9-24-2015 Knitting Retreat

 I spent today

at a "Knit One, Pray Too" knitting retreat

at my favorite rural setting...

invited a dear friend

who I haven't seen much lately

and had the chance to 

reconnect with her.  :*)

When we needed to take a break from knitting

and get up to stretch our legs

we would walk the outdoor labyrinth

or around the gardens.

Next time we'll bring our 'walking shoes'

and go for a hike around the pond.

9-23-2015 Makin' Applesauce!

GD helped Oma

wash,

slice,

add sugar and cinnamon,

and cook the apples we picked yesterday

to make some applesauce.

9-22-2015 Easy Pickin's

This apple tree in a local park

split in two during a recent storm

and half fell to the ground

which made it easy to pick 

the apples from the "top" of the tree!

I picked a sack-ful to make some

applesauce with the GDs.

9-21-2015 Jack

Check out this 7 foot tall

"Jack"

Halloween yard decoration

that my son made

using PVC pipes

and a sewing machine

to sew the clothes!

Awesome!

9-20-2015 Campaign Signs

Here in Iowa

we are currently being bombarded

with politicians campaigning

for the upcoming Iowa caucus

and Presidential primary elections.

Saw this photo on FaceBook

and it made me laugh.

9-19-2015 Sponging

 We've had a bit of rain

so yesterday the GDs went outside with sponges

and played with the inch-or-so of rain

that had collected in their pool...

they washed the windows,

the siding, the chairs, the table

and even the plants!

The had a ball.

9-18-2015 Pumpkin Pie

Today we took the GDs to the pumpkin patch

and GD#1 picked out a pie pumpkin

because she wanted to make a pumpkin pie.

"I  W U V pumpkin pie!" she said.

 So, here are the girls at the kitchen sink

washing their pumpkin...

 After we washed it,

Oma cut it in half and showed her

how to scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon...

 Then, we baked it 

at 350* for two hours

to make it nice and soft...

 Next, we scooped 16 oz. of pumpkin

into the blender

along with 

1 can of sweetened condensed milk,

2 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

and poured it into a crust-lined pie plate

and baked it at 350*F for about 45-60 min.

Mmmmmmm!

Tastes like Autumn!

9-17-2015 Zentangle Thank You

Just a little Zentangle 

Thank You

card

I 

drew

for a friend

who helped me sew

a lining into a bag I crocheted.

9-16-2015 Picnic Lunch

After playing at the park all morning,

the GDs wanted a picnic lunch.

9-15-2015 Packers Beat the Bears!

I've joined the "Scoreboard Knit-a-Long"...

and am knitting a scarf for the Packers.

Every time Green Bay scores,

I knit a green row for each point scored.

Every time the opponent scores,

I knit a gold row for each point scored.

At the end of the season, 

I have a scarf that records the season's scores.

Since I'm using worsted weight yarn,

I'm only using half the stitches recommended

in the pattern.

9-14-2015 Grandsons

It's been over 2 months seen DH & I last saw the GSs

so we drove to Chicago yesterday for a quick visit.

DD and the GDs came along as a surprise!

The cousins had fun playing together.

9-13-2015 Harvey

 This Saturday,

DH & I went to the Beau Arts Fair (above)

and the Playcrafters Barn Theatre

to see the play, "Harvey" (pix of set below).

It was very well done...hilarious!

9-12-2015 Stone's Apple Farm

Took the GDs to Stones Apple Farm

to see the chicken, goats,

apples and pumpkins.

Oma, why are the chickens eating a watermelon?

Oma, why does that goat have 3 horns?

9-11-2015 Floating Dinosaur

We had such beautiful clouds today!

The girls and I sat down and looked at them

and found lots of fun-shaped clouds!

This one was a floating dinosaur.

9-10-2015 Achoooo!

 Goldenrod and Ragweed

are in full bloom

and farmers are starting to harvest

corn and beans.

Needless to say

I'm suffering from watering eyes

and runny nose

and lots of sneezes!

I'm allergic to Iowa right now!

9-9-2015 "Freckles" the Pip

"Freckles" the Pip

is almost finished.

I have to cut out and glue

the Chicago Bears logo to his hat,

and find some buttons 

to sew onto his sleeve cuffs,

and then he is done!

I sure hope my best friends/Packer fans

 in Wisconsin

don't see this post!!!

You know who you are!

Don't worry...

I'm still a Packers fan!

9-8-2015 Blessed Rain

After several weeks

of temps in the upper 90's,

today

some blessed rain

brought along some cooler

temperatures in the 80's.

Ahhh...

9-7-2015 Brewhemia

Still 95*F outside...

seeking some cool AC in the Brewhemia Coffee Shop!

9-6-2015 Pianos

Decorated pianos were found on every corner

of the Street Art Fair we attended

in Cedar Rapids, IA.

There was also a half marathon just finishing up...

Lots of fun art to see...

My favorite

was this urban labyrinth

which I had to walk!

9-5-2015 What Were We Thinking?!?!?

DH & I decided to have a weekend get-away

so today we walked through the Amana Colonies...

with outdoor temps right at 100*F...

what were we thinking?!?!?

Later in the evening

we drove to an art museum

and enjoyed the air conditioning!

After which we found a cool place for dinner

and I had my very first 

Scotch Egg!

9-4-2015 Another HOT Day!

So we are cooling off in the pool...

Our neighbor's sewer line burst

so they dug it up and replaced it today.

9-3-2015 Beating the Heat

With temps in the upper 90's

we decided to find some indoor activities yesterday

and the Family Museum.

For GD#1, the world is her jungle gym

and she will climb it!

 She used all upper body strength

to pull herself up on top of this house

about 50 times!

Her little sister, GD#2

takes a play break and snuggles with the

mommy gorilla in her nest.

9-2-2015 Pip's New Digs

"Freckles" the Pip

now has his knickers, vest, scarf, coat and hat!

Some assembly required.

All that is left is the sewing up

and the addition of hair

and a Chicago Bears logo!

9-1-2015 First Day of 3-year-old Preschool

for my #1 granddaughter...

and my #1 grandson...