Rainy Creek Ranch Life

Crochet Needle Case

2012-01-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

After having completed the case for my knitting needles I decided that my crochet needles would be much happier in a similar case. Below is what I created. I used basically the same principles as for the knitting needle case, but made more and shorter pockets.

Crocheted flower details were made by my mother-in-law.

Bauer Brothers Salvage Family Adventure Day

2012-01-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

We planned for a family adventure day to drive to Minneapolis and snoop around for treasures and good stuff at Bauer Brothers Salvage. We hadn't considered the magnitude of such a business and that it would occupy such a huge amount of space and thus would not be heated! We were very cold, thus this limited our abilities in hunting and searching for items. We are definitely planning a return trip when the temperatures are warmer.

So many treasures.

Ben showing off a cool light.

Awesome round door.

This place has anything and everything.

The #3 on this door is so cool. It would be an interesting door to put into a house.

Three floors plus a basement.

Light streaming down the elevator shaft.

Didn't know windows could come in so many shapes and styles.

Hand painted number 3 and name graffiti.

Light showing through leaning windows.

Brick stairway with red painted 3rd floor hand-lettering.

Ellie and Isaac in brilliant sunlight.

Rows and rows of windows.

A Place for the Needles

2012-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

Needed to organize my knitting needles.  I have been storing them in a drawer, but never really knew what sizes I had.  This case should make it easier to see what I have :)

Nifty! Pattern found here.

Vintage Dictionary

2012-01-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just hit upon something fantastic when scouting through antique and thrift stores.  Found this dictionary when Ellie and I were out thrift store shopping.  Intended to use it in craft projects but after seeing its beautiful contents might have to rethink my first intentions.

Inside front and back covers. 

 Pressed leaves.

If only this book could talk, what stories it could share about the people that used it in it's 71 years of existence?

Ellie's Simply Slippers

2012-01-18T14:18:00.000-08:00

Ellie wanted a pair of slippers so I saw this pair on Homespun Living blog and ordered the pattern from Francine Toukou.  I already had the blue rug yarn, so I got out my crochet hooks and set to work.  They worked up very quickly and the pattern is simple and easy to follow.  Made up a couple of flower accessories from leftover pajama pant fabric.

and now Ellie's slippers match her pajama pants.

Snazzy!

Our Dogs

2012-01-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

Henrietta (9 mths) and Jake (16 mths).

Broomsticks and Slippers...say what?

2012-01-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

Work continues on my projects list.  Next up was to learn how to do broomstick crochet.

You can crochet stitches over a broomstick handle or large knitting needle or I used a large crochet hook to get the lace pattern.

I made up the lace into two bracelets.

Ellie asked for a simple pair of slippers.  So I ordered a pattern on-line and crocheted up this pair.

My crafting companion sleeping in her chair all bundled up in Miss Mary's goat coat that I had to repair.

Projects in the New Year

2012-01-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

I've had the opportunity to work on several projects recently.

A crochet hat

with a flower.

German Paper Star Wreath

from the Sunday sale flyers.

Lounge pants are hemmed.

Made from a thrifty find.

Bed sheet is enough to make two!

New Craft Room Shelf

2012-01-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

Doug made me a new display shelf for my craft room this weekend. We used a painted door that I found a few years ago at a garage sale for the outer frame. Doug used reclaimed boards and tin for the inner shelving and backing. I think it turned out fantastic. Nice work Doug. The inspiration for this pigeon hole shelf came from Homespun Living blog. She has a much larger version in her craft room. A picture of the original painted door can be found in my May 2010 blog post.

November Lake Superior Get-Away

2011-11-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

View from our room.

Home away from home.

Lake Walk.

Bluefin Bay Resort.

Christmas decorations are up in Grand Marais.

Artists Point, Grand Marais.

Crashing Waves.

Red Berry tree. (Mountain Ash)

View from Palisade Head.

Just us two.

Leaving Palisade Head.

Two Harbors hike.

Deer!

Autumnal Walk

2011-10-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Reflections of fall in the Airstream.

Henrietta is really loving our walks in the woods.

