Hitchcock Nature Center~

Sunday, overcast & drizzle.  A very typical day if we were still in western, WA.  Not so typical for SW Iowa.  July has been somewhat moderate, if that word can be used to describe one of our hottest & most humid months of the year.  Butch & I were totally enjoying it.

Entry Signage~

We decided to take our new truck on the Lincoln highway.  Butch had gone that route for the first time when I-29 was closed due to the flooding, with a school bus full of kids, to Sioux City.  He'd mentioned some great views, so I was looking forward to the drive.

Painted Lady~

Once in Council Bluffs, the road we wanted was easy to find. The country side was just beautiful. We weren't too far out when I saw a sign for Hitchcock Nature Center. A new member of our Garden Club had mentioned it to me just the week before, as a possible destination for a tour.

Photo opp~

We followed the winding road, stopping at the first point where I could see a dramatic view of the valley below. Walking to the overlook, the marker above told us that this was a popular place.

The Nature Center~

The lodge building was in keeping with the scene, built at the top of the ridge. We found our way to the deck. It was a little surreal to see all the water from the Missouri still covering acres & acres of farmland. The mission statement reads; "The Hitchcock Nature Center exists to develop and foster appreciation & understanding of the Loess Hills as a globally significant land-form through land management, environmental education & low-impact recreation."

Territorial views~

It was just a perfect day to be up here. Cool, light drizzle & we were the only ones there. Butch went inside & bought us a season pass. He already knew that I'd want to come back here to hike!

Zoomed in, from the deck~

While he was inside, I found the tower! Wow! The climb to the top was easy & the view was worth the climb.

The lookout tower~

This tower reminded me of one we'd climbed at a park in Bellingham. There though, the trees were obstructing some of the view. Here, we were well above the trees!

Views from the top~

It was truly stunning, the air fresh, a light breeze & the light rain to go with it. I could just imagine how wonderful this will be in the fall, or winter with a fresh covering of snow.

Loess Hills & the Missouri flood plain~

Man has manipulated so many of our landscapes, but even with all the dredging & levee's, the Missouri didn't take long to re-claim it's original flood plain. Even now, the highway crews will get a section of highway open, only to have it closed again by encroaching water.

From the deck~

Finally, the rain really did move in, here you can see it coming for miles. No thunder or lightening though - that waited until we'd returned home - much to Nika's relief. (She is so terrified of the storms now, that even when the clouds roll over, she shadows my every move.) We did make one stop at the Christy Cream! Wow! A different flavor of ice cream every few days! I'm going back for Lemon on the 6th!

We enjoyed finding such a great natural area, on the Iowa side of the river! Miles of trails to hike & a new section of the Loess Hills to explore.

The Arctic Fox finds a new home!

A chronicle of our history with the camper, has given me time to reflect on just a few of the highlights.  Back in 2012, when we bought the new-to-us rig, we were thrilled to have such a nice way to travel. Our shake down cruise was to Whidbey Island.  The island had always been our go-to place for a close, quiet weekend.

1-18-2013 Deception Pass~

Everything worked perfectly, we felt like we were glamping -  after years of older - less efficient campers & motor homes.  For a couple years, I'd even used the back of the horse trailer as a place to stay dry at endurance rides!

2-16-2013 At Bolender Horse Park~

 That first year, we were on the road almost every month.  February, we traveled south, where Farah & I attended a weekend clinic on Extreme Mountain Trail!  The Bolender's hosted a Valentine's weekend for couples that included a great dinner & good time.

4-29-2014 - Ancient Lakes

 What became a yearly trip, was one of our favorites.  Multi-day trips were just the best, you had time to travel & more time to unwind & relax.  Our friends Scott, Barb & Linda were just the best to camp with.  The laughter never stopped!  The riding was out of this world.  Butch made friends with the landowner & had his own private tours of the surrounding country.

5-18-2014 Mt. Adams~

  May, Butch took us to the Mt. Adams ride camp, near Trout Lake, WA.  Farah & I competed in her first 55-mile endurance ride.  We had so much fun, Farah proved to me that she was way more horse than I'd imagined.

6-4-2014 Lined up at the Astoria Safeway to load up on supplies!

  Early June, was our second year of a week long trip to Nehalem Bay State Park in OR.  Our friend Janelle put together the Sno-King Saddle-up group, on a Meet-up web page.  The calendar of events included this trip & we made it a point to join!  We'd make our reservations almost a year in advance & there were enough of us to take up the entire horse camp!  It was a week of sheer delight!  Riding the beach, campfires, group dinners & making new friends. 

