Floods in Minnesota...

Can you believe the floods we're having in Minnesota?! I had no idea until this morning that so many folks have died because of it! Here's some links to pictures I found of the flood. This isn't happening in my neck of the woods, fortunatly. Please keep the folks in these areas in your prayers!...

To see Tracy Thelen's photos of flooding at Sidie Hollow in Vernon County, click here.

To see Phyllis Skarda's photos of the Bad Axe River overflowing at South Creek Road and Lockington Road at Romance, Wis., in Vernon County, click here.

To see photos of the devastation along Hwy. 35 and elsewhere in southern La Crosse and Vernon County, click here.

To see photos of severe flooding in Winona, Minn., and Minnesota City click here.

To see Rodney Aspenson's photos of severe flooding in Petersburg and the side of Gays Mills, Wis., click here.

To see a gallery of photos of flash flooding in Winona County, click here.

Chek out my new ride...

How's the weather been in your neck of the woods? It's been rainy in mine. Rainy and cold. Sheesh....yesterday and today I've been back in my sweats again! Just last week it was tank tops and shorts and in my bare feet! It's true what they say about Minnesota weather.....you never know from one minute to the next what it's going to be like! Guess I shouldn't complain tho. Right now there are folks in Minnesota who are having flash floods and losing everything they own. Haven't heard of any lives lost, so that's a good thing at least. Just last week, folks even closer to where I live were having winds that ripped off their roof and brought down their trees. Some had golf ball sized hail too. Lots of damage done in some areas, and garden crops broken down and ruined. Such a shame. My prayers go out to all those folks.
On a lighter note...I just got home from a fun (but tiring!) evening at work. My co-worker and I took the girls out to a dance at a local lodge. They had a great time, however I wasn't too impressed with how loud the music was. It was hot in there too. I think I'm just getting too old for that stuff. *lol* But....the girls had a blast!! Their favorite was the Chicken Dance. What a hoot! I have to say I think that was my favorite too, and I was just sitting on the sidelines watching everyone. That was enuf fun for me! ha! The girls were real tired when we got back home, and wanted to go straight to bed! I think they'll sleep good tonite. (I know I will!!) Ü
Well, I gave up on fixing my old car. I've been putting too much money into it for awhile now, and was going to have to put in a new thing-a-ma-jiggy for the coolant stuff before the weather turns to freezing, which was going to cost me ANOTHER five hundred bucks, so I just decided I'd get rid of it and get something more reliable. One thing after another keeps going wrong with it, and it just hit 100,000 miles. I've been putting water in the coolant thingy, but once it starts freezing I can't do that anymore. Didn't have it quite paid off, but I needed to trade it in before it completely quit on me! I wonder what these dealerships do with the more junkier cars they get for trade-ins? I never see them in their lots.
Anyhoo....here's a couple pictures of my new ride.....

I absolutely love it!! It's a 2004, 4-wheel drive Jeep Liberty, and hopefully having the 4 wheel drive will help me with my fear of driving in the winter-time. I'm use to having a front wheel drive car tho, so it's taking me a little getting use to driving this thing. I'm practicing a lot tho! hehe

I made sure my payments and the insurance weren't any worse than what I was already paying for my car, so I think I got a pretty good deal! Not spending any more money than I'm use to every month, but having a MUCH nicer ride! Ü It gets 21-25 mpg, which is a little worse than my car, but well worth it to have everything working and in like-new shape. The heater and air conditioner work, I actually get more than two radio stations, (a lot more!!), and I don't feel every little bump in the road like I use to with my car!

Yep, I think AuntyB is finally movin' on up! Ü

Until next time.....

Gardening for Wildlife

Have you ever considered getting your yard certified as a wildlife habitat? I'm going to do it! According to the questionaire I answered here: http://www.nwf.org/backyard/ , my yard already has everything I need to qualify!

It costs $15.00 when you send in the application, and once you're certified you'll get:

• A personalized certificate that recognizes your NWF Certified Wildlife
  Habitat™.
  
