NEWEST TRACY

yesterday (tues) found us going over to cortland to meet our newest great nephew...justin and lorraine from calif were in town visiting for the holidays and unless we made a trip out to visit it would be awhile till we met him...and a fine boy he is...in the pictures are his proud parents and KONOAN is with his aunt danielle...as a matter of facty when we first walked in th door and i had not even taken my coat off he came right to me now don't you just think he got points on that one...a very happy content baby...we were there for several hrs and he never made a peep...not even a whimper....

grandmother lorraine made a pot of chilli that was very good and the family had lots laughs and of course talked about many things and stuff that has happened over all these years,,...

the holidays are winding down a wee bit...still a new years eve gathering to go too then pack and get out of the north country ahhahahaha...

CHRISTMAS DAY 2011

IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATE ON THE PICTURES IT IS WRONG..THESE WERE TAKEN CHARISTMAS MORNING...AS YOU CAN SEE WE ARE ENJOYING A "CAMP FIRE" oops...of course it was after santa came donw the chimney with care so don't worry we didn't catch his santa clothes on fire...

mellissa was here for an overnight on firday then her dad from Pa came up to take her for christmas and i forgot to take a picture of her in her new grandma hat...but there is one of coursed with lisa and shasta in their nerw grandma/mom hats...living in the niorth country i thought maybe something to help keep their pretty little heasds was a good idea...

we had a good couple of days with lisa and family along with shasta...nice to be together and enjy each other company...not sure how many games of farkle were played and who was the big winner but we all had fun and alot of laughs...NO snow thou so we could not go out in play in it or even think of sliding down the hill...but in christams past we have been able to do that...

now it is time to think of packing up the rig and getting out of town...right now the plan is to leave on the 4th and the long term weather looks like that might be a good day...but you just never know...

we do hope you all had an wonderful and enjoyable christmas whether it was spent with family or friends or just by yourselves..

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU AND MAY IT BE PROSPEROUS AND MAY YOU MEET ALL YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (i sure hope i do)

I GOOFED

can you believe that i goofed... i must have clicked twice on the barriere tree so for some reason it came thru twice...so now i have gone back to the pictures and hope to be sending the REAL CHARLEI BROWN TREE!!!! must be age or my fingers aren't sure what my brain is telling them to do...

so i hope it goes this time...

TREES 2011

when lisa and denise were little we always went out back on our property to cut our christmas tree..we have mostly white pine which isn't the best looking christmas tree but the price was right and it was fun to go out and cut a tree for our own property..it always took awhile to find just the right CHARLIE BROWN tree..we always did..then of curse it was brought back to the house put in the stand and decorated so it was then beautiful...

for the last few years we head south right after the new years so we haven't been putting up a tree and have gone north to be with the girls and their families..we have been doing that even after denise has passed away...but this year lisa and andy are cominghere for christmas..mellissa is suppose to go with the father so why not enjoy the holiday here...

anyway last weekend was the fireman's banquet and lar won the table prize of the "REAL CHARLIE BROWN TREE" so this year it is our christmas tree...we think it is quite fitting to have a real charlie brown tree...

the other one is one roy barriere made sevderal years ago that we have used so this year we have 2...so it is a bonus..if santa can't find one maybe he will be able to find the other...

have a wonderful holiday season as i know we will...

FORGOT CAMERA

yesterday (sat) the men's bible group at the church we attend started to clear the land for a habitat house...

the churchs in the community we go to have decided to build a habitat house...it has been a project for a year or more but not it it getting off the ground ahah...our pastor is very involved in habitat and was before he came to our church so that might be part of the reason it is finally getting going...habitat was given this land several yrs ago and have been waiting for some interest in building a house...so it all started yesterday..

first the group met for breakfast i was not going to go but last week in church it was mentioned that all women-children and men could join the group..soooooooo i thought i fit into one of those groups so i joined..breakfast was delicious maybe cause i didn't have to cook it...after which off we went to the property and with chain saws-clippers-brush cutters the land started to get cleared...this is a part of building a habitat house we have not had any part of because when we have gotten to the build site that part had already been done...even in slidell where we had to work on the cement supports that hold the house up off the ground...

