tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44305741987754981082012-01-25T21:42:33.055-06:00~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.comBlogger4021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-85891067343163896632012-01-20T06:13:00.000-06:002012-01-20T06:13:22.086-06:00

Brr... it's a chilly one out there this morning.  When I got up at 4:30 with Dear Hubby to pack his lunch and send him off to work this morning the thermometer read -20 ~ add the windchill on top of that and we're looking at a minus 30 degree morning.  That's even a bit on the frosty side for me! Yesterday afternoon, when I went outside to fill the woodstove ... I couldn't get the front door to

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-9454529558195042372012-01-19T08:25:00.001-06:002012-01-19T08:26:36.542-06:00

I admit it ... I'm feeling pretty lazy lately.  Not that I have time to be lazy; because I really don't.  I have tons of things that need to be done.  Now whether or not they get done ... that's another story. I have a file cabinet of papers that have been haunting me ... saying "tax time" "tax time" ... "are you going to get the tax papers taken care of or what?" That really wasn't the file

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-51939304975702806982012-01-10T10:16:00.000-06:002012-01-10T10:16:19.468-06:00

I have been AWOL from my blog; but with good reason.  I've been super busy working on the JPD Warrior Project website ~ and getting ready for the upcoming fisheree that we host every year.  This is our 7th year already coming up the 28th of January.  You would think it would get easier every year; but it has quadrupled in size and - I'm not complaining - but it has quadrupled in what needs

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-40745382609879603142012-01-04T13:04:00.002-06:002012-01-04T14:15:23.693-06:00

I hear a woodpecker raising havoc over something.  He's not a very chipper little fellar ~ what's ruffled his feathers now? There's the problem ... The little deer is in the yard and it's cleaning off the bird feeder. Or maybe the turkeys are just a little bit too big and intimidating for the woodpecker's comfort ~ Or maybe he had his eye on the apple that deer put a claim on ..

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-38677122984902821222011-12-18T08:59:00.000-06:002011-12-18T08:59:50.328-06:00

 Thank you all my blogging friends in Cyberspace for sharing snippets of your life with me and allowing me to do likewise.  To those who don't blog ~ and just follow and read me ... thank you too.  I think the blogging community is a good thing :)  I have been so inspired from others, cried with and laughed with over the years ... just like it is in a family.  Have a wonderful holiday season .

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-9082499874137281142011-12-15T09:28:00.001-06:002011-12-15T09:31:23.691-06:00

 It's that time of the year again ... the weather is right for making sausage.  We can't run our homemade smoke house if it's too warm out ~ it's too hard to regulate the heat. The photos that I'm posting today are from a prior year - I didn't have my camera out in the work shop yesterday; but it still shows what was going on.  Only yesterday's sausage making process was on a much larger scale

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-41385955431556315062011-12-12T23:38:00.000-06:002011-12-12T23:38:42.861-06:00

 I couldn't procrastinate any longer ... I needed to get my Christmas tree up.   I went down in the woods this last weekend with Sam and Ash, Sara and Don to get one ... which we did ... but it just turned out to be such a Charlie Browner that we ended up planting it in the flower bed outside with some lights on.  I ended up setting up my artificial tree... which I vowed I wasn't going to do this

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-4065857965104740682011-12-06T00:06:00.002-06:002011-12-06T00:15:20.155-06:00

What's the first word that comes to mind when you think of the A to Z of Christmas?  Don't over think it ... just write down the first thing that comes to mind.  Here's my thoughts: A - angels B - baklava ~ I don't know if it's a traditional Christmas foodie; but I like it :) C - carolers D - Donner ~ the most famous reindeer of all ... he was Rudolph's daddy ... just thought I'd put that

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-39133168746361652982011-12-05T15:14:00.002-06:002011-12-05T15:18:38.230-06:00

I posted this recipe way back in '09 ... but the season is once again upon us :) I am picky when it comes to fudge.  I don't like a fudge that is over cooked or grainy in texture.  I've been researching and trying out fudge recipes and I think I have finally come up with "THE FUDGE" recipe that I've been hoping for. In researching, I read an article about fudge and why it can be grainy

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-49611448376221628002011-12-04T15:35:00.001-06:002011-12-13T01:17:47.625-06:00

It was another cold one out there today.  Our Grandlove Bailey spent the night with us and went along on the trap line this morning.  She convinced us that she could miss Sunday school today; "because sometimes you just have to go trapping with Grandpa and her teacher would understand that".   :)  I told her I thought the Good Lord would let this one time slide ... she was so cute when she said,

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-500164034614175232011-12-03T09:39:00.001-06:002011-12-03T09:46:58.341-06:00

It was pretty cold again yesterday ... hovering in the high 20's in the afternoon ... but the mornings have only been in the single digits.  Even the turkeys looked a bit forlorn when they came in to eat. as did the little deer ... BUT ...The suns warming rays began to shine ...and wings were stretched out ... as if to say,"Hello Sunshine". It's a beautiful day! Spread your wings and soak in

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-17539347098607717492011-12-02T10:04:00.000-06:002011-12-02T10:04:48.750-06:00

It's a capital B with some capital R's right behind it BRRRRRRRRR......  When I woke up this morning at 5:00a.m. it was 0.5degrees out.  That's right ... 1/2 of a degree Fahrenheit ... that's cold enough for me.  Yesterday it was nice out ~ right around 27 degrees ... so I let Dear Hubby talk me into going along with him to check his trap line.  It was nice walking around out in the woods with

