Into July ~

 I've mentioned before that July is not my favorite month.  This year though, with the rain we've received, my usual watering chores have been non-existent.  The Walnut limbs are drooping under the weight of their nuts & a few are already dropping.  The trees by the swing have grown so big, it's hard to remember the size they were when we first arrived.

July first~

Butch wasn't home for the fourth.  He did come in for what was originally to be a quick overnighter on the fifth.  He pulled into Nationwide to drop his trailer with two minutes to spare on his ELD.  He'd left the Farmland Rest Area in IL early in the morning & even with construction driven 494-miles.  He was to make a delivery in Lincoln, NE the following day.

9:00 p.m. Butch & Maverick are Home!

We had a late dinner & he left at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.  Finn & I slept in - but were soon awake when Butch reappeared asking if I wanted a latte?  The warehouse he'd been scheduled to deliver to, was closed.  Yippee!  He would have Sunday home!  It was another in a string of hot & humid days.  We went to see F1 & really enjoyed it. 

7-8 Flowers~

With the rains & humidity, the flowers are amazing this year.  I've spent a lot of time weeding & spraying the weeds I can't pull, but it's been worth it.  Everything I've planted, has had plenty of room to grow.  I still have a lot of the hillside to tame, but the Hosta's are more numerous than the weeds!  

My Appleblossem Rosebud Germanium~

A relative of my dark red germanium, it too has the small, tight full blooms.  I read that it was a favorite of Queen Victoria & I can see why.  I've kept it on the deck rail this year & it loves the spot.

Presto Dark Red Germanium 

The red is still impossible to find.  Even the page I had bookmarked for this variety is gone.  I have the five plants I wintered over sitting out in pots with full south exposure.  They're compact & covered in blooms.  The new starts I have on the deck, with morning sun & afternoon shade.  I'm thankful that daughter Courtney still had the variety I'd shared with her years ago & paid back the favor when mine accidentally froze!

7-13 Finn in his favorite spot~

Finn is one tough boy!  He'll spend time outside, no matter how hot it is!  One afternoon he was laying on the sidewalk in the full sun!  I told him he'd be a baked Finn if he didn't come in!  He spends a lot of time watching for Woody the Woodchuck who seems to have taken up residence on the abandoned property to the east of us.  The other morning, he even managed to corner him again under the lawn tractor!  You'd think Woody would wise up!

East end of the deck~

The polycarbonate panels make such a huge difference on the deck.  The filtered light is perfect for us to sit out & for the fern, orchid & Hosta.  I've given up putting any plants on the west end.  The afternoon sun bakes them to a crisp, even with watering twice a day.

Here we are, almost midway through the month & yesterday I was back on two wheels!  That post to come~

Back on Two Wheels~

Saturday was a cooler day than we'd had in a while.  There was a high haze in the air, filtering the direct sunlight.  I hadn't ridden since the 6th of June & that was my only ride the entire month.  I looked back at last year & I'd only ridden twice, so didn't feel as bad about it.  

Ready to ride~

Lake Manawa was calling my name, the hard surface & more open riding is much more appealing to me than the bugs, dust & higher humidity of the Wabash.  I was surprised to be the only car in the parking area.  For a weekend, the park was surprisingly quiet.

North toward the I-29 underpass in the distance~

I took the far eastern trail that connects to the Wabash just over halfway, before turning back into the park.  The wide-open views are so pretty out here.

Looking toward I-29~

I rode along E Manawa drive & turned west to ride parallel with Veterans Memorial Hwy. before turning left for a couple blocks to ride west on Wright Rd.  From there I cut around the gate into the old campground.  No wildlife today, no mulberries either, but a really nice view from the north end of the lake.

Sailboats on the choppy water~

I love seeing the sailboats on the water.  The wind had picked up & it looked like a perfect summer afternoon to be out.  

Along Indian Creek, I spotted feathers at the edge of the trail.  I hadn't found any feathers at all last year.  I stopped to check them out.  There were the two bigger ones I took & two smaller ones.  All dark in color & I was pretty sure they had to be from a Turkey Vulture considering their size.  Not my favorite raptor, but a nice addition to my collection.