Leaf covered path. 

Tis the season, had to wear my orange hat on this walk.

Friday's Walk.

2011-09-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Look who learned how to jump up on the couch this week :) She is so at home on this cushy piece of furniture.

The pampas grass is so light and feathery this time of year.

The sunflowers are starting to dry.  Hopefully there will be seeds for the birds during the winter.

Random flower blooming in the garden, not sure if I planted this seed or not?

Harvesting the last of the celery.

This birdhouse was occupied by blue birds during the summer.  It was fun to see them poking their heads out and enjoying our beautiful summer days.

These Bachelor Button flowers seem to be very photogenic.

Sedum are in full bloom.

Fall harvest display.

Maple trees are turning from summer green to their beautiful fall splendor red.

Friday and Saturday Walks.

2011-09-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

The double-mushrooms growing in the tree are maturing.

Signs of Fall.

One of the few pumpkins that grew this year, but it sure is a big one!

It is challenging taking a good picture of Henrietta, she moves a lot :)

Painting at the Maple St. House.

Prepping the room.

Jim took the calves away from their mothers this week, so they were very loud bellering for their babies.

Picked pumpkins, squash and gourds Saturday morning.

Fence insulator on a tree.

Friday's Walk. Saturday Edition.

2011-09-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day for a walk in the woods.  The weather is getting cooler so we can stroll through the forest without the pesky bugs bothering us.

More mushrooms.

Falling acorns are abundant.

I'm not sure what this flower is, but it sure stands out and gets your attention.

A Woodsy Walk

2011-09-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Awesome display of mushrooms.

A closer look.

We found this toad on one of the wooded trails, or I should say he found us.

There are still a few ferns growing.

Another fungi specimen.

Henrietta can run really, super fast!

Friday's Walk

2011-09-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Henrietta's (Henri) first ride home.

She learned how to play with her toys and especially likes to chase tennis balls.

Still harvesting zucchini.  Zucchini cakes made with eggs, cheese, onion and a little flour are especially good as a substitute for spaghetti noodles.

Lots of green onions this year.  Cutting them up and freezing for use through the winter.

Nice breezy weather for drying clothes outside.

Looks like I have another faithful companion. Henrietta has had a very good week.

Garden Walk and Maple Street Work

2011-08-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

Morning Glories.

Coneflower and summer sky.

Bike shed.  Obviously!

Bachelor button.

Tomatoes are ripening.

Monarch caterpillars are busy.

Ellie and I worked on the Maple St. kitchen today.

Friday's Walk. Maple Street Edition.

2011-08-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

Isaac and Ellie closed on their house yesterday. Started clean-up today. Worked mostly outside, leaving the inside for the weekend. They are off to a great start. This house went up for auction with a starting bid of 19,000. One other family stopped by that were possibly interested in bidding, but they generously bowed out so Ellie and Isaac were able to purchase the house for $19,000. With some clean-up and finds from Craigslist they will have a great home.

Friday's Walk Around the Yard.

2011-08-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

Doug's awesome carved fish.

Lots of flowers blooming around the yard.

Window box flowers.

Ackley Tree Service cut down about dozen trees in our backyard this week.  Hopefully the gutters won't get so plugged up with leaves now.  Doug built me a new clothesline too.

Playing fetch during a gorgeous summer afternoon.

Star Gazer Lilly.

Cleome.

The details are stunning.

I will be freezing tomatoes soon.

I have been grating and freezing lots of zucchini this week.  Also made zucchini lasagna and it was really good.

Zinnias and Queen Anne's Lace.

Friday's Walk. St. Croix County Fair Edition.

2011-07-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

Walking through the poultry/small animal barn.

A very colorful and fancy pheasant.

A photogenic and friendly goose.

A pretty glassware project.

A unique magazine bag.

Hannah Ramberg's champion origami project.

A unique use of used baler twine.

A fun event.  Donkey races.

A family of champions!

And It Rained A Lot!

2011-07-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning to a loud thunderstorm and pouring rain.  Looked out the windows and saw that our yard was flooded.

The waters surrounded the south and west sides of our house.