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-44769887834587694772011-11-28T00:09:00.000-06:002011-11-28T00:09:10.442-06:00

Today was the last day of the nine day gun/deer hunt.  Unfortunately, I was not one of the lucky ones to  harvested a deer.  I did have an opportunity to take a fawn, which I refused to do ... or to harvest a little spike buck which wasn't much bigger than a fawn ... and I refused to harvest him too.  Let them go so they can grow! This is the little fawn that I watched all season:   He's not

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-7607933415503965892011-11-26T19:07:00.000-06:002011-11-26T19:07:27.968-06:00

Sitting .... and waiting .... and watching .... and watching ... Sitting ... and waiting ... and watching ... and waiting ... but no big buck was seen today. I did hear a lot of shooting though across the road again by the power lines and to the south of me by the neighbors.  Around 4:00 I had a single fawn and then a doe and fawn come in.  They only stuck around for about 20 minutes ~ then

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-2328223391914927852011-11-25T22:00:00.000-06:002011-11-25T22:00:40.011-06:00

I'm sitting down in the woods in my comfy hunting shack, patiently waiting on that big horn buck. So far, the only animal life showing itself is a big gray squirrel and a chatty red squirrel. I'm guessing it to be around 9:00.  As usual, here I sit once again with no watch.  I've never been one who wears wrist watches.  Well, let me rephrase that - I shouldn't say never.  I use to wear them, but

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-6771322486830446812011-11-23T07:34:00.000-06:002011-11-23T07:34:56.487-06:00

yesterday from the hunting shack ~ I'm finally out of the house and sitting at TajMelhal.  I'm still sick ... but figured I can be sick down in the woods just as easily as at the house.  Today is day 10 of this vicious illness that has been inflicting me.  I've come to the conclusion that it's malaria.  I did watch a movie about Africa two weeks ago. I fired up the heater and it sounds like a

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-43757352156055644542011-11-19T10:35:00.001-06:002011-11-19T10:37:31.080-06:00

I am soooooooo bummed.  I have been sooooooooo sick.  Sweats and the chills, weaker than weak, dizzy, headache, nausea, leg cramps, diarrhea, pain in my jaw, pain in my chest ... just plain sick! I did end up in the emergency room on Wednesday (that was day four of this), after having such leg cramps and pain in my jaw on Tuesday night.... thinking that possibly it was my heart going haywire

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-78643297602890365892011-11-12T09:21:00.000-06:002011-11-12T09:21:40.062-06:00

Who'd of thought it would be such a big hallapalooo over replacing my coffee pot?  I made the run ... well actually it was a 45 minute drive ... over to Wally world yesterday to cash in on the warranty I had on the old GE and came home with this shiney new red Mr.C. and the bonus ... it was $5.00 LESS than the old one; so Wally owed me :)  I love moments like that.  Buy a coffee pot, use the

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-80147231809349790462011-11-10T23:31:00.000-06:002011-11-10T23:31:34.270-06:00

What up with the fairy post?  Yesterday I turned Lily and Bailey into little lawn fairies ... with their pretty little smiles and butterfly wings ~ and now today I went and cropped my daughter Staci out of this photo and  ...   ... and turned her into a nymph of glitter and glitz. This is the second woodland nymph pic that I did of Staci.  You might recall this picture that I did a while

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-59107527271824873082011-11-09T08:15:00.001-06:002011-11-09T08:29:33.427-06:00

I had this picture sitting on my computer since June of the girls ... my Grandlove Bailey (on the left) and her cousin Lily, waiting for me to do something creative with it.  I just love those two  munchkins in this photo and wanted to make a scrapbook page out of it. I know ... I'll turn them into little lawn fairies! A tree background ... some big mushrooms and butterfly wings, a flip and a

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-78975618431927918232011-11-05T23:54:00.000-05:002011-11-05T23:54:05.491-05:00

Just a friendly reminder :) Until next time ... So it goes in my neck of the woods. ~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-65535535936210094382011-11-05T09:55:00.001-05:002011-11-05T09:57:24.925-05:00

 DREAMS - where do they come from?  What is it that takes your subconscious  mind to the unknown? Why do "I" have the weirdest dreams imaginable????Night before last ...  I had a dream that involved me, my doctor that delivered my son ~ whom I'll refer to as Doc T. in this post and a whole bunch of young pregnant women. The dream ... All across the nation these babies are being born with a

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-67459166877411941142011-11-01T12:38:00.000-05:002011-11-01T12:38:43.729-05:00

I saw this on facebook and just wanted to share here on my blog ~   Until next time ...So it goes in my neck of the woods.~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-12085073568502975542011-10-31T10:10:00.002-05:002011-10-31T10:38:01.059-05:00

Every day I eat an apple.Why?  Because I can :) I've also started feeding my feathered and furry friends an apple a day too ~ just to keep them happy.  I NEVER toss an apple core into the garbage ... it just attracts those nasty fruit flies.  Instead it's become my ritual to do this: I cut the apple from the core ~ then dice up the core and put it out on the bird feeder.  The birds LOVE it! 