Turkey Vulture feathers~

There are a couple trees in town, where the Vultures congregate.  They are noisy & dirty when gathered in numbers.  I'm thankful I seldom see them fly over at home.  The first time I ever saw one, Butch & I were riding the horses in Eastern, WA.  We came around a corner & saw several roosting in a pine.  I thought they were the ugliest birds I'd ever seen & my opinion hasn't changed!

Indian Creek looking south toward the Missouri~

The Missouri is just a short distance from the south end of lake.  I didn't take the access road today & haven't for a while.  It was nice to see so much water in the creek.  The level of the Missouri has been up & we're expecting more rain this week.

Sailboats from my bench~

By the time I reached my rest spot, the haze had thickened & I was glad of it!  The breeze made the day one of the most pleasant in a while.

Hoary Vervain

Very unusual & such a color standout, I've admired the above wildflowers for several years.  (Thank you to daughter Jentry for the i.d.)  They brighten the open field I pass on my way to  the lake shore.  I didn't see the turkey's this visit either, it's been a couple years now.  I stayed for a while, enjoying the breeze off the water before heading back.

The Park & the Missouri~

As you can see in the Google Earth photo above, the river is almost the southern boundary of the park.

South trail, west~

I was glad to be back on my bike, but it's hard to stay motivated during the heat of summer.  I work outside in the morning, before the day heats up.  I'll hope for another cooler day or two so I can revisit the Wabash.  At least I don't have the limestone dust to clean off my chain when I ride here!

The Last of June ~

 It's been over a month since I've written a blog post.  I was so busy in June working outside & trying to keep ahead of the grass, weeds, transplanting, watering etc.  I was too busy & worked myself into a hospital stay.   It took me, stubborn as usual, several days to realize I wasn't getting any better & by that time I had to ask a friend to drive me to the Dr.'s office.  From there, it was an ambulance ride to Bellevue Medical Center on the 18th.  

Butch made it home Friday evening of the 20th.  By Saturday I was released on my own recognizance. It was a real wakeup call for me, the first time I've physically been unable to carry on.  Now, I'm taking things a bit easier, hopeful my strength will return & anxious for a cooler day to get out on my bike.  Mid-June we received a few drizzles & one really good rain.  It made such a difference!

6-24-25 - Rain!

In the meantime, I've been enjoying the fruits of all that labor.  The garden that runs all along the edge of the woods is finally coming into its own.  The years of transplanting Hosta's have paid off & they are getting huge.  The flowers are blooming in waves, first the iris, now the day lilies, Zinnia's & soon the Tall Garden Phlox & most of the varieties of Hosta.  

6-25-25 Zinnia's & Day Lily's 

Each afternoon when Finn & I take our walk, there are fresh flowers to enjoy.

6-27-25, the Hosta's are now mature~

I admire the Hosta's so much.  I'd always liked them, but in WA the slugs usually took a huge toll.  Here, no slugs!  Just the deer wandering through.  I've kept them covered in deer & rabbit repellant.

6-27-25 Along the woods~

This area used to be a wasteland.  Covered in invasive Honeysuckle & Autum Olive.  The evergreen shrubs were the first thing we planted, to delineate the edge of the woods from the yard.  They've gotten huge & add color in the winter months.

6-29-25 Tall Garden Phlox~

From just a few straggly plants, the Phlox have flourished!  The white was the first to bloom this year & soon the pink should join them.

Double blooming Old-Fashioned Day Lily

I have one patch of the above flowers along the hill that drops down to the marsh.  I'm going to transplant a few more to other locations.  

Zinnia's~

This is the second year I've planted Zinnia seeds along the south fence of the backyard.  They haven't done as well as they did last year.  I used at least six bags of Miracle Grow mixed into the soil the first time & cut back this year.  Obviously, I'll be using more again for future plantings.

6-30-25 Sharkey's Revenge~

Sharky is putting on his usual amazing display of color!  The plant must have at least ten buds!  My favorite of the plants I've purchased from Hillsdale Lily Farm.

