Going through old files...

 These caught my eye...

The square dance years. These were taken at the Iowa State Convention in Sioux City.

Women's 8 Ball

                               Barb Utech, Barb Brooker, Renie Stinson

We are spreading our wings and playing competitively at other resorts in the Rio Grande Valley, meeting new people and learning new things.

Hope that's over

We had about 10 hours of freezing temperatures and it did affect the foliage. These periods of below-freezing temperatures used to be very rare in South Texas but now we have some of it every winter. Now it is rare to see an orange or grapefruit grove. It is too expensive to take the chance. It seems that when an orange grove gets frozen out they convert it into a housing development.

We are back to moderate weather 50's night and 70's day. We hope the folks up north will hold off sending any more of the cold stuff our way. 

There are so many activities a person could fill up every minute of their days and nights if they wanted to.  I think you would have to be crazy to try. I am sticking to pool,trivia, and square dancing. I have offered a beading class with some success but think I will let that drop after next week. I personally am getting back into beading earrings, relearning some of the many ways it can be done. 

Blogging has taken a back seat as I am sure my regulars have noticed. Age takes its toll. Photography was always how I would get past a session of writer's block but these days that has not been as prolific as in the past. But now that the thought has entered ny head I will take a look at the last photos I have taken. Perhaps I have not taken the time to post them.

I had to dig a while to find one worthy of posting. This was taken on the bike trail in Jefferson several years ago. I think thistles are beautiful.

Butch in 6th grade

Do you see the ghost?

It is fun to go through pictures! Time consuming but fun!

A Surprise UPDATED

 I now play in a women's traveling pool team with Renie Stinson as my partner. Renie had a cruise take up her time this last week so Barb Utech filled in for her. This whole business is new to both of us but we dove right in there letting the chips fall where they may. I never feel bad about the outcome when I am playing the best I can and that was almost true for me. Barb U. on the other hand played well. We played 5 games and won 3 and the other two were close. We socialized with the other teams and I wrote down the scores. When I got home I took a second look and Barb and I took first place for the day! The scoring system is a little different and I won't go into it here. I was so surprised! Overall we are ranked somewhere in the middle and a good day sure felt fine.

Other stuff: The park is in the height of it with dozens of activity choices to make. Whoops! I just remembered that I told someone I would post a list of things to do in the RGV and then promptly forgot. I put this list together years ago when we were in Magnolia Park. Now to find it...pause here... Okay, I found it! I went to the blog I used to keep with for Magnolia park and there it was, now copied in this blog.

 

Things to do in the RGV

Rio Grande Valley To Do List

I am going to need some help with this list. Help me add to it, please. And you folks who are no longer coming down please send me a text or email to tell me what you most miss about the Rio Grande Valley. In no particular order...

1. South Padre Island
a. Beach walk
b. Dirty Al's
c. Pirate's Landing
d. Kite Festival
e. Port Isabel- The Shrimp boats is a comin'

2. Basilica at San Juan
https://www.olsjbasilica.org/
Even if you are not Catholic this is worth a stop.

3. Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
Everyone has a favorite place to eat/shop so go on down and develop your own favorites. Going with an oldie is beneficial as it can seem a bit overwhelming to a newbie.

4. Riverside- right on the Rio Grande River. Great Food and Music. A fun place to gather with friends. Located south of Mission TX

5. Ropa Usada- means used clothing in Spanish and there are several places south on 23rd street out of McAllen where bargain hunters load up with used items for pennies a pound. An experience not to be missed.

6. Los Ebanos hand-pulled Ferry. This is not a highly touted tourist attraction. You can ride the ferry across the Rio Grande by car, bicycle or on foot and then it is about a mile to the first little Mexican village. They do not cater to all the fanciful things you will find in Nuevo Progreso. They are friendly but it is Mexico at a more basic level. English is not spoken by many. It is a whole other country.  https://www.krgv.com/news/reopening-of-los-ebanos-ferry-pending-u-s-coast-guard-approval/

7. Golf at several different courses all of them a bargain compared to other parts of the country.

8. Park Activities- We cannot overlook our own backyard. 

9. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/santa-ana Your Golden Age Pass will get you into the park to spend several hours enjoying nature. Just a hop skip and jump from Trophy.

