Company and such

This post has a little of what we have been doing lately. Enjoyed having Shaun & Helen and family as well as their visitors from Louisiana up on Friday. One of the things we did was have cake for Shaun's birthday. I guess Shaun had a sore throat as he wasn't able to sing with his usual harmony for the occasion -- we missed it! Hopefully he gets over his sore throat quickly!
The next post shows some of the outside activities! The kids (of all ages!) were having a good time!
Also will add here that we got to a winter Special Meeting Sunday -- ours last Sunday was cancelled. This way we got to see more workers!

Building a snowman....

....need I say more!

Winter wonderland....

Yes, it is a winter wonderland and we wonder..... Our weather prohibited us from getting our winter special meeting yesterday -- it was cancelled. Since we are kind of out where 'fields come together' there are actually a couple closer than the one we would have gone to so maybe we can get one of those! Glad we had our visit last Wednesday and Thursday so didn't miss that, too. Come to think of it out of the last 4 years only once have we gotten both our visit and meeting!

The pictures are of a sunrise and sunset the same day - they were kind of pretty. Guess with less day light hours you some times are more aware of them. Now to be positive, we are now starting in to our days of more sunlight! Today maybe only 1/2 a minute and tomorrow a whole minute but it is coming!

And a couple video clips from yesterday:
To my little 'peeps': Some tractor action
To Linda D. an apology: Wind chimes : )
To Anita B.: if you look close you can see the Oliver symbol
To Becky Z.: Marv getting his exercise!

This shows a little of our snow cover! Not as impressive as some!

Winter

I don't have any pictures with this one again -- I'll only post a snow picture when it can be more impressive with snow than some of my relatives in one of them there western states! They have promised to send it our way so maybe by the end of the weekend we'll have something to show!

Winter

Since we seem to be in winter mode now, I decided I better up date the blog picture! Although this one is even dated as we now have more snow than what we had here!

Lefse weekend

Here we are at the 'lefse weekend'. Since I've already gotten inquires as to how it went I thought I better get some pictures posted and maybe even get it done before Sarah does any posting! We also made cut out cookies before the lefse but guess we didn't get any pictures of that - either the making or eating process! We did enjoy the time and there even a few cookies and lefse left over by the end of the weekend.

Here are a couple video clips -- interesting background conversation!

Eating lefse!

Playing some kind of German card game -- the objective? To be the Great Kahoonie and not the Lesser Peon -- or something to that idea. Wonder if things are going well for Sarah??

to Minneapolis

This post won't have any pictures just a little up date on 'current events'! We went to Minnepolis yesterday for a dairy meeting. It is sponsored by the feed company we do business with and we go every year -- for the most part. We rode a bus with others going -- kind of nice to leave the driving to another especially this time of year when you never know what the weather will be like and traffic 'up that way' is a little different than Humbird! : )
The last few years they have added a little something to the agenda for 'spouses' -- and this means 'wife spouses' really!! This year it was going out to lunch at a restaurant on a lake front - the lake being frozen, of course this time of the year! It really was a nice setting and would be beautiful in the summer. From there on to Bonnie Mohr's studio for a tour and shopping. She has her establishment on their farm - which is still operating also - 90 cows - and they also have 5 children still all at home. Midwesterns might be familiar with her work - a lot of holstein cows. She really has become quite successful with her painting. She quit going to the barn after baby number 3! She is one of these very enthusiastic people with lots of energy - wish I could have brought some of that home along with the print purchases I made! : ) It really was quite interesting and I'm glad I went but kind of sorry for at least one of the parts of the meeting I missed. That was a speaker who talked about global warming and whether it is a myth or not -- seems -- well maybe I better not say much about it here!! The meetings were over a little before noon today so it was on the bus and home again except ... when the bus was about 3/4 loaded it became apparent something was wrong with the engine -- hummm glad it happened there and not on the freeway somewhere. So we sat for a while, while the driver figured out what to do. Another bus was found to come get us and a machinic found to come for the broken down bus. So an hour and a half later we were finally on our way home! With no further mishap!
Tomorrow we hope to go to Theo and Sarah's -- one of the projects for the weekend is make lefse! Sounds hmm good!

Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving weekend is over for another year and like years in the past it was full and we are full!! Will and Becky got here late Wednesday evening, Shaun and Helen and the kids got here mid afternoon Thursday. Since Thursday was Helen's birthday (she was also born on Thanksgiving) we had birthday supper and cake for her (see video below! : )). Becky's family came Friday about noon.
Weather wise it was rather pleasant - cool but sunny.
Here are some of the things we got done over the weekend - a little deer hunting, a puzzle put together (the lost piece even got found), Will worked on fabricating a trailer and eating. Becky and her family left for Madison shortly after breakfast on Saturday and Will went back later in the afternoon so just Shaun & Helen and family here for the rest of the weekend. Theo and Sarah had Thanksgiving with her folks.
Now it is Sunday and we are getting a little snow. Hopefully it isn't causing problems for folks traveling today. Tomorrow it will be back to work!
Hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving! And yes, in our country we have much to be thankful for.
Here are pictures of our little prince and princess - ones before meeting and afterwards at Pizza Hut!

