June 17, 2012

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and dad figures out there. Just as someone can have a mother's heart without having children, so you can have a father heart without children.

It's a rainy afternoon here in the Three Hills/Linden/Swalwell area. How totally blessed we were though that the rain stayed away and the sun shone warmly this morning, and through the graveside service for Aunt Anna Baerg. It was only after while we sat downstairs at the church having lunch with the family that the skies opened up and it rained.

i didn't post last weekend, but i had brought Mom down then, too and we visited family and loved ones in this area, including Aunt Anna, who knew us, but did not respond well. Actually Mom and i came down Thursday, bringing Karen along to see her family as well. We stopped at Barrhead to drop her off at her sister Kim's and then carried on, stopping at Innisfail to see Mom's aunt Helen who turned 100 years young in February before going to Three Hills for the night. Friday we went to Red Deer to see her cousin Luise who lost her husband in May, stopped in Innisfail to see Aunt Helen again, then to Linden to see Aunt Anna. That was a rough day for Mom, seeing those three in the same day. Saturday we saw friends and family in the Linden area, Sunday we took Helen Rose to see her mom in Innisfail, than came back to Linden to visit more. Monday morning we met Karen, her mom and sister and niece for breakfast in Linden and left for home. We met Peter in Fahler, had supper in Eaglesham and were very happy to get home that night.  Either that night or Tuesday we were told Aunt Anna had been moved to palliative care, and she passed away Wednesday.
Friday afternoon Mom and i were on the road to Linden again. It is so great to have a place like the Diamond Inn - Best Western to stay in at Three Hills when we com to the area. Today has been tiring, although Aunt Anna was 95 years old (or young?) and was more than ready to go home. It is really a day of reunion...meeting cousins and friends we hadn't seen, since perhaps 8 years ago when Uncle Peter Baerg passed away.
Now we're taking a break from family. Peter and Karen arrived last night, but left for home just a bit ago. i brought Mom and Aunt Doris (Uncle Abe's widow from Abbotsford, B.C.) to the motel for naps. We plan on going to the Swalwell Hall for 6:00 for supper and memories with the family.

As for life on the Barkman Farms? We have all but 200 acres seeded into either canola, wheat or barley. The 200 acres is hopefully drying this weekend, so we can put canola in there yet. The 200 acres of fescue we had last year will be sprayed out and we plan on seeding that to winter wheat.
Our canola from last year has all be hauled to the elevator, and this last week and next we have wheat to haul to the elevator, and spraying for weeds to do. We don't have a garden, not this year nor last year, and perhaps we will put our garden spot into something else. We do have our flower gardens for when we need garden therapy, and i have strawberry plants. As for fresh produce? we have market gardens and farmer's markets to keep us supplied. And we don't need make work projects.
Now that i've talked your ears off, i will close. Have a great week.

May 30, 2012

Last night we had our first thunderstorm of the year, And was it impressive. With it, came a little rain. Just enough rain to shut down the seeding. It came in fast, from the east, and within 10 minutes of rain, the to the field i was working on was nigh onto impassible with an SUV.  Maybe 15 minutes later  it reached the west field where Peter and Karen were working with the new-to-us seeder. We did get about 200 acres closer to being done this week, and with two units going, it should only be a few more days till we're done for the season. The wheat is all in, only canola and barley left.
The dogs certainly wanted to be close to a human during the storm. These farm dogs suddenly thought they were lap dogs. So sweet though.
It must be spring - we have found kittens. One kitten wandered away from the security of her litter and got caught where her mother couldn't help, so her mom came to the next best source of help - humans. Once we got her baby out of the tough spot, she was anxious to retrieve her though. This mother "looses" about one or two kittens each year in the same spot. You'd really think she'd find another nest, but it is safe from us unless they fall down the wall.