10. https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bentsen-rio-grande-valley

See Javelina and every bird known to the Rio Grande Valley.

11. https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/iwo-jima-museum-and-monumentThe original  in Harlingen TX

12. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna_atascosa/ Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

13. https://www.portofportmansfield.com/ Lots of people go to Port Mansfield to see the deer and other wildlife 

14. https://www.portofbrownsville.com/ https://islatours.com/the-port-of-brownsville-tour/

The tour should be on your todo list for sure!

I have updated many of the entries on this list. And will do more updating in the future.

Suggested by others:

15. Please put Sisters. It's a marvelous shop that has been there for over 35 years. Delightful and a bit upscale. Sisters Boutique

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KXfnSsf3XiaLohvB7

16. Quinta Mazatland Bird Center https://quintamazatlan.com/

Many people are unaware that birding is a big deal in South Texas

I hope you have made it this far because special attention should be paid to this one. People from all over the world stay in this B&B. If you go to the ElDorado to eat you may be surprised to find it is across the street west from there.

https://alamoinnbnb.com/  Birding is a big deal

We made it!

 So we made it through the most event-filled week we have had in our memory.

In between the Golden Age Olympics doings, we were busy with our usual stuff. Trivia went well and we had 5 tables of players. I had worked out the questions for two weeks ahead so I didn't have the stress of coming up with the questions. I have a treasure trove of questions having done this since January 8th, 2018 in Texas. Longer than that in Iowa.

Renie and I are playing in a women's league outside the park. We are currently in last place. I am considering this our initiation year. We will work our way up the ladder. We are both ready for the challenge.

I offered a beaded ring class and it was a hit and they want me to continue. We will see if this continues. I do have an out on this one. One of the women who showed up for it was already an accomplished beader. She came because she had not brought her beading supplies with her. She can be a backup for me.

Square Dancing has started and conflicts for me with pool. I may see if I can make both work at least for a while.

I swore when we moved to this park I would not get overloaded. Everything takes a commitment! Whoops!

Buzz Saw

Golden Age Olympics Singles on Tuesday:

So I entered the Golden Age Olympics 2025 Billards for the first time.  I should have known better but what you don't know, you don't know. In the singles division on Tuesday, I thought I could hang in there for a while at least. First off I got a bye meaning that I didn't have to play right away. So I waited...and waited...for over an hour. When they called me to play I was matched up to play with Audrey. I broke, she had a 7 ball run. I got one shot and missed. She easily made the 8 ball and game over. The second game went much like the first. Audrey, I find out later, has been playing since she was 10. There was no hesitation between shots. She knew exactly what she was going to do without a thought. It was like watching the pros on TV. Impressive as a spectator but not so much fun as a participant. I will admit it messed with my head. I was rattled and my second game with Barbara didn't go well either. Two losses mean you are out. Audrey went on to win the tournament. My Trophy playing partner, Renie, won 3rd place! 

Golden Age Olympics Doubles on Thursday:

Renie and I were partners and we hoped to have it go better for us and it did. The point is that we both played well and we played a few other teams before we were eliminated. We also had a large time gap so Renie asked about it and the guy asked her what bracket she was in. She said she didn't know so he asked her if she was in the 67 to 81 group or the younger one. Why yes we were! So it was categorized by age and being 81 also meant I was the oldest woman in the room! I felt much better about the whole thing with that bit of news. I don't know if Butch was the oldest guy in the room but he could have been.

Butch won third place in the men's division and has another big ol' medal to show off.

They told us there were photos online but I can't find them.