  
• A free NWF membership which includes a full year’s subscription to the
  award-winning National Wildlife® magazine.
  
  
• A free subscription to the quarterly e-newsletter, Habitats, full
  of insightful tips and information on gardening and attracting wildlife year
  after year.
  
  
• Your name listed in NWF’s National registry of certified habitats…to
  recognize all you’ve done for wildlife.

And, once you complete your application, you’ll be eligible to purchase the “wildly” popular Certified Wildlife Habitat™ yard sign that shows your commitment to conserving wildlife.

All you need to do is provide elements from each of the following areas:

• Food Sources. For example: Native plants, seeds,
  fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
  
  
• Water Sources. For example: Birdbath, pond, water
  garden, stream
  
  
• Places for Cover. For example: Thicket, rockpile,
  birdhouse
  
  
• Places to Raise Young. For example: Dense shrubs,
  vegetation, nesting box, pond
  
  
• Sustainable Gardening. For example: Mulch,
  compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

Need more info? Just call 1-800-822-9919 or email info@nwf.org

Too Many Cats!!

My daughter has this cat I've never liked....her name is Scarface. She's a calico cat and her face is split down the middle in different colors. I've always thought she was an ugly cat, but she was the baby of my daughter's favorite cat who was hit by a car and killed, so I let her keep her. As long as she was an OUTSIDE cat. (we have several outside cats already)

For some reason, Scarface likes me. I don't know why. I'm not mean to her or anything, I just don't particularly care for her. I think she's ugly. My daughter thinks she looks neat. Ha!

Well, Scarface got pregnant, and for the last few weeks she's been overly fat and miserable, so I've been nice and let her be a house cat. She wanted in the house, and who am I to deny her that comfort? It's been so hot outside, and I know I prefer the central air, so I couldn't just leave Scarface outside in that heat now could I??

My husband HATES any kind of animal in the house. He has no sense of humor when it comes to our pets, and he doesn't beat around the bush when giving his opinion. Actually, he really doesn't have much of a sense of humor whatever the subject. But THAT's another story....*lol*

Unbeknown'st to my husband, Scarface has been hiding under our bed to sleep at nite. I've seen her there, but as long as she doesn't bother me, I don't bother her. And since I know what it's like to be pregnant and miserable, I let her stay.

Unfortunately, she liked it under there a little TOO much, and yesterday afternoon she had her babies there. The quilt to our king-sized bed lay on the floor at the foot of the bed since it got too hot the nite before and was kicked onto the floor.

So guess where Scarface decided to have her babies??? You guessed it! Right there, at the foot of our bed, on my favorite quilt, which was on the floor. Fortunately for her, she waited until hubby went to work to do this. Otherwise I think a few things might have gone flying in the air!

Now, if I were any kind of a housekeeper, I would have made my bed that morning. But NOoooo...Not me! It wasn't bothering me to have it lay there on the floor. But it bothers me now!!

I called daughter into the room when I saw all this, and yelled to her (in sort of a panic) that we had to clean up this mess before her father came home. She understood completely. hehe

So we gathered up the quilt, took it to the laundry room to let it soak until I came home from work last nite to take care of it. (In the meantime, hubby was suppose to just think I was cleaning the bedding, so I changed the sheets, too. (sneaky, eh?) Ü

Before going to work that afternoon, I instructed daughter on where to move the cat and her kitties in an out-of-dad's-way place, making a new 'bed' for them elsewhere.

A short while later, I get a phone call at work from daughter saying, "I've tried moving Scarface and her babies to different places in the house but she keeps going back to your bedroom door and clawing at it with a baby in her mouth!" Now, in some ways this really was funny, but the thought of 'Dad' coming home to find these cats in the bedroom sobered me up pretty fast. So I told her of a different spot to move them, and Scarface did the same thing. After a few phone calls and each time Scarface clawing at my bedroom door wanting in, I finally told daughter to open my bedroom door and let her do what she wants, and to tell her dad when he got home not to get upset, that I was going to take care of it as soon as I got off work. Ü

