Mother's Day Puzzle

Mother's Day Puzzle

This was actually a "while watching The Player's Championsip golf tournament on both Saturday and Sunday" puzzle - as much as a Mother's Day puzzle... but, the title above looks better, and... the mother in the house really enjoyed this puzzle. She did all the quilts across the bottom and left side, especially, all by herself, and really enjoyed it. I helped with the white houses, and finishing... It was a neat puzzle, just the kind we like.

Happy day... and Tiger won, again, as well. We liked that! Liked Cochran winning Survivor, as well!

Happy Mother's Day!  ;-)

May 3-4 in Hollister - Snow, birds and squirrels

May 3-4 in Hollister - Snow, birds and squirrels

On Wednesday, it was in the 70s - on Thursday morning, it snowed and never got out of the 30s.

Wednesday afternoon, we put out the goldfinch food sack... I'd seen as many as four male goldfinches flying in the back yard. It is now Saturday, and they have found the feeders. Could only catch the one male goldfinch clean... with two other finches enjoying, as well. Many have come and gone. Fun. Also saw at least one cardinal and one blue jay stop by... two cold on deck to just sit and watch. Perhaps in the 50s, today. Put out the humming bird feeder out the kitchen window.

The squirrel has been eating at the block feeder, coming down from the top... eats, falls off, climbs back up and has at it some more. He is on the ground, below, just left of white rock, center...  ;-)

Back into the 70s (average) in a few days...  ;-)

Late April - Backyard of Cabin - Nice Day

Late April - Backyard of Cabin - Nice Day

This is from a week or so ago... the iris are blooming in the backyard... with the rain we have this year. In the center, just to left of one blooming, is another about to come out! Must be thankful for small favors!

We've had so much rain this year, that with the nice mess the contractor's made in our back yard, there are low spots with up to three or four inches of standing water... several days after the rains. There are also high points surrounding them, so that the water cannot drain off. This year, grass has also grown, abundantly, right out of the rock...

Nancy took this photo of me using the shovel to help the standing water drain into the channel I had dug, earlier.

Here is the channel, with water running... look how deep it had to be...

I can literally not walk across the backyard, inside our 'property line' and not walk in water. It is much worse that before they 'messed' with it...

Here I am, with a little broader view... you can see the water...

It will take time, but I will get it to drain... of course, we're getting cold and rain for three or four days the end of this week... so it won't be soon. But, now that I have one escape channel, I can work at getting the drainage working, slowly, for the rest.

Earlier, saw two goldfinches in the trees above where I was standing above. Only able to capture one of them, with his head turned aside, of course!  

Had three iris out, today...  ;-)

Did I mention; it was a very nice day to be out working in the backyard of the cabin?! ;-)

A Most Pleasant Saturday Evening at the Cabin

A Most Pleasant Saturday Evening at the Cabin

Nancy's brother, Al, and his wife, Joleen, are visiting in the Branson area this week. They are with her brother, Dan, and his wife, Mindy. They and our daughter, Allison, gathered at our cabin late this afternoon and we had a really neat party. Al brought steaks that he grilled on our grill on the back deck (he is the one who helped put it together, and actually knows how to use it - along with Arrion and Ben, of course).

Allison took a photo of us near the end of the nice meal - previously posted on Facebook:

After dinner, the five above played cards. I got my camera out, and recorded this action:

The Final Four basketball games had started. Allison got her ESPN Alert that Louisville won the first game over Wichita State, in a close one!

That get all seven of us in at least one photo. Good time had by all!

Beautiful day, in the 70s with sunshine... finally!  ;-)

Easter Day in Austin

Easter Day in Austin

Finishing up the cookies, last evening, unposed...

After the bunny had arrived...

Then, the kids arrived...

Alex 'cooperated' with Kaylee on the Easter Egg hunt; then they sorted the candy in the eggs.

Later, watching television, Kaylee was clapping and dancing to Sister Act!

Ben helped Kaylee on her Lego set, first, then Grandpa got a turn. We helped pick out the pieces, she does a good job putting the pieces together, herself, watching the instruction book. Really neat! ;-)

Neat visit to family. Back to school, back to Hollister for us, on Monday! ;-) 

Third of three pages...

Preparing Easter Eggs and Cookies in Austin

Preparing Easter Eggs and Cookies in Austin

Last evening, Alex and Kaylee put on a couple of "plays" - with costume changes - before the BB games... They were mostly moving around, but here are couple of images...

Kaylee was a princess and Alex was the wizard, in the first...

Here are the actors, after the second:

Today, on Saturday, it was time to make some sugar cookies and color the eggs... all candid shots... working hard, no posing here...

Rolling out dough...

Getting ready to color eggs...

White eggs...

Colored eggs:

Family went to afternoon 3-D Movie, The Croods - Grandpa and Grandma for a ride...

Nice day in the upper 70s! ;-)

Arrival in Austin for Easter Weekend

Arrival in Austin for Easter Weekend

Arrived in Austin Thursday night in time to see Arizona lose a close game to Ohio State in the NCAA March Madness Sweet Sixteen... otherwise, great to be here. Warm.

Grandpa and Grandma always get a warm welcome. Here are Grandma with Alex and Kaylee:

Above was a rare moment that Kaylee smiled nicely - more often, you'll see below, she is of a mood to make a face, stretch and arm, cover her face, etc.

Here, Grandma and Kaylee "playing a game" of Stratego...

Alex played at the computer, like a nice boy! He is always nice, of course! ;-)

We went to Panera Bread for lunch... neat!

After lunch, while the house was being cleaned, we also spent some time over at Barnes & Noble... only bought a few books for the kids.

When we got back to the house, the kids showed Grandma some games on the WiiU...

Thanks to Allison, I kept the camera handy... it did make a difference.

A couple extra images... Kaylee in new nightie, last night!

And, last weekend, an NCAA BB Tournament puzzle was completed...

What fun!  ;-)