I might sign up next year. If I look upon it as a learning experience it will feel better. Maybe the luck of the draw will not match me up against the winner right out of the gate! And maybe I am ready to work on all the things Butch wanted me to learn before I was ready. Time will tell.

The first day

 We made it through our first super busy day and got quite a few items off the to-do list. In so doing we missed the woodcarver's open house. I have seen some of the work in other ways, which is truly spectacular.

My chores were not nearly as eye-popping, but it feels good to have the list eradicated. The first thing on the list was dropping off a big bunch of recyclable items. A woman came out of her office and thanked us for doing it and gave us a magnetized note to keep us on track. 

We then had 5 more stops but I will not bore you with them. We started at 8:00 and arrived home at 11:00-forgot about the woodcarvers-and carried on with the day.

Today will hold even more events than yesterday...till then!

Schedule

Friday, January 3rd:

Walked our 2-mile route with Renie this morning and will be playing pool with Renie this afternoon to polish up for the events we are signed up for in the upcoming week. Butch is playing in his usual Friday afternoon tournament.

Saturday, January 4th: Plus Square dance review lessons start at 9:00 to 11:00 in Alamo Palms. In the afternoon, Renie and I are going to Fast Eddies to play on their tables because we will be playing on them for the first time. We have signed up for the Senior Golden Olympics 2025 in the Women's Pool events, Singles, and Doubles. 

Sunday, January 5th: The Sunday Mixed Pool Event in Trophy takes place every Sunday except holidays. I host and we play in it.

Monday, January 6th: I will be practicing...It is ladies' day in the pool hall.

Tuesday, January 7th: Playing in the Olympics. Both of us will be playing at Fast Eddies. Butch will play men's singles and I will play women's singles. I have only a vague idea of how this will go for me. Butch has played in this event for several years. And Then...there is trivia tonight at 6:30 for me!

Wednesday, January 7th: Renie and I will play in the ladies' league. We only this year signed up for this. We will be playing at Siesta Village RV park this week. We are still trying to feel our way through, however we can tell that our practicing has helped.

Thursday, January 8th: Renie and I play doubles for women and Butch and Paul Kelleher play men's doubles in the Senior Olympics. That will take up most of the day and by this time in the week, we may not be good for much!

I haven't looked much further out than this because just writing about it makes me tired. I do know Butch will be playing somewhere on the 9th too. I hope to be resting!

We have an Artic Blast coming our way. It is supposed to get here Monday the 6th. Indoor events will continue. Outdoor ones may get canceled. The worst of it will be for 4 or 5 days with temps in the 40's and 50's. I hope it doesn't last any longer than that!

I have several friends and family with January birthdays. I am hoping to remember them but the chances are higher than normal that I will forget. So I hope you will forgive me if I slip up. I know there are a few that have already passed that I have missed. I will do some belateds but right now I need a nap!

Pedaling

 I feel like I am pedaling as fast as I can and getting nowhere fast! Really, I think it is an age factor because I am doing far less than I did 10 years ago. I am happy.  I rarely do anything I don't want to do. In fact, I don't!

I am playing pool more than usual. Renie and I are partnered up for Team play outside the park and we are learning each other's game and having fun doing it. By playing some every day we are making so much more progress.

Tomorrow is the last Sunday mixed doubles of the month so therefore will not be mixed. The last Sunday of the month we play with whoever we sign up with so Butch and I will be partners. We have been partners working together for coming on 66 years so I think we got this! Win or lose, it will be fine!

Every day at 4:00 pm we go next door to Sandi and Bill Danielson's place for "Happy Hour". It is different from many other concepts of "Happy Hour". It lasts for ONE hour. No food...most of the time. And you bring your own drink. No politics, no gossip or any other tension-producing subjects. We learn something new every day. It is amazing and a great way to end the social part of the day.

Alva Millard

 Alvie, as he was known by most, was a classmate of mine and a brother to Darrel Millard who was also a classmate of mine. Darrel and his wife Linda winter with us in Trophy Gardens in Alamo Texas. Last season another brother Ivan and his wife Kathy also wintered here.

I am telling you this because I was very impressed with Alvie's obituary and wanted to share it with all of you. It is one of the best obituaries I have read in a long time. I knew Alvie nearly all my life and yet I did not know him. 

Alvie Millard Obituary

Alvie Millard, 82 of Jefferson, passed away December 19, 2024 at his home.

Alva (Alvie) Ernest Millard was born March 30, 1942, son of James and Mary (Morlan) Millard. Alvie was the oldest of six children. He attended school in Jefferson until he started his working years at age 16.

Alvie married Bobbi Anderson in 1965 and they had two sons, Kenny and Joey. Alvie married Tonya Adams in 1982 and they had a daughter, Angela and a son, Blake.

Alvie was a great provider for his family. He worked at Oscar Mayer in Perry for 27 years and Fareway warehouse in Boone for an additional 14 years.

Alvie enjoyed gardening and canning, fishing, coin finding with his metal detector and decorating the house for Christmas. There were several years his house was lit up like the Griswold’s. Alvie had a passion for taking care of cats and had at least one cat for a pet at all times.  Christmas was Alvie’s favorite holiday. He would drive around town looking at lights and kept his house decorated with the tree up for a long time.

Alvie had unique talents such as playing the mouth harp, yodeling and auctioneering. He loved singing and roller skating; he was a fast skater and could even skate backwards.

Alvie is survived by his siblings Darrel (Linda) Millard, Phyllis Mischke, Ivan (Kathy) Millard, Eva (Jerry) Radcliffe, and Avis (Roger) Moranville and his children Kenny Millard of Grand Junction, Joey (Mary) Millard of Rippey, Angela (Dave) Milakovich, and Blake Millard of Jefferson. He is also survived by grandchildren Kimberly (Mason) Cole, Ashley Millard, Dylan Hofbauer, Destiny Hofbauer, Bently Hofbauer, Nataliya Milakovich, and Gianna Milakovich. great grandson Xane Cole. He is preceded in death by his parents.

A Memorial Service will be 10:30 am Friday, December 27, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson, Iowa. Burial will take place at Wright Cemetery, Jefferson, Iowa. The family will be present to greet friends on Thursday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson.  In lieu of flowers, the family of Alvie Millard kindly requests that donations be made to PAWS, an organization close to their hearts.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be left at www.slininger.schroeder.com.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

 We are celebrating in our small home in Sunny South Texas where the temperature is predicted to be 89 degrees. At this writing it is 71 at 10:45 AM. In South Texas sometimes Christmas day is a bit chilly and some years it is downright balmy.

Our weeks are busy and they do fly by so Christmas day is a respite for us. Staying home, and cooking Turkey for two is a treat. 

Hope everyone can do what they choose to do, making it a Merry Christmas indeed.

And as I end almost everything I write, Best Wishes Always!

Women's League

Women's Pool League in the Rio Grande Valley. Front row left is Barb B. Barb U. is behind me peaking around and Renie S. is far right.

There are 7 two-person teams representing 7 parks in the valley. We could use one more team to even things out. We did okay for being newbies. Played 6 games in all and won 3.

Sharon and Camden

This pic makes me smile!

This is a picture of our friend, Sharon Mcquillen with her great-grandson Camden.

Womens league play.

 Barb Utech, Renie Stinson and I went to Magic Valley Resort to play in the women's league. Barb Utech and I played Alamo Palms the first 3 games and we won 2 of the 3. Renie and I played the second 3 games and won 1 against Alamo Rose. This was a double session because of the holidays. Normally we would play 5 games against another park. The scoring is different for us too. The winning team gets 10 points while the losing team gets the balls that they were able to get off the table, as little as 0 at most 7. I played well and that is my way of being happy with the outcome. For me, the score is secondary to how I played.

We play each week on Wednesdays in different parks. Trophy will be hosting on Wednesday, February 5th.

We had a good time and feel as though we could hold our own with the women who have been playing for decades.

Slow down!

 I want the world to slow down so we can savor what we enjoy. I'm aware that is a pipe dream, but I think that nearly every day. There are those who try to participate in nearly every activity. They must not be the savoring type or they are much better than I am at compartmentalizing.

There is a stark contrast between our Iowa life to our Texas life and believe it or not I enjoy both places!

We recycle in both places. Jefferson Iowa has made it so simple by providing a large container and picking up as often as once a month if needed. It is also simple here but in a different way. We have a container we have designated as our recycle tote. Once it is full we take it to a drive-thru recycle center where we place things in the well-marked locations. It takes less than 5 minutes. It makes us feel better to know we are doing what we can to keep our planet alive and healthy. What now goes to the landfill is a fraction of what we used to send there.

I want to find time to declutter our living quarters and currently that is the only thing on my agenda. It took a long time to get here. So while Butch is playing league pool this afternoon I hope to make some progress. Until then I plan to go to the pool hall and get some practice in.

Later...

Lazy or Overbooked?

 Dear Blog, 

You have been my lifeline to friends and family for 24 years. I feel so guilty when you slip by the wayside and it happens more frequently. Once again, I  will promise to do better. My week has contained quite a few things. Most of them fun.

Your creator,

Barb B.

Last Sunday at mixed doubles Butch and I were both in the top level of winners. Sunday Pool is fun as you play with a different partner each week and it is a different way to learn more about the people you play with.

Monday and Tuesday are ladies' days in the pool hall. The number of women taking advantage of this is disappointing. It points out the multitude of activities we all have access to and choosing what gets on your personal list is always a challenge.

Tuesday night is also trivia night and we have a respectable number showing up each week. It should pick up after the holidays as more people trickle in from the north. Still we have had 3 or 4 teams each week consistently. Renie has adjusted her own list of activities and resigned from trivia as my scorekeeper. We were lucky to get a new scorekeeper right away, Joyce Bromley. Joyce was looking for a place to volunteer and we filled the bill. Last week was her first time alone and she did very well.

Wednesday morning 3 of us went to check things out in the women's pool league we have joined out of the park. We now have a better feel for what is expected of us and how we will fit in.

Thursday Butch and I went to Nuevo Progreso Mexico. Our agenda went as planned...almost. First, we went down to see our old friend Hector and stock up on some needed meds. Always informational talking to Hector. It is a half-mile walk to his place but always worth the trip. Then we walked back to where all the tourists mingled and found our pedicure place. They were without electricity! But still, we had a most wonderful pedicure by flashlight; each and every toe was thoroughly massaged, trimmed, and defoliated. It felt like I had been gifted with new and happy feet. We made our way to Jessica's for lunch but the power outage took them out of business so we crossed back to US soil and went to the Alamo Restaurant in Alamo for lunch. It, too was delicious! It was a most pleasant day!

After lunch, we stopped at H.E.B. to stock up on a few items. On the way in I saw this pickup and simply had to take a picture of it.

Despite the look on his face, he seemed to be comfortable!

Friday is one of Butch's regular pool league days so it was a good day for me to catch up on things. He promises we will get some pool in today.

Till next time...

Mom's Best Meatloaf

 In my youth my mother made meatloaf on a regular basis. Didn't everyone's Mom?  I found this recipe a few years back. It is tried and true and my one and only. Butch's favorite too and everyone knows how picky he is! Simple is often the best way to go.

Enjoy!

Mom's Meat Loaf Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 1 hour + standing

MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 3/4 cup milk

• 2/3 cup finely crushed saltines

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

• Dash pepper

• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

• 1 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into an 8x4-in. loaf in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar; remove 1/2 cup for sauce. Spread remaining mixture over meat loaf.

3. Bake 60-65 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Originally published as Mom's Meat Loaf in Taste of Home June/July 1997, p35

Lithium batteries and other news

 We have decided to change to lithium batteries in our Texas golf cart.

1. They are less expensive

2. They last longer (perhaps 10 years)

3. They weigh less

4. Do not need charged as often

5. They are faster and I don't care about that one.

They are arriving today.

We are having a bit of a cold wave in South Texas. It was 59 degrees this morning and is not expected to get much warmer today. The cold waves are more frequent and colder than they used to be. I remember when we were first coming down here in the winter, I would bring one pair of jeans, just in case, and now I have several.

As interpreted these days a cold spell is in the low 70's in the day and low 50's at night and that would be a normal cold/cool spell. Once in a while there might be a bonafide wingding of a cold front but those still only happen once or twice per  season and then only for a day or two. When that happens Chili will be brewing in nearly every household!

I have new glasses, purchased at Costco. After shopping around, Costco was the place. 

Not much can be done at a certain age. Pretty is out of the question. So we are settling for pleasant. It seems my lips have disappeared completely. Inside I am in my prime.😊 Too much info... I know

Thanksgiving Day!

Boy oh Boy! My Thanksgiving day is starting off great. I have been trying off and on to get Alexa hooked up down here with difficulty! It seems she wanted to stay in Iowa where she knew how to connect to the internet. I tried to show her the way many times but no, she would not let it happen. We even took her to a T-Mobile spot and they assured me she was fixed but she wasn't when we brought her home. I had an inkling it was a setting issue somewhere in the system. I would fiddle a bit and then feel like I was closer many times and this morning my fiddling worked.

Fiddling has been my main system for taking care of tech problems for all my years of teching. It just takes longer now for things to click into place. It takes longer to do everything!!

We are staying home this Thanksgiving without plans to do anything in particular. I have several small tasks I would like to take off my todo list.

My gratitude list is extremely long and something I think of every day, not just on Thanksgiving.

I hope all of our friends and family are doing precisely what they want to do this Thanksgiving day and every other day as well.

Thanksgivings

 

You can never tell what important things you might find out at Happy Hour. A few days ago, a neighbor came and said, "I have a question I need to ask." I said, "You have come to the right place!" That was a few days ago, and for the life of me, I do not remember what she asked, but I am sure she was able to get an answer.

Yesterday at happy hour we got stuck on "Rhubarb"; where it grows and the many ways to use it. And then the recipes using it were bandied about followed by pineapple and mandarin orange territory. You can never tell what sorts of tidbits will come in handy and add to your personal book of knowledge.

A while back, Butch came home from happy hour and told me what deer hunters need to know about hunting and preparing the meat without ruining it for human consumption. It is a fact the path to making it tasty is in the very beginning.

It seems more than one kind of recipe is being shared at happy hour.

 

Rhubarb Pudding

3 C. Rhubarb, Coarsely Chopped

1 C. Sugar

1/4 t Cinnamon

Dabs Of Butter

1 Egg

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Milk

1 t Baking Powder

1 C. Sugar

A very old family favorite.

Place the first 4 ingredients in an 8" x 8" pan. Mix together the remaining

ingredients and pour evenly over the rhubarb mix. Bake 45 min. at 350 deg.

Cover the first 30 minutes.

Barb B. ~I cut back on the sugar these days and mix some stevia in there.

Laura's Buck

 Jason and Laura were driving through The Ledges State Park near Boone when she got this great shot of a deer. Laura and I share a love of photography and this is a super duper shot on many levels.

Smoothly progressing

 I think things are progressing smoothly, and even as I type, I wonder what I have forgotten.

We played pool yesterday as partners and Butch and I did well considering our 2 losses were unavoidable. In the first loss, they broke and ran the table and in the second loss I broke but did not make a ball on the break so they then ran the table. Cannot feel bad about that kind of loss. If I am playing well I do not beat myself over any loss. Playing well is good enough for me.

