Wow! What A BARN!

Good Morning!  I haven't disappeared....I have just been out of town.  First, we had a weekend Barrel Race, then off to Iowa with my oldest daughter, then to Hot Springs.  Now, I am home and I've been weeding the gardens.  A lot of grass can grow in 10 days!

I have never been to Iowa, so I was excited that my daughter, Megan, asked me to attend a family event with her new company, Stine Seed.  She took a sales position about a month ago and will be selling corn and soybean seed to farmers in KY.  I am really excited for her!

We drove all day on Monday......10 hours.  Stine put some of us in the Prairie Meadows Hotel.  There were Lounges, Restaurants, a Casino and a Horse Race Track.  Yes, I was excited!  Anyone that reads my blog, has seen my post about the Oaklawn Race Track in Hot Springs, AR. And, other employees that brought children were just down the street in a hotel next to a Water/Amusement park and were given wristbands for the park.  What a concept! Yes, someone gave thought to that one!

In the Lobby!  I want one!

Monday night, we attended a banquet to recognize employee accomplishments.  On Tues, the sales team went to the Farm and the guest got a free day.  But, then that evening is when we went to the barn for dinner, dancing and games.  Oh my, this barn is to die for!  I am sorry that the pictures do not do justice, because I took them on my phone.

Love this table!

I'll take those stools, Please!

Can you say cute!

Yes, it is Fabulous!

Close up of a wall!

Upstairs Bedroom!

Food, yes they kept us fed. In the barn hallway.

A stall front.

The grounds

This is the Barn!

Megan and I in front of a fountain!

Wednesday they had a half day of meetings, but that night....the track!

We did bet on some ponies!  No luck, close, but not close enough!  It was great entertainment and I don't bet big money, so nothing to be sad about.

The Paddock

Prairie Meadows Track

I had a great time, met a great group of people, learned about the company, Stine Seed, and their product.  I am really excited for her!

Photo Boards

Have you seen the cute fabric covered photos boards? They didn't have the color that you wanted?  Simple!  Make one.  We have several in the house.  My Youngest daughter is going to college in the fall and asked if I would make a new one for her dorm room.  Instant Blog Material!

 This is the one in her room now. You can't even see the fabric, but it is Red Bandanna.  I told her see should pull a few things off, but she said she liked everything on there.

Western Fabric with barrel racing photos and the Barn (Before)

The new ONE!

                 If you would like to make one, this is how I did it. 

What you will need: I used a 23" x 35" Cork Board, a favorite fabric- 1 Yard, ribbon (2 rolls at least) Cotton backing, Upholstry brads and a Staple gun.

1. Iron your fabric to get any wrinkles out
2. Lay your cotton backing out on a flat surface, cut to size of board allowing enough to staple to the back of the board.  The cotton backing gives it some fluff, and I think makes the edges look better with your fabric. Lay the board face down on cotton and staple as you go around the board, making sure to keep the cotton snug.

Staple to  back of board onto wood frame

 Next attach fabric.  I cut enough to allow turning fabric over then over again to attach.  Then there no fraying edges.  Make sure that if you have a pattern like this one that you square board up to the design.

If you doing a stripe say, You don't want it going uphill/downhill.

Ok, I know all the ribbon is on here, but of course I didn't take enough pictures.  The first ribbon that I put on are the 2 center ones.  The ones where the center picture is located.  They are stapled (yes more) to the back of the board.  About 3 1/2" down from the corner, measuring from the front, not where it will land on the back.  DO ALL the ribbon going in one direction First, then the ribbon going in the other direction. Start in the middle again...

Then you work your way to the corners.  Measure 4" between ribbon.  I used a couple a straight pens to help hold my ribbon, because you have to flip the board to staple,  Pull ribbon taunt, but not overly tight.

Ribbon looks pretty symmetrical.

Then, add the brads.  You can just push them thru ribbon, fabric right into cork board.  It adds to the looks and makes the ribbon tight for holding your pictures.

Your Done! Expect for hanging and adding memories..........If you are not clear on my muddy instructions, just ask.  No question is Dumb.  When, we get it into the Dorm room.  I will update with a picture.  I foresee lots of blogging material.  LOL!

Not Your Normal Fishing Story!

I hope all has been well with you and that God blessed you with some rain! We spent most of the week over in Arkansas at our second home. So, I have been unplugged!  Sometimes, I think that is a good thing.  I don't have a Smart phone yet.... and No internet at our second home. 

Of course, I had one project that I worked on, but I forgot my camera!  We had a busy weekend, out on the lake, out to dinner, and the Gary Allen concert (OMy was he good!) at Magic Springs.  We had a lot of fun!

