A Big Bash!

Boy, did I have a party! You betcha, I did. I used a fiesta theme and had Mexican food and decorations. I even made paper flowers and borrowed cacti from Myrna to help make things a little more southwestern. Matt and Mandy even came with sombreros. Ole!

After dinner we looked at old photo albums, then played Spoons--it was a fun game for all ages. Then came the cake. Did you know that 60 candles will set off a smoke alarm?? Just like the greeting cards, huh? That might have been the highlight of the party.

Nancy took some great pictures for posterity (and the blog).

So I turned 60 with a lot of fanfare--I'd recommend it for anyone.

Carol

The birthday girl

In the words of Emma and Morgan, it was "The best party ever!" There were games. There was cake. There were candles. Lots of candles...

Five pairs of hands are faster than one.


Shiny!


Carol, can you do this?


Whoosh! 60 candles are no match for Carol.


Happy Birthday, Carol!

September, It's In the Bag, Too!

Last night our land was illuminated by a beautiful, harvest moon. Imagine our grandparents harvesting grain, corn, etc. by the light of the moon, working long hours during the day & into the wee hours of the morning...I neglected to get my camera out (sorry!), but you probably saw it, too.

Speaking of harvesting, we usually plant about 12 tomato plants, 4 grape tomatoes, 4 Roma tomatoes and 4 beef steak to ensure that our harvest is plentiful. Well, it is plentiful again, and so I have been canning tomatoes by the "oven" method. It is very easy just to peel, put into jars & pop into the oven & forget for 24 hours. When we open them during the winter, we can taste and smell our "summer in a jar!"

Our biggest project has been our kitchen...& we are nearing completion, as the crown and window molding are all that remains. I do have a couple of boxes to unpack, but that is minor and will get them done shortly. It was a lengthy project and we did all the labor ourselves. We are absolutely in love with it...the sun and moon light streamed through because we took out a wall that blocked some of that previously. Although Dale has an eye for a finished project, I really don't. I have to pick things out very carefully & consider all angles. I must admit, with Dale's expertise & my careful planning, we did well.

Now, realizing that September is gone...yard work is about done and it is time to turn into the direction of fall and all that has to offer...like the harvest moon and a good book! Any suggestions?

Where has the time gone

Wow, it's hard to believe that fall is here in full force. Where has the summer gone. I'm really beginning to believe that the older you get, the faster time flies. I've been at my new job for 5 months already. It's going very well and I'm learning something new every day. Nursing is a lot more stressful than I ever imagined, but the more I work, the more comfortable it gets. My summer has been filled with my friends weddings and I have another one in 2 weeks in Duluth. I guess I'm officially at that wedding age that everyone talks about. I hope everyone is doing wonderful!

For all the e-mailers

Check this out-you don't have to forward those e-mails...

http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

Green Tomato Pie

Miranda made an interesting desertGreen Tomato Pie-Its in the oven now and we'll be eating it in an hour!

Family Visit

Miranda and Nick came home this past Tuesday night and now (Saturday) they're getting ready to go home again. We have had a very nice visit and we're really happy they came home. We did get a lot done while they were home. We made a batch of Chocolate Stout. We made four pounds herbal bath soap and we canned some salsa and pickled green tomatoes. We spent a lots of relaxing time in the hot tub as well as playing some of our favorite board games. We'll miss them!

Hildur is back on line

Hi Everyone-Mom (Hildur) is back on line-her e-mail is bhlamon@paulbunyan.net . Please welcome her back!

Hi everyone! Just an FYI to let you know that I've changed the URL for my photo blog; it's now at http://yonsaucywench.blogspot.com/, so you'll want to update bookmarks and feeds accordingly. Thanks!

Summer is almost gone

Well, its about done! Summer I mean. School starts in about a week or so. I got to get moving and start to finish my summer projects before the fall projects kick in.
Pine cones are dropping and soon the leaves and the pine needles-I have already taken in a bunch of my garden-I have beets, tomatoes, baby pumpkins, squash and brussel sprouts and a few peppers left-and a bit of dill to harvest.
I think I will be washing the outside of the house tomorrow-windows and all.

