Home Improvements

We had some electrical work done in our house.  One was getting light kits installed on three existing ceiling fans.

Another thing was getting a new range hood installed over the stove.  This is a big improvement over the old one.  We also had four new electrical outlets installed, one new phone jack installed, and one existing phone jack moved.  In the spring I hope to do some interior painting.

Morning Workout

There's a great community center nearby where I can go to exercise.  The south side of the building is flooded with morning sunlight.  I'm also attempting to do yoga; however I have a lot of work to do to become halfway graceful at that.

The Bramble Bush Project

Before:  This is one of three places in our yard where a mixture of honeysuckle, wild grapevine, and wild rose had taken over.  Used to be we kinda liked the natural look, but it had become too much.  Besides, I think the neighbors didn't care much for it.

After:  I removed this bramble bush area plus two more not shown.  Also I took out wild grapevine along about 150 feet of fence.  Not only did I cut and pull the growth out, I cut it up and bagged it so that it could be taken away and made into compost.  There's still work to be done, removing a maze of honeysuckle roots, but the main part is done.  Does it look better?  Perhaps a matter of opinion--it's a work in progress.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain

My dad used to sing the song...
The bear went over the mountain...
To see what he could see...
And all that he could see...
Was the other side of the mountain...
The other side of the mountain was all that he could see.


Well, this is what the other side of the mountain looks like.

More Aspen Gold

Late September, near Crested Butte, Colorado.

Aspen Gold

Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado:  Aspen trees glow in early morning sunlight.

Visiting Cindy and the Kenny Men

John, Cindy, and Herb in front of the house.  Cindy's bike is my old Schwinn, purchased in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

We went Jams for breakfast and sat at one of the tables in the patio area.

Millennium Park After Dark

Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean," is a is a prominent feature of Chicago's Millennium Park.

The Crown Fountain in Millennium Park is especially fun after dark.  We were there on an especially warm evening, and Miles enjoyed getting soaked by the cascading water.

A Loon at Sunrise

This is why I arise early.


It's sunrise over Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota.  The air is cool, and there is a bit of a breeze.  It is very quiet, except for the beautiful, sad call of the loon, as it swims across the reflection of a rising sun.

A Superior View

From a hill in Bayfield, Wisconsin, there is a spectacular view of Lake Superior and Madeline Island. The view was memorable at night also, with a full moon overhead creating a silver path across the water.


Flowers seem to like the cool summer temperatures and bloom in abundance.

Herb takes in the view of Lake Superior while in the distance the ferry makes the crossing from Bayfield to Madeline Island.

Apostle Islands: Sea caves

The Apostle Islands is an archipelago of 21 islands in Lake Superior, off the northern coast of Wisconsin.  Devil's Island, one of the northernmost islands, is known for sea caves in its sandstone cliffs.

Voyageurs National Park: Kettle Falls

On the way to Kettle Falls, Herb sits in the left seat while Rick operates the boat from the right seat. 

Cool morning temperatures and a cloudy sky inspired me to wear my nylon jacket when we walked the forest trail to the dock on Rainy Lake.

This is the Kettle Falls Dam.  The U.S./ Canadian border runs through the middle of the dam.

The Land of Sky Blue Water

The first destination of our recent road trip was the border waters of northern Minnesota.  If this scene looks familiar, you may remember it from the old Hamms beer commercials.  The trees on the left are in the U.S., and those on the right are in Canada. 

Long Shadows on the Trail

Our part of the country has been baking under the August sun for pretty much the last couple of weeks.  We have had actual temperatures reaching over 100 degrees in the afternoons.


We have been taking our walks early in the morning when it's a "only" in the low 80s outdoors.  On the day of this photo we walked on the new part of the trail, made of crushed limestone.

Powell Gardens

This morning we took a look at The Weather Channel, and all indicators pointed to a pleasant morning.  The early morning temperature was around 70 degrees, and by noon it would climb to the mid 80s.  Considering that this is August in the Midwest, we were going to have a nice day for getting outdoors.  We decided to go to Powell Gardens, the botanical garden of the Kansas City area.  www.powellgardens.org/ 


After walking through the Butterfly Pavilion (the special exhibit this weekend), we walked all around the Gardens.

Look closely at the small dot at the top middle of the silo.  That's me with my arm raised, waving.  The silo is part of  the fruit and vegetable section of Powell Gardens.  We climbed a spiral staircase to the top, and enjoyed a really nice view.






  

Portrait of a Retired Person

 

Today I joined the ranks of the retired.  It was not an easy thing to do, because I had been performing my job for quite a few years, and there are many things about it that I will miss.  I will be forever thankful for the work I was given to do and the people with whom I worked.


It was time to retire, though.  I look forward to morning walks and afternoon naps.  If I get up at 5 am, it will be because I choose to get up then.  In high school I was known as an artist.  It's time to be an artist again.  Once an English major, always an English major, there are books to read and hopefully things to write about.  There are sewing projects.   There is a house that needs better feng shui.  There are grown children and growing grandchildren to visit.  There are national parks to explore.  It is possible that I will do better about cooking.  Next winter when there is snow and ice, I will be comfortably at home in my sweat pants.


This is something of a big change in my life...  we shall see how it all unfolds.

Improvements to the Longview Lake Trails

Improvements are underway along the Longview Lake biking and hiking trails.  The old asphalt is being removed and replaced with crushed limestone, as shown in the photo.  The improved trails will be considerably wider, too, which will provide added safety for bicyclists and walkers.  There's still a bit of work to be done, but progress has been made.

