Miss Elise
At the park
Leo
Friday, July 7
Thursday then Friday...
Thursday I rode out to Winkleman's switch because I had to see if the Dickcissle was still in that vicinity. And it was, but decided to be a bit shy today or maybe the Wren ran it off. Wrens are feisty little things. It is an observation of mine that the little things of the world, animals, people etc have an extra feistiness to make up for lack of size. Just sayin'.
Dickcissle
Wren
Our friend and carpenter Russ and his great grandson Hunter are here to do our siding job. We are excited!!
A new paint job will follow!
Dickcissle
Wren
Our friend and carpenter Russ and his great grandson Hunter are here to do our siding job. We are excited!!
A new paint job will follow!
Wednesday, July 5
4th of July
Other than a mix-up on invites and wishing we could be in two places at once we had a great 4th. We partied with the McQuillens and friends. The casino and the city of Jefferson joined forces for the fireworks show and that too is a mixed blessing. In years past we would carry our lawn chairs the 3 blocks to the bike trail and watch the fireworks at the fairgrounds but now it is at the casino and that involves an automobile! So I had the bright idea of going to the Catholic cemetery and so did everybody else! We ended up in Leo's driveway and then getting home was an ordeal.
Last nights pics: L to R-Jack L., Larry J., Jack H.
L to R-Pat Rusnak, Sue Lucht, Denise Van, Mickey Starr
Our hosts Sharon and Dugan McQuillen
Pauline Bortz and Bill Allen
The star attraction! Greatgrandson of Dugan and Sharon- Camdy
Today's Trail pics- Catbird
Runner
Early morning light filtering
Dewy grasses
Latest projects at our house. New shelf desk. Swapped out the ironing board desk.
Enlarged the table by 2 leaves! We can now set the table for 10 people!
Last nights pics: L to R-Jack L., Larry J., Jack H.
L to R-Pat Rusnak, Sue Lucht, Denise Van, Mickey Starr
Our hosts Sharon and Dugan McQuillen
Pauline Bortz and Bill Allen
The star attraction! Greatgrandson of Dugan and Sharon- Camdy
Today's Trail pics- Catbird
Runner
Early morning light filtering
Latest projects at our house. New shelf desk. Swapped out the ironing board desk.
Enlarged the table by 2 leaves! We can now set the table for 10 people!
Tuesday, July 4
Leo's Pics
Leo is visiting his sister Marlene and family and sent these pictures.
Bernard and Marlene taking a well-deserved rest. And below is Bernard checking out the corn height by the 4th of July. For all you farmers who will ask, this is in Northern Iowa near Lake Okoboji.
Leo picked up a few rocks while he was up there.
Primordial Churches of the Trail
Keri and I walked on Sunday so that meant Monday was a riding day. I have felt so much better since paying attention to my diet and my energy level has been high. So I rode to Winkelman's Switch. It is only a bit further than Roger's Road. Roger Conant is the widow of my cousin Sharon and thus I call it Roger's Road because he lives just off the trail.
I took pictures along the way. I have tried for years to get pictures of the "churches along the trail". There are areas where the trees and undergrowth provide a sanctuary. It is quiet except for birdsong, the choir I suppose. Sometimes even the choir is silent. If the bugs are not bad I will sometimes stop and just take it all in, traveling back in time and appreciating the nature around me.
So far the pictures do not live up to the look or the feeling. I'll keep trying.
After arriving at Winkelman's switch I took a few more photos.
Dickcissel song.
Other household news:
Butch and I bought our kitchen table at an auction and it came with one small leaf and 4 mismatched wooden chairs. When we had company recently we thought it would be nice to be able to seat more people around it. It pulls out quite far. Butch was sure it would accommodate two more leaves. And since the Missouri kids are coming this week we decided it would be a good time to increase our table size. Butch got right on the project and manufactured a couple of nice wide leaves. Yesterday I stained and polyurethaned them and today we will be able to see the results of our labor. A picture will be available soon.
While working on projects it is amazing how one will turn into more. My "desk" made from an ironing board needed some new floor protector tips and in so doing the ironing board became stuck. It was a major bummer. So after looking it over, we decided to make a shelf desk instead and it too will be finalized today. I painted the shelf and polyurethaned it as well. Butch will be able to get it together as soon as it is dry enough.
Happy 4th everyone! And as my brother-in-law Don Brooker said, “if you want to come 4th on the 5th, don’t drink a 5th on the 4th”.
I took pictures along the way. I have tried for years to get pictures of the "churches along the trail". There are areas where the trees and undergrowth provide a sanctuary. It is quiet except for birdsong, the choir I suppose. Sometimes even the choir is silent. If the bugs are not bad I will sometimes stop and just take it all in, traveling back in time and appreciating the nature around me.
So far the pictures do not live up to the look or the feeling. I'll keep trying.
After arriving at Winkelman's switch I took a few more photos.
Dickcissel song.
Butch and I bought our kitchen table at an auction and it came with one small leaf and 4 mismatched wooden chairs. When we had company recently we thought it would be nice to be able to seat more people around it. It pulls out quite far. Butch was sure it would accommodate two more leaves. And since the Missouri kids are coming this week we decided it would be a good time to increase our table size. Butch got right on the project and manufactured a couple of nice wide leaves. Yesterday I stained and polyurethaned them and today we will be able to see the results of our labor. A picture will be available soon.
While working on projects it is amazing how one will turn into more. My "desk" made from an ironing board needed some new floor protector tips and in so doing the ironing board became stuck. It was a major bummer. So after looking it over, we decided to make a shelf desk instead and it too will be finalized today. I painted the shelf and polyurethaned it as well. Butch will be able to get it together as soon as it is dry enough.
Happy 4th everyone! And as my brother-in-law Don Brooker said, “if you want to come 4th on the 5th, don’t drink a 5th on the 4th”.
Mr Wren update
He has found himself a lady and she has moved in. However, I am not sure we can call her a wife because he is chasing her all over the backyard and keeps singing his little heart out. I have yet to see either of them sit still for more than a few seconds I think she might be stringing him along. There is lots of activity with both of them coming and going from the house. That is leading me to believe there aren't any young ones yet. On the other hand, maybe there is and it is keeping them both busy feeding them. As you can tell I have fun watching them.
Sunday, July 2
Walking Day
Today Keri and I walked the usual 2 miles we do on the trail. Lots of runners today and that is a bit unusual. No incidents to report. I like to mix up the exercise routine. We both weathered yesterday's 15.5 miles with no after effects. Amazing how much we can do if we just get out there and do it.
Jefferson is in a slot. The past few years I have noticed that when they say it is going to rain or storm, it can seem like we are right in line for it. But when it gets here it goes around us. It is the strangest thing. They will get it in Carroll, west of us, and Boone, east of us but not here. You can watch it on radar even. It will look like we are getting it for sure but then don't. We do get a shower or two on occasion but not nearly what those around us get. Weird!
I had a blood draw this past week. I had been feeling like my blood sugar was out of whack and so I expected the news that I was going to have to straighten up and fly right. I started behaving myself right away and I started feeling better right away, more energetic and normal. You can not straighten up for two days and get good readings. I know that. My blood sugar was 122 and my A1C was 5.8! What the heck!!! I guess I am going to be obliged to behave myself all the time! Especially if I want to feel good and I do. It is a plan.
Jefferson is in a slot. The past few years I have noticed that when they say it is going to rain or storm, it can seem like we are right in line for it. But when it gets here it goes around us. It is the strangest thing. They will get it in Carroll, west of us, and Boone, east of us but not here. You can watch it on radar even. It will look like we are getting it for sure but then don't. We do get a shower or two on occasion but not nearly what those around us get. Weird!
I had a blood draw this past week. I had been feeling like my blood sugar was out of whack and so I expected the news that I was going to have to straighten up and fly right. I started behaving myself right away and I started feeling better right away, more energetic and normal. You can not straighten up for two days and get good readings. I know that. My blood sugar was 122 and my A1C was 5.8! What the heck!!! I guess I am going to be obliged to behave myself all the time! Especially if I want to feel good and I do. It is a plan.
Saturday, July 1
Ride to Cooper 15.5 miles roundtrip
Keri and I started out at 6:30 AM this morning and rode to Cooper and back. She probably does not want me to relate this story but on the way back as we're approaching the trestle bridge, Keri was distracted and ran off the trail. Hey, it happens on occasion. The problem was where it happened. She stayed upright by hitting the slot between the railing and the trail. Had she missed she would have dropped down to the river hitting many boulders on the way down. It would have undoubtedly involved a 911 call and serious injury. So she made the correct decision and only had a couple of scrapes from the bridge railing but it scared the bejeebers out of both of us.
This picture is one from 2014. But it was the site of the flub this morning. You can imagine where she could have gone.
This picture is one from 2014. But it was the site of the flub this morning. You can imagine where she could have gone.
Friday, June 30
Clara Davis Smiles
Leo sent me this picture of Clara. What a sweetie! She seems to have a happy disposition and a ready smile.
Busy and Behind!
Gary came up on Monday bringing his RV in preparation for when they come back on the 6th. He doesn't have a good place to do maintenance on his RV at home and we are set up for it quite well so his purpose in coming was getting it washed and waxed and making sure everything was clean and in tip top condition.
Also if you know Gary he is a high energy guy and believes fully in filling up every minute of every day. Yesterday was a prime example of that. He was up at 6:00 am waiting for me to ride bikes so I quickly got around and off we went. I was getting a blood draw at 7:30 so we went only to the trestle bridge and back. 5 miles. I had promised a biscuit and sausage gravy breakfast so after my blood draw I came home and put that together. We all three enjoyed that and then the guys were off to the golf course. I forgot to mention that when I was fixing breakfast he was working on the last bit of waxing his RV. They played golf. I rested. They came home for lunch and Butch fixed grilled ham and cheese sandwiches since I was not hungry and it is one of the very few meals Butch can fix. Gary then finished the waxing job and started cleaning the inside and when he finished they decided to return to the golf course.
