Missouri Kids at the Zoo

Leo and Keri's Grandson

Beckett

Stand still! Will ya?

My trip on the trail... I rode the bike out to Bullhead Farm or almost that far. On the way, I spotted an Indigo Bunting. They are hard to capture so I stopped my bike and carefully readied my camera and seemingly out of nowhere a recumbent bike whizzes past me yelling "sorry!!" on his way by. It is a much-appreciated courtesy to make your presence known on the trail BEFORE you come upon someone. Bicycles are for the most part very quiet. So with a heavy sigh, I get back on my bike and proceed. We have had an abundance of rain so the river is running high and fast. I think it spooks the wildlife. So venturing on and as I near Bullhead Farm I spot a Bullock Oriole. I didn't know which oriole it was until I got home and looked it up. It was skittering around the bushes and I thought I had a chance to get a photo if I stuck around a while so with that in mind I got off my bike and that is when the 'muskietoes' started swarming me. So scrap that idea!  No goat photos on this day!

As I am returning and just north of the bridge I spot a very large Heron standing in some standing water at the bottom of the ridge. From past experience I know Herons spook at the least little sound or sight so while I am blocked from view, I stop behind a tree, ready my camera and sneak back to where I can get a shot. I raise the camera to my face and he squawks and takes off! He was huge! But I didn't get the shot...AGAIN! So I decide the only pictures I am going to get this day are of things that do not move. I had spotted one of my favorite flowers- Russian Thistle- and planned a stop just past the road where I first saw some in bloom. As I am assessing the situation, I look up and see a deer on the trail. Hope! And then a garbage truck goes by behind me and the deer disappeared. It wasn't meant to be.  See the photos below. And the final one of a cardinal in my own backyard.

Travel plans?

From Kay Voss

This is a letter to me from Kay V. who used to be in Magnolia Park. I thought many of you might find it interesting.-Barb

How is your summer going?  We have had our share of hot weather, some rain but lately have been missing the rains by a few miles.   I have picked near 90 pounds of asparagus so far....frozen some and did try pickled asparagus.   I doubt I will do that again; too much work getting it cut to the jar size!  

We just returned home from Minneapolis--our daughter, Jodi, graduated from nursing school.  The trip included 3 days away from home.  It was hard on Jim, but we needed to be there for her.   Jim took a "maintenance" chemo in May that was not supposed to affect him---phooey.  He had to have 4 blood transfusions and still is not back to normal.   No more chemo for the summer at least.  He is supposed to gain weight, but can't seem to get the job done.   Jim bought a new riding lawn mower, weed eater, and garden tiller for me.....guess I have inherited new jobs.   Also raising chickens that will be butchered in a few weeks.  I sure hope Jim can cut off the heads----cleaning I can do...

Well, take care....it was nice to hear from you!   Kay

So then I told her that when she talks about her extreme canning many of my friends ask me what she does with all that food. Her answer was interesting too. She is perhaps the only person I know who does canning for a hobby.-Barb

Well,  I started all this because my mom used a lot of my canned food in her later years.  It was hard for her to go get too many groceries, being an independent type.....then when she passed and our 2 girls were starting out, they needed help.  It just continued and the girls, and now granddaughter come to my "store" and help themselves.   I enjoy canning and they love the organic and self-storage of canned food.  We purchase and butcher beef to share with them....tastes so much better!   16 yr old granddaughter prepares homemade meals, including pie crust/pies and she has canned by herself.   I showed her how to can milk---she loves that.   She always surprises me....next year she has been accepted by the U of M  for 2 years of college, totally skipping the last 2 yrs of high school.  Way above grandma!!   A different world than when we were kids for sure.   Kay

Butch's Squirrel

Rainy Day

I have known for a few years now that I would not have a problem living in the desert. I am reminded of it every time it rains for days on end. I said to Butch it makes it hard to get anything done and his response was and yet you did. He was referring to our making a reservation for next season in Texas. Different park, different address, and different spot. Time marches on and change is part of it.

Jason asked me to get the following info rounded up because his doctor wanted it. I thought I would add it to this post to remind others to get checked. If you have a spot on your body that stays irritated and doesn't want to heal, itches frequently and you find yourself touching it a lot, it is time to get it checked.

Barb- BCC -basal cell carcinoma 2 locations, forehead and left earlobe

Butch-SCC-Squamous cell carcinoma  1 location, Left side of the face

Gary- Melanoma on arm removed in fall of 2017 biopsied another possible location last week- results in next Wednesday.

A side note. Went to the hairdresser this morning and she said she had referred 3 of her clients to a dermatologist just this year.

There were places she had noticed on their scalp.

Take care!

Microsoft Update

Let's face it. I have a love/hate relationship with Microsoft.
1. They have very large updates that bog down your computer making it slow.
2. The updates take forever, sometimes as much as 8 hours to install.
3. Depending on the age of your computer, you may need something "fixed" after the initial headaches of downloading and installation.

That being said sometimes there is a little surprise of something nice. Like a small gift you did not expect.
Click on: Computer Tip-Calculator upgrade

I am speaking particularly about a currency converter. Want to know what the peso is doing in Mexico? Now you can check it out before making the trip. This morning before writing this I found out for every US dollar it takes $20.56 pesos. And Canada's exchange is US $1 for every Canadian $1.33. I hope I said that right.