A ride through Paradise

This morning I had a very early appointment for a hair cut. 7:15AM. I know. I was surprised too. But Marcia asked if I could make that time and I said "Yes" so there you go. It cut into my walk time with Colleen but I found a new hairdresser in Jefferson that I like. That only took 3 years. So after my haircut it was still fairly cool outdoors so I decided to get a bike ride in.
It is hard to put into words what it feels like on the trail in the early morning light with a light southerly breeze. There are places along the trail that give me the feeling of entering a cathedral with all that can entail. The quiet serenity of the tall trees forming a peak above, shafts of morning sunshine finding its way through the leaves. The quiet, oh the quiet is so hard to describe. It simply can't be done. It has to be experienced and it has to be experienced alone. If I were with you I would have to tell you how wonderful it is...and that would break the spell. Here are the pictures from this mornings meditation.

Many places along the trail have steep sides where you are looking down on the river valley floor.

 I have the thought in some places where I find it doubtful a man has set foot on the ground for many years if ever simply because it appears so undisturbed.

Single minded

I do believe that once my company gets here and I am enjoying them I totally forget everything else. I think it is a good thing because it means I am very much more in the moment. The bad news is I forget to get photos of the event and disappoint many of my readers.
Our friends from Yale and  Lake Panorama were guests in our new fancied up house, Marv and Judi Smith, Jack and Jan Tallman and Bob and Jean Cornish. We enjoyed another great meal prepared by my sis in law Keri. More and more people are now knowing how lucky I am to have Keri in my bag of tricks. The menu was Ham Balls, Cheesy potatoes, Orange salad and Key Lime pie for dessert and it was all as delicious as it sounds. After our delicious meal we played cribbage. I spent most of the evening at the lower table but I still had a very good time.
Before our guests arrived Jason and Laura stopped by with my Simply Said items I had ordered. They were kind to me and installed both of the items. I am so impressed with both items and they add just the right touch. I do have pictures of them and here they are.

Curious about Chrome OS?

I have been looking into a new computer with a Chrome OS(operating system). So people ask me what that means exactly and how is that different from what I have now (Windows 7). Well, I came upon this you tube video that explains it very well so if you have any curiosity about it at all just watch the video.
Why am I thinking about it? My computer is approaching 4 years of age and it gets a lot of use. And in the last month or so it has seized up so I would need to manually shut it down then restart. Not a good thing nor a good sign. Chrome OS laptops sell for $249.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QRO3gKj3qw

More pictures

 I thought this old truck was really cool and a great addition to the car show.

And here we have Keri's Barracuda!!

And if you would like to read about the rest of my day check out the www.magnolianews.blogspot.com

Zucchini anyone?

Saturday in Jefferson

Butch and I went to the Flea Market/Swap Meet at the fairgrounds today. We made a few minor purchases and then Leo called us to say that the car that Keri drove to school has been refurbished and is in the car show so we had to go back to the fairgrounds to see Keri's car. It really looks sharp and lives up to its name of "Barracuda" . Doesn't that roll off your tongue really smooth?
Whoops! I hit the wrong button so you folks who get the automatic updates will not see the pictures. They will need to come all the way to the website to see them.
Here are the pictures..

Issues %^&$##

Well it seems we have a sewer problem. We had a mysterious gurgle and back up of water (clean) in the stool when Butch would take a shower. We wondered... and then Butch went out to get some water for the birds and noticed that the sewer had backed up and out of the motorhome sewer inlet. Not good. All this is taking place outside of the house and motorhome. That part is good. We have no sewer backup in or under the house. Butch suspicions it is in the back yard under a spot we had placed some sewer pipe when we put in the hook ups for the motorhome. He had run into a couple of pieces of clay tile that he wondered where and what from. At that time we were under the impression the sewer went east out of the house to Cedar street only later did we discover it indeed went to the backyard and then south to Adams street so our new pipe went over top of the sewer pipe. Thus when we dumped the motorhome black tank it came into the house then back out to the sewer. At the time we thought if we had only known it would have saved us much digging and laying of new pipe. As it happened though it did prevent us from having a sewer back under the house now.  We have had a problem getting a plumber here so we are dealing with it in a variety of ways I will not go into. One of which is using the motorhome and refraining from using the plumbing in the house. We can make this last about a week before we will have to find a place to dump the black tank.

Jefferson and Greene County Iowa were on the Iowa news last night. We are in a pocket of severe drought. There has been no significant rain since May. I knew this already. My rain barrel is bone dry. It only takes a 1/2 inch of rain to fill the barrel. We have not had that much all summer. There are big ugly cracks all over the yard.

