This day in history - Jack Kennedy

This morning while surfing the net, I decided to visit the Library of Congress memory page and checking into "This Day in History". It included a thank you letter sent by Lieutenant Kennedy to Clare Booth Luce for a gold coin she had sent him and he had attached to his ID tag.  I could hear that familiar New England twang that Kennedy had as I read that letter. Those of us who who were fortunate to live during the time he was President can probably relate to this. Known as the days of Camelot, we thought we lived in a golden age when there was no war. Needless to say that was about to end as we entered the Vietnam War era some short years later.The letter was an endearing reminder of a President that encouraged us to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" and the beginning of true service to humanity.

Today I head back to work. I had thought I would do so yesterday but decided my jaw was much to sore then I laid down to take a nap in the afternoon at 1 and didn't wake up until 4:30, so I guess what I really needed to to finally get caught up of the sleep I had missed when I was in such pain. Right now I still can only open my mouth about half way. Has anyone else ever had this experience when having a back molar removed?

Sunny today, it looks like we are in for a grand day! Perhaps harvest will soon happen with those soybeans that are standing ripe in the field. DRY UP FIELDS, dry up!

Soybean field July 21, 2010

Soybean field - September 23, 2010

A forced time to relax

July 21

September 23

July 21

September 23

  I have been sort of forced to relax these past three days. Friday night I noticed that the right side of my face was getting sore. By Saturday afternoon I could hardly open my mouth and realized I might have an abscess tooth and started popping pain pills. It was abscessed so this morning our family dentist decided it was better to pull it than to repair it. I went home with antibiotics and one less tooth, and also less pain, mostly due to the pain pills. I am so glad I live during this time.

I remember the first time I had toothache, I was in fifth grade. My grandmother insisted that she take me to her dentist and he filled the cavity. The thing I remember most is the awful taste of the medication he smeared on my gum area prior to the Novocaine shot. The taste still is not the greatest, but definitely not like it was 63 years ago. I remember when I took my children to the dentist, I couldn't stay, the memory was not good and I knew that what I was doing was for their health. I would cry just knowing they had to go through what I did.  Then a few years later we received dental care through hubby's work and we found a better dentist. Then they had braces and all the things that make for a happy smile and a life of good dental health.

I finished reading Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. This book deserves 5 stars. I haven't been this moved by a book in a long time. I really enjoy historical fiction and both The Help and Winter Garden were historical fiction. Winter Garden is the story of the relationship between a mother and her two daughters and the secret she has kept from them,using "fairy tales" as a means to share the secret. When I had finished, I was so grateful to live in the United States, we have not experienced war as so many other countries in the world have. Just the thought that when there is war, the men go off and leave their families, the wife, the children and their aged parents to struggle through what happens in their communities. How fortunate we are to not have had to bear this trial. If you want to read a great book, head for Winter Garden. You will not be disappointed.

One of my dear friends has recently shared the sad news that her son was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Although I will not put his name on my blog, please pray for him, our Heavenly Father knows who he is.

It is sure quiet at our home now that our son Brian has gone home.

Relaxing and watching a little TV

Brian watching a little TV

A week with Brian home

It is always great to have family come home and this week was special as Brian has been here since Saturday. We haven't done anything special, as there really isn't anything special to do in our little town except eat out, visit friends and go to the movie on the weekend. To top it off this week has been one of the rainiest weeds we have had in along time. Yesterday it rained over three inches. We did a lot of reading and relaxing during the week. Today he is out having lunch with friends.
On Tuesday, Brian styled my hair taken care of and a makeup application done, needless to say, it was very noticeable when we had our RCHS board meeting that evening. No matter how much he tries to teach me how to style my hair, it never turns out like he does it. I guess that is what happens when one has an LA pro style you. It was such fun!
We did something very different last Saturday afternoon. We went to a political barbecue for our local Democratic Party. As Republican as we are, we do favor U.S. Senator Collin Peterson and Leroy Stumpf. We were invited by a friend of Brian's and were on our way back to Roseau from Fargo so stopped at the 2 Fools Winery for a bit. It was enjoyable visiting with the individuals who were there and believe it or not, not talking politics!
Last night, while Brian was busy with some things, I went to help the Ya Yas setup their rummage sale which includes some Relay for Life rummage sale items. With the help we had we put everything out in about two and a half hours. As always, when one gets together with "the girls" it is always enjoyable.
Brian leaves for LA tomorrow and Monday will be back to work again. It has been restful and enjoyable.
I finished ready "The Help" on Wednesday. The review from the New York Times says it all. I highly recommend this fiction book about southern living during the sixties.
Brilliant sun now, and in the 50s. Whoo hoo!

Wonderful harvesting weather

Last week, I took three days off from work for harvesting. I usually drive the truck and unload grain. We were able to get off all of our wheat off and took the canola off on Saturday. During that time, the days were warm, often hot, and dry. This was very apparent as one watched the combines leaving a trail of dust high into the air and across the field as they traversed up and down gobbling the grain in front of the header. Now that we have completed those two crops, hubby is busy chisel plowing and waiting for the soybeans to ripen.

