Lepage Threshing day, 2nd time around

It was a beautiful day in the country. It was our second time to attend and particapate in LePage's threshing days. The only bad
thing was the heat and the gosh darn humidity! 87 degrees, and felt like 100 according to weather.com.

The meat for lunch was furnished. It was some awesome smoked meats. The pork steaks were about an inch and a half thick. Cooked to perfection. You could cut them with a plastic knife.

Since I am so drained tonight, I will leave you with a few pictures of the day in no certain order.






Threshing of the wheat . . .








The tractor show . . .











The grandsons helping with corn shelling . . .









Rick and his beautiful horses. Maybe draft horses . . .





Our booth . . . sales were pretty good too.







Elizabeth even came to watch Grandpa. He said she had her sweat band on all day.













Grinding corn . . .free cornmeal by the way.





Picking up the wheat shocks . . .







F-20 Farmall, steel wheels and all.






Elizabeth getting a kiss from her Daddy. (I love this picture!)












Firing up the steam engine . . .









Finally a picture of BT and Terry. They were working on a Fredrich cross. For a video of them working visit Osage Bluff Blacksmith blog.



Tomorrow we get to do it all over again!

The Raspberries are ripe!

What a beautiful weekend we have had. Even though it is the middle of June, we still haven't had the boat on the river. The weather just doesn't cooperate. Today we had clouds most of the day and the sky looked like rain. So far tonight it still hasn't happened. However there is a 60 % chance of storms tonight and tomorrow.

I took this picture to show you just how beautiful my pear cactus are. For you non-Missourians, you probably didn't know they grew here. Soon big yellow flowers will open. I'll keep you posted.

Here are just a very few of the wild raspberries we have growing behind the house. BT picked a nice bowl of them yesterday. I had one short trip to them and I'm paying for it now. Chiggers!

Saturday we had the grand kids. I still can't get use to not say "the boys". Anyway here we are enjoying our vanilla bean ice cream and fresh raspberries. Just after this picture was taken, the 5 year old took a spoon full that happened to fall on his shirt and roll down to his pants. "Crap" he said. All Grandpa and I could do was look at each other and laugh. Anyway he's my son's child. This won't make his mother happy.

Be sure and check out BT's blog for a video of him working today in his shop. He has made something for one of my blog readers. When I get her address it will be mailed. After she receives it, I will post a picture.

I leave you with the following video of Ms Elizabeth. I hope you enjoy it. It's mainly for Aunt Sarah in OK City, OK. So she can see how her little niece is growing. (See you later in the week Rosie!)

The Weekend

It was a busy day on Saturday, BT opened his shop early and invited some of the Missouri blacksmiths over. Terry and Joe along with BT forged all morning.


Joe's wife Phyllis, and I visited the morning away until it was time to put lunch on the table.


We ate on the deck. The weather was just beautiful with a nice breeze blowing. I served watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes for dessert. That really made it feel like a picnic.


Shortly after lunch Tammy and Mr W from Flat Creek Forge stopped by. There was a lot of metal being hammered in the shop.

After Joe and Phyllis left, Tammy and I went shopping at TJ Maxx of course. I found a gift for the daughter and her boyfriend.Tammy found a blouse. It was just fun to look and girly shop. We found lots of 5 and 6 inch spike heels but we passed on those. Tammy liked that I knew where all the mark down isles were.

When we arrived home we stopped by the shop. There we saw the items they had been working on. A Frederich cross, a bottle opener, a steak turner, 4 hoof picks, a hot cut chisel, a wizard door knocker, and a frog gig . . . and several beers had been consumed. We said our goodbyes to Tammy and Mr W along with Terry.


BT and I made BLT's for dinner and hit the recliners.



Sunday morning, it sprinkled off and on. After breakfast BT headed back to the shop to repair the lawnmower he broke. It's usually me who tears the mower up. Like the time I drove the wheel off of it, or the two times I mowed the blade off. This time it looked more serious than it really was. One belt was totally shot, so at the same time he will replace all three of them.


It was a lazy day for Bentley as BT worked in the shop. After BT played mechanic, he went back to forging. He made 3 new hot punches to use when making the wizards. Yesterday Mr W brought him some car springs to use when making gigs.




So for you Mr W here is the first one. BT was really pleased the way it turned out. Thanks for the steel!





I retreated to my sewing machine. I finished the quilt for Maryjane. With the fabric being on sale, it cost $33.50 for the fabric. I can't wait to see it quilted. However, I don't think she even has her name on the list yet.