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-84656096400763098632011-10-20T08:57:00.000-05:002011-10-20T08:57:03.454-05:00

Recipes ~ gotta love 'em!  I just love flipping through cookbooks and cooking websites and watching food shows on tv checking out new recipes.  I get tons of info and ideas; but rarely do I actually follow a recipe to the T.  I'm always discombobulating it and rearranging this and adjusting that until I've come up with something totally unique and on it's own, a completely new recipe.  Sometimes

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-68317659390069010612011-10-16T08:34:00.001-05:002011-10-16T09:04:04.574-05:00

Sometimes I see a movie or hear a song and it really touches me  Last night I watched My Own Love Song.  Talk about a double whammy ~ the movie AND the music really got me.  If you haven't seen it yet ... you might want to consider it and see for yourself. I remember my Dad and Uncle Merlin singing this song one night around the campfire. They were both veterans of WWII.  Those two

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-91287891538957013452011-10-15T10:48:00.000-05:002011-10-15T12:31:22.740-05:00

What I'm about to tell you is a true story ~ I am going to change the names to protect the innocent and also try to tell it without all the cuss words that were used. My son is friends with this guy who has hunting dogs, I believe they are German Shorthairs.   I'll refer to him as Mr. Guy.  Well, Mr. Guy hires out his services as a guide for hunting partridge aka. ruffed grouse with his dogs.

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-32299708982527056372011-10-13T15:13:00.000-05:002011-10-16T08:03:47.673-05:00

Before I post some of my new scrap pages from TajMELhal ~ I'd like to draw attention to the New Coin Boycott on my sidebar.  You guessed it ~ In God We Trust is missing !!! If someone gives you this coin for change ~ please ask for a paper dollar bill instead.  We can make a difference by refusing to use it. Now on to some scrap pages I put together: These are just a few of the deer

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-42942281934486922632011-10-12T21:05:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:22:34.509-05:00

Some doctor on TV this morning said the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started.  So I looked around my house to find the things I'd started and hadn't finished. I have managed to finish off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Brandy, a butle of wum, a pockage of Prungles, tha mainder of bot Prozic and Valiuminun scriptins, the res of

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-9451252754942924892011-10-05T11:29:00.002-05:002011-10-05T12:06:05.852-05:00

I'm busy as a bee right now ~ and promise to get back to blogging as soon as possible.  In the meantime ... I'm taking a break for a few days.  Thank you to all who follow and read my little snippets of what's going on in my world ~ Up North With Mel.  LOVE TO ALL!!! Miss Me! Before I go ... just thought I'd share another cute little pic from TajMELhal ~ That's just how I feel today,

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-52975654913346141972011-10-02T00:27:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:23:12.083-05:00

It's been 2 months since she passed from this earthly home  and has found her way to doggy heaven ... and I just couldn't fight the tears back to make this post until now.   She was a good dog.   She was my constant companion for almost 14 years. Many hours had been spent together in conversation ... Me doing the talking ~ and she listening and dwelling on my every word  as

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-9211914176870812422011-10-01T15:25:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:23:54.379-05:00

So do you know what this is?  It's kind of scary looking if you ask me.  It has a clamp, a big screw thingy with a pointy end, a cutting blade and springs on it and a crank handle that turns the shaft with the big screw thingy-mi-jig. It's one of my favorite little kitchen gadgets ~ an apple peeler, corer, slicer - all in one.  It's a pretty handy kitchen gadget to own when you have a big

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-66654636302362737022011-09-30T08:29:00.003-05:002011-10-13T16:24:30.777-05:00

I saw this recipe on Mimi's Kitchen  and just had to give it a whirl.  Who doesn't love candy corn!! Mine didn't turn out as cute and uniform as Mimi's ~ but they sure are a tasty little morsel.  I mixed the batter up yesterday ... then with all the wind we were having ... our power went out on us.  So... early this morning when I got up to get Dear Hubby off to work, the power was back on so

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-32356588384915445122011-09-25T09:04:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:24:58.857-05:00

 ~ the treetops behind my garage ~ I just thought I'd share today some of the shots captured from the TajMELhal.  This is a fawn that was born this spring. It's grown out of it's spots.  You can see just a few of them remaining yet on his/her little rump. Where's Momma?   Here she is... Mother and child reunion ... not that they would be separated

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-24993231614033774272011-09-23T21:01:00.001-05:002011-10-13T16:25:30.635-05:00

While I've been out hunting for pretty blooms ~ like the flowers of the staghorn sumac ... my daughters and granddaughter and son in law and the son in laws brother and their friends have been out hunting the black bear. It's black bear hunting season in Wisconsin ~ and my kids like to hunt them. So if you're squeamish about seeing a dead bear  - you might want to quit reading ~ otherwise if

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-57298680788442506222011-09-21T07:09:00.001-05:002011-09-21T07:18:59.326-05:00

So what happened to Monday and Tuesday?  It's Wednesday already.  It's hard to believe in two more days it'll be the first day of Fall already.  Time sure has been flying by for me.  I guess that's a good thing, because when time drags on in life sometimes even the most simplistic of things sure can become mundane and boring. turban gourds The other day, on our way home from the grocery

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-29810131315841022802011-09-16T21:58:00.002-05:002011-10-13T16:26:06.753-05:00

Today was the big reassembly project and  big move of the hunting shack, aka. mini cabin, Mom's hunting shack, aka. The tajMELhall. The guys had already made a trip out to the woods with the tajMELhall loaded on the trailer behind the four wheeler and in the back of the pick up truck.  They didn't wait on me ~ because I was busy in the kitchen canning pickled beets.  I'm such a domestic diva.