it will be interesting how much has been done when we return in the spring...in about 2 1/2 weeks we hope to be packed up and on our way south...need to get some medical issues taken care of and can you believe that i have been called to jury duty these next 2 weeks...i hope to get excused out of it...not that i mind doing it but this time of year...

i think we are already for christmas and only time will tell

we want to wish you all a very happy holiday season and a wonderful 2012>>>>

TURKEY DAY

what a wonderful day it was...NO SNOW nor wind nor rain nor sleet ...just a perfect weather day>>>> not only for day but to enjoy family and friends and be thankful for all that we have and that we can be together

each one of the turkey was delicious and done to perfection (that's my opinion)..as you can see the garbage turkey is getting ready to have the can put on top of it and then a couple hrs later it is ready to carve and eat...lots of good food so no one left hungry that i know off if they did then it was their fault..

lar and i decided that this would be the last thanksgiving in the barn as we are getting older and sometimes the fun part has turned into work..we just hope that the younger ones will take over as it is a nice tradition for families..time will tell..

OPENING DAY 2011

yesterday was opening day of gun deer season and you know who was up and out bright and early along with friends who come to hunt...off they went to the woods in search for some deer...

now for me i slept in and got up around 7 or so..looked out the dining room window and there laying in the back yard was a good size doe so i watched her for around 1/2 hr give or take...she finallly left so i thought it was time for a cup of coffee i turn around and there is a buck following in her tracks...he sniffs around and walks back in forth several times till all of a sudden he takes of toward the garden and into the woods...then i notice willis coming around the barn on his way to the out house...and he didn't see it...

around noon they come in for lunch and to tell stories about the morning hunt...will shot twice and lar had shot once both missed the deer they were aiming at...

so now all the stories have been told and their bellies are now full so off they go back for the afternoon hunt...

around 3 lar comes in and asks me can i help him drag a deer...he had scored and gotten a buck a three point...it is the one i saw in the morning it has some long tines so i know for sure that it was the one..

then off to the butcher it went so now we will have vension for the table this winter...

today (sun) is another story no one at this house has seen any deers in the woods...the weather is nice and sure dosen't feel like the middle of november...

so all's well around here..

TURKEY

the turkey season is finally over or lar...oh he has permits for more but it is now time for another hunting seaason..deer opens up tomorrow (sat) so lar is preparing for that...he would like some snow on the ground which we had this morning but it is all gone now...melted as we only had a dusting...

preparing for thanksgiving the turkeys have been bought and are in the freezer (i just have to remember to take them out of the freezer in a couple of days)..tables and chairs have be gotten from the fire house--and the barn floor has been washed and cleaned...right now thre isn't much more to get ready that i can think of...

hope you all have a good thanksgiving and don't eat tooooooo much...oh i know everything tastes sooooo good but then it will take a month to get rid of the extra lbs that you may have put on...ugh...

enjoy the holiday

BUCKY

yesterday afternoon (SUNDAY) we were just looking out to dining room window when lar said oh my look so i did...there was mr. bucky coming thru the back yard and she sure was not in any kinda of hurry...he just took his old sweet time and if there had been any more apples on the ground he would have stopped to eat them...we have seen at least 3 bucks in the back yard...he is 6 we have seen a 7 or 7 and not sure of the other one...we also have at least 6 or 7 does who visit regular...they are helping us keep the apples cleaned up--almost as soon as they fall her they come for lunch snakc or what ever meal they might think it is...

i mowed the lawn today and i do think that it is the last time for this year...i also needed to chop up the leaves that have fallen...still more on the trees so i guess i'll have to wait for them to fall...

lar has been hunting for turkeys no luck for that bird but he has gotten a goose and a duck so the freezer will have something in it...so we won't starve for a day or two ahhaha...

we sure are enjoying this nice weather this past week...getting lots done outside...

