short sleeves and shoeless

The last time Kya was outside – shoeless with short sleeves – she was less than six months old.

That was over SIX months ago! This is the last photo I have with kya outside in "summer clothes" ... it was taken in July.

Yesterday she was beyond thrilled to be outside in less than her bear suit. Way less. Short sleeves and shoeless!



Kya was happy. We were all happy. We took a little stroll across the railroad tracks to check out the ducks and geese. It is amazing what a shot of warm sunshine will do.

Another word of Kya:
- grass ("gass")

But how things change.  Today we're being warned about another winter snow storm forecasted for this weekend. Summer will be here again some day. And when it is we will be celebrating.

...

We have been hard at work coordinating our landscaping plans and getting bids.
So far, we have decided on a sprinkler guy and a landscaper to do the edging and grass seeding. The dirt work guy will be out today or Monday.

If all goes as planned we'll have a lawn started by June.

kya: spring and cleaning

Spring arrived on Monday and as a result, Kya and I spent a good part of the afternoon outside, enjoying the sunshine.


After dinner, Corey and Kya went for a bicycle ride.


Then we spent more time outside.


The windows were opened. The deck was swept. Spring is here!


We discovered that Kya really enjoys sitting on the front porch steps. This will definitely be done again (and again and again) in the coming months.

Today, Kya and I were busy in our Bison Booties factory. After lunch I cleaned up our mess and wiped the floor around Kya's chair. She watched me and then was off, busy exploring the house.


She returned with a kitchen washcloth.


That washcloth became her best buddy for the next hour.


Kya made it her mission to wipe down the floor, the table benches ...


... the windows ... on and on she went.


She was so proud of her work. My tidy little lady. She definitely inherited the cleaning gene from her father. Tomorrow I will teach her how to use the vacuum.

The 28th of May and some random ancestry rambling

Today is the 28th of May. June begins on Monday.

Right about this time of year I forget what -40°F temperatures feel like. I think it might be a midwestern thing (or I suppose anywhere that has a distinctive and severe winter season) ... in the summer, we live in the moment.

I think it's what gets us through the long winter. Kind of like a working long stressful hours Monday through Friday for the grand prize of having two days of weekend.

Anyway, this year I'm attempting to not live so in the moment and save my skin from the dangerous rays of the sun. I'm naturally quite pale pasty. I burn very easily. I know that tanning (or in my case, burning) is not good for my skin. So this year I'm going for the light look.

I blame my paleness pastyness on my German and Dutch ancestors. Thanks folks.

So that photo up top there ... you know, the one of my pale pasty ankles? I had to "antique" it so that it didn't blind you all. You're very welcome.

In other news ...

This is a peony. In my yard. I have a few peony plants but this one is particularly special - it's a growth (split by dividing the roots) from my great grandma's peony plant ... I think. Grandma Katy, if you are reading this let me know if I have that right.

Edited 5/29/09 to add: This peony was originally growing at my Grandma Katy's house when she moved in, in 1962, in Redfield, SD. Divided prices are/were also growing at my Great Grandma's former house in Whitefish, MT, at my Great Great Grandma Hattie's house in South Dakota, and at my Grandma Katy's former house in Mandan, ND, and her current house in Kalispell, MT. So this plant has had quite a long life so far. I hope I can continue the tradition for many years to come.

I'm just fascinated with the process of taking a cutting and making another plant from it. Right now I'm working on basil and honeysuckle.

I decided that with my newly acquired aprons, I now have enough for a little display. I strung up a piece of yarn on one of my sewing room walls. Then I attached my apron collection with clothes pins (yes, this is a high class display). All in all, I have seven vintage aprons. All seven are on the line but not all of them made it in the photos. Oops.

The apron on the far left (blue gingham) and the yellow/blue crocheted apron belonged to my Great Grandma Dolly. She was Dutch to the core - born a Van Beek, she later married a Dutch fellow (my great grandpa), named Hannes Garrett Vander Vorst. They both grew up in the Dutch town of Westfield, ND. I figured it was only right to place my new pink Dutch girl apron between Grandma Dolly's two. Also between Grandma Dolly's aprons is one of seven of the days of the week dish towels I embroidered with her old patterns.

This is a pretty special wall.

So now that I've talked all about them, here is a photo of my Great Grandma Dolly, my Great Grandpa 'Van' and my Grandpa 'Dar' ... aren't they a cute bunch? This is one of my favorite photos.

Sun and thunder

Here it is - my finished Barcelona skirt! (never-mind my hand in this photo ... the camera was on self timer mode and I was not ready)

I think it's a good springtime skirt.

Speaking of springtime, our yard is in full spring mode. This is our plum tree that has never produced a plum.

Mister plum tree again.

bleeding heart bush

tulips

...

We have our first severe thunderstorm warning tonight. Yep, it's officially spring.

Happy anniversary to my grandparents - Darwin and Irene - 53 years!