The other litter i came upon as i was looking for lumber. This one had five, and all darkish in color and the mother was very upset and hissing when i took her babies to show the rest of the family. And shortly after i took them back and put them nicely into their nest, she had found another nest for them.  This year it doesn't look like we'll have any tame ones, and the only way i'll get close is if they think i am a dog! The day is coming along, and today we are going for a breakfast meeting so have a great day!

April 24, 2012 diary

Well, we've set a date for leaving sunny, warm Arizona. We fly to Edmonton from Sky Harbor International Airport on Saturday. Peters will be at the airport in Edmonton to pick us up. Of course, since we fly in at midnight, we'll stay night at Nisku. The weather here in El Mirage has been very favorable - the hottest we have seen it has been 107 F. But they say it will cool of this week. Actually, it only got to 97 today. i have started to get ready...the shed is ready for the golf cart, the patio table and bikes are stored. My craft items have been stored for the season. The resort has certainly emptied out this last week. There are three mobile homes occupied right in our vicinity, (one across the street from us and the one just south of us. Very quiet. We expected our painter to show up yesterday or today, but no show. Moms Aunt Helen, who turned 100 years old in February has been moved out of palliative care into a private room at the hospital. it seems she has no recollection of the 3 days she was so sick she didn't eat, though she appears to know that she didn't eat, and that it was because the nurses snitched the things they thought she liked. Her sense of humor is still intact. Peter says it's cold at home...not sure if he is thinking that we'll think it, or if he really feels it's still cold. Thanks for listening again. Have a good night.

April 19, 2012

Good morning on this lovely sunshiney morning. i haven't heard any complaints about the lovely morning (but then, i haven't talked to anyone other than Mom this morning, either!) It is 72 F. at 8:11 a.m. Forecast says it will reach 91 today, but that guestimation has consistently been on the low side this spring. Mom and i went to Home Depot yesterday and checked out the door - and yes it is in. Told Bert (our contractor) and he said he'd be here this morning. Hopefully it will be in by tonight, and we'll sit back and enjoy it.

The resort is emptying out...it is very quiet here. we took back the streets! Shuffle board starts early because of the warm weather - 8:30 instead of 10.
i did some bowling this week. Maybe i am getting better, or not Thanks for checking in. Love you guys.

April 16

oh my Word (inside joke, the girls mom taught knitting to used this expression alot)! It's been awhile since i updated my diary! Well, today was wash day. Just because i needed to this week, and i might as well do it today rather than waiting for something to come up. i took the laundry to the laundromat here in the resort, and started it going, then went home to have breakfast. When i got back about 20 minutes later, my one rubbermaid tub was missing. Put the sheets, towels, dresses and etc. on the line then went hunting for the missing tub. Asked about everyone i met about it, no one knew anything. Went off to play shuffleboard, then finished the laundry - dried, folded and put away. When i went back to the laundromat a few hours later and asked again, an elderly gent said not only had he seen it, it was now in his shed. Okay...i was baffled why he would have helped himself to something that obviously wasn't his, but found out later he has dementia and likely just didn't know any better. Sad, though, both he and his wife have it but they are still living on their own here at the resort. Guess i'll just have to keep better watch on my things, and hope he doesn't anger someone by helping himself.
The little girls are busy knitting, and need more yarn, so mom and i went to JoAnn's looking for some, but the store we checked at didn't have any left. Guess we'll try another one tomorrow. Most of the snowbirds are gone or leaving this week, so no coffee at Paradise Bakery tomorrow. i forgot to pick up milk today, so we'll go to IHOP for breakfast, then search for yarn. Have a good night, and we'll talk soon.

