Month: June 2024

I’m not good at uploading photos to this site. I manage every once in awhile, but it always takes more time than I want to give. I should do it often and make it second nature.

If I could upload a photo, or several, I would show you the little flower garden that lines the front side walk. I would snap a picture of the hummingbirds that visit my kitchen garden and the feeder I manage to fill once a week.

Orioles and finches are eating my grape jelly.

Yukichan and Corwyn are enjoying the grass, freshly mowed, and doing zoomies.

Downstairs progress is happening on the ongoing basement renewal. One of my friends from my Bible Study has a brother-in-law who does finishing work. I’m so thankful! He had time today from other jobs to start on my bathroom. Drywall, tile, and Cherie and I will probably paint.

The bathroom has not been used since the whole system underwent replacement last winter. Since we are expecting more international guests we are so glad to see a light at the end of the tunnel regarding our facilities!

The basement waterproofing project is scheduled for late July. With all the rain I was worried about more issues in the part not yet done. Thankfully the new sump pump handled it all wonderfully.

As the buckling walls get reinforced, the waterproofing completed, I’ll ask our friend who is here today to come back and finish the rest of the basement. Drywall, studs, tile….

It’s such a big project and I’ve been at it since December. Who knew?

It was sad to see my finished basement go back to bare bones. The cupboards and built-ins are “toast.”

Since I was working steadily for about 3 months at school I let some housework slide. Cherie and I have tackled different projects inside and outside the house gradually. So much work! Especially with all the rain we’ve been getting! You would not believe how many young trees need to be cut down. Weeds are epic, too.

Brian’s family all live in the Spencer, Iowa area. They had a terrible flood last weekend. My heart just breaks at all the loss, material, they’ve had! Both of my brothers-in-law had significant water in their basements. Thankfully my mother and father-in-law’s house was dry. Still, they were cut off from part of town. The Little Sioux River came up higher than ever before there, or at least in decades. Rain to the west just poured into that river basin.

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I just love sitting on the porch in summer. This summer the porch seems more inviting than usual. I’m thrilled with how cozy it is.

There have been workers installing some sort of cable out on the road. Thankfully they did not touch my Korean lilacs! I saw this big digging contraption bungle down into the ditch rather monstrously and thought my lilacs were going to be lost —but they managed to fine tune that machine and the direction it went. I’m amazed at modern day equipment and tech! Some lilies and echinacea did meet their demise. I hope they can recover next year.

Mosquitoes have been beyond anything I can remember. All this water!

I hear other’s gardens are doing well. Ours is not. Perhaps not enough sun. The oaks of Corgi Hollows are magnificent, but they make a good sunny garden spot challenging. Still, we’ve gotten some produce over the six years we’ve had this little kitchen garden.

Next year we plan to re-do the raised beds and “start” again.

I hope Ed will be able to help with that.

In the past week and a half I’ve been able to reconnect with several old friends. This was a treat for me. Some I hadn’t seen in years! Special friendships. It was good to see everyone.

This was an “upload” of activity at Corgi Hollows! So much going on. Cherie and I are happy to have quiet summer days, a bike ride, a horseback ride, a walk with the pups. Coffee or tea on the porch.

Cleaning, organizing, reading, learning. Sewing, mending, knitting, and crochet—

Some artsy activity too…

There is an upcoming art show at my church, Village, and I am excited to enter it! The theme is a verse based in Jeremiah about the tree planted by rivers. It’s going to be fun! I haven’t decided my medium yet, but I’m leaning toward acrylic on canvas. I rarely get those materials out, and this is the perfect excuse!

Ongoing music, too. So much. Rehearsal tonight…

Thankful heart.

Come Lord Jesus! MARANATHA!

These past few days have been full of meetings with friends. Now that school is out I have a schedule that has been open to seeing people again. It’s been a joy to reconnect with them.

God works in our friendships.

Several of my friends do not know Christ, so I am praying for them. Some of my family are needing Christ transformations too. I pray.

Praying for my friends and family is something I can do 24/7.

