Up to Happy Trails

 Row of trees

The tree with the swing under it is ours.

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It was 57 degrees this morning when I walked and was cloudy though the sun did come out later in the day.  I had a random walk around town. 

Saw one other person out walking his dog and we exchanged a good morning.

These are soy beans sitting on the fence post by one of the cemeteries.  I've been putting a few out here each morning and when I come back the next day they are gone.  I'm thinking that a bird  has been eating them.

A nice quiet walk - nothing out of the ordinary.
I walked 6.4 miles.

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This morning I took my car out for a spin and went to check out a store called Cato which I've never been to before.  It had some nice clothes but I didn't see anything for me today.  Very few clothes in my size.

After lunch we headed up to Happy Trails for a few hours.  The road is all cleared now up to the cabin site.

Ken used the chipper for a while and made a big pile of chips which I will be able to put down on the new trail that I'm working on.  The trail starts at the back of the cleared spot for the cabin and will eventually end up on the trail/road behind the wood shop.  I clear a route first, then line it with trees logs and stone and finally put down the wood chips.

Always nice spending time up at HT. 

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

You are who you are and what you are

because of what has gone into your mind.

You can change who you are and what you are

by changing what goes into your mind.

~ Zig Ziglar

My Father's World

I often think of this hymn while walking around the beautiful countryside where I live.

This is my Father's world,

and to my listening ears

all nature sings, and round me rings,

the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world:

I rest me in the thought

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,

the birds their carols raise,

the morning light, the lily white,

declare their maker's praise.

This is my Father's world:

He shines in all that's fair;

in the rustling grass I hear him pass:

He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.

O let me ne'er forget

that though the wrong seems oft so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father's world:

why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Words by Maltbie D. Babcock

Music arranged by Franklin L. Sheppard

 A happy and blessed Sunday to you my friends.
God loves you.
happyone : )

Kayaking with friends

Standing Alone

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This morning there were some low hanging clouds in some places and it was clear in other places.  The temperature was 45 degrees and my walk this morning was random. 

Today I learned from Rebecca, that her mother Lena, and Farmer Marvin are sister and brother which of course makes him her uncle.  I've known all three of them but never but them all together before. 

I saw a couple of rabbits and chipmunks run across the road.

I walked 6.4 miles.
Forgot to mention yesterday that I found two pennies - one heads up and one tails up.  This morning I found another penny - heads up.

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It was a sunny day and warmed up nicely to near 70 degrees.  A perfect day to go kayaking.  We went back to the Savage River Reservoir and this time met some friends there.

We got there first and I was paddling around when Dave and Becky arrived.

 Before they arrived I spotted a Kildeer at the shore line

and a duck.  Also saw a heron fly by but wasn't able to get a picture.

 We were all surprised to see how low the water was.

 I stayed back here to take a picture of the three of them.  I was the odd one out with my pink kayak with the three of them having yellow ones.

Here is Dave have a relaxing time with his feet up. : )

Such a nice time we had paddling around together for about 2 1/2 hours.  We worked up quite an appetite and after kayaking we went to Uno's for lunch.
It was a lovely day. : )

Hope your Saturday was a happy one too.
happyone : )

Spirituality doesn't look like sitting down and mediating.

Spirituality looks like folding the towels in a sweet way

and talking kindly to the people in the family 

even though you've had a long day.

~Silvia Boorstein

Three Thankful Things Today

1. Kayaking with friends
2. Being out on the water on such a beautiful day
3. Lunch out with friends

A few of you wondered what Ken is going to do with a 30 foot radio tower.  No, he isn't into ham radios.  He just couldn't pass it up for only $2 and said, "You never know when you just might need a 30 foot tower." : )

Day at the auction

Looking up at pine cones in my back yard

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55 degrees this morning and darker than usual because I left earlier than I normally do. 

Walked around the farm loop.  Two deer came running out from the corn stalks, saw me, turned around and ran right back in.  Saw a couple more farther down the road in another field.  They are in the picture on the left but hard to see.

Heard the rooster waking everyone up at a farm and the cows were out in the field again at the dairy farm.  No people about.

Walked past my house and around town.  It was cloudy once the sun rose but about 10 minutes before I got home the sun was shinning.

 I walked 6.4 miles.
Didn't find any coins today but I did find a large hook that came off a tie down strap.  I brought it home for Ken.

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We left this morning to go to an auction a little ways down past Cumberland and spent the whole day there.  We left from home at 4:00 and it was still going strong with lots more stuff to auction off.

Ken had found a few things he wanted to bid on but I didn't really see anything I wanted.  I stayed by Ken for a while and then just walked around.  Standing off in the shade a lady came over by me and ended up telling me about some things that are going on her life.  Things I'd never tell a complete stranger.  But people tell me things like that quite often.  I must look like a good listener.

