La De Dah.... Pink Ice Cream

OK, I've had enough summer.  I smelled the roses, planted a bazillion new plants, had the lawn aerated, suffered several bee stings and had sugar ants on the porch. That is it!!!!!  I'm ready for wool,  goose down, velvet and tweed.

Summer went by fast. I already smell autumn in the early morning air. I haven't even had a chance to wear my "Pretty Woman Dress." Remember the movie, "Pretty Woman," when Julia Roberts went to the polo match wearing that brown polka-dot dress.  I found the identical dress on a rack and it fits me perfectly.  Only in Montana, we aren't fancy enough for polo and the dress just ain't the rodeo type.

I don't know what's happening up on the mountain. Cody and I were entering the trail head and a big warning sign was stuck in our path.  It said there is mountain lion activity and to enter at our own risk. It also gave the rules (ha) to follow if one appears.  No thanks. Cody would think it's just a friendly pussy cat and want to play.  We have always been aware of bears and mountain lions in the area but this is the first official warning I've seen. Back to walking the fair grounds.

Adios beautiful bloggie friends. Wishing you all the week of your dreams.

The Big Race

Weiner, Weiner, he's our man
If he can't do it
No one can
Hahahahahahahahahahah He's a joke ....... but the scary thing is, he could just get elected as Mayor of New York.

More pictures of Anthony Weiner were gracing the internet even after he had left the political scene. Now his internet handle is Carlos Danger and making hot news with Cindy Leathers, a 23 year old, heavily tatoo'd (ahem) female.  When her mother was interviewed, she said, "God help New York if he gets to be mayor and you can print that."
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This is the first time I've ever reported SMUT.  Hmmm... kinda fun.

Fashion Me

3 of my 5 sewing machines. 4 of them have to hit the road, Jack and don't come back.... no more, no more

When I was young every house had a sewing machine. I wonder if ANY house has a sewing machine today. I'm still tossing stuff and surprise, I found 5 sewing machines and 2 sergers.   I'll keep one sewing machine, although I'll most likely never use it again since I need a magnifying glass to thread a needle.

Sewing machines may go out of vogue but women still love to dress in style.  Me thinks women will always like to dress in a classy mode. Soooo I got to thinking, "Who designs, sews and works in the fashion industry?" Answer..... people who know how to sew. If I had a child who had an interest in clothes design, I would encourage them to learn to sew and suggest fashion school. I bet there are more jobs waiting in the fashion industry than there are for a graduate in "woman's studies." Ha   It's a tough economy today.... steer kids where the jobs are.

It seems like I always knew how to sew but then I taught myself tailoring.  I would try on the most expensive, exclusive clothes in the swank shops in Minneapolis and produce a pad from my purse so I could sketch/copy the clothes in detail.  This included type of stitches, gussets, kind of shoulder pads and any little detail. I'd go home and sew it. I sewed all my dance costumes, all my girls clothes and sport jackets for the boys.  I had no desire to pursue it as a profession BUT if it had been in todays economy, I probably would have.

My son's friend,  Andy,  started sewing ski clothes for his friends because the commercial clothes were a bad fit.  He expanded to all sport clothes and has a successful business called  Outa Wear .
 My favorite sport jacket is his design and I use his kayaking vest  that is sooo snug that not a bit of breeze gets in when I'm on the water.

So.... I have to thread and try each machine to decide which one I'll keep and the others can take a trip to the thrift store. I was thinking of a "donation to charity yard sale" but even that sounds like too much work right now.  Adios sewing machines.

Any of my bloggie friends own a sewing machine these days?

Life is Just a Bowl of Juneberries

       The neglected overgrown Serviceberry (or Juneberry) shrub desperately needed attention.  I spent 5 hours picking the fruit, cutting out dead wood and giving form to the bush. That is the 4th shrub I've revamped this week.  I'll make a little wine with this already-sweet fruit and it won't need much sugar.  I don't invest in fancy wine making equipment, I just use fruit, yeast, sugar and water.  No one has complained yet. 

      This lot is a huge gardeners delight. So far I have a little orchard started with 7 fruit trees, the bird sanctuary, doggie yard that also houses the firewood, gooseberry bushes and a flower garden.  Then there is the rock garden with mostly shade plants and a big old tree, 3 more flower gardens and the small greenhouse. I have to scrape and paint a small picket fence and arbor and 4 wooden benches.  My project is beginning to show some shape and I'm as happy as a pig in mud.  Oh, I started a little Aspen grove in case this project gives me a headache.  Ha  Native Americans would rest in an Aspen grove and let the rustle of the leaves cure their headache. That is where the word aspirin comes from.  Oh, the very, very best thing....... the dirt is deep black and alive with earth worms.  If I happen to spade up a worm, I gently put it back into the soil. (More worms, Pat....nyuk nyuk)
Anyone like gardening as much as I do????????                                                                              

I admired each red juicy berry as I dropped it in the basket

Cody watches the berries and keeps the magpies away

Sing Baby Sing

There is an old, old song called "Sing Baby Sing." As a family, we do just that. Good or bad voice, on or off key..... we still sing. This morning I was belting out my wake-up tunes and saw the new back alley neighbor outside. I hope I don't soon see a "house for sale" sign in his yard.

We send songs to each other. This is granddaughter singing for her Aunt Amy.
I'm trying to hide it as I'm sure she doesn't want it posted.  She says I always post everything. She may be right. She may even disown me as a grandmother. 
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After The Holiday

My son's new house, yard. 

Cody goes crazy with fireworks. I used to raise German Shorthair dogs and you can shoot a gun right over their heads. Not Cody, I drop a pan on the floor and she dives under the bed. In Montana, Helena and Billings outlawed fireworks this year. I didn't hear one "loudenboomer" in Helena but I spent a couple of days at my sons in Bozeman and I thought I had dropped into a war zone.

His new house is finished and the yard is seeded in Idaho Fescus. a drought-resistant grass that needs no mowing.

My brother and I took the 2 mile dog walk on Saturday AM. Then I walked with son's neighbor to the Farmer's Market and all around the grounds. That place is HUGE.  When I returned, my son suggested a walk so we walked (I don't know how many miles) in the woods along the river.  I guess we are just walk'n fools. Ha  But my hips feel it today.

I returned to Helena for the Sunday TV  marathon of Jesse Stone with Tom Selleck. I just have to watch every scrap of film whenever Tom Selleck is on.  He really does love baseball and used to pop in at the ballpark whenever he was in town. My husband would come home and say, "I had lunch at the ballpark with your boy friend today." (And I was home doing laundry)

Back home to routine today. I have an acupuncturists appointment this AM and I'm teaching Flamenco this afternoon after the moving break.  Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend, the 4th and Canada Day.  Sending love to all my bloggie friends, where ever you may be.

A Co-ink-e-dink

An after-class picture

Geno is my handyman. He is moving to Boulder Montana, a small town about 27 miles away.  I've been fussing over that news because he did most of my heavy yard work.

Rachael has been my advanced Flamenco student (and friend) for over 10 years. She lives in Boulder Montana. She and I ran into Geno at a music festival last summer and we all sat together.

This morning I got an email from Rachael saying that Gino is her new next-door neighbor.  A co-ink-e dink or what?

Geno is taking a good share of the surplus furniture from the ranch, since he's moving from an apartment to a house.

Isn't it neat the way friends meet friends and then re-meet as friends?