So....I get home, try to hide the cat and kitties under my bed, and each time Scarface moves her kitties right inside my bedroom door, out in the open where hubby has to walk around them when coming in or out of the bedroom. Is this a stupid cat or what?? I mean, she HAS to know he doesn't like her even more than I!! *lol*

I finally told hubby what was going on (but not about that quilt!) and explained the situation to him and how persistant Scarface was, and told him he was just going to have to put up with it. (That actually went a lot better than I thot it would!) hehe

So last nite, Scarface and her babies happily (but not too quietly) slept in our bedroom, on the floor, in the corner by the door. She's happy, all five of her babies are happy, and evidently that's all that matters. Ü

Chickens growing like weeds!

Look how much my chickens have grown!! I can't believe it! Still don't have an outside pen for them so they're roaming the yard, but they seem to like it that way! Ü

I Love My Job!!

I've worked at this group home for quite a few years now, and I love it just as much today as I did the first day I started there! It's within a mile from my home, so that makes it nice in the winter time, since I hate driving in the winter! (what am I doing in Minnesota???!) Well, at least I don't have far to go! Ü I have fantastic bosses and co-workers who've become more like family than anything else. Everyone works so well together as a team, even when we disagree on something. We all love the folks we take care of....and everything we do there, we do for our folks. They are our first priority, as they should be.

When I'm not at work, I'm usually at home doing something homey. I'm just a home-body, I guess. Since my 'work' is home away from home for me, often you can find me there in my spare time (when I need a break from my gardening or other things I'm doing at home), just visiting with the folks and the staff and having coffee with them. It's really a wonderful, relaxing place to be. Everyone is family there! If you can't find me at MY home, you can probably find me at theirs! Ü

The other day we had a picnic and invited lots of other folks over. Boy, what a turnout! Everything was sooo perfect!! The weather was absolutely beautiful, (I worried it would rain), the gardens and the trail were breath-taking as usual (we work hard to make sure it stays that way!), there were soooo many people who showed up, and everyone had such a great time!!

I took a LOT of pictures for our memory book, and I'll share a few of them here, with you...

Years ago we had a paved trail added for the folks. It comes full circle around the home, with a figure '8' shape at the bottom of the hill. We also have a bench down there, if we feel like sitting a spell. Ü These pictures are part of that area. Everyone loves walking this trail! And as you can see here, some prefer to ride!... (I happen to be more of a rider than a walker!) *lol*

You really relax when you walk this trail. And what a great view!! All sorts of wildflowers and trees to enjoy. It's kinda like a labayrinth, you start walking and by the time you come back to the beginning, all your troubles are left behind. Ahhhhh.....
It was quite a long day, and everyone was tired by the time everyone was gone and all the clean-up was done, but Oh, was it ever worth it! Can I really call this a job???!

Morning Laziness...

Getting up by 7 a.m. this morning didn't seem to help me accomplish as much as I thought I would by now. I had great plans, but as usual, my plans don't seem to be working out so well. Ever have one of those days when you have so much to get done, but you just can't seem to pry your butt out of your chair?? Well, this is one of those days for me....and waking up with a headache I can't seem to get rid of hasn't helped, either!
As I sit here on my computer, I'm trying to relax (even tho my head's still pounding) and listening to Kitaro music flowing thru the house while I watch the birds at the feeder outside this office window. There seem to be a lot more chickadees than usual this morning. I just love chickadees!! They like to perch on the screen here chattering at each other while they take turns eating the sunflower seeds. My hubby HATES having the feeder so close to the house, but I love it!! I like to keep the window open a little so I can hear them well.
This is the view from where I sit....

Here's the view from the outside of the house (backyard)....

I let the chickens out to roam the yard bright & early this morning. I'm not use to just letting them roam, we've always kept our critters penned up. Hubby needs to build a better outside pen to keep them in. They kept getting out somehow, so last nite after work I just tore down the fence so they could go back inside the building on their own when it got dark. They did! We have skunks and all sortsa critters in these woods who'd just love a taste of my chickens, so I make sure they're safely locked inside at nite. It's not fun trying to catch a bunch of loose chickens and throw them back into the pen just before dark! *lol* I was just following them around and around the barn....and they were a lot faster than I was!