The river of rainwater meandered through the pasture.

Thankfully we didn't get any water in the basement.

Front pond was overflowing.

As soon as the rain stopped, everything drained away.

Couldn't even tell that the yard was flooded just minutes before.

 The sun came out for a beautiful summer morning.

I love summer thunderstorms.

Friday's Walk

2011-07-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Made a batch of strawberry jam this week.  Ben has been enjoying it on his waffles.

Lots of rain today.  Just started to rain after Cooper and I got back from our morning run/walk.  Didn't stop until mid-afternoon.  Good for the flowers and the veggies.

The veggie plants are growing like weeds, and the weeds are growing like WEEDS!

I don't remember the name of this native plant, but the birds enjoy sipping water from its cupped-shaped leaves.

Coneflower.

Hollyhock.

Had to wear my puddle boots to take pictures because everything was so wet.

Phlox.

Pink hydrangea.

Clematis.

Making progress on the interior of Nellie, she has been painted a fantastic red and Doug has been installing cover plates.

Friday's Walk

2011-07-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

Poppies are all abloom.  They look great against the clear blue summer sky.

We will be overrun with zucchinis soon!

The beans have had a tough start.  Slugs have been attacking my garden.  I have been sprinkling the rows with Diatomaceous earth to combat them.  Seems to be working.  We think the reason we have slugs this year is because this is the first year we don't have chickens.  The chickens must have been keeping the slug population under control.

I picked a handful of black caps this morning.

Orange Daylillies.

The row of radishes is ready. They have been protecting the tender carrot plants that are just emerging. I learned that you can eat the radish tops. Sauteing them and adding to a salad.

4th of July, Grand Marais.

2011-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

 Ellie, Isaac and Ben left for home today.  After a picnic lunch Doug  and I headed for Lutsen Ski Resort to take a ride on the gondolas.

We had a great time. 

Beautiful mountain views at the top.

And of course, gorgeous views of the Lake.

We parked our chairs right on the rocky beach for 4th of July fireworks.

Happy 4th of July everyone.

2011-07-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Cooper is ready for some morning kayaking.

Waiting in line at the World's Best Donut Shop.

Silly Cooper!  She is so happy.

Cascade River.

One of the falls on the Cascade River.

Heading out for a hike.

Lots of feet have walked across this tree's poor roots.

Good to know where we are.  I think it is called lost.

Ben!!!

Ellie's view.

Lots of biking time for Ben.

Our family.

Saturday in Grand Marais

2011-07-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Texting and a campfire.  Those two go together, don't they?

Searching for fairy tears and the perfect rocks.

Tower Building.

Beautiful Lake Superior Shoreline.

Doug and Isaac heading out to do some sunset kayaking.

Just Relaxing.

Friday's Garden Walk. Grand Marais Edition

2011-07-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Our campsite in the Grand Marais Municipal Campground.  Because it is city owned it was not closed because of the government shut down in Minnesota.

Cooper's new ride.  Doug rigged up this milk crate on the back of his bike so Cooper wouldn't miss out when we biked around town.

Ben biking on the way out to the pier.  Not the best thing for a mother to watch :-)

View of the harbor and Grand Marais from the pier.

Daisies.  It is the weekly "garden" walk after all.

Birch Bark.

Another view of the harbor this time from the shore looking out.  Very chilly and foggy day today.  The fog horns sounded most of the day.  Back home it was in the high 90s on the shore 50s-60s.

We had lunch at the Angry Trout.  Very delicious.  All three of us enjoyed our meals.

Up North We Go

2011-06-30T04:33:00.000-07:00

Crossing the ever controversial Stillwater Bridge.

Upon entering Duluth the temp was a cool 56.  Back home highs in the 90s with a heat index into the 100s.  Boy does this feel good.

Making our way through the tunnels.

Road construction delayed our arrival time by about an hour.  Many drivers were becoming impatient with the delay and turning around and heading south.

Friday's Walk

2011-06-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yellow flowers (I don't remember their name :-) are blooming.

Audrey's Pink Fairy Lillie.

Sunny Primrose are blooming throughout the yard.

