's Catholic Church.

I had a few minutes before the funeral service

a few weeks ago, so I snapped a few pics.

I had no time afterwards as we were whisked

away to the luncheon by rows. 

We were the first row because mom was with us.

The funeral luncheon was in a room located 

right off the church. 

This display has our US flag.

The statue is Jesus as a child.

The gold behind is mosaic tiles.

St Joseph off to one side with red candles.

St Paul on the other side with blue candles.

This is the altar.

Red velvet behind Christ on the cross.

All edged in gold.

Marble floors and railing.

I loved this area at Christmas.

They would bring in live 20-25 ft Christmas trees.

There were always 4 on each side.

With white lights and gold ones.

The gold ones were the only ones that twinkled.

They were so far apart it seemed like they

were twinkling stars.

Besides the trees, there would be around

50-75 red poinsettias all on the floor everywhere.

Our Nativity scene would be displayed to 

the right of the altar. Life like statues 

with three more 10 foot trees with the same lights.

It was so beautiful for midnight mass.

Am told they no longer purchase the tall trees anymore. 

Where this long bench on this side was where

all those trees were set up for Christmas.

They moved the bench just for this time of year. 

Looking towards the back of the church.

The organist and choir would be up up here.

I always loved these lights.

A row of these on each side from 

the back of the church to the front.

They remind me of Gothic Revival.

There is no air conditioning in this church.

The luncheon was really good.

We had breaded chicken.

Meatballs in gravy.

Mashed potatoes with gravy.

Green beans with almonds

Rolls and salad with Italian dressing.

Dessert was hot apple crisp.

All delish.

Even mom ate everything on her plate.

Was able to catch up with all of my cousins.

It's a shame funerals and weddings are the only time 

we see each other anymore.

In other news, 

early Friday morning around 2:30 a strong storm

rolled in and we lost both our power & internet.

Everything was off for 12 hours.

We did have power at the store, 

so Bob opened for the day.

I ended up going to Burger King for lunch

because I did not want to open the refrigerator.

I also needed to charge my phone which

I did on my ride there and back.

Bob called me later in the day to tell me

a customer came in and said either

strong line winds or a tornado caused

several homes 2 miles South of us to be 

damaged and trees were down everywhere.

Glad we had power once dinner time arrived.

The squirrels are eating my petunias,

while the bunnies are feasting on some

of my annual plants this year.

This is the first time I have ever had a problem

like this...so not sure why.

It is making me quite mad though.

I was very close to the squirrel chowing down.

Guess he was so busy eating he did not

realize I was there.

I yelled at him and he ran up our tree.

Will be leaving soon to get my oil 

changed in my car.

Then I think the plan is for us to go find

either a newer van or truck for Bob.

Our current 2014 van needs to be replaced. 

Hope everyone enjoys the start of the new week.

Where It Began Blessings To All!

Janice

Our New Gardens

Hello friends.

Today I reveal it all. 

First up we came home with 35 rocks 

for two new gardens.

Well to finish two gardens that were started

years ago and changed up now

with the shrubs we lost.

The pink flowering shrub is a Weigela,

It is a month late blooming.

The yellow flower is a Coreopsis.

This and the three Lavender plants

in front, we just planted.

My friend who is doing our estate sale for mom

hand painted these flags out of old

wood snow fences.

She separated each wood section from the wire

 which was attached to help keep

the snow drifts at bay in the  Winter.

Both my grandparents had this type of fence

which they put up in late Fall.

Bob water proofed for me and we hung it here.

This is on the side of our garage.

I love how this first new/ old garden looks now.

The second garden bed we changed up

is located at the back of our house.

Another Weigela on the right.

To the left I replaced the other

Weigela that died with this tub.

Added flowers in it.

To the left of the tub are these rocks

with a concrete turtle and old brick I had.

The brick is from Zanesville, Ohio.

I dug up some of my mom's Hens and Chicken's

and planted into my stone wishing well.

Now for the reveal of what Bob had stashed

in our garage.

I have no idea what he has in there.

We had to dig up one more dead Weigela.

Once we had the empty space,

I nonchalantly said to Bob;

"If we only had some sort of a potting table

that would fit here, I could add some of

my mom's garden stuff on it.'

Bob says " I have one."

Opens the garage door and pulls some junk

out which was in front and voila...

He uncovers this piece.

He asked me if this would work.

