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Welcome to my photo journal.


Friday, July 31, 2009

First Night

We made it to Indianola and are parked in the grass lot by the balloon field we have a great view. There are maybe 10 RVs here so far, it's $5 a night for dry camping but it beats fighting the traffic and the drive we did last year. The balloons went right over our spot tonight. It was too windy for most of the balloons to get this close to their target and no one won the $250 for knocking over the outhouse.
Because of the wind many of the balloons decided not to do the night glow, but there was a big crowd to watch. We visited with a couple from Dayton, Ohio and another avid photographer from Albia, IA who was taking pics for the local paper he is also working on a book about an old church in Georgetown.

More later from Indianola


Thursday, July 30, 2009

Road Trip

We decided to attend the Indianola Balloon Festival again,
so we're off in our RV.
We hope the weather is better than last year, it was very wet.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Old Photos

Aren't these neat photos???
Ken took them when he was in the Navy, years ago.
Found them in the basement.
Be prepared to appreciate what you meet. Frank Herbert


Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Green Eye Monster

I was just looking out the back door and spotted this
green eyed monster. Cooolll!!!! Isn't he!
It was a rainy day so I spent most of it playing on the computer,
scanning Ken's funnies that he's collected and putting together collages for a scrapbook on the reunion,
I have 5 pages done,
the Walgreen book has 12 so I have a few more to do.



A good laugh is sunshine in a house. Thackeray



Monday, July 27, 2009

New park

We had a busy day, started with a morning of work in the basement, then
saw Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince the movie and followed up with a visit
to our new park.
They are just adding a parking lot right now, but keep it nicely mowed.
We were lucky to have this Hawk fly in and perch near us for a couple of photos.
I caught these butterflies being a bit busy.
Tried to get photos of the dragonflies but they're blurry.

The reason we stopped at the new park was to get photos of
the painters putting on the finishing touches
on the water tower.
It only took them a couple of days to paint the logo,
wouldn't that be a fun job.



Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run
than outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure,
or nothing.

Helen Keller


Saturday, July 25, 2009

Friday, July 24, 2009

Backyard Wildlife

A mystery has been solved, Ken has been finding his nut feeder on the ground every morning, emptied of course and last night we saw the hungry raccoon enjoying the nuts.

Ken put out a watermelon rind this afternoon to see if the raccoon would enjoy it and we looked out and this little bunny was enjoying a refreshing treat. (Butterflies like watermelon too)

Ken's been busy cleaning out the garage and basement, actually he's enjoying it as he comes across lost treasures from his past.

He has found several books like this bird book, it looks very informative and tree identification books, a genealogy book on his family and several old old books, but nothing that would bring us dollars on the Antique Road Show.

I thought these bookplates were neat, maybe I'll get creative with them.



He's a collector of cartoons, like I am and he has been finding them among the old magazines, I should scan a couple just for fun sometime.

You will always find something in the last place you look.








Thursday, July 23, 2009

Backyard Birds

I hadn't realized before just how colorful the House Finches are!!
The Red-bellied Woodpecker likes to sneak a little jelly too, I finally caught him at it.


Each day provides its own gifts. Martial


Wednesday, July 22, 2009

A Pleasant Summer Outing

We had a perfect summer day today, temp high was 83
and so we decided it was a good day for an outing to
Powell Gardens.
To enjoy the flowers, fresh air and do a little walking, not to mention
enjoy a fantastic lunch at their Thyme Restaurant.
I enjoyed a Crab Louie sandwich with my favorite sweet potato fries and
Ken enjoyed a double bacon hamburger with fries.
We found a few butterflies about and many dragonflies.


I don't know my dragonflies, sorry and they are difficult for me to photograph.

But I captured a few shots.



This Eastern Kingbird has a nest in this tree and we enjoyed
watching it catch a dragonflies and take them to it's young,
Ken saw at least two babies in the nest.




On the way home we stopped at a road side stand and bought some
farm fresh sweet corn, peaches picked from the tree out back and
a big watermelon, so we will be eating good
and healthy for a day or two.
People from a planet without flowers
would think we must be mad with joy. Iris Murdoch






Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Reunion

Mom and I had a nice trip to IA for the Penniman/Carder Reunion.
We left Friday and took the scenic roads north.
We stopped and had lunch in Jamesport and took in a couple of shops.
Off again, and stopped in Eldon for our photo opportunity there.
There were several family members staying at our motel in Ottumwa so we got together for dinner and some visiting.
Of course, we gathered for a visit the next morning before going to the reunion in Agency.

There were about 90 people at the reunion.
We had good food, lots of photo groups and some fun and games all organized by cousin Kim Carder Haley. She did a great job!!!!