Stunned Hawk

Nancy saw this hawk sitting on top of the sprinkler so I had to get a couple of pictures. It just sat in the area we were sprinkling for at least an hour. We think it must have just been stunned. I was with in 2-3 feet and it did not move. Later it flew away.

Its that time again

We decided to make make a couple of batches of beer today-one that is a Guiness Like beer (Stout) and a light spruce beer. A good day was had by me!
Now we just made a pizza and then off to the lake-for some evening fishing!

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Here is the recipe for the Southwestern Black Bean Salad that I usually bring along to the Loungeabout. It's been reprinted without permission from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.

The recipe below makes 4 servings. I usually double it for a large group.

One 16 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced roasted red pepper
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels
1 red onion, finely chopped (when I double the recipe, I still use only one onion for the Lamons -Pete)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients; toss to combine. Let stand, covered, until the flavors are blended, at least 1 hour.

Per serving: 182 calories, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 cholestorol, 356 mg sodium, 26 g total carbohydrate, 8 g dietary fiber, 8 g protein, 52 mg calcium
Points per serving: 3

The Family Blog: Welcome Home Mike

The Family Blog: Welcome Home Mike

www.mnpatriotguard.org

Welcome Home Mike

Click on the title and watch the slide show of troops returning to Bemidji-Thanks Mike Lamon-We thought about you alot!
Gary

Welcme them Home

7/17/2007 12:07 PM


Here is a current schedule for returning Companies. Bemidji A Co is scheduled to leave Fort McCoy on Sunday, July 22nd at 6 am and arrivein Bemidji at 2:30 pm. They will be going through Walker, MN and then goon Hwy 200 to Kabekona Corner and North to Bemidji on Hwy 71. They will proceed through Bemidji on Paul Bunyan Drive (Hwy 197) to the BSU JohnGlas fieldhouse where the families will be waiting. The community will be encouraged to stand on this route. The soldiers will enter the fieldhouse and stand in formation. The Mayor will give a very short official Bemidji "Welcome Home" with 1SG Solberg following with a few comments. Thenthe soldiers will be formally dismissed to their awaiting families. Families can enter the Jon Glas fieldhouse at 12:30 pm to meet and setupposters. The public can enter Jon Glas at 1:45 pm to wait. A CD has been put together by our soldiers that provide a snapshot of their life in Iraqfor families and community to view at Jon Glas while we are waiting for thebus to return. Oh Happy Days!!!

PLEASE TRY TO GET OUT AND

WELCOME THEM BACK. IT MEANS A LOT TO A SOLDIER COMING HOME...I KNOW!

Mike Lamon is in Maine-Copied from an e-mail from Marie

From Marie Lamon 7/15/2007 2:15 PM

Just a note to tell you thanks and thanks to God for bringing Mike and Able Company toMaine today. They will travel to Wisconsin for a week to 10 days, and then be home!!!! Thanks for your prayers for all the past from 2005 to now and please remember the troopsas they reintegrate back into their "normal" lives once again!!!!
Marie

Anna Lone

Imagine my surprise when I opened the "Senior Scene," a supplement to our "Pioneer" newspaper and read the following:

"It was Hildur Lamon not Hildur Bauer's mother who homesteaded. Hildur's mother, Anna Lone, and her friend, Louise, and her dad moved to Pennington from South Dakota when Anna was about 22 years old. She homesteaded on 160 acres of land and built a house, or shanty as they were called, on Popple Lake. She lived on the homestead in the summer and worked in Cass Lake at various domestic jobs in the winter. Her future husband homesteaded on Burns Lake."

Interesting, huh?

Carmen-Copied from Lois's E-mail

Mom just called to let me know that Carmen died this morning...no otherdetails at this time.

For those who don't know Carmen Gregerson was Hildurs brother. Gary

A little bit of good news to throw in...

Mandy and I are happy to share that after many years of unsuccessfully trying to become parents, we've finally done it! Well, almost...Mandy had her first ultrasound today and she's got a little jelly bean growing in there with a heartbeat of 134 beats per minute. We hope to be bringing him or her into the world in February next year.





While it may not look like much yet, here's a first pic:

Love,

Matt and Mandy