HOBBY HILL SEAMSTRESS

RENEW ENERY SYSTEMS
This is the business that prompted the move to Minnesota. We are very excited & happy to see the big strides they are make to get their first portable unit up & running.
This week & next we are working on sewing orders, canning tomatoes, doing Dr. visits, etc. Then on the 26th, we are again hooking onto the camper & heading for Arkansas to visit with Wendy & Bubba. We are very anxious to see what is going on in their world. 'til later....Love to all, Bertha
Gorgeous Fall Leaves !

Nice Catch !
Piliated Woodpecker
Large Wasp Nest
These are a few of the neat things we saw when we visited our daughter & son-in-law in Emily , MN. We were there from October 1 - October 10. Had a great time, caught a few fish, met their nice neighbors and had a chance to get more acquaited with one of Brad's partners, Dan Freeman. A brilliant man ! There seems to be nothing he doesn't know or hasn't done. He and Sherwin hit it off from the start.

Hobby Hill Seamstress

What a gorgeous evening by the lake....now, this is what retirement is all about !!




This "bus" was parked next to us at Beed's Lake this past week. Beautiful, but I sure wouldn't want to drive it around. Lot's of big campers ....I think people are staying closer to home this year.
This is what we spent the last couple days working at. Besides doing Angel Food Distribution.
Now, this week we will be going a different direction. Our daughter & son-in-law in Minnesota need some "help". Of course, we will be taking along the fishing gear. (Just in case we find extra time on our hands). :-) Wendy, we haven't forgotten your invitation either. Don't give up on us yet. Dad got rid of the dogs, so we can get away much easier. 'til later......... Bertha

HOBBY HILL SEAMSTRESS

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING !
The sun is shining, it's fresh & cool.......this is my favorite time of the year. I just wish it could last for about three months , have a White Christmas, and then back to this again !!!!
I don't ask for much. :-) We really should be camping now....if I could just clear the calendar a bit. Yesterday was spent doing laundry & working on Angel Food paper work, getting ready for the next distribution day. A record number of orders again...Hurray ! It's really starting to catch on. It's a good thing, helping people.
Last week we spent a couple days with siblings, starting to plan our trip to Alaska ! Now that is something to keep us excited about life. Along with this, we have new dedication to loosing weight again......why don't we ever get smart enough to keep it off ??? But it is already starting to work. Yippee ! Life is good ! Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

Treasures of a Seamstress

I had never seen anything like these music boxes. Auctions can be costly ! But how could a seamstress go home without these ? I wasn't as lucky as Wendy . She found some real bargains ! But we did have a lot of fun. Bubba wanted yet another "new experience" for him. I think he's hooked !!!!
Tonight we went to a Welcome Home party for some "flood victims". They just got back into their own house , after many weeks of living with family. I'm sure it's a happy time for all.
We keep looking at the calendar for a time when we can get away with the camper, but it's just not happening yet. Hopefully, soon. Maybe we'll have a nice long Fall.........Sherwin can just hear those fish calling him.
Garden produce is coming on strong. Have had quite a few summer squash & canned a few tomatoes yesterday. If the weather holds, there will be lots of them.
Nothing very exciting going on here, just "busy stuff". 'til later......... Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

This is my little sweetheart, Corky. Very soon, I will need to rely on her & Sherwin to keep me company.
Next week, we are moving Deb & Brad to Emily, MN, which is a good 6 hour drive from here. So we won't be seeing much of them for a while. And probably, about a month or so from now, Wendy & Bubba will be taking off on their journey to see parts of the country, taking Corky's buddie, Mijo. It's going to be awfully quiet around here. Maybe we'll just have to hook up the camper & go somewhere by a lake for a while ! It should be nicer weather by then.
Of course, we both have unfinished projects to get back to. It seems too easy to get side-tracked from them. It's funny how the days fly by & we don't seem to get things done. Guess there's not much else for now. More later. Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

This is one of my dreams..to someday take a ride in a hot air balloon. I think it would be the ultimate rush and at the same time, so quiet & peaceful. This summer has not been a very good one for this kind of ride. So many stormy , windy days. But I'll be patient and it will happen !
Next week, we are planning another camping trip. This time we plan to see the Amanas. It's been many years since we've been there. It should be interesting. Hopefully , the weather will be a bit cooler & drier. I don't do well with humidity.
This weekend is the Smith siblings reunion. That is always fun. And it's our turn to host this year, so Sherwin gets a chance to do one of the things he enjoys most....cooking ! I enjoy it a lot too (his cooking). :-) We are looking forward to seeing those who can make it this year.
Time to get some ZZZZZZZZ's. Bertha

PS. On Thursday night, Deb & Brad joined us for supper to celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary !! That was fun !