Ben took advantage of the nice day and went for a bike ride.

Hummingbirds have been feeding on the honeysuckle.

The deer found my strawberry patch this week :-(

...and something is eating my bean plants. 

It finally stopped raining so I was able to hang clothes out on the line to dry today.

This bird house is full of baby wrens and noisy with their pleas for mom to bring more food.

Work on the airstream is progressing.  We are trying to decide on a color to paint the interior.  We think we have decided on a glossy red.  Now we need to prime over everything and then finish up with the red and see how we like it.

June 17th Walk Through the Gardens

2011-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Iris from Linda is blooming.

White peonies have been flowering all week.

Added a few more greenhouse plants this week.  Celery, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, swiss chard, watermelon, cantaloupe, kohlrabi, cabbage and onions.

Jens' Old Fashioned Pink Roses.

Look what I found!

Potted up the last of the plants.  I took cuttings last fall from Art's coleus and was able to keep them alive through the winter.

Rain Drops and Flowers

2011-06-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Iris.

Friday's Walk Through the Garden

2011-06-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

After a high of 103 on Tuesday were are closing the week with a chilly 60 degrees.

Front gardens are filled out and the weeds are tall and healthy :)

Garden art created by Ben.

We are almost finished laying down newspapers/cardboard/straw on the garden.

We will be snacking on kale soon.

Fire truck petunia bed.

Zucchinis have sprouted.

Bush beans are up.

Strawberry season is on its way.

Hello Miss Mary.

My constant companion and best buddy.

The tomatoes got a head start.  Doug bought these at Farm and Home.

Plenty of milkweed for the monarchs.

Tiny hairs of bunching green onions are emerging.

The gardens are well underway this week, with the intense heat earlier in the week, really made the seeds sprout.  Pumpkins and squash we planted Sunday were poking out of their hills by Wednesday.

Friday Walk Around the Gardens

2011-06-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Lupine are starting to bloom and lots of buds on the peonies.

Garden has been planted.

Strawberries are blooming.

Garlic is happy living with the peonies.

Raised beds are sprouting some new growth.

Purple Aliums are in full bloom.

Window box plants are starting to bloom.

Yellow petunias are sunning themselves in the old wheelbarrow.

Washtub garden is looking better now that it is warmer.  They got a little cold a few weeks ago.

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

We are die-hard memorial day service attenders.

We stayed through the rain, thunder and lightning and even some hail.

They quickened-up the service so we could get to our vehicles and out of the weather.  We moved on with our day and had our usual picnic at the school and then on to ice cream, of course!

Ben did some jumping on the way.

We always have to take our walk across the bridge.

Camping at Clear Lake

2011-05-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Doug and I did a little camping this weekend.

We had a good weekend.  Did some garage saleing.  Found some awesome treasures.  Enjoyed some warm sunshine and a few moments of cold and rain.  Watched some movies.  Ate some great food.  Enjoyed campfires.  Ben came up and visited for a bit.  Ellie and Isaac stayed one night.  P.J., Nicki and Neena drove up Saturday afternoon, and Nicki spent the night.  Played Farkle.  Great times and memories.

Ben's Grad Party

2011-05-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

All ready for the party to begin!

Just waiting for the guests.

And they finally arrived, and boy did they show up.  We estimated that 150 people attended the party!

The rain arrived with the guests.  It wasn't a total washout though, just rained on and off for a better of the day.

After the guests left it was time for card and gift opening. It was a great day. Lots of friends, family and celebrating. Well done Ben! Congratulations.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Doug gave me this beautiful plant today. Looks great in the screen porch.

Ben surprised me with one of his welding sculptures. Very cool Ben, I Love It!

My gift from Ellie and Isaac. A cool tin filled with rick rack. Just what I wanted!

Thanks for being such a great family. You guys are awesome!

25th Anniversary Celebration

2011-05-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

A gift from our kids. 

We celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary with Ellie, Isaac, and Ben at the Laurel.

Of course the meal wouldn't be complete without their famous popovers. Ummm!

After enjoying our popovers, soup and salad, we weren't very hungry for our main course.