Thursday, April 12

Today was a quiet day...too windy for shuffleboarding, or even to be outside much, though in temperatures it was not too bad. It was actually nice to have a quiet day for a change. i should have worked with my cricut making cards, but instead i read, read, read! Oh, and i went to Walmart a bit and did some looking around and buying a bit. Then Mom and i went to IHOP. i love their Cinnastack French Toast. Have you tried that?
Not sure what tomorrow will hold - do we ever? Kimberly Ensz get to know the Hanley triplets the year they were about 2 and wants to hear what i know about them...What will i tell her? She talked about getting together for lunch tomorrow so will have to see.
Sorry i haven't blogged this week. Guess that is what happens when there is not much going on. Have a great night

Good Friday, April 6, 2012

It's getting toward the end of the week again! Seems like every time i look it's Saturday or almost! Yesterday i frittered the day away. I was on shuffleboard duty this week, which meant i was at the courts early to help get them ready for playing, then i stayed to play. i feel i can actually put the puck where i want to, some of the time. Mom's cousin's daughter and family was driving through on their trip from Winnipeg to San Diego and back (they are on their way home) and had a few hours window to see us, so we took them to Rio Mirage for lunch.
They had decided that on this trip they would not eat at the same restaurant (or chain) twice. So eating at Rio was a great choice (they are not a chain, having only two restaurants, and both in the Valley). The rest of the day we were lazy. And i mean lazy. Except for a short walk in the evening we were at home.
Today? Totally unplanned. There is a Good Friday service at church tonight...Will see what the day holds. Have a great day.

April 3, 2012

Good evening. Was your day as awesome as mine? First, went to help friends in the park get the shuffleboards ready for playing this morning. Then hurried off to Paradise Bakery to meet other friends for coffee, and chocolate! Then four of us headed off to Crossroads Bibles and Bookstore for browsing. i really like their store, cause i can trade in my read books for ones i haven't read yet. Then we went shopping for material for the roman shades in my red bedroom. Phyllis will make them, and yes, i found something i like. All this shopping made us hungry so we stopped at Barro's Pizza before going home. i picked up Mom and went to Len & Shari to say goodbye to them and their girls. We had so much fun with the girls and their knitting lessons this winter. For supper we picked up A. Agnes and met Walter and Phyllis for supper at Olive Garden. In between my running around i moved a bit more into my room, plus some organizing! Sure glad not all days are as busy as today was! Thanks for listening. Hope tomorrow is so boring i have nothing to write, but don't suppose that will happen. Take care. Love you

April 1st, 2012

Good morning. i won't mention much about the year being a quarter gone, or that we only have a month left here in the sunny south, or even that the snowbirds are busy flying north.

Yesterday was a lovely day. Some complaints from others who thought that 95 F was getting too hot, and that summer was here, but not much.

i found deals yesterday at the book sale. Not sure what i want with MORE books, but i have them! i also stopped at Walmart and picked up Karen Kingsbury's last novel in the Bailey Flannigan series called LOVING. And got some cool stuff at the CROP GIRLS yard sale.

Then went to the bowling alley with friends and played 5 games. They do say that laughter is the best medicine, and i say another quote that said time wasted laughing is not wasted at all! So there you have it. It was a hilarious afternoon, and totally relaxing - well except my right arm is pretty sore right now!

i came home to a gray/blue room with white ceiling. The ceiling is finished, the walls primed for tomorrow morning. It's getting closer! And now, i'm getting excited to move in and enjoy it!

We don't have plans for today...beyond to church. How are you spending the weekend?

March 31

i am happy to announce that this round of renovations is almost done! i set up my bed in my 'new' bedroom last night. The painter is coming this morning to prime the walls and ceiling, not sure when he will be back to do the painting. And yes, i chose red. An amazing feeling. The carpenters have a little to do outside, like but the railing up on the deck and the skirting. But then i found out that the door we ordered on Wednesday, should be delivered next Wednesday. So, that is the next stuff to do.

