Some more projects

 I did finish the poncho base and blocked it.  Now to seam the top edge so I can pick up stitches to knit the cowl collar!  Almost finished and it's not even fall yet!  Woo hoo!

With the internet down last week/weekend, I decided to edge the driveway and sidewalk around the house!  Of course, being the farm girl I am, I didn't use the electric edger but instead used the old farm tool! 

When Bob got home, he said "oh, you used the electric edger?"  Well, no!  That electric edgers trims grass and can edge but holy heck!  It was more effort to figure out how to contort the bugger to edge vs trim, so I didn't even attempt to use it.  I'm used to hard work on the farm and just pretend, sometimes, we live on a farm!  HA

No those aren't my boots!  Just wanted to show what my edger looked like!

Pretty good job, right!

I was quite happy with the way the lawn looks but it was hard work!  Holy Heck!  I think that's the last I'll do edging in my lifetime or at least in this lifetime!  

Are We Having Fun Yet??

Between power outages and no internet for four days, it's been interesting around the Payne household!  Can't get upset because there's nothing you can do about it but deal with it!  So, that's pretty much what I did.  Of course, using the data on our phone caused our bill to be increased by $15 but that's a small price to pay.  I did stay off FB and other apps on my phone, which wasn't a bad thing!  Always a plus side, right!

I finished the hand embroidery on the rail fence quilt top!  I'm going to make a rectangle pillow from the top.  I sure don't need another quilt to hang on the wall or on a table.  Now to find or make an insert for the top which is 24" x 19".   I know...kinda crooked picture, right!  

Here are some closeup's...now to finish up the knitted poncho!

Dog Progress!

 

And you thought this would be a sewing or art post!  Fooled you...well, actually, I can show some more progress on my 'string art' piece...about 75% finished with the background blue stitching...can't wait to start on the orange!

This way I can see my progress!

No, it's not an afghan for the couch!   I'm at the point on the poncho to start the seed stitch on the side edge so I can then bind off and block.  Then I'll pick up stitches to knit the cowl part.  And it's not even fall yet!  I may get this finished after all! 

With my back out the last week or so, I'm a tad behind in our dog lessons but the nice thing about Susan Garrett's online Recaller class you work at your own speed.  We have 40 weeks of lessons but the course is for a year.  There is so much information so I do spend time at night listening to Susan's Podcasts or watching video's for our lessons or just reading ALL the pdf files Susan provides.  Yes, there's a lot of information but I do so enjoy learning and teaching what we learn to our dogs!  Plus, we are encouraged to take video's and upload to our respective lesson for trainers to critique or assist us when lessons just aren't going as they should. 

 This won't seem like a big deal to most of you but my little Gigi used to jump up on the side of the cabinets and just continue to jump up and down when waiting for her dinners. Too bad I didn't take a clip of that!

I started out when she would jump just standing still and not saying or doing anything. After awhile she got the idea (without words! How cool is that!) And she started to just sit on her carpet/Hot Zone in the kitchen but as soon as the dish hit the floor, she would start to run and jump to get the food.

I then started to pick up the dish and she would actually back up - wish I had that on tape! - and go back to the rug/HZ. Now she sits and waits for me to release her to eat!!

I combined this clip to show both girls.  They are  suppose to 'search' for the treat and then come back to their mat/HZ (hot zone)...no matter how small it gets!  My big butt is in the way so it's hard to see little Gigi but you get the idea.  

And for those who don't follow me on FaceBook....we have the best farm to buy the best corn!!!  Bob and I go crazy for Weil's corn and I try to freeze as much as I can.  Today I cut off 16 ears and packaged.  I already have four other packages in the freezer from doing this about a week ago.  BUT the corn tastes SO good come fall!  Well worth the effort!

I put four ears in boiling water for 1 minutes then in ice water for a minute of two.  Each bag  holds 4 ears along with 1/4 cup of water.  One of my buds in Florida, thanks Nancy B.!, told me this about a year or two ago and it works great.  

So guess I need to get back to my dog lessons or Hilary's MIP lessons (yes, she is still doing some video's that I haven't watched yet).  This is our last module but another online class that I've loved for the past two years.  Now to produce some work, right!

