Return of the "Doggy"

Two weeks ago when I kept Mackinley while his parents were roofing, he somehow left his FAVORITE "Doggy" here.


He was happily reunited with "Doggy" today.


However, he was NOT so happily reunited with ME!!! Now I'm the big, bad, mean, babysitter grandma who steals children away from their mommies!!! :-(


At least Kaeleigh seems happy to see me!!! (Or is it just that chocolate chip cookie she is clutching in her hand?)


"Maybe if I IGNORE her, she'll go away and leave me here with my mommy."

Really GRAND Kids!!!

Fun with a slide on a perfect fall afternoon.


Pretty as a picture!!!


More "Where's the beef!?!"


Sitting at the sandbox picnic table.


Kaeleigh with her Papoo

Babies Taking Naps - - -

Mackinley behind bars - no pretense of sleep here!


Kaeleigh - - - she's not really asleep yet, can you tell!?!


And my biggest baby!!! (Actually, he's playing possum too)

I Took My Biology Students - - -

On a field trip/lab/outing. We went to find examples of primary succession, secondary succession, and a climax community.


"Here's what I want you to look for - - - "


"What do you see on those rocks?"


"We can't write FAST enough!!!"


Observing Primary Succession on a stone footbridge.


"Wow, Mrs. Broyles, Biology is FUN!!!"


Looks like they're getting it!!!


In the mix - - -

(The other driver kindly took these pictures for me, but he isn't used to my camera, so some of them aren't in focus)

And Here's What We Saw - - -

Primary Succession. (Begins with new bare rock, and takes CENTURIES - maybe eons - to complete)


Close-up of some pioneer species. (The FIRST to come into a bare rock community. They are able to begin to break the rock down to form soil.) This rock is covered with several varieties of lichen and some moss - - - pioneer species all!!


Secondary Succession. (Happens in places where soil already exists - - - like this plowed field allowed to lie fallow.)


Close up of some of the grass, wild flowers, and weeds in the field. There were also some very young saplings, but they didn't make this photo.


Climax Community. (The end result of succession) In Indiana the climax community is a temperate hardwood forest. Can anyone identify this scene?

Being a Badger Fan Pays Off - - -

In blog hits.


Do you remember "back in the day" when I posted about visiting Camp Randall Stadium, the HIGHLIGHT of my vacation?!?

Well - - - some Minnesota Gopher fans have been talking on Gopherhole.com about stadium designs. Camp Randall Stadium was mentioned, so one of them posted a link to my blog and the pictures of the Patio at Bucky's Locker room. That link was posted a little after 4 p.m. today (which is 5 here) and by 5:30 my site started getting hits from that link, 19 so far.

How strange and weird is that????

I doubt I'm quite famous yet - - - - - but one can never tell!! ;-)

BTW - - - if you are one of the Gopher's dropping by to see Camp Randall - - - leave me a comment, I'd LOVE to hear from you.

C-Box Issues - - -

My dear little Junior High Students,

You have been having "fun and games" with my cBox, but that is not it's purpose. You have IM's and other places to chat directly with each other if you just want to talk nonsense. My cBox is NOT the place for that.

Starting as of about five minutes ago, I am deleting any and all nonsensical, anonymous, false name, science bashing, picking on each other, typing a comment under someone else's name, etc, etc, etc, comments from my cBox.

If you have something real and of value about which to talk, those comments I will welcome.

Please take the Junior High stuff to a Junior High appropriate place. My blog is NOT that place.

Project Completed - - -

Greg finished painting the deck yesterday. As you can see, the hoses are still going across it to water the new grass he's planted. If you look closely, you might be able to see that while watering the yard, he's already tracked mud all over the fresh paint. Ah well, when the paint is fully cured, we'll just hose the mud off the deck.


Once the painting project was complete, he planted a few ornamental grasses in the corners of the back yard. Wonder how they'll look when they're all grown up!?!

Euchre Seminars - - -

We have for the past several years had Euchre tournaments with our friends in which we switch partners and keep individual scores. Greg ALWAYS wins.

Now - - - you have to know how Greg PLAYS to see the irony in this. He just throws down cards, makes no attempt to remember who has already played what, sometimes reneges, makes random trump calls - - - - and yet he WINS.

He ignores the Hoyle way, and has decided to go on the road teaching "Broyles' Way" Euchre Seminars.