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-7548713546334267762011-09-15T20:38:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:27:03.155-05:00

So what is "aging gracefully"?   I looked up the meaning of graceful ~ graceful adjective, 1. characterized by beauty of movement, style, form or execution 2. suggesting taste, ease and wealth After reading what Webster had to say on the subject ... I don't think I'm aging gracefully. My beauty is no longer that of a young woman.  My hair is graying and it doesn't hang long and flowing as it

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-65313017822014311822011-09-14T06:22:00.002-05:002011-10-13T16:27:39.990-05:00

How quickly the weather is changing in my neck of the woods.  This morning when I got up and  looked at the thermometer it was at 37F ... turned on the news and heard the predicted high for today is 54F ~brrrrr.  I think I better get the beets out of the ground today and get them canned up. I've been busy canning, as usual.  My last conquest was doing up 13 quarts of salmon.  It's a pretty easy

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-73215408171349712082011-09-06T13:45:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:28:02.239-05:00

It started ... time for cleaning up for the fall and winter season.  One of the first "to do's" on my list is bringing in all the plants that I want to carry over until next spring ~ off the deck.  That means having to rearrange the furniture again too in the living room so everything can have it's place once again.... and the sofas get rearranged for better television viewing. I'm not

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-42540690649893256802011-09-05T09:49:00.001-05:002011-10-13T16:28:28.437-05:00

Things are moving right along on the project at hand in my neck of the woods ... taking out the old hunting shack and building a new replacement. We went down in the woods with the chainsaw, tractor and chains to get things started.  First a little brushing on the trail in to where the old shack was and the new one is going needed to be done. Fallen trees needed to be pulled out of the way

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-60442707685906429902011-08-31T13:57:00.001-05:002011-10-13T16:29:04.849-05:00

Aren't these some strange looking fungus?  They are called by their scientific name Xylaria Polymorpha ~ but I know them by the common name ... Dead Man's Fingers.  Every year a little cluster of them grow by the base of one of the trees in my yard.  I guess they are a pretty common mushroom in North America; but often go unnoticed ~ mainly because of their color and texture ... they seem to

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-86375632245708061112011-08-29T09:27:00.002-05:002011-10-13T16:29:23.305-05:00

I know there's a phrase 'in a pickle' or 'being pickled' but is there one that's 'pickled out'?   Well now there is ... and I'm it. I'm pickled out. I made so many jars of pickles in the last few weeks I don't want to even see another cucumber ~ let alone put it into a jar with some vinegar, water and spices and turn it into a pickle!  If there's going to be any more pickling being done

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-77664485123401795802011-08-28T08:55:00.002-05:002011-10-13T16:29:51.743-05:00

I'm getting an all thumbs up from Sam ... he said, "Mom, your new house is lookin' good." They are moving right along on my new hunting digs ... aka. Mom's Shack ... the mini cabin. They are assembling it in the garage, then will be taking it apart and putting it back together out in the woods. It's really not that big of a building ... only 6'x8' ... with an 8' high ceiling ... but to

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-75628980806458355592011-08-25T13:30:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:30:09.883-05:00

Yesterday, I could hear the whirl and whine of the table saw and the smell of fresh cut lumber was coming from the garage.  What were those guys up to now? Upon closer inspection ... a floor was being made ... walls were framed out ... and all we're missing is the siding, a door, the window placement and a roof. My guys are building me a  new hunting blind ... yeah!! My old one

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-16700791331726272012011-08-20T08:58:00.003-05:002011-10-13T16:30:43.597-05:00

So you think I've gone MIA ~ wrong ... I'm still here ... it's just that I've been super busy.  Busy picking berries and keeping up with the kids celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, camping and a class reunion.  I've been making jelly and canning pickles.  All kinds of distractions going on :) Dear Hubby had four days off from work and we were on a mission ... picking berries.  It takes

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-62412439965648613882011-08-10T11:16:00.002-05:002011-10-13T16:31:09.361-05:00

We spent another day with the girls out at the Twin Lakes campground.  It was a lot of fun swimming and playing card games with them.  Amanda had made "the rule" once you start a game you can NOT quit it no matter what ... you had to play all the way through.  Well.... I don't know if you're familiar with the card game Phase 10 ... but after 2 hours of it,  I have to admit, I was feeling about

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-41979341769810862552011-08-08T00:01:00.000-05:002011-10-13T16:31:28.260-05:00

I took a ride this evening with my daughter Sara (Dear Hubby was working and couldn't go) out to the Twin Lake's Campground in the Chequamegon National Forest.  I haven't been out there in years.  We camped out there a few times with our girls when they were little.  This time we were going to visit my other daughter, Staci and her family who are camping there. The campground was empty. 

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-25455007996102766762011-07-31T19:56:00.003-05:002011-10-13T16:31:57.358-05:00

We attended the Donner family reunion this weekend.  This would be on my husbands side of the family and it was descendents on his paternal grandparents side of the family.  It was held on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage by his cousin Bobby's cabin by Donner's Bay.  It all started out rather quietly ... as family members were coming in ... claiming their little niches of space under the two tents

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-87754894186281639992011-07-27T16:18:00.004-05:002011-07-27T16:31:11.391-05:00

It was time to do some harvesting ~ yeah! We cut off some swiss chard and some beet greens from the garden.  I set up a washing station on the deck.  Three pans filled with water ~ swish swish in one, transfer to the second tub, more swishing and on to the third.   It worked out quite well ...Look how dirty those beet greens were in tub #1 But they were squeaky clean by time they hit the final

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-49625518870154710632011-07-26T06:45:00.002-05:002011-07-26T07:53:25.596-05:00

Sometimes a kiss and a bandage aren't enough.  We need our drugs! I grew up in a large family, 9 kids running around ~ and Mom did not run us into the doctors office over every little accident that happened.  Although, there were times when I really had to question her judgement call on a few incidents.  Granted, this was back in the 50's through the 70's that she had a house full of kids ...