Tomatoes are scarce and this is the time when they should be plentiful. It was a cold and late spring and people were not able to plant and then no rain after they could plant so what we have are tomatoes that are small in size and low in numbers and pricey at the farmers market. Usually people are begging those of us who do not plant to take them off their hands. That is not happening this year. Keri sent a couple of them home with Butch last night  and they were delicious! So ripe, red and delicious. More!! I want more!

Now you know why there has been no news on the blog. If you cannot say something nice...well you know the rest.

I did get a bracelet finished.

Minimal ride and a great chair...

I rode out to the bridge and back on my bike while Butch got in his walk on the golf course. I made note of the time and it took me just over 30 minutes for the round trip of 5 miles. It is feeling easier each time.

I have been back to beading lately. Not all out like I sometimes do but an hour or so at a time. It will get done that way it just takes longer. I do have a chair problem and I hate to even admit it. My chair in the motorhome is the most comfortable I have ever sat in but it is getting very worn. I need a new one. And the glider I bought for the house is just not getting it for me. That is the part I hate to admit. I know the brand and the price of the Good chair and I should have bought a replacement for both the house and the motorhome without quibbling and been done with it. We are never too old to make poor decisions it seems.

Best Chair Here it is... I love this chair.

And I found out I can buy it in Carroll IA-about 30 miles for us. Whoo hoo!!

CROCK POT PECAN PIE

I do not need to know how to do this but if someone "forced" me to make one this one sure looks easy.

Recipe for the Day: CROCK POT PECAN PIE

You will go "nuts" over this holiday classic, which crocks up beautifully!
Ingredients
1 uncooked pie-crust
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup dark Karo syrup
1 cup pecans, broken up
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
1: Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2: Place uncooked pie-crust in the slow cooker and press up the edges about 1/2 inch up the sides.
3: In a medium-mixing bowl, stir the remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour on top of the pie-crust.
4: Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.

Rode to Cooper-7.5 mile

Butch and I rode to Cooper and back this morning. 15 miles total. Butch and I both have ties to Cooper. My maternal grandparents and uncles, aunts and cousins are buried in the Cooper cemetery. My grandfather was a barber in Cooper. My mother was born there....and so was Butch. His family lived on a farm a mile from Cooper when he was born and he lived there until he was about 3 when they moved to Jefferson.
And then in the boys growing up years Butch was a pitcher for the Cooper softball team so many summer nights were spent at the ball diamond in Cooper.
Here are some pictures from today's ride:

Funday morning

Butch and I plan to ride the trail this morning...will let you know later how it goes and what we see.
Butch worked on my bike last week and it is working so great. Just like new.
later.

Oversight

I failed to mention one solitary thing about the Deja Vu group gathering at our house last Thursday evening. The truth of the matter is it was a really great time! I had so much fun and got so involved I forgot to take even one picture. Darn!

This Mornings Ride...

Rode to Winkleman's switch and back. 8 mile total. From Winkleman's Switch north to the bridge, a distance of 1.5 miles is pure joy to ride.  And here are the trail pictures for today.

The past few days ...and this morning

Since having the house mostly done and nothing really pressing to do I have been sort of at loose ends. But in the past few days I have managed to pull myself somewhat together. For one thing we will finally be doing a wee bit of entertaining. Tomorrow evening we will be hosting what I call the Deja Vu Bunch, those of us who have returned to our hometown to make a niche for ourselves. And I need to get in touch with our Yale/Panora friends because I have Keri lined up to feed us depending on if we can get the night to coincide with her busy schedule.
Colleen slept in this morning so I decided to do a minimal bike ride instead of walking. I consider a minimal walk as the 2 miles Colleen and I do every morning and a minimal bike ride for me is to the bridge and back for a total of  5 miles.
Here are the pics I took this morning.

The river is very low.

These fellows were A-OK to have their picture taken.

Waiting to be rescued.

Another biker met

I bought this little teacup when we were in Michigan. I was making flower plates at the time but I did not end up using it. It makes the perfect little vase for a Marigold.

Update: We made our annual call to DirecTV for renegotiation. Our normal bill was $74 but if you call them you can get all kinds of discounts with most  only in effect for one year. Thus the annual call. We have done this for many years. Our bill per month this past year was $35. The only rule to this is that you must be prepared to lose DirecTV because the threat does not work if you are not committed to cut the ties. This year they told us they do not currently have any "deals" to offer us at this time. So we cut the string.

The truth be known we watched very little satellite TV. And now after the purchase of our giant antenna whereby we receive 16 high definition channels for free we feel we have all the TV we need.

Another add on to this story involves a good hi speed internet connection. We do pay a bit more for it than we used to ($50 then-$65 now) but it is unlimited and much better quality than we were getting with Verizon. Unfortunately not everyone has that choice. And now with the unlimited super duper Internet we can stream videos over the TV. We are Netflix members and enjoying movies and TV shows without commercial interruption. Our TV experience is greatly enhanced. We watched all of the "Orange is the new Black" episodes that were available and we are hooked on that show. Can hardly wait for the next season. Currently we are watching "Breaking Bad" and it is another one whereby the time zips by. And we have not had time to start watching the list of movies I have compiled.

Every now and then we need to analyze our options and making sure our choices from the past apply to the future. Sometimes a change is called for.

Family Connections

Butch and I rode our bikes out to Roger Conant's place for a family reunion, Zimmerle connected. Roger was married to my late cousin Sharon Zimmerle Conant. Roger and their daughter Joanna host a family gathering each year for that particular branch of the Zimmerle clan. My mother and their father/grandfather were siblings. Roger lives on the bike trail which makes riding out there seem like a good idea. It is approximately 4 miles so it makes an 8 mile round trip.
We had a great time as we always do. I think next year I will try to encourage a bit more involvement of my siblings and offspring. We all need to know our connections.
Here are some photos my cousin Howard Zimmerle, a great photographer, took of us.

My cousin Bill Zimmerle and his granddaughter. Howard photoshopped the American Gothic background. I told you he was good.

My cousins Bill, Phyllis and Howard.

A rare photo of us. Rare you say? What is rare about it? I like it and that is why it is rare!

Biking the Raccoon River Valley Trail

Colleen had company this week and stayed home this morning to see them off so I decided to ride the trail. I have not done it all summer! Oh, it was wonderful. The trail was quiet. No people. Just animals and birds. And calm and quiet. There is something about being in the country alone with nature that is hard to describe. Some of you know what I mean. There is such a peacefulness that is hard to capture in any other way. I rode 4 miles out and 4 back stopping to take some pictures along the way.. It was a special treat.

Spicy Cabbage Salad

  This is one of my newer recipe's that my friend Colleen says is one of her favorites and also one I am making for supper tonight.

 Spicy Cabbage Salad    
 
Spicy Cabbage Salad with Tomatoes, Radishes, and Celery (Puerto Rican Cabbage Salad)
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe adapted from Puerto Rican Cabbage Salad at Champaign Taste.)

5-6 cups finely chopped green cabbage (about 1/2 large head of cabbage)
1 cup diced tomatoes (I used diced grape tomatoes)
1/2 cup celery, sliced (or if the celery is large, I would cut in half before slicing)
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves (optional, but good)
6 radishes, stem and root cut off and cut into half-moon slices (optional, but good)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (dark green part)

Dressing:
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I used Sriracha sauce; use any hot sauce that has a good flavor. If you have some type of Carribean hot sauce it would be perfect in this.)
3 T grapeseed oil (or other neutral-flavored oil such as canola will work)


Chop cabbage, tomatoes, and celery leaves, and slice celery, radishes, and green
onions. Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. (If making ahead
use a plastic bowl with a tight-fitting lid.)

In a small bowl, mix together the apple cider vinegar, fresh lime juice, salt, and hot
sauce to taste. (I would start with a smaller amount of hot sauce, because you can
always add more.) Whisk in the oil, one tablespoon at a time. Taste to see if you
want to add more hot sauce

Toss salad with desired amount of dressing. (You may not need all the dressing if
you omit some of the optional ingredients.) Salad can be made ahead and stored in
the refrigerator for a few hours, and is even surprising good when it's been
refrigerated overnight.

Could use some rain...

I sure did not think I would say that we needed rain after the Spring that we had but we have not had any measurable rain since then.  Some places around us have had rain but Jefferson has been high and dry. We have cracks in the yard that look like we have had an earthquake. Today we had a light shower but Butch did not even check the rain gauge as we know it was not enough to make a dent in the dust that has settled in the bottom of it. This morning it really looked like Colleen and I would get wet while on our walk and we would not have cared but it didn't happen.

Tomorrow the people of Greene County will vote on the casino issue. That is the first step as I understand it. If the people of Greene County approve, the next step will be if the gaming commission gives their approval. I am assuming if that answer is yes that we will soon be getting a casino located at the intersection of highway 4 and highway 30. Butch and I voted early and we voted "yes". Not because we are big advocates of casinos, because those of you who know me well  certainly know that is not true but because it will provide lots of jobs and revenue to town.
Jefferson used to be on a downward slide a few years back but some people got their heads, hearts and hands together and those of you who haven't been here for a few years would be very surprised. There is a very different feel to the town with a much more positive attitude about the future and all this started to happen before a casino was even a twinkle in someones eye.
You really ought to mosey on by and take a look at us.