Ken and I had hot dogs and chips for lunch which they were selling inside.

When Ken got something, I'd bring it back to the truck, until he got something that I couldn't carry.  I'll tell you about that in just a bit. : )

I went for a little walk up the street from the auction.

This house is for sale.  I love the brook that runs right through the back yard.  The house sits on 33 acres and cost $209.000.  Sounds like a good price to me but maybe not considering it is in the flood plain.

Anyway back to the auction.  There was a very tall radio tower in two pieces on the ground that Ken seemed interested in.  I said to him, "Please, do not bid on that."  I walked away and when I came back guess what?  Yup, he bought it.  You will never guess what he paid for it.  $2.  

Here he is getting it in the truck.  You can see why I couldn't carry that back to the truck.

Here is the rest of the goodies that we came home with.

• Coal bucket and planter was one lot
• Shoe shine box and tool box was one lot
• Vice
• 6 foot pry bar - which is very heavy
• Dutch Oven - that one is mine

So that was our day at the auction.  I never know what we will come home with.  : )

We took the radio tower right up to Happy Trails before coming home.  

Hope your Friday has been a good.

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

Patience is not simply the ability to wait,

it's how we behave while we're waiting.

~ Joyce Meyer

Three Thankful Things Today

1. A great weather auction day
2. Ken didn't bid on a huge round submarine buoy.  Here's a picture of the thing.  It weighed about 300 pounds and was about 4 feet in diameter.
   
3. We got that radio tower home safely

Our pumpkins out front

Passed by this shed on my walk and thought it looked nice nestled down there.

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50 degrees this morning and dark when I started walking.  Roads were wet but drying and when the sun rose it was sunny with some clouds scattered around. 

I had a random walk all over the place.  I have tried to make some different walking routes but don't seem to stick to them here.  I think I prefer to just walk where I feel like it.  Back where I used to live I mostly stuck to the routes I mapped out.  Maybe because there where lots of walking paths already around and I just followed them and then I had the lake to walk around.  Sometimes I miss walking around the lake and the many paths I had to walk but I like walking around here too.  I'm sure if I moved someplace else I would miss my walking places here too.

I saw someone getting a new front window put in their house.  When I passed by the workers had just removed the old window completely.  It was a big picture window.  I'll have to go back tomorrow and see what they replaced it with.

Walking around one of the cemeteries I saw a new grave. 

There is a big red building right at the edge of town that says Farmers Market and it has been for sale for a few years.  I noticed lots of activity going on up there.  Wonder what it will be.

I walked 6.2 miles.
Found a penny - this time heads up.  That's good luck, right Keith? : )

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We have an old Hoosier (old kitchen baking cupboard) that I've had for about 25 years and just have no room for it and it has been sitting up in the shed.  Some friends of ours have a booth in an antiques and collectibles shop and we gave it to them to sell for us and we will split the money.  I had planned on taking a picture of their booth with our Hoosier in it but forgot all about it. 

We went for a little ride afterwards and planned to check out a little antique shop we see signs for but have never stopped at.  It was closed though - only open Fri - Sun so we will have to go back another time.

I was in the house and went outside to see what Ken was up to.  He had taken the pumpkins from our garden and arranged them out in front of the house.  Didn't he do a great job? 

 We still have seven more pumpkins growing in the patch.

 A happy day to you my friends.
happyone : )

It does not require many words to speak the truth.

~ Chief Joseph

Three Thankful Things Today

1.  The Hoosier is out of the shed
2.  Ken got the pellet stove installed without a problem
3.  Pumpkin Surprise

Bread

Old and New

The new is just to the left of the old

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This morning it was 50 degrees and windy when I walked.  Nice and sunny once it came over the mountain.
I walked the Farm Loop.  Farmer Bill has finally gotten some chickens in the hen house that he made.  I had to zoom in to get a picture.  Looks like about 4 or 5 real ones. : )

A lot of the cows were out in the field at the dairy farm and most of them were still sleeping but got up when I said good morning to them. : )

I usually walk around town after the farm loop but today I walked up the two hills right behind my house. 

Didn't see anyone else out walking today.
I walked 6.2 miles.

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Today I baked cookies and packaged them up.  Then walked to the post office and mailed them off. 

I made a new bread recipe today that I got from my blogger friend Lindy.  (If you haven't visited her blog, stop by and see her outstanding pictures.) She also told me that she uses her bread machine to make the dough but then bakes the bread in the regular oven and that's what I did today.  The texture of the bread comes out so much nicer and it's nice to have a normal shaped loaf. : ) 

The recipe is for Applesauce Oatmeal Bread.

It makes a 1.5 pound loaf.  Ingredients are listed in the order they should go in the bread machine.