FIRST SNOW 2011

yesterday thurs oct 27 we got our first measurable snow which pretty much just covered the ground but it also made the raods slippery...even so that is caused a school bus/truck asccident in the afternoon...no serious injuries..

we have hung our bird feeders for lots of years and always wondered if the deer ever ate from them...well yesterday during the snow storm there were three at the feeder and now we have proof that they are eating from the feeder...so when it comes time for hunting season the deer are going to be well fed..apples-pears-and now bird seed...mostly sunflowers-and corn...they must think that they have found a good dinner with lots of delicious food...we have also seen a 7pt chase the doe around the back yard but they aren't interested in him..but it has been fun watching the carrying ons of mother nature...

sun is out today and we are suppose to have a good weekend but there is also a snow storm coming up the east coast...not suppose to come this far in so we might not get any more snow out of it..but thime will tell as the storm might just decided to make a visit...

so winter has now started...

TEAM PICTURES

for some reason the team pictures didn't go so i am trying again ,,,hope it works this time

JAMACIA PICTURES

for some reason the pictures i thought i put on the trip didn't seem to go so i am trying to put them on now

one of course is of our volleyball team---one is of guess who--and the other one if on our dresser most days was a different thing made out of towels...this one is a swan--one was a basket and one was a heart...and of course flowers were on the bed evdery day...the ladies were picking them as they went to work...

JAMACIA

we have returned from jamacia and over all the trip was good...the weather was HOT-HOT-HOT-HUMID-HUMID- with some rain in the afternoons and when it did rain it was hard...but we keep cool staying in the ocean or pool and even under some shade when we could find it...

there was a volleyball tournament which we knew about before we left home so we made some t-shirts for our team...'THE ENFIELD RIVER RATS' and our uniforms won first place...the prize was exciting key chains ahahhaahah...one of our members of our team fell and broke both of her wrists all this took place on monday..so she was not a happy camper the rest of the trip..it limited what she could do and even had trouble eating...she still could hold a glass so she could still drink away her pain...(really she only had one or two drinks)...YES the team was very sober when we were playing volleyball..

the resort was large and spread out and there was plenty of things to do while we were there...we found the spa the day before we were to leave and wish we had found it earlier as there was sauna-hot tub-swimming river-cold-warm-hot water to refresh yourself in...

over all it was a good trip but going from hot to cold sure is a shocker

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

our house has calmed down a wee bit this week..the month of sept we spent most of it in falconer tending to lar's mom...we were back there then ran away for a couple of days to buffalo..then we returned home and were here for only a day when we found out she had a room in assisted living so back we went to hel p move her..that we did!!!!!lar and i spent a weekend packing and moving stuff to 19 almet his sister house that was the family home...so the garage is half full or it was with fran's stuff...we have talked to judy-bill-dan and even fran since she has moved into the new living arrangement...at times she is confused but adjusting to the new place..it will be better for her when she gets a room of her own and that will be soon...they are opening up a new wing and only need the state's approval and we all know how long it might take some one from the state to do their thing...

some of our habitat friends have stopped by for a short visit and we even had lunch with some other habitat friends and it was nice to all get together..we will be building again in jan in dade city...our friends christine and tom have been dong some work kamping in bar harbour , maine all summer and had a good time..my nephew and family even stayed at the campground for a week...

fall turkey season opened up on the 1st and you know who has been out there and so far it has ben cold-wet-foggy-and NO turkeys..this coming week is suppose to get nicer so maybe he will at least talk to another turkey..we have been watching at least 6 deer that come to the back yard on a regular basis...cleaning up the fallen apples that was we don't have to pick them up..

leaves are turning so i guess fall is on it's way..hoping for an indian summer..garden has been harvested and we are pleased with what it produced for us this year...we are also starting to think about our next trip and no it is not with the rig but on an airplane...heading to Jamaica for a week...