Now it's off to a used book sale, breakfast and a sidewalk sale at a cool craft store. So...until later, have an awesome day

March 27

Good evening...it's been one of those days, in the carpentry world at the Barkmans. Yesterday our contractor was on his own...and about finished painting the exterior. Today was better. The helper was here, and he finished the painting. The drywall-er was here, and finished step one of the process. The deck is ready to have trex put on, and the trex is all here.
Mom and i went to Paradise Bakery for coffee this morning with a group of 9 women (not sure how many men were in their own corner). Then Mom and i went to check out exterior doors to replace the sliding door that is in there now. Since the man we were suppose to talk to was just on lunch, we decided to go have some, too. To make a long story short, we found out what we needed to, took a quick trip to another Lowe's to buy a light fixture for my room, then back home after 2:00. Mom had her nap and i went to check out more doors. Conclusion? i may be confused, but it's an educated confusion!
Friends are stopping in to say goodbye, which is sad, but the busyness we are involved here, it keeping us upbeat. Have a great night!

March 23

Good evening... it seems that here in Arizona, every time i turn around it's the weekend again. i suppose that is because Saturday and Sunday are the two days that are different than the rest of the week. As mentioned Monday, we've been lying low. Oh, i've been doing stuff, but Mom  has been staying home more.
Today i did some needed errands out and about town...water run, bought some small items, library to return books and so on. Did that this morning and was back for a light lunch of fruit, veggies and such. Helped out a friend in the park with her bulletin board she's making for friends' farewell, cleaned up a bit on the construction site, then Mom and i went to Lens' for the girls knitting lessons. Lens went with Sheri's folks for supper, and evening, and the girls and i took Mom back home then to the park to play for an hour. Then to Cracker Barrel for supper and by the time we got finished there, Lens were home again so took the girls right home.  A tiring day for Mom, but couldn't have done it different.
One day this week i had coffee with a special BFF (2000 miles in between, couldn't see each other, but had super great fellowship nonetheless.)
Another morning i went to play suffleboard with friends here in the park. We have 16 courts, and 9 of them were being used! Some of the centres are eliminating their shuffle board courts, but Pueblo just redid theirs, so come on over and play!
The construction is coming right along. The siding is on now, and will be painted Monday or so. The drywaller is expected Monday morning, as well, and since that is a two step project, hopefully that will be done by Tuesday night. If all goes as planned, then the rest of the floor would go down Wednesday, with the deck being next in line. We will wait until Monday before we call our painter for the bedroom.
Now i need to run along, so until next time, i love you.

March 19 -

Good morning! The sun is shining brightly on our side of the clouds after a weekend of wind, stormy clouds, rain and even a bit of hail here in El Mirage, in the Valley of the Sun! We're in the middle of construction (stretching my bedroom and the shed) and though the rooms are basically enclosed, there is one spot in my bedroom where the water found entrance.
Although i see a few clouds, over all, the air feels washed, and the trees and so on look clean. It feels like Spring! With a week and a half of construction going on here, Mom and i have decided to lay low. We did go out with friends to Cracker Barrel for lunch (we're all farmers, there, so to us it was dinner) and had their scrumptious special of Homestyle Chicken. No calories if shared, (Mom and i do) or out with friends, right?
Not sure how today will go...if Mom is rested up enough, we might go see what kind of curtains she wants in the living room. Of course, i suppose next will be furniture? New floors, painted walls, new curtains...you know how it goes, i'm sure!
Mom had thought she would like verticals, but i want her to think curtains - and then she can decide which she wants. Other than that, i'm into knitting...not fancy like Mom, but who knows, i'm almost tempted to do something like a lap robe, or perhaps a simple prayer shawl. So many ideas, so little time.
It feels like spring...did i say that already? Anyways, it's got my juices flowing so we'll see what comes of it. Have an awesome day! Thanks for visiting.

And yes, i love comments, and will answer them

Wednesday, March 14

Saying Good-bye is hard. Even if it's just for the summer, and not because of death. Mom and i took Allen Ensz to the airport this morning...had Aunt Agnes along, too, and she took us out to Freddy's Steakburgers for lunch. Yummy. Then, in the afternoon, my cousin and her husband who have been in Phoenix for 3 weeks, left for home today. Lots of memories made again, this year, different from any other year, past or future. i guess it's that time of year, Spring. and we only have about 5 and a half or 6 weeks left, too, until we head north, as we think now, any ways. No carpenters today...other obligations that needed fulfilling.