They returned in time to get ready for trivia night. I had asked Gary to stay for it because we benefit from having a younger mind amongst us. It was a great time and I think Gary enjoyed it as much as I do. And it was a surprise when Jason showed up to join us too. The McDugan team came in 2nd! And this was after two prior weeks of losses.
After trivia, the guys all three decided to go to the casino. I stayed home gladly. They weren't out there long. When they returned they had their nightly cribbage games where they growl at each other.
And there you have a day with Gary!
This morning Gary and I walked the trail instead of riding and then he headed home.
There is always time for photos. We have a wren in one of our two wren houses. The one by the back door is occupied by Mr. Wren. This is how it works. The male makes a nest and then he calls in the ladies to look it over and decide if it meets with their approval. If they say yes then they will be "married". So far the one on the tree has been looked at, but no takers. The lighting was not good for this picture of Mr. Wren but it is a decent silhouette.
Beautiful double rainbow last night. I was too close to get the entire arch but it was spectacular sight.
Gary and Susan's RV parked next to ours. We didn't get the storms they had around us but the lighting was extraordinary
Here's Woody!
Also if you know Gary he is a high energy guy and believes fully in filling up every minute of every day. Yesterday was a prime example of that. He was up at 6:00 am waiting for me to ride bikes so I quickly got around and off we went. I was getting a blood draw at 7:30 so we went only to the trestle bridge and back. 5 miles. I had promised a biscuit and sausage gravy breakfast so after my blood draw I came home and put that together. We all three enjoyed that and then the guys were off to the golf course. I forgot to mention that when I was fixing breakfast he was working on the last bit of waxing his RV. They played golf. I rested. They came home for lunch and Butch fixed grilled ham and cheese sandwiches since I was not hungry and it is one of the very few meals Butch can fix. Gary then finished the waxing job and started cleaning the inside and when he finished they decided to return to the golf course.
They returned in time to get ready for trivia night. I had asked Gary to stay for it because we benefit from having a younger mind amongst us. It was a great time and I think Gary enjoyed it as much as I do. And it was a surprise when Jason showed up to join us too. The McDugan team came in 2nd! And this was after two prior weeks of losses.
After trivia, the guys all three decided to go to the casino. I stayed home gladly. They weren't out there long. When they returned they had their nightly cribbage games where they growl at each other.
And there you have a day with Gary!
This morning Gary and I walked the trail instead of riding and then he headed home.
There is always time for photos. We have a wren in one of our two wren houses. The one by the back door is occupied by Mr. Wren. This is how it works. The male makes a nest and then he calls in the ladies to look it over and decide if it meets with their approval. If they say yes then they will be "married". So far the one on the tree has been looked at, but no takers. The lighting was not good for this picture of Mr. Wren but it is a decent silhouette.
My setting on the camera was changed while riding in my bike bag or this shot of Woody Pecker would be crisper.
Gary and Susan's RV parked next to ours. We didn't get the storms they had around us but the lighting was extraordinary
Here's Woody!
Monday, June 26
Todays Trail pics
These 3 shots are all taken from the same spot. Each one is zooming in tighter. I think thistles are beautiful but I certainly would not want a pasture full of them.
Approaching the Raccoon River Bridge- looking south
Trail Riders
Taken on the trail looking south - a ways past Winkleman switch
Tractor Ride
Marlene and Bernard checked out the tractors before heading home. Butch tells me Bernard has one like this one.
Want to know more about the tractor ride?
Here is a link.
Sunday, June 25
Fun-Filled Weekend
We did indeed have a fun-filled weekend. First off Mickey asked me if we would have a party if she provided the food and I said "yes" with no hesitation. And I must say it was the easiest party we have ever had. Friday I spruced up the house a bit and readied for a sit-down meal where everyone had a spot at the table. Mickey brought the ham and beans and cornbread. Keri fixed key lime and chocolate pies and we were set. I had so much fun I forgot to take pictures and that frequently happens. Someone once told me when you take pictures at parties it is a way to not participate and I find that to be true. With me, I am having a really good time and forget to take pictures.
On Saturday, Marlene and Bernard came to Leo and Keri's after going to a wedding in Manning Iowa. They planned to spend some time at the casino and then spend the night before returning home. We all ate at the casino and then some stayed to play while some of us did not.😀Keri fixed Sunday morning breakfast. I took some picture of their birds at the feeders.
With no doubt the breakfast was delicious! The birds were liking their meal as well.
We came home and Jason came by. Jason and Laura had been on vacation in the Dubuque area so he filled us in on their trip. Then Butch and Jason decided to play golf and I decided to get caught up on this blog. Now you and I are up to date!
On Saturday, Marlene and Bernard came to Leo and Keri's after going to a wedding in Manning Iowa. They planned to spend some time at the casino and then spend the night before returning home. We all ate at the casino and then some stayed to play while some of us did not.😀Keri fixed Sunday morning breakfast. I took some picture of their birds at the feeders.
We came home and Jason came by. Jason and Laura had been on vacation in the Dubuque area so he filled us in on their trip. Then Butch and Jason decided to play golf and I decided to get caught up on this blog. Now you and I are up to date!
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