Fall colors in Delta Township

This is the street into Willow Woods............

The trail that I walk takes me past these red leafed vines - they are stunning......

Are the poison oak???

This afternoon after biking 8 miles with Leslie - yes, I can still ride a bike - and now considering a springtime purchase....I took a walk in Hunters Orchard - another Delta Township park.

There were a few red trees....but mostly yellow.   Still the reflection in the water was neat to see.

This is another view I see on the walks near my home.........

All over town the color is magnificant this year.........I have to remember to watch the road when I'm driving!!!!!!!!

No more Dishmaster....sob!!!

We have had a dishmaster in our kitchen almost all our married life.   Kuhlmans' have had them long before that.   The model has changed over the years, and a couple years ago they outsourced the manufacturing to China - with  a less than satisfactory product.   This one had developed a leak that could not be fixed.  A dishmaster has a soap reservoir that came out the brush handle when you pushed the little red button - making dishwashing those few items a very easy task.

This is the new faucet.   Pull down nozzle that sprays and a little soap dispensor on the side.    I will be experimenting with various brush/soap units to wash those few items that need hand attention - or washing before the next time we run the dishwasher. 

During the recent Olympics, I pieced these 4 blocks then appliqued them to the background, added sashing, etc.   Next comes a peaky triangle border - maybe just top and bottom  - will determine that as I work.   They are cute little pieces that make great hand work.  I don't plan most of my quilts until working on them.

This is a major applique project.   I keep adding.........

and adding........

I'm not sure if it will get another border or not..........a work in progress!!!!

I really need to get busy sewing halloween costumes......

I now have all the fabric...and that is a start!!

Capitol City River Run - 1/2 Marathon

This morning was the Capitol City River Run.   This is the third year I have done the hometown 1/2 marathon.  This is Lori and I before the race.   It was kinda cool and the long sleeves were good.  Lori was a pacer - all the pacers were in costume.

The scenery cannot begin to compare with Spearfish Canyon.   There was water - the Grand River - but it was kinda dirty and at times smelled really bad  (like dead animal).    The noise of the freeway on the other side of the riverwalk kinda spoiled the ambience.

I started just behind the 13 minute mile pacers, passed them about half way thru the race, and just kept going and going and going and going.............was glad to see the finish line.
I have a PR - 2:49 and was first in my age group - something I did not expect at all!!!   So now I have my medal and a hoodie!!!

Labor Day at the Lake

The Kuhlman family gets together once a year - a day at the Lake.    It means tubing for the children!!!!

They look forward to this each year.

All the Kuhlman "Greats" - in 1 place, looking at the camera and still!!!!!

Eddie and Katie took all the kids out fishing at dusk.   Piper was the only one to catch a fish!!!

Dark means campfire - and that means s'mores!!!!!

Each year I have taken pictues of the children in a little chair.   We now have a new chair, but still get the pictures to record growth.

Andrew and Allison can sit in this chair.....

Alexander is just TOO BIG!!!    So I got him on the back deck.

School has started in Ohio - a couple weeks ago.   Alexander is a freshman in high school and enjoying cross country.   Allison is in 6th grade and Andrew in first.........with a first loose tooth!!!!!

While the children were here, we talked about Halloween costumes.   Each year I make what they want - and I have some sewing to do now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   First, fabric shopping.....  I wouldn't do this if I didn't enjoy it.    
I'll get a little quilting done, too.

Leading Ladies - Spearfish, South Dakota

Here we are - me, Lori, Janet and Leslie.   Heading to the Leading Ladies Marathon and 1/2 Marathon (for me).  All our stuff in the little car!!!

We stayed at the KOA KamperKabin in Albert Lea, MN the first night.

Early the next morning, after getting gas, we met up with the Jolly Green Giant - and were interviewed for local radio.

After crossing into South Dakota we spent very little time using the rest stops - IN AND OUT!!!!

We stopped to see Mt Rushmore before checking into the KOA in Spearfish.

After picking up our race packet on Saturday, we drove the race route - the scenic highway in the Spearfish canyon.  

Such beautiful scenery!!

Our alarms went off at 3AM and here we are waiting for the bus to take us up the canyon to the start of the race.

This is early in the race - it started at 6am.  It's ALL downhill.

And further along in the canyon.    I took lots of pictures along the way.

SURPRISE!!!!!    At the end of the race, who should I spy but my brother and his wife who life in Wyoming.   And their dogs!!

Leslie and I at the end of the race.....love that dress!!!

The car had been giving us problems and we ended up spending most of the day at the Nisson dealer in Rapid City.    Here we are transferring our stuff to a rental car so we could head home.   Lori will have to drive that back to Rapid City and get hers.

My race t-shirt and medal.

This is the first destination race that I have done.    It was a real adventure -   things I haven't mentioned above -  mooned in Minn, corny Corn Palace stop (what a tourist trap!), lost on logging road finding the race course, tire picks up hex head screw,  car trouble, flying carmel sauce, hotel stop at 2:30am, LONG last day drive home...........

I am thinking about doing more destination 1/2 marathons...........yes, really I am!!!!!!!!!!!!

For a really good version of our adventure you need to read Lori's blog - http://througharunninglens.blogspot.com      She is a writer and tells a much more detailed version of the adventure - and will be doing it in more than 1 post.

Special Visit

We had a visit from Ashley this weekend.   It was wonderful to spend a little time with her.   The children are with their father, so this was totally adult time!!!!!!!

She came late Friday.   Saturday she and I were going walking - but we ended up at the Mall because of rain.    She met a friend for lunch and Grandma K came for dinner on Saturday and then Ashley spent the rest of the evening studying.   She is almost done with her MBA - and we are so proud of her.


Sunday morning we played golf - got in 13 holes before time was up and she needed to head back to Ohio.   She stopped at Burcham to see my folks on her way out of town - she had some MSU stickers to put on my dads' new walker!!!!!!!!!!

Time together with family is priceless.   

Sewing Machine Table

Last Saturday morning when I was out walking I spied a white table in a garage sale.    It looked like a sewing machine table - but was covered with tools.     After showering, I went back to look - yep...a Koala table.   Only $25!!!    SOLD!!   I was offerred a very large and many compartmentalized tool belt - the man said it was perfect for all the rotary cutters, rulers, etc that he was sure I  had.   I respectfully declined the belt, and arranged to get the table on Monday - today.


So this is the old cabinet - purchased in Lynnwood, Washington at Zielsdorf's Sewing Center with my first paycheck from teaching.
I loved my Elna - and used it for many years.
  The cabinet is solid maple, drawers for storage, and has served me very well.    It has housed the Elna and 3 different Pfaffs!!!      
For the  last Pfaff it  had to have major adjustments - the machine head just fit in the enlarged opening and the top drawer was sacrificed to make room for the cords!!!  
 

This is the new set-up.............I need to get more drawers to house the threads, bobbins, pens, pencils, scissors, etc that were in the drawers of the first cabinet.

I have spent time this afternoon going thru some stuff - have a large bag to take for the "free" table at quilt guild.....and a large bag of trash.     Much more needs to be done........in due time.