Half-way

Clarinda, IA - 87 degrees with "feel like" of 94 degrees.  Today is half-way between when we left Texas and when we will return to Texas.  Five months in Texas, and the other 7 away from there.

Friday, on the way back from Hiawatha, KS, we stopped in Mound City, Missouri and spent a half-hour or so visiting with John Metzgar.  He had a peach tree that was loaded, and John wasn't using them, so offered us to pick a few.  We got enough that Phyllis baked two peach pies yesterday.

We spent Friday driving to Hiawatha, KS where we visited Harold and LaRhoda Neher at their farm just east of Hiawatha.  Ate at a restaurant in town and drove around a bit and then played some 5 or 6 games of Pegs N Jokers.  With only 4 players it goes pretty quick.  She fixed a sandwich lunch with a new kind of cake with something in it - Pudding?

This is John, talking with Phyllis in front of his house in Mound City.

Pederson's house as seen from Missouri C Road

We drove on to Cynthia and Ron Pederson's house north of Mound city, but they were not home.  They come to Clarinda to Square Dance.

Pederson's house.

I installed a window fan yesterday, which we used since it was a little cooler.  AC back on today with it so hot and humid.






Yesterday we rode the trikes 7 miles.
Today we went to church and afterward Leland and Bonnie Brown came by and we went to lunch with them at Runza - then came home and ate some of that peach pie from Missouri.


Going to Omaha tomorrow.  Later, Lynn

Mid July

89 degrees here in Clarinda, IA  Had 1/10" rain the other night.  Has been some warm days.

Finally got all the street bricks moved from the pile I made behind the shop 8 years ago moved to the area right behind the flower bed behind the garage.

Tuesday night we square danced at nursing home in Shenandoah

Afterwards we ate at local restaurant

Waiting for supper

Wednesday I helped unload the truck for the food pantry at our church

Teresa Minard took us for a short ride in her new golf cart

Teresa treated us to some goodies after showing us her collections

Phyllis showing Beth Steeve one of her quilts

This afternoon we went to the farmers market held at the hospital right across the street from us

We go to Hiawatha, KS to visit with our Texas next door neighbors - the Neher's tomorrow.

Star Quilt Company

85º with 70% humidity in Clarinda, IA at 10:15 am.  A muggy 91º predicted high for the day.

Friday our friends Mary Jo and Oliver Herzberg came down from Villisca, IA and rode with us to Hamilton, MO -- east of St. Joseph, MO -- 

 This is a huge fabric/quilter store, with some 14 different buildings around town stocking fabric of all kinds.  It is also known as Missouri Star Quilt Company.  CLICK HERE for their Website

We were told JC Penny started here, but didn't realize there is a Museum in town of the man.
Will have to make another trip for that.

The girls walked all the stores while Oliver and I tried out some soft recliner chairs in the "Man Store" which is just a lounge with some magazines, two televisions and quite a few recliners.

We ate some hamburgers there in Hamilton and the girls did some more looking in stores.  Then we drove through the countryside to Jamesport, Missouri -- a popular tourist draw in an Amish community.  Walked several downtown stores and stopped at a couple of country stores run by the Amish for a few purchases.  Then on to Maryville, MO where we ate supper at Pizza Ranch.

Made a delightful day, seeing some things we hadn't seen before.

In the background of this photo taken in our back yard, you can see the barn replica bird house sitting on a pile of wood.  That wood had been in place for 8 years and we began worrying about possibility of ants or termites being in it.

These two photos were taken as I started removing the wood.  Didn't find any moving animals or insects in it, but a lot of debris from when they had been working in it and it was breaking down pretty badly.

Have cleaned under the old wood pile and discovered there is a cement pad there (Phyllis said she knew this, but new to me).  I am moving old street bricks from the pile behind the shop

building to make a decorative wall here.  That pile of brick has been there some 8 years and always thought some use would show up.  Now will be able to mow the area around that old pile that had been too narrow for the riding mower to get through.

And this should make a good backdrop for her flower garden!