•  1/2 cup water, 80 degrees F
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (use room temperature, otherwise it will interfere with the water temp and, ultimately, the effectiveness of the yeast.)  I warmed it up in the microwave. 
• 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup oats, quick or old fashioned
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2-1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast 

Here are all the ingredients in the machine ready to go.  Instead of the bread machine baking the bread set it to the dough setting and press start.

An hour and a half later when the dough is done

 remove it onto a floured surface and shape it into a rectangle.  I just used my hands and pressed it into shape.

Then roll into a cylinder,

pull each end out a bit and tuck it under and place in a 9 x 4 loaf pan that has been greased and lightly floured.

 Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot (I set it in the oven) and let rise till double, about 45 minutes.  As you can see It rises out of the pan quite high.

Then it is ready to bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes and when done comes out looking like this.

Yummy and ready to eat. 

I'm always going to bake the bread in the oven from now on.  The texture comes out much lighter too.  A better loaf of bread all the way around.

Time to think about supper now and then off the Wednesday evening Church.

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

My mom says this all the time. Never realized she got it from 

Helen Hayes

If you rest, you rust.

Three Thankful Things Today

1. Cows 
2. Be able to walk to the post office
3. Fresh baked bread

A walk in the evening

 Picture of the Day

This crescent moon picture I took in the morning a couple of days ago.

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Didn't get to take my walk this morning.  We were up late last night watching a movie and didn't get to bed until late, which is why I woke up too late to walk.  We watched an old western from 1958 called The Big Country with Gregory Peck and it was a long movie, 2 hours and 47 minutes.  It was corny but good and we enjoyed it. : )

This morning we went to church to do a little touch up painting on the sign out front and I weeded the garden we made by the radio tower in the spring. 

On the way home we stopped and had an ice cream cone at McDonald's.  Like I said before you can't beat a 49 cent cone. : )

Since I didn't walk this morning, I went for a walk after supper around town.  Not a very long one, just 3 miles but still it was nice to get some walking in.  As you know I prefer walking in the morning but evening walks are the next best thing.  I like them better than middle of the day walks.

 I met a woman out walking her two dogs.  I see her husband walking them in the morning once in a while.  Her name is Peggy (this is the second Peggy I've met walking) and she was just bursting to tell me that her daughter just had a baby girl and she is a first time grandmother. : )

 Some pretty wild flowers along the side of the road.

This is an old pumpkin that has been sitting here since last year.

So that's it for today.  Hope your day was a happy one.  

happyone : )

The most wasted of all days 

is one without laughter.

~ e e cummings

Three Thankful Things Today

1.  Clean sheets dried on the line (I'm thankful for that a lot!) 
2.  A pretty Fall day - sunny and cool
3.  I got to take an evening walk

The New Pellet Stove

Picture of the Day

Took this rolled hay and golden rod picture a couple of days ago.

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This morning it was 50 degrees and when I stepped outside I realized it was drizzling so went back inside and got my rain slicker on.  I don't mind getting wet when it's warm out but this morning it was a cold drizzle.  It drizzled on and off all during my walk.

I walked the town route I mapped out the other day but tweaked it a bit.

Nothing much happening around town this morning and didn't see anyone else out.

I walked 6.2 miles.

Didn't find any coins today but yesterday I found a nickel.

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We have a Harmon pellet stone in our house and it did a great job of heating our house last winter.  The basement was cold though so we decided to get another one, though smaller, for the basement.  We ordered it a couple of weeks ago and today we went to pick it up with our truck.   It was loaded in the back of the truck and home we went.

Now we had to get it off the truck and down in the basement. 

Ken backed the truck in low spot just off the driveway which made it easier to take off the truck.

 Got it in the garage and at first thought we could take it through the kitchen and down the stairs to the basement,  but that wasn't going to work.

The wood was taken off the bottom and the stove was secured with straps on the hand truck and taken to the outside stairs to the basement.  You may notice that Ken is smiling in these pictures.  He was very patient with me as I took pictures. : )

This is the stairs that it had to go down.  I'm looking up from the bottom.  Ken let it down one step at a time while I held the safety strap and said a few prayers.

I am happy to say all went well and here it sits. It may not look very big but it sure is heavy!!  Now Ken just has to install it. 

With that out of the way we decided to go to Brenda's for pizza.  Now that tourist season is over Mondays at Brenda's is half price pizza.  : )

Hope your day has been one filled with sunshine and you smiled often.

happyone : )

I know that when I pray,

something wonderful happens.

Not just to the person or persons for whom I'm praying,

but also something wonderful happens to me.

I'm grateful that I'm heard.

~ Maya Angelou

Three Thankful Things Today

1. My yellow rain slicker
2. Getting the pellet stove down the basement
3. 1/2 price pizza