Nick's Open House 2021

 If you're looking for updates on my art life, you won't find any today...this is all about Nick and his open house.  Stay tuned for art work and knitting later this week!  😄

It turned out to be a beautiful day, both weather wise and party time!  Nick's open house was so much fun!  Good food, good drinks (just ask my hubby and Amber!), family and friends.  I haven't seen some of the kids friends since Amber's open house 3 years ago!  Just so much fun!  The kids house and entertaining area is beautiful and they out did themselves setting up displays for Nick's accomplishments.

I made this photo album for Nick.  Amber got an exploding box for her gift but I thought Nick would prefer a book...just a few photos of him as a baby and growing up.  You can see her exploding box here.

We were so excited for this baby boy!  This is my baby boy holding his son!

Grandpa teaching Nick how to drive the tractor!  

Just some candid shots

I remember this day like it was yesterday!  We were each racing cars down the driveway.  I put my camera (a digital camera not a phone!) on the back of my car to take our picture!  I love the look on Nick's face!

There are many other pages of pictures but I didn't want to add any more to this post!

Darrin and Kris did a phenomenal job displaying Nick's school accomplishments...from academics to football to Lacrosse, which he has excelled at!  

He looks so much like his grand dad (Jerome, who has passed) and his dad, Darrin!  He's a handsome young man...yep, I can say that because I'm his grandma!

Nick is attending Lawrence Tech University here in Michigan in a few weeks.  He's on the Lacrosse team and will be studying Mechanical Engineering.

It was so nice to see Nick enjoying himself.  That's, Teh, Nick's roommate at LTU this year.  He's also in Lacrosse and studying Mechanical Engineering.  A nice young man!

This sign is awesome!  Sure different from when we graduated or even when my kids graduated!  

Oh my gosh...the cake was so good...OK, really the frosting was SO good!!!!  I love frosting more so than the cake but it was also good.

Kris had a wonderful dessert selection!!!  Goodness...so many choices!

Kris had a separate area for ingredients to make Smores later in the evening!  

And packaged cookies!  Yep, we took two cookies home and cake!  My piece was an end cut to get all that frosting!

Bob was upset that I didn't bring home an Rice Crispy treats!  

Kris always out does herself when she is hostess.  My daughter and Kris could have a catering business and it would thrive!  They are both awesome at it!

I understand the 'kids' did go swimming later in the evening.  The open house didn't start until 5 p.m. but I think the pool was filled by 8 or so!

My son and Kris worked on building this beautiful Pergola and just finished it this past month.  Darrin also had to move the fencing he had around the pool out to extend around the pergola.  Darrin can build anything!  And he does good work. 

This is another view of their entertainment area.

Another relaxing area by the pool.

and a visitor who is nesting (she already hatched one set of babies!) again!  

The kids had tents set up outside the garage for folks to enjoy the delicious food.

Of course the food was spectacular!  So good...Marinated chicken, roasted potatoes, Italian pasta, garlic bread, a wonderful salad with every fixing you'd want, veggies with all different dips and a beautiful fruit salad.  Yum, Yum..and they had a frozen margarita machine and a Slushy machine.  I was a good girl and only drank 1/2 cup..now grandpa, on the other hand, we won't say!!!!

Games were in the front yard...no, I didn't play.  I was too busy talking to folks I haven't seen in 3 or more years!

Our beautiful grand daughter!  Grandpa was teasing her because she'll usually get Bob his drink when he gets to their house....but Amber's mom, our DIL Kris, beat her to it this time!  So of course, Bob had to tease Amber!  

And my boy with his quilt!

This is a great picture of Nick with his mom, Kris!  I love it!

And Nick with his girlfriend, Braylon.  She's a sweetheart too.  They both leave for their respective colleges on August 19th.  It will be hard on the kids but I think they'll both be so busy with school and starting classes they'll only miss each other a few hours a day.

It was a wonderful celebration!  I thank the kids for all the work they did as well as Auntie Dawn and Uncle Jeff for helping the kids set up the past few days!  

Nick is a great kid and has made his parents and us so proud of all he's accomplished.  We'll all miss Nick but happy for him moving into this new journey and the start of manhood!  And can't wait to see where this journey takes him!!!  Love ya!