The woods~

Two of the biggest trees in the woods have died.  I have no idea why.  They are so huge, there're going to stay standing as snags.  The loss of their canopy has let in more light.  The flowers I've planted on the hillside to the left in the above photo seem to be doing just fine.  There's still plenty of shade to enjoy.

We'll be looking for shade with the month of July upon us!  The weatherman assures us that after today, we'll be heading upwards into the land of muggy & steamy soon! 

A Sad End to a Beautiful Day~

 With June's arrival, comes the increase in temperature & humidity.  Today was overcast & humid from the inch of rain we'd received on Wed. & the .08 last night.  The temperature was only in the 70's. I was looking forward to getting in a ride.  The Wabash trail, with the humidity & emerging insects wasn't appealing.  I decided to make the drive to Lake Manawa.  Being Friday, I was surprised to be the only car in my usual parking area.

Ready to ride~

As I left the air-conditioning of the Bronco, the humidity hit.  I'd better continue to prepare myself, because summer is around the corner.  Looking back at the last few years, my best riding months are usually April, May, September & October.  

On the trail~

The shoulder of the trail hadn't been mowed in a while.  The bushes lining the trail in several places were in full bloom & the air was rich with their sweet smell! 

Gray Dogwood, Cornus racemosa

They grow huge too as you can see in the above photo.  After an internet search, I think I've identified them as Gray Dogwood.  

Mandatory Mulberry Stop!

The other native plant dominating some sections of the park, Mulberry!  I couldn't believe the berries were already ripe.  In several areas, my ride was liberally interspersed with multiple stops to consume fresh, rain rinsed Mulberries!

Mulberry~

The old campground was full of both mature & young Mulberry trees, almost all sporting a heavy load of berries.  I wish I had vehicle access to collect them!

Almost to E. Manawa Drive~

Riding down E. Manawa Drive was awful though!  The construction is off in the far distance from where the above photo was taken.  Just past this spot you go from trail to a sidewalk along the road.  The construction side-dump traffic was non-stop.  The dust & dirt was thick in the air.  A street sweeper was operating without success, to contain the dirt left from all the trucks.  As it swept, the cloud of dust rose 50 feet into the air.  I shifted Shadow into Turbo, went up to my highest gear & flew through that area!

View South along Indian Creek trail~

It was a relief as usual, to make the turn south & ride along Indian Creek.  The quiet is palpable after the noise from the truck traffic.  It was nice to see a flow of water in the creek.  My last ride here had been April third. 

On the bridge over Indian Creek~

You can almost see the humidity in the air~ I enjoyed the southern section & passed the Bronco.  A mile further I took my favorite trail out to the lake.  Only one car was in the parking area by Picnic Spot #7.  

Lake Manawa~

The view is never the same & I always enjoy stopping here.  After a call to Butch, I started back.  For whatever reason, the little meadow below looks so remote yet is surrounded by civilization. 

Riding South~

Butch's analog bike had sold; I stopped at Extreme Wheels before heading home. I found crocheted riding gloves for summer. Driving home, I took I-29 south & exited onto Hwy 34 eastbound.  Cresting the hill, I saw a school bus stopped in the left lane.  It was near the bottom of the hill just past the intersection of 195th.  A white car was totally smashed & on its side in the median.  

Approaching the accident, I started flashing my brake lights at the traffic coming over the hill behind me.  The last thing I wanted was to be slammed into from behind.  The two cars in front of me had slowed & stopped.  Debris covered the road.  Within a minute or two, the cars in front of me started winding their way past the bus & through the debris.  I followed.  Behind me, cars in the left lane began merging to the right.  In my rearview mirror I could see the front of the bus was destroyed.  No first responders had yet arrived.  A man had pulled off to the side & was approaching the bus.  Another lady was running across the median toward the car.  

Once home, I checked our Mills Scanner page.  I'd missed the accident by seconds. The highways have become dangerous places.  In this area the speed limit is 55, but the usual speeds are 65 & higher. 

When we first moved here, the traffic was light & accordingly fast.  Now, with nine years of continued growth, the traffic is much heavier, but speeds haven't diminished.  It's rare to see a State Patrol vehicle.  In other states, Butch tells me the State Patrol stations patrol cars all along the busy highways, making a visible presence which slows traffic to the posted speed limits.  

Two lives lost & lifelong emotional trauma for the bus driver & young team.  My condolence's to all involved.

Memorial Day Weekend 2025 ~

 Butch was out over four weeks since his last home time.  With only one overnight stop & one quick lunch in Council Bluffs I was happy to see the big blue truck coming down our street!  As usual when he's homeward bound, there were delays.  First, a day waiting to be loaded, next a big chunk of metal through a tire.  

He'd left the Cumberland Road Rest Area in IL the morning of the 23rd & made his delivery to Smithfield in Olathe, KS at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon. His dispatcher gave him the all clear to deadhead the remainder of the 687-miles.  He dropped the trailer at Nationwide before using Personal Conveyance to arrive home Friday evening after a 11:25 hour drive day.

May 23, 2025 - 7:21 p.m. 

We had reservations in Creston for the weekend & planned to take our bikes.  Butch had ordered a new bike rack & installed it on Sat. morning before we left.  Bikes loaded, we were on the road by mid-morning & stopped in Red Oak for lunch.

The day became overcast the further toward Creston we drove.  We signed into our motel room & were determined to get in a ride at Green Valley State Park.  It drizzled on the drive but had stopped by the time we parked.

May 24th, 2025 - Bronco with the new bike rack & ramp~

Our Lift Caddy was broken when someone backed into the bike rack, so the ramp came in handy. It seemed almost surreal to be together riding our bikes & enjoying such a beautiful spring evening.  It always seems to take such timing & dispatch coordination, to get Butch home on a specific date.

Butch enjoying the ride~

Needless to say, Butch hadn't forgotten how to ride & quickly outdistanced me!  The big hills are so much fun; it feels like flying!  I was so happy to see my husband enjoying himself, away from the constant state of alertness it takes to drive.

Butch & his Cannondale Adventure~

Once we were back on the trail around the lake, the guy above slowed enough I could keep up :-) It was one of my favorite weather evenings with the high clouds, fresh air, green trees & very little wind.

In Creston~

After Butch's years spent on the Red Hook Brewery construction in Woodinville, WA, we've always enjoyed visiting microbreweries when we find them.  An ad on Facebook for Hot Air Brewing in Creston, had caught my attention.  We stopped by after our ride.  Sadly, the little business is for sale & closing.  After four years, the owner's partnership failed & the customer base wasn't enough to support the expense of brewing beer.  We enjoyed sitting by the window & sipping really good beer.

Sunday, we woke to blowing winds & cloudy skies.  After breakfast at the restaurant next to our motel, we drove past Kelly's Flowers & Greenhouse to see an open sign!  This has been one of our favorite little places to visit when we're in town.  The greenhouse is always full of colorful blooming bedding plants, hanging baskets, unique containers & for its size, carries a wonderful variety.  The gift shop is the perfect place to find an unusual gift item, book, or antique planter.

May 25th, Kelly's Greenhouse~

As we pulled into the Greenfield Cemetary, the poles for the full-size memorial flags were in place, but my cousin told me the weather was too unreliable for the flags to fly this Memorial Day.  Finding a place to dry so many flags is impossible if it should rain & rain was in the forecast.  

We replaced the flowers in the vases of my mother, father & brother, then walked the short distance to do the same for my paternal Grandparents & Great Grandmother Vanatta.  My father's entire family are buried here; I walk down memory lane as I visit their monuments.

My Mother, Father & youngest Brother~

We toured town, seeing the new homes already occupied since the tornado of last year is a testament to the resilience of the town's residents.  In some cases, a new home occupied a lot right next to a more historic residence.  We always drive by the home where I lived when I was little & those of my grandparents & school friends.

Rose Hill~

We planted the white peony in 2019.  It was amazing how fast it's grown!  The four emerald green trees my mother had planted on the plot corners died during last summer's drought & were cut down.  We've planted many at the Home Place & now that they're getting large, the hot dry summers are stressing them, too.  I worry they might not be as able to handle the dry weather here as they mature & require more water. 