PICTURES- BUFFALO

ok here are some of the pictures we took while in buffalo...

some of the several thousnads of flags on 9/11

teddy rooselvet taking his oath

earl's has been on diners-drive-in- and dives...famous for chciken-a-la king but we had breakfast

WE RAN AWAY

first NO pictures till we get home...

we have spent a week helping care of lar's mom...we have cleaned-cleaned-thrown stuff away-cleaned-tending to her care-lar spent a couple of nights with her...then we decided we needed to get away so we did ...we have never toured buffalo so of we went and got a national park stamp so it wasn' a waste ...we went to teddy roosevelt place where he was inaugurated after president mckinley passed away....what was the most interesting there were lots of chairs set up outside and we asked what was going on ...we were told a naturalization ceremony so we decided to stay never been to one so why not...there was a reactenment of teddy roosevelt ceremony..short and sweet..the whole process was most interesting..there about 25-30 new citizens from about as many countries several canadians...not sure if they were getting dual citizenship or not...but we wer glad we stayed...

even found a place to have wings nit the famous bar but the ones we had were good...

the next day we found millard fillmore hpuse that he lived in before he became president but guess what we could only walk around the outside as it was closed the day we were there...then we found an old fashioned store that had about everything you could imagine...we just looked and laughed at the stuff we found..

on our way back to jamestown we stopped at a diner to have breakfast...the place has been featured on diners-drive-ins and dives...a fun place we did not eat what guy had as that was chicken a-la king and we stopped for breakfast ...lar had a lee moore's omelet (if you have ever listen to a radio station from west virginia at night and coffee drinking lee moore then you know)..the place had a mini museum and was again a fun stop...

now back in jamestown where doug and iris from louisville have arrived and dan and carol from earlville will arrive later today...

we hope Fran will be up to all the company...we sure hope so...probably back in enfield later this coming week....we are both ready to return...

oh we have noticed that the trees are beginning to turn so i guess fall is on it's way so get out and enjoy the colors...

SEPT TRAVEL PLANS

sept is our month just to travel around and be a tourist and this year we had decided to see NYS... head up to the adirondacks and tupper lake to visit the new outdoor museum..then head down state to visit west point-hyde park...but that has all changes due to a couple of reasons...

lar's mom has been in the hospital for several days and the time has come for her to make a change in living conditions...she has been in her own apt at the complex she has been living in and has taken several falls...so it appears that she will need some assisted living place or maybe even a nursing home...so we have changed our plans to go back to see what we can do to help out...there is to be a meeting today to try to sort out the best for her and right now we just aren't sure...so we may be moving her to someplace different...of course right now we aren't sure what that might be...she is 93 and for the most part she taken care of herself and it appears that things are changing...

also the places we had wanted to travel to are in the middle of where hurricane irene left much damage and destruction so of course we aren't sure what we might run into and roads are still closed..probably the back ones --we are flexible so we can change our plans and put those places on the back burner and who knows maybe next year...god willing...

now for lee he has left us with 2 1/2 inches of rain so far...it rained all day yesterday (monday) and into the night..sometimes hard..if only we could send some of it to texas where it is much needed and would help put out the wild fires...fill their lakes-rivers-ponds -etc...mother nature she is showing us all that she is active this year...

enjoy fall

IRENE OVER

if you want to see what irene looked like around here go in the shower and turn it on and open your eyes...that how she looked like out the windows...we received heavy rains and winds most of the day started around 3am sunday morning and lasted into the late afternoon...we received over 2 1/2 inches of rain ...of course not as much as places down state and in other states but enough so that we don't have t water the garden...

there was only 1 fire call for a large tree across a road so larry was busy with that for awhile..the fire house is also a place for evacuees can go in case of needing a safe place...luck would have it that it was not needed...but there were provisions in place just in case...

lots of spples have been blown down for the trees so we are going to have to pick them up and take them to the woods for deer food...as a matter of fact momma and her twins were in the back yard this morning but they were after the pears and not the apples...

we have talked to friends who live on the eastern shore of maryland and irene did not do as much damage as she could of...they had put up everything as high as they could get it and even moved their cars to higher ground..bill was up all night moving his boat and making sure the water wasn't coming over the breakwall and they would have to leave...so prayers and lots of preparation helped them out...

irene could have been much worse than she was and thank the good lord she wasn't ..now comes the job of trying to return back to normal...hope all's well with all who affected in one way or another by irene...

