Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Merry Christmas a little early

Justin and Stacy were home on the 1st of December. While they were here, Chris, my sister came and we celebrated with them. They were here for several days and then went to Pennsylvania to spend several days with Stacy's family. They came back home and then Rachel and I took them to Syracuse to fly out on Wednesday the 14th to go back to California. We were so glad to have them here. While they were here we took the opportunity to get a few group pictures. The time flew by so quickly, but it was a good time. Here is a link to the pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/111472392053516289027/JustinAndStacyWereHome##

There was a mouse in our house!

Last night we returned home from our Brushton Camp Meeting meeting and it was late. I checked my papers and facebook and blogs and decided I was very tired and headed for bed. I had just crawled in bed, decided to read a few pages of a book to relax myself. I picked up the book and underneath it was a bug, a stinkbug to be specific. I got up and grabbed a tissue, scooped up the bug and headed into the bathroom to flush it down the toilet. I lifted the seat on the toilet and jumped back startled. There was a mouse in the toilet. I am hoping this was the mouse that we have been trying to catch over the last three weeks, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, it took three flushes to get rid of the little mouse. What a way to end the day! (Forgot to take any pictures!)

Carpentry job at the parsonage.

This week I took a few vacation days and my sister did too. She came and we worked at the church parsonage while the pastor and his family were away. We did casings for two doors and three windows, molding for three doors, one door way (both sides) and three windows. We are also putting wainscoting in the dining room with a cap molding on that. Here is a link to see the work that we have done so far. https://picasaweb.google.com/111472392053516289027/CarpentryJobOnTheParsonage#

Busy day!

No pictures today, but I had a very busy and productive day. After I took Rachel to school, Jeffrey came over and we had eggs and scrapple for breakfast before he had to go to work. Then after he left, I quickly checked email, FB, and a few headlines before heading out to do errands. I left the house, went to the DMV, the post office, the bank, the oil company, and then to Home Depot. I got some of that spray insulation so I could fill some holes where the mice are getting in. I then ran to WM and picked up some D-con to get rid of the mice. Then came home to start working. It all started Sunday night when Jeffrey was here and opened the pantry door and a mouse scurried past his hand. We proceeded to empty the pantry looking for the mouse. There were two large containers of almost everything that was in the pantry sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. We just carefully walked around them for a few days. So today, I scrubbed the pantry out, and the sealed all of the holes and cracks where a mouse could get in, then proceeded to put most of the stuff back in the pantry. I did throw away some very old stuff. Then I cleaned out the bottom of the pantry where we had canning supplies and pots and pans and roaster and such. I also sealed all of the holes there. Got that all cleaned up and then got into the space where the water heater is and closed all of the holes there. Hopefully, I won't see or hear of anymore mice. The D-con went under the house in the crawl space and I sealed any holes I could see to prevent any critters from getting under the house. I did buy some old fashioned traps and am going to set some of those just in case there are some dumb critters still in the house hiding. After I did all of that, the house cleaner (Tiffany) came so I retreated to the bedroom and finished folding and putting away the laundry and stripped the sheets off of the bed and made the bed with nice clean sheets. It was finally time to go get Rachel at school at about 6 pm. (She stayed late to do some work) Got home and fixed chicken noodle soup for supper and now just trying to relax!

Scenes from around the house outside

This is from my hibiscus that is on the front porch full of buds.
The apple tree in the front yard. I have made one pie from the apples and may do more! It was very good.

Looking from the front yard to the back, about in the middle is where the large ash tree was.

Just some of the sumac in the back yard, it gets very colorful this time of year.

This is from the top of the sand pile looking toward the west, the two maples along the back of the house are gone plus the ash that was at the end of the deck.

From the lower part of the yard, the maple that was in the middle of the yard is missing plus a smaller ash tree just by the shed (you can see the ash started sprouting again).

Taken looking west again.

This was taken from the back door. It is amazing that the back yard is at least as big as the front if not bigger.

Trip to Burlington Vermont

Rachel and I went to Burlington on the eve of the 12th for my appointment of the 13th. It was a nice ride over and we took the ferry and got a roundtrip ticket. On our way back on Tuesday, bad weather was moving in and it was a real rocking and reeling trip on the ferry. Here are a few of the pictures of the whitecaps.

