We have company!

And we have already worn them out!

We are having fun.

Miss Elise from Nana Susan

Our opening ceremony for all staff was this morning.  It was a baseball theme, and they wanted a Kindergarten student to throw out the first pitch to a senior student.  They asked Miss Elise to throw the first pitch.  The first attachment is a picture of her during her "interview" prior to the first pitch. They asked her name, what she was most excited about for school to start, how old she was and who she had with her in attendance.  Of course, after she did her "speaking" she had to turn to the audience and give a little wave and a thumbs up sign, for which you could hear the collective "awwwwww" from the crowd. I managed to get that in a picture, and it is the second attachment.  

She did a great job and answered all the questions like she was supposed to - and loud enough and clear enough to be heard!!  So cute!!

  

Popular Muffins

I found this recipe in a publication that we get in the mail. A link to the online version is below the recipe. I happened to have ripe bananas on hand when I read the recipe and thought it was a good way to use them. I have now made it twice more and it is a hit each time. And it is easy!
The changes I made:
I used dried cherries instead of blueberries because I had them on hand. I have silicone muffin molds that I really like because they do not stick. I do spray them as an added precaution.
My baking powder was old so I doubled it.

Banana oat Greek yogurt muffins

Ingredients

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

2 cups rolled oats

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare muffin pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with cupcake liners. (You may want to spray cupcake liners with spray so they don’t stick to the liners).

2. Put all ingredients except blueberries into a blender or food processor and process on high until oats are broken down and it becomes a smooth and creamy batter.

3. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins.

Push 5 or 6 blueberries into each filled muffin cavity and bake for 15-20 minutes until tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins set 5-10 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack. Makes 12.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or baggie.

http://www.iowalivingmagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Greene-Co-July-2015.pdf

I am a Seen-ager. (Senior teenager)

I am a Seen-ager. (Senior teenager)

I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 60 years later.
I don’t have to go to school or work.
I get an allowance (pensions).
I have my own pad.
I don’t have a curfew.
I have a driver’s licence and my own car.
I have ID that gets me into bars and the Beer Store.
The people I hang around with are not scared of getting pregnant.
And I don’t have acne.
Life is great.

All is Clear

We have been having an on-going altercation with a man who owns the property south of us for a few years now. He has been blocking the alley with a 5th wheel almost from the time we have bought the property. We asked nicely for him to park it somewhere else but that didn't work. He seemed to get a perverse pleasure from being able to keep it blocked. The city has it labeled as unused and that is partly why he could get away with it. When an alley is abandoned the property owners each get half the alley.  The school owned the property behind him and he was parked on their half. They didn't have any interest in changing the situation. Last fall the school put that property up for sale and Butch purchased it. So now that we own the property he was parked on our half and we followed through on getting the alley vacated. That happened today. The city man with our deed in hand informed him last Thursday that it had to be moved by Monday. We do not know for sure when it happened, but it was still blocked Saturday.  It has been a long time coming. What this means is that access to our RV sites in the backyard are much more accessible for us and any guests we might have. He has threatened to build a fence but was clued in that he would need a permit for that and if he decides to do that will be told it must be surveyed and he does not have the clearance needed to build it so that would shut the plan down. We have hopes this will all settle down but these kinds of people seldom want things to go smoothly so who knows but for now it is clear.

Heartwarming

My niece Karla said this about a friend of hers. She made me proud.
"She is the one friend that I have that I have never had any problems with. She doesn't annoy me, she doesn't treat me badly, she's supportive no matter what, but when I really need to hear the truth, she tells me."

Gary's Blog entry

Gary should start his own blog. Maybe he will get to it one day, in his old age. Just did the math and I was 59 when I started this one. He isn't quite that old just yet. I thought this entry of his would be one he will want to save for future reference and perhaps someone would also like to check out the area he is telling us about.
Gary's Entry:

We've been lucky and not had a spot camping this year where we've said mark it off the list for next year. This past weekend we went to Pomona Lake in Kansas. Things that make it a go-to spot for next year include several things. Most lakes we visit I'm not missing getting on the water all that much. This lake is one where I would have loved having a boat and getting out there. The campground we used (http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/michigan-valley/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73275) was right on the shoreline near the dam and the largest basin. The beach (free) was within walking distance of the campground. We got a nice pull-thru level site with water and electric. If you want full hookups then you have to choose a back-in spot closer to the showers. We had plenty of green space for setting up our play things. There were 3 playgrounds for the kids within walking distance. It is a real pretty spot an hour and 20 minutes from home. About an hour from home (on the way to Pomona Lake) is Ottawa, KS that has two rail trails going through it

http://bikeprairiespirit.com/

http://kanzatrails.org/flint-hills-nature-trail/

Company coming

The Linders, Lisa and Terry of Canyon Lake TX are coming to see us soon. I have been checking in with them on Facebook and so far they are confusing me. First they talk of meeting a mutual friend in North Platte on Saturday if possible and that set us to scrambling as we thought they would be arriving here much earlier than we thought so we cleaned house. But then I saw that they attended a beer convention in Winter Park CO. (Terry brews his own on occasion) on Saturday so I knew they were not going to be popping into Jefferson just yet.
Terry and Lisa are a fun couple and enjoy many of the same activities as we do. There is that and then we do enjoy showing off our town and surrounding area. So we are looking at a fun-filled week to come. Biking, golfing, sight-seeing and catching up with the happenings of this busy couple. And Keri has offered a pie!!

Windows 10- I did it!

You knew I would, didn't you. My curiosity got the better of me. Also, Deon S. emailed me and told of her experience and it sounded very positive so I plunged! Early on, the question was asked if I wanted my apps to remain unchanged and I said "yes" and indeed they were unchanged as far as I know at this point. Chrome is still my default browser.  The process took over an hour, however it didn't need much input from me. I am still in the investigating process, but I like what I see so far. It was much like meeting an old friend
The following is an email I sent to Deon.
"Since your experience went so well I made the leap last night. Early on in the process it asks if you want your apps to remain the same and I said yes, and as you say it all looks quite familiar. I did check my settings in Chrome and it says Chrome is my default. I have not even looked at Edge yet. Half afraid to! I checked out a recipe program I have had for years and it opened without a problem. So far so good. If you run across an issue let me know and I will do the same.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Barb" 

HWY 141 garage sale

Butch wanted to 'do' the hwy 141 garage sale today. Last year Sherri Clark and I rode bikes from Redfield to Jefferson while Butch did the garage sale alone. This year I am going with Butch. So we left bright and early this morning. We started off in Bagley, then Bayard then headed back east catching Jamaica, Dawson and Perry before returning home. There are many bargains out there for sure!
Here are our treasures.

We didn't buy it of course but this is a zither and my mother played one. Nostalgia.

 On the trail...

 These are hollyhocks-zerbena. We had some of these in Cumberland and I didn't know their name at that time. Ran into these while looking for hollyhock seeds and recognized them. They are shorter by far than regular hollyhocks. So I planted them and now they are taking off...more nostalgia!

 Already looking forward to these perennials next year.

Gary went south

Gary was up bright and early with plans to do the high trestle trail before heading for home...and he did!

I asked a favor of Keri to make a Lemon Meringue Pie for him as his birthday is next Tuesday and that was always his request every year. It was a special treat for all of us. Very yummy!

These were this morning's trail pics.

Gary uses an app on his phone called MapMyRide. I now have it on my phone and used it for the first time today. You may want to check it out.

Another bit of tech news that set me off the wrong way; Microsofts new Windows 10 that has been getting rave reviews has a new browser named Edge. The browser is not getting rave reviews so a person might say no big deal, neither did Internet Explorer that no longer exists once you have Windows 10. At first I was not concerned in the least because I use Chrome for a browser anyway and had no plans to switch. So the bad news is they have made changing your default browser extremely difficult to change from Edge! That is a mighty underhanded trick Microsoft! Sure we will give you Windows 10 absolutely free and aren't we wonderful for doing that! The price you will pay is not being able to set your default browser to what you want without a gurus help and jumping through many hidden hoops. It has to be what we want you to have. And to top it off worthless no-good Bing is also part of your package. I will not be downloading Windows 10 until I am very familiar with what it takes to have Chrome be my default browser.

Today's Ride-a day late!

Jason came over and met up with Gary for a ride to Waukee from Jefferson using the southern route through Panora. He arrived early and they took off at 6:30 AM. As an added gift to me he brought his tubular art! I love it! He also brought a new burn barrel for his dad.

Here are the guys getting ready for take-off.

6:30 AM

The conditions were perfect. Overcast, calm winds, and cool temperatures.

It started to rain in Jefferson so Butch got a bit antsy and thought we should make their pick-up vehicle more readily available if needed so we drove to Redfield and waited for them. This tar design in the pavement caught my artistic eye. It didn't rain anywhere else it seems.

They made it to the Waukee trailhead in good time in less than 5 hours, 52 miles.

They were a little worse for wear today. Gary said it was bit more challenging especially the last 8 miles. We enjoyed lunch at Patricks Restaurant in Adel Iowa. It is right on the trail and a very popular place for lunch. 

Latest...Tuesday

Son Gary is here from Missouri for a few days. Today he rode the bike trail from Jefferson to Waukee, 45 miles taking the Perry/Minburn route. He left here at 8:00 AM this morning and we drove to Waukee and picked him up before noon. I think his exact time was 3 hours 43 minutes. That is impressive to many people who ride. He says he averaged 13 mph on his bike. At first Butch and I thought we might leap frog, taking turns riding with him. Son Jason said we would have trouble keeping up with him so we decided not to hold him back. Good move on our part.
Tomorrow Jason is coming over and they are riding to Waukee again but this time by way of Panora.

By the way, I need to get word to my cousin Phyllis who lives in Minburn that they need better signage for bikers coming from the north. Gary did not know he had even gone through Minburn. I know she cares about this info having taken part in celebrating the trail when it first opened last year.
We are very lucky to have this great resource so near to us for both biking and walking.

Old Lady Syndrome

It is a natural thing to slow down as you age. I have both observed this and experienced it. It seems to be my year to realize it on many levels. Younger people look at you differently and can be condescending. Less tolerance for the petty things in life. When you look at pictures of yourself from your past and are not at all sure it is you and others do not think so either. At any rate, these are things I have given much more thought to lately. Not sure if it is good or bad but let us just say it is what it is and I will do my best to enjoy each day as it comes and live in the moments.
 Geez! Trying to remember 3 days back without much luck! Sunday Karla came over and we rode to Winkleman switch and back. We had a great ride and a good visit.

This was taken near the river bridge.

And here is the latest project.

It needs more flowers and embellishment, but it is a start. My friend Sherri Clark in Atlantic donated the bicycle. Thanks Sherri!

Busy week continued...

Monday's computer class went well. We were a bit down in numbers and I am aware by now that it is a natural phenomena on occasion. It is working well to take the smart TV and hook my computer to it. Everyone can see that way and it works well all around.
Wednesday we went to the audiologist in Carroll and Butch pays up deciding he likes to hear.

Thursday we went on an early morning trip to my Atlantic Iowa dentist for a bottom plate repair. I really thought it would be an all day deal because it always has been in the past but I suspect he has new whiz-bang equipment and we were only there for an hour. Great fix, good news all around and the price was right. Made an appointment for next July to have my implants cleaned.
We found we had extra time so stopped in on the Gundersons, visited and then went to lunch. After lunch we headed home so Butch could mow.

A couple days ago on our early morning walk I told Colleen I was mildly thinking about a trip but could not think of where I might like to go. She said, Wow! How about Denver, Chicago or Atlanta? I said, That is where we differ. I was thinking more like Death Valley. I am an introvert and proud of it. 

Busy week-But aren't they all!

Our squirrel decided he wanted a bit of variety in his diet. We had a container of stale peanuts, that we now and then threw a handful on the ground for the birds. We left the container on the 3 season room back step and it was on the platform. One day I noticed it was down a step or two but didn't think too much about it as Butch has been known to move things a bit, then one day I caught the culprit. Resourcefulness is definitely in their DNA so I know in time he could get the lid off and enjoy the peanuts. We seem to interrupt his progress just often enough to keep him from his treasure.

John and Alice Hamilton Party

I know you may find it hard to believe, but John is another member of the class of '61. Big surprise huh? John didn't leave Jefferson. He stayed and created a very successful concrete business. 

Pictured below from left: John, Jack H., Dwight T. and Butch.

 Darrell Millard and his wife Linda and Mickey.

 Jerilyn Denman and Judy Peacock Wills

 Pat, Judy, ?, Jayne

 Mickey talking to Jerilyn and Judy. Ed Lawson, Mardel getting a short nap and Kay Taylor.

 Jack L. waiting for John to finish up with those burgers.

 Colleen enjoying her cone.

                          And visiting with Darrell.

And last but not least this morning try at getting pics of a beautiful morning and a spray plane.

This mornings walk...

I checked the radar this morning and I thought it would miss us once again. Fooled me! Colleen and I were walking and Mickey was riding her bike. She met us on her way back and told us to turn around and look. That little spec is Mickey and this is the view we looked at when we turned around. We decided we had better pick up the pace and we did. We got about halfway back when Mickey came in her car and rescued us. A friend indeed!

The heat and humidity persist. The good news about this is that we are getting much good use out of our new room.

I am fairly certain I have posted  this before, but  it is good enough to post again!

Give this another star-It is what's for supper!!

Creamy Burrito Casserole

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 package taco seasoning

6 large flour tortillas

1 can refried beans

2 -3 cups shredded taco cheese or cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

4 ounces sour cream

Directions

Brown beef and onion; drain.

Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans.

Mix soup and sour cream in a separate bowl.

Spread 1/2 sour cream mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture.

Put 1/2 the meat bean mixture over that.

Add a layer of cheese.

Repeat the layers.

Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20-30 minutes.

Barb Battles Bugs!

We were invaded by ants, teensy weensy little brown ants that were barely visible. They were in the kitchen all over the counter. When Mickey saw them she said she had never seen such a heavy infestation. I first tried Terro, feeding the little devils all they wanted. After 3 days, I gave up on that and went to google. There were many different solutions. Two of them captured my attention basically because I had the items on hand. Peppermint oil and borax. So then I mulled over the application process. Also, I remembered I had a new product that is supposed to be safe that I have found most effective for keeping mosquitoes at bay and wondered if it would also work for ants.
https://www.simplysoothing.net/bug-soother/natural-insect-repellent-deet-free-for-kids-and-pets/


It is an Iowa product. So along toward bedtime,a couple of nights ago, I cut up a coffee filter into strips and sprayed them with bug soother. I then laid the strips all the way around the counter top. Next morning? NO ANTS!!! Or at least they were down to less than 10 hardy survivors! But then I decided to tackle the bigger problem of keeping them from getting in to begin with. I sprinkled borax around all door openings inside and out working it into all cracks and crevices with the broom. This morning I went on the search for bugs, ants or anything resembling them in any way and found not one solitary insect of any kind! I was gobsmacked and pleased.
Of course, I talked to Mickey and Colleen about this on our morning jaunts on the bike trail.

Colleen does this to keep bugs out of her house in Florida and I have written it down so I will remember. She assures me she doesn't have bugs in her house. If this keeps them out in Florida it should certainly work here.
1. Borax all around the outside of the house.
2. Bay leaves in kitchen cupboards.
3. Fresh Rosemary sprigs in the remainder of the house.
I plan to follow her formula. I am so tired of fighting insects in my house.

But I also do not want to poison us!

Hearing aids

Butch picked up his demo hearing aids for a test drive last Wednesday. His life has been different this week and along with that so has mine. The first thing he did was decide the hinges on the back door were too noisy. They have been too noisy for several months, but they could not wait a second longer, so he sprayed them with silicone spray and big black runners dripped down the white woodwork and wiping it off made it worse. Finally used GooGone and got most of it off.

And then he has decided I am screaming at him. It is my normal tone of voice. I do know how to talk loud because I have had to for several years now so he could hear me. But now I am not trying to be loud. And frankly if I hear how loud I am one more time he will be leaving his DEMO aids at the audiologist because obviously he doesn't need them!

So we are on a learning curve with an adjustment period for both us. We will see what happens Wednesday. That is when the big check will get written...or not!

One of those days

Finally was able to fill my empty rain barrel with life-giving water for my plants. It rained during the night. .7 of an inch! That is enough to fill the barrel. My plants prefer the rain water. They thrive on it and I do hate to force feed them city water. So now we are both happy!
So it was not certain we would have dry skies for our walk so we passed. We do need a day off on occasion. I rode to the river bridge and back. Picture taking was not very successful. After I crossed the bridge I stopped to turn around and spotted a crane on a sand bar. Looked like a great photo op. But then I tried to get situated to take the shot and the crane spotted me and that was all she wrote. They are the spookiest birds I have ever tried to photograph! To back up a bit, as I was approaching the bridge I spotted a herd of black cows spread out on a hillside and thought they would take a nice photo. I decided to catch them on the way back and of course by then they were all bunched up at the top of the hill under a bunch of trees! It was not a good day for photos.
Here is what I did get...see my point?

I was stumped!