Come On In

Come on in, it's been a awhile.  We'll get all caught up on life at the Stone House.

 Last post I shared my blog book, today I'd like to share my instagram books.  I found out about these little gems on Dear Lizzy.  Sixty instagram photos per book, you may edit, choose your cover, and give books a title.  I used @tamraraery On Instrgram.  Not very creative but that is what it is.  The books are $6 each and I am now set up to automatically receive my next book when I hit 60 more instagrams.  I think I'm at 36+ now so it will be a bit.  But when I do, they will notify me to edit and then book will arrive by mail.  

Who doesn't love some happy mail?

 These little books will be nice for me to take to the old folks home.  A small basket of books by my rocker to flip though and get nostalgic with someday.

 Yes, it adds a date at the top of the page, yes, it prints in chronological order and yes, it prints your caption and hash tags.  The app for your phone is called chatbooks and it is a free app.  Shipping is also free.  That's a lot of free!

 I spent a day cleaning appliances for the '57 Aloha last week.  The bottom heat shield in the oven was written off as garbage but I scrubbed and scrubbed and it is once again shiny and silver.

 Hubby got the trailer base cleaned up, removed the rust and painted it.

 He also worked on the new floor.

At the end of the afternoon we were feeling pretty good about our accomplishments.  I went into the house to get some ice water for us when the phone rang.

We got a call from Max, he had an accident.  A large tire blew as he was adding air.  He was taken to Urgent Care and treated there.  The gashes on his chest were pretty nasty. The air ripped his shirt and skin off.   I'm not including photos cuz it'd give you a sick stomach.  He temporarily lost his hearing and he permanently lost some skin but he's okay.  It shook him up but the guys working with him were even more upset.  They could not find him because of the dust from the explosion.  The disc (I found it spelled disc and disk)  machine was new this year and the tire had less air than the others so they aren't sure why this happened.  We are so thankful Max is healing and is going to be fine, it could have been so much worse.

So, I laid awake Monday night wondering if they'd really checked him for internal bleeding, cuz I'm the Mom, that's why...  But it's all good now.

 We are loving the garden produce that comes with August.  And we had a few cooler days for walking.  I was trying to balance out the fair food last week.

 Hubby and I spend our evenings on the patio soaking up the last of summer nights.

 Karen and I spent a day in Anacortes shopping and lunching.  We had lunch at Girl'd Cheese, which I highly recommend.  Your grilled cheese sandwich comes with homemade tomato basil soup for dipping.  We shopped in the antique stores and at Pearl Buttons.  A fun girl's day out.

 Shelly and I worked at the Tough Enough to Wear Pink booth at the NNW Fair on rodeo night.  Of course, we had more fun than should be allowed.  We pretty much had a class reunion at the Fair, including Audrey Doesburg!

 Saturday evening we went to the fair and saw Collective Soul in concert.  Thanks Dor!  We went with Mark and Karen.  Braden dropped us off and picked us up at the gate so we didn't have to find parking.  All we had to do was bring him home a plate of poffertjes.  It was a fun night and a great show.

 I love a baked potato at the fair. And I got a new potato cookbook form Farm Friends.  That always makes my fair experience complete.

I think we are all caught up.  This week I need to dust, vacuum and start cutting back in the flower beds.   August is dry and dusty and my house looks it.   

The last two weeks of August are the fastest weeks of the year.  Enjoy!  

Fair Week and Other Bits

Last week the Fair was in town.  I went on Thursday afternoon with my sisters and Mom.  Then on Thursday evening Hubby and I went in the evening with friends.  From a calorie standpoint, that was plenty.

My Grandpa had Belgian draft horses and they bring back wonderful family Fair memories.

One of my favorite NW Washington Fair bits is to visit the agriculture display and score some cookbooks.

This year Cheryl was on duty and she let me in the back room to take whatever I could find.  Oh my!  Yes, that is a butter cookbook.  Dairy and potato cookbooks=YUM!

