Sunday, May 31, 2009

Tournament Weekend

Billy is in a baseball tournament this weekend. The first of quite a few. They played Friday night and won easily...17-0.

Then they played on Saturday morning and lost to a tough team from New Prague. Saturday was sunny but cool....and very, very dry. We sure could use some rain.

I take lots and lots of pictures at baseball games. Too many. But it's fun...and they are digital....so it's OK. I think. Now I have to sort through them all....ugh.

They changed to their white uniforms for the 2nd game on Saturday, because the team they were playing was wearing red. They won. That means that they play on Sunday....which is today. If they win they play again...they could have 3 games if they make it to the championship.

It makes for some long days. But it's all good. Especially when they end with moments like this one.

What can be better than a ball game with grandparents cheering you on? Play ball!


Saturday, May 30, 2009

Country Dogs

Penny loves to visit the farm. She and Murphy are pretty good buds. They love to ride in the pick-up with the wind in their faces. Please note that the trip between farms is short and not a highway....and that the pick-up pictures were taken from the side mirror so they are reversed...I wasn't driving! Enough of that...sing along with me and the dogs now....

Well life on the farm is kinda laid back...

Ain't much an old country dog like me can't hack.

It's early to rise and early in the sack....

Thank God I'm a country dog.


Friday, May 29, 2009

Crazy Horse x 2

Sometimes my horses are beautiful, dignified creatures. Carrying themselves with pride, strutting their stuff, heads and tails held high. See, isn't Skylar pretty? But then other times...

...there are simply no words....except maybe goofy....

....or sleepy....

...and maybe dopey. Silly boy.

And then there is Czar. He's far too serious to be making those crazy horse faces....

...or not. What's that I smell in the air?

I'm not sure which is funnier, Czar making faces or Brian making faces right along with him...

Hee Haw...Hee Haw...Hee Haw. I knew that he was part mule! Proof!

Silly boys. But they are sure good for a hug on a windy day! Ahhhhh.

Have you hugged your horse today? :-)


Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Cabin

During the summer months when we visit the country we usually stay at Eric's parents cabin. It's sort of a long story to explain how it all came about, so I won't....but the short version is his folks live in town, the cabin is about 5 miles out of town, and the farm where I grew up is in between. It's pretty wonderful for us!

Memorial weekend is typically the first full weekend that we stay there. With summer baseball and soccer and everything else, we won't be getting up there as often as we like....but Memorial Weekend is usually sports free, and it's a nice reprieve from the busy schedules to spend some time at the cabin. The picnics are fantastic. My mom and Eric's mom get together and plan the most wonderful meals. How lucky are we that our families are good friends? I have to say that we all really missed my dad at the picnic table this weekend. He'd always come from the field to join us for meals. It wasn't the same without him.

One nice thing about Memorial weekend is that the bugs usually haven't made and appearance yet. The mosquitoes get pretty thick in the woods next to the river. But it sure is pretty there...and always a little cooler on a hot summer day.
On the path to the river there was a special crooked tree. This is what is left of it. The bent tree was one of the things that drew Eric's grandma Amy to the property back in the 40's when the cabin was built. It was said to be a good luck symbol for the Indians that had lived in the area at one time. Last summer the bent tree finally couldn't support itself and it fell....now just the bent stump is left. It still calls you down the path to go to the river.
Come and sit for a while. Rest, listen to the birds, watch the river run.

There aren't very many boats on the river. It's a nationally protected waterway, so it's protected from the big loud boats, and the jet skis. It's peaceful....

...and beautiful.

Everything is a little better at the cabin. The sky seems bluer....

....the flowers seem whiter.

There are wild geraniums blooming right now....soft and pretty.

Somehow even the dandelions look better at the cabin.

My friend and sister-in-law Dawn made a stepping stone for the cabin that says, "If you are lucky enough to be at the cabin, you are lucky enough." I think that says it all.


Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Nerf Wars

Once upon a time there were two sweet innocent boys. Their momma wanted to raise them right...into sweet wholesome strong compassionate men. There would be no fighting, no shenanigans, and especially no guns allowed in our home. Hah hah, hee hee, yeah, whatever...I sort of forgot the part about them being boys.

Fast forward to last weekend. The boys, who are almost young men now, had some money burning a hole in their pockets. The only cure was to spend it quick...and what was it that they just had to have? Nerf guns. Sigh. That light around Billy's head is not really a halo....that glint in their eyes gives it away.
It's Nerf wars time. Oh dear.

They got a double barrel shotgun variety. Oh, and that's not a halo over Brian's head either...neither. Hmm.

They load in the Nerf ammo....

...ready, aim, fire.

They got some sort of multi shot pistol thing....

....oh, and this machine gun variety. Oh my.

The spent some time practicing their aim on the window of the van....what?!? Who's supervising these kids anyway?

And then they got out their giant gun. What is that thing? Isn't that sweet, they are showing their grandma their new Nerf gun.

Oh...it looks like they've handed it to her..... and...and...she's taking aim!

Yeah grandma, just like that. Oh no, what have my boys done? They haven't corrupted their dear sweet grandma have they?

Oh dear...be afraid.....very afraid. Hey.....don't aim that thing at me!

Hmmm....I think I might know where that shooting gene came from. Annie Oakley wouldn't have stood a chance.


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Memorial Day Services

The Memorial Day service at our little cemetery was wonderfully the same as it always is. Traditions that are carried on through the generations mean so much more to me than events that are big and grand.

The service men and women....some current, most long ago retired...march in carrying the flags. It was touching to see the pride and dedication in the elderly serviceman that was there in spite of needing a walker to stand.

The flag was ceremoniously brought to the pole and raised to the sound of the trumpet playing.

The windy day made the flag snap to attention. After the flag was flown the service began. In Flanders Fields was read by a service woman. The Gettysburg address was read by a service man. A local minister gave a moving sermon.

Poppies were placed on the crosses while the role call of servicemen that have passed away was read. Three of these boys belong to one of my former classmates. They still live in town and have been placing the poppies since they were little boys. It was nice to see that the tradition is still important to them now that they are teens.

After the role call they fired the guns in salute. Most years at least one of the old rifles jams...it sounded like it did again this year. I think it's a part of the tradition.

Taps was played and the beautiful little service was complete.

Memorial Day...a time to remember, a time to reflect, a time to give thanks for the many freedoms that these men and women gave their lives for us to enjoy....

....and most of all, a time to honor those that will always be so dear to us. I hope that your day was filled with tradition and meaning too.