Saturday, September 29, 2018

It's over!

Summer is officially over.  The lake trailer is closed up for the season. The first two photos are what it looked like last Friday.  The second two are after we closed up for the season on Saturday.  I like the first two better. :-)



Mandy, if you're reading this, don't show Piper the next two pictures!  

I made this little poncho for Miss Piper and hope she can get some wear from it before it's too cold this year.  I did make it big enough that she should be able to wear it next spring too.  The pattern is one that Jennifer from the "Thistlebear" blog on my sidebar made for her daughter's birthday.  I used the same yarn she did, just in a different colorway because Piper loves, loves, loves pink.  I hope she likes it.  I made it on a whim and it only took two evenings!  Jennifer has all of the pattern information on her blog.  If you don't follow her, you should check her out.  I'm sure you would enjoy her posts.
 As part of Piper's birthday present, (She's 6 TODAY!), I made her a hat, scarf, mittens and wristwarmers.  I have already shown you the hat and wristwarmers earlier, but just made the mittens and scarf.  The yarn is from Hobby Lobby and is super soft.  I used about 1 and 1 1/2 skeins of "I Love This Yarn."
 I also started this blanket for Neal & Jenny for Christmas.  It's made from Caron's Big Cake yarn and I have four skeins.  It's knitted on the diagonal and is 38 inches wide.  I'm using the pattern "Make a Long Story Short Blanket" off of Ravelry.  I bought all of the yarn that Michaels had in this colorway so I really hope it's enough for a decent sized blanket.
We sealed our patio and sidwalk this morning.  Doesn't it look pretty and shiny?  We really wanted it done before another long winter with 3 foot of snow sitting on the concrete, but it has to be almost perfect weather with temps in the 60's or low 70's and on a day Dennis was off of work to prep the area, etc.  Finally today worked!
 Sorry this one is sideways.  But we love how it turned out. 
Last Friday at the lake, Burlington Northern Railroad replaced a bunch of ties on the track right behind our trailers.  It was very interesting to watch the entire process.  There were 17 different vehicles/tractors involved in the pulling out the spikes, removing steel plates, removing the old ties, replacing with the new ones, and then reversing the entire process.  I'm usually not that interested in this kind of thing, but I really did learn a lot by watching.  It is all done very quickly because there are two trains that use this track daily.  There were hundreds of ties replaced within a couple of hours!
 
 And look!  This tractor has a porta-potty and a water container on the back of it.  Look how dry it still is here.  We still have several fires burning around us.  In fact, I took my new car in for an oil change this week and the cabin filter was completely clogged with soot!  So much smoke in the air earlier this year.  I'm so glad that has cleared up finally.
As I said before, today is Miss Piper's 6th birthday and as I type this they are on an airplane flying from Chicago to Omaha.  They have been in Bavaria for the last 10 days.  Here she is in picture Mandy texted to me this morning while they were waiting to board the plane.  I can't wait to talk to them and hear all about the trip.  From the photos I recieved, it looks as though they had a great time.  Piper even got to wear a dirndl while there.  If I know Piper, I'm sure that she was thrilled with that.
We're leaving next Friday to drive back to Omaha for a week.  We have decided not to camp our way back because snow is already falling in parts of Montana and we would rather not be that cold!  Call me a wimp, but I'll give in and pay for a hotel if it means staying warm all night.

Piper's birthday party will be held while we're there so she'll get to stretch this birthday out for awhile.  I'm looking forward to seeing my sister and family while we're there.

We have a new housesitter staying here with the animals while we're gone and we're really hoping that all works out well.  Ellen has always stayed here when we traveled, but she's dealing with some health issues and she doesn't think she would be able to do our stairs right now.  It's hard to leave someone else here, but I'm sure it will all be fine.

One last bit of news is that my middle brother was sworn in as a police chaplain for the Council Bluffs, Iowa police department last week.  I am so very proud of him. It is a volunteer position.  He worked as an ambulance driver all of his life until his back gave out on him.  Then he worked for the 911 center in the records room until he retired two years ago.  Throughout his career he has always met with officers and prayed with them and just listened to them talk.  I don't think most of us realize the horrors that our officers see and face.  We just hear the bad stories about a few bad apples.  Most of them are there to serve and protect us at any price to themselves.  Lynn is there for them.  And they appreciate him.  He has continued to meet with them since his retirement, this merely makes it official. I am so proud to be his little sister.  He has such a HUGE heart for people.  I know he'll never see this, but I want everyone to know how much I love him.

I hope you all have a lovely week and are enjoying the weather.  Our leaves are turning very, very early this year and many of our trees have already shed their leaves.  Last year we still had leaves in November.  I have a hunch this is a warning of what our winter will be like.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthianss 4:18

Blessings,
Betsy

17 comments:

  1. Please thank your brother for me. I love your poncho and everything else you made. Thanks for saying such nice things about me. :) I hope Piper had a wonderful birthday! I don't blame you for wanting to stay in a hotel while you're traveling, it's too cold here for camping now too, at least at night. We could have mountain snow in the next week or two, which is pretty normal. I think our winter for the whole west could be a little colder and stormier because of El Nino. I'm excited to have a more normal winter than last year, which was just so weird. I hope you're feeling well, take care.

