Hither and Thither

Hither and Thither ~ where we
just chat about anything!

Happy Spring!  Less than a month ago
we still had some snow...

This field still has not yet been planted but I hear
that it will be soon.

We have had quite a few busy working days... seems
like the weekends are full of projects soon it will
be time for us to get some "hot" weather and to
do some relaxing!

The horses have been lazy ~ relaxing and soaking
up what nice weather we have had.

Over Memorial weekend, we celebrated Lineman Son's
birthday... and finished the evening up with a fire
in the firepit and getting some fresh air!

(lineman son and his gal)

Just by coincidence on Monday I was checking the
ages of the horses (I've never been able to keep
track of them ~ time standstills).... it was this boys'
birthday ~ 11 years old he is

We have gotten a lot of rain in the last two weeks ~
enough that I am ready for some good warm
weather - we need some sunshine!

Kodi is a "fraidy cat" of the rain ~ mostly the
thunder.... she never goes out of the kitchen
unless it is storming then we catch her finding a
safe spot.   This was her safe spot the other night.

When you are a dog and 11 years old ~ sometimes
you do some unexplainable  things.  Moe some
days can sit and watch up in the tree for
hours...  there is a chipmunk that is 
haunting the dogs ~ sometimes he will
be up there sometimes he will not... Moe can
sit and watch....sit and watch.

We have done our greenhouse shopping ~ always
a fun time of the year ~ the flowers are always
so beautiful!

Sending prayers to all of the caringbridge sites I am
following ~ there has been activity on most of them
of late.... some new families and some families who
once again are experiencing yet another challenge.
May God give them strength.

And just a comment.... sometimes things don't have 
to  be made difficult.... but can just be.

Have a wonderful Friday ~ thanks for stopping by
to Hither and Thither where we talk about many
things!  

See ya around!

Guess I've Gone to the Birds!

I put a birdfeeder out last winter ~ it is a first for me....

I had quite a few visitors over the winter but nothing

compared to the colorful visitors I have had the last

couple of weeks....

The feisty Blue Jay had to check out the orange

that fell to the ground... he didn't really want anything 

to do with it but didn't want anybody else near it either.

The Rose Breasted Grosbeak ~ has only visited

a couple of times that I have seen...

Frequent visitor - appears to be a Ruby Throated 

Hummingbird.... thank goodness for

internet and bird images so I get these correct.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

This beautiful bird "Indigo Bunting" visited and I was

so pleased -- he has been a frequent visitor... Neighbor

Far Side posted a picture and aaawwww that was

a wish for that beautiful bird to stop by and what do

you know the next day there he was!

The Oriole visited.... causing me to buy a special feeder

so that I could put out some grape jelly and an orange

without the orange falling on the ground....  I may 

need to get creative and make the birds a better

feeding spot (maybe this fall - this seems to be

doing just fine).

Thank goodness for the internet and the  neighbors...

I believe this is a Scarlet Tanager ~ when reading about

them they will venture into western Minnesota - I think

it is neat  to see them (would sure like to see a Cardinal)..

I will enjoy them and their "chirp" while they 

are around.

I don't have time to sit outside under the birdfeeders..

these pictures are taking through my window 

(very conveniently decided not to put my screen

back on when I was doing the spring cleaning)...

sure glad I didn't!

Bathroom Project Done

Back in March, when I had some computer

trouble and was forced to take some time

off away from my day job.... I started a 

project.... removing wallpaper border and

preparing to paint.

This is what I started with - a "wild theme" bathroom

which was still pretty cute but it was time for a change!

The wallpaper had to go, I had been looking at a 

new color of paint and some minor changes 

would also be done ~ like replace the ceiling

tile that had been water stained (for some reason) 

for years....  

The wallpaper shouldn't have been a "big deal" - I tried

the bottle of remover that was suppose to work great ~

NOT ~  I had the best luck by using my little clothing 

steamer and steaming it off! 

Thank goodness I found that little trick or I never never

would consider even a wallpaper border again.

After the painting was done ~ a cheery light green!  I was

at a standstill because Hubby had to do some checking

on the faucet in the vanity ~  surprise and probably

being spontaneous... a weekend project ended up

with us heading to Menards and buying a new

vanity ~  ah it is beautiful (only wish it was my 

bathroom and not the extra bathroom).

Out with the old....

In with the new....

A new vanity and countertop (I love it) ~ the vanity

is taller than the other one - seems different

but I like it (I can't wait to do my bathroom)...

A new "fun" look ~  accented with "RoomMates Wall

Decals"  (easy to apply and removable)...

The only items the same are the flooring, the

shower curtain rod & decorating star holders and

the mirror - which Hubby dressed up for me

with a wood trim...

oh and I can't forget that I tied in some chalk painting too

~  switchplate, plugin

plate and the around the light fixture... 

Now....

to dress this little cabinet up.... my first plan was to chalk paint

the entire cabinet  - may change my mind and just

chalk paint the top (I will let you know when it is done!)

Fire Destroys

 A Sunday drive took us around the Green Valley

Fire area....

Down the Twin Lakes Road which would be the

closest to daughters' home (it was still quite a

ways a way ~ thank goodness the wind didn't

change)

Most of the area looks charred black like this.

This looked like it once was a pasture... now turned

to nothing..

Part of this picture (here on the right) you can see

some of the dirt moved - it was one of the areas

that had bulldozer lines in it.

The grass is starting to grow in green... surrounded

by the black trees with no needles and the trees

with some color that will eventually die.

(this was the Blueberry Bridge area)

Many of the fences were like this or completely 

burned up.

On a county road in the area where the fire started ~ 

you can see nothing but burned trees for miles...

Homes and outbuildings gone.

This powerline pole pretty much burned up ~ the

other side of the pole is mostly gone ... sure that

one will be on the list to be replaced.

This is an aerial picture posted by MNICS

(Minnesota Incident Command System)

7100 acres were burned 

Structures Lost - 12 residences, 3 commercial properties,

and 43 outbuildings.... (with more being damaged).

It sure is an eye opener driving and looking at the

destruction ~ it also looks like it could have been much

worse... a huge thank you to all the firefighters and

other personnel who worked so hard on this fire.

Green Valley Fire - Uncertainty

The next few days were filled with many firetrucks, 

roadblocks and people providing manpower to take

down the fire....

The helicopters that were brought in to dump water ~ 

there were several planes/helicopters taking part

in these efforts.

Red Cross came in to assist.

And several volunteer fire departments from throughout

our region and farther.

After two days the main highway was opened up ~ you

could see damage on both sides of the highway 

where the fire came in, jumped the highway and

continued on its' way.

There are areas where everything is burned ~ some

where maybe one building will remain and some

areas left alone but the next door neighbor's

building will be gone.

The communities have pulled together and are

gathering items for the victims.

As of Friday evening, the Green Valley Fire burned 

approximately 7100 acres; the fire is now believed

to be 80% contained; lost were 12 homes, 2 commercial

properties and 41 outbuildings.

There were more than 50 fire departments represented.

As a resident of one of the small communities nearby ~ I am

so impressed in how the firefighters, law enforcement, DNR and 

all people involved worked so hard in saving as much as they

could... and all with no injuries... 

As of the writing of this post we have had a full day of rain.