Blogging!

 My friend Deon and I have been in the blogging business for a while now. When we were in Magnolia it would sometimes be overwhelming trying to keep up with my personal blog-www.brooker3.blogspot.com and the www.Magnolianews.blogspot.com. So I asked for volunteers to help me with it and Deon stepped up and has been helping me out ever since. She recently added some info to the Magnolia blog that could be very helpful to many of us. You can read her entry here: https://magnolianews.blogspot.com/2021/07/barbs-blog.html

She has some very useful advice in there. Thanks, Deon!

To continue: I have let the Magnolia Blog slip away from me. I still, at times, have diificulty keeping up with my own. I started off doing the blog in 2002. At that time getting photos on it was not an option. I remember how excited I was when I could finally post pictures! For one thing I could explain things better and if I was dried up so to speak I could add pics and get by. I now have the ability to add to the park we are in now too. https://trophygardens.blogspot.com/ Sadly, I still have trouble keeping up with my main one so the trophy one also gets ignored unless we are in the park and even then it does not get the devotion and enthusiasm I had for them in their beginnings. I still have a warm spot for my first one and it has been researched on more than one occasion when we could not remember things- When did I buy that computer? -or my camera? 2017. What year did we go to Old Guerrero in Mexico etc, a quick look didn't bring that one up.😕 So anyhow,I can spend hours looking at posts from the past. Fun, but doesn't get the dishes done!

62nd Anniversary today. Leo and Keri will be coming by later! It seems we can talk for hours and never get done! Another Happy Anniversary!

Poof!

 The days seem to go 'POOF' and they are over. Butch is mowing...he loves to mow. I am gearing up to get ready for the garage sale...recognize the procrastination in that sentence. That is what is wrong with the whole process. There is way too much thinking! Okay, enough already, gotta get started.

Feedburner? (%@^&)

 I have been notified that Feedburner is being done away with. It is not something I had been thinking about. As near as I can figure it means that those of you who read the blog and get notified of new entries in your email will no longer get notified. BUMMER. I relied on that as I know many of you have as well. They say I can get a 'new one'! I know little to nothing about this-what one is best-how to enact it-etc. So another learning curve!! And in the meantime, you will have to go directly to the website to read the new entries...as I understand it. Also, I assume you will have to go through the process of signing up again. Nuther Bummer! Stay tuned if indeed you can. www.brooker3.blogspot.com is and will be still available. The only thing affected is the manner in which that happens.

If you want to know what I am dealing with you can read here:

https://support.google.com/feedburner/answer/78982?hl=en

One of those days!

 First off I learned that Donna Gabbert, visiting her sister, Mickey, fell at the car wash and broke her arm! She said the floor was slick as snot! Many of you know Donna because she lives in Rio Valley Estates in Weslaco, Texas, and keeps a blog going year-round and I know there are some of you that keep track because she writes about things happening in the valley while we are all up here. She will be staying in Iowa for at least a little while until she can safely drive home with her arm in a cast.

The next thing was hearing from my sister. Let's just say it didn't go well. Then I found out from my other sister, the pool table sister, that her sister and brother from her father's first wife, their mother, was near death and they were seeing to that. Don't ask! It's complicated but makes perfect sense to me. Then I heard from a niece about more family info. Some days are just like that! This whole paragraph is going to create more questions than answers...and more phone calls! It seems these kinds of days come up all in one short period of time. One thing about it I am about talked out so should sleep well tonight...I hope. 

Meanwhile...Butch and I are getting odds and ends done around here. I am gathering stuff for the garage sale. It is always a relief to have garage sales in your past instead of the future. It will soon be over!

Funny?

I get comics every day in my email. I thought it was strange that this one showed up after the blog entry yesterday. This particular one came from a site called "That is Priceless". It is old-time paintings with new captions underneath. Warning! Sometimes they are racy. 

https://www.gocomics.com/that-is-priceless

 

Gary and Leo

 

Reminder

 This morning I had a text message that said "They" had tried to deposit my stimulus check 5 times but had not been successful and to please contact them right away or lose it. I know that I will never be contacted by either the IRS or any other government entity by text message, phone, or email so I quickly dispensed it to blocked numbers/spam. But my heart sank at the number of people who might unwittingly fall into their trap.

Please stay alert to these tactics!!!!

Little Man's Disease

 For many years we have talked about "Little Man's Disease". You all know what I mean. One of the more famous examples is Napoleon. Another label we have given it is "Badge People". You know this one too where someone is given a "Badge" along with more authority than they usually are afforded and gets great joy from expressing it in whatever form it happens to take for the occasion. Well, Let me introduce you to our own Mr. Attitude! For a few weeks now I have used his picture as the wallpaper on my computer and his determined look and obvious attitude make me smile every time I see his little puffed-up chest and the determined look in his eyes.

                                                         Mr. A.

He is not intimidated by much. He dive-bombs anything he perceives as a threat. When we had our house painted a couple of years ago he tried to chase off the painter. Haven't seen much of the squirrel lately nor Mango the cat.

The "New Birds" or fledglings are in abundance right now and they are also fun, watching them try to learn the ropes of birdom!

Optical illusion

Relax! It is a safe site. Don't be put off by the print.-Barb

https://www.thundercloud.net/infoave/new/its-saturday-and-time-for-another-optical-illusion/

Sale Date Selected

 Mickey stopped by yesterday and we started talking about the summer and how quickly it is passing and then we decided on a date for the garage sale! July 31st it shall be! Keri has some things to be sold as do I, Mickey, and Karla, so it should end up being a sizable sale, We have a good location being on a busy Jefferson street. I will be glad to have it in my rearview mirror. It has already used up more of my thought time than is reasonable in my opinion.

My previous Garage sale dealings were carefree and delightful. They took place in Magnolia Park in South Texas. We, as members of the association, paid $2.00 for a table in the main hall and we assembled our sale items on the table. If we had items too large for the table they were put on the stage and a couple of fellows would tend to them. We started getting ready early Friday morning and at 10:00 AM our fellow park members could attend a presale and buy any items they might want. Then bright and early Saturday morning it was opened to the public and the sales would be booming! Lunch could be purchased for around $5 consisting of a sandwich, chips, and cake. At noon it was all over. I always donated my leftover items to the craft ladies who always sold the leftovers the following months with the proceeds being added to the association treasury. It was such an easy process and I miss it. Now we are doing the up North version of a garage sale and I am sorely out of touch.

Till next time!

Through My Eyes

 Young Goldfinch

Two landing at the same time...

Getting the hang of it.

Balloon Flowers

Gypsy Moth

OMG

 Keeping up gets more difficult with each passing year, thus the big gap between posts. Son Gary is visiting from Missouri and he was called the energizer bunny throughout his growing up years and there are family members who still call him that. As I write this Butch and Gary are out at the bridge seeing the progress on the bike trail. I just heard them return so we will see if it is indeed open.- It isn't open and the guys complained that no work was even in the process nor any workers on site.

We have been playing pool and cribbage and the guys have been getting all the golf in they can. Butch and I have been working on a 1000 piece puzzle. It is perhaps the most difficult puzzle we have ever done so it very slow going. Good activity for rainy days and we have had a few of those.

My next big adventure will be a garage sale and I need to quit procrastinating and get it off my agenda. I suppose setting the date would be a good start.😏

Pete and Jerrilyn recommended a series on Prime Video and we really enjoyed it and thought of a few others who would too. Particularly Marlene and Bernard Kelley. The name of it is Clarkson's Farm.

Follow Jeremy Clarkson as he attempts to run a farm in the countryside. With no previous farming experience, Jeremy contends with the worst farming weather in decades, disobedient animals, unresponsive crops, and an unexpected pandemic.

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B095RHJ52R/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

I would promise to do better on posting, but now you know it is not a real promise but just empty air. Hmmm...

It can happen

 Late last week I was looking at obituaries from the area we used to live in, Cumberland Iowa, and I saw the name David Krauth and it caught my eye. We know David and his wife Julie. They live in Massena and Butch would run into Dave now and then through his work and I would as well in my years as mayor. So we were really more in the knowledge of him rather than his wife. They would also winter in South Texas and would stop in our park to visit at least once per season and we would do the same and that is when we became better acquainted with Julie and her special brand of humor. They stayed in Trails End for many years and as luck would have it that is where many of our Magnolia friends landed after being nudged out of Magnolia.

Daves health has been on the decline for a few years so when I saw his name amongst the obituaries I wasn't shocked but I was very shocked when Julies name was right beside his! I am going to post their obituaries so you can find out a few things about these special people whose lives were cut short in a surprising way. It is a reminder that it can happen all too easily to any of us.

https://www.kjan.com/index.php/2021/07/david-krauth-74-juliana-krauth-69-both-of-massena-svcs-pending/

https://www.kjan.com/index.php/2021/07/update-2-dead-1-injured-in-crash-north-of-massena/

Buzzards ETC.

 Here is today's photos. I think I shot some keepers! I took my good camera with me for the sole purpose of getting good pics of the buzzards and they didn't disappoint.

My method for wildlife has always been to get shots as I first see them and then work my way closer.

 

Different bird here. It is wing drying day.

 This one liked being higher.

Greene County Fair is taking place this week.

And there is always good shots in my own backyard!

Clara D.

 I had an interesting conversation this past weekend. I told Clara I was glad I got to visit with her as it allowed me to get to know her better. And I thought she was a fun girl. Are you? She said, "Yes, but sometimes I am cranky." I asked what she might be cranky about. 

Her answer threw me for a loop. She said, "I had a baby and I lost it and that makes me cranky sometimes."

 I do not know how long ago this event took place but it is clear that it is still on her mind!

The baby was a doll and Clara is 4. She obviously still loves that lost doll.

New Clothes Dryer

 When we built the Pool Hall I lost my clothesline. I had become lazy and not used it much even before we got rid of it. It was in a low, grassy part of the backyard and a bit soggy when it rains. Sometimes more than a bit, like underwater... Well, back to the present. I like having a clothesline for RVing Guests too. So this morning I suggested a new retractable clothesline and we were able to agree on type and location. Lickety-split Butch went to the hardware store and bought one and I got clothes sorted and in the wash. Walah!

I am loving the location because even if it rains I can stand on the sidewalk and put up or take down clothes.

Pool Halls maiden voyage July 4th

 We had a long-awaited gathering in the Pool Hall on Sunday with 15 attendees, mostly our Deju Vu group. For those of you who do not know or may have forgotten our Deja Vu Group are mainly people who grew up in Jefferson and returned in retirement to live here. (Jefferson Iowa) It is an open group and we include any and all others too but you must know that good old-days stories may be revisited so you might have to sit through them and be a bit lost for a few minutes. 

The party was a success and we do look forward to the next event. Not all attendees are pictured...

Larry Jackson, Mickey (Sanders) Starr, and Pete Barrett. Butch is in the background looking for a snack.

The one below is my favorite as we were laughing about something. Those are always my favorite times!

Jan (Durlam) Mitchell, Sharon (Jansma)McQuillen, Jerrilyn (Roberts) Denman, Pat (Limburg) Rusnak and Sue (Durlam) Lucht

Larry, Butch's back, Barb Veenstra, Pete and Jan M. in the foreground.

An event soon to be scheduled will be a Trivia Night. I must get back in the groove as it will be on the agenda in South Texas next winter.

Buzzards on the trail

 

Cousin

 Butch's cousin stopped by yesterday and an issue came up that I was unaware of as an issue! Butch asked her if she wanted to see the pool hall. She was very quick to say she didn't play pool and had no reason to start and most likely couldn't if she wanted to. The pool hall is a pool hall to us but it is also a meeting room, a gathering place, and a game room and we surely do not want anyone to feel they will be coerced into doing something they do not choose to do. It had not occurred to me that anyone would feel pushed into playing pool or games or anything else. Yes, Butch and I are in there most days at 4:00 and we can visit and play at the same time. So if you just want to 'chew the fat' as they used to say please feel free to drop in. No arm twisting will take place. We promise!

Issues? Anyone?

 Perhaps it is just me but it seems as though we have had one "issue" after another. My definition of issue is something that needs attention in one way or another, either started or ended or somewhere in between. Researching something, like the electric bill. Unsatisfactory order from eBay, another from Walmart, and a third from Amazon! And if I get too many stacked up, it makes me cranky. I know that is hard to believe...ME cranky?  The current situation is that we can see the issues whittling down so we feel a bit more at ease. The tree is topped and Butch, with help, has it all cleaned up. Motorhome maintenance is still in the works but that is more Butch's issue than mine so it is not on MY list.

There are still a few more projects on the agenda. Easy ones by comparison to some. After all, without any what would we possibly do?