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-1084101785820578942011-07-22T23:19:00.000-05:002011-07-22T23:19:11.493-05:00

After a long stretch ... our son Sam and his significant other ~ Ashley, and their dog, Amber have finally found their own place to call home.  We all got together tonight for a little birthday party for Sam.  They found a place to rent in the trailer court by Comfort Cove Resort on Solberg Lake.  It's really a nice little place ... including the use of the resorts beach.  SWEET! Now they only

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-56267785465847196242011-07-22T12:06:00.004-05:002011-07-22T17:24:50.006-05:00

  Last evening I took a ride with my daughter Staci to one of her meetings of the organization called Friends of the Garden.  It's  a group of people that have a shared interest ~ gardening.   They get together once or twice a month ~ share gardening ideas, go on little field trips to each others places, visit nurseries, make things for their gardens, share ideas as to what grows where and

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-40128344913253233712011-07-20T11:58:00.000-05:002011-07-20T11:58:29.682-05:00

Today is my son Sam's 22nd birthday, so I thought I would just post some of the scrapbook pages I've done of him to honor it.  I know you probably seen them before ~ but I'm doing it anyways ... just because I can.  Ahhhh... the joys of blogging and being able to do what you want in your own little corner of cyberspace! Sam -  Kindergarten 1994 his favorite pastime ~ fishing and talking on

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-11990455186438407742011-07-19T13:04:00.001-05:002011-07-19T13:15:30.421-05:00

Thank you to everyone for all your prayers and well wishes.  I got the phone call today that I've been waiting on ... NO cancer! No need for more surgery and no radiation!!  I am elated beyond words!!! I've been pretty sick this last month ... It started out with the GED testing and finding out that I have a huge ulcer tearing away in my stomach, the lower esophagus and upper intestines. 

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-6354426351004760422011-07-16T15:07:00.000-05:002011-07-16T15:07:36.310-05:00

My surgery ... a lumpectomy with a partial mastectomy ~ has temporarily taken me out of commission.  I'm taking a few days off from blogging and hope to be back soon.  This surgery was a little more than I was expecting to undergo :(  Thank you for all the well wishes.  See you soon as I'm up and able without feeling so sick. Until next time... So it goes in my neck of the woods. ~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-82735368945139671492011-07-13T15:42:00.002-05:002011-07-13T15:53:07.864-05:00

No ... I'm not a month behind.  The Juneberries ripen in July around here. So off we go picking!  I don't know if you're familiar with Juneberries or not ... do you have them in your neck of the woods? The fruit resembles, in looks, of a big blueberry.  Actually, it is akin of the apple family, tasting  like a cross between a blueberry, a pear and an almond.  It's sometimes referred to as

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-18701008571162662532011-07-12T13:15:00.004-05:002011-07-12T15:28:21.140-05:00

Just thought I'd share my bloomers with you :) Cleome aka. Spider Plant wild Blue Flag Day Lily Sneeze Weed White Astillbe Cleome Missouri Primrose Yellow Spider Lily Mullein Goats Beard Sedum - Kamtschaticum Polly Ann Lily Lady's Bell Wooly Lamb's Ear Orange Day Lily aka. Ditch Lily  P.S. Porky ~ did you think I was going to put up a picture of me in a thong when

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-68426058341465776742011-07-11T05:59:00.000-05:002011-07-11T07:13:57.832-05:00

I got a call yesterday from my daughter Sara, "Hey Mom, how about a pontoon ride down at Connor's Lake?" Who could refuse an invitation like that ~ especially when it's 90 degrees out and muggy as all get out.  A nice ride on the pontoon boat and a swim at the campground beach ... some Dorito's to snack on and my jug of Crystal Lite ... count me in! I crouched down to Bailey's eye level to

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-31100180778107253652011-07-08T10:01:00.000-05:002011-07-08T10:01:01.165-05:00

Do you have a childhood memory of picking strawberries?  When I was a kid, many moons ago, my memories of picking berries were mainly grabbing a cup out of the cupboard and heading down the driveway and going along the old highway picking wild strawberries along the ditch line.  It took quite a while to fill my little cup with the wild berries. Fortunately, for my daughter and her

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-23584997063782935222011-07-06T23:24:00.002-05:002011-07-06T23:48:13.166-05:00

I'm going to share an email that I received today from my daughter Staci.  She and her husband raise the breed Blue Tick bear hounds.  These dogs are not raised as pets and house dogs; they are raised and trained for the sole purpose of hunting bear.  They also have a female Golden Retriever that is the family pet.  I just love Staci's sense of humor :) about a situation that has taken place. 

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-32255042634846439082011-07-04T12:40:00.003-05:002011-07-04T16:47:34.702-05:00

Happy 235th Birthday America!!! and Happy Birthday TexWisGirl too:) Our little town had it's fireworks last night.  I usually don't go in to watch them; but the Grandloves insisted ... so off to town I go.  We watched them in the backyard of my daughter Sara's place, sitting up on a really nice hillside.  It was a good viewing area; but a little far off from the actual fireworks; but still close

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-7378830033281951862011-06-28T13:20:00.000-05:002011-06-28T13:20:40.718-05:00

strawberry goosefoot I have been trying for some time to identify this plant and I finally found out what it is. According to Wikipedia it's scientific name is Chenopodium capitatum, Blitum capitatum or more commonly known as Strawberry Blite, Strawberry Goosefoot, Strawberry Spinach, Indian Paint, and Indian Ink.  It is native to most of North America throughout the United States and Canada.

