Hello this evening of November without snow, but that is all I will say about the white stuff. I've just come home from WWW where we bring to each other (4 0f us) what we have written, since we are Whining Women Writers. Best thing is that if we fail to do it we are in trouble, so we do it. We write. and it is fun. Pretty big stretch from cooking for hunters. The feed back is what I like. I guess it's called editing. Today was a push for me

.

In the past months I've bought some art which tells me about change and progress and green power. One piece hangs at the end of the barn alleyway framed by a Russian window we brought home with us from Moscow in 1977. The Chinese artist painted his play ground as a child in his village in China. The scene is his alleyway lined with very very old houses featuring crumbling corbels, dark corners and a wondrous ice blue sky persuading you that just behind that row is a yellow sun. The reason I needed to have it is the electric lines cutting across at an angle toward ancient insulators across and higher than anyone walking or riding his bike along that narrow path/road would find as a nuisance.

I wondered if that change was one or two generations ago. And how did that power represented, change the lives in that alleyway.

Enough already. This paragraph lets you think about the possible subject of what I wrote, and read today at WWW.

Hunters are finished. Many happy guys left with their treasured deer pheasant or duck. And full stomachs from the table scape.

come back for the rest of the story...til then...JoAnne

Here I am with the weeks behind me which I had such great hopes for as far as getting into starting the plan for next year's schedule...meaning this is now October 14...and my brain works overtime with not a jot or tittle down on paper...

This winter will be serious business for 2012 starting in May and going until September 1 when hunting will probably get busy...

At this point I have had good luck with hunters enjoying the barn bunk rooms as well as having a few meals out in the "area for conferencing"...plus finding out how the kitchen works when we eat the birds and deer at suppertime...whenever that happens...and the terrace with grill is handy beyond any early dreams regarding food prep...in the barn...

By the way, you can get a good feeling about how the barn is looking with these few shots we got up on this spot...I have been to the Outer Banks with 9 of my family of near 30...at Kitty Hawk...we own at Duck...Barrier Island Station...but didn't reserve it early enuf to be able to stay there...traded thru RCI for a couple units down the road...but we could still use the sand and sea at our regular place...SO...while there with my computer some grandchild...entered photos for me...oh if I could only become a techy...

And that was 9-17-thru 9-25...with daughter Lisa & her Bjorn...Thomas Vigesaa...daughter Holly's boy...daughter in law Shelley with her Danielle & Kate & Nick & 3yr old Kaj & 5mo old Ona...meaning 4 generations at the... Time Share... Jim and I bought in 1987...felt satisfying to watch the little guy take on the "Wold Spirit" for our special world...son Kevin wasn't able to take a week off since he broke a foot and couldn't work back a couple months ago...so needed to make up for lost time...by staing home and letting Danielle go in his slot...

I walked in my door 7:30 PM Sunday night and greeted hunters the next day at 1:00 PM...seems the story of my life when I turn away from the daily duties during the Fall Hunting Lodge atmosphere...if the work were not so interesting...I'd give a second thought to being so tied down...truth is I love it...one Fall there were men from 15 states ...Maine to Florida to Arizona to Washington to Pennsylvania along with states between...

And this IS to do with the barn...now a lodge filled with boots and occasional mud and so forth...it's suits me to cook and clean and learn new ways of life at the same time...just a workshop for us all...

Still look into locating Wind Tower Makers with hopes they would be interested in sleeping with the throbing blades just outside their door for a couple nights...and a candlelight dinner within sight of over 50 of the PRAIRIE DASIES... as some call them...

Did I catch you up a little for Sept and Oct...????? bye for now...JoAnne

August already?

How did that happen?

Do you suppose the spat I've had with this white box had any influence?

Yes - could be - so it's been to the doctor but there isn't much change that I am able to notice - except that now I can send emails. Could that make my work more smooth and caring and acceptable? We'll see now.

June is the first catchup month: we had a noteworthy event which kickstarted the sodding of black weedy areas following installation of septic digging - not ignoring the terrace and pergola edged with thousands of pounds of 1903 rock barn foundation which Kevin's fork lift resurrected down the hill where no doubt it expected to remain forever after a 1978 remodel of said barn-(feel free to reread that last bit)

THE event was a WEDDING out in the TREE FARM! do trust that Jim was looking on - noting 100 chair backs beribboned in white gauzey covers - as four no longer usable church-window frames of gothic vintage found use once again as an altar - background for tuxedos and gowns and 100 humongous white/ivory ROSES blending into white lilacs - stately pines - oaks - gentle new-green walnut trees - crowned by a commanding spire of tamarack.