I found this Fat Ladies Fruit panel when I was at a quilt shop in Sedalia a month or so ago. I thought the old ladies at Mom's assisted living center would get a kick out of it. I have more blocks left to make myself one.

It really quilted cute by going around the strawberry, avocado or bananas butts!



We finished off the evening by grilling some pork tenderloins. Gosh were they good, or I was just really hungry.

How was your weekend?


9:30 PM 81 degrees

Lunch with Betsy!

The day finally arrived. It was time to meet another blogger friend in person.

I was about 10 minutes early when I arrived at Betsy's office. I walked in and they asked if they could help me. I said I'm here to take Betsy to lunch. Betsy was in the third desk and gave me a wave, saying she'd be ready in just a minute.

We gave each other a big hug and headed out the door to Arris's Cafe. This is the newest hot spot in Jefferson City. It is not only a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant, but in it is also a world market featuring wines, cheese, olive oils, pasta and spices. It is also a coffee shop and dessert house. What more could you ask for in our little town.

Betsy knew right away what she wanted. It wasn't her first time here either. She ordered the Vegetarian pita. Roasted red pepper hummus wrapped on pita bread with tomatoes, onions, cucumber, and authentic feta cheese and drizzled with spicy Tuscan olive oil. I saw Lasagna on the special and went for it. (I don't get that at home, the blacksmith doesn't like it) However, that was the dinner special, so instead I ordered the Spinach salad. French spinach leaves, boiled eggs, tomatoes, warm bacon, Parmesan cheese with Arris’ Blue Cheese Pecan Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

She ordered a diet coke with lime, just like I like with my Mexican food. We girls are going to get along!

Lunch went way to quickly, we never shut up. We learned we knew a lot of people in common. I have to say this . . . my husband even went to grade school with Betsy's Dad. Okay so I'm old enough to be her Mom, but young enough to be her friend.

Before I took her back to work, I gave her a small gift the blacksmith had made. It's a Friedrich cross made from a railroad spike. By coincidence, the gift card I enclosed matched her hot pink shiny purse.

I dropped her back at her office and we promised to meet up again in blogger land. Thanks Betsy, it was great!

Before heading off for my grocery shopping, I stopped by the Yellow Moon Antique mall. I am on the search for an oak sideboard. I happened to find this awesome dresser for only $275. So far, I am nixing it in hopes of a bigger piece of furniture. But . . . it's still a possibility.

It was then my usual shopping. TJ Maxx, where I found a pair of gold hoop earrings. Then on to Kohl's, and finally the dreaded Wal-mart. While shopping there I got a call from the DIL, she needed to make a quick trip to town, would I watch the kids for her (all three kids). It's not very often that we get to watch the grand daughter too.

When BT came home he grilled some big fat hot dogs and I made beef and noodles. After dinner the boys wanted to roast marshmallows. BT had won a hot dog roasting fork in a blacksmith exchange and it worked great to roast 6 marshmallows at a time. I like to say one for each grandson and two for each grandparent!

It was a great day in the midwest!

8:40 PM 72 degrees.

Memorial Day weekend

The 3 day weekend started with an almost double header. Well Brady's team had to make up an inning for a game that had been cancelled earlier in the week due to lightening.

It's always fun to watch 7 year olds play ball. The last game he played, they lost by 1 run. 35-34 I think.

Isn't he a cutie in his catchers outfit?

Saturday our 39th anniversary! We left the house about 8:00 AM, early for us. We went to Artichoke Annie's Antique Mall. They were having an outdoor flea market.

I loved the patriotic cistern pumps.

Then I saw this rusty old witch's hat electrical fixture. Makes me wonder, if mine that I showed you in my Friday's blog will look like this in years to come.

Cute little children wooden folding chairs. But I passed on them too.

Two red Coca cola folding chairs. But I didn't need them.

All we left with, no let me rephrase that, all BT left with was a $5 hammer and a $1 butcher knife. I left empty handed. We spent an hour or more browsing. It was then on to Bass Pro and Harbor Freight.

For lunch we stopped in Chili's. My sister had given me a gift card for my birthday in February. Little did she know it would buy us our anniversary dinner! Thanks Lona.

I got 3 to-go desserts in what looked like over sized shot glasses. We took the back country roads to see my Mom in her new residence. I hadn't told you all, but we moved her to assisted living last Monday. She is loving it. Just like today when I called her on her cell phone (after she didn't answer her room phone), she said in a whisper "I'm playing B I N G O, I'll call you later". We are so glad she adjusted quickly there.