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-61220895730131011682011-06-26T06:34:00.004-05:002011-06-26T08:40:40.832-05:00

Remember the chicken dance?  Okay... we're aging ourselves now! This is Myron Florens and kids from the Lawrence Welk show ... I know ~ more aging ourselves! Remember awhile back when I posted about Dear Hubby having a gathering one afternoon with his Aunt Cookie and brothers ... Duke, Slim, Aunt Cookie, JD, Rod Well ~ Aunt Cookie thought it was important for the younger generation to

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-3381650654268002122011-06-19T13:39:00.002-05:002011-06-19T23:01:12.539-05:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you wonderful Daddy's out there!!!  Sam and G'pa My post today is about the same as it was for my sisters Darla and Cheryl about our Dad :)He was truly loved by many and is missed by many too.  We were blessed to have him all the years we did before the Good Lord called him home. ~~ Also, as Dar had posted ~ we (myself, Darla and my daughter Staci) took a road trip

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-2585263392552705802011-06-17T07:18:00.002-05:002011-06-17T07:36:39.218-05:00

~this is why we take the bird feeders down from the deck in the summer ... and why I lock the sliding door I had to go to town this morning ~ on the way I saw 2 young yearling bear and a young wolf.  These are some older pics that I have; but still thought I'd share. A few years back we had this big fella sitting on the edge of the yard sunning himself ~ we named him Bruno There was the

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-73942489979486504202011-06-16T12:44:00.002-05:002011-06-16T12:47:09.333-05:00

My daughter has a huge yard ... way out in the middle of nowhere ... in the middle of the woods ... where the Momma deer feel safe to let the babies come out and play. Enjoy the video of momma, last year's fawn (big sister) and her fawn twins from this year. Until next time... So it goes in my neck of the woods. ~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-29458500992029295492011-06-13T15:12:00.000-05:002011-06-13T15:12:16.375-05:00

We had the most wonderful afternoon yesterday ~ the family on Dear Hubby's side (his mothers side) got together to celebrate his cousin Paula's husband's graduation on becoming a nurse anesthesiologist.  Brian can now put me under but he said he doesn't guarantee bringing me back!  Way to go Brian ... we're very proud of your accomplishment!! Let's just pray I never need your services. LOL It

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-70124101016681439512011-06-10T08:33:00.003-05:002011-06-10T08:39:53.450-05:00

This week sure went fast for me.  I haven't even been that busy ... just playing short order cook each morning making breakfast ~ then having a good lunch ready for the guys when they come in from the woods. They have been cutting and hauling wood out to the road for the logging truck to pick up.  They already had one truck load hauled and have about five more to go.  The row is long; but low ..

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-82344373999169800792011-06-09T08:25:00.001-05:002011-06-09T08:31:43.286-05:00

Just having one of those days~ I've been cloned! Larry King Live I know I posted this once before (like a hundred years ago) but thought I'd do it again ... just because I can:) Until next time ...So it goes in my neck of the woods.~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-60244554936409272972011-06-06T12:09:00.000-05:002011-06-06T12:09:53.946-05:00

Sometimes it doesn't take much to make my day:) I was driving into town this morning.  I had the radio on 99.7 out of Ironwood, MI ~ they play a big variety of music genre.  They have call ins for request.  They get a call.  It's some young gal saying, "will you please play some rap?" CLICK ... He hung up on her!   LOL ...  MADE MY DAY! Yep... sometimes it doesn't take much to put a smile on

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-23298055598223768552011-06-02T09:00:00.000-05:002011-06-02T09:00:28.048-05:00

  I have some beautiful shades of pink 'n green to share :) Such a pretty color combo ~ if I do say so ... notice the little pollinator :) See what happens when you hog the seeds ~ you end up in squirrel jail: Until next time... So it goes in my neck of the woods. ~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-70835123751434407822011-06-01T18:43:00.000-05:002011-06-01T18:43:07.884-05:00

These last few days have definitely been run around days for me.  Yesterday I had a doctors appointment with the cardiologist in Marshfield, which is a 2 hour drive from here.  My mom was going to ride along with me for company ... and I forgot to pick her up.  I heard all about it from her this morning, when I stopped in from my other  appointment in town this morning for another mammogram.

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-76406884926857805352011-05-30T18:02:00.000-05:002011-05-30T18:02:52.517-05:00

fawn at Staci's Staci's fawn 5/30/11 So cute!!  A newborn whitetail deer fawn laying amongst the underbrush on the edge of the lawn.  Thank you to my daughter Staci for sharing these photos:)  She also had some other photos that were interesting.  Such as seeing some rainbow trout swimming by Coolidge Springs ~ coolidge springs ~ rainbow trout marsh marigolds / cowslips tree

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-77376126269457250102011-05-28T14:06:00.001-05:002011-05-28T14:09:12.402-05:00

sugar free rhubarb custard pie My domestic diva unleashed this morning and I baked!  I haven't done that for several weeks now and Dear Hubby was complaining.  He took me to town this morning for breakfast ~ I think he was buttering me up ... 'cuz on the way home he said it sure would be nice to have something sweet to eat again in the house besides Jello. LOL  What! Who doesn't like Jello?  I