No meal is complete without dessert no matter how stuffed we feel, so off to Stillwater for some ice cream.

A stroll across the historic lift bridge was next.

Our family.

The only way we wanted to spend our anniversary, with our family. I wouldn't change a thing. Today or any day in last 25 years.

A Walk in the Woods

2011-05-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

After stripping a layer of paint off of the interior end caps we went for a walk in the woods.  It was a beautiful evening and the forest is greening up.  We looked for morel mushrooms with no success.  Maybe after a couple of days of warmer weather they will start to emerge.

New Scarf for Ellie

2011-04-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

With guidance and inspiration from the internet, I created this t-shirt scarf from the UCC Rummage Sale Saturday special, $2.00 fill-a-garbage bag. Doug uses these old shirts for rags but I dove in the bag before he could :)

Blocking My First-Ever Sweater

2011-03-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

I had a little help with blocking my sweater :)

Spring Thaw

2011-03-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

The snow was really melting today.  Lots of water in our yard.

Not Your Usual Monday

2011-03-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Celebrating spring with Ellie and Ben at the Franconia Sculputure Park and a hike at Interstate Park.

He's 18!

2011-03-05T05:34:00.000-08:00

Wow Ben's 18th Birthday today.  Holy buckets.  Where does the time go?  We are so proud of Ben, he is such a fine young gentleman.  Caring, creative and a great sense of humor.  He just got a job he has been trying to get for a year and a half, working at Art Doyle's Spokes and Pedals in Hudson.  He also has some of his welding creations for sale at Kelly's Art Gallery in Hudson.  Parenting is an awesome adventure.  Watching our children mature and grow into such wonderful adults.  Happy, happy birthday Ben!

Afternoon Walk

2011-02-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

Last Day of February Walk.

New Spring Fashions

2011-02-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

Miss Mary's coat for spring.

Snowy February Monday

2011-02-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

I think Scooties is wondering if the snow is ever going to stop.

Back to Snowshoeing

2011-02-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well winter isn't finished with us yet.  Another 10-15 inches of snow yesterday and last night.  Cooper and I were forced to buckle on the snowshoes and don our sweaters and head to the woods for our exercise today.

Eric and Jackie's Wedding

2011-02-19T09:46:00.000-08:00

Bridal Party.

Proud Parents.

Grandparent.

Greek Orthodox Wedding Ceremony.

View from the 22nd Floor.

Reception.

Great day and a wonderful wedding. Best wishes to the bride and groom for a beautiful life together.

Beautiful Day for a Walk

2011-02-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

Doug and I celebrated Valentine's Day early. We went to the Camping and RV show at the Minneapolis Convention Center yesterday. We were hoping to get some ideas for the Airstream. It was a fun day and there were lots and lots of campers to tour.
It took us awhile, but we did eventually find the Airstreams.

This was one my favorite of the Airstreams.

It had a retro feel and look that was very appealing.

Really cool window in the bathroom door.

The wrap-around windows in the newer Airstreams offer a great view while camping.

Some of the campers are just crazy huge.

and most are CRAZY expensive!

There was even room for a double-sink master bathroom!

This was a new feature we have not seen yet. A fold-out deck with awning. Now all you need is to find a camping spot big enough to handle all those slide-outs so your not bumping slide-outs with your neighbors :)

Eagle

2011-02-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Coleman just called to let me know that she thought we had an Eagle in our tree at the top of the driveway.

I got out the binoculars and then the camera.  Pretty neat to see.  Think I will keep Cooper in the house until he leaves :)

Sweater Bag

2011-02-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

Small drawstring bag made from an old sweater and fabric scraps.

Fun Winter Activity

2011-02-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

Photos from the St. Paul Winter Carnival Torch Light Parade.

Winter Parade

2011-02-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the St. Paul Winter Carnival Parade to begin.

Mecca Gold

2011-01-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Painted the kitchen this weekend. Really like the yellow color.

Sculpture with Square Nails

2011-01-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

Ben made this latest welding project yesterday. He's using up Grandpa Bakken's bucket of square nails very fast.