Thursday, June 6
Tuesday, June 4
Rain Threats
Rain threats can ruin a day without one drop of moisture. Monday was one of those days. Radar looked like it was going to drop a bucket for most of the day. And besides, little Leo was not feeling all that well running a low-grade fever and an upset stomach. We planned to go to Hickory Park in Ames joining up with Jason and Laura and we did. We had a good time playing with the great-grands.
Jason, Leo and Gary waiting for the food to show up.
These two are a couple of cutups and a whole bunch of fun
Jason, Leo and Gary waiting for the food to show up.
These two are a couple of cutups and a whole bunch of fun
Sunday, June 2
Kid-fun at Leo and Keri's
Just for the serendipitous beauty of it. (Chive)
Jason has been bemoaning the fact for years that he was born too late for a Big Wheel. Today he found out that Big Leo has a Big, Big Wheel and he had a blast. L to R Elise, Jason, Little Leo
Saturday, June 1
Off for 24
I have been off the computer for a whole day plus some! That is quite the event for me. Butch's cousin Georgia lost her husband (Garry Bair) and we went to the funeral service with Marlene and Bernard. Leo could not attend because of his recent knee surgery. We greatly enjoyed the meeting up of family despite the nature of the occasion. We do not get together all that often anymore.
We returned to Jefferson with a couple of short side trips. One was the Pickett Fence Creamery near Woodward Iowa. Jason and I had stopped there a few weeks ago when he drove me to Missouri. It is a neat place. This time I did get a photo of the calf they always have for visitors to see.
This was taken before we left for the day. The iris in the front flower bed always gives a spectacular performance.
This was the calf at the Pickett Fence Creamery. It was a warm day plus a whole bunch of school children on a field trip had just left so I imagine she was worn out.
We took another short side trip to Spring Lake because Marlene and Bernard had not been there for a long time. Butch and I drive through frequently because that is what old people do, ya know! These boys were having a good time kayaking.
We came the old-fashioned way back to Jefferson and Leo and Keri's place. Everyone takes the pavement route these days but when we were kids the route was all gravel. As it turns out we are very near Leo and Keri's at the end of the trip. We visited for a while and then settled on Mexican for supper.
Then we returned back to Leo and Keri's where we played a spirited game of 6-handed cribbage. Marlene looks rather dapper in her new chapeau! It was a very long but pleasant day.
We returned to Jefferson with a couple of short side trips. One was the Pickett Fence Creamery near Woodward Iowa. Jason and I had stopped there a few weeks ago when he drove me to Missouri. It is a neat place. This time I did get a photo of the calf they always have for visitors to see.
This was taken before we left for the day. The iris in the front flower bed always gives a spectacular performance.
This was the calf at the Pickett Fence Creamery. It was a warm day plus a whole bunch of school children on a field trip had just left so I imagine she was worn out.
We took another short side trip to Spring Lake because Marlene and Bernard had not been there for a long time. Butch and I drive through frequently because that is what old people do, ya know! These boys were having a good time kayaking.
We came the old-fashioned way back to Jefferson and Leo and Keri's place. Everyone takes the pavement route these days but when we were kids the route was all gravel. As it turns out we are very near Leo and Keri's at the end of the trip. We visited for a while and then settled on Mexican for supper.
Then we returned back to Leo and Keri's where we played a spirited game of 6-handed cribbage. Marlene looks rather dapper in her new chapeau! It was a very long but pleasant day.
Tuesday, May 28
Yup, more bird pictures
Female Oriole- They seem to rule the roost.
The fledgling Finches have a spiked hairdo. So cute!
These little fellows are so hard to get a picture. They flit around so quickly. Nuthatch
We have had so much rain this morning that the grape jelly is all grape juice so we have not seen the Orioles, But now that the rain has let up the feeders are busy again.
Monday, May 27
Our First Oriole
We bought a couple of new feeders and this is our first Oriole! Both Butch and I happened to be watching and saw it.
These are a few more bird pics from the last few days. House Finch with a weird little topknot
Young Goldfinch
These are a few more bird pics from the last few days. House Finch with a weird little topknot
Young Goldfinch
Sunday, May 26
Raccoon River Valley Trail
Sons Gary and Jason rode to the bridge on their bikes, the one they can not cross over on since it suffered a blow when the ice went out this Spring. They took some great pictures. I will be so very happy when it gets repaired.😢
Saturday, May 25
Odds and Ends
Downy Woodpecker
Butchs curl
Chives nearly in full bloom
Our nearly qualified tiny home.
Fledglings doing Fledgling stuff
Like grooming
Hopping onto higher areas
Fluttering wings to get mom's attention and get fed.
Trying new foods
Mastering the art of flight
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
These flowers are volunteers in my front flower garden. I had to look them up to see what they were. My picture:
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
Ornithogalum umbellatum
POISONOUS
Family:
Liliaceae (lilies); sometimes placed in the Asparagaceae or the Hyacinthaceae
Description:
Flowers clustered at the tips of stems to 1 foot tall. The 3 sepals and 3 petals form an attractive star, often 3-cornered, white on the upper surface, with green lines on the underside. Blooms April-June. Leaves grasslike, very dark green, rolled inward with a white center vein. Rootstock: bulbs, produced at an amazing rate.
Size:
Height: to 1 foot.
Friday, May 24
A Gentle Push
A longtime friend inquired if we were okay since I hadn't posted yet this week.
So here is what has been happening. Gary and Susan have an RV and in the Spring Gary likes to bring it to our place for upkeep and preparation for the summer camping season. We have all the setup needed for doing that plus two RV dealers closeby if he would happen to need a part. Gary left his RV here and plans to come back with Susan and the grandkids next week and stay a couple of days. While Gary was here and in between washing and waxing, Gary, Jason, and Butch would play golf. Work is slow for Jason right now and it happened to coincide with Gary being here.
The weather has continued to be unpredictable and mostly wet. We did have a couple of dry days and Karla came over to help me with yard work. Butch mows but when it comes to flower beds etc he doesn't like it.
Butch has been Leo's helper and chauffeur for a few days. Leo has had surgery for a knee replacement. Talk about slowing somebody down! He (Leo) can't mow, can't drive and the only exercise he can get is doctor approved physical therapy. This is completely opposite to his nature.
Leo invited us to lunch and we all had a great time.
We have also been getting reacquainted with our old-time Jefferson friends and resuming our get-togethers. We will be doing the Thursday trivia at the casino this time. Team McDugan will be back in action. And I am going to be doing trivia at the Elks Club again starting June 5th.
I have also been messing with old pictures. Back in 2002 or so when I knew we were going to full-time RV for a few years I scanned in about 80 percent of the photos we owned because there is no way you can tote around a tote full of photos in an RV. Not practical. But and this is a big BUT the technology at the time does not compare to the present day. So now I am looking back and rescanning and re-editing photos. I probably will not finish in my lifetime. It is something I enjoy doing anyway.
Here is a photo of the Brooker clan. Back row from the left is Bob, Marion, and Russell. Front row from the left is Bill, Butch, Don, and Marlene
This is my dad, Francis Brock 1954
The story behind this pic is one that gets repeated on occasion. Gary was a baby(foreground) and Jason was on the way. My sister Theresa is helping my sister Myrla to sit on a washing machine tub. We lived with Mom and Merle for a month or two while looking for a place. We ended up moving to a farmstead near Churdan Iowa and that is where we lived when Jason was born. So then I had two babes in diapers and no washing machine. Butch had taken it apart in Mom's backyard and that is where it was when I raised a fit about going to the laundromat and threatened to buy a washing machine. That was all it took for Butch to gather together, reassemble, and repair the washing machine. It worked for several years after that.
So here is what has been happening. Gary and Susan have an RV and in the Spring Gary likes to bring it to our place for upkeep and preparation for the summer camping season. We have all the setup needed for doing that plus two RV dealers closeby if he would happen to need a part. Gary left his RV here and plans to come back with Susan and the grandkids next week and stay a couple of days. While Gary was here and in between washing and waxing, Gary, Jason, and Butch would play golf. Work is slow for Jason right now and it happened to coincide with Gary being here.
The weather has continued to be unpredictable and mostly wet. We did have a couple of dry days and Karla came over to help me with yard work. Butch mows but when it comes to flower beds etc he doesn't like it.
Butch has been Leo's helper and chauffeur for a few days. Leo has had surgery for a knee replacement. Talk about slowing somebody down! He (Leo) can't mow, can't drive and the only exercise he can get is doctor approved physical therapy. This is completely opposite to his nature.
Leo invited us to lunch and we all had a great time.
We have also been getting reacquainted with our old-time Jefferson friends and resuming our get-togethers. We will be doing the Thursday trivia at the casino this time. Team McDugan will be back in action. And I am going to be doing trivia at the Elks Club again starting June 5th.
I have also been messing with old pictures. Back in 2002 or so when I knew we were going to full-time RV for a few years I scanned in about 80 percent of the photos we owned because there is no way you can tote around a tote full of photos in an RV. Not practical. But and this is a big BUT the technology at the time does not compare to the present day. So now I am looking back and rescanning and re-editing photos. I probably will not finish in my lifetime. It is something I enjoy doing anyway.
Here is a photo of the Brooker clan. Back row from the left is Bob, Marion, and Russell. Front row from the left is Bill, Butch, Don, and Marlene
This is my dad, Francis Brock 1954
The story behind this pic is one that gets repeated on occasion. Gary was a baby(foreground) and Jason was on the way. My sister Theresa is helping my sister Myrla to sit on a washing machine tub. We lived with Mom and Merle for a month or two while looking for a place. We ended up moving to a farmstead near Churdan Iowa and that is where we lived when Jason was born. So then I had two babes in diapers and no washing machine. Butch had taken it apart in Mom's backyard and that is where it was when I raised a fit about going to the laundromat and threatened to buy a washing machine. That was all it took for Butch to gather together, reassemble, and repair the washing machine. It worked for several years after that.
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