I'm sorry this is on 'it's side' -- try to view it pretending it isn't! Doesn't our family have a lovely way of singing! Helen's birthday was Thursday so had cake for her that evening. We had our Thanksgiving meal 'turkey and all' on Friday as that is when Becky's family was able to come.

Farm happenings

Kittie was having a bit of a problem here. But I did notice by the time I was back with the pail of milk and cat food he was at the head of the pack headed for the food dishes ... humm problem solving skills do come when needed. Is there a lesson in that??

One more post today!

Harvest is getting about wrapped up but didn't do much the last couple days because of rain. The goal, of course, has to be that the harvest is done so all who want to go deer hunting will be free to do so! (for you non- Wisconsinites that is the week of Thanksgiving, including the 2 weekends!)
And the weather the last couple days has definately had a feel of winter coming! Earlier this week the thermometer in the car said 73, yesterday it said 37!

Bunkers - full and partly full

Ground corn - not quite a full bunker but getting there! The tallest part of the wall is 12 feet! The lower one is 8 feet - a correction on that one from an old post!

Full and covered bunker - this is the one that was being filled on a previous blog - for any one interested and where I said the wall was 12 feet and should have been 8 feet. Still a lot of 'cow salad' for next winter!

I think the shelled corn looks so good you could eat it! Sure glad the cows like it!

Speaking of cows - Farmer Marv felt I should share this story from earlier this fall and it is a true story!
Once upon a 'morning' .... the phone rings at 1:30 a.m. - "Need to get Marv over here, can't get the calf out" Ok
the phone rings 2:30 a.m. - "Did the vet call back?" No! "Well, I can't get this calf out so I had to call the vet and I'm waiting for him to call back." Ok
the phone rings 3:30 a.m. - "I just got your call, do you need help with pulling a calf?" Yes.
4:30 a.m. Farmer Marv gets back to bed.
The cow was ok but the calf didn't make it. Glad this isn't always the 'story' down on the farm!

Harvest continued

Here are a few more videos from harvesting
1. New operator!
2. Soybeans - this always looks like the combine is on fire!
3. Combining corn - never looks as impressive as small grains!
4. Corn meal any one? Our nutrientist says we need our corn ground finer so here it is!

Riddle

Can any one guess what is going on here??

As you can see we had our workers here, which we thoroughly enjoyed. They didn't get here at all last year because of circumstances so they said they would come twice this year! We are looking forward to the second visit! : )
Tina and Ellen had a little misfortune when they went out for a walk one day. It was cloudy when they left but didn't think too much of that - that was the mistake! Before long it was raining and then pouring rain! Frances and I thought the 'rescue squad' should go out so off I went - not knowing where I was going! I went to all the places I thought they might be but didn't find them so came home thinking maybe I had missed them. But no, they weren't back. About that time I looked out the window and they were just up the road so I set out to get them. They were laughing and declined the ride, needless to say they were thoroughly soaked! So after getting back to the house they set about getting clothes washed and dried. They claimed it was a nice walk and one they would remember!

October 31

I don't know who out there might be looking at this blog with regards to Theo and Sarah's hopes to soon have a little one, so will post a little update. It seemed there was a good possibility they would be soon having a little one but there have been some changes in the situation so that won't be happening for now. Thanks for all your thoughts and care regarding this. Glad we know a Heavenly Father who is a God of all comfort.

Musings

Here are pictures of flowers that have been holding their own yet! I'm not sure how much longer that will last with the weather like it was today - cold, windy and flakes of snow mixed with the rain (and Farmer Marv dreams of Texas).
I seem to have 'gotten in to' this thing of blogging - for better or worse! Have enjoyed reading others and find it a nice way to keep in touch with family and friends that don't live near. Hopefully I can keep it interesting, as I have found so many others to be.
We noticed today on the way to meeting that the woods are looking very 'wintery'! Many places all trees are bear especially if there are not oaks amongst them and even they are loosing leaves in this wind. We did notice something that seemed more vivid this year, the tammark trees - their yellow seemed especially brilliant.
I have some more harvest pictures and videos I want to post - for those of you who have been taken off the farm but the farm hasn't been taken out of you! Hopefully I'll soon get my collection of pictures for this years harvest completed and finish posting them before long!
I'll stop with this one post and hope you enjoy what I've shared!