BACK YARD VISITORS

our deer family seem to be regular visitors lately ...maybe it is because the apples are falling down and they seem to like them...so it has been fun to watch them grow up..if you rememvber earlier in the spring i posted pictures of them and you can see that they are getting bigger....we have watched them romp around some turkeys that are also coming to the back yard but i have not had a good chance to take any picture of them...

we ran away for a few days earlier this week and it sure was nice to get away and not have to think about everything we need to get done before the snow flie or i should say the ducks and geese start flying and hunting season opens up...

the garden continues to [produce some yummy veggies tomatoes are strting to ripen but not enough to think about canning/freezing any of them yet...just enough to be able to eat daily...

THE RENUION

ok now about the renuion.....there were about 40 or more who attended and again a fun time was had by all...one is of the whole passle of us who were there except doug and margareet who had left by the time a group picture waas ecided to be taken...

first thou we took a sibling picture of the five of us in order of age ahhahahahha...

lisa and mellissa came down from watertown and it was good to see them again this summer...mellissa is getting excited abut starting a new school ahhahaha ...she says not but i do think she really is but then that is grandma talking....they only made it a day trip as andy had to work...sorry andy

my cousin terry brought a huge bin of pictures that a lot of time was spent going thru and trying to decied who was who...some weere of our grandparents and of course our aunts and uncles as kids and growing up...also there were picture of us a kids so that was fun going thru them and of course a lot of laughs were had over them...again another fun time was had...

same time same place scheduled for next year...so the fun will begin again...

FAMILY CELEBRATION

LAST weekend we attended the saulsgiver renuion back in jamestown and of course i met cousins of lar's that i had never met before and a fun time was by us...

then this weekend we attended the tracy renuion but first we got together at sister chris house...sylvina and stu came in but first they picked up andy in syracuse where he was flying back from a peace corp assignment...it was good to see them all...sylvina has taken up the hobby of quilting from mom and she has been very busy doing her thing...she made lar and i a quilt a couple of years ago which we have on our bed and i think i put it on our blog...this time she had done quilts for doug and margaret in civil war material as you can see...then she also had one for chris and sam done in a family tree design as chris is in to searching out the family tree...she also had made a wall hanging for dan for him to hang up when he goes to wood working/carving shows etc...and a good time was had by all on friday night

GARDEN JUNGLE

first ill tell you about the pictures...the hanging tomato plant provided us with our first ripe tomatoes of the season and i must say they were mmmmm good...now we are anxiously waiting fo more to ripen...althou we have been eating plenty of zucchini--beets greens--lettuse--swiss chard--green peppers--

BUT

the squash have begun to take over the garden and spreading out to who knows where..up the fence..and beyond as there is still lots of time for them to grow and really spread...the other plants are what i thought was cucumbers (that i bought at our local BOCES sale)..we have been waiting for cucumbers and nothing but this morning i decided that the plants were not cucumbers but either watermelon or cantaloup now only time will tell what the plants produce...hope they will be good..who knows it might not be either right now it is only a good guess...

yesterday we attended to annual senior [icnic and after we wer invited to a friends pool for a refreshing dip...must say it sure felt good...and today is suppose to get hotter ugh....on the news this morning the weather man was showing clips of last winter snow and how people were complaining about wanting it to be 90..now the show is on the other foot complaining about wanting it cooler ..go figure...

JULY 4TH

what a good weather long weekend we had to enjoy on lake ontario...on sat night we had a big old t/storm blow thru and lar and lisa were up gathering stuff so it would't blow aaway...but that was the only inclement weather we had whiel we were there...it was a typical weekend on the lake...every cottage had people coming and going all weekend as much as lisa and andy did...we met several of their friends one of which wants us to adopt her ahhahha...

there was activity going on all weekend...we also picked up shasta so she could come out and enjoy some family fun on the lake...there was fishing and shasta caught to biggest not sure who caught the most but most of them we little...

returned home on monday and we left around 10am as we wanted to miss the later afternoon traffic and i think we did...81 was busy but i've got to believe that by afternoon it got much more so...

