Won the War!

 The squirrel war that is! Here are pics of our latest configuration to feed and observe the birds.We are seeing a large number of birds these days. 

Note the satellite/birdbath behind the feeder

This is a new one, designed to fling off the squirrels.  It has taken a long time for birds to accept it, squirrels cannot get to it anyway and it doesn't work.

This is where the action is!

My friend Colleen is a stacker of rocks. So is my son Jason. This one is Jason's. I now call them "Colleen's". 

This is what Butch worked at most of his working career. I saw the guys working one morning, replacing a pole, so I decided to give Butch a bit of nostalgia.

What's in bloom at our house.

Wet

 Yes, it is wet. The most common reason we have to cancel the morning walk is rain. Either real or predicted. We happen to live in a slot of land that does not get heavy amounts of rain. We have been getting far less than the rest of the state, and that is a good thing. Parts of this flatland state look more like an ocean.

Butch is about 2/3rds done on the "shop". We call it the shop because it is too small to be a garage and it is separate from the house despite being attached. It needed a good clearing out. We will not know what to do with ourselves when that project is done. I cannot see us sitting still so something will happen. We might even cut loose and visit some of our friends!

The 4th of July is a few days away and that does not seem right or possible. With age, these things change in many ways. Less celebration, less anticipation, and more likely to enjoy it from home rather than fight traffic and too many people. A lot of things change with age, just wait and see! Nothing wrong with being content and happy!

We're Having a Heatwave

 A tropical heatwave. This morning it was 78 degrees at 6:00AM. The weather is crazy all over the world. When I was managing the senior center in Cumberland IA I would frequently share with them this little ditty. "Whether the weather is cold, or whether the weather is hot, we'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!" Still true.

Squirrel Wars: As many of you know Butch has an ongoing battle with the squirrels. The battlefield is being altered. We are on the lookout for the enemy to see what they do about this change. The birdhouse has already been checked out by the House Wren. How will they do with new neighbors? We are just So busy!

 Earlier this morning I did get a couple of good pics.

Recent Photos

Leo and Keri have a nice birding station in their yard and living outside of town they attract many birds.  I caught this woodpecker when visiting one day.

Sad story here. One of these two ran head-on into a window. Not unusual. Sometimes they will recover and this one did. His/her friend came to see what happened. These are house finches.

This one was taken earlier this Spring at Spring Lake. Butch and I drive out to the lake every now and then. I always take my camera. 

Always up for a ride!

 

Productive

We have had a very productive Spring. I find it hard to believe we have done so much to take the chaos out of our everyday lives. We are down to the last bit by tackling the old garage/shop on the south side of our house. The rest of it, pool hall, house, and breezeway, have all been cleaned while discarding excess. I have dreams of being a minimalist. I would love to be a minimalist. It never seems to work out for very long.

Our backyard is a busy place for birds. We have a wren box by our backdoor and it has been a home for house wrens for many years. For a while, Mom and Dad were tag-teaming to get the baby wrens fed. That has progressed now so the fledglings are out of the nest. It is hard to tell but the babes are smaller than the parents. Yesterday we had a Blue Jay trying to eat scraps from the feeder and one of the wrens, Dad?, I think, was trying to run him off. The Jay never felt threatened. I am sure he did not appreciate having his meal interrupted constantly, however. A whole lot of living is happening in our own backyard.

Deer Delight!

Keri is doctoring a foot so I walked this morning with my phone and audiobook. I looked up and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a DEER. I was more surprised than the deer. She didn't move or huff standing perfectly still giving me time to remove my phone from my back pocket, open the camera app and take several photos. I even talked to her! I took 5 photos and these are the best ones.

 

A wonderful visit!

Butch and I went near a small town in northern Iowa to visit Marlene and Bernard Kelley. Marlene is Butch's sister and she and Bernard have been married longer than we have, and that is saying something! Marlene is also known as one of the world's greatest cooks and she prepared a feast. Roast beef, potatoes, gravy, carrots, and one of my favorite jello salads. Also her famous brownies and a mid-afternoon dessert that I do not know the name of was topped with cherries. All of which was scrumptiously delicious. We played cribbage all afternoon with both the guys and us winning some and losing some. We have always had a good time with them; Marlene and Bernard were our first inspirations for going to South Texas.

Meandering

 We had a great time yesterday. The only planned part was our oldest son Rich coming for a visit. And then our youngest Jason came over from Boone. We four played pool and talked. Then later in the afternoon Leo dropped by, followed by Keri. Lots of fantastic conversations took place. I remember sitting there thinking "I am so happy!". Has that ever happened to you? It is an added layer of happy when the thought happens in process.

This morning I went back to the photo adventures. It's possible for it to never end. So here is some of my meandering... I was manager of a Senior Center in Cumberland Iowa for 14 years. Our small town was fortunate to have access to the Internet early on. I was a big fan! So I started classes in the Senior Center with the cooperation of the telephone company and Netins. 

2007- New Year's Eve in Magnolia Park-Donna Texas

Berwyn Cleveland with his famous homemade concoction. "Hop-Skip-and Go Naked" I have the recipe somewhere!

Found it! Make it at your own risk!

Hop, Skip and Go naked

INGREDIENTS:

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed 12 fluid ounces water

12 fluid ounces vodka 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles of beer

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Place lemonade concentrate in a gallon pitcher. Measure water and vodka in the 12 ounce lemonade can and add to the pitcher. Pour in the beer, mix well and serve over ice. And that is enough adventure for one day!

It's Saturday

 Sometimes it takes work to keep track of the days. I work on it with conscious effort. This is also the Belltower Festival in good ol' Jefferson Iowa. We have attended many of these. Enough so the thrill is gone. Don't get me wrong, it is very well done most years and I am sure this is one of them. It is just that I prefer to watch Mr. and Mrs. Wren tag-team feed their babies. Beer tents, food trucks, carnival rides and numerous vendors...hmmm Not so much.

I am happy hanging out in our cozy house and home doing exactly what I want to do.

Made this Rhubarb Dump Cake. A winner! Crispy on top and yes, I followed the directions. I will admit I do not always the second time.

Rhubarb Dump Cake

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups fresh rhubarb, diced (about 1 to 1¼ pounds)

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup water, divided

15.25 ounces yellow cake mix, super moist (such as Betty Crocker)

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and ½ cup of water. Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking pan.

Evenly sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the rhubarb mixture in the pan. If necessary, gently spread the cake mix to ensure it covers all the fruit evenly.

Drizzle the remaining ½ cup of water evenly over the layer of cake mix.

Carefully drizzle the melted butter evenly over the water and cake mix layer.

Bake the dump cake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until it turns golden and bubbly.

Once baked, remove the rhubarb dump cake from the oven and allow it to cool on the counter for 15 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 45 min

Total Time: 50 min

Very good. Nice and crispy on top.

Myrla-1960-2023

 My sister passed away a year ago, the one to pass that left me last standing in my immediate family. I have been working with old pictures for weeks now thus causing me to think of her and many of the rest often. Here is Myrla. Today is her birthday.

Today, Tomorrow and next Tuesday

 Today I am getting ready for tomorrow. I am getting a haircut at 4:30 today- Trivia at 6:30. Also getting ready for the guy to come wash windows tomorrow. In addition, Jason is coming over today, after golf, to work on the dirt disturbed by the folks getting water back in the pool hall. Bored yet? Just checking.

Tomorrow windows washed! Hurrah! Always a good day. Of course I have to get ready for him. Like getting the excess dirt vacuumed from the sills, curtains down and washed etc.

Butch's birthday is Sunday and son Rich is coming to see us Sunday afternoon. I plan to make a rhubarb desert, a favorite of both of them.

Tuesday we are traveling North to see Marlene and Bernard. We will be delivering the vanilla we purchased for her in Mexico. 

In between time and in the meantime, I am still working on photos, new and old.

Like these: Jason, the most artistic one, made these walking sticks after visiting us in Colorado while we were work camping at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies. There is a plentiful supply of Aspen there that inspired him.

Still Chipping Away...

 I am making progress with all I wanted to get done this Spring. The Zimmerle Gathering is set up for July 6th with every one of the cousins I can think of notified. 

The picture ordeal is partially under control. At least it doesn't look like the mountain it has in the past. I will share some with you further down the line.

We dropped off a load of "excess" at the Goodwill in Boone yesterday. I like that facility because they make drop-off so easy.

The first of the season Trivia has begun. It was good to see all our trivia people again.

Keri and I have been walking most mornings. Rain seems to be a constant interference. It is in the forecast for later today. We haven't missed very many days without at least a sprinkle. 

My latest read is The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary. Warning: If you have empathetic issues this may not be for you. It brings tears in places.

Too many irons...

 I told Butch this morning I have too many irons in the fire. And I do but it is all fun.

I have intentions of planning 2 events this summer and attending one. 1. I am planning another Zimmerle family gathering. 2. A square dance reunion. There are not many of us left but it still takes a phone call or two. And Butch's brother Bill turns 90 this year and there is a reunion/celebration planned for him that we look forward to going to in August.

I am still working on the photo reduction episode. I found more photo's yesterday which will lead to some slide shows. 1. Our remodeling of this house 2.Our stint work camping in Michigan. 3. My favorite pics from my photographic collections. 

In addition, Butch and I plan to tackle the old garage, getting rid of stuff and organizing it more practically. And I have been slowly going through every drawer and cupboard in the house, cleaning, discarding and donating.

If we accomplish all of this it will be a productive and fun-filled summer!

And then...Yesterday a woman contacted me through Ancestry.com and she is a long-lost relative. I can't really say she was lost because for me she was never found. To make this as short as possible; My father was born a Van Horn but adopted at 3 months of age. His birth father was a twin. The woman who contacted me was the other twin's connection. I know, it was confusing to me too. We are now corresponding. In all of this, I find that I am related, 2nd cousin, to a woman who lives here in Jefferson and I know her!  

So hang in there with me! I have doing this blog for nearly 25 years but will continue...

3 squirrels

 Butch has a never-ending battle with squirrels. I won't let him shoot them with the BB gun but now all he has to do is cock it and they scatter. I have bought him one of those feeders that spin the squirrels off. It will get here near his birthday. Appropriate, right? This morning I looked out the window and there were 3 squirrels on one ball feeder!! Butch is going to get great satisfaction in watching them fly when they get spun off.

Done With That

 Now this! I found my major recipe box that has been missing for a couple of decades. First recipe in the box, right up front, like you know, you put it back in the front instead of where it should go? Anyway, here it is and it will be on the menu within the next week or two.

 

Not done with 3 day project

 I found a 4th tub of pictures and it was the 'motherload' because it contained the best of the rest. So I am still at it. Now we have two tubs we will be burning. So if you wonder why no posting has been happening...now you know!!

Done with 3 day Project

For over 3 years I have been "planning" to tackle the three tubs of pictures I have accumulated over a lifetime. I have accomplished this in three days by keeping my nose to the grindstone, being determined, and being ruthless. I  kept in mind who was going to care and what would happen to the bulk of them when I was gone. I  am left with less than a shoebox full for myself and a handful for 7 or 8 people. It is such a relief to have it done! Those three tubs have been moved numerous times continuing to take up space.

Yesterday was the biggest eye-opener. When Amanda, our oldest granddaughter was born I went nuts! I swear two albums were loaded with over 200 pictures each of Amanda's pictures. Most of them are mundane. The poor child couldn't move without me taking a picture. I saved perhaps 4, maybe 5 of these.  She was such a little ham. No wonder her daughter Elise, is in theater!

90 percent of the photos I saved have a story connected, like this one...

My boy's little league team couldn't find a coach so I said I would do it. Now I am the most unathletic coach ever! But Butch's brother Leo said he would help me. Why not Butch? Butch was playing himself, fast-pitch softball and he was the pitcher. My two boys are in the front row, 5 and 6 counting from the left. They only lost 2 games! I love this picture!!

At the end of the season, the boys all signed a baseball for me. I still have it and this is it.

Elise is 14!

 Elise is 14!

Simple Skillet Supper

 Tried this last night and it was a hit!

Simple Skillet Supper

Ingredients

14 oz. kielbasa sausage sliced into about 1 in. slices

1 tbsp. oil olive

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1 can pineapple chunks

1 cup rice jasmine

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 cup vegetable or turkey broth 

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil on medium heat.

Saute kielbasa, onion, and green pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, allowing the kielbasa to brown on both sides. Remove from heat.

Add rice, pepper, salt, brown sugar, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir well until the spices are completely mixed in.

Add broth. Return to heat, turn to high, and cover with either a lid or if you don’t have a lid that fits your skillet, cover with a large piece of foil.

As soon as it comes to a boil, remove the covering and stir, turn to low, and cover again. 

Simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is done. 

Garnish with parsley or cilantro for extra flavor, and serve.

I'm a Writer...

I AM a writer! You might say "So?". The surprise is that I am just now realizing that fact. Definition: "A writer is someone who writes regularly and consistently, someone who engages in the process." Never been published by anyone except an occasional news clip. But then I never planned to be a writer. For me, it started as a way to get my point across when no one seemed to be listening. I never planned for it to be more than that.

But here we are knee deep in the past, trying to minimize what we leave behind and I run into my writings. I guess you would call them journals. They started when I was a young mother and wife. I haven't run across the very first one I started yet but I know it is in a tub somewhere and I remember it because in it I write about asking permission to visit a friend. Who do I ask? Butch! This was what you did as a wife in the fifties! When I found that journal many years later I could not believe those words ever came out of my mouth! 

Moving on...

I know I have at least 3 journals that were designed for making entries every day. My sister-in-law Jo Brooker had these too. I haven't run across mine yet but I will. I only quit doing that because the company who made them went out of business.

And then I did find a journal I kept while taking classes at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic Iowa. We lived in Cumberland Iowa at the time and I needed something to do so I enrolled in some classes, English Comp and  American Lit. I took others too but these were the two that touched my heart. I didn't get a degree but I did get an education.

I may find more as I keep digging. As you already know the Internet changed everything and in 2002 I started a blog. They are still in existence of course and can be found at www.brooker3.blogspot.com. I cannot even imagine how long it would take to read them all. My soul purpose has always  been to express myself and it remains so today. I am flattered when someone reads it but the choice is always yours. When you start your journal/blog lead me to it and I will always read it.