We are in the midst of changing out our Golf cart batteries. It is an expensive process no matter how or when. We are transitioning from lead-acid batteries to lithium batteries. The reasons for doing so are longer life (10 years), charging less often, and increased speed. We do not need the last one, but it comes with the package. All this takes some time.

The time is whizzing by! The busier we are the faster it goes. We need to schedule a Mexico trip. Let's see...Thursdays are our clearest day but it is Thanksgiving this week. And that is how it goes!

Crafty Changes

 I have a list of crafts I have done over the years, and I have reached the age and knowledge of myself to know that some of them are in my past and will stay there. One of them is Swedish Weaving. I loved it. I still vividly remember the woman who inspired me to take it up, Dorothy Wendt.

I have a large supply of everything needed to do Swedish Weaving. All of the monks' cloth has been edged, washed, and ready for inspiration. I also have bodkins, patterns, and instruction books and a few starter kits. There are two tubs of supplies. I am offering it all for $125.00 or best offer. Contact me at keep.movin.on@gmail.com. or text me including the word Swedish Weaving to 515-441-9984

Ideas...

 Either there are dozens of ideas for posts or nearly none. Lately, there has been an abundance.

Artist Jason Brooker's latest creation is pictured below.

If you have any old silverware you are looking to discard contact me.

Susan is retiring!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/CWQXeJpSSGrQVDxP

This is a test. I am hoping my blog readers can go to the link without being Facebook members. But if that does not work I will find a different path.

Wink's Butterfly

 Wink and Dot are backdoor neighbors of ours here in Trophy. They live here year-round. It is well-known that the Rio Grand Valley is on the byway for Monarch butterflies heading for their winter homes in Mexico. Wink caters to their needs by planting the right kind of stuff for them around his home thus making it an ideal place to watch the Monarchs. Recently he spotted a larvae on a bush so he snipped it and put it in a mason jar.

 This is what the larvae looked like. I did not take this photo. 

This is what the cocoon looked like. I didn't take this one either, but I wanted to show you what we saw. These are exactly as they appeared. Wink brought it to happy hour periodically so we could see the progress.

This last picture was taken by Sandi, the hostess of happy hour and she sent it to me so I could share it with you. Wink and Dot were able to watch the process. Dot said Wink felt like a father as he watched the "birth" of his Monarch when they released it and watched it fly over the top of their house headed south to Mexico.

We all enjoyed the journey with him!

Trivia Host at Trophy Gardens.

Hosting Trivia on 11/19/2024

Curdled Necks

 Gary and Jason did not like sweaters, particularly "turtle necked" ones. I took this picture of them in 1968. They called them "Curdled Necks".

A Ray of Light

Greatgrands- Elise and Leo. Their Mom takes pic's of them each October and this is my favorite one from this year, 2024.
 

Cool Down

 I had to cool off before posting again, and I was only partially successful. Watching the fall of the United States Empire will never be easy.

Butch and I are keeping ourselves busy and that is easy down here. Trivia is still a popular activity. Not everyone is here yet and we had 3 teams of 8. Lots of laughter!

Butch and I are both playing pool which is not news to anyone. It is a hit-or-miss event for both of us, pun intended.

We have not been to Mexico yet. It gets to be a challenge to work everything in. Thursdays used to be our most free day. Still true, I think.

I had 3 skin biopsy's done. Have not heard the results yet. Butch came through okay on that visit and his eye appointment went well too. It seems the "Health Wagon" is running smooth this year...so far. Oh yes! I nearly forgot my butt. It has healed to the point I no longer think about it! All's well, that ENDS well! Get it?

So our life here is somewhat repetitive doing the things we enjoy doing and trying to keep those negative state-of-the-union things out of mind somewhat successfully.

Till next time...