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  2. Piper will love her poncho I'm sure. It's very pretty! I think summer is over here in AZ too. We are forecast for thunderstorms most of next week and our summer temps are slowly going away.

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  3. You KNOW Piper is going to love that very pink poncho! She looks so sweet in her photo.

    I suppose in a few weeks we will be taking down our canvas pergola and packing it away for the winter. Then our back yard is going to look so BALD! LOL

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  4. Wow...the lake season sure went by in a flash didn't it? This was such a terrible summer for so many. It was miserable here but at least we didn't have the fires or the hurricane. Let's hope winter is a kind one.

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  5. Oh dear. can it really be over? ?IT was a great summer here. Busy , warm, and wonderful. Paddleboarding, horses, and friends. ZaCh returning home!!! So Im going to embrace this cloudy drizzly day. And start a fire in the fireplace! Big time baseball going on here. GO CUBS

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  6. It's very cold here today. I was hoping that when we came out of church this morning that the weather would have warmed up, but no that's not what happened. It is very cold, time to put all those shorts, peddle pushers and short sleeve tees away and pull out our sweaters, jackets and jeans :) Summer is most certainly over! I know that you are going to miss the lake, but looks like you have a lot of projects to keep you busy. We have our fireplace going this afternoon for the first time this season :)
    Stay warm and happy.
    Connie :)
    P.S. I love your cobblestone sidewalk and the way it curves, that is very pretty.

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  7. Your first two photos are so happy and the 2nd two sad. Piper's poncho will be loved I'm sure as the pink is her favorite color. I also love the blanket you're making. I'm still working on my Woodland blanket!

    *H*A*P*P*Y* * *B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y*!*!*!* to Miss Piper! What a lucky girl to get to go to Europe at her young age.

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  8. Sad to see the trailer closed for the season. :( Miss Piper looks so cute. I can't wait to see pictures and hear all about their adventures, too. Love what you made her. I am with you, stay in a warm hotel instead of shivering in a camp ground. Your brother is doing the Lords work for all those Officers. I can only imagine the horrors they have to live with. God Bless your brother for his service to all of those who service us daily. Blessings always sweet friend. ((hugs))

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  9. Always a sad time for you when you close up your home by the lake, but a lot to look forward to with travels to see family and Miss Piper. Loved the poncho, I made Lily and Daisy one each for using to travel to America last year. A wonderful tribute to your brother.

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  10. Your newly sealed sidewalk and patio look so nice. Wonderful that yu can be there to help Piper celebrate her birthday. Now you ccan look forward to next summer and enjoying your trailer! Nancy

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  11. Safe travel to and from Omaha. I know you'll have a great time while you're there. Happy Birthday to Miss Piper: she'll love the items you made for her.

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  12. It is sad to see your lake site all packed up for winter...but I am glad you were able to have some good days there this summer when it was not too smoky...and thanks for sharing some of them with us :) I can imagine Miss Piper will enjoy wearing the pretty gifts you stitched with love for her! I'm praying for your safe travel, good visits, and healing for yours who need it, dear Betsy. xx

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  13. If your car filter was that sooty, imagine what everyone is breathing without even being aware of it. It's like that with the dust here. The gifts you've made for Piper are adorable. So bright and cheery. I have always wanted to make a poncho. Perhaps I'll make one for myself before the cold weather is upon us. Thankfully, we are starting to cool down so that makes me very happy. I have been in a funk for awhile now. Your brother certainly has been of service to others all of his working life and now even after retirement. I heard about the snow in Montana. There has been some crazy weather lately. Safe travels.

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  14. What lovely thoughtful gifts for your Grand! Travel safe and have fun!

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  15. Congratulations to your brother on his many accomplishments! What a gift he is to this world ~ so selfless and such a shining example to us all. Happy Birthday to Little Miss Piper! I am sure she has had a ball on her trip and will many, many stories to share with you when you see her. So thankful you get to go see her soon! Wow, it is so hard to believe that summer has come and gone and it seems you didn't get to spend as much time at your beautiful lake due to the smoke and fires. May God bless you to enjoy many more times there together in good health! We can feel a bit of change in the air where we live, but not a drastic change yet. It makes for wonderful walking weather in the late evenings. So nice to visit with you, sweet friend. God bless you always!

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  16. It was good to see your post today. Your Piper is such a little cutie. I hope she enjoyed her birthday, and I'll bet she's looking forward to your visit. What is is with little girls and the color pink? Both of our GDs love it and purple as well. It sounds like it's a lot colder on your side of the mountains? It's been quite rainy here the last day or two. I absolutely love your zick zack scarf. It's the first I've seen that isn't multi colored and the result is stunning. What yarn did you use? Have a great time in Omaha!

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  17. I just order a trap to cover our 5th wheel for the winter . . . it's getting so cold all of a sudden. Seems like winter is coming and I haven't had enough time to enjoy Autumn as I would like too. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I'm ready for thermo-underwear, LOL.
    Reply to the comment you left on my blog: I have fallen head over heels for those goats they are such sweet animals. I would love to get one of our own, but Steve says that the first time it got out and ate my garden I wouldn't think it was sweet anymore . . . he is probably right about that, I do love my garden :)
    Have a sweet day and have fun crocheting.
    Connie :)

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