A New Decade

Officially in a few hours I will start a new decade in my life.  I have no idea where this past one went but it is gone and there is no looking back.  The best part of it is I retired and it is pure freedom. I am busier than when I worked BUT I am doing what I want to do.  This next decade brings the final journey of my parents moving to an independent living/assisted living facility, my niece will get her degree and hopefully a great job and a house.  All I know is there is a new chapter of my life about to get written and I wonder what all it will entail. 

As I was eating lunch at moms I realized this was probably the last birthday meal and cake she would ever make me.  She fixed my favs, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, frozen corn, homemade baking powder biscuits and an orange cake with buttercream frosting shaped as a cat face.  There was my usual gift of fig newtons (my fav cookie) and the decorations on the table.  Fixing a big meal like this tires her out and I told he we could go out but she insisted.  So I will savor every moment of today and treasure it always.

My parents got me a stool for my spinning wheel and when I get them all moved and settled next spring I hope to be able to get back to learning how to spin.  My mom also got me an orchid and hisbicus, new plants.  I love plants and they grow very well in my house.

My mom's Siamese cat is a hoot, he was a stray and look how beautiful he is.

Getting Old is Not For Sissies

My parents are beginning the last journey by moving into independent living next year.  They will be in a brand new facility and it is sweet.  I am ready to move in myself.  So now we are starting to clean their house and they need to get rid of at least half of it.  So mom and I started in her craft room.  I was in 3rd grade when Kennedy was shot.  It just so happened that the day he got shot we were making tea towels for our moms for Christmas.  We used a potato and I used red ink for her fav color.  I remember I was hemming it when our teacher came in, told us to put our name on the towel and grab our stuff and go home.  We had no idea what was going on and did not understand what all it meant, but we went home.  My mom never used the towel and we found it today, she kept it all these years, so now it is in my possession.  Oh the memories of stuff we found today and the tears that were shed.  Getting old really sucks and knowing that your parents are on their final journey makes it all the harder.  At least I live 10 minutes away so I can help them through this. 

Cheap Thrill

My outside doors are all various shades of green.  I really don't like green.  This week the local hardware has pints for $.99.  I found this shade for my kitchen door going out the deck and my front door will be a red/orange brick color.  It took me about a quarter's worth of paint to do this.  How fun is it.

Camp Loopy August Fabric Project

I won a copy of the bag in a contest from a store that I frequented here locally. It has since closed but you can find the pattern at Craftsy.  There is a free pillow top using the basis of the pattern too.  I am thinking of making a quilt as well. 

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/accessory/memory-lane-quilted-tote/114847?rceId=1440367089906~r4g5n6td

We had to get a short stack and 4 1/2 yards of fabric in colors we don't normally use.  The inside is yellow, orange and greens from the stack.  Here is my bag and I made 2 large pockets inserts to use all the fabric.  I also striped all the pieces to use up the fabric. 

N2B

http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2015/08/n2b-or-new-decorah-nest.html

Because the nest was destroyed in Decorah RRP decided to build a nest and place it in a tree in the hopes that mom and dad would use it.  Work has started as mom and dad start in October to build or repair their nest. 

I have mixed feelings about this.  Eagles are nest builders and they should be able to pick their spot and build their nest.  I feel they will probably build a better nest, and is this messing with nature too much?  I would miss not being able to watch the new eagles next Spring but should we leave them alone and let the eagles do what they want?  Only time will tell what they will do. 

Camp Loopy August Yarn Project

We are to use 800 yards and make something we find amazing.  I started just looking at patterns to see what popped up and here it is.  It is the dreambird shawl.  It really is very easy to make and kind of boring.  You just need to make sure you count exactly each row.  I love the short row procedure I learned, it is the best and no holes.  I wanted one like a cardinal, one of my fav birds and so here it is.

I used almost all of the yarn totaling 952 yards.

Naked Ladies, Lizards, and Hostas

My naked ladies are pretty much non-existent this summer.  The green foliage in the spring was plentiful but I only have 3 that came up and bloomed. I have to wonder if they got too much rain and not enough sun.  They are in a bad place when the rain comes gushing out of the gutter and piles over the top of them.  I need to find a longer piece of hose to come from the gutter out of the flower bed.  My hostas are in full bloom especially after the deer decided to feast on one of them.

