The fabric barn is starting to shape up !

This summer our BIG project is the fabric barn.  The concrete floor is down the deadmen are in place and the pipe frame is coming together...slowly.

Katie Kubota offers her services to help lift the pipes while we anchor them down and put the cross pipes in place.

Yay !  The frame is in place and just needs a bit of adjustment and securing of the pipes.  It is starting to come together.

Today my mom and a few friends went for a drive out to Hurd Orchards and the gift shop is so, oh so...lovely.  

A joy to behold, a brand new grandson to love!

Introducing James Robert, son of Mike and our daughter Sarah, brother of Peter.

Very early this morning Sarah gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy!  His BIG brother Peter looks SO proud !  Peter asked if he could see his "extension cord"  LOL

Great Grandma Pat offered her love to this little bundle of joy and she wore her mother's ring in memory of Great Great Grandma Gen to welcome little James.

Papa Jim got his turn to say hello too.  How tiny he looks in his arms.  Oh, oh...James squared.  :)

Big hand a weeee little hand...  Below: Mike, Sarah and James.

When I was young, someone would ask me "what do you want to be when you grow up?"...my reply was "a bopshe" aka know as a Grandma. My all time favorite role in life is now running in 4D on an imax screen. LOL.

 I LOVE my life.

I wish you all a BIG wonderful burst of joy...too! Hugs!

Labor Day weekend and traditions continue...

Miss Bella was found chillin' on the couch including having her head on a pillow!  Too funny.  The life of a dog.

My second cousin, Mark Ketch married his blushing bride, Jamie and I volunteered to make the favors.  275 cut out cookies.  Jim brought home this baking rack and I thought I would NEVER use it.  But for a small country kitchen it was perfect for working on such a BIG batch of love.

My mom came out to help me decorate and she delivered them for me too.  All packed in foam bubbles so they arrive perfect.  Thanks Mom, love ya.

So, when other folks are trying to figure out what festival to attend or fun to be had on Labor Day weekend we are installing our new windows in the front porch.  Also, it HAD to be the last of the HOTTEST day of summer.  CRAZY.

To complete the fun of Labor Day weekend we held our 5th Annual Freezer Corn Festival.  LOL  Husking the corn for the big production.  It equals out to about a tote of corn.  Fun for everyone.

Jim gets the biggest kick out of it, this production has come a long way from the way his folks did it in the basement of this ol' house.  He really is this happy about this production.  He smiles just as big when he is eating it for dinner in mid winter.  :)

He arranged another stainless steel table top to sit on his custom made horses.  Note the height of the tables, no bending over and straining your back.  He is always thinking...that guy.

All husked !

Mom gets into the fun too! Another tradition continues...

A snapshot or two of July happenings...

Jim's summer logging project is well underway.  The piles are getting bigger as I type! Peggy the firewood processor is getting really excited.  Ha! (Isn't the sky beautiful?)

The fabric barn floor is being poured, Jim is playing supervisor and I am keeping Bella out of the way.  :)

We have a great day for a pour.

 Later that afternoon Jim and Bella are checking out the floor.  The next day we actually used it as a dance floor for 2.

 We also have the chore of painting the outside of the house this summer (more like Fall I am guessing) and while Jim is looking at these old window and what a pain it will be to paint them, he decides to order new ones and here we go...(sigh inserted here), another fun project added.

 A sunny photograph of my new rose bush in the front yard !

 I just HAD to add a picture of Bella perched and watching the world go by...

 My trip to the farmer's market included a cherry pie from Schwab's Farm!

While visiting my parents farm I captured a picture of young Willie and Kim continuing his training.  Willie just returned from horse school.  :)  He looks wonderful !

American Logger finally out of the barn !

American Logger has finally made his debut !  Out from the dark corner of the barn he is going to be placed on his perch to look over his kingdom. (Those are my mom's words)

Last year Jim poured a pad for the fella to sit properly and evenly.  Just a few shims to keep him in his place.

Doesn't he look AWESOME !  If you would like to see the process of how he came to be...look on the right and click on 2009 and then December.  It was really interesting to watch the chainsaw carver, Rick Pratt use his muse. 

Just for some color...enjoy !

Next Project and a few special somethin's :)

Ok, so Jim is at it again.  Another wonderful summer project underway.  He is beginning to clear and tear up the ground to prepare for his fabric barn.  He puts the many talents of Johnny Deere to use while Daisy Dozer looks on with jealous desire.  LOL

 This photo is a bit dark, that is due to the fact that he works whenever he can get out of his office...which means, yes, even dusk.

The frame is finished and we put down the rebar with a strict pattern and design, darn those structural engineers.  LOL  I guess this slab will last at least one hundred years or so.  Also, if you noticed I said "we" put down the rebar...isn't that the way everyone celebrates Fourth of July?  Well, I would say I got the better end of the deal as we stopped at my folks after a wedding this weekend and the fellas were up in the barn stacking bales of hay.  Folks, you wanna talk about work?  Baling hay has got to be ONE the WORST summer jobs around...been there, done that, no thank you.  Those that do it...you ROCK.

 

Jim got the fun job of tying the rebar with individual pieces of wire and twisting each one.  Yuck.  Well, I can say the he had clean sheets from the clothes line outdoors, wonderful meals, clean work clothes and a sassy wife put up with.  LOL

Here we go, all set for the pour next week. WHEW !

My mom and our daughter Sarah celebrated their birthday, Happy Birthday to you'ssss.   It was a lovely day with family and friends to help join in the fun.  PS Sarah is having another BOY!  Due date TBD.  I cannot wait to meet the little fella and Peter is excited too.

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world. ~Leo Buscaglia   We planted a few rose bushes this summer and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bush.  The have the most amazing scent.

Ok, soooo Bella had to show up somewhere on here, right?  OMG.  Can I tell you that there is not one part lap dog in the gal...she is 110% farm dog in a gucci coat.  Here she is licking water from the mud puddle and dripping in mud.  She whines to go outside when she hears the tractor start up...arggg.  Figures, Jim says that I put a gun to his head to get the dog and she ONLY has eyes for him.  Sigh....

Peggy has finally arrived !

Sooo, finally after a LONG journey and a truck breaking down in Albany, the newest of Jim's girls has arrived. Peggy the Processor aka the Blockbuster Firewood Processor. Note Katie Kubota checking out the new competition. (Peggy can't work without Katie's PTO shaft, so she isn't too worried.) :)

Jim introducing the two gals.

Johnny Deere gets in on the action helping to get the elevator off the truck.

Putting some logs in place to run through the processor. You cannot tell from this picture but Jim is pretty happy. :)

The entire operation, pretty impressive I must say. The only thing better would be if it were a convertible Mustang...sigh.

Jim getting a few instructions from Blockbuster Dave.

A video for you to enjoy! Happy Firewood Processing...