So last night, our friend Diane gave him these Jumbo Cards for his Birthday. He's planning to take them on the road with him.

Watch here for details of the seminar coming to YOUR area - - -

This is How It's Done - - -

Greg "over-seeding" our yard. Can you tell that the new grass has begun to sprout and we are already "greening up" around here?

Shades of Green?

Before and After

It has now been one week since Greg reseeded our lawn and began to water. Can you see the shades of green?

Three Out of Four Ain't Bad - - -

Some of you have already seen this picture on Keri's blog - - - that's OK, I liked it, so I STOLE it!!!

Three of our four children - - - the fourth wasn't at the wedding where this was taken. They are, from left to right: Kyle, our youngest, Keri, our oldest, and Kelly, our second. They "clean up" well, don't they!?! :-)

Kelly and His Friends

More stealing from Keri's blog - - -

This is our son, Kelly (back toward us) and his two camp friends, both of whom happen to be named Matt. These boys kept things HOPPING at camp - - - we shan't go into any stories here - - - but just look at their faces and you'll see what I mean. They had a "mini" reunion at Matt's (facing the camera) wedding.

See what I mean?!? Here are Kelly and Matt, the groom, swing dancing at the reception - - - obviously entertaining everyone!!!

On to the Next Project - - -

Painting the deck. I asked Greg if he wanted me to help him paint - - -


And he said, "Go back in the house and watch your football games."

That's what a BAD painter I am!!!! He didn't want to see redwood all over the siding!!! :-)

Yesterday's Labor of Love - - -

Dethatching. Back and forth, back and forth ONE WAY and then start all over and go back and forth, back and forth the OTHER way. (See the lines in the non-grass?)


Please do not think I am MAKING him work like this on his day off. I would probably save the $$$ and just let the grass (or weeds as the case may be) come back on their own.

No - - - Greg LOVES his lawn and he LOVES the work that goes into keeping it up. So, even though this was difficult, back breaking work - he came in that night exhausted but HAPPY.

(Notice the Golf Course hasn't gotten very far in clearing away that fallen tree in the background!!!)


Here is the dethatched product, waiting for the first seed to fall.

This is ONE time when it is certainly true that things have to get WORSE before they can get better!!!

Hey - - - What's THIS Thing?

No, I'm NOT talking about my shadow!!!

Looks like a mini Eiffel Tower to me!!!

Oh - - - that's the NEW high tech sprinkler system which is watering the freshly seeded lawn.

Wonder how long until we see green?

Stay tuned to this channel for all the latest "lawn-dates."

This was Yesterday - - -

Second day of a fishing trip up north to the "little pond." Look at all that Salmon. (I SURE hope it isn't in my freezer - - - we already have bags and bags of it from LAST time!!!)

Sven went fishing with Ole, but I guess he had to TAKE the picture instead of BE in it.

And This is Today - - -

All play and no work makes Greg a very dull boy! So - - -

Today he spiffed up the yard (even though most of it IS dead) right after he - - -


Power washed the house and deck. Next phase: repaint the deck.

My my, isn't he the little busy beaver!!!

Workin' Man - - -

Kyle, following in his big brother's foot steps, is working waiting tables at Pizza Hut. If you look very closely in this car, you will see him backing out of the driveway on his way to work a few minutes ago. I WANTED a picture of him in his uniform, but NOOOOO, he wouldn't "pose" so this is all we get - - - for now.

I Was Wrong - - -

Colts DIDN'T win by 10 - - - - they won by 31!!!!!!

WHOOOHOOO for 41-10.

Where was my faith?!?

My game summary:

WE'VE GOT DEFENSE!!!!!

Season Opener - - -

Here We Go!!!!


Prediction: Colts by 10

Welcome to the Macky Show!!

Today while mommy, daddy, and Papoo reroofed Macky's house, he spent the day with Kamma. Just LOOK what he got into - - -


Gomer's nap is about to come to a sudden and drastic end!


Ornery little grin after opening and closing drawers where he shouldn't have been!


Snack and - - -


Juice break.


Uncle Sam wants YOU in the Army!!!


'50's biker dude.


Ridin' along in my automobile - - -


Got milk? Macky does!


"What do you mean I made a mess with my toys?!? You gotta be kidding!!"