New Guest moved in...

Welcome back Daisy...

Daisy was about 6 months old in the Summer of 2000 when she moved to our place in Michigan. In the Summer of 2010, Daisy moved to Buffalo, Minnesota, but this summer, Sydney Beth moved into an apartment and Daisy could no longer stay in Buffalo.

In order for Daisy to move with me, I had to finish fencing in the backyard.

Before:

After:

And install a "doggy door" into the garage.


And here is Daisy in the backyard in her new gated community :).

Sydney Beth' 1st day of High School...

Congratulations!!!

Sydney is in the "Art Magnet" program at Buffalo High School, Class of 2015!

I call her "Pork Chop" or "Bacon"...

My niece, Laura with her 4H "porker" at the Minnesota State Fair.

Austin with the pig.

And me, just a little out of focus.

August 25th, Mom's 90th Birthday...

Happy 90th Birthday Mom!

August 25th, 2011 is my mom's 90th Birthday!

Mom sitting by her birthday cake and 90th birthday sign made by sister, Jenae.

My sibling and I with my mom in front of the Care Home where she resides.
Back Row: Jenae, Janna, Peter, Sydney, Brant
Front Row: Ruth and Mom

All of us who spent the day with mom on the Saturday before my mom's birthday.

After having cake at the care home, we traveled to the cemetery where my dad was buried a year ago, in 2010. My dad resided in the care home with my mother for about 9 months, before God called him home. Dad, I miss you and I love you!

By the gravestone, where my dad is buried, with me.

One can't live by bread alone or can you?

A few months back, I went to a secondhand store in Burnsville, MN looking for a AC adapter for an electronic device, but to no avail, they didn't have what I was looking for.

In the process of looking, I notice a few "automatic" bread makers, so today, I made the trip to see if they still had some. So to my luck, there was two of them...and the price...$5.99! I think at Kohl's they are between $80-100.


So off to the grocery store for flour, sugar, and yeast!


The results...


In 2010, when we were in The Netherlands, Kees and Saskia used their bread maker almost everyday. I really liked the fresh bread!!

Shady - 2001 - 2011

Shady and Sydney Beth

Sydney Beth adopted Shady in 2001, she was one of Sydney Beth's mom relative's cat, but I guess they no longer could have her, so Shady moved in with us and became Sydney's best friend. She was just under a year old at that time.

Shady just made the move in the last year from Michigan to Minnesota, she had a physical at the veterinary in her new hometown was given a good bill of health. In the last few weeks, she started to lose weight and looked as if she had a "kitty cold", so on Thursday, August 4, she was taken to the veterinary and she was diagnosed with "acute kidney failure". On Friday, the decision was made in the best interest of Shady's pain and suffering, was to release her from that pain and she was laid to sleep forever.

On Saturday, August 6, 2011, Shady, the mother of five, was remembered for her affectionate personality and kind disposition toward anyone who would bend down and give her attention, she purred with great appreciation and adoration.

Shady, you were truly a motherly feline and will be cherished by all who knew you!

Austin, Colin holding Shady, Syd and Sydney - 2001

Cedar Casket lined with zebra patterned material.

Rest in Peace
Shady, you have served a purpose and did it well and purr-fect!

Flying from Minneapolis to...

...Austin and I took a flight from Minneapolis on Delta flight 1088 at 930pm CDT and as we started to get half way there, this what the Earth looked like from 38000 feet.


...now we are descending into Anchorage, AK at about 1130pm Alaska time...

...Beautiful Mount McKinley...reaches 20300 feet above sea level.

...the landscape of Alaska at about 1215am Alaska time. Our flight arrived on time at 1230am Alaska time.


...a familiar sight in Alaska, you wonder why I want to move there?

The BEST reason to VISIT Alaska.....FAMILY!!!

Syd (me), Austin, Lyndon Byers (Austin and Colin's uncle) Aunt Wanda, and Uncle Larry

All this fun in less than two days!!!

Grandpa's Garden...once a farmer, always a de Boer!

Potatoes and Tomatoes



Onions and Peas


Beans and Carrots


Corn and Sunflowers ( I hope...squirrels keep taking my seeds)

Jalapenos...

From Fryslân (Friesland) proud American...

Proud to be Frisian, Dutch, and American...

Today is Memorial Day...

In remembrance of those who fought in wars here and abroad - to defend Liberty and Freedom for us and of other countries who cherish these values as much as we do....

THANK YOU VETERANS and SOLDIERS!

A sign and appreciation of our BLESSED America!!!

"OLD GLORY"

Hole in earth.

Form.

Flag pole erected.

"Old Glory" flying.

Illumination for "Old Glory" to flying into the night.

"Old Glory" illuminated.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Happy 19th Birthday Colin!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN!!!

Born on MAY 29, 1992 in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Happy Birthday Dad...

1933

Just seems like yesterday we were together for your birthday...since then you have stopped counting days and years with us -in my heart you are still counting - there isn't a day that goes by that I dont remember you and I remembering doing chores together, working in the field, doing things on the yard, and doing things around the farm for you as your years started to wear and tear on your ambitious body....

Happy Birthday Dad, you will always be remembered in my heart and thoughts, everyday!

July 2008

The other day, I found this magazine...

while helping the flight attendants straightening the cabin between flights. "I get this magazine", I exclaimed. I loved this magazine when I was at home...

...MAN vs WEED...I may not have a farm, but I have a little garden...and the enemy is weeds and rabbits...

So, off to the internet to order "Successful Farming"....hmmm, I wonder what project I can create from the "Idea of the Month"...

Have a HAPPY DAY....while I dream about FARMING and I wait for my first issue of SUCCESSFUL FARMING.

Clean up time in Bloomington, MN...

Every spring for how many years, the City of Bloomington sponsor a Spring Curb Cleanup Saturday for 5 Saturdays in a row, depending on the your location in the city. My part of the city clean up was last Saturday. (YES, it is FREE - GRATIS (Dutch for FREE)

My neighbor had this old Ariens snow blower by his garage all winter when I moved in. I told Colin, if you see that snow blower on the curb, I want you to get it before anyone else. (People are allowed to rummage thru other peoples treasures, before the garbage man comes.) I was taking some trash to the garage, and low and behold the snow blower was on the curb...

I strolled out to the curb and came back to my garage with a "new" snow blower. I spent a couple of hours and $20 dollars worth of parts....and she runs like a top!!!

5HP and 24" intake chute