March 13

Hope you are having one great day! The temperature here is awesome...The construction on our addition is coming along smoothly. The inspector was here, no red flags so everything was good to go. They are hoping to get far enough today that they can call for another inspection tomorrow, and then they could close every thing in.  Yeah.
Allan Ensz, a dear friend who was just a week older than my dad, and sort of cousin to him, is leaving tomorrow. Back to the cold country that he calls home - Alberta.  So i believe a few of us will be doing something a little special with him today, though not sure just what. And since i can't really help with the construction (insurance) guess i might as well leave!
So, have a great day, and until next time.

march 9th

Mom and i left El Mirage Wednesday around 11:30 a.m. after i finished with my 'make & take' class at the fun craft. We are making purses/beach bags/book bags or what-ever-you-want-bags from plastic shopping bags. Yep, the kind you get from Walmart or Safeways or almost any other store these days. Most of the women are crocheting theirs, but i crocheted Karen a beach bags a few years ago. Also, with Mom teaching the girls to knit, i figured i should be knitting as well. It is really surprising how much i actually remembered from when Mom taught me to knit years ago. Of course, knitting with plastic bags (yarn) is very different than knitting with conventional yarn.
We stopped at the library to pick up a bunch of books i had put on hold (including home front, by Kris ten Hannah, which i hopefully will get read and reviewed this weekend) and headed out to Yuma. The carpenters were actually at our house at shortly after 8 in the morning, and before we left at noon the carpets were all torn out! We found Greg & Esther's favorite restaurant in Gila Bend (Sofia's Mexican Restaurant) for lunch, stopped at Dateland for milkshakes and got to Bill Eitzens' in Yuma around 4. After a lovely visit there, we checked in at our motel and went to Dean's for supper. Got back to the motel around 8:15 and crashed for the night. Thursday was spent visiting a few places. Went to KFC Buffet with Donna and met Oliphia...a lovely spanish speaking woman, would have loved having her as a close friend and she could teach me spanish while i taught her english!
Coming back today, we had breakfast at the Donut Corral with a tableful of Northern Albertans, stopped at Bennie's to see Sharilee and the boys, then on off home. Had lunch at Dateland, as well as our milkshakes. Then at Gila Bend, instead of heading north to I-10 we went east to Maricopa. What a lovely ride through the Sonoran Desert. Had never been there, but would love to go again. As we got home, the carpenters were just putting the finishing touches on the floor! They moved the heavy furniture in, and actually cleaned up before heading out for the weekend! They plan to be back here Monday morning by 9 to work on the addition! New floor - it's awesome!

March 4

i want to be more consistent with blogging, so will start with that today. It's a lovely Sunday morning here in El Mirage, Arizona. The sun is shining, very few clouds in the sky, but still on the cool side for here - 40 degress F., but i am sure it will warm up by noon. It has been a busy week socially - out every night. Mostly this was because friends were returning home after some time in the sun, others were because of expected company in the coming week. Last night i picked up our dear widow-lady (Aunt Agnes) and our partners in eating - Walter Millers and took them to Happy Valley where i had found a neat rib shack (Actually called Shane's Ribshack!) for great ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken etc. fabulous food, quiet place which is very important when you have hard of hearing friends along.
i started a new handcraft project this week, and yes i am knitting! i can't very well let a 7 year old do something like that and not join in. I am knitting a book bag using - shopping bags. Yes the plastic kind you get from Walmart, Safeways, etc! i have actually crochet a beach bag before, but decided that i should knit this book bag. The make and take it is for crocheting  purse, and i may do that some other time.
Today. Mom and i are going to venture on a day trip. We have not been to the far east part of this great valley, except for a dinner theatre one night a couple of years ago. So we chose today to do this. It helps that we know Raymond and Erma Remple (Mom's cousin's son) live over there, and we have their address, so will stop and see where they live. So, now it's off to get ready. Hope you all have a blessed Sunday.

