Random 5 Friday

1. Three years ago today I published my first post.  It amounted to a couple of sentences and no pictures.  I didn't even know how to upload photos.

2. The name of the blog was barbdelldesigns and my cousin Dell was supposed to be my co-author.  After a year or so when she hadn't written a single post, I decided to go solo and changed the name to Grandma Barbs This and That.

3. This is the first photo I posted and nothing has changed.  It looks exactly the same out the window today.

4. I really need to update the looks of this blog and hope to get at that soon.  But I'm not sure what I want it to look like.  Just a new fresh look.

5. It has been such a great experience and I have made so many wonderful friends in blog land.   Thanks to all of you who have followed me since the beginning and all your kind comments and support.  Thanks to all my new followers too.   Please leave a comment so I can follow you back.

Thanks again!  Love you guys!  :-)

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

Barb

Linking to Nancy's Random 5 Friday at A Rural Journey.

Embracing snow and cold

We are a hardy bunch here in Minnesota and a lot of us them are embracing the snow and cold.  However I am not one of them.

Here are 5 ways to enjoy the winter here in Minnesota.

1.  Ice Fishing

2. Snowmobiling

3.Visiting the Ice Caves on Lake Superior.  This photo was shared by my daughter.  She and my son-in-law visited the caves on a very cold day.  You can see more photos of the caves here. I hope you will take the time to check out them out.  They are really something to see and it only happens once about every 5 years or so.  Thousands of people have been visiting them every day.

4. Walking in the snow

5.  Or like me, sitting by the fire looking out at the activity

I know many of you are sick of the snow but there are some that are still enjoying it.  Not me.

Sharing with Nancy over at a Rural Journal for Random 5 Friday.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

See you next time

Barb

Hello everyone.  I hope you all had a good weekend and a Happy Valentines Day.  Someone in my household had a birthday last week and she celebrated everyday by going out to eat with friends and family.  One Friday she went to her daughter's for her granddaughter's Show Choir.  For those of you who don't know what Show Choir is I did a video to give you an idea.  Schools come from all over to compete and it's a big deal.  My granddaughter's choir didn't compete, just did an exhibition because her school was hosting the event.

Here's my granddaughter singing her heart out.  I couldn't catch her with her eyes open

Here's a video of one of their performances.

During the performance of the group before my granddaughter's, the fire alarm went off and we had to clear the auditorium and the school.  Everyone was very calm and orderly.  After a few minutes it was announced that it was a false alarm and we all returned to the auditorium

The auditorium was packed with hundreds of people.  You can see those on the main floor and there were that many or more in the bleachers.  At the end of my granddaughter's performance they tossed dozens of balls in the air and asked everyone to keep them in the air.  

Then they announced the top 6 picks.  After a short break those 6 teams did their routine again and then the winners were announced.  There were 4 teams from Iowa, 3 from South Dakota, 1 from Illinois and several from Minnesota.  The team from Illinois won.  In 2 weeks the teams from my granddaughter's school will be competing in Chicago.

Now you all  have an idea of what Show Choir is

Thanks for stopping by!  See you next time

Barb

Well I guess the video didn't work.  Darn.  I keep getting an error when trying to upload it.

Barn quilts

I haven't posted a photo of a barn in ages.  I haven't even been out taking pictures of any in this cold snowy weather.  But when I was at my daughter's for Thanksgiving I found these 3 with barn quilts.

I'll be sharing these with Rurality Blog Hop

Sorry I haven't been around to visit all of you lately.  I'm trying to stay off this computer so I can keep focused on going through my mom's things and cleaning out.  While looking for a bill for her taxes, I started going through my filing cabinet.  I'm happy to say that I found the bill and have cleaned out several file folders.

Thanks for stopping by and all your kind comments on the Frozen Falls.

Until Next Time

Barb

Frozen Falls

Friday was one of the nicest days we have had in a long time.  It was sunny in the morning when I took my friend to Sioux Falls for a doctor's appointment. It did turn cloudy in the afternoon but was able to reach 37 degrees.

After the doctor's appointment we drove down to Falls Park where the Big Sioux River spills over the falls.  Of course they were frozen.

This building was a Light and Power Company Building built in 1908 and is now turned into the Falls Overlook Cafe.

There was a little open water at the bottom of the falls near the building

A closer look at the falls

You can read more about the falls and see photos of them during the summer here

 http://visitsiouxfalls.com/visitors/things-to-do/falls-park/ 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Thanks for stopping.  Have a great week

Until Next Time

Barb

Sunset on the prairie

This is what the sunset can look like on the cold, snowy prairie. I captured this on my way home from my daughter's a couple of weeks ago.  I just had to pull over and snap the photo.

Sharing with these link parties this weekend.

Orange you Glad it's Friday
Skywatch Friday
Weekly Top Shot #119
Sunlit Sunday

Wishing you all a great weekend.  Stay warm or cool wherever you live.

Until next time

Barb

Word of the Day - Doldrums

Rose  over at Rambling Wild Rose did a post about doldrums.  Number 3 of the definition describes how I'm feeling.  It's been a long cold winter and I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling like that.  Yesterday I had an appointment with the eye doctor right after lunch.  I had planned to stay in town and do some shopping and then go to the Y to swim.  After my appointment it was snowing and blowing so bad that I came right home.  I wasn't feeling productive so I sat and read a book the rest of the day.  I haven't been down in the basement the last 3 or 4 days.  So much for my 1/2 an hour a day.  I have completed one project that I will show you though.

The top part of this cupboard I got from a neighbor who was moving about 2 1/2 years ago.  It was filthy dirty and this photo does not even show how dirty it was.  It has sat empty all that time. The bottom cupboard has been in the basement for years and was full of laundry products and other junk stuff.  I forgot to take a picture before I cleared off the shelves.

I liked the color of the top part and I had some paint that was similar in color.  So I painted the whole thing with that after cleaning off all the dirt.  Then I collected all the bottles and vases that were scatter around the basement and put them in here.

It looks so clean and fresh and all organized.  Now on to another project.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you are having a productive day.

Barb

Woodpecker

This little guy/gal has been coming to my feeder this winter.  But he usually doesn't stay long and is on the other side of the feeder so I couldn't get a photo of him.  The other day he stayed longer so I was able to get 3 photos.  I googled woodpeckers and I think he is a red belled woodpecker.  Maybe a female.  If any of you know for sure what kind he is let me know.

I am joining Eileen over at Viewing Nature with Eileen for Saturdays Critters.  Fly on over and see what critters others are sharing or share your own.

Thanks for stopping.  I hope you are having a great weekend.

Until next time

Barb