Hobby Hill Seamstress

What a glorious week we just had ! Well, it started with a wind & rain storm on Monday night. Branches in the yard & 2.2" of rain. Then on Tuesday, we hooked on to the camper & headed for Beeds Lake near Hampton, Ia. We dropped off the camper and our "mighty watchdog" & headed for Goldfield to visit some relatives we don't get to see much. Then back to the camper & Corky. On Wednesday, Wendy, Bubba & Mijo joined us. We spent until Friday afternoon with the guys fishing a bit while Wendy & I relaxed & crocheted. It was GREAT !!
Today, Sunday, we hosted the Hunter family reunion with 53 in attendance ! That's the best we have had in many years. In two weeks, it will be the Smith siblings reunion....Not so many people, but lots of fun. Looking forward to that ! Time to go put my feet up now ! :-) Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

This is the part of a storm we like to see. It was really fantastic that afternoon. Wendy calls it our prayer bubble. We just came home from watching the fire works from Shell Rock. They were awesome, as usual. I've been sewing this past week while Sherwin has been working on the water pump in the camper. We are hoping to take a couple days next week and do some fishing. Before you know it, the summer will be gone & we won't have gone camping all the places we had planned for this year. Of course, one of the main places we hope to go is "Autumn Oaks". That is the BIG dog show in Indiana. We may or may not take dogs to show, but it is fun to go & see friends we've made over the years . Must get to bed......more later. Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

Our First Camping Trip....
We finally made our Maiden Voyage with the camper ! We went to West Bend to the Grotto. THAT IS AWESOME ! Hard to imagine the hours, weeks, & years spent on building that. Of course, we took Corky with us. She is a very loving little house dog. (part of the family) Wendy & Bubba also went with their RV taking Mijo, their dog along. Both "kids" were extremely well behaved & enjoyed just as we did. For a first outing, things went very well. There will be many more to come. I think the next one will probably include "drowning a few worms". :-) More later......Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

My New Office !
Finally, I'm making some progress on my new office. The most important part of it,(at least to me) is this. And I'm loving it. Can't wait to get the rest of the room done & move on to the bedrooms.
But for this week, we are finally going camping. The weather looks good for a few days & we are taking advantage of it. We may end up at West Bend at the Grotto (roads permitting). If not, we'll find a nice dry campground between here & there. Will take our fishing poles, just in case. :-)
Everyone have a great week & keep praying for all the people who are suffering from the floods & storms. Bertha

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE !!!!!!
This is just a very small sample of how it is in Iowa right now. We took a long ride yesterday & everywhere we went, we found roads covered, to put it lightly, blocked etc. People everywhere are scrambling to get themselves & their belongings to safety. We even found out that some of our very good friends in Clarksville lost their house. It is completely under water. We have NEVER seen water this high & we both grew up in this area.
To add insult to injury, the forcast is for more heavy rain & severe weather the next 3 days. But this morning, it is sunny & cool....so we'll just take it day by day, hour by hour.
They say," If He brings you to it, He will see you through it". So we'll hang on to that and move on. Luckily, we live on a hill, so we try to concentrate on helping others however we can. Love to all & KEEP THE FAITH ! Bertha

Puppy Love...
This past week we have enjoyed visits from some of our great-grandkids. They all seem to love the dogs, Corky & Mijo.
Last night,again, we were awakened by a storm in the middle of the night. We are really getting tired of that. Poor Corky is petrified of storms...some of us humans as well.
Today I sewed a small order while Sherwin worked on pulling weeds from the asparagas bed, Bubba worked on my computer(it's been very stubborn lately). In the middle of the afternoon, Sherwin discovered our frig was not working, so he & Wendy unloaded it into their frig, the camper frig, and a small apartment sized one. What next ?? At least, we should be able to sleep through the night..no storms tonight.
Oh,well, tomorrow is another day. Hopefully it will be better. Bertha

Hobby Hill Seamstress

More Rain !
Woke up to thunder & lightning again this morning. We just can't seem to break the spell. It really makes the grass grow. The guys mowed again today. It always looks so nice (like there actually is someone living here.)
We went to Sam's today & got some supplies again. Between the two households, we managed to fill the van pretty well with groceries, etc.
We still haven't been able to work in any camping...doesn't look good for any time this week either, with all the forcasted rain.
Maybe that will give me more time to work on my "spring cleaning-room rearranging" project. There is a very long way to go on that yet.
Will write more later.
Bertha

Beginning !

This is the first time for me to blog. I enjoy reading others, but am not sure how I will do.
We have had a very busy week with friends & family. It's tiring, but ,oh so fun. If we can get back on track in a couple of days, we hope to get our camper on the road for the first time. Of course, that depends on the weather also.
After the recent storms in our area, we are really looking forward to some still & sunny days. More later-- just checking this out. ha ha

Bertha