I have been reading The Story of Edgar Sawtell over the past week. This is the first novel by Wisconsinite David Wroblewski and is a wonderful story about a mute boy, his family, and the dogs they raise, and especially one special dog. It hit the NY Times best seller list last year. A wonderful story of human frailty, family love, and heartache, it pulls at the heart with the raw human emotions the family feels during their life struggles.An Oprah recommend, it is a good book for a book club discussion.

Along with all the dry weather come the spiders, who are finally able to design a web that isn't destroyed by the rain storms we've had this summer. I know that spiderwebs are tough but when the bushes and trees they cling to at tossed to and fro by the wind and rain, it would be amazing if they could stay intact.

Here is a Barn Funnel spider's web that I found in the cedar bushes in front of our house. This spider arrived with the immigrants from Europe and is pretty native to Minnesota now. I love to see the beautiful intricate work they do as they weave their webs. Sometimes during a dry seasons one can see these webs all over the yard. The spider hides deep in the base of the funnel and comes out only for prey. I would say it is a good way for them to catch a drink of water when it is dewy in the morning also. It is not a dangerous spider but hides in dark places; especially in the corners and crevices of the home.


Just one more of God's magnificent creations.

Our Vinca Catharanthus roseus and the Flicker

When I first went to Carol's Cedar Cellar this spring for annuals, I spied this beauty hanging on one of the hooks and knew exactly where it was going. The Catharanthus roseus is a native of Madagascar and takes drought well as is proven by the above photos. Many times this summer I would come home and find the plant looking like it does in the top two photos. It immediately received the water it needed. After about 5 hours it was totally revived and was a beautiful as the day I purchased it. It comes in several other colors so one has a great choice.

The first bird, we who live in Minnesota, look for in the spring is the robin. For some reason this spring we had a flock of about 100 robins scrounging for food in our front and back yard this spring one day. Soon after that arrived my favorite bird, the Flicker. There are several in our yard each year. Today, I was greeted by this beauty sitting in the tree behind our house. What fun that was to see!
Last night, I attended the Relay for Life at the Roseau City Park. What an impressive program! The music, luminaries, and the friends that gather to honor and memorialize those who have had cancer was so well organized and such fun. I walked the park roads looking at all the luminaries and trying, in vain, to locate my mothers. There were hundreds of luminaries, so it was very difficult to be sure and find hers. I had decided not to take my camera and was very disappointed that I hadn't. Unless we are very busy with harvest, I will attend again next year. Perhaps I will purchase more than one luminary and put then from her grandchildren.

Harvest slowed down due to some rain yesterday afternoon. I did do a couple of rounds swathing this afternoon but we were in and out of light showers so we didn't press it. Warmer and dryer days are due next week.

Great-Grandchildren

With the temperature over 85 on Sunday, the oven did not sound like a good idea but a tuna salad did. We enjoy tuna salad and I enjoyed changing the recipe. With the salad, cucumbers in Greek vinaigrette, and a cantaloupe-blueberry salad we were more than satisfied before our customary Sunday siesta.

This tuna salad was different than any I had ever made and turned out to be very tasty. So here is the recipe.

Cook 1 cup of small shell macaroni, drain and rinse with cold water, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.
Dice 1/3 cup red pepper and 1/3 cup onion, and two stalks celery.
Place these and the macaroni in a bowl and add one can peas, and two cans of drained tuna.
Season with an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Dean Jacob's Grinder Fresh Spicy Garlic and McCormick's Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper seasoning.
Toss together.
Mix the following dressings, 1/8 cup of Ranch dressing, 1/8 cup of mayo, and 1/8 cup of fat free sour cream, and added to tuna salad, mixing well. Serve on a lettuce leaf.

This past weekend Michelle had these two cuties, her grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.

It is such fun to see how they have grown. Kera Dawn is now four and a half months old and already takes after her other grandmother, as she has strawberry blond hair. Can I say she is a adorable? Damen just sprouts up and then out, then sprouts up and then out again. This is a set I gave him last summer from the Children's Store. I head there on my trips to LA and love the sales.Humm, what kind of cute girl's clothes will they have...

I read about the link between a 20% increase in skin cancer caused by an ingredient in most sunscreens, retinyl palmitate. In studies on rats, sunscreens with this ingredient have caused tumors and lesions. One will have to become very aware of what the ingredients are on sunscreens from now on. It reminded me of my great-nephew. About 4 or 5 years ago he had a skin cancer removed from his back. Could there be a link between the sunscreen used on him and the same that was used on the rats?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

We started swathing wheat on Saturday with the intent of letting it lay for a couple of days. Yesterday it was hot, 95 above! I did the swathing while hubby did the combining. I can tell the wheat is not running as well as last year. What can one say, when you aren't able to spray at the right time or put on a fungucide. Today we did the same job's and I also unloaded the grain. The heat and humidity make it hard to be outside unloading a truck. You get chaff all over you and you itch for the whole day!

Then this evening I had a board of directors meeting. Funny thing was that it started raining just before I was going to head to town for the meeting and we had get the combine and trucks out of the rain.I will be very happy to have this wheat field done.

Three things about Tuesday:
We didn't have a break down.
It got a little cooler after the rain.
Breanne and I had a very enjoyable visit this afternoon.