March 1st

Good morning...
Yes it's been a while since i sat down and wrote about my life....but it's March 1st, and our time here in Arizona is over three fifths done. That's right. Mom and i have been here over three months, and have less than 2 months before we pack up our duds and head north for the summer. But it looks like it will be a very busy 2 months. Back in December we contacted a contractor who we knew to do some work in the park model. It started out with putting in new floors in the main part (not the addition). The barbar rug is a light color and is impossible to clean anymore. (The explanation i have received on that is that the smog here tracks in, but personally i think it might be the dust). So we bought the laminate floor we liked, and scheduled the work to begin the middle of January.  Well, Bert (the contractor) has had some setbacks and he's still not here. Luckily the flooring is bought and paid for, or maybe not so lucky?
And before we scheduled him, Mom and i (and Peter & Karen) decided to do some major renos. Major in the way that we will be adding about 5 feet to my bedroom, and about that to the shed. Hopefully that will begin soon.
Before we got the floors redone, we though it would be wise to paint the walls, so Mom chose some bright colors to replace the off white walls. Sure changes the looks of the house. Once my room is enlarged, i will have the fun of choosing my color. Can't really decide yet, as i am not sure how it will turn out.
I'll try to keep up with projects as they happen, whether it's construction or jaunts to the desert. Have one great day.

October 21, 2011

I am a reader, not a writer, and i just want to sit here and read (both of those are names of blogs i follow, and so i won't use that as a title for my book reviews, though they both fit me to a T, and i wish i had got one of them first) However, i do want to sit down and write reviews. i have a bunch of books i have read (recieved from other blogs where i entered to win, bought books or library books) but writing doesn't come easy to me. i think on what i will write about a certain book as i'm dozing off at night, too tired to get up and write down my thoughts and by morning, i have to start all over again. But i will get to them, because they are too good not to share. Thanks for understanding. We had a rain on Wednesday that shut down combining for a few days. Yesterday was sunny, but not really warm, but the swaths might be ready to try again today. We shipped 4 super B loads of wheat to the elevator yesterday, so that was a good days job. So until next time, with love Mitzi (aka Marianne)

Diary, October 14, 2011

I know it's been a while since i posted...and wouldn't be posting this morning if we had been on the field harvesting till 1:00 a.m. either. But it's been raining the last few days. Not a lot, but enough to keep everything too wet to combine. That's not a bad thing, we do need the moisture for next year, and we have enough stuff going on that we don't sit idle even now.

We have about half of the wheat crop in the bin, which makes us about one quarter done our harvest, since we have a little less acres seeded with canola than we did of wheat. The bushels are awesome...we have never seen a yield of 70 to 80 bushels per acre on our farm before, and don't expect to in the future. We are so Thankful to God, for He it is that gives the increase.

So what are we spending our time doing? Well i've been doing a bit of much needed baking, cookies for my lunch bucket, sticky buns for just so. When it started raining, i was on my way to Manitoba. Mom's cousin there passed away and she was close to him and his family. That's a long drive from where we live now. We did a bit of visiting, going to my BFF's place. She had made a throw i bought in Tennessee into Roman Shades for my bedroom window. That's a bit awkward to ship, so was glad i could do that. In the almost two weeks since then, we've had doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, parts runs (simply picking up parts? No such luck. we've been on runs that take us on 70 mile runs just to gather them) and repairing. Doesn't sound exactly interesting, but it's what keeps our days busy.

Right now, the grain cart is down, needs some work, and the combine has a couple of bearings that are running hot. If the weather holds, and the crops dry we can run it the way it is, just keeping an eye on the problem, but likely there will be no combining until middle of next week! Farming may be a waiting on God occupation, but we keep busy all the same.

So until next time, Take care.