Where's Glinda?

 Waiting for Glinda

I watched 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' with the kids a few days ago, and the next day, when I saw the morning sun shining through this ball in the front yard, it reminded me of the scene where Glinda appears. Is it Glinda? Now that I'm writing this, something about that seems wrong. Anyway, I loved the glow of the leaves on the maple tree and also the way the sunlight made the ball look like it was glowing. I thought it was beautiful and magical (unlike Glinda, who is not beautiful, has an annoying voice, and could have spared Dorothy a lot of trouble by just zapping her back to Kansas in the first place.)

Maybe if we wait a little longer...

The grandpuppy

Still waiting...

Oh. And by the way, I thought The Wizard of Oz was a scary movie when I was a kid. Those monkeys! That wicked witch of the West! Very scary. I don't think my grandkids were scared. Did they take some of the scary bits out, or are kids just tougher these days??  or does it have to do with the fact that special effects are way more believable these days?

Were you scared?

***

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Ten Days With Grandsons

Playing Kickball on the Hill

Bridger's hips are in no shape to be playing kickball, but he can't resist being there to herd the kids. We're enjoying having three of our young grandsons with us. I wanted you to know that I may not be getting posts up as regularly, but the reason is there in that alfalfa field. We're busy - keeping the boys busy and hopefully (and so far) happy!

I'll have to admit that this grandma and grandpa were totally BEAT at the end of Day 2, but on the third day (and a lot of prayer) we all seemed to get into a routine, which made things so much easier.

• Slow and easy breakfast time
• An hour of 'work' in the morning
• I was explaining this to a friend yesterday: It's not that you or I would call it work, necessarily, but it's things that have to be done, e.g. picking the tomatoes or picking up sticks around the yard - accompanied by Grandma and Grandpa, of course.
• Lunchtime
• Going someplace special in the afternoon
• PBS Kids while Grandma is making dinner
• Don't worry, Mom, I'm careful of what they watch.
• Dinnertime
• Active outdoor time
• Bible time, Story time, Bedtime

 The boys and Grandpa, who is pointing out the abundance and danger of the poison ivy in the ditches

Don't try to tell him that he's not a BIG KID

 Helping clean up after Grandpa cut up the limbs trimmed from the maple tree

'I may not be able to push the wheelbarrow, but I can hang on and feel BIG'

 Skype-ing with Mom and Dad and sisters who are in Tampa at the RNC

 At Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls, WI

I bet you didn't know that cannon actually shoot bowling balls!

(8 year old wisdom)

Everyone's now sleeping through the night, which is really a blessing! Even Grandma slept through the whole night last night. Unheard of.

The New Bird Bath

(Thank you, Beth)

and those tomatoes the boys helped pick

I really should can them tomorrow, but it's not going to happen.

We have things to do and places to go and people to see!

***

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Big Maple Got a Haircut Yesterday

 BEFORE

One of those huge branches leaned quite close to the house, just above our bedroom. It was only a matter of time before a wind storm would put that thing right through our roof. Time for a trim.

Still, a little hard to see so much of the old tree cut away.

 DURING

 AFTER

I remember going with my parents to see the aftermath of the Colfax tornado many years ago. After the tree was trimmed, it reminded me very much of the Colfax tornado. :-(

Most of the leaves you see here are from two other maples.

Hopefully there are enough remaining leaves for the big maple to survive.

MISTY: 'Is it safe to come out now?'

Until the trimmings had been cleared away, I had to put a lead on blind little Misty when taking her outdoors, so she wouldn't run into branches. She was very confused. Bridger had been listening to that chain saw all day and had no desire to go out and confront it.

***

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