Merry Christmas from Florida

Well I'm not in Kansas Florida any more but I was last week.  Just a few photos to show now.  I have many, many that I will share later.

Christmas Tree on the beach on Captiva Island

Sunset on the Venice, FL beach

Lighthouse on the beach on Gasparilla Island

Lighted trees at Historic Spanish Point

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year now as I probably won't get another post written until after the first of the year.  But I promise I will post lots more from Florida.  I could live here a few months during the winter!

Thanks for stopping by and I will get around to visiting you soon.  Until next time

Barb

Sharing with Our World Christmas-edition

Continuing with Barn Quilts

This barn was interesting as it had 2 quilts.  One on the haymow door and a smaller one on a side addition.  Notice the old tractor out front.

A closer look

No quilts on this old barn.  It just happened to be on the same road as all the others.

Sharing with The Barn Collective

&

Rubbish with Roan

Thanks for stopping by

Have a great week and stay warm

See you next time

Barb

More Barn Quilts

Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter.  It's snowing here in Minnesota and I'm not ready for that yet.  I am still showing pictures of barn quilts from last summer.

How often do you see a bird house and a picket fence next to a barn!

This close-up shows the names of the family members

Sharing these with Amy at The Barn Collective

&

Tex at Good Fences

Thanks for all you comments on my last post!  I am still having trouble finding time to visit all of you.  Sometimes I visit but don't leave a comment.  Just know I am thinking of all of you.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week and I'll see you next time.

Barb

More Barn Quilts

Here is another barn with a painted quilt seen in south central Minnesota last summer on the way home from Wabasha

I'm sharing these with Amy over at The Barn Collective.

Have a great week everyone!

See you next time.

Barb

Colorful Fence

Here is a colorful fence made out of skis that I saw while on my trip to Wabasha along the Mississippi River last summer.

Linking with TexWisGal at Good Fences

Have a Happy Halloween and a good weekend,

See you next time

Barb

Barn Quilt

Cousin Ardell and I took a short vacation at Wabasha, MN the end of July.  This is a barn with a quilt that we saw on the way home.  We saw a lot of other barns with quilts too.  I'll be sharing them on Mondays with Amy at http://rosestreetreflections.blogspot.ca/.

Thanks for all you kind comments on my last post.

Have a great week and I'll see you next time.

Barb

Letting you know

that I am still alive on this planet. I never meant to be gone for over 3 months.  It was supposed to be 2 or 3 weeks so I could get my house cleaned and gardening done.  That didn't happen.  I guess I just lost all my enthusiasm for blogging.  I did write a post almost every day in my head but it didn't get into the computer.  I mostly read and went swimming, plus a few trips to Mayo Clinic in Rochester for doctor appointments.  Finally found a doctor willing to do the surgery to remove 3 cancerous nodules in my neck.  Had the surgery September 30th and all went well.  What a relief to get that over with.

We have been having some beautiful fall weather with warm temps and gorgeous trees.  Here are a couple of pictures of my back yard. Most of the leaves here are already on the ground

 And some of the trees around town.

I hope you all had a great summer and are having a wonderful fall.  I promise not to be away for so long again and will get around to visiting you all soon,

Until next time

Barb

A Little of This and That

I have a variety of photos for you today so I thought I would participate in several memes .

1. First off is a fence near the stables at the place we stayed at in the Black Hills

2. Next are some of the critters horses that people staying there could ride.

3.  Here are a couple of photos from my daughter's wedding last Saturday evening at a golf course.

My daughter and her new husband right after the ceremony.

My son-in-law with his new family...my daughter and her two kids.  The kids stood up with them. Notice the shoes flip flops the guys are wearing.  He said he would only wear a suit if he could wear his flip flops. :0)

4.  While I was in the Black Hills most of my peonies bloomed.  This one was a little later so I got a good picture of it.

5.  Last but not least, I won TexWisGirl's colored pencil drawing for June.  It arrived in the mail today!
Doesn't she do the most magnificent  work with colored pencils. The wood duck has landed in my kitchen, but I think he will find his way to my computer room above the desk.

She also sent me this cute little card with one of her drawings of a humming bird.

Joining

Good Fences at Theresa's The Run *A* Round Ranch

 Willy Nilly Friday 5 at Tanya's Around Roanoke VA.

Saturdays Critters at Viewing Nature with Eileen

Sorry  I haven't been posting or visiting much.  Time just sees to get away from me.  I will be posting more photos of the Black Hills and my daughter's wedding soon.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

See you next time

Barb

ps  I'm having a little trouble with those 2 horses.  They don't want to be centered in the middle of the page

Great Faces, Great Places, South Dakota

That is the slogan for the South Dakota tourism.  Here are the great faces.  Well I can't say the one in front is so great. :-)

This is what you see when you walk in from the parking lot.  It is known as the Avenue of Flags   representing the 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

A closer look a the faces.