More later, Lynn

7-7-16

67 degrees in Clarinda, IA -- dumped 1.8" rain from gauge this morning.  Heard on radio that Villisca, just to our north had a lot of wind damage with the storm that went through in the middle of the night.  I picked up a few small limbs from trees here, but nothing major.  More rain is forecast for here around noon.

I did mow the lawn on Tuesday.  And, it did get hot, temperatures in the mid 90's with humidity nearly the same.

Shirley Long stopped by for a visit one day.  Her husband, Charlie Long, worked for us at the grain elevator for many years -- passed away this winter.  She has retired from working as RN in the hospital after many years, but is working part-time as a Home Health Nurse.

Phyllis' flower bed to the west of the house, in bright sunshine the other day.

Took this picture about an hour ago.  The tree limbs are really heavy with the moisture on them and hanging really low.



Rode with Leland and Bonnie Brown - and Roberta Rarick - last evening to Shambaugh, IA (about 5 miles south) to Ice Cream day for Methodist Church there.  Had good turnout and got to visit with some people who hadn't seen in a long time.  Dave and Jan Engle, neighbors in our Texas RV park, from Indiana, are stopping here for lunch on their way to Yellowstone National Park.
More later, Lynn

4th of July - 2016

74º here in Clarinda, IA at 7:55 am on Tuesday, the day after the 4th.

Predicted high temperature for here today is 95º with "feel like" of 105º due to high humidity.

We sat in front yard of our granddaughter's place in Marengo, IA and watched the fireworks on Sunday evening July 3rd.  Marengo has their parade and all activities always the day before the 4th and towns in the surrounding area take place because most of them have their festivities on the 4th itself.

Our son and youngest granddaughter with her friend, watching the fireworks.

Grandson-in-law had a lot of friends and family show up for the viewing.

 At 6:30 pm on Sunday we watched the 4th Of July Parade in Marengo.  Was a good turnout of watchers and a nearly-hour-long parade.

 There were quite a few classic cars -- including this 50ish Ford.

 Cameron introduced us to this man and his Slingshot 3-wheeler by saying "Whenever he makes a sale, there is a parade".  It wasn't for a few minutes that I found out that he owned a funeral home!

 Kluster Funeral Home ----- Drive Safe...........We Can Wait

This 8-N Ford is similar to one my dad bought in the early 50's out in Custer County Nebraska.

Grand-Son-In-Law, playing the baritone, had several of his band show up for the parade.  At least one alumni helped by playing the cymbals.

 On Saturday morning we went to the grade school for pancake breakfast.  Our son and wife and youngest granddaughter and friend had gone up earlier and participated in the 5K walk/run and we all ate breakfast together and then walked through the many classic cars that were coming in for their show.

 

 Lynn & Phyllis Miles, with great-granddaughter Jessica on her Mamma's lap (Ashley Long), and our son Cameron Miles.

 

Of course, the main reason for our going to Marengo was to eye the latest family member who was 10 days old on the third.

Little Jessica Lynn was held a lot, and I even got to nap with her.

Great-Grandma gets to hold her -- Son Cameron and Aunt Emily have been taking their turns.

Grandma Patty Miles got her share of holding.

And, Great Grandma Phyllis got more time.

We left Marengo Monday morning and managed to avoid driving on the Interstate, taking county and state roads south and west to Clarinda.  Stopped in Oskaloosa, IA and then again in Chariton, IA where we ate lunch.  Later grilled some hamburgers and onions for supper.

Today a Heat Advisory has been issued here:

... Heat advisory remains in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to
8 PM CDT this evening...

* temperatures... highs will reach into the lower to mid 90s this
  afternoon with high relative humidity. The combination of heat
  and humidity will make it feel like 105 to 110 degrees.

so have shut up the house and turned the Air Conditioning on--for only the 2nd or 3rd time this summer.

Probably need to mow the yard -- looks a little ragged since hasn't been mowed since week ago yesterday.  Dumped .8" of rain out of the gauge that came while we were gone over the weekend, so the grass is growing a bit.

Later, Lynn