Here is her antique cedar chest. One of many things she did not take. I need to remember to write down the name of the company that made it. I'd like to research it. I know she had it years and years.

Here is a 50 lb blue catfish that the son (on the right) caught on a line in the Missouri River today. It was all he and Mike could do to haul it into the boat. It will be some good eating.

As for us this Memorial weekend, we usually get to take this beauty on the river.

However, this is what it looked like all day today and even some of yesterday. Rain. Currently we have an inch and half in the gauge. More is on the way.

If you are wondering what to get dear old Dad for Father's day maybe you can check the Blacksmith out.

Hope you all had a great 3 day weekend.

Eating off the land.....Sunday anyway

First I must share one of Elizabeth's first studio pictures. She is just adorable. BT and I got to cuddle with her a little bit Saturday evening.

She is doing great. Mother is a little under the weather. Daddy made a quick trip to town today for a prescription that should take care of the problem in a day or two.




So today to give Mom a break, the two grandsons came over for the afternoon. BT and I took them to the woods where we dug dirt from several rotten logs to use as potting soil.

Two five gallon buckets took care of that. We then went to the lake behind the house, down through the ravine and dug wild ferns.

Now if I can just keep them alive. They need some trimming but I thought one shock for the day was enough.





Saturday BT worked in the forge. This is an all metal pinwheel he made. It is amazing how the metal can spin in the wind.





Forty mile per hour winds on Saturday proved that it could spin too.









After forging for a couple of hours, (he made more than one pinwheel) he came up for a beer and deer sausage and crackers. Bentley wanted in on the food. Of course Bentley gave his puppy face look until BT gave in.





Saturday night after church the neighbors joined us at LaBamba for dinner.

Here is little Colten enjoying his ketchup at LaBamba!

You can tell you've been going to the same restaurant, the same waiter when after BT orders, the waiter said to me... and you want the same too? Which is usually true. But this time I changed my mind and ordered something different. We all had a good laugh out of that one.







And Sara a.k.a. Annie Oakley, this next part of the story is for you. The son a.k.a. Starvin Pilgrim, came over after his medicine run to town. With him he brought fresh wild mushrooms!





Along with those mushrooms, he brought Deer Steaks, and fresh ground beef. So he grilled the meat, while I fried the mushrooms.


Thus living off the land title!

Oh and the deer was taken by our 7 year old grandson.




Right now it's 37 degrees. As you saw in the above picture we were outside without coats yesterday and eating on the deck. The dreaded 4 letter word of SNOW is in the forecast. Low of 28 tomorrow night. There goes all the fruit trees, the redbuds and dogwood blooms. Sarah I will let you know when the snow hits here. It should be at your house a couple of hours later.

PS Monday is my blogger friend Betsy's birthday. Would you stop by there and leave her birthday wishes!

Yesterday and today

First of all I have to apologize to the blacksmith. I forgot to post one of my favorite things he has made for me, a boot scraper! It is right by the mud room door, just as it should be.







The oak wardrobe is almost finished. Today he steel wooled it. It will need one more coat of polyurethane.









This is what the son and his friend did yesterday. What a pile of wood! It was two trees that Jeremy needed to cut out of his yard. They will make a few extra bucks by selling the pile.








Here they are resting








And someone has a birthday today! Yes it's Bentley. He is 4 today. So for breakfast I made him an egg cake, candle and all!
After all if Sara's coon dog gets home cooked meals everyday, surely Bentley can have one for his birthday.

Hand Forged

I am not like the mechanic wife, who's car is never running. Or the accountant's wife, who never gets their taxes in on time. Or the contractor's wife, who never gets her house finished.

No I am the wife of a blacksmith who is lucky enough to have a lot of his handy work around the house.


Like a hand forged gig for the 7 year old grandson.












Or a forged gig for the 4 year old grandson.

The dog kennel even has a hand forged handle and latch.

And beautiful hand forged latch and hinges on my deck.










6 count them, 6 hand forged skewers










Gorgeous hand forged andirons.











My own personal knocker on my red front door.










Or my other knocker on the brown door. (Every woman needs 2 knockers)








My wonderful crane in the living room fireplace.

Even hand forged steak turners.

My little hand forged garden trowel.

And then there are the hand forged gigs he sells. My egg money!

I am so lucky to be married to wonderful talented blacksmith.