First prairie fire.........

.....hope it's a short season!!!

I was going out for a walk along the tree line just east of our place.  I saw some smoke to the north....looked like it was real close to Luxon's place.....which is 1/2 mile north of us.   But as I watched for a short time - the smoke seemed to decrease.....    So I continued on my walk.  When I got to the end of the tree line - about 1/4 of a mile long -- I saw that the smoke was BAD!.  Now I was in a hurry to get back.

We went to see what was up..... and there were a lot of others checking it out also.    Seems that there was a power line down on the ground and that was the beginning of the fire. OOPS -- Cherry Todd was at work out there -- so there were some who placed the blame with them.  The fire was 1 1/2 miles straight north of us.   It was a bit windy -- but not real bad.  The fire was headed for a wheat field - thankgoodness!!  That would stop it.....and it did.......along with the 5 fire trucks.  Fire trucks from Rosebud and Mission were out. The fire did burn for a mile - across a pasture.  The local ranchers don't have their water tanks up and running --- you don't figure on needing them in February. However,  the fire danger for tomorrow --- is "extreme".  

And so this one was a short lived fire -- thank you Lord.    But it did serve to make us aware of what can happen fast. The Linnaberry's will probably be one pasture short this summer --- for grazing.  I'm thinking there are some ranchers getting their fire fighting equipment in the ready mode!!

Gary and Barb

Two totally different gatherings......both fun!!!

On this past Friday evening we surprised Don and Jeannie Schelhaas with a party at THEIR lodge.  Gary and I asked them over for "dessert" and then we had one of the neighbors, Dan Tinant, call to say that there were some strange vehicles driving down to the lodge and one looked like so and so's truck.   That name made Don jump right up....."I'll be right back"...  Jeannie asked if he wanted her to come along - but he said "No" - I'll be right back".      But jeepers - we needed Jeannie at the party too....  So Gary and I said....."it's probably Ollie so let's just take our dessert and eat it with him".  So away we went following Don.     As we drove into the lodge parking lot - with ALL those cars there ---- Jeannie says .....Uhuh!!      We had a lot of fun that evening.   There was a nice turnout of neighbors and, of course,   lots of good snacks.

That's Don and Jeannie in the middle.  I had gotten everyone's attention so we could get some of the food eaten..... and Dan T. says -- "well I think he oughta at least kiss the bride.".....   So they did......  But Pastor Mark wanted to catch it on his camera.....  "Oh, I didn't get that".   So they kissed again.  "I wasn't fast enough - do it again. So they kissed..... Then Sheryl N. came in ...."I didn't get that - do it again."   So they kissed again.   We really had them going.   :)  :)

Our other gathering was on Saturday in Rosebud --- at the Lutheran church.....  It was time for the monthly Rosebud Worship.  Gary would do the lesson on  the Healing of the Lepers.   One of the Sioux Falls  girls did the Bible Verse and then we sang 4 songs.   The kids sat and listened so very good.  It seemed to me that they were actually IN CHURCH - rather than at the Community Center and there seemed to be a different mood ---- more respectful!  Crafts were done down in the basement and we followed it with Sloppy joes, chips and cheese, oranges, and a pudding cup for dessert.    It was a beautiful day -- kids came in their shirt sleeves......but then after our meal it turned very cold (at least to be in a short sleeved shirt).... the kids were shivering.    All in all it was a good time of worship and fellowship.  Following are a couple of pictures.

The teens that come from Sioux Falls are the same group each time.  So the little ones know them and look forward to seeing them each month.  This group of Native kids have been coming for ?? 2 years.  Melissa is in front with her daughter Mia.  Melissa goes around each month to let the kids know that it's time for our gathering, and the kids are ready to get on the vans.  The church in the background is Pastor Andrew Utecht's Lutheran Warriors church.  We appreciate it very much that he is so willing to let us use his building. 

Blessings....
Gary and Barb

Dresser - Fishing - Painting

The dresser is one step closer to a finished product --- I really think it will be "finished" this way for some time and I am OK with that ..... I love it the way it is. ( We hope to put corner posts on it yet.) And now we have a mirror.  Unique is all I can say about it.

The whole thing was made out of "junk" wood....  Anyway it sure wouldn't have made it to any store for selling.  My new jewelry box sits on top - also out of red cedar.   Goodness --- Gary was tickled with his new sawmill --- but I am even more so!!!!

Yesterday, Gary went pike spearing with Deon and Ty.  They came home with a pail full of pike -- all speared.  This one weighed in at 10 lbs.   They were all about the same length but the remaining 5 weighed around 6 lbs. each.  We will be eating good for a while.  We gave half of them to Deon's family.....so they can enjoy some good eating too.  Deon showed Gary how to get all the bones out  :)  :)  so we have nice boneless fillets.

