Mothers

All the answers from a class of 2nd graders.
Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is..
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother & not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between Moms & dads?
1 . Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

A big THANK YOU to my friend Keewee at her blog "keeweescorner" for this fun posting!

Another wonderful day without snow!

Yes we seem to be getting just the right weather over here in Montana....another sunny day. I have noticed some plants and shrubs starting to bud out already. I hope they wait a little while yet. JW and I stopped at a large antique shop Friday afternoon on the way home from Victor and Hamilton. This piece of farm equipment was at the entrance and neither of us could even guess what it was used for.
The same piece of equipment but from the other side of the entrance. It seems to have a half tank that looks like it held some type of liquid or maybe seed?

I was lucky to find a very old Printers drawer at the antique shop that I will make into a wonderful shadow box for a lot of my small treasures. I have been watching for just the right one for some time so I was very pleased to find this one. It was made in Minnesota and shipped to a print shop in Manhattan, Montana. Yes, fortunately all of this information was still imprinted on the back of the drawer. A photograph will be included soon. How exciting....another project to work on!!!!

Maybe it's the local water

I am beginning to wonder about the animals in this neighborhood...wild and domestic. They all seem to do some very strange things. I looked across the field yesterday and saw that the neighbors mule could hardly wait for the delivery truck to leave with this load of dirt before he climbed to the top of it and spend quite some time making sure the rest of the herd stayed off his mountain! I took another picture...the one posted below...so you could see how high the mound of dirt really was. There must be something in the water in this valley! I attended my first Red Hats Society meeting today at lunch. It was held in Victor which is about 40 miles north of here. I enjoyed myself but I am not sure if this is the group for me. Another get together should answer that question for me.

We had another sunny day today but we could see lot's of fresh snow in the surrounding mountains. But our roads are clear so we made the trip to Victor and back in good time.

What an incredible site we saw today

JW and I were returning from a shopping trip into Victor and Hamilton this afternoon when we can around a corner and saw several cars pulled to the side of the road. Around here when you see cars on the side of the road you immediately know there is a reason to get the camera out. Sure enough, there on the north bound side of the road in a field stood a very large herd of Elk. As we pulled over I said to JW..."They are looking for a way to cross the highway." An amazing site...as soon as the lead Elk realized there were no more moving vehicles she started leading the herd across the highway. I took this picture standing at the rear of our pickup and the noise they made going across the pavement was very amazing. Not just the sound of all the hoofs, but the sound of loud grunting was going on...possibly to keep the younger ones moving along. The entire herd made it safely across the highway, over the fence and on their way over a steep mountain. Probably looking for a quieter, safer place to spend the night!
As the herd passed very close our truck we did notice several Bulls in this large herd. What a wonderful passing of nature we were allowed to view! We believe there was at least 75 elk in the herd.

Our excursion into Victor and then into Hamilton allowed us to visit several stores that we hadn't found before. We went in two wonderful book and craft stores in Hamilton and we will definitely return to both. We went into a quaint little coffee/wireless/donut shop and as we entered I told JW this feels just like Seattle...what a great feeling to find in Montana. So after purchasing several books that neither of us could live without, we headed back to Darby and the beautiful Elk herd.

What a fun Nascar race!

I sure enjoyed the Daytona 500 Race yesterday. Of course, my favorite driver # 55 didn't do well but the race was very exciting anyway. And the last few laps kept me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for Mark Martin but that spectacular finish was one not to miss. And I can't imagine what it must have felt like for Clint Bowyer to cross the finish line as his car was screaming across the finish line upside down! I was very thankful that no one was hurt...especially as Dale Jr. was involved in that crash much like the wreck that took his dads life on that very track. Scary for a few moments. This is our scene out our front window early this morning...a beautiful sun filled day...again. No, we still have no snow. That's okay, I don't want any.
I have almost finished crafting my serving tray. The mosaic's are tiles I have cut from Japanese paper that I found in a fabulous shop at the Pike Place Market on the Seattle Waterfront.
After placing them where I thought they looked pretty I have covered them with a thick coat of pour on high gloss finish. The finish is so deep and beautiful it looks as though it is still wet. Waterproof, stain resistant and very pretty. I enjoyed this project so I think I will try a few different versions of this tray and see what I can come up with. Have a great day!

Get your feet off the table!

I saw this sight yesterday as I was driving back from Darby. I haven't been back by this pasture to see if the young guy was able to remove himself from the hay feeder!

Our weather has been fantastic here lately. Saturday it was about 63 degrees at it's highest. Wow...not bad for winter in Montana. But it's hard not to get outside and start planting something...anything!!!! As I was poking around in the flower beds I did find several patches of Hen and Chicks growing. So I can do a lot with them and they will do well this coming season. I am guessing that the deer don't care about them...GOOD!

The Daytona 500 is about to start so I must get my spot on the couch. Enjoy your day!

Seed catalogs are here!

I have received several seed and flower catalogs in the last several days. All the flowers look so colorful and beautiful that I want to order all of them!