This shot was taken at night during the lighting ceremony.  It was very impressive.  They showed a short video of how the faces were carved into the mountain. Afterwards they called all the service men and women in the audience to come down and give their name and which branch of the service they served in.  There were about 40 people who came down.

You can read about the history of Mt. Rushmore here .

I will be showing more pictures from the Black Hills and the Bad Lands as I get them edited.

Thanks for all your kind comments on my last post.  Have a great week and I'll see you next time.

Barb

Stay Sky Aware

That's been the words to live by this week as we have had a very rainy, stormy week in Minnesota.  Not so much where I live (other than the 5 inches last Sat) but many places have received 10 or 12 inches of rain or more. And there is flooding in many parts of the state.

One evening as the clouds were pulling away and the sun was setting it created a very orange sky and colorful clouds.

Photos are all SOOC

Sharing at Orange You Glad it's Friday

Sky Watch
&
Weekly Top Shot

Last week I spent several days in the Black Hills of SD.  I have close to 200 photos that I will share here and there as I get them edited.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend.

See you next time.

Barb

By the way, the consensus of the old car in the last post is a Chevy Corvair.  I think you are right.

1968 Plymouth ?

On the way to my hair appointment I spotted this rusty old car among the wild phlox.  I thought they made a pretty background for the old car.  I'm thinking it is a 1968 Plymouth.  Does anyone know for sure?

I am joining Roan for Rubbish Tuesday for the first time.

Thanks for all your kind comments on my last post.

Have a good week and I'll see you next time

Barb

Good Fences

I am joining TexWisGirl at The Run *A* Round Ranch for Good Fences.

I haven't posted anything for 3 weeks and I haven't been around commenting.  Life has just been busy.
I was back at Mayo Clinic.  Nothing has been done yet about the thyroid cancer.  We are going to watch it for 3 months and see if it grows.  Then make a decision as to how to proceed with treatment.  I am feeling fine.

Not sure how much I'll be posting this summer.  Lots going on with a trip to the Black Hills, my daughter's wedding, gardening, replenishing my booth, etc. etc.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you next time

Barb

Bath Time

This little robin decided it was time for a bath in the freshly filled bird bath.

Splashing is so much fun

Oh no, a visitor

Drying off

Linking to Eileen's Saturday Critters

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers

Happy Weekend to everyone else.

See you next time

Barb

Happy Spring

The grass is green, the Gold Finch are getting their summer colors, and the skies are dramatic.

.

 

There are no flowers blooming yet.  The trees are just starting to get buds, but spring is here.  Now if the weather would just warm up.  Life has been busy.  I had my appointment at Mayo Clinic and saw a wonderful doctor.  He spent over 2 hours with me and my girls.  My thyroid cancer is back and I will be going back to Mayo for more tests and treatment.  I had a free afternoon while there so my girls and I went to Lanesboro, a quaint little town in the river valley. We had a fun time!  But that's for another day.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Viewing Nature with Eileen for Saturdays Critters

Thanks for stopping by.  I have been visiting you, just not commenting

Have a wonderful weekend,

See you next time

Barb

Easter Blessings

THE EASTER FEELING...

The Easter feeling does not end.
It signals a new beginning,
Of nature, spring, and brand new life,
And friendship, peace, and giving.
The spirit of Easter is all about
Hope, love, and joyful living.

Author Unknown

Easter Blessings
&
Happy Spring

Barb

Good Fences

When I was taking pictures of that Pepto Bismol barn  I also got a couple of photos of their fence.

Behind the fence were these beauties.  They must love horses too.

Sharing with Theresa at A Run *A*Round Ranch Report for Good Fences.  Hop on over there to see fences of all kinds.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day

See you next time

Barb

Really? A Pink Barn

Yes, really. A bright pink barn! On my way home from my daughter's last Sunday I decided to take a different route than I usually do.  What to my surprise when I saw this pink barn.

Not only was the barn pink but most of the other buildings too.  Even the dog house.

All of the buildings were either painted this bright pink or had some part of them painted pink.  The house was gray but had pink shutters.

Amy at Rose Street Reflections  posted a barn with a pink tint today.  Barns are usually red or white, but sometimes yellow or green. But I've never seen a pink one before

Sharing with Madge at Rurality Blog Hop #59

Minnesota is a winter wonderland again today.  Enough already!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day.

See you next time!

Barb