Why do we listen to weather forecasters?

Clarinda, IA 55º heavy overcast.

      Last Sunday or Monday our local (Omaha, NE) weathermen showed dramatic graphs of the heavy rain our area would get by this mid-week.  In our area 2.5" and other areas close to us over 3".  With the cracks in the lawn wide enough I was worrying about robins dropping out of sight while looking for bugs, I was looking forward to this rain.  Yesterday we got .25" inch and we may have gotten another .1" today.  So where is all the rest of that 2.5"+?  All three local TV channels were predicting this.   The local farm crops (as well as the lawns) can sure use the moisture and what little came now is welcome.

Picture at right shows the deck this morning.  So, guess there was some rain.  The rain that is coming down isn't as much as a small flock of sheep could produce even if they were in short supply of drinking water.







We are mapping out our expected trip with our travel trailer, leaving here in a short month.  Hoping to see several people from our RV Park in La Feria who live in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan; as well as spending 5 days in Hocking Hills State Park south and a little east of Columbus, OH.  Our daughter lives in Columbus and will come down to be with us during the week of the Fourth of July as we explore this interesting park and area.  See Hocking Hills SP here

Earlier part of this week we did about 7 miles each day on our recumbent trikes.  With the cooler weather it was really nice.  This morning I just did about 35 minutes on the stationery bike in our bedroom.  Here are some photos of our trek last Tuesday:

Some Larkspur we rode by, shimmering in the bright sunshine.

 

As we went through an area of housing that is surrounded on 3 sides by the golf course, photo at right shows Phyllis stop to visit with a friend who was at her son's place letting the little pooch out for a while.  While she visited I did several rounds from where she is to the end of the Cul-de-sac that is behind the camera.

I have been working in my shop on some wood shelves for my computer desk and listening to "George Washington - A Life", by Ron Chernow  Click here to see description.  This has 33 CD's and I admit I listen to most of them twice before moving on because as I am working I loose track of what has been said. I never thought much about him in his life before being the President, which I studied in school.  This gives an incite to his entire life; quite interesting--though I am only up to CD7.   I am also reading "Prairie Tale: A Memoir by Melisa Gilbert  Click here to see description.  She writes a quite candid story of her thoughts growing up.
Tomorrow starts June.

Till later, Lynn

Nice, cool, calm weather

Clarinda, IA 66º partly cloudy
  Well, the holiday weekend is passed and all the visitors have come and gone.
    

Chris Gregory and Patty Miles

On Saturday we had several people here.  Was going to say a houseful, but we didn't spend a lot of time in the house and they didn't all stay in the house over-night.

 As most of the pictures show, we spent most of our visiting time around eating.  Even though it was quite warm, the high wind took care of any gnat or mosquito problems and made it somewhat comfortable.  Late Saturday lunch on the deck had chicken salad on croissants or hot dog on a bun fresh from the grill.  By putting a board over the rail around the "escape window" from the basement we had a ready-made serving area.

Chris & Becky's girls, as usual, were full of energy and on the move all the time--hardly having time to sit down and eat!

 Line up for food.

Finding a place to sit and eat.

 In the evening we were back at the deck, but this time with steak fixed on the grill, with baked beans, potato salad and Napa Cabbage salad.
In photo at right, Beth & Steve Gregory (Grandma and Grandpa) with Sara and daughter-in-law Becky.

At right, Phyllis, daughter-in-law Pat and son Cam.

Friday I had gone with Phyllis out to the Clarinda Cemetery where she put flowers on graves of her folks and grandparents as well as her brother-in-law's parents.  Lots of people were out visiting grave stones.  Though we did not go out to the ceremony on Monday, Steve & Beth did and said there was a good turn out and good speech given by Dustin Morrison, a soldier from New Market who was wounded in Afghanistan when another soldier from Essex was killed in April a year ago.  Steve & Beth & their family also went to the cemeteries in Missouri where their relatives are buried.

We also had put flowers on my sister's grave.  Her funeral was just 4 years ago on May 24th.





While most of the others did some walking on Saturday evening I stayed home with Homer, the 13 year old dog.  Phyllis & I did get on the recumbent trikes a couple times this weekend and did about 5 miles each time in the hills of Clarinda.

 We had brought our travel trailer from storage into set up at our place so the young Gregory girls could sleep in it Saturday evening.  Turned out they, and their parents, stayed in it--rocking in the high winds and listening to the air conditioner run as it was hot and humid.   The Omaha, NE Gregorys returned home Sunday evening and the Marengo, IA Miles returned home Monday morning.  This morning (Tuesday) the Grand Lake, CO Gregorys left for home. 

As you can see at right, Homer made it into the car and was getting a drink preparing for the 10 hour car ride back home in the mountains west of Boulder.

Now it is cooler with less wind and prediction is for high to be only 61 degrees this Thursday with 80% chance of rain--and 2-3" are predicted for this area.  With the cracks showing in the grass, we do need it here; and, the farm fields need it even worse.

Till later, Lynn

Wind, Wind, Wind

Clarinda, IA 68º light rain
    As I write this there is some rain outside  (upstairs and outside as I have the computer in the basement) and is first rain we have had for about 3 weeks.  The last several weeks the wind has blown ferociously out of the south most days.  Reminded us of being in the Rio Grande Valley as there is almost a constant south wind there.

 We have been eating out on the deck quite often and Phyllis has bird feeders right close.  Lately some humming birds have been coming in to slurp up the red stuff.  They usually flutter and are gone so quick I can't get a photo.  The other day this one actually stood on the little stand and slurped up the sugary water and stayed for a bit.  Got to be a little more restful than fluttering at about a million flaps per second, or whatever they do.

Temperature has gotten up into lower 90's several times, but with the wind it hasn't felt too bad, and the flies and mosquitoes haven't been a problem.  The flies have started to bother us in the house, but guess it has been too dry for the mosquitoes to get started.




Phyllis' sister and husband (and dog Homer) were here for a couple days.  Homer is something like 13 years old and needs help getting up and to walk and to get in the car.

And the wind was really gusting that day as they were getting ready to go to Omaha to be with their son and family.  One of the granddaughters had a birthday this week and they, with the kids and grand-kids, will be back here Saturday and Sunday.

I went out to our storage unit and got our travel trailer and brought it in to set up here and do some work on it and also be a place for the young grand daughters to "camp" Saturday night.

Is close to the house and imagine the girls will enjoy it.

While we were picking up the trailer we visited with Jim Whipple and looked at some of the wheels he has been re-working to put on a wagon that he has restored.  They won't go on this wagon, but it is a steel wheeled one he is about finished with.

 He said he gets the replacement parts he needs from an Amish area in Pennsylvania.  The pieces of the wheel have to be assembled and the spokes put in.  Jim has the steel rims that fits around wood.  The steel has to be heated to make it expand and then put around the wood, and then water put on it to make the steel shrink and fit tight around the wood.  He then puts 4 bolts through the steel and wood.




 

Thursday we had a visit from some friends who lived in this area many years ago and moved to the Rio Grande Valley in the 1990's.  We had visited them a few times this winter.  They were returning for a class reunion this weekend.

    One of our neighbors has a cherry tree and offered us to pick all we could.  Phyllis made 3 pies and I think has enough for another couple.

I didn't get a picture of the tree, but took one photo while holding the ladder (and bucket) while Phyllis got some of the higher cherries. 






Speaking of books............ I am about through with the book

Behind the Lines: Powerful and Revealing American and Foreign War Letters -- and One Man's Search to Find Them by Andrew Carroll 

I am also reading  The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw

Well, I had several more things in mind when I started this post, but sure can't remember them now.  Looking forward to this weekend with all the family around.

Till later, Lynn

End of Choir until September

Clarinda, IA 62 degrees overcast.
    Today we sang in the church choir last time until fall.
Had a good turn out and several complimented us.  As a last song we sang, to the tune of September, words to the effect we were going to be gone until September.

Last Wednesday we did a quick choir practice and then went to The Ice House for supper with all the spouses coming also. 

We even had extra help in the tenor section that night, even though he wasn't there this morning.  Jerry's son Curtis, who is a pilot for Delta Airlines, with his daughter, was visiting his parents from Dallas and since he sang in the choir a number of years ago, came to practice with his Dad.  Since Wednesday evening they returned to Dallas and are now on a family vacation in Florida.

I finally took in our Ford Excursion Diesel that we have solely for pulling our travel trailer, for service and two new batteries.  At $135 apiece plus the 16 quarts of oil it takes and rotating the tires it set us back a bit. 

The spirea bushes by the driveway are blooming.   And, they have moved some 20 foot trees from the old hospital site to the new hospital site  We had terrific winds the last few days and wondered if these newly moved trees.

When we stopped by Roberta and Maury Rarick's place Friday she took our photo.

Saturday we went up to the Courthouse Square and participated in a pie and ice cream fund raiser for son of a local couple.  If things can go wrong; this young man of 37 years lost his life to cancer a few weeks ago, exactly 6 months to the day that his father had passed away.  This fund raiser for medical expenses had been arranged before the man's death and they carried through with it.  Besides taking donations at the pie and ice cream tent they also sold quite a few pies with all monies going to the fund.  Many pies went for over $200 and others from $70 to $170.  Was a good crowd.

Until next time, Lynn

Still Nice weather in Iowa

Clarinda, IA 77 degrees bright sunshine.
      Yesterday we had Phyllis cousin Don Runyan and wife Bessie stop for a visit and ate lunch with us.

They used to live in Clarinda until they retired in the 90's and moved to Gravette, AR and they now winter in Rockport, TX near Corpus Christi.  We have visited with them several times on the way to the Rio Grande Valley.  We ate a lunch on the back deck and enjoyed watching the birds while we visited.

Last evening we picked up Leland & Bonnie Brown and Arnold & Mary Dammann and drove to Red Oak to one of the nursing homes where we entertained them by square dancing and round dancing for an hour.  Here is a group photo we took as well as a few photos of some of us round dancing.

After dancing we went to the local Pizza Ranch and enjoyed their fine food while gabbing.








Tonight we are going to our last choir practice of the year and then all will eat together afterwards.

Till next time, Lynn

Bill & Twila are here!

Friday - Clarinda, IA 63º expected high 79º
     Bill & Twila Oberholser, wending their way north from La Feria, TX to Boone, IA, pulled in Wednesday and we have had fun visiting with them and showing them the Clarinda area.

Was able to get their unit parked close to the house, just off the driveway in a fairly level spot.  After some fiddling with the new 30 amp plug in I had mounted on the outside of the shop building, and using an extra cord that Bill had we had them electrified and water hooked up to city pressure line.  We ate some sandwiches at our house and then went

for a drive, giving tour of Clarinda.   We also drove out by the house where we had lived for 38 years and also to Coin by the area of the Grain Elevator we had worked at for 20 years.  By College Springs, on the way back to Clarinda,




 we stopped in at the Quilt Coop Phyllis visited with Robin who owns it and stocks and sells many quilt cloths, paraphernalia, etc.  Boy does she have the stuff there.  It is all located on a farm in an old dairy barn and no hint from the outside what all is there.

We returned to our place for some spaghetti and several games of Pegs & Jokers.  Instead of guys against the girls we played I & Twila against Phyllis and Bill.  Don't remember who won how many games, but enjoyed the evening.  Yesterday we puttered around our place, them even helping us pick up some sticks fallen from trees, and trimming out some weed trees in the hedge behind our house.  We went to Runza, a few blocks from our house, for lunch and then drove up on the hill line to the east of Clarinda to get a view down on the city and perspective from that height.  After driving a bit through the country we returned to the Nodaway Valley Historical Museum and spent several hours (until closing time at 4:00 pm) looking over local history.  (Click on this to see their web site)  http://nodawayvalleymuseum.org/ 
   Returned to our house where we rested for a bit while watching some DVDs I had made while in Mexico and Texas around our RV Park where Bill & Twila and we spend the winters.

Then headed down to J's Pizza & Steak House where we met several friends for supper.  Pitcher of pop and a house special Pizza.  

This morning we walked over to the hospital to get a re-draw for the A1C blood test because were notified their machine had been off an reporting too high readings a few weeks ago when we had our checkups.  Then all four of us went to Vaughn's for Breakfast.

They are getting ready to leave as I write this.

More later, Lynn

Nice day in Iowa

Clarinda, IA 66 degrees, bright sunshine.  Took the car about 6 blocks to have the oil changed and tires rotated and rode the trike back up the hill.  Later rode it back down and got the car and Phyllis took it and drove to a local green house.  This morning I had mowed the lawn, finished it this afternoon when Phyllis informed me I had forgotten a patch on the west side of the house.  Am sure that I was going to do it, sometime before I forgot it.

In Marengo I was on a computer that didn't have very fast internet this weekend, so am adding some photos from the weekend now.  At right is our grandson-in-law Heath on Sunday evening getting the BBQ grill going to do some Brats at their place.

And the picture below is at the table with the completed grilled items along with some other goodies.  They just moved into their house in Marengo last fall and he is just finishing his first year as Band and Vocal Instructor at Belle Plaine, IA.

 On Saturday evening son Cam grilled some steaks with his grill on his new patio.  At left are Cam, Lynn, Ashley, Heath and Patty.

Lower photo shows Phyllis and Cameron.  A church is their neighbor to the east and you can see that building behind them.










  Got a call a few moments ago from Bill Oberholser--they are spending the night in Maryville, MO just to the south of us and will be here in the morning and stay for a few days.

Till later, Lymnn