Its here........

As I went for my walk (short) this a.m. was amazed, no dazzeled by the colors all around me. Fall has come so fast and the leaves are turning and falling way early this year. I forgot to bring my camera but will remember for tomarrow. Wild snap dragons in yellow all along the road side with small thistle and the prettest small blue flower, will have to look that one up. The grackles still havent left and seems like there are thousands of them and they chase off the songbirds and pig all the food...except the thistle seed in the strong nylon bags. Hopefully they will be gone soon. Sunday evening we watched a group of herons flying south and then a little ways past a field covered with canandian geese resting for the night. This is my third fall and it still amazes me with the colors and sounds and sights. The sugar maples are dropping their leaves fast and it is kind of fun watching them swirl around you as you walk down the road. I will be going to quilt group tomarrow in Iron Mountain. Its in the 60s now pretty much all the time and much cooler at night. It is so quiet here at night. I so miss the sound of the pounding waves against the shore. I miss my son, Mikko and my baby girl Victoria. Will try and take some photos tomarrow and then post them.

Quilt Expo Madison

I wish they would of turned alot more our way so could of gotten better pictures. The real artist in this duo is Natalie...she came up with this technique which Nancy Z latched onto...anyway...her quilts were awesome. This lecture was only one hour, way way too short for so much information. The shortest class she will give is three days. I would like to take a five day studio class with her...landscapes.

I particularly liked this quilt, hand embroidered, medicinal plants of Nebraska. This was part of a couple mini exhibits down this hall way. I was so bummed out, when I went back on Saturday, this was also the day I was to see main show, and camera battery was dead....no...............................

I went with two gals from my guild, Karen and Marilyn. We went down on Thursday and Linda and Joyce made it down Friday afternoon. We all left this morning, Sunday, back up north. Beautiful drive both ways. There were so many vendors it was an overload. I didn't buy very much stuff. But I did take a rust dyeing class from Lois ? and it was great. I cannot wait to open up and rinse out my first piece. I see many more pieces in my future! Also took a simple beading class. Have always wanted to, have some very lovely beads I have purchased over the years. Now I have a starting point on what to do with them and how to get them there.

I am pretty tired. Mark did not have a very good weekend. His good luck girl (me) left for a couple days and he had MAJOR house difficulties that required major plumbing with lots of muck and ick in and all over kitchen and basement. But by the time I got home everything was clean and smelling sweet. Poor baby, had worked in yard Saturday, so he took a relaxing bath. Hes got a towel on and goes downstairs to grab another beer and the kitchen sinks are overflowing with the most godawful stench/black mucky water....hours later...new pipes under kitchen sink and down in basement. But he said he couldn't get the smell off him. He washed the bed sheets, all the pillows, his body many times. I guess by this afternoon he was okay. He was so glad to see me. He even picked some beautiful wild flowers for me and they are in a vase in middle of our rock table. Such a sweetie! Well, can barely keep my eyes open. Night Night

We're home

Wild morning glories...Mark brought me a bouquet of wild flowers he picked early in the morning on Saturday. He knew these would not make it and asked me what they were...I told him I grew them and he had made a trellis for them...oh.....We left Crystal around 7p.m. and drove about ten miles past the bridge where there is a really beautiful rest area. We slept in the back of the station wagon...not bad. Up early and drove the rest of the way to Dola, Ohio Friday. I cannot tell you how incredibly beautiful it was Thursday night, almost complete full moon with crystal clear sky...the drive was wonderful. The moon reflecting off lake Michigan was amazing. Looked like a view from Kauai...white sand beach the water lapping gently at the shore but it was fresh water and one of the great lakes.

For the past couple of years, whenever we get to real farm country it has always been covered in snow, under water or just dirt. What an amazing site to see mile after mile of corn and soy beans.

Mark is a real tractor nut...he used the telephoto for this shot. I think it was about 6a.m. He tried to drag me out of bed to listen to three different tractors working the fields...no thank you please. Had a real nice visit with Tom and Shawna. The weather was wonderful, sunny and warm. Mark helped Tom with the roof...Tom doing the majority of the work. I just love those old lightning rods with the glass balls. Tom wants to put them back up and Shawna does not but I think they are so kool looking. Its their turn to come up here next..two to zero so far. It started to thunder and lightning and rain Monday morning...time to go. We didn't get back to Crystal until, what almost 8p.m....650 miles in one day. And when I was lying in bed this a.m. I realized I have to climb back into my car on Thursday and drive down to Madison, WI. with two friends for Quilt Expo. Haven't been to a big mainland event since we moved here so should be fun. Looking forward to it but not the drive. Even thou the show is over on Saturday we will come back home Sunday morning I believe. First time away from Mark since I moved here. He asked when I would be home, he is planning on making a special dinner...he is such a good guy.

I teach a class up in Marquette on the 16th and then I don't think I really have to go away from home for awhile.

Made my initial appointment with doctor for bariatric by pass, first availalbe Nov. 19th. I have to go to an evening program either Sept 21 or Oct 19. before initial appointment. This will be a long road but one I am looking forward to. I know I will never get my 18 year old body back but I would like to be good to my heart and my prosthetic knees, hope they last longer if I weigh a lot less. Well, I am still so tired from trip, so up to the old sack. Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend.