In September, 2006 Dave and I went to the World's Ploughing Match in Grangeford,Tullow in Ireland.. As we were starting to ascend into the airport (Dublin) I was able to get a picture of the land of Ireland.. Oh it was just what I expected.. Just like the John Wayne movie with Mareen O'hara.. I can't remember the name of the movie ~ but it was in Ireland.. It's still one of my favorite movies. The land was divided up with stone fences and you saw lots of sheep.Lots of green, the green in Ireland is non other than the green you see in the U.S.A. that is why it's called Emerald Green.. It's more than your eye can gather the green is so bright. In Ireland and all of this area I think they stop for tea twice a day and have scones. Daily ritual 11p.m. and 2 p.m. I loved it~! . So here we are riding in a tour bus and we are on top of this really big hill. The place we stopped was like a big garden center with a gift shop and a open garden eating area.. IT was so beautful.. We sat at the tables and these two girls served us tea and scones.. They were deicious~! The tea there is so good. I bought a big box of tea to bring home with me.

In the airplane> as we were decending I was able to take this picture.. Isn't it just beautifull. I was thrilled.. and could hardly wait to get my feet into all that green..

I don't know how those tour buses drive on the narrow roads that are in Ireland let alone stop when someone says "OH look at that sign".. There is a Hollywood here in Ireland..."
So our driver stopped after I made mention of the sign and he let me get out and stand next to it and he took my picture..

My hat is a John Deere hat and it has pins on it from all the different (28) countries that compete in the World Matches. It's getting quite heavy but I'm sure I'll be wearing that hat when we go to Sweden.

Many photographers from different newspapers from different countries have taken a picture of just the hat (no pic of me just the hat) and has published it in their newspapers.. I'm known as the hat lady.. It's a lot of fun~! Am looking forward to going to Sweden in May..

We made it to Des Moines, Iowa and back.. I was working on my knitting all the way there. I making mittens.. Had a good time visiting with all the other ladies that were there.. The Machine Shed has such great and delicious food.. I had the chicken pot pie... yum yum~! it was so good. We stopped on the way home to see Ben and he was jumping on his trampoline.. When he saw me coming into the house he ran to me yelling "GranAnnie">>>~! I picked him up and we hugged and kissed each other.. He now likes to kiss me in the eye now and it's wet . Silly boy... He showed me his new tricks on his trampoline.. He now can jump and spin ... or he runs fast standing still.. IT was great and it's good excercise for him.. Would be for GranAnnie but jumping is not for me anymore or running.. I wet my pants. Walking is good.

This morning I went outside and shoveled the snow away for the birds at the bird feeder station that I have at the lilac bush. There was quite a bit of snow. Their feet get so cold standing in the snow.. I can see them sometimes standing on one leg.. If I scrape away the snow they have just the ground to stand on with little snow. We are having a snow storm right now and when the snow hits your face ~ it hurts. Has ice in the snow, guess one would call it sleet.. The wind is blowing very hard and causing the snow to make big snowdrifts.. There is a BIG one in front of our garage.. Our driveway is plugged with lots of snow.. I told Dave he would have to go out and get the snowblower running and clear out the snow on the cement pad in front of the garage. The neighbor boys will do our driveway for us later today. There are two boys, Connor age 15 and Brannon age 17. These boys always take care of our driveway for us in the wintertime when we have lots of snow. . Springville cancelled school today..

Can you believe it > it's the 17of the January.. We are half way through the month..Goodness to be just yesterday it was Jan. 1.. Guess today I'll go through my files and pull out everything for 2010.. and get ready for tax time in April 15... make space for 2011... That sounds like a good time.. It's always good to get the filing drawer cleaned out and ready for the new year.. I don't have to get a tax file together as I just put tax items in the file I have set aside for those things through out the year . Getting my tax items together to take to our tax man is a piece of cake..

Have a tiggeriffic day~! Am going to get another cup of coffee and get busy...

Ta Ta For Now from Iowa... where it's 25 degrees and snowing hard... I love it~!