The Bleacher Project

Another mid-life crisis? Another project? We now have 5 sections of bleachers from the old community center/high school setting in our front yard. We are not doing this because Gregg is nostalgic about his high school years, or so he claims. For a few nights, they were a great place to sit and look at the stars. We're planning to recycle the wood into some beautiful pieces of furniture or use some in the spec house. After the bleachers are dismantled, we'll store the wood in the garage in hopes of using it soon.

Abundant Harvest

We were blessed with an abundant harvest of fruit from our trees this summer. We borrowed a fruit press and made gallons and gallons of juice from apples, pears, grapes, and plums. Gregg took measurements of the press in case he wants to build one for ourselves before the next bumper crop.

Land Speculators

Now that we are empty nesters again for the school year, we needed something more to fill our time and to use our brain power on, so we bought a lot in a new subdivision on the east side of town. It is about 2 miles from home. We are planning to build a spec house on the lot. Gregg would do the designing and the shop would supply the wood products. It might sound like we are going through a mid-life crisis, but we are not near old enough to be having one of those . . . yet. Stay tuned and see what develops.

Pahoja Camping

Holly talked us into tenting at Lake Pahoja for the last weekend of her summer break. It was beautiful weather. We took our new bikes along and made a lot of trips around the lake on their bike trail. We went swimming during the heat of the afternoon. We rented a canoe and paddled around the lake one morning. And Holly got our full attention because she was the only girl along.

Heather Leaves for Australia

We took Heather to the Omaha airport this morning. Heather plans to study in Australia for 4 months. We're not used to saying goodbye for such long periods of time, and 4 months seems like an awfully long time right now. May God bless her and bring her home safely in November.

Who Says $$$ Doesn't Grow on Trees

I guess it's not so bad to turn 50. We celebrated with about 60 family and friends coming over for angel food cake, strawberries, and ice cream. It was a warm and humid afternoon so the buckets of water balloons that Holly prepared were a big hit. I found out that money DOES grow on trees, if Grama Feenstra is involved. I found out that Pam has a good memory when it comes to the poetry we made up during our childhood. She framed a poem from our hay-baling days. I found out that sister-in-law, Debbie, has a very good memory when you compliment her on her jewelry. I said I like her bracelet about 1 1/2 years ago when she was giving me a ride to a radiation treatment. So, she GAVE me her bracelet for a birthday gift. Debbie, you have such a big heart.
Gregg's comment about my age: "I never thought I'd be attracted to a 50-year-old woman!" (How can I NOT love that man.)
Heather & Holly's comment about my age: When we bike, I am often at the back of the group. When I was at the front of the group recently, they said it must be because everything is downhill for me now.
Thanks to all of you who celebrated with us.
I am thankful to be 50 and feeling so good. God is good, all the time.

Gregg caught a mild case of either Frustrated With Map Reading, Too Many Women in One Cabin, or Beaver Fever.

Later in the week it got warmer and we no longer had to wear 6 layers of clothing to try to stay warm. We saw a lot of beautiful mountain vistas like this while hiking.

 

 

Idaho Vacation

Here we are on our first hike after arriving at the cabin near Fairfield, Idaho. We have already survived a night of tenting in Yellowstone in the rain with snow all around us and temps in the low 30's. We have survived snow last night and this morning while we were hiking. Only one of us has fallen into the creek (so far). No one has sore feet or wounds from scratchy undergrowth from hiking without trails (so far). We are all happy to see each other and are optimistic (so far) that we can survive for a week out in the 'wild' with minimal contact with other humans.

After a NISO concert

Brenda has been making the most wonderful sourdough bread.
Actually she is now making sourdough pizza crust too...Yum!

giving Sarah's kids a lift!

Doing pushups with the girls!

One of our lovely daughters. Just hangin around playing a few tunes.

This is a fairly typical TV center made of Cherry. The picture does not really do the beautiful
cherry wood justice. There was originally a smaller TV. The customer bought a bigger one so we had to carefully cut out some of the inside wood of the TV opening in order to fit the new one. It just fit!!

Here is a closeup of the top.

This is an entertainment/curio cabinet we made recently for a customer. It was quite a challenge. The top center part consists of 2 shelves that rotate very slowly. So slow you almost don't notice. A small motor turns it. It was very difficult to make it quiet. The cylindrical cabinet back acted like an amplifier and every shim and vibration was magnified. Sort of like those dishes in parks where you can whisper and the other person 300 ft away can here you.
Another major challenge was the curved crown moulding over the top center cabinet. It was made by laminating multiple pieces together and then using the CNC machine to rout the profile in multiple passes.
Also the right hand cabinet and one not shown on the other side of the fireplace had to be scribed (carefully fit) to the rough stone fireplace.
The customer loved it. It was shibui...a Japanese term that means ...something that fits just right, like it was made to to be there and only there. We do a lot of stuff like that and I like the feeling of filling that special spot with just the right thing for someone.

Apron Strings

I (Brenda) have been sewing aprons this winter, using some as gifts and selling some, too. I am just finishing up the 29th and 30th ones. It was great to have an easy project to do at night while Gregg serenaded me with his guitar. I've had a lot of fun sewing them, but maybe it's time to move on to another project. Maybe like sewing a dress for Kirbee to wear to Michelle & Jason's wedding! The material and pattern came in the mail today. I'll see if I can add some pictures at a later date.

Today my cool nephew Mitch Hooyer came and job shadowed me. We had lots of fun, even though Mitch did not like starting at 6 AM. Actually I did not like it either! I thought I should prove that I am not dead so therefore the entry. I am trying to learn how to do pictures with the help of my beautiful wife. She knows it all!-Gregg


This is a stained glass window in our house that I like.