Hot Fourth of July in Iowa

 93º with "feel like of 102º and wind here in Clarinda, IA at 7:48 pm Monday.  Earlier was 95º with "feel like" of 106º and very bright sunshine.

We drove to Viking Lake near Stanton, IA yesterday and saw many corn fields with the leaves pointed like pineapple plants -- sign of needing water.

At Viking Lake, met with Phyllis' sister Beth and husband Steve Gregory (for his recent 75th birthday) and all their kids & grandkids.

At right is Chris Gregory with their two dogs.  Chris & Becky live in Omaha.

Megan Cooper is in College somewhere in Montana.  Sarah Gregory is in College somewhere in Michigan.  Jason & Kara Cooper live in Denver, CO.  Tyler Cooper is in high school there in Denver.

All four cousins spent time

in the water.

Between the Omaha Gregorys and the Denver Coopers there was quite an assortment of watercraft.  The white kayak was unfolded from a container just a few feet square.  The others were all inflatables.

Steve & Beth Gregory

from Clarinda, IA

One of Steve's sisters, Mary from Atlanta, GA,

spent several days with

them.

Had lunch under the shelter by the beach.

Sarah Gregory participates in competition swimming and worked out for a bit in the lake.

Chris Gregory paddles

by the Coopers.

Some photos of our great grandkids I took

off Facebook -- their Fourth parade was Sunday the 3rd in Marengo, IA.

Did some gutter cleaning all along the north side of our place this weekend.

Some flowers

that caught

my attention

in the

back yard.

Today we went to New Market, IA for their 1 pm

parade.  Lasted a little over an hour

with quite a turnout from many

of the surrounding towns as

well as the New Market

people.

A friend of ours from New Market, Jim McAlpin, and his wife were Grand Marshals of the Parade.  Many years ago - back in the 1980's and 1990's, I sang beside Jim as part of the Southwest Iowa Plainsmen's Men's Chorus.

This tiny

van was the

smallest unit

in the 

parade

Hoping it cools off a bit,

Later - Lum