Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Antoine's expression here is just like it was when he got the puppy for his birthday. Adoration and happiness.

What's more fun than giving your puppy a bath on a hot summer (spring) day? Especially if two of your most favorite aunts are in on the fun.
Annie calmly accepted her punishment. She seriously had a 'whipped dog' look in her eyes and didn't realize this was fun. :)

A little resistance here....

And she ran straight for the camera here and shook herself viciously. And proceeded to go bury herself in the leaves and dirt. I think little boys and dogs have something against being clean!

~ellen

Friday, April 17, 2009

Taking another jog down memory lane...Gramma's house just has so many memories. I sat and watched her many times using this sewing machine. She used to sew 'mutza' for men in church and if a dating boy showed up at Gramma's house (which was in plain sight of our house- just across the yard) then us kids were in on a secret. Engagements were not announced until two weeks before the wedding, but no suit coat and vest and pants could be sewed in such a short amount of time so they had to be ordered before the two weeks prior. And I remember feeling just a little smug that we knew something no one else did. I was (and still am) amazed at the precise and straight seams she made with her machine. In my younger years I didn't think anyone else even knew HOW to make those suit coats. I can still hear that needle going up and down and hear her foot pumping on the foot pedal.How sad that handwritten letters are becoming a thing of the past. Seriously, an email is just not the same! Although I do appreciate those. :) Another treasure from Gramma's house....
And her lamp still sits on this shelf by the window. The winter or two that it was my responsibility to keep her woodbox filled I saw this a lot from outside. Glowing in the window...nice and warm inside where she often had something for me when I was finished. Most times it was a piece of bread with jam.
And this last picture is actually not Gramma's house, but another empty house. I just love the wooden porch floor and the old chairs. And it kinda' fits in with these other pictures. :)

~ellen

Monday, April 6, 2009

I love seeing dads play ball with their boys. Especially when that dad is my hubby! Not really loving the grass stains in the pants. But really, I guess I don't even mind that all that much. Antoine's getting big enough that swinging the bat doesn't topple him over anymore!




Best Buds....

Those first boquets in the spring are so sweet and delightful..."I picked these for you, Mom. Aren't they beautiful?"
And a few more lovely signs of Spring in this cold windy little corner of the Earth...

Yesterday may have been almost 70 and 'hot' (according to the kids who so badly wanted to go barefoot), but today was rainy and windy and colder, then this evening it started snowing. Oh joy...! I love Garrett County. (I do, I do)