*** Is it Dry By You? ***

We have not had rain since the 1st week of June
This is our back yard looking over our field.
Where over 1200 of our Christmas trees have past away.
I know that sounds so ridiculousness but oh my word it feels like a death after all the hard work we put into it. 

I say just add a match and all the grass and the barn would go up in flames.

The corn is gone...they generally are as tall as the trees next to them.
So many of the farmers are just turning it into silage. Which means the
cows will not be fed what they need over the next year.
So sad and the stories go on an on.

My perennial garden is toast! It has never looked like this.
I am so sad. 

My herbs and veggies are shot.
They have been in my garden for over 2 months I have watered and watered
to no avail..they look so sad. :(

My lovely hosta's  along my walk look horrid. And the leaves are turning  brown.

We have had over 100 degrees last few days. Not to much of a relief  in sight.
I don't know what I want more cooler temps or rain? I would say I want both equally.


Stay cool my friends!
Cheers,
Shel

*** Have You Ever Touched the Sun? ***

Do you do this?

I love to take pictures like these. 

You can do it to, with a willing partner.
My son is such a  trooper...
My secret model.
That is what I say, but I feed him, that is the least he can do is hold the sun up for me.

Can you feel the heat?

I laid down on our hard rock dirt to take this picture through the corn.
Have I mention we need rain?
Well I guess the rain dance I did the other day didn't work.
I may have turned in the wrong direction.
That could mess up any rain dance.

Hope you had a great weekend!
Cheers,
*** Shel ***

*** Point Reyes Beach's***

We have been experiencing hot weather here in the mid-west lately.
So I decided to look back at our vacation in Callie and try imagine the cool we felt out there.
We wore pants a lot and our jackets were with us at all times.
Here now we are living in shorts and air conditioning. 

We took the 1 up along the coast one day. You know the band Train sings about Hwy 1 on one of their albums. So for me I was trilled to know we actually took the 1.
We hit I believe around 4 or 5 different beaches.
See the little town on the right of the picture?  It was built right into the cliff.
The scenery was breath breathtakingly beautiful.
I hope if you live out there you  do not take it for granted. I know I would suck up every moment I could looking at its beauty.

Everywhere we looked was awesome.
Scary looking down but awe inspiring at the same time.
It is a photographers paradise.
I took 2 cameras with me and tons of lenses along with extra batteries.
Every night I would recharge the batteries so I was never with out.

Our son was telling us that the state parks were free to visit.
We pay a fee to enjoy our state parks here. And the fees keep going up every year. But we do a lot  of hiking so it is worth it to us. We do not have the same type if scenery here but we love our parks regardless.

I long to be there again soon!

Have a great weekend and stay cool if you are experiencing the heat like we are.

Cheers,
Shel

*** My Office***

I was going to write about my guitars today.

And then I started to take pics and decided to change my whole thought process.

A prerogative  for women in my opinion. 

(At least that is what I tell myself) *GRIN*

I wanted to share my office once I got done but decided to show you it as is.

This chair was just added. It actually is a twin bed if you  pull it out. Great for those long nights writing.
The cart next to it was an old medical cart that opens and closes. I love it.
Being a writer I like to keep my secrets hidden in it.

My beloved Baby Taylor is above my head when I sit there. It is the perfect size guitar for the room. Great sound for a small treasure. I found out from a friend in the music industry that Zac Brown plays his on tour and considers it one of his Faves...great minds think a like.. LOL
I have, I believe,  a total of  5 guitars all over my home.
I will be taking many pictures of them and share with you  my likes and dislikes on each one.

Corner of my office, my TV and stereo system. 

The black and white photo is a aerial picture of the farm from the 1960's, when my parents had 1st  purchased it.
It is so sweet to walk in everyday an remember those times.

My monkey collection graces my eyes everyday.
How can I not smile when I look at those cutie patooties?

Another view.
I collect old drum sticks and feathers that I find on my walks.
I put them in my stoneware pot.
See the #'s 5-3? It is my favorite numbers.
5 for my whole family
3 for my 3 boys.

This is in back of my desk...kinda yucky but I know where everything is.
That is all that matters.

Looking in from the door. The desk was my grandmothers and I love it to bits!

Well this was kinda a quick look, had not planned to do this but now you have seen my inner secret spot.

