Slightly out of order

 This was a day I was feeling like I had neglected my camera. There is always a gazillion pictures to take of everything around me.

The oldest grain silo in town recently given to the city.

This is a very complex metal sculpture near the trailhead. It requires some time to look at all of it.

Backside if there is one!

 Deep Rock Station

 My Uncle Phil Zimmerle is not featured, but he worked here a very long time.

This weeping willow tree is truly a landmark. If I say, "You know that willow tree on Cedar street?" The answer is always "Oh, Yes!".

Waiting for 5 small children

Double Vision

 

                                                              Eclipse

 There has been a nursery school going on in our backyard as the babies recently hatched learn to navigate the bird world. Young Dove

Baby Cardinal has not yet grown into his beak!

I have nearly deleted this photo more than once. See how completely this Finch blends into the background?

The baby House finch sitting on top of the ball is being an impatient little brat bird, stomping his little feet insisting the parents bring him food.

Hwy 141 Garage Sale -First weekend each August

$358

Today Karla, Butch and I went on the Highway 141 garage sale looking for treasures. We did not plan to buy anything but we all know how that goes! The biggest coup of the day was the Weber grill pictured above. Of course, that is merely a picture of it and not the one we purchased. I had to come home and check it out to see just how much of a bargain we snagged when we paid $20! That is right, folks we paid $20 for a grill with cart and all it needed was some cleaning.

Butch is already hard at work on it. He says he doesn't think it was used more than a time or two.

I purchased an ear of corn. Everybody needs another lawn ornament, don't you think?

I didn't get pictures of Karla's finds but she bought a small table perfect for a plant stand on her deck and a small music box for a dollar that was pure nostalgia because she had one like it as a child. We ate at Tojos in Jamaica for lunch. Took a short side trip through tiny Herndon IA where my Mom and Karla's grandmother grew up. My maternal grandfather was a barber in Cooper and Herndon IA. It was a hub for two rail lines and today is a hub for two branches of bike trails over those same rail lines.
I almost forgot one of Karla's buys was a bar she can use in the future so it is easier to get her bike on a rack she will have on her car. She paid $1.50  for it. and they can cost as much as $50! It was a day filled with fun.

Steady as she goes

That is what I am doing. Walking or riding every morning. Watering the parched flowers. Cleaning a room now and then. Doing laundry. I even cleaned 2 windows a day for 4 days.

Window cleaning:
I forget from time to time the easiest routine to clean the windows so I decided to take some pictures to jog my memory. It is really slick when done in the right order.

Step 1. Clean room side panes top and bottom.
Step 2. Clean the dirt from the bottom using baking soda, denture brush, and vacuum.

 Step 3. Lower bottom pane onto a chair or stool and clean external side. Top with a pillow

Step 4. Lower top pane and rest it on pillow. Clean external side.

Step 5. Return upper window to track and raise ensuring it clicks into place. Followed by returning lower window to track also ensuring it clicks in place.

Rest easy. I may be slipping with memory but not to an alarming degree. The last time I had cleaned the windows I took them out of the track completely and created a much more difficult situation. I just want to make sure I do not make that mistake again!

Tonight is trivia night at the Elks Club. Tomorrow night Trivia at Hyvee. Nothing earthshattering on the news side of things so you are getting the mundane version.

Latest pics of interest are below.

 Neighborhood Cat

Winkleman's Switch Holly Hock

Fledging Cardinal. There has been much bird parenting going on in the past week or two.