Skywatch Friday

I've probably posted this picture before, but recently saw it in one of my folders. I've taken a lot of pictures of Devil's Tower, but this is my all time favorite because of the clouds and the way the sun peeks through to highlight a patch of green.

Happy Friday!

Linking to Skywatch

Thankful Thursday - Hubs

While thinking of what I'm thankful for today, Hubs suggested I choose him. Sounded like a good idea to me. These are a few of his many faces. 

Here he is enjoying a warm day on the deck ... 

                     

... and responding to my prompt for him to smile ... 

... and finally, in quiet contemplation.

I am truly thankful he's I'm my life. He's a keeper.

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Wordless Wednesday - Turtles

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

 

Tuesday Treasure - Quilt & Cocoa

While looking through pictures, found this nice memory.

This is Granddaughter's drawing of a quilt she wanted to make, and she says I will help her. I would love to, but after college, she moved away. I sure miss her.

I recently saw a few colorful leaves, which reminded me winter will be here before we know it. So printed off this Hot Cocoa recipe from back in the 1970s. Daughter typed it and has it in her recipe folder. It fills a large container and lasted most of the cold days. Nothing better than hot cocoa on a cold winter night. Think I'll make a batch this year.

 Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Monday Musings - Hats

Note: I had this post ready yesterday, but forgot to publish it. :)

Today is National Felt Hat Day. So while researching hats, I discovered that the phrase "mad as a hatter" comes from the use of mercury nitrate in haberdasheries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Over time, daily exposure to this metal caused these tradesmen to develop dementia, tics, and other symptoms. These unusual side effects caused people to believe their hatters had gone mad. Thus the phrase.

I lived most of my life in Texas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. There, I saw lots of men wearing hats. Now that I've moved to Illinois, I miss seeing them. So here are some of the hats from over the years.

First, this is a picture of my dad acting silly at my aunt and uncle's house back in 1969. They were huge Gunsmoke and Paladin fans. Every Saturday night they were in front of the television.

Hubs always wears a hat or a cap. He lived in ranch country Texas and then in Oklahoma, among other places, and was a horse owner. This is a felt hat his friend in Noble, Oklahoma made for him. The color is called silver belly. This picture was taken at The Bumpin Buffalo in Hill City, SD. Can you tell it was raining that day. 

This is another hat Fred made. This picture was taken on our way to Devel's Tower.

Hubs had Fred make a hat for me, too. They have our names inside.

One very hot day while vacationing in Buffalo, Wyoming, I bought this hat to keep the sun off my face. Since these are worn in the summer, it isn't felt, it is straw. When we got home, I added a colorful hat band. It looks plain without one.

This is Hubs riding Bonnie. 

This is granddaughter wearing a straw hat. It looks like she might toss it up in the air.

Then, there is the old reliable stocking cap. This is my prized photo of Toby Keith at Remington Park. He had a horse in the race that night. Note he's holding a red solo cup. 

Now that we live in Illinois, I never get to see cowboy hats. Plus, I never wear mine. People stare. There are a lot of things I miss about Texas and Oklahoma, but most of all it's seeing cowboys in hats. Guess I'll trade my felt hat for a stocking cap. They're warmer anyway.

Sunday Best - Buffalo

When I first saw this guy, I thought I must have traveled out west. Not sure what this buffalo was doing outside of The Shoppes of Grand Prairie in Illinois, but I happily took his picture. 

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The Barn Collective

Happy to see this barn in the process of being repainted. I'm always excited to see them taken care of instead of allowed to collapse. No traffic, so I managed to stop in the middle of a normally busy road to get this pic. Lucky me it wasn't rush hour.

Linking to The Barn Collective

Saturday Critters - Cows and Deer

Resting in the cool grass.

In the shadows.

Behind you!

 Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - K

 This week's assignment: Starts with K, Favorite, and Kind.

Starts with K: This is Sonny Boy's KITCHEN. The lighting changes colors, but this is my favorite.

Favorite: This picture has two of my favorites, Grandson #4 and a stray KITTEN he wanted to take home. Of course, it wasn't really a stray, it belonged to a neighbor.

                      

Kind: And this is Grandson #4 again, being KIND to Findley who wanted to play. Then Grandson #1 was KIND enough to volunteer to pick Grandma's peaches high up in the tree.

It was only a sunny smile,

and little it cost 

in the giving,

but like morning light

it scattered the night

and made the day

worth living.

~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Linking to Weekend Roundup

Skywatch Friday

Over the Illinois River

Linking to Skywatch