Hey all you Hokansons out there. Go check out my blog. Mom

Whose house is this?

This is the lovely home we bought 26 years ago. It was March 1985 when we first came to find it and this picture was taken about February 14, 2011

The workers were really great guys. Notice the hats...it was really cold some of the time.

Siding part way up and you can still see the old brown parts.

They are making progress.

And more progress....

I like the cedar look on the porch. And it must still be Hokanson's (note the mailbox).

Finished product. Now just the foundation for me to paint a new front window and new storms on the sewing room and the garage. It looks really, really good.

Now all we need is spring..

THE SUMMER THAT WAS NOT!

Here it is autumn already and we didn't even have summer. Now, I know what you are thinking: the wonderful Star Valley summers that never came, or didn't last, because of everlasting cold. You might be thinking of snow in June. Maybe you are thinking of company that usually make up a fun summer, and they never came. No it isn't that summer that never came.

Suddenly we had a cool spell! What a wonderful change that was. I love the cold crisp air when I go out in the early mornings for a jog or bike ride. It really feels good. The leaves are turning red and yellow, way faster than I would like. Every day I tell myelf to take a really long look and a really deep breath and pray that it lasts for a very long time....because we all know what follows...

Then I realize why this summer didn't happen. I spent most of it moaning and complaining about the beastly heat. Even at 6 a.m. it was often nearly 80. That makes a morning jog almost miserable. (Okay...MISERABLE) The need to go somwhere involved a hasty dash from the air conditioned house to the air conditioned car to the air conditioned place of busines, etc.

The days were wonderfully long, lots of sunshine, light at 5 a.m. light until 9 p.m. and how much we love that (in Wyoming). So suddenly it is dark at 6 a.m. and dark before 8 p.m. and the heat is gone (well, not this week) and all of a sudden I am seeing fall all around me. I begin to be sad that I didn't take the time to love the summer and it is all my very own fault for seeing the one bad thing about it. Next summer I guess I better spend my days splashing in the pool, drinking ice cold lemonade, working up an awesome tan, and all it takes to have a great summer. And most of all I am going to enjoy it before it is gone.

Now a note. Summer did have that wonderful thing summer is supposed to have COMPANY.
It was great having visitors and fun to be together.

Last night I set out (after it cooled off a bit) for an evening bike ride. It reminded me of Star Valley summers. It was dusk and people were working in their yards, children playing in the street, joggers, walkers, bikers, just one of those wonderful late summer evenings. I took the time to just absorb the great blessings I have. I watched the sun set. Smelled the evening air. Examined houses and trees and flower beds. It was a great evening! Thanks. Thanks. Thanks so much to each of you for the bike. I love, love, love it.

My Creation

This is a purse I made in my sewing room, the one you don't want to see.

My Refuge

Except my sewing room is my refuge, but you don't want to see that...for pictures of that sort see No Time To Shower.

Guess Who?

SPRING?!

Oh, my goodness. I almost cannot believe it. We had a warm spell a few weeks ago and of course the buds just had to start coming. Then the cold hit again and we were freezing. Nevertheless, spring is going to come! I just know it. This morning I noticed that the buds on the trees were just the tiniest bit bigger. At the temple the trees that were totally barren have this tinge of red and the forsythia is trying to burst forth. Wow! Spring is the best time of year. I will take pictures so you people in the northlands can have a taste of the exquisite beauty we enjoy every spring. Have a good day.