Hope your week is going great!
Cheers,
Shel

*** Our Outdoor Kitchen ***

A few years ago we made this sweet outdoor kitchen.
I love to say we like I did this. Actually I did quite a few things.
I drew the plan. Hubs redrew it.
I added the stone along the way. Hubs helped.
I wanted the cement counter top. Hubs did it.
I wanted the pergola effect. Hubs did it.
I bought the flowers. Hubs carried them.
I wanted a sink and fridge and storage. Hubs did it.
Yep he's a keeper. (At least today)

Our kitchen started off with the two tables we bought.
Everything came after that.

My sleigh that has a home at different times of the year.

Back of the kitchen

I just liked this picture after a rain shower every thing looks so clean.

Hubs bought this for our wedding anniversary last year.
He knows me so well, I would rather have a huge umbrella than diamonds.

One early morning.

Hope you like our little project.
We are having a party in a few weeks and It comes in so handy when we have a lot of guests.
Hope you have a great week!
Cheers,
Shel

*** Come With Me On My Morning Walk ***

Leaving our house every morning.

The path where it all begins.

Adding all these rocks was a daunting task but we loved the end results.

My Amanda Belle waiting on me with ball in mouth ready an willing with that tail a wagging away.
Come one mom!

Going up a small hill to my walking/running path.

I guess I am to slow for Miss Belle this morning.

Yes it is a family affair.
Louie is the orange tabby
Lucy is his sister, coming up behind him, she kinda blends into the dirt.
We walk a couple times a day and they ALWAYS come.
We have had guests laugh and comment about they never thought cats would go on walks.
Really? We have had cats for many years and they always came on our daily walks.

Lucy is so hard to take pictures of she is always on the move. I was lucky to capture this sweet one of her today.

Here is Lazy Louie, yes sirree he is, he slows down my walks.
He is always taking a break.
What should be a 20 min walk sometimes turns into 30 mins.
Because he stops and they screams at us if we are to far a head of him.

Isn't he handsome, my little 15lb chubby?
His sister is only 10lbs.
She watches her figure.

My sweet little Lucy.

Down the path.

The wheat was just cut this week. 

Look at how the corn is struggling. The heat is stunting its growth.
So we are praying for some rain. 

The Christmas tree line leading back to the farm.

Hello Farm!

Thanks for coming on our walk with us today.
Hope you have a safe and fun weekend.
The heat is breaking here so I plan on turning off the AC and opening all my windows!
Yeah!

Cheers,
Shel

***From Our Front Porch***

This is what we see from our newly remodled front porch. Our little valley where the train travels through out the day.

This is off the right side of our deck looking off toward the dead end road.

Yes civilization is moving in. Two 5 acre lots went up for sale for the 2nd time in 5 years. We have been lucky the first owners never built. I don't know if I could build there since the trains can be quite loud. But to each his own.

Have you ever had ONE of those kind of neighbors in your life?
Welcome to our nightmare. It is a long story and at times very disturbing, I will share it with you someday. But not today.
Don't you love my mail box? It was my parents so it is, honest to God's truth over 45 yrs old. This year hubby added the sweet platform to the right of it for my Etsy packages.
 I have a fantastic post gal who picks up all my things for me. I treat her with gift certificates through out the year for her kindness.

A closer view of our little valley.

My sweet Mail box...thanks Hubs!

Invasion of the outside world! LOL

This is what it looked like last year. Actually to be honest it has looked like this for many years. Having a farm you are always working on projects.

Here is the front porch we just finished.

The rod iron posts went perfect with my chairs. Very pleased with the results. However I want to do something special with the deck now but It takes me a while to decide how I want it to look. So for now I am happy with what we did.

Another angle coming out of the house.

From below.

Isn't this a lovely addition. It is rod Iron. It came as a panel so we worked the whole deck around it. We bought rebar by 10-12 feet long and cut them to size. I painted them with special metal paint, it all turned out to how we imagined it would. I wanted to be able to see through the bars as we sat out in the morning or evenings. 

From off the side walk.

We have to work on the under belly of this now. But our Wisconsin heat is killing us this week. See the old step under there? Yep they are the original ones. I just cant get myself to take them out. So I have other ideas for under the deck. The left there we are going to put old wagon wheels as a rail to go down. But again to hot to be outside to long.
Yesterday was 102... crazy hot.

Thanks for taking a peek at our world.
Stay cool!
Cheers,
Shel :)