Our trip to California

Sorry it has been so long, but the summer just seemed to fly by so fast. In July, besides working, I was playing lumberjack and cut down several trees in our back yard so that there would be more sun for the pool. In August, Rachel and I cooked again at the Richland Holiness Camp, in Richland, NY for ten days. We came home and I worked for three days and then we took off for the west coast to see Justin and Stacy in Yuba City, CA. Here is the link so that you can see the pictures that I took https://picasaweb.google.com/111472392053516289027/CaliforniaTrip##

Just a nice day to sit out on the porch

This is a propane fire pit I had gotten for my birthday one year. We decided to try it out while we were out on the porch one night. It is nice.
Jordan discovered that caterpillars wouldn't hurt him.

He learned to be very gentle with them.

Jordan in the hospital

Over the weekend of June 11, Jordan was in the hospital with pneumonia in both lungs. He was a very sick little boy. Here is a link to the pictures of him and his new bike.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jmccallus/JordanInTheHospital?authkey=Gv1sRgCJvF9Y3J4rXQlQE#

Father's Day 2011

This is one of the things that got accomplished this past week. Our other pool had a hole in the ring around the top, so we upgraded a little and installed this pool this week. It is great for just cooling off and getting wet.

Jeffrey, Tina, and Jordan got me this beautiful Orchid for Father's Day. They know I love plants and flowers and I think it is beautiful. Thanks again.

Close up shot of the flowers!

We had a very enjoyable day today. It was not only Father's Day, but it was also Jeffrey, Jr.'s birthday. Most every year it is during our annual Brushton Campmeeting and we don't get to celebrate on his birthday. This year camp is late and so Friday night, my sister arrived and we went out for his birthday supper. Then we had them for dinner today for his birthday and to visit while Chris was still here. Rachel fixed a delicious pot roast dinner with carrots, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, and fruit salad. We had scratch chocolate cake with imitation whipped cream frosting. It was very good to get a call from Justin today and to talk a while with him. He then got to wish Jeffrey a happy birthday also. It was just a beautiful day full of beautiful things.

Jeffrey's Graduation at SUNY Canton

On Saturday, May 21st, Jeffrey Jr. graduated with an associate degree in nursing. He was part of the RN program and will now be able to take the state boards to become an RN. Here is a link to the photos of graduation, the pinning ceremony, and then the party afterwards.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jmccallus/JeffreySGraduation?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfIm7CCu76LgAE#

We are very proud of him and all of his hard work to accomplish this goal in his life. We are also proud of Tina and Jordan and all they had to put up with to help him reach this goal.

Some new friends!

This week we have been having some new guests at our bird feeder. There are four male and at least one female red breasted grosbeaks that are here. They are a very beautiful bird. Here is a link to my web album and some of the pictures I was able to capture. I haven't gotten any of the female yet, but when I do I will add them. https://picasaweb.google.com/jmccallus/OurFineFeatheredFriends?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCfzZCfnLCwoQE#

Guess who moved out?

I guess you could say we are now suffering from empty nest syndrome. The robins that built the nest over our back porch light, had an egg in it, have seemingly moved on. I found part of the egg shell on the porch, so either something got it or they hatched and moved. I don't really know, and I don't really care.

Guess whose house this is? Of course it is right above the porch light on the back of the house, just above my gas grill. I wonder what the grill will look like when I get back from my trip to Utica?

These are the flowers that the boys got their mother for Mother's Day. The ones on the left are from Jeffrey and Tina, the rose bush on the right is from Justin and Stacy.

I got these hydrangea bushes for Rachel for being the mother of our children. She is a very special lady and has been a loving mother to our two boys and now their wives also.

More of the hydrangeas

A real close-up!

Happy Easter everyone!

Here are some lovely pictures of Jeffrey, Tina, and Jordan in their Easter outfits. Jordan didn't really want to be dressed up, but he was persuaded to wear dress clothes for just a little longer!

This was a "go away and leave me alone" action!

Coloring Easter Eggs!

Tina and Jordan preparing the colorings for the eggs!

Nanny helping Jordan put the eggs in the different colors! Easy does it!

Carefully, carefully, so we don't splash!

Daddy came to join in the fun.

Look at that one with an "X" on it.

Finished product!

A multi-colored one on the left side.

Putting on the stickers

Jordan saying, "I love my egg".

It's been two years!

It has been two years since my amarylis has bloomed. I have patiently waited and watered and treated it right and it finally paid off. Last year it got leaves on it, but no flowers.

It gets very top heavy and doesn't take long before it is bowed under the weight of the flowers.