Later at the motel we gathered for more visiting, family stories and history gathering.




Today, Mom left for home and back to the 110 degree heat of AZ.
A FAMILY is where our HEART
feels most at HOME
because you're always wanted,
always welcomed
always needed
ALWAYS LOVED




Tuesday, July 14, 2009

July flowers


Yesterday, was Mocha Monday at McD's which I enjoyed two samples of. It seemed to be get food free day, as Ken got a free breakfast sandwich too, later through a little misunderstaning I got my salad free Panera's.
Tomorrow my mother will be arriving for a visit where we will attend a family reunion together.
So I may not be posting for a few days.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Going a little greener

Our little community is finally getting on the recycling bandwagon. We received our new trash bins and recycling crates yesterday and of course our bill goes up too.
I have always tried to recycle the papers and the plastic bags and once in a while would tote cardboard and cans to a recycling center but when the gas price got high I stopped that, so it will be nice to have them pick it up twice a month.
I have the sign painted, finished this morning, now to let it dry for a couple of days and then put a sealer on it and then Ken can have his garage back.Last week when I was weeding the flower garden one of these bumble bees stung me, I think we have a nest in the corner of the garden. I will definitely stay away from that area now. We sure have alot of bumble bees this year, and we haven't seen many butterflies.
...Peacefulness of an ordinary Sunday.
It is like standing in a newly planted garden after a warm rain.
You can feel the silent and invisible life.
All it needs from you is that you take care not
to trample it.
Have a nice Sunday :-)



Thursday, July 9, 2009

A little poetry

I have one side of the sign painted and working on the other.
Ken gave his John Deere riding mower away to his friend's granddaughter's family who have just moved to a home on 3 acres. Ken and Bob worked on the mower 2 days to get it running as it has been setting in the garage for over 12 years.
I found this book at the thrift store Monday, I really enjoy Billy Collins poetry. He was the Poet Laureate of the US in 2001 to 2003.Here's a sample:
The Country
I wondered about you
when you told me never to leave
a box of wooden, strike-anywhere matches
lying around the house because the mice
might get into them and start a fire.
But your face was absolutely straight
when you twisted the lid down on the round tin
where the matches, you said, are always stowed.
Who could sleep that night?
Who could whisk away the thought
of the one unlikely mouse
padding along a cold water pipe
behind the floral wallpaper
gripping a single wooden match
between the needles of his teeth?
Who could not see him rounding a corner,
the blue tip scratching against a rough-hewn beam,
the sudden flare, and the creature
for one bright, shining moment
suddenly thrust ahead of his time-
now a fire-starter, now a torchbearer
in a forgotten ritual, little brown druid
illuminating some ancient night.
Who could fail to notice,
lit up in the blazing insulation,
the tiny looks of wonderment on the faces
of his fellow mice, onetime inhabitants
of what once was your house in the country?
Enjoy your day!

Monday, July 6, 2009

July project

I have a July project, it was dropped off this afternoon, I'm to fix up the Golf course sign, both sides. Ken helped with sanding it this afternoon and getting it in the garage where I will be working on it the next couple of weeks.I was trying to get photos of the little Downy this morning but I thought this pic of the Cat bird looking at me the better shot of the day.

Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can.
Danny Kaye

Sunday, July 5, 2009

And the living is easy

Hope you all had a fun and safe 4th.
Ken tryed out his new grille and cooked up some ribs, they were very good, we had corn on the cob with them. We went down to watch the Excelsior's fireworks, we found a perfect spot in which to view them I watched in the comfort of our car nice since it was a misty evening. Neither of us took camera's, just enjoyed the show.We watched Wimbledon both the women's and the men's. This morning's men's match was a record breaker for the greatest number of games played in a match (believe it was 81) and Federer won his 15th major championship. I was hoping our guy Roddrick was going to win.
We are beginning to see a few butterflies in our garden.

This morning the Downy woodpecker brought their babe to our feeder.
It is a beautiful day, so it's time for me to get out and enjoy it with a little stroll around the neighborhood.



Friday, July 3, 2009

It's the 4th

Join the fun
its the fourth of July
A joy in the air
No Fears, no sighs
the birth of a nation
power and dreams.
River and mountains
forest and streams.
The fourth of July
a wonderful day
Bowing our heads
to God we pray.
Roy Stoneff

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Orioles

The orioles have been bringing their baby to our jelly feeder.
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. Henry Van Dyke
PBS's Masterpiece Theatre is having Garrison Keillor on tonight, I enjoy his humor and his radio show the Prairie Home Companion.
Enjoy your evening! They have been very nice here we've been able to open our windows.