"I said OMG where did this come from?"

He says "I've had it in here for awhile."

"Yes it will work!"

"I can paint it if you want."

"NO"

"It's perfect the way it is".

He waterproofed it and it fit perfectly where

the shrub once was.

So I started to add a few things.

My mom's metal pail.

I purchased a fern and Bob waterproofed

my faux beehive.

My mom's watering can and terra cotta pot.

I took out the dirt which I had usually

planted Geraniums in and now

it holds the rest of my moms terra cotta pots.

Here it is semi set up.

I have another idea I want to try out...

but need to go to our nursery.

Too dang HOT right now though.

 

A long view.

One more long view.

Oh the shrub just to the right is our Hydrangea.

It is just starting to leaf out.

I am happy how this second garden turned out.

Bob and I ended up going to the rock quarry

a second time to get the rocks for this one.

We picked up 20 this time and the cash price

was $10.00 cheaper...we were happy as two

pigs wallowing in the mud. LOL

In other news,

it is HOT HOT HOT

here right now.

I went outside yesterday only 

to water and get our mail.

Tomorrow is our last  day to  take things out

of mom's house before the estate sale.

I am taking my daughter Michele and grand 

Mikayla to see if they want anything.

Will be glad when this is over. 

Garden  Blessings to All!

Janice 
 

Sunday Starts

 

Plus two mini finishes.

Any ideas who this fella is?

Or this little gal?

I finished Parade Sam

from Notforgotten Farm.

One of the many "Littles"

Ain't he adorable.

I did change the color of his coat though.

More red than rust.

I also added some red into his firecracker.

Then I finished Betsy,

also from Notforgotten Farm.

I did change her shoes to red.

They were suppose to be the same rust

as her hair was.

She does have a sweet face,

but I wish I had stitched some pink cheeks

like Uncle Sam had.

It was not in the pattern...but now I think

that I should have.

Now for my focus piece through July 4th.

I purchased this pattern to celebrate

our Semi Quincentennial.

America's 250 birthday.

For our important birthday,

I have chosen an important pattern.

America Two Hundred and Fifty 

by Plum Street Samplers.

Here I almost finished page 1 of 10.

4 days of stitching this.

In this pattern there are 5 flags

with stars that represented America

 from the beginning when we were under

British rule to after the

Revolutionary War.

One star will also represent 

the crown for King George III.

Am looking forward to stitching

all of them and everything in this pattern.

I love history and there will be many

historical motifs in this. 

The blue star to the left is the 

Grand Old Union Flag.

The red one on the right is the 

Union Jack.

This next flag is the

American Flag.

The one over one initials of TJ

stand for Thomas Jefferson.

There will be 5 initials of those men

who were tasked to the writing of our

Declaration of Independence.

These gentlemen were all part of 

the Second Continental Congress.

They worked tirelessly from

June 11th to July 4. 1776,

and our declaration was published

on July 5th, 1776.

Page Two is now completely stitched.

This page took me 9 days.

Now onto page 3 of 10. 

Not sure if this will be finished in time

for July 4th...oh well.

There is always next year.

In other news,

All of the much needed weeding, planting

and bags of mulch have been completed.

Thursday I decided to make my favorite

Spring pie which was a strawberry rhubarb one.

We had a warm piece with vanilla ice cream.

After two weeks of sunny days, we finally

had some rain early Saturday morning.

Sitting outside now most every afternoon,

I have now had chipmunks, squirrels and even

a baby bunny come real close to me.

We hope not to have any more sightings

of the Garter snake that was

in our one shrub one day though

Tundra kept barking at it.

 Am hoping his barking made it leave for good.

Tomorrow my brother and I are headed

to my mom's once again.

We have to decide what to do now with 

the stuff we wanted my sister to look at

before we decided on it.

She went there Saturday and was still

overwhelmed and would not look at it.

We are getting tired of her attitude

quite frankly.

We told her we have a drop dead date

of June 12th and then nothing

else can be taken out of the house.

She is overwhelmed... yet everything

is on tables and even priced for her to see now.

We left one area for her to go through and look at.

My brother and I were the ones overwhelmed

all the months we have been cleaning

out mom's house.

No excuse for her to be overwhelmed.

Well I hope everyone is enjoying

the rest of the weekend.

Cannot believe how fast the days are going now

since retiring.

First Sunday Of June Blessings To All!

Janice