The Luna Moth

A luna moth has been on our patio door screen at least since Saturday morning.  Oh, and by the way, they don't glow in the dark like they show on the Lunesta commercials.

Look! Up in the Air! Is it a B747-400?

Debbie has been in Miami Since late April, training to fly the B747-400, a new high-tech airplane.  On June 26, 2010, she passed her check ride in the simulator, and received her new rating.  In order to get to that point, there were many hours of study, exams, and work in the classroom and in the simulator.  Ten weeks is a long time to be away from home, and Debbie will be very happy to return home to Denver for a few days of rest and relaxation before she begins flying again.

The Howth Loop Trail

Cindy, John, Liam, and Miles recently visited Ireland.  Here are Miles, Cindy, and Liam where they stopped for lunch along the Howth Loop Trail, overlooking the Irish Sea.  Ireland is such a beautiful country, and Howth is particularly so.

Fathers Day

The man in the center of this photo is my dad.  The little child beside him--that would be me.  There is also my mother and my two elder brothers.


My dad had a favorite greeting, (please bear with me on the spelling, because I am unsure of it):


How's your corporacity seem to be negatiating?


To which, we were expected to respond:


In a supreme state of unsophisticated felicity.


It meant, simply:


How are you?


I am fine.


I hope that everyone who reads this is in a supreme state of unsophisticated felicity.

The Big Worm

Herb called out in a voice filled with excitement:  Get the camera and come see this!
(Some may consider us a low-key family, but we tend to become enthusiastic about this kind of thing.)  There was what looked like an earthworm on steroids crossing our front walk, headed for the damp shadows under the Japanese yews.  It was definitely a worm, not a small snake.  For comparison, that's Herb's shoe, which measures about 12 inches long.  On close examination (down on my hands and knees), I could see the worm's little round mouth.  I did not examine the other end.


You know, I really do think I should have studied Biology.

Along Blue River Road

This place doesn't have a name as far as I know, but it seems like it ought to be called "The Green Grotto."  It's a place along Blue River Road in south Kansas City where a stream of water trickles over a limestone ledge.








Blue River Road is really a nice drive; it winds along between the river and the rocky ledges, and in places there are tree tunnels.  The foliage is so rich and green after the rainy spring.

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Lewis Carroll wrote The Walrus and the Carpenter, a story poem that on first glance doesn't make a lot of sense, but you get the idea there's more meaning than first appears.


The story goes that a Walrus and a Carpenter are walking down a beach.  They cry over many things, including  an inability to control their own appetites for oysters.


They also weep because they see such quantities of sand.  (Maybe they don't accept nature as it is?)


These lines have been running through my mind today:


...They wept like anything to see such quantities of sand.
If this were only cleared away, they said, it would be grand.
If seven maids with seven mops swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose, the Walrus said, that they could get it clear?...


Let's ponder on that for a while.

A Hummingbird at Balmorhea

Our friend Feldman photographed this hummingbird sitting on her nest at Balmorhea State Park in West Texas.  Quite a beautiful picture, I think.

I've posted another picture of the hummingbird on my other blog, silverlamps.blogspot.com.   There I've also written a down a few more thoughts about the bird.

Ebenezer the Donkey

Ebenezer has been a resident of our town for many years, but recently he has become something of a celebrity.  He had developed some health problems; his teeth were in poor condition and he could no longer graze.  Also he suffered from a painful hoof condition.


Then a resident sent Ebenezer's story to The Kansas City Star.  After the story appeared, people began sending money to cover the donkey's veterinary bills, and beyond that, to build a better shed for Ebenezer.


Herb and I went to visit Ebenezer recently.  He loves company and appreciates being stroked.  If he really takes a liking to you, he will nudge you with his head.  He seems comfortable now; he is on a diet of Purina equine food for "seniors." 

Snatam Kaur Concert in Boulder

The event was everything I expected and more.  This past weekend, Snatam Kaur, Guruganesha Singh, and Ramesh Kannan performed Sikh chants in Boulder, Colorado, to an enthusiastic audience.  These people have dedicated their lives to promoting peace through music.  Although the music is soothing--really a massage for the soul--it is also powerful and energizing.  To hear a sampling, go to snatamkaur.com

A Car from the Past

This is our 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass, the first air-conditioned car we owned.  It was pale green with a darker vinyl top.  In the photo, it is parked near a gravel lake in the Florida Panhandle; we had driven it to visit my brother and his family.  The car is long gone now, but I remember it as a nice car.

Hair update

My hair is still growing.  It just occurred to me that Chuck Lite and I have approximately the same color hair.

Chuck Lite Photo !

In my previous blog posting, I mentioned the new almost-white squirrel that we have named "Chuck Lite."  Well Herb managed to get snap a photo at a distance.  C.L. isn't pure white, but he or she is definitely much lighter in color than the rest of the squirrels.

A squirrel family lives in the tall pin oak tree behind our house. We never have been absolutely sure how many there are, but we have seen as many as seven and the same time. The numbers in their family have stayed about the same for years. Because they look remarkably alike, we call them all "Chuck."

Some folks don't like squirrels, but we believe they have their place in the scheme of things and accept them. Herb even scatters some bird seed around the base of the tree for their benefit.

Our squirrels are a gray variety. But this morning we saw a new squirrel, a pale gray one, almost white. Must be something of an albino. We have decided to name the white one "Chuck Lite."

I wish I had a picture of Chuck Lite to show you, but he or she runs very fast and keeps a distance.