The RED Sparrows!!

This is one of the funniest clips I've seen!
It took so much work to put together and
it's HYSTERICAL!!!

Thanks to Michele/Packer for sending it to me!!!

ENJOY!!




Today I'm thankful to be inside a warm house!
The LP Tanker just pulled up, so barring the
loose of electricity (did I say that out loud??)
We should make it through the snow storm just
fine. I'm sure they'll be pictures tomorrow!!

Our House in 1913!

Well, here it is!

If I didn't know it was our house, I wouldn't recognize it!!

What's up with those awesome porches on front!
Who tore them off!!!
WHY!!!

Maybe I should ask "Why on the NORTH!!"
We live on a Mountain, so it's a hill!
It's a very steep hill.
Don't believe me?
Try running up it or riding a bike up it.
(we're the red buildings on the left)

Had I seen the old picture of the house
a few weeks earlier, I might have been tempted
to go with gray siding.

We stayed with white, I know boring!

The porches are no more, I'm sure it was the 'up keep'.
I would be tempted to add them back on,
but lets face it, it would be expensive!

Need a Good Read??

This was a really fun Trilogy.
Especially if you like dogs, horses, dragons, murder and suspense.
FUN FUN FUN!!! I think they may have made a movie?
I should probably check into that, but let's face it,
movies are never as good as the books.

These would not be classified as 'Quick Reads'.
They have a lot of detail and it's just like being there.
I'd classify them in the Diana Gabaldon series.


I would guess the majority of the books I read are
"Quick Reads". They are books you really don't have to
think about much as you read them. For instance, the James Patterson
series "Cross" books are very quick reads. You don't really get to
have a sense of who people really are. Obviously after you've
read 5 or 6 you get a good sense of Alex Cross, but not
the other people in the book.

So, if you have time to read. Like to read.
Enjoy books with a LOT of detail and don't
mind carrying around a 700-800 page book (each).
These might be a good winter project for you!
Luckily, the come in paperback!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Here's my favorite Thanksgiving song!!

Our New Car!!!

Seems like everyone is getting a new car these days!
Everyone but US!!!

Wendie got a new ORANGE Element
Kathy got a new RED Rav-4

So, this weekend while we were in Lawrence, KS.
I was keeping my eyes open for a new ride!

So, we came across this little van.
It's sure cute!
That Officer would surely be able
to pick you out of a crowd!


Bill liked this one.
More travel room!!
Just think of all the dog crates
and stuff you could pile on top!!


Finally, on the way home we saw the wild
buffalo roam.
Okay, so they were steel cut outs.
I just LOVE THESE!!
How fun!

Today I'm thankful for my little van, Carrie.
She just keeps on a truckin'!
YOU GO GIRL!!

CHICKEN MOM of the YEAR!!!!

Okay, I'll admit it.

I LOVE MY CHICKENS!

They are curious, friendly and CUTE!

I'm always looking for fresh healthy food for them.
In fact, I plant extra in my garden, just for the chickens!

So, when a gal at work said her friend was trying to 're home' pumpkins,
I was all over it!

As long as I was willing to pick them up,
they would load them up.
What a deal!!

Now, I don't think about Iowa as a vegetable state, but
I was impressed by the size of the place.

They loaded me up with two pallets
of baking pumpkins!
BTW - they make AWESOME puree!

Of course the majority are for the birds.
It's been a bit cool, so when I break them open the
girls gobble up the seeds and soft insides.

They rest is not quite so easy.
I usually just let them rot a
bit and they will eat them then.
With the cooler temperatures,
that's just not happening.

I wasn't willing to cook all those
pumpkins in the oven!

I came up with a BRILLIANT idea!!!
I'll cook them over the fire pit!



THIS IS A BLAST!
You can pluck them off the
flames with the stem.
Or use a potato fork and pierce them.

They need to cool first of course.
In return -
My birds will keep on giving us
YUMMY eggs!

What a deal!

Back to "This Old House"

So, in 2002 I decided after the new red roof,
that a whole new paint job was in order.

Here's the house before the roof.

Here's the south side, in 2002, after a roof and with the chimney painted.
It's amazing how much a little color will do.

Boy, someone needed to mow the lawn!!

Here's the south side this summer.
In need of new siding, but it shows you the colors.

This little bay window is on the East side.
BORING!!!!

But add a little color and it really livens it up!
(Hi Kruz in the window!!!)

With the siding I'm going to lose the diamonds.
Not much I can do about that, but I'll have the scales.
These will be white!
BORING!!
I am able to paint them however, so I plan to.

The whole painting process took about 3 weeks.
We were hoping to only have the scaffolding for one.
We needed it for two.
It was a LONG JOB!!!

So, next time I'll show you what our
house looked like in 1923!!