Farm Call

In this case at least Emily is in the picture too. She is torturing poor old George who has a bump on his head. Apparently when you squeeze it really hard (see exhibit A) brown liquid comes out. Hmm. Poor cat.

I bet you think I only take pictures of cats and flowers. Well, you're right. So what? 

Eulogy for a farm dog

This is my Bernie angel. Bernie was so named for two (2) reasons. For one, she looked rather like a St. Bernard as a puppy. Secondly, Erik had a very good friend named Bernice, which is Bernie's full name. Bernie is related to Dolly (in many inbred ways). I can't believe I don't have any pictures of my sweet Dolly up on this page, but she looks like Bernie only groomed. Bernie tragically died just yesterday. Thus ends a long line of wonderful dogs from Mike and Lady. Dolly's the only one left in our family and she's fixed. (My poor Dolly was meant to be a mom. You should see her around babies of any species.) Bernie spent most of her life chained because she loved to chase deer. However, in the last year, she has spent a lot of time off of her chain and happily roamed the farm once again (thus the swamp monster). Bernie was very loyal and had only one desire: "Rub my tummy!" The farm has never been dogless in my lifetime. My sweet farm girl will be missed.

Swamp Monster

This is Bernie as a Swamp Monster. (I am allowed to call it a swamp in this context. Have you heard of a marsh monster? It sounds more like marshmallow which is not very menacing. Bernie is not menacing either. Just very dirty.) Dog from the Black Lagoon. We could call it the Black Lagoon. It is rather, um, black as exhibited here on Bernie's formerly white tummy.  

Rain On My Parade

Saturday was the annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade, or the Lilac Parade. It rained. Every time someone from a branch of the United States Armed Forces passes, you, as the parade-goer, stand and cheer. This is not as easy as it sounds because it's not like you're sitting in a chair. No, you're sitting on a curb about three inches off the ground. It's not that I don't appreciate the servicemen and women, but sheesh! The best part is that every time you stand up, the rain falls on the blanket you were sitting on, so that when you sit down, it has gotten wetter and wetter. Mmm, pleasant. Of course, you're wearing jeans. Wet jeans are the most comfortable and warm garment around, don't you think? Yes, it makes for one really comfy rear. And your blankets are hanging down into the mini-river that runs next to the curb. Did I mention that since you wanted a decent seat, you got there over 2 hours early? So by the time the parade is over, you've been sitting on a curb for 5 hours.

Don't get me wrong, now. The Parade was lovely. The middle school bands that won the Jr. Lilac Parade were amazing. We got to see our friend Ben Brueggemeier. Old cars rock. Drum cadences are the best. Kettle Korn is yummy. There was a clown. The Red Hot Mamas are Red Hot. Riverside's Band was better than Medical Lake's (hah!) After the parade we got pizza and watched the Matrix. So see? It was lovely. Heck, it's almost a requirement of a parade to get wet, isn't it?

My best shot ever.  

Mona Lisa men have named you

My Grandpa is famous for naming his animals really creative things like "Purty" and "Gorgeous" and "Meany" and "Buddy" and "Sweetie Pie". Then he says to us, he says, "I call this one Mona Lisa. She's just a sad, lonely work of art."  

New babies 

Tiger. Again. I can't help it, he's so photogenic! 

 

Pretty Petals 

My backyard  

 

Make a wish 

 

Bumble Bee Bzzz 

Wild Strawberries 

Lily of the Valley 

Melvin (my daddy's twin), Darlene (the youngest), Bonnie (the eldest), my daddy Marvin, my Grandma Margaret and my Grandpa Floyd. Mothers Day 2005. 

My Grandma and Grandpa Nordhagen with their great-grandson Kole Knudson. Isn't this just a sweet picture? 

Okay, Check this: Amy is 11 months, weighs 19 lbs and wears a size 4 diaper. Nathan is 3 years, weighs 25 lbs, and wears a size 5 diaper. Sheesh! 

Amy Katherine 

Nathan Kishor 

I babysat my niece and nephew this weekend, overnight. It was an experience! It was wonderful and challenging. I learned a lot. Even though I will see them again in less than a month, I cried when I had to leave. 

Callie the Not-so-great-Mommy Cat

Once upon a time, there was a mama cat named Callie. Callie wanted to have her kittens in a haystack. One evening, dad was walking by the haystack and managed not to step on a day-old grey tabby kitten laying on the ground. Callie and kitty siblings were not to be found so baby came to our house to be nursed. Puzzle, it was dubbed. How did you come to be on the ground? Where is your mom? Do you have siblings? Are you a boy or a girl? We nursed Puzzle for about 24 hours and then went to find Callie. By standing near the spot where Puzzle was found, I was able to hear siblings (two brothers-- orange tabbies) and re-unite the kittens. Callie was found and brought to her kittens. Problem: Callie decided to have her kittens at the edge and the top of a haystack. I watched as she failed to pull an orange kitten back from the edge and he tumbled down. I picked him up and said, "Ahem, Callie, I don't suppose you'd be interested in doing your job. Would you like your kitten back? Come and get him. She took him out of my hand, and we made sure she would not reject human-handled Puzzle. All seemed well. The next day, unfortunately, one of the orange kittens was found, um, un-alive. Poor thing. Then Callie moved the other two kittens (tired of being bothered by us humans all the time) and we haven't seen them since! I hope they're okay. Especially our little Puzzle. Callie, you are one gorgeous cat, but not the best mama. Sorry, babe.

Apple Blossoms!