It isn’t “just praying,” either. Prayer is so powerful, and I am seeing the fruit of prayer!

My friends are surely benefiting from prayer!

I know that I am blessed by my praying friends. There is this sense of peace that fills your soul when you know that someone is praying, even right now. God is hearing. God is working. God has not left you alone!

It may seem like that at times.

The truth prevails. God is at work, and prayer is a helpful reminder of how HE WORKS.

Hearts are healing. God is in control.

What a privilege to be loved by Him. His love never changes! My perceptions may be all over the board—but God doesn’t change. He is at work.

MARANATHA!

—and passing time.

It’s summer and the porch is “open.” My little Scandinavian theme is going full force out in this comfortable place where birdsong is everywhere, coffee tastes wonderful, and quiet hearts are welcome. I’m out here typing and thinking.

I knew I was Swedish and Norwegian, but I didn’t realize how much. My brother did a test for that and I assume we have the same data background. It looked mostly from southern Norway and Sweden (adding up to over 80%) –with some Russian, Finnish, German, Northern UK, and Italian thrown in. Not exactly what we expected, but interesting anyway.

Fun to think about those ancestors.

Those Scandinavian roots run strong.

I am so grateful to God today. This time of year it is easy to be free of anxiety. The weather is gentle, the sun shines, breezes are calming yet evocative. I have good energy to complete tasks that have been waiting for the end of the school year.

Goals have been set and tried, thoughts are ordered, and past events are analyzed.

I’ve complained here on this blog about the stresses of fixing my house, repairing water issues, maintenance and upkeep.

This brings me to an acceptance that I must face the rest of my life alone.

When my husband died I didn’t think I’d survive a week without him. He was my rock, my fortress, my shield, my everything. He did it all. I was along for the ride.

Since he left for heaven I’ve had to make decisions, purchase stuff I knew nothing about, fix things, and generally survive living on an acreage in the country in a harsh climate. Minnesota is know for its weather extremes.

I’ve done poorly, but I’ve survived.

Four years of survival. I guess I can say with conviction that God is my husband, and He has watched over for me. For those who have taken advantage of me there is accountability, and it won’t be pretty.

God does work in mysterious ways.

I was chatting with a new friend from my international fellowship and I expressed my desire to “hide” and “fortress” (verb, here).

I have been “fortressing” for four years, all the while knowing that God is my Fortress, my Defender, my Guard and Protector.

There is something in a woman that (I believe) deep down desires protection. When pursuing an attraction in a husband there is a question of his ability to guard what belongs to him.

I am all for a husband guarding his wife. He should.

I am so glad God guards me.

Today I made fresh strawberry pie and it was so delicious. I used some German “tortenguss” for the glaze and it turned out so perfect with sparkling strawberry juice from Trader Joe’s. I admit I had two pieces with a bit of whipped cream from Costco.

Strawberry pie doesn’t have so many calories, right?

I used “Millie’s Pie Crust” in an iron skillet. You can probably search for that recipe over at the old blog, corgihollows.blogspot.com. It is no-fail pie crust.

The pool is closed this week at the YMCA, so I need to get to CrossFit tonight. The dogs have appreciated our daily walks.

The hay was mowed and baled this week, so we can get back to running the hayfield. Delicious smells everywhere.

Cherie, Jeremiah and I got the kitchen garden planted: herbs, carrots (not coming up) radishes, cucumbers, tomato plants, nasturtiums, peas (also not coming up). I planted Buttercup squash, pumpkins and zucchini this morning. I know it is mid-June, but I can still hope for some bright yellow flowers at least. I plant squashes for the flowers as much as for the fruit.

The raspberry patch is thriving.

I have pansies in the window boxes and planters. They are so easy to grow. My dear friend Anne gifted me a miniature rose and I planted that in the front door planter, too. It likes it there. I don’t have very good skills with roses, but I love them.

Peonies are glorious this year.

We’ve had light rain at just the right times so far. Perfect. So perfect.

My heart is so full it just aches.

I’m like that.

Thanks for reading my passing thoughts. We await the Savior of the World.

MARANATHA