Another Birthday

 I received a message today asking me to let you all know that we have another important birthday coming up among our Magnolia family (at our ages, all birthdays are important). On July 13 Elaine Misfeldt will turn 85. It would be nice if  we could fill her mailbox with birthday cards and wish her well. Her address is 612 7th St NE #1, Pipestone MN 56164. I chatted with Elaine just before LeRoy's birthday and she sounded just like I was sitting across the table from her in Allen Hall in Magnolia. It was nice talking with her. Mark your calendars and get those cards in the mail! 

Here it is almost the 4th of July, time does fly by. I know it sounds trite, but it's true. It seems like we just got home from the valley at the end of March and here it is the end of June. We are in an area where strawberries are grown at this time of the year. You can pick your own at some places or buy them ready picked. We bought an ice cream bucket full (that's how they are sold here) from one of the many Amish roadside stands in our area. The cost was $10 and they were worth every penny of that. I made a pan of Better Homes and Gardens Rich Strawberry shortcake recipe, we ate that up so I made another pan full (9 inch layer cake pan) and we ate that up and now the berries are gone too. We are thinking maybe we'll get another bucket full on Monday (no Sunday sales at the Amish places) and have some more shortcake. It's such a short season and there is nothing like fresh strawberry shortcake! Yum!!

Other than that I have no other news of any importance. Remember, if you have something to share, please let me know and I'll be happy to put it on the blog.

Enjoy Summer!!

This and That

 I know it's been a long while since I posted anything but it's getting harder and harder to find anything to write about. I do think there will perhaps come a time when the blog will be ended, or at least new posts will no longer be made. 

Up here in West Central Wisconsin we have had days and days of heavy rains and tonight the meteorologists are talking about the possibilities of very strong winds even derechos which I think are becoming more common. I know a few years back Iowa was hit with one of these. We are keeping busy with mowing our lawn because even though it has not been overly hot it has been wet so the grass keeps growing. 

We enjoy watching the wildlife out our windows including a couple of does with fawns, one has one fawn and another has twins. They race around like crazy on the lawn just like a bunch of little kids playing. They are fun to watch! We haven't planted a garden for many years but we do plant tomato plants. Jim started them after we got home and we planted them outside a couple of weeks ago. We like the cherry tomatoes so have red and yellow. We have lots of plants so most likely if the weather cooperates we should have a bumper crop.

I thought I would share a couple of photos with you of some of our wildlife. These were all taken out our living room windows. 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male

Indigo Bunting

Red-headed Woodpecker