But I know that even though the sun is shinning in my living room window and our thermometer says it's 62 degree's, that it does not mean that Spring is here and Winter is over. Darn.

So I will continue to dream about the fabulous garden I would really like to have and remember that the more colorful and beautiful the plants are the more likely they will be the ones the deer will enjoy the most...and I don't mean to just look at. Chomp, chomp!! Is it hunting season yet?

My next crafting project

I found my old serving tray and decided it needed a updated look so I primed it and painted it my favorite shade of red. Tomorrow I will begin to place "tiles" on it to give it a mosaic look..but it will not be actual tiles. I will include pictures as this process progresses so you will understand just what I am doing to this tray. I have made myself a list of the actual craft projects that I would really like to complete and this was the one at the top of the list. I feel a bit more organized this way and it's fun to see the projects take form.

A great relaxing day

I spent most of the day relaxing and watching the Nascar Duel 150 Race and I can tell you I was so excited to see Michael Waltrip qualify for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. So now I am ready to watch the 500 and of course I will be cheering for the Napa car!!!!

We had sunshine, wind, rain and a little snow during the day today. Strange wind though...the temperature rose more that 5 degree's in just a few minutes when the wind first started. And of course I can see more buds forming on the plants in the yard everyday. Oh Spring, I wish you would be here soon!! Yes, I am running short on patience!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

JW was very good to me this Valentines Day!! He has surprised me with a beautiful rose filled music box, a gorgeous necklace and the best smelling lotion I have ever smelled. My hands feel like satin.

I hope all of you also have a HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

I think it's still winter!

I have found several of these plants trying to grow around the edge of the house in the last few weeks. I am not positive, but I believe they are snapdragons. I have found that if this plant is where it is even the slightest protected from the harsh weather, it maintains green growth all year round. We certainly will know for sure this spring.

I have had several reports from different locals as to just when spring makes it's arrival around this valley. Some say April, some say May. But several say you can plant your peas in March. So this coming spring will differently be a test for us to learn about the growing season here in Darby. I still haven't hooked up with the local garden club so maybe I can make some connections this week.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JW!!!

Today is JW's birthday!! Yes, he's getting younger every day! We plan to combine his birthday and Valentines Day for his big celebration. I am taking him to "the big city" for dinner and maybe a movie on Valentines day. Daughter and her family took us out to dinner last night and we had a wonderful time. We do enjoy living so close to family.

The above picture is fog that rolled over the hill this morning. It wasn't long before the sun had burnt it all away and we are now enjoying a beautiful sun filled day...still without any snow. I noticed yesterday our Lilac bushes have started their budding process already. Oh my gosh, flowers...I can't wait. I received a plant catalog in the mail yesterday and I am wishing I could order about 200 plant choices from them because they are all so pretty. But I have been busy making a list of the plants that deer don't particularly like so I know I must stick to that list. And I am surprised at the amounts of flowers on this list. But with the shade house going in this spring I will be able to plant a few special ones I just can't live without that will live happily with my Hostas....like my awesome Tiger Lily plants and several other favorites of the lily family. So this is beginning to look like it's going to be a very fun and very busy spring and I can tell you I can't wait to get that dirt under my fingernails again!!

Minister from Boston

As a young minister from Boston, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a graveside service for a homeless man with no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the woods and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost! And being the typical man I did not stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the backhoe and the crew, who were eating lunch. But the hearse was nowhere in sight.

I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out my heart and soul.

As I preached the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord,"and "Glory." I preached, and I preached, like I'd never preached before.... From Genesis all the way to Revelations. I closed the lengthy service with a prayer and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, "I ain't never seen anything like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Have a great day!

Hello sunshine!

We are having another beautiful sun filled day again. Quite different from the crazy weather we had yesterday! As we were coming home from Darby we say this Red Fox run across the road in front of us. They are very quick!

JW has a birthday coming up on the 12th so I have to get into town tomorrow to do some secret shopping..it's hard to accomplish such a sneaky task around here. But I have several great ideas for his special day.

Our cat has the right idea today!

Yes, this is the type of day we are having today. The kind that causes you to just want to curl up and take a long nap. We have had hail, rain and snow today. Fortunately it is just raining at the moment. What a life this little cat of ours has...sleep, eat, sleep, eat, and then get in a nap. And of course she thinks she is not only intitled to nap all day and all night, but to do it where she wishes!!

It was a long night

We both had a very long night last evening. As JW crawled into bed at 10:00 he asked, "What's that noise?" We laid there for a few moments listening to try to understand just what we were hearing. It almost sounded like a very big cat purring but our small cat wasn't even in the room. We even walked through every room to try to find the source of the sound. After several frustrating minutes I remembered that the neighbors hot tub had been making some strange noises so we went out onto the back deck to listen. JW said "That's not where the sound is coming from....it's over there." As I swung the flashlight around to see what was there I saw a horse lying down and we could here the sound of his breathing. And I said "Oh, it's just the neighbors old white horse sleeping." All of their horses often sleep near our side of the fence.

