Along The Side Roads

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The First Few Days Of Home Ownership

The month from September 16th to October 16th seemed like a year.  It was on 9-16-13 that the offer was accepted on "the property on Little McDonald" and closing was set for 30 days in the future.  To say they were interesting days would be an understatement.  Between an owner who was "going through some stuff" and a realtor like we have never encountered, we never knew what was going to happen next.  We filled our day by looking for flooring and looking for furniture and looking at paint samples and looking in thrift stores and looking and looking and looking. 

AND on October 16th, we signed the papers and became home owners once again.  That night, we watched sunset... or rather reverse sunset since the property faces east.

These pictures were taken from the dock.





The motorhome will continue to be our home in the winter down south and here in the driveway while we do some remodeling and renovating.


Love the views from the house!



The next morning, Mike gets me out of bed at 6:30.  He says, "Gonna be a great sunrise - get up and see this!"  And so I got up and it only took one look out the window for me to grab my camera and start shooting...


The sky changed every time I looked and the water and reflections only made it more dramatic.


Looking directly east...

  
and then northeast...





and soon the front yard basked in morning light.


I'm going to like having these mosquito eaters around.



Sunrise!





I think I am going to like mornings when we are at our Minnesota Home.


During the day we watched the geese landing and taking off and just plain enjoying our little bay.



And last night, I watched the moon rise over the lake - not good to photograph but beautiful to see.


Today, after church, Mike and I tackled the job of taking out the docks and lifts.  Of course, the day we needed to get this done had a high temperature of 38 degrees and snow on the ground until noon.




But, we got it done and even had time to watch the eagles who love the tree across the bay.


Oh yes, I definitely think we are going to like this place.  Heck, I already love doing laundry without quarters!!!

Tomorrow, the plumbers come to do the winterizing and on Tuesday we take off for the south.  Looking forward to seeing all of our friends in Arizona and already looking forward to Minnesota in the Spring.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Bigger Than Life

One of my favorite turkeys is visiting this weekend
 

and he brought along his looney wife.... she and I play well together!
 

We visited Phelps Mill and viewed the Ottertail River from the upper levels.



Caught sight of some old wagon wheels


and a jail just for Lizzy!


We are in Ottertail county, you know...


where feet are big,
 

 
visitors are welcome,



and things are bigger than life!



 
An astronaut calls Vining, Minnesota home.
 


 
Karen Nyberg's dad is the one who designed and made all of these Bigger Than Life works of art.
 


This is my favorite sculpture - that's the jeep in the background.
 


 
Anyone want a cup of coffee?