 Sam came home this weekend and helped me clean the garage on Saturday.  Actually half of the garage.  It's a BiG mess and it's going to take two sessions.  Cleaning the garage is motorcycle storage payment at our house.  {evil laugh, bah hahaha...} This task makes young men want to sell their motorcycles.  We found some tiny treasures, little plastic soldiers and holsteins, among other things.  

Oh my gravy!  Tons of junk.  I'm gong to the dump, to the recycling center, the thrift store this week.

Sunday morning Sam brought me a mug of soldiers and sang me a little ditty.

'Best part of waking up... is soldiers in your cup...'

I love That Sam I Am and his wit.

Enjoy your Monday!

Transition Week

It's the week before school starts. Summer jobs are finished. Back to school shopping and registration this week. I will need a trip to Costco for packing lunches and making dinners. The Fair is finished. We had a good time, enjoyed just going and not participating. My favorite part of the Fair is the horse show. I always say that once the Fair is over, Summer is over. It's all good though because I love September.

Today I am going to finish painting Danny's bedroom/the guest room. I took his room apart after he left this summer. I put everything into the attic and painted the room and some furniture. I am refeathering the nest a bit as guys leave. I'll share before and after pics when it's finished.

I'm freezing peaches today too. Max brought home peaches and I've been slicing and freezing them on cookie sheets and then bagging them for my morning smoothies. Delicious!

We are entertaining this week. Our friends from MO are coming for dinner. It will be great to see them. I better tidy up the house this morning and get my menu set and table planned.

So, a busy day today but another great day to be a wife and a mom. I'm blessed by the daily stuff, this is the kind of day I love. Have a good one!

Looking Back

This photo is from last year.

There is no this year.

Max isn't showing dairy or swine at the Northwest Washington Fair this year. I do not move the museum gift shop to the Fair anymore. Our Fair days are over. This year Hubby and I will go to the Fair for the first time in many years as regular Fair attenders, and not until Friday.

We weren't working and running last week getting ready.

No Fair decorations, no animals being washed and clipped.

No one is polishing boots or ironing white shirts.

No one is leaving the house at o'dark thirty to clean the stalls.

No one is doing laundry at midnight for the next morning's show.

There are no fatboyshowdaybreakfasts being made in the morning.

There is no barn duty.

No trophies or ribbons to win.

No one has a curly fry gut ache when they get in bed.

It is different.

This year is going to be a year of "lasts" with Max.

It's hard.

But it's okay.

Market Hog for Sale

BBQ the whole hog or you can have it cut and wrapped, when Meatwad reaches market weight. Only $325 for a lotta pork. Max will deliver and Mom will throw in recipes. Call today! please

This ad was NoT paid for by anyone. Trust me, it was free.

It's Not Pretty at the Fair

I have spent my week looking at the back end, the back sides of cows, pigs, kids. Seriously, I have very few fair pictures that aren't the back end of something or someone. Lots of what comes out of the back end too. Manure in almost every pic!







Lexi loved milking the cow in the Farm Friend's tent. I got in front of the cow for this pic.

Max won't help me get good pictures at the Fair but if someone else's Mom is taking their picture he has to butt in. So, even from the front he's a butt!

The fair just isn't always pretty.

Show Day Breakfast

During Fair week I make game day breakfast for Max and whoever needs it. This morning Max came home for a shower and breakfasts to go. Not sure who all gets one but I made four breakfast to go, Max and Zach for sure and then whoever is in the right place at the right time.


The fat boy breakfast is only made during Fair week, football and soccer season. And Praise the Lord, it looks like there will be a football season.

Today is Swine Fit and Show at the fair and I plan not to miss a minute of the action. Seriously, it is action packed. Kids, pigs and drama, all at the Northwest Washington Fair.

I am wondering, is it cannibalistic or just wrong if there were pork sausage patties on the breakfast sandwiches?

Fit and Show 2010

Yesterday was Dairy Fit and Show at the Fair. Max got a blue but not the blue he wanted. Apparently he held the extra lead rope incorrectly. Now we know.