So off to bed we went again, glad to finally be going to sleep. At 2:00 that morning something woke me up. I still don't know what it was. After lying there for several minutes I again realized I could still here what sounded like that horse still breathing very loud. I have had horses for the better part of my life and the feeling occurred to me that horses don't normally lay down that long. I pickup the big flashlight and headed out onto the back deck. As I flashed the light in the horses direction I realized she was still in the same spot and position. I went back in the house and put on my shoes and then I followed the fence line to where the horse was lying, about 30 feet from our deck. To my heart break she had fallen into a irrigation ditch that runs just inside her pasture. Even though it was only about 2 feet deep she had been struggling to get herself out and in the process had ended up on her back with her hoofs just barely touching the top of the ditch bank because of the angle she was in. I know she sensed that I was there to help her as she settled down but you can not imagine how I felt when I realized how long this beautiful horse had been trapped there. If only I had walked out and checked her at 10:00 when we first heard her. I ran back into the house as JW had woken up by then wondering where I was, and called his daughter to get the horse owners phone number. I hate calling anyone in the middle of the night but I knew the horse wouldn't stand a chance by morning in this cold night air. The owner and his wife came immediately and JW's daughter and husband came to help too. We did have to resort to getting the owners 4 wheel drive truck to pull her out of the ditch.

I can happily see this white mare from my front window today. She walks a little stiff and slow, but she looks like she will do alright. Not bad for a 28 year old horse who must certainly have a special horse angel near her side!
This was a view we saw this afternoon on our way into Darby. It seems that we see something new and different every time we travel some where around here!

Exercising in Montana

This is the Westfork Hiway that is just around the bend from our house that I sometimes walk down on my walks. It's just enough of a hill that it feels good on the way back home. So far I have not seen any wildlife but lot's of tracks. And because of the limited shoulder on this road most drivers are good about pulling into the other lane as they go by me.

This is a common site on our little dirt road. The neighbors say this flock of wild Turkeys have been around for several years. They have closed Turkey hunting in this part to the valley so the flock is growing. Today I spotted about 25 in this group. It's funny to watch them if a dog approaches them. They try to fly into the nearest tree and the sight of them trying to hold those big bodies of theirs on a small tree limb is a hilarious sight! And they all make an incredible racket in the process.
I thought this big turkey was going to turn on me as I think I surprised him as much as he had surprised me. But I did make it home safely!

I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!!

JW and I saw this sight today on our walk around the neighborhood. I have noticed that the younger cows like to play on top of this manure pile but the older ones like to climb up on top and lay down during the colder weather to benefit from the heat this pile produces. The animal's in Montana seem to know how to take care of themselves when the weather turns real cold. But today our thermometer reads just a bit over 55 degrees. What a gorgeous day we are having.
I captured this photograph early this morning as the sun was starting to melt the snow on the roof. The ice was formed yesterday evening as the temperature can certainly drop very quickly after the sun goes down. This poor bush was growing just under the eaves and the melting snow quickly formed ice all around it's stems.

We are settled in today to watch the Super Bowl this afternoon. I do have my favorite but more important I just want to see a great game.

Can you explain this?

I stepped out onto the back deck yesterday afternoon and saw this site in our backyard and side lawn. The rest of the yard was smooth as was the pasture right next to our back yard. Strange. We had fresh snow fall during the night and the sun had been shinning for most of the day. It's a mystery to me!
Any ideas?

More images from Sportsman Warehouse

These are pictures of trophy animals that are hanging on the walls of the store. There are many many more on display. Yes, this is definitely Montana!


The skies are their beautiful clear blue today but we did wake up to the temperature being -2 below...brrrr! But it's wonderful to have the sun warming the house as it shines through the windows. JW is over at his machine shop and I am attempting to do a craft project. My hand is now in a soft brace so I have much more movement and use of it so it is getting easier to play with my craft projects. Keep warm and enjoy your day!!

Discoveries on our trip to Missoula

After my checkup with the doctor in Missoula we ventured to a HUGE store called Sportsman Warehouse and what a store it is! Wilson went in search of fly fishing information and there I found some of the most interesting items that I am sure I can find a way to use in my crafts projects.

FOR A REALLY GREAT VIEW OF THESE ITEMS JUST CLICK ON EACH PHOTO FOR A CLOSER ENLARGED VIEW.
This is a large display of fish hooks of every size. I was drawn to their beautiful rainbow of colors.

This are another type of fish hook...some as small as a house fly or even smaller. And what brilliant colors.

This is one of several aisles that are overflowing with a fantastic array of bird feathers in every size and color you can imagine. Of course some are dyed to fit their purpose. I am certain that there are many projects I can come up with that would suit these beautiful feathers perfectly.

And then I came to this awesome aisle....so many incredible colors of thread with some sparkling, some neon, some with stretch and some even multi-colored. This is an aisle I am sure I can make use of ....hmmm, let's see.....

So of course all kinds of ideas have been floating around in my head all day today. I am taking notes and will try a few ideas soon. What a fun day it was!