Sunday afternoon I invited all my nieces & nephews over to help me catch all the ducks in their pen and take them to the swamp thru our woods to turn them loose. Oh how fun that was! I think we created a memory for those kids that will last them a lifetime. Ü They'd chase the ducks around the outside pen, the ducks would jump in their pool and splash water everywhere....by the time we were done I think everyone smelled like dirty duck! *lol* But, the kids had fun, and that's the important part, right?? We carried them in a cage to the swamp, and the kids took turns throwing each duck up into the air towards the water so they could be free. Then we just stood there awhile and watched them swim away. Ahhhh.....no more duck mess in MY barn! hehehehe

Today's laundry day. Now THAT'S a never-ending job! Don'tcha just hate laundry?? Laundry and dishes are the worst for me. Speaking of which....I better get busy so I can catch up on this mess!

The Berry Patch...

Here's my berry patch. The white lines you see at the top of this pic are my clothes lines. Ü The gazing ball in the front center is actually a bowling ball that sits on an old cement birdbath pedestal. The big bush in the center is a Cherry bush, the big bush on the left is an American Cranberry bush (and another one behind it that you can't see so well in this pic), along the back are my grape vines. There are also gooseberries, raspberries, and currants planted here. All along the front (right behind the little fence) are my blueberry plants. Down the hill from this garden are all my apple trees.

The Kitchen Garden...

This deck comes out from my kitchen. We like to cook supper on the grill, and it's easier to watch it from inside the kitchen when it's so hot outside. Our cat, Clyde, likes to hang out here too!

Cherry tomatoes, Early girl tomatoes, parsley, mixed lettuces, and somewhere on this deck is a pot of onion chives, garlic chives, and lemon thyme as well as another pot of lemon balm for my tea.

I planted some hens and chicks in this fountain bucket just to 'cute up' the area a little. Ü

The Herb & Frog Pond Garden...

Enter the Herb Garden...Always a work in progress!!



Cross the bridge (or walk 'round the pond) to smell the herbs...


My Dad built the bench. He died several years ago (diabetes complications), and I think of him every time I sit there! Ü

This gazing ball is actually a bowling ball. I spray-painted, then glued plastic frogs all over it and put it on an old lamp base. It sits in the herb garden in front of the Echinachea...

AuntyB's Pottin' Shed

I finally finished my potting shed a couple weeks ago! All fixed up inside and out...just the way I wanted it. Ü My tools are nicely hung on the walls inside, with my potting table and a separate work bench to boot! I'm so happy it's all finally organized! There are also shelves where I can store all my yard/garden decorations for the winter months.

The brown box up at the top of the shed is a bat house my brother made for me. I finally found the perfect spot for it! (after saving that bat house for about the last 7 years!) *lol*

Here's a pic of the East side of the shed:

And this is the West side of the shed:

You can't see them yet, but I planted some Hydrangeas on this side. And of course, I had to add some chickens! Ü This side isn't decorated quite as much as the other sides because the hydrangeas will grow at least as tall as the decorative window, so this side will look full enuf.

Chickens & Ducks

I use to love raising birds! I had pheasants, ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys....and I've missed them! It's been several years now, and to my hubby's dismay, I decided to try it again (on a much smaller scale!) this year.
I bought some day old Mallard ducks and Buff Orpington chickens from a local hatchery about 6 weeks ago, and I'm loving it!! (Except for the muddy mess the ducks are creating inside the shed with the water dish...Ick!)
I don't plan on keeping the ducks, and because of how messy they are, I probably won't raise them again next summer.
Here's a picture after I brought them to their new home:

I do plan on keeping some of the chickens, tho! I can't wait to collect eggs from them, and watch some of the hens hatch their own babies next spring! I'm going to butcher most of the chickens, or give them to someone who wants them, keeping only about 6 laying hens and one rooster for myself.

Here's a picture of the chickens at about 6 weeks old: