Ray Thompson from Atlantic IA sent this picture of tulips in their yard. They sure POP!

Fellow Full-timers Velma, John, Tobee and Vanna

A country view

Most of the mommas did not think I had any business taking photos of their youngsters

A country view

There are two possums in this photo. Look in the center.

I love road pictures and this happens to be on our current 3 3/4 mile loop walk.

This email sent to me by Sherri C. intrigued me so I am sharing it here. I would love to see something like this for other states too.
Iowa Facts and Trivia
Ripley's Believe It or Not has dubbed Burlington's Snake Alley the most crooked street in the world.
Strawberry Point is the home of the world's largest strawberry.
The state's smallest city park is situated in the middle of the road in Hiteman. Scranton is home to Iowa's oldest water tower still in service.
Dubuque is the state's oldest city.
Crystal Lake is home to a statue of the world's largest bullhead fish.
Rathbun Dam and Reservoir is the largest body of water in the state.
Spirit Lake is the largest glacier-made lake in the state.
West Okoboji is the deepest natural lake in the state. Its depth is 136 feet.
Imes Bridge is the oldest of Madison County's six bridges.
Iowa's longest and highest bridge crosses Lake Red Rock.
Elk Horn in the largest Danish settlement in the United States.
At 16 miles, East Okoboji is the longest natural lake in the state.
Kalona is the largest Amish community west of the Mississippi River.
The state's lowest elevation point (at 480 feet) is in Lee County.
The Holliwell Bridge is the longest bridge in Madison County.
Francis Drake was 66 years old at his inauguration and Iowa's oldest governor. Iowa's oldest continually running theater is in Story City.
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Grant Wood artwork.
Fenlon Place Elevator in Dubuque is the world's steepest and shortest railway. Wright County has the highest percentage of grade-A topsoil in the nation. Quaker Oats, in Cedar Rapids, is the largest cereal company in the world.
The Saint Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville is the only basilica in the United States situated outside a major metropolitan area.
Clarion is the only county seat in the exact center of the county.
Dubuque is home to the only county courthouse with a gold dome.
Cornell College is the only school in the nation to have its entire campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City honors the only man to die during the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Maynard Reece is the only artist to win the Federal Duck Stamp competition five times.
A bronze life-sized sculpture of a Norwegian immigrant family (circa 1860) is located on a six acre restored prairie site located at the east entry to Lake Mills on Highway 105.
Iowa's only operating antique carousel is located in the city of Story City. Knoxville's National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum is the only museum in the country dedicated to preserving the history of sprint car racing.
Iowa's only fire tower is situated in Yellow River State Forest.
Sabula is Iowa's only town on an island.
Herbert Hoover, a West Branch native, was the 31st president of the United States and the first one born west of the Mississippi.
Mamie Doud Eisenhower's birthplace is located in Boone and includes a restored frame house, complete with summer kitchen and original furniture from the family.
Van Meter is the hometown of baseball's Bob Feller, an Iowa farm boy who went on to greatness with the Cleveland Indians during the Golden Age of baseball.
Born Donnabelle Mullenger in Denison, Oscar Award-winning actress, Donna Reed, started her career at the young age of 16.
Born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, John Wayne was the son of a pharmacist and grew up to become one of Hollywood's most popular movie stars. The famous actor was born on May 26, 1907.
Meredith Willson, who played with the famous John Philip Sousa and the New York Philharmonic before launching his career as a famous composer and lyricist, is a Mason City native.
Glenn Miller, noted trombonist and orchestra leader, was born in Clarinda located in Southwest Iowa.
The town of Fort Atkinson was the site of the only fort ever built by the U.S government to protect one Indian tribe from another.
Campers and motor homes are manufactured in Winnebago County. They're called Winnebago's.
Iowa is the only state whose east and west borders are 100% formed by water. Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
The highest double track railroad bridge in the world, the Kate Shelley Bridge, is located at Boone.
Iowa is the only state name that starts with two vowels.
Iowa State University is the oldest land grant college in the U.S.A.
Decorah hosts Nordic Fest a three-day celebration of Decorah's Scandinavian heritage.
The National Balloon Museum in Indianola chronicles more than 200 years of ballooning history.
Sheldon High School Summer Theatre, the only high school repertory in Iowa and one of just a few in the nation presents a different play for each week in June and July.

This was the view from our slideout window on the last morning we spent in Palacios TX

Dogwood in bloom

This iris was blooming in a roadside ditch. At some point a farm wife probably transplanted these from a neighbor and now the house is gone but the iris live on.

We are back in the Midwest and we did not miss Spring! It is everywhere we look including big clouds of green pollen all over the car and motorhome. It IS nice to enjoy the best of the sounds, sights and colors of the season. The lilacs, plum, dogwood, redbuds and iris are all blooming.

Carthage MO

We arrived in Carthage Missouri at the Coachlight RV Park last night about 5:30. We will be here two weeks before moving on up the road to Peculiar MO.
The trip up went smoothly for the most part with a couple of glitches. First off the GPS system has disappointed me a time or two. The route it chooses is always through the center of town and we do not want to do that. There must be a setting somewhere I need to change but I have yet to find it. And then... in Muskogee OK we were following a semi through a construction zone with the construction stuff right up to the center of the highway. The semi went off the road a little to avoid the construction stuff and created a dust cloud. Our mirror hit a a metal banner/flag extending from the construction equipment. We thought for sure it was a goner but when we stopped for fuel and after a bit of adjustment it is fine. But then...when we arrived at Coachlight we discovered we had been crapped on!!! Somewhere along the line a cow in a cattle truck decided to let loose on our car! All in all the trip went fine.
It is great to have a WiFi connection and be able to use my own computer. I had set Butch's up for him so for me to do my things on it took some manuevering.
Angel must feel comfortable here because she wants out to wander. When she is not comfortable in an area she doesn't even ask. I took her out on her leash when we arrived and we went for a short walk. We have to be somewhere quite a while before I trust her enough to stay close to home and let her out on her own. 

Some cuties

 

Best Place to Eat

I sent these pictures to my sister Myrla who loves seafood to drive her nuts with envy. Unfortunately she is in the hospital following a surgery and is on morphine and doesn't much care at this point what I am eating. Her surgery went well and she is on the road to recovery and she tells me she will now be a much nicer person...that is an inside joke. We again ate at the above restaurant and some of you will not believe it for sure but Butch ordered,ate and enjoyed catfish! It was the best I've ever tasted and I would most definitely encourage a stop at this restaurant in Palacios Texas.
 

Trehernes On the Wings of a Dove

Dove, a mini newborn horse.

Trehernes On the Wings of a Dove

The place we are staying in Palacios Texas


 

Palacios TX

We are in Palacios TX and I am loving it! Went for a 3 mile walk along the seawall this morning...the knee is better...took lots of pictures. All the restaurants have excellent seafood. Butch doesn't care but I do. He is off playing golf this morning and I am doing laundry.
The WiFi here is secured and most of you know what I think of that...not much is the answer for the rest of you...and so we can connect with no problem on Butch's computer but mine shows a good connection but will not let me navigate. Hate when that happens...but as usual I have found a way around it. It will be much better when we get to Carthage.
We have been watching the weather up north and it doesn't seem warm enough to us so we may slow our process in moving north. We have an appointment in Carthage on the 25th so that will happen and we hope it has stabalized and warmed up some by then.
Till next time...

Our new location for the next week

Last July I signed up for us to be campground hosts through the Good Sam Club.
I stated choices at that time for the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
We were to be notified in November of our location and situation and then make the choice
whether to accept the position or not. Last November we were notified that all their
positions had been filled and please try again next year. This week we received an inquiry
about hosting at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan, located near
Traverse City. It would mean making a few adjustments to our summer plans but it sounded
like a wonderful opportunity so Butch made the call for more info. It all sounded perfect;
for the months of July and August, one mile from the shore of Lake Michigan, 16 hours of
work per person per week,30 amp electrical, no sewer hook-up...WHAT?...no sewer hook up?
For us that was the deal breaker. That meant no washer and dryer for Barb and Butch
unhooking and driving to the dump station when the black tanks needed dumping which
is about every seven to ten days.So we are disappointed but I do plan to sign up again
this summer to see what appears on the horizon.

For the past two weeks I have made my way to the Little Hall to connect to the
office WiFi. At least three times a day I have thought of something I needed to
check on the Internet, only to forget it or run out of time before I get it done
while at the Little hall. How quickly we get spoiled! Actually, it is a learning
process for a new way of doing things. For instance, I have learned that if I want
to write something for the blog I had best do it at home and then copy and paste
when I get connected.

Butch and Angel are communicating

I spotted this cutie on our walk last night. It is funny how you start changing gears in your head when the time gets closer to leaving the valley. I do have pause for thought when I see the temps in Iowa. We are enjoying summer- like weather here with daily highs in the 80's. Last year we came too far north too fast so this year it will be a slower trip north. Both Butch and I are looking forward to being ?
On The Road Again?

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE
Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it
someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice!

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.


1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first
name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will
not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name,
but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID
REQUIRED".

3 When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT
put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and
anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check
processing channels won't have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you
have a P.O. Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a
P.O. Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your
checks.(DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed,
anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides
of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet
and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep
the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when
travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud
that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number,
credit cards.

Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was
stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly
cell phone! package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line
approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change
my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical
information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you
know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the
key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know
whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent,
and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to
do this.)

3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immedi- ately to place
a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of
doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for
credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company
that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to
contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all
the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks
initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before
placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the
thieves threw my wallet away. This weekend (someone turned it in).
It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet,
etc., has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about everything.
But if you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
someone that you care about

Mexico's symbol- An eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake. I do believe if you ask any of the eleven people who went on the Monterrey trip they can readily recite the above info. This lovely stained glass rendition of the Mexican symbol was in the Government building.

Believe it or not this wonderful outfit modeled by Norma C. was found in a pile of Ropa clothing for 30 cents a pound. I do not think it cost much...hmmm maybe 30 cents?

Prof. Cleavleand was the speaker at the Warbler convention

TheTalent show was a big success this year and Fred was one of the fine entries

I have a feature on my camera for taking pictures at night. I think it works fairly well. I was looking up into this prickly pear cactus tree.

Some of the guests at the party

Caught me with my eyes closed on my birthday

How I spent my birthday...At 8:30 a m I went for the first walk of the day and Butch went golfing. 9:30 I attended the monthly business meeting of the association where I presented the idea of a park directory with pictures.Following the meeting the Warblers practiced for the upcoming talent show. A quick lunch at home and then it was the crafters at 1:00 where we made cards.(picture later upon completion). Then at 3:00 another rush home to prepare a dish (Runza casserole) for a neighborhood potluck. After this we came home and watched the DVD 'Walk the Line". All in all a full and pleasant day.

My Birthday Rose- I enjoy it doubly by photographing it.

Good Gawd! It has been a week since I have posted to this blog. This is a closeup of my mosquito plant bloom. I was getting ready to repot it and of course it is blooming now so I assume I should wait till it is not blooming. Hmmm...should I?

Mosquito plant in Bloom

Shot a 39 for 9 holes today and that was with a 7 on hole one!

Freezing our buns in sunny south Texas! Current temp at 11.00 a m is 41 degrees. Boy am I glad we do not have company expecting to see the best of what we have to offer. It is remeniscent of days up north where the only pleasant thing to do was stay indoors and mess on the computer or stitch on an afghan. I plan to stay inside and do both!

A windy Valentines Day in sunny south Texas

Bill and Jo's offspring ...or two of their offspring came to sunny south Texas for a visit. Reason enough to throw a party

Arleen and Barb O'Rouke

Bill and son Mark

Marvin Smith and Jack Tallman at Fat Daddy's

Friends Jan Tallman,Judi Smith, and Margaret joined us at Fat Daddy's for a burger.

Butch and Blaze enjoy the view from the condo the Kelley's have rented for a week on Padre.

A colorful kite

Butch walks the beach. I saw a crab settle in and I pointed it out to Butch who nudged it with my shoe. It was not fond of being disturbed and tried to put the 'pinch' on him!

Marlene the kite watcher

Dan & Sara Kelley enjoying the kites on Padre