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-13707977043489356442011-05-27T16:07:00.000-05:002011-05-27T16:07:22.226-05:00

brrr... it was a cold one last night.  Our temperature got down below freezing, as predicted ... around 25 degrees.  I took the time before going to bed last night to tuck in my plants under some tarps, sheets, and paper bags.  Everything looks okay today.   A comment was made to me once about us northerners and our flowers ... how we get so protective of them and "braggy" about them.  I guess

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-83102133957181723532011-05-26T12:23:00.000-05:002011-05-26T12:23:59.097-05:00

This is what the National Weather Advisory has for our area: Park Falls, WI Weather Advisories, Watches & Warnings FREEZE WATCH in effect until Friday, May 27, 8:00 AM ...FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-13622854295028217652011-05-24T06:40:00.001-05:002011-05-24T06:41:06.284-05:00

grandiflora trillium What seemed like forever ... and the longest winter on record ... we are finally feeling like our weather has done it's duty of catching up.  The woods are once more bursting with new life and it just feels sooooooo good to see it, smell it, touch it. The trilliums are in full bloom ~   as are the many of the other wild flowers ~  it takes a while here in the north woods

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-13317759694413444382011-05-22T10:41:00.001-05:002011-05-22T10:42:05.555-05:00

Despite a rainy start to the day ~ we had a cookout yesterday.  Brats and hamburgers on the grill, tuna salad, fresh veggies marinated in italian dressing, cheddar chip and sour cream and onion chips, chocolate cake, blueberry pudding cake and banana walnut cake! Do you think they cut enough wood for the night?? After cooking up on the deck and eating in the house, the rain finally let up and

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-28535357545836813572011-05-19T22:39:00.001-05:002011-05-19T22:54:41.654-05:00

amanda ~ bailey ~ brooke Isn't it just the best being a parent and double best being a grandparent?  I think so.  My children have brought so much joy to my life and now the next generation is doing it for me all over again.  When I see these grandloves of mine my heart just melts.  They are three of the sweetest girls ... I think it's genetics and they get it from me! Haha!! Sometimes they

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-45400982706339034032011-05-18T22:57:00.003-05:002011-05-19T00:23:04.790-05:00

It's hard to believe that my second child of three is 32 years old today.  Happy Birthday Sara! I scanned part of a page from her scrapbook.  It was the day she came home from the hospital and big sister Staci met her for the first time. Notice the blue blanket from her Aunt Cheryl ... she thought for sure she was going to be a boy.  Her Grandpa Punky thought so too ~ and as I recall quite a few

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-18799850162763333692011-05-17T06:22:00.003-05:002011-05-17T06:30:19.287-05:00

The bluebird of happiness flew down and pooped all over me ... and it wasn't happy poo ~ I want their happy poo!!!! it's been a hectic time again and sometimes it's just not that easy to keep a smile on this grumpy ol' face of mine:( Once again, I had to stay in the hospital for a 24 hour watch period because of my atypical complications with this goofy heart of mine, esophagus spasms and

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-28300604085002316412011-05-13T13:04:00.003-05:002011-05-13T13:49:29.748-05:00

It's so nice to be seeing some of our summer birds return:) The northern or baltimore orioles are back (across 40 acres and through the woods over at Mom's house) : image from the internet Mom also spotted the orchard oriole : image from the internet So far, I personally haven't had the opportunity to see them up close at my place; but it's nice to know they are in the vicinity again.

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-1092092298520555302011-05-10T12:44:00.002-05:002011-05-10T12:50:22.669-05:00

We sure did get some nasty weather yesterday afternoon ... out of nowhere the winds picked up ... and picked up ... and picked up!  Pretty soon the trees were being picked up too!  We had very minimal damage with just a few trees downed in the yard and woods; but some of the neighboring places got it pretty bad.  Our power was out until midnight last night ... so glad to have that back on :) On

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-14759925859783200772011-05-09T08:31:00.001-05:002011-05-09T08:32:32.905-05:00

I hope all the mothers out there in cyberspace had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday! We had gorgeous weather yesterday ~ finally!!! It was in the 70's , sunny, a nice gentle breeze ... you couldn't of asked for a better day. Today it's overcast and it's suppose to start raining and continue to rain throughout the week... BUT I'm not complaining ~  it's not snowing :) Even Bailey Bug is

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-17917741853428176762011-05-01T11:15:00.001-05:002011-05-01T11:31:43.985-05:00

Yesterday was a big day for my Grandlove Amanda ~ it was her 17th birthday and Prom Night.  She and her boyfriend, Logan, stopped over  before their big date. Of course, pictures were taken :) poor Logan ... he looks like a deer in the headlights ... lol But I got another ... better shot ~ I had to put the first picture up because it showed off Amanda's beautiful blue dress better than the

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-63845717331965636522011-04-29T11:39:00.004-05:002011-04-29T11:51:58.930-05:00

Look who's back ~ we knew the bear were out of hibernation for some time now but this is the first one we've seen this year: notice the temperature ... 35 degrees ... it's still pretty cold at night   He's a jolly big boy (I thought I'd throw in a little English accent in honor of the royal wedding today) for just having spent 6 months sleeping off his fat storage from last year.   We even had