we are now eating lettuce--zucchini and onions from the garden..tomatoes have been set and we have several little on the plants aliong with green peppers..the topsy turvy planted on the back porch has had tomatoes on it for some time and i did noticed today that they are beginning to blush so in a week or 2 we ought to be able to pick some of them...now that is the best part of a garden being able to eat fresh veggies -- it sure can't get any fresher...

anyway beck to the home front and back to trying to get chores/jobs/projects caught up and done...

the pictures are of shasta and mellissa---a hike lar and i did in a state park it is a famous kennel that raised pointers..(ehlew)--apparently according to lar it is very famous and the pups were expensive--the othere is of a tree that had been cut off close to the ground and i thought it kinda looked like a 4 leaf clover..anyway i liked it...

TRAP

this spring we have had lots of squirrels making pest of themselves in and aournd our house so it has been time to drag out the hav-a-heart trap to see if we can reduce the population....so far we have caught 20 gray squirrels and 3 chipmucks...i'm not so sure i will mention what lar does with them but for some reason they keep on reproducing...

our pheasant also appears daily to fill up on seeds that drop out of the feeder and he is somedays like an alarm clock..wish he would get here later in the morning 5am is a tad tooooo early to be outside our bedroom window squaking...but he has been fun to watch and he now has a name..."philpot"

the garden is growing potatoes have popped up out of the ground...blossoms on the squash-cucumbers-tomatoes---so soon we will be eating out of it...sure like thiose very fresh veggies...this year at christmas lisa and andy gave us onoe of the topsy turvy hanger things so we have some cherry tomatoes planted in it and it is on the back porch...we have several green ones on it already ..waiting for them to turn red so we can eat them...all in all the garden looks good..lawn still needs to be mowed every 4-5 days..like roy says can't wait till the lawn turns brown ahhaha...

least week we saw our first fawns...we were at the dinijng room table and lar says look out there is a deer wtith a fawn on no there's another one so she has twins fun to watch romp around out by the grapes..then a flock of turkeys come thru nthe back yard so i guess there is wildlife on our hill...now if we lived in the city we would be seeing all these creatures so it is fun to watch and enjoy...

life is good!!!!!

GIFT

when we went down for jjohn's graduation he gave us this [picture of a dog and duck he had done in school...sure looks like mitch to us..and what a great job he did...we now have it framed and have already thought about where we are going to hang it...in our hallway overlooking our dining room...we didn't realise that he had aas much art talent that he seems to have...just a couple more weeks and he has to report to georgia to begin his basic training in the army..we are proud of him for doing this...something he has wanted to do for a long time...

the garden continues to grow but right now needs a wee bit of weeding in it but the ground is wet from all of last weekends rain...more expected later this afternoon and tomorrow..so today lar wants to try to till the garden and i need to mow the lawn...never ending chores...

pictures?????

ok here are the pictures from this morning blog...the eggs--the baby robins--and my mom peonies....

GRADUATION

we were off to PA this past weekend to attend grandson john's graduation fro HS...the ceremony was held outside and it was a very pleasant evening ..the weather was just right for an outside event...john will be going into the army june 28the and heading to fort benning in columbus , georgia...he is excited about going in says he has wanted to join th army since he was six..so we sure wish him all the good luck to be doing what he has wanted to for a long time...

now that he has graduated we have 2 more grandchildren to go across the stage to recived their diplomas...shasta should do so next year and mellisa is just going in 9th...so she has 4 more years to get her ast together and decided what she might want to do when she grows up...(as if we did when we graduated)...

we camped about 10 miles away from the town where they live and on sat we had a family graduation breakfast...john brought his girl friend haleigh--the first we have met her..we dined on pancakes (made by grandpa)--scrambed eggs-sausage-oj--.cherries and whipped cream-as lar said he made over 5,000 pancakes and they w were all gone so i guess they all had enough..ahahha...

now we are back home and had gotten the garden ALL in before we left so it is now time to mow the lawn again and several other chores around the homested...summer has arrived and not by the calendar but by the weather...so go enjoy...