This little lizard appeared on the deck and appears to blend in quite well.  The ones in front are copper in color but I wonder if they are blenders.

D20 Update

SOAR: Regarding Progress of Decorah.
8/9/15 Update - No news is good news! Several have asked on the progress of tail feathers and how training is going. Decorah continues to be in a low-stress time in training. He has left his jesses and anklets alone (knock on wood he continues this, as many education birds take off their "jewelry"). He's eating, preening, bathing, and molting -- yes, new feathers are growing, but we haven't even taken a photo of progress. We have not seen evidence of tail feathers getting "pinched off" (where the blood supply seems to vanish and the feathers dry up and break off) right now. No stress means no stress. As soon as all feathers have grown in, training activities will resume. Kay also reports that Decorah "chitters" to her when she talks to him.

New RRP Director

This is John Howe, the new director of RRP. He has some BIG shoes to fill! 😊

 

What Will Mom and Dad Do?

Neil Retig (?sp) just announced, in honor of Bob Anderson, they will make sure that the Decorah Eagles continue to be broadcast on ustream and that they are planning on building a man made nest in Decorah in hopes that mom and dad Decorah will start using it!! This work should begin in the next few days.

Eagles are nest builders but will they use one already made that they had no "wing" in?  Only time will tell.  Or will the owls take over the manmade nest as they like to use nests already built?

Guess we will just have to wait and see.

Do You Read?

I find the data really sad.  Books can take you places you never dreamt of going, they can teach you things you may never learn anywhere else, and they can be just entertaining.  I try to read 2 books a month and I still don't think I will read all the books I want to.  I am thankful my parents instilled reading in my life and the trips to the library so I could read when I wanted to.  Go get a book and read.  Just do it!

Largest Funeral in Decorah

Today is a sad day in the eagle world.  It is the day to celebrate the life and works of Bob Anderson.  There will be  moment of silence at 1pm nest time (Central).  Soar high with the eagles Bob and thank you for giving us a great gift of watching the lives of these great raptors.

http://www.decorahnews.com/news-stories/2015/08/11501.html


Ustream put this together:  http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/70328347?utm_campaign=www.facebook.com&utm_source=ustre.am/:4L5Cb&utm_medium=social&utm_content=20150808073428



http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2015/08/our-brother-bob-anderson.html

A Petition I Can Feel Good About

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/bob-anderson-deserves-posthumous-presidential-citizens-medal-his-work-american-raptor-restoration

This petition is for Bob to receive a medal for all his work with raptors.  If anyone deserves it, he does.

Get Your Crayons Out

Today is National Coloring Day.  More and more adults are taking to coloring to reduce stress.  You can find "adult" color books at Dover online, Joann's, Barnes and Noble and other places.  I prefer to use color pencils when coloring an adult color book.  Crayons work well with children's color books as the pictures are larger and the crayons are too fat for a smaller color book for adults.

National Coloring Book Day is celebrated annually on August 2.  Coloring and coloring books have always been popular with children, but over the years adults have gotten more and more involved with coloring.  Adult coloring is now a huge trend and many are finding that it is not only fun but also a great way to reduce stress.  Founded in 1941, Dover Publications led the way, releasing their first coloring book for adults, Antique Automobiles Coloring Book, in 1970. Dover now publishes Creative Haven®, a popular line of coloring books specially designed for adult colorists.

Mrs Wilson's Knittng Circle

Today's lecture was how the war was funded.  People were almost forced to buy bonds by the propaganda.  Back in those days a $50 bond was a lot of money considering most did not make that much for the month.  I remember my maternal grandfather only made $700/year to take care of a family of 9 kids.  One of the things talked about was how people were proud to fund the war and how would it go over today.  Back in those days many people were happy to help out because they loved their country.  Many who came here legally wanted to give back to a country that gave them so much.  Not today they only want what they can get for free and not give back at all. I am sure today many would not help fund the war this way and that is a shame.

Our pattern was a vest knit in one piece with a hole in the middle and sewed up the sides.  I think this is one pattern I will make and wear, I wonder if dad would like a vest for Christmas.

We have 3 more meetings this year and in December we are doing a knit in with sack lunch provided.  These meetings are free and provide so much history about the first World War.  What a sacrifice everyone made.