Cooler in Iowa than we are used to

58 degrees, mostly cloudy in Clarinda, IA

Took this picture of thermometer just outside our back door at 12:30 pm - about 48 degrees.  No short pants like I have been used to in Texas!

We drove away from the Heuer's in Elkhart, TX about 1 pm on Sunday.  Drove an easy 200 miles to Gordonsville, TX where we stayed the night.

On Monday we drove 441 miles.  Though it was almost all on back roads there was little or no traffic and was a nice day for driving.  Had planned on stopping 100 miles sooner at a Passport America park for only $12.50, but had lots of daylight left so ended up paying $29 but was a couple hours down the road so made getting from there in to Clarinda easy and we were home by 1:30 pm after eating lunch at Pizza Ranch in Maryville, MO.  Just as we finished unhooking the trailer the tail-wind that we had enjoyed that day suddenly changed to hard wind out of the northwest and blew hard all afternoon.  Glad we were not on the road pulling the trailer in it.  (Right at 1,310 miles from one home to the other.

Unloaded the pick-up and
hard to believe all
the stuff we had packed
in it.  Knew it was clear
full.

Only a little bit left
when I took this
photo.

Took this photo while we were parked at the last RV Park before getting home.  Had the vegetation out in the sun for the afternoon. Yes, I brought home a tomato plant.

It has been in the entryway indoors, but I just set it  out in the sun right now.

This is something you don't

see on too many interstates--

a corn planter going up the

highway.  We saw one running

in the field in Kansas.

Entering Oklahoma

Below - entering Kansas

Going through

the Flint Hills

in Kansas

Entering

Missouri near

Atchison, KS

And, finally, 

entering Iowa at

Braddyville, IA

I was able to mow the yard (forecast was for rain and it hadn't been mowed this year while neighbors on both sides of us had recently mowed theirs so was imperative to get it done).  The wind was blowing something fierce 

Hedge along the back

still looking good from the

shearing I gave it last October.

Back deck had lots of leaves blown up around the steps - was wet on the bottom part.

Used my vacuum/shredder to suck
up the leaves on the step up
to the deck.

Leaves cleaned

up and the benches

moved from under

the roof overhang.

Today we went the 20 miles west
to Shenandoah to meet with the
tax preparer then stopped by Leland
and Bonnie Brown's place here
in Clarinda.  These two
pictures of their tulips.

We go to Omaha tomorrow to have checkup on my partial-knee replacement of 10 years ago and then plan on stopping in Villisca, IA on way home to visit Mary Jo and Oliver Herzberg and go to the fish/chicken fry uptown and maybe play some cards.

More later, Lynn