I got my winter project done just in time --- today we are out in just a flannel shirt.  It is beautiful out.  This painting  (paint by number) reminds me of the Boundary Waters in Minnesota.   We have enjoyed that country several times... and they are all good memories. I think this might be my last paint by number for a while.  Gonna try something new......  I am hoping our grandkids think my "paintings" are worth having some day.

Well,  Gary just went out on the deck with a pop -- so I am going to join him.  We have JDC tonight at 6:00.  We have about 9 kids right now.  They were a little restless Sunday evening --- so we might have to sit in a strategic spot tonight.  We will miss Pastor Mark tonight.   He is celebrating his wife's birthday with her --- taking her out to eat.

God Bless!    Gary and Barb

Dresser mostly finished

We have the dresser in our bedroom --- but technically it is NOT finished.  We want to add some cedar posts on the corners.....and the mirror is not even started.   We are still pondering on how to do the mirror.   We  need to cut the posts - and they will come from a live tree --- so the wood will need drying time..... a couple of months.

                                        

Those drawers are so nice!!!  They are much bigger than the ones we had and they have "self closing" drawer guides.   However, they were (and still are) a puzzle and aggravation to Gary.  The bottom drawer would NOT close nice.....I guess you could say it closed in a wobbly fashion....not smooth like it should.   So he put shims here and shims there and then he took the shims out and then he put in thinner shims and on and on it went.   Nothing would make that drawer close nice.  So in his frustration he put the bottom drawer (the one that didn't work right) into the top drawer slot ...... worked nice...... so then he put the top drawer into the bottom slot --- WORKED NICE!!!   What is going on here?!?!?   Still a puzzle -- but everything works fantastic so who cares --- I don't -- he still wonders on it.

He is out in the shop right now making me a new jewelry box....a cedar jewelry box.  Can't have that ugly paper mache covered thing sitting on  top making things look bad.  So I am in a win win situation  :)  :)  :)

Thank you Lord, for the skills you have given Gary!!!
Barb

Honored to witness a wedding......

On Friday, February 5, we were honored to witness the marriage of Don Schelhaas and Jeanie Battershaw in Rapid City.   It was a fun occasion!!!!





It was kept secret from a lot of people --- so there were many surprised people when they returned to Lakeview but everyone was very happy for these two!!  Both have lost their spouse and so the joy we see in them now is so wonderful.  

Blessings on Don and Jeanie!!!
Gary and Barb

Close of a beautiful day....

We will close this day sharing the beauty that we watched this evening as we sat at supper......Well I guess I should start with the beginning of our day........

 and then the ending........

FANTASTIC!!!! Thank you Lord for the awesome beauty that you allow us to enjoy!!!
Good Night!
Gary and Barb

Something for US

Gary had some red cedar boards that were mostly useless.  They were saved just because there was a little something there that he might be able to use.  So a couple of weeks ago we cut those boards into 2 inch wide pieces --  cutting them  as long  as we could that was good wood.  We then glued them together into a 24 x 75 inch piece.

He wasn't real sure just what it would be used for......might be a top for the neighbors who had asked for a cabinet.   But they wanted it in a bathroom ---- and he was a little concerned about humidity and water and all that ---- might not be the best thing to do with this beautiful piece of wood.

Well --- I had been thinking of a bedroom dresser..... and I would mention it every once in  a while --- kind of "hint - hint".   He finally took the bait.....and we are now a good ways into the dresser. We had the side boards put together ---and yesterday we went to work.

 These are the side panels.....

 Here we have the sides with the back and bottom in place......

This is the body without the top and drawers.....below is the same thing but with a finish on it.  Isn't that the most beautiful of woods!!!!   We plan to cut down some cedars or just some branches that will become the legs of this ---- but it has legs for the time being......

We were going to make the drawers today but that might have been put on hold.  Our neighbor has company from Montana who wants to go pheasant hunting...?????? in a foot and a half of snow???!!!!  Oh well....men will do anything for fun!!     ANYWAY.....I am OK with the wait.  Just seeing what I will be getting is grand!!!  The drawer fronts will be cedar pieces and the top will be made out of the wood that you see on the 1st photo.   I have also dropped a hint that what is left over of the top would be nice for a couple of  bed stands.

So now you see what we do in our spare time.  Winter takes its toll on activities.  Release Time was canceled last week......nasty fog kept us home from the Alcohol Recovery Group last week.......we are hoping that this will be a full week.  We have lots of snow and it's nice to be one of those who actually enjoy the winter season.  I really have no complaints about that white stuff.  I AM looking out of my window right now at a pickup that is a little bit stuck....he'll probably get the tractor over here when he's done feeding cattle and pull it out.    Think I will go outside --- it's so sunny and beautiful.....and it looks like no wind......only cold.
God Bless!
Gary and Barb