But, each trip is not complete without at least one trip down to the pond for a little fishing.  My girlfriend, Susan had come over for the weekend.  She is always talking about that she wants to go fishing. I was thinking she was a real fisherman.  I've seen pictures of the fish that she caught with her friend Richard. First, she wasn't sure about the rod & reel.  She said they always fished with a cane pole. My husband gave her a lesson on how use a rod & reel. I was watching her bobber and mine. I had already caught a catfish and a brim. I was beginning to wonder if she was going to catch a fish, when she finally caught a brim.  I really wanted her to catch one of the big Cats in our pond.  After some much to do, she got her hook back in the water. She had yanked on it a couple of times.  I was starting to wonder if she had any worm left.....on her hook.......Finally she says, "I'm not sure if anything is on there or not."  My husband told her to reel it in and check.  He then says, "Yeah, I think something is on there."..............NOW Wait!

             2 Fish on 1 Hook!  No this is not a Fishing Story....... We got pictures!

I guess she is a fisherman!

Now, I hope she is not MAD at me for using her to have material to write about on my Blog.....I Love You Susan, like a Sister!

Garden - The changing of Colors!

How many of you have had bushes/plants change colors?  What about plants that were planted at the same time....one does awesome the other one grows slow?  Yes, I know it is the dirt, but still very interesting.  Sometimes the plants are right next to each other....

This is a Chaste Tree and it produces tons of babies every year.  I have given away trees and transplanted trees.  I thought that Purple was the color .......Until, I saw the blooms on this one, which is White.  So, what do you do in modern times, Google it!  They do actually come in Blue/Purple, Pink & White.  So, is it the dirt? The article said to pick one blooming so you know what color you are getting.  Which makes it sound like they really do come different colors and it doesn't have anything to do with the acidity or whatever with the dirt.  So, How did I get a White one from the Purple one?   There are some other interesting reads on Chaste Tree, here is one  http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/vitex.html

This is a Hibiscus.  I bought the Red one and now I have a White one.  I know that White is the original color.  They can be seen growing wild.  I have had many more come up from seed.  Some I have given away and some I have transplanted.  As far as I know....all of them produced Red flowers.  So, why do I have a White one?

 Crepe Myrtles....The White one is the First one I planted and I have another Large White one around back. I have gotten alot of seedlings from each.  The Pink one came from one of the White ones.

 Both of these trees were planted at the same time.  The Large one on the Left is planted in front of the barn. It is twice as large and is actually being supported at this time.  All the rain we had this spring had caused it to start leaning.  The one on the Right, is planted at the back of the barn.  I know why it  isn't as large....Lots of gravel back here.  I almost Never got a hole dug for it.  It took days....dig a little, put water in the hole, dig more, more water.  I probably needed a bigger hole.  It was bigger than root ball, but should have been bigger.

 
Planted at the same time in front of the barn....One is on the left corner, the other on the right.  The one pictured on the Right is Twice as tall as the other.

The Fig Bush, the picture on the Left is from earlier this year. That is about the size that it has been every year.  Fig tree gone wild.  The picture on the Right was taken yesterday and now it is taller that the Peach tree and it is loaded with figs.

Cont....Finishing that Retaining Wall!

In my last post, I showed the unfinished Retaining wall.....I had ran out of blocks and low and behold, there were none in Hot Springs, AR that matched.  I brought one home with me and Ta Da, Walmart had ones that match.  They are not quite as deep....Who would think that the size would be changed.  I guess like everything else, the difference in a cup of concrete makes their bottom line larger.

This is where I left off....short on blocks and mulch

The new blocks added. Maybe some sod in the fall....

 My husband thought I should just run the drain line over the top....I said, "NO, I going for a more professional look."  It took me like 30 mins to get the one block done that is sitting on top of the drain line. Now, I hoping it doesn't wash out when it rains.  Time will tell. I will evidently cover the drain line with mulch.

 I added more mulch/manure and plants.  And, We watered like crazy.....The water works (rain) has turned off and the bushes are stressed.  Fingers crossed, I don't want to lose any of my $2 bushes that would cost me more than that to replace.

All the plants in this bed are doing well.

My side kick!

 This is a Chaste Tree.  I have one at the house, that produces a ton of seedlings.  I have given away trees and planted more at the TN house and some a long a back fence at this house.  They are beautiful!  See the purple blooms....The bees and butterflies love them.  They grow fast and get to the size of around 25' x 25'.   This is planted here to provide some afternoon shade for the deck.  It will be a few years.  This is June 2013, check back for another picture next year.  Or you can check out the Barnominium.  I have a picture on there of what this tree will do in 5 years.

 The back of the deck.  I brought the Hibiscus over this trip and it bloomed out. Yes!  Fall project, the DECK.....It needs cleaning, stained and I think I will paint the lattice a tan color.  What do you think?