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-42343927192217925592011-04-25T10:17:00.001-05:002011-04-25T10:26:54.502-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! Ours was spent with family ~ catching up with each other :) On Saturday, my niece and her husband were over to the farm (Mom's) and the great nieces and nephews were having a grand old time.  Cheryl's Grandlove Syminda was playing her viola for us. Then she broke into some fiddle music and the other nieces and nephews jumped right in doing some

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-57222082465678777382011-04-23T07:51:00.001-05:002011-04-23T07:56:43.462-05:00

~~~ I watched this last night on "Girls Night Out" and just had to share. I just love how Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill do justice to such a beautiful song. This is my all time favorite song ~ it was also my Daddy's. I'm crying as I type this post ... that's the powerful impact this song has on me. Dad always told us when we were kids that if there was ever a song that we NEEDED to know .

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-39042226726166977992011-04-21T15:37:00.001-05:002011-04-21T15:39:39.078-05:00

John 3:16... "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ' I'll be away from my blog for a few days ... Have a wonderful Easter! Until next time... So it goes in my neck of the woods. ~mel

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-80346092716330580712011-04-19T15:35:00.003-05:002011-04-19T15:52:08.239-05:00

Those who follow my blog are aware of the fact that we live in the sticks ... and then there are days that we really go into "the sticks".  Such as what my Dear Hubby and son have been doing on their trap line.  Dear Hubby, Slim, is one of the trapping instructors in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources for the State of Wisconsin.  I believe this is his 15th year as an instructor;

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-11907281944812887782011-04-18T00:36:00.000-05:002011-04-18T00:36:46.666-05:00

Life is but a stopping place, A pause in what's to be, A resting place along the road, to sweet eternity. We all have different journeys Different paths along the way, We all were meant to learn some things, but never meant to stay... Our destination is a place, Far greater than we know. For some the journey's quicker, For some the journey's slow. And when the journey finally ends, We'll claim a

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-55612085298597683872011-04-17T10:12:00.002-05:002011-04-17T11:19:46.563-05:00

No ... we didn't go fishing ... but I'm ready to! Slim ran into one of our ol' customers, Swennie ~ from the bait shop days ... down by the river while he was checking his spring beaver traps and he was catching redhorse. image from the internet Well, Swennie, the good guy that he is ... dropped off seven of them (about half the size of the one in the picture) for me to pickle up. Slim

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-57746235069170637962011-04-15T14:21:00.000-05:002011-04-15T14:21:49.022-05:00

Yes! More snow is in the forecast for our area ~ accumulations between 2 to 4 inches by tomorrow.  Can it get any better ... just think ... no bugs in the snow.  Although I suppose snow fleas don't mind this kind of weather ... not that I've seen snow fleas around here. I have completely given up on griping about it.  It is what it is ... and there's not a darn thing I can do about the

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-55262509808203838672011-04-10T10:32:00.003-05:002011-04-10T10:50:56.899-05:00

Well another spring time job is done ... cleaning out the bird houses and putting them back up for another season.  Patching roofs ... putting on new siding ... shaking out last years nesting materials ... making things pretty for this years tweeters ... Now tell me ... if you were a bird wouldn't you want to live in a hollowed out gourd that has been painted like a cow?  AND get to live in

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-11887944001652440872011-04-08T09:16:00.001-05:002011-04-08T09:32:12.688-05:00

My Grandloves have a babysitting job from now until July for a little Plott Hound dog.  I don't like it ... it's going to break their little hearts when it's time to say good bye. But I'm just the Grandma ... and do I know what I'm talking about?  I guess life's lessons aren't always easy ones. My daughter and her hubby are in the dog business ... they have always raised hounds.  There are

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-69195989090329925922011-04-07T15:27:00.000-05:002011-04-07T15:27:36.311-05:00

It's a gorgeous day in the north woods! Spring is showing her face ... :) and it's putting a smile on mine. I decided I needed to do something today on the crafty side ... so here's what I came up with.  I had an old table with a swivel top that was in need of a new top.  I took the old top off and screwed on a slab of wood.  I think it'll fit the bill for where it's going ... out on my deck

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-73725746912469238942011-04-06T16:32:00.000-05:002011-04-06T16:32:52.513-05:00

The weather is in the 50's ... yes I said the 50's ~ and that's ABOVE ZERO ... it's starting to really feel like spring is coming to the north woods.  Yippee! I threw open the windows ... washed rugs, scrubbed the floors this morning, made a kettle of turkey veggie soup and made a rhubarb torte. Growing up, rhubarb torte was always a spring dessert that Mom would make, made from freshly cut

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-88837889642164550902011-04-03T19:56:00.000-05:002011-04-03T19:56:58.743-05:00

I've completely given up on wishful thinking and hopes of spring ... let it snow!  What is my Grandlove Bailey and her BFF's going to do when it's all gone?  They have so much fun playing outside in the snow :) Bailey and the lethal black sled ~ sometimes that sled is a little too fast and if there is an icy coating on the snow ... it's a no go for these little girls.  They'd end up all the

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430574198775498108.post-22401610174313923732011-04-03T08:42:00.001-05:002011-04-03T08:44:50.168-05:00

  Just thought I'd share my scrapbook page with you that I made this morning.~~ It's snowing again today ....    I have a bird house hanging and ready for the birds when they decide the weather is warm enough to start laying eggs. Mercy ... this has been a long winter.  Hopefully a little chickadee or nuthatch might take up residency in that house.  Last year the hornets moved into it.  I'm

~melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923627491671705881noreply@blogger.com8