Picture is of Max and the Lancaster girls before they went out into the ring. Sometimes the competition is from within your own FFA chapter. They all help each other and then compete against each other. So, it's all nice until show time and then they get competitive and start trash talkin'. Made me uncomfortable.


Dean, Steve and Hubby looking her over for any flaws. Dean tweaked the tail "do" and she was show ready.



Max and his heifer looked good but neither of them have ANY. PATIENCE. AT. ALL. with a mom and her camera.

Beach Bay

Last week I had a Bay day at Doreen's cabin with Melinda and her guys. Doreen raised the flag and served Triple Berry Dortini's, or something like that.

Marc, Jordan and Dylan collected rocks of a certain shape and color for me. I need them for Garden Party. Garden party is this weekend. Hubby and I have a plan, we have main course this year, we have a lot to do, we are a little nervous about our recipes. I'll keep you posted.

Good thing I had a Bay day last week as I'm a little busy this week. Garden Party, work, and next week the Northwest Washington Fair.

And we all know what that means, Max is kicking the dog, um I mean his mama.

Wish me luck!

It's a Win Win

When I go to the Fair I always visit the Farm Friends display. It is informative and usually they have beautiful photographs. I am on the look out for the freebie cookbooks too. If a friend is working the booth I ask for the cookbooks. Farmers promoting a product have good recipes. It's a well known fact that if the product looks good and tastes good we'll buy it. It's a win win.

This year I was given a copy of Fresh by Darigold. Loved the recipes and the photographs are beautiful. Darigold had some copies left and donated them to the museum gift shop for us to sell. I priced them at $4 for you, less than the retail of $4.95 + $2.95 s & h. It's a win win.

This weekend my favorite Farm Friend left me two* copies of the new issue of Fresh on my desk. So when I got to work I had a nice surprise. Again packed with recipes and beautiful photographs. This copy is $5 and available here. It's a win win.

I feel a bond with Darigold, I buy a lot of dairy products**. And my house came from Darigold. When Mr. B built the Stone House he built it from the stone and brick of the old Darigold building. As they tore down, he carried it home and built up. That was around 1925. Two weeks ago when I got to work and a copy of this black and white photo was on my desk I was thrilled. Mr. Zuidmeer dropped it off for me. He knew I'd like a copy. He knew the history and my history and put it together. It's a win win.

I am thankful for my town and all the connections. Living in a small farming community is a win win.

*Shelly, I have your copy ;).
**I kept buying milk at my usual pace after Sam left, yesterday I realized I had four gallons in the fridge. I guess we don't drink a gallon a day anymore. Butter consumption has not gone down...

Day Six at the Fair

Hubby worked, I tried to get some order in the house and napped. In the evening we had stall duty so Max and Jon could go to Motocross(sp.?)at the Fair.

So, we scooped and answered questions, because you know I am so cow knowledgeable. Yes, Jersey milk has more butter fat, but Holsteins make more milk. That is the full extent of my knowledge.

And the best question all week- "Do you move your LVRM sofa here for the fair?"-asked by a serious, middle age woman from Vancouver.

"Oh yea, and then we move it right back, manure, barn smells and all, right back into our home, yep, we're immune to the manure,ma'am. And that is one beautiful, versatile piece of furniture."

Seriously.

"No ma'am, the kids buy a $10 sofa from the thrift store and then we dispose of it properly after the Fair."

Next week I will restore order in my home and at my desk at work, oh and get control of my sixteen year old. The End.

Day Five at the Fair

Jersey Day. FFA Type and Open Class
My cousin's kiddos, Austin and Aric, a couple of winners.

Max and Jon took Miss Flop out to the ring, basically the judge thought she was a nice little heifer, but it was hard to tell as she wouldn't walk.

A Blue ribbon! A number one blue ribbon, yay!

More blue means more green, as in the big bucks!

It was a long day of hurry up and wait.

Tonight Hubby and I went to a very sweet wedding, in a pretty setting, with yummy eats and libations. It was so nice to see my friend Jeffey so happy with his bride.