Extra curricular activities

Quilt making is my favorite extra curricular activity. Here is a picture of the one I've completed most recently. I started seriously quilting 20+ years ago but haven't really kept a picture journal of them so maybe I can start with this one. So far I've only kept one for myself. Most of the others going to family. This is one that Grandma had started - I tried to keep her busy while she was able. I found enough things pieced together amoungst her things that with adding boarders or blocks could make a whole quilt. I should easily be able to make 5 - so one for each family. This is the second one I've gotten done. Sorry this isn't the best picture and the block not showing in the lower right corner is the same as the one in the upper left. There is a fair amount of quilting on it and to me that is what makes a quilt! I now have a double wedding ring on my frame and almost have one row quilted - there are 9 total. I have to have it done before I got to Texas, right?? -- good leverage, I think!

If you click on the picture you can get a better idea of the quilting - if you are interested!

sunrise sunset

Here are 2 recent sunrise picture -- need I say more!

These are 2 recent sunset pictures - need I say more!

things that flew by

The first video is 2 cranes - I had hoped to get them while calling but that didn't
happen. I love to see what I can see while outside that is part of God's great creation!

recent events

Learning to eat olives so Grandma doesn't have to eat them alone!

A little cow girl that stopped by!

October weekend cont.

All our family was home this weekend. We figured out it has been a year since every one has been home at the same time so was special! Here are a few pictures! If you are in to our family blogs you will likely see more on other sites!

Here we all are!

Sarah & Theo

Shaun, Hannah, Nolan & Helen

Becky K. & Will


Hannah in the garden!

Can you see who 'drives' the combine?

October weekend

One of Shaun's many and varied talents!

And
Nolan and Hannah with the kitty!

Corn harvest

Chopping corn for silage

I didn't manage to get these quite in the right order but you'll get a little picture of chopping corn for silage, hauling it to the bunker and dumping it, pushing and packing it! FYI: the sides of the bunker silo is 12'

Men at work and play!

This should have been after the last post but again my techie skills are showing up! This is really what the guys were doing!

The crew!

We were at Theo & Sarah's last weekend to help them get some yard work done! Here are some pictures of that!
The guys working!

And Sarah & I working. My job being behind the camera

Scenic views

The storm has passed!

Summer has passed!

Blooming corn

How's this for a corn plant....I didn't use photoshop either!

Catching up

I didn't realize it has been a month since I posted anything new! I've been taking fall pictures the last few days and hopefully will get some of them posted soon! We have been having nice fall weather although frost last week took the tender things so flowers aren't so pretty anymore! The trees are beautiful but wind is also chasing a lot of the leaves around so woods will likely be rather bare looking soon! We are busy with harvesting corn and soybeans. We also had our convention privileges last month.
Our most exciting news is Theo & Sarah will likely be getting a little girl this month! Needless to say we are all pretty excited about it and wait with anticipation!

Full Moon

This is a recent full moon. Sorry the photography doesn't quite do it justice. I took it as I was walking from the barn back to the house.

Corn & Soybeans

Since I got so excited about our little wheat field thought I should show pictures of things that are a more significant part of our operation!
Corn & cowssoybeans

Having fun with the grandkids!

Just some fun times with the grandkids!

Summer Birthdays

I'm a little slow with getting the birthday pictures posted but didn't want to do one with our the other!
Nolan's birthday is the end of July
Having birthday #3 at Chuckie Cheeses with special friends!

I love this one! Hope Conner's dad isn't too upset with me!!

Birthday Daddy!
(I really didn't mean for this to be bigger but don't know how to change it to the small size!)

One year old, already! Aug. 29

I'm going to get it!!

My cake is yummy!

For Anita B

Anita, how do you like these cows contently chewing their cuds?

(Footnote: For Becky Z. : this is where milk comes from!)

Deer

These visitors distracted us (me?) the first day I was helping Sarah paint. We had just started our first wall. I'm sure Sarah wondered what she would get out of me that day! Wonder how it will go with their landscape and gardening efforts?!

Becky Z's secret

I know Becky's secret!

More from the reunion

This is an up date -I forgot this one last night while working on the post!
Great-Aunt Karen aka Grandma with Linzee & Kaylee waiting for waves!

Here are some more from our reunion - hopefully you find them interesting and to you who couldn't make it maybe gives you a little more of a picture of what went on!

Auntie with all the youngest generation
Nolan, Dylan, Reagan, Izzak
Kaylee, Linzee, HannaH, Anna

These pictures got in here in the reverse order I had intended - again my techie skills at work!
Our family
(Sorry Helen I know this isn't the best of you)

Mabel's family

Karen's family

Carl's family

Dining out with the Gleason family in Portland
(Sorry I didn't get every one on here.)

In Portland with friends from years past - Myrna, Laurie & Linda

Shaun struggling to hold one of his catch!

Beauty and Sleeping BeautyIzzak and the ocean! Dylan and the sand!