At this point I choose to tell you that this tree farm was where we sprinkled our Jim the fighter pilot's ashes 8 years before. Uncountable Joy was palpable in this blessed hour. Prayer for at least a day without rain was more than answered. A few days later the mother of the groom stopped by and we shed a couple thankful tears that our perfect day was miraculous - framed by two rainy windy cold days - smile!

July: a month full of kitties and B&B families with lots of kitty loving kids - helping the effort of find homes for "nice" kittens. Are you listening? - and the bunk rooms in the barn are getting raves - for which I'm feeling smug - plus grateful - even added an extra 5th place to sleep for a grandparents with three little ones who all wanted to stay a few days in the barn -

AND - Finklestein came home to roost - my stuffed favorite pantaloon festooned rooster who died inexplicably during feeding one deeply frozen day last January - which I wrapped in plastic and a box and in a wheelbarrow highly heaped with snow til Spring when we moved him to the freezer to await news of having found a taxidermist who would be "anxious" to try dealing with this chicken - now it's a done deal and I picked him up in Fargo and he's busy finding the right spot to show off - in the barn - at this moment he's moved from the highchair to the shelf where we pass through the food - interesting? come meet him.

August: more folks with kids - so all the farm animals are parading - even the cows and calves who rent the pasture seem to know their duty is to be part of the action - and at this point to mention the windtowers is okay - the 55 or so pinwheels have settled into being the local interstate on my formerly quiet prairie -

Some day I'll become proficient enough to add wonderful photos to this effort. Meantime just use your imagination - please - or better yet come to see for yourself.

It's paasst bedtime - g'nite - good wishes - JoAnne

I have good news for us all.. together.. this last day of May in the year of our effort 2011..especially that of son Kevin and lifemate Shelley as they placed a final touch.. with humongous rocks and chunks of old 1903 barn foundation sections which weighed down the FORKLIFT big time..leaving  grooves not so groovy in my green soggy rain gooped green grass..forgive me those of you who will attend the wedding held near this sod in only a few gulp .."days"..(I'm weak at this mental picture)..

The final touch I refer to is to the east of the cedar terrace under a covering pergola of commanding invitation to gatherings of friendly folk from this day forward....pure joy to have accomplished disguise of a mindful extent when considering the 59 pinwheels already diagnosed in previous notings...yes?  As we open the kitchen door to walk out onto the new structure..there is a tipped on end old corral gate rescued from the refuse pile..through which the monoliths attempt be noticed ..talk about laughing at their proverbial spinnings...a great guffah rises to them..

Effort accomplished..a dream beginning.. to hold an energy conference in the face of  such bravado..for our investigative decision makers..where else such opportunity..spread the word of this merging of situation..call for a reserved bunk and the sense of "hearing traffic "on the once alonely.. still.. prairie.. 

I, JoAnne of Volden Farm  will await a speculative query ..may we arrange a time?  701-769-2275..

with a smile..bye for now

How in the world did it get to be April?  And could it be that before May comes the snow will be gone and the ground soft enough to dig up all the shrubs and trees that the 39 deer living and sleeping right outside my window literally ate to the nub for breakfast.  You see they knew this was a Bed and Breakfast.  And so now "we"--who?  -- need to plant trees and shrubs with green on them.  You see, on the 11th of June we plan on having a wedding at Volden Farm.  You see, it needs to be looking nice for such an illustrious event.  How I wonder as I look around, begin raking where there is no snow-- the muck of what happens during the long months down under, can it possibly be a green world by June.  That is when faith comes by and sort of reminds me that it does--every year.  You see, it just doesn't seem possible.  And where there was snow yesterday, there is mud today.  Boots heavy with mud are lined up on the porch of this northerly wooden ancient looking " Russian Dacha "--proving what I say is true.