The old Church~

Every time we visit the Church above, there are changes.  This time, the brush had been cleared away from the building.  I spoke to a person who lives in the area & asked about the possibility of restoration. The rumor is - someone nearby had taken some of the dimensional lumber to use in the construction of a garage.  It's such a shame to see these relics of our past history disintegrate.  

The Farm~

We drove past my grandparents' farm where I spent the carefree summers of my youth.  Grandma would be so happy to see the ditches mowed & the farm looking neat & tidy.  I abhor the wind turbines on adjacent properties that have changed the view forever...

May 25th, McKinley Lake, Creston, IA

We ended the day at McKinley Lake.  I'd read that the lake was to be drained & dredged.  It was still a shock to see such a huge area devoid of water!  It was obvious dredging is badly needed since the lake had filled with so much silt over the years.  Increasing the depth & recreational amenities will be a huge improvement for an already well loved & managed park.

Memorial Day, we drove home disappointed that the weather didn't corporate & allow the flags to fly in Greenfield.  Even so, a visit to so many places, that hold so many memories, always gives me a sense of peace.

2021 ~

2020 ~

2019 ~

2018 ~ 

2017 ~

The End of May ~

Another perfect day!  I vacuumed the Bronco & loaded my bike on the OutfitR bike rack for the first time.  It was easier than I anticipated, but getting the front wheel over the bar at the back of the front wheel basket was trickly.  The rack itself is a breeze to drop into place, much easier than the pin on our old rack that was always hard to pull out.

I drove to Silver City.  The sign was gone from Happy Trails.  The building looked so drab without it.  There were two cars with bike racks there when I arrived.

A farmer at work~

I couldn't wait to get out on the trail.  We've had such beautiful days this month, I'll be sorry to see the heat & humidity start to climb as we approach the summer months.  When I heard the tractor & saw the spray, I hurried to get upwind.  

The trail~

Riding the trail is like being enveloped in a sea of green!  With an occasional cloud blocking the sun & the light filtering through the leaves, it was perfection. There were a few sections where there was a scattering of green leaf litter on the trail surface & the Walnuts are dropping their flowers.  

Huge old Mulberry~

I was so sorry to see the huge mulberry tree had been uprooted.  We'd had a lot of wind, but it would have taken a big gust to take down a tree this size.  

Just a mile or so further I recognized a rider coming my direction.  Mari Jo!  It had been forever since we'd seen each other.  We stopped & must have spent over half an hour catching up.  Mari Jo had exciting news, the Happy Trails building has sold.  She & Hobie have a new RV & plan to do some traveling.  We're hoping to ride together soon.  

On the Trestle~

I continued on & stopped for a few minutes on the Trestle.  I'd left Finn at home & even though I was sure he was taking a nap, I planned to return about my usual time.

Silver creek was running smooth & quiet ~

This route is so familiar to me, I enjoy every mile.  There was one RV camping at the pond.  The mowing was just finished & the area is always such a pleasant place to stop.  I took my break & called Butch.  It's hard to make the change from having him home, to having him gone, even after over three years.

Boehner Pond~

There are those days when Iowa has such a feeling of deep richness.  I wasn't far north of the pond when a spot of bright white drew my attention!  There were just a few blooms, I didn't remember seeing this flower before.   

Canada Anemone ~

At home, I looked up images & identified it as Canada Anemone.  I would love to find seeds & try starting them at home.

My favorite winter view in the late spring~

One of the top ten days of this year, we had several this month.  The texture of the growing crop of soy looks like a shag carpet.

Last blooms of the Phlox~

The clouds looked a little like rain as I made the trip back, but I only felt one sprinkle.  We're hopeful for the forecast rain in the next few days.  We're at least 3" below normal for the year.

Traveling north~

About two miles out of town, I stopped again to admire the wide-open fields. I know I couldn't live anywhere that wasn't green, at least part of the year.

Iowa view~

Back in town, I loaded Shadow & headed home.  When I unlocked the front door, my guard dog started barking ferociously!  I told him what a great job he had done, sleeping in my chair.  The one he's not supposed to be in, while I was gone :-)