July Stitches N Baseball

The unfinished projects pile has continued to dwindle during July.  In fact, I did not even photograph all of them I've completed.  But here are a few:

A beach cover-up, gifted

sweatshirt makeover, gifted

Hubby's denim work shirt

I also volunteered to sew for "Wrapped in Love" based in Douglas, Wyoming (but has chapters nationwide) which takes donated wedding dresses and makes burial gowns for stillborn infants.  A sad reality, but I understand the gowns are really needed.   I made micro and premie size gowns plus pockets for the really teeny babies.  If you sew you might consider donating some time to the organization.  Contact me for info.

And what would July be without BASEBALL?   We went in and watched the grands play several times.  Hubby (Grandpa) and I (Nana) really enjoy it.  

Catch it Grandson

Hit it! (and he did, he whacked it)

Granddaughter, run! (just hit the ball)

She's SAFE! (note the ball in upper left corner!)

#2 Granddaughter loves bugs.  She was enthralled watching these teeny ants crawl over the expose root of a cottonwood tree at the ball park.

Cows on hillside July 2017

They tell us even though we should get more precipitation with climate change, Wyoming will also be much warmer which is a net decrease in available moisture.  It seems like this July was hot, hot, hot after a cool spring with temps in the 90's most days.   Only the sub-irrigated pasture remains green, and our hillsides are burnt dry.   Fire danger is high and we have had several fires around us.

When did Summer Happen?

Time really got away from me this summer.  It seems like I was sooooo busy yet do not have much to show for it.  Actually I had to go from part time at work to full time (and then some) and that really threw me for a loop.

The Civil War vacation was wonderful and we both so enjoyed the two weeks.  I will try to get some posts up on that.  Learned a lot!

Rebecca wants a picture of a calf so here you go ---

Most of our cows are about 3/4 angus now even though they might have a full belt.  Our bull is angus so we don't get too many belted calves anymore.  Occassionally a spot or two but the full belts are becoming rare.  Which for us is good as they dock you severely at the sale barn for white spots let alone a fully belted calf.

I did manage to do a little sewing this summer.  These were changing pad sheets I made for a gal I work with.  She had an adorable baby boy.

We went to a driving clinic in Gering Nebraska in May and had a great time! (Highly recommend the city campground in Gering.)  I fell in love with this mule who was the nicest boy ever, and his owner was a very nice person.  I believe his name was Festus and she would not part with him for love nor money and I can see why!

Course what's summer without baseball (or T-ball)?  Here #1 Granddaughter is at bat.

#1 Grandson had already had his game prior so he & Grandpa were playing catch.

AND BIG NEWS!!  We have a new granddaughter arriving late fall.  This is the little bib outfit I made for her recently, lined with green flannel and little hat to top it off.

And that pretty much sums up a summer that was way too brief.  We never even got up to the mountain this year.  But in addition to work overload, we've been busy trying to find a contractor (and are going with Morton Buildings) for a 60 x 100 arena/barn.  This is on five acres next to our #1 son near town.  A retirement place.  We will still spend spring/summer at 60 miles North of Nowhere but last winter, we decided it was no place for old people. 

Who wants to deal with this when they are retired??? Not ME.

So we will become snow birds.  Ha Ha. and go 60 miles SOUTH for the winter.  Horses will go with us, but we feed big round bales so we can set enough for the cattle for a week and come check them and feed them.  But retirement is still a few years off.  In the meantime we will enjoy that riding barn immensely.

Fall is really upon us.  In a few weeks the calves from the 'herdlet' will be shipped off and we will bring in two semi-loads of big bales of hay -- 44 tons.  Each bale weighs 1300 lbs and have to be moved with the skid-steer (tractor type machine).  I am not ready for winter again.  We had snow clear up to April and then just last week.  It seems it snows most of the year the past few years but boy did we have the GRASS this year.  And that is good.

Okay next posts have got to be about our vacation and what we found out and what we saw!

IT was so Fleeting

I feel like I haven't had summer yet!! And it's almost gone.  But we were busy.  #2 Son and family moved much, much closer to us!!  Cha-Ching!!! That's an A Plus Plus Plus Plus.

The quonset we've had stored on the ground for TEN years is almost finished.  Only the end wall remains.
Cha-Ching!!! That's an A Plus

Boy will this be NICE to have this winter for our Hay!!!

And I guess there is always next year for more riding and camping.  Sigh....

I leave you with my favorite photo of the summer ... my grands!

      Don't you just love the look on #1 Grandson's face!!  He is having so much fun with the chalk his Uncle gave him.

I do hope we make it to mountain for at least a picnic to see the Aspens!