Come see for yourself if you are brave enough.  O my.  Wonder of Wonders. And I should be finishing taxes and writing dates and plans for the almost finished barn.  Some  alleyway interior finish work and some painting of 5 small windows to be installed for the exterior and hopefully a ramp and smoothing out the piled up dirt from winters labors--bathroom, kitchen, and bunkrooms having been completed.

Lots of fun surprises in this space used for horses and cats and straw and hay and all the stuff under foot that is gone...GONE  Twenty five years of that life..and POOF...no more.  Now it's paintings and candles and MOOD.  And comfy chairs and techy ways to bring the big screen to us.  I am one excited woman.  Do think about what you need this barn to do for you

Cold War..Russian History..Quilting...Reading out loud..head busting discussions...best of all a week of music every night..Conferencing Energy Issues with the Luverne Wind farm RIGHT OUTSIDE the windows.  And John Steinbeck..he is stored on his very own bookshelf..upstairs just waiting to worm around in our brains..

Enough...back to taxes...gobs of good dreams to all of you...JoAnne...bye

What a day....trucks and materials and dirty shingles from 1903 all coating tons of snow banks around the granery (cathouse) where a new roof top is installed so that Kevin could still have his fork lift here in order that the new liner for the broken chimney flues resulting during the blazing 7 ft high tower of flames......and so on and so on.....just what I needed in the midst of barn refurbishing...yes?...a chimney fire!  

A couple friends brought me ..us.. pizza for "cheer" during a horrible cold I had..  so in my usual unthinking mode..I threw the pizza box into the fireplace where it instantly exploded ..next apparently setting the chimney burning with sounds like shots as it whooshed it's way up  up  and through the top over the roof with showers of sparks.....we know... since no matter the cold....we tore thru the door and out to see if we would need to vacate.

I turned and tore in...grabbing the phone dailing 911 answering...yes we would stay out of the house...here is where we are located...okay....but I did go back in to drive my car out of the garage....below zero...in no time three sheriffs...the mayor...lots of firemen..were swarming over the house looking for hot walls...even up to my closet...the attic..(was told that place was tight)..

Suffice it to say I kept my house...have a new liner ....a cleaned hearth and better system for enjoying calm....  quiet evenings with a book..... in the conversation pit where the rug is wrecked and I'm waiting for an estimate....

Now back to the sigh of ...is it really finished out in the barn..are they not going to need dinner tomorrow?????  will the last cute sconces be installed by Mike even if Kevin is gone to other snow filled yards  ...  maybe it would be cosy to turn up the cove heat right above the top bunk...climb the ladder with a mystery from one of the drawers in the nutty sort of chest with 8 inch square spaces I filled with paper backs by the dozen...........

Ooooh flannel sheets spotted color exploding ...lush bright blanket ...feathers galore comforting..Yes...next week when I get back from Chicago...a must...find a friend???

It's almost sinful to have this much fun.   Altho the fire did sober any suspicion that all days are fun...but I can segregate my fun days pretty well from the not so fun days....I've lived long enuf to have learned how........come and see what I'm talking about....OK???

GOODBYE...your friend JoAnne

 

Here I am again after an unbelievably stretched out space in our chat time...and now it is the best news I have for you since the long planned work downstairs in the BARN is about 99 and 9 tenths finished...we actually set up the two sets of bright blue...color of this ink...bunkbeds...plus...the tables...chairs...dressers...shelves...lights that will move to let you read in your bunk...the rooms are named...THE CRIB...THE ROOKERY...and I won't tell you why until you ask...I am so happy

Then in Nov we did get the kitchen and bathroom finished so the hunters got to use those spaces last fall... and once not too long ago...I was locked out of my house temporarily and so I popped into that sweet space...made a pot of coffee...spent time writing in a kitchen journal I keep out there on my writing and reading desk/table with it's auction lamp find...and killed time til I could manuever getting into my house again

Folks are making plans to use the BARN a wedding...some retreats are on the calendar...and in my head I have many ideas...too many

So keep coming to find what those ideas are...such as making tassels from string...cord...skinny satin...for adding to your creative corners...and a regular quilt making day or night or both...as I do have Jim's mom's wood squares...

Writing...Reading...with discussion of John Steinbeck at last...also Bluegrass...starting slow and maybe working up to a Festival even two days with gobs of guitars and singers and fun...

goodbye for now