8-2-2014 Bare Bones

By August, we traveled to the Evergreen Sportsman Club for the Bare Bones Endurance Ride.  This time, only 30-miles & Farah let me know that she is competitive by nature :-)  It was incredibly hot, so we appreciated having AC!

6-16-2015 Loading on to the Walla Walla~

We also took yearly family camping trips with either both, or each of the girls families.  Ft. Flagler was a favorite with the Peters.  Beach combing, rock hounding, hiking & bike riding.

5-19-2016 Crossing the Columbia~

Mt. Adams became a yearly thing too...  Once management had moved the ride back to the original camp in a meadow at the base of the mountain.  It had always been one of my favorite rides, I finished it eight times, over the years, on three different horses.

5-21-2016 Mt. Adams Ride Camp~

Butch climbed onto the top of Diane's trailer to get the wide-angle view of the ride camp.  Always impressive to see so many rigs & horses in the high meadow.

6-8-2016  We off-load Grandson Ben & his bike in Astoria :-)

Once our youngest daughter's family moved to Astoria, we usually made plans to meet them in town, on our way to the beach.  When the girls visited our camp, they rode, fed & generally spoiled Farah :-)

6-11-2016 - Skyla riding Farah~

 One of our last trips in WA, was to Rainbow Falls.  We met up with the Wrights & had a perfect weekend of swimming in the river & enjoying the time with three of our favorite grand-kids!

7-31-2016 - Rainbow Falls~

Finally, the truck & camper took us on our Great Adventure - the move from WA  to Iowa.  With an unexpected remodel happening from the minute we arrived, the camper became our living quarters.  We were happy to have it!

10-21-2016 - New Home~

Once in Iowa, neither of us were as fond of camping.  Sitting around listening to generators, was never our thing...  We did make one trip to Brushy Creek, in the northern part of Iowa.  If we'd moved to that area, I'd still be riding.  It was the one place I'd found with close to fifty-miles of trail.

9-30-2017 Brushy Creek

Now, the camper is starting a new phase of life, with a brand new young family!  It will be making trips to Colorado.  I'm sure this family will enjoy it as much as we have!  I was a little sad to see it pull away - our last real tie to our old life in WA.  It was sweet to know it's gone to a good home! 

7-20-2019 - The camper leaves home on a Dodge!  :-)

We both thought that the camper looks as good as the day Butch drove it home!  Wes & Lanette were thrilled to get it.  We don't plan to quit traveling, but with the kids & grand-kids in WA, we'll be spending more time in the air :-)

In the Heat of It!

No surprise, we're back into the hottest time of year.  With dew points in the mid-70's, the air is saturated with moisture.  Evening brings temperature drops to the mid-80's - but the humidity rises. We sweat & sweat some more - I'm actually getting used to it.  I remember summer nights on the farm, in one of the upstairs bedrooms, all the windows open.  Laying on top of the sheets, praying for the slightest breeze.  Ever thankful for AC!  My bones though - feel wonderful!  No aching joints!

Zinnia's~

This year, I planted some of Linus's Zinnia seeds. What a pop of color! I've worked on removing more of the invasive shrubs from the marsh area. It's been so wet, that Butch had to go in with his weed whacker to cut the grass. I'm usually mowing it by now. I'm laying some of the concrete pieces that had been piled at the bottom of the hill, along the side of the marsh. They make a nice walkway when it's so wet.

Antique Horse Hook~

I found the horse hook - in what's become my favorite town for antique shopping, Walnut, IA. The town reminds me of Snohomish, but without all the great places to eat. There's is a wonderful bakery & it's just close enough to make a nice Sunday drive.

Nika gets a bath!

Last Sat., while I was detailing out the camper, I could hear Nika barking. She sounded a long way off... Going down the hill to look, I found her scooting out from under the shed. She'd been after something. Even the heat & awful humidity hadn't deterred her. Covered in mud, she didn't even complain when Butch put her in the water! As hot as she was, I'm sure it felt good!

Marigolds, Zinnia's & Daylilies~

 News reports warn us that a pet, left outside in this heat, for as little as fifteen minutes, can die from heat stroke. Cooler weather is coming tomorrow night & into next week.  I'm looking forward to it!

Flying the coop~

It's just amazing to me that a tiny chick can emerge from an egg & in five days, fly away!   We're experienced now with how this event unfolds on our front porch.  Sunday morning, when I went out to water, I almost poured water on the tiny fledgling below,  already out of the nest!

The most adventuresome of the chicks~

 Looking closer - another - in the photo below - was sitting on the opposite side of the basket.

Chick #2

The third, was still in the nest & was probably the last to hatch. He was still there this morning when I left home. Butch had seen the male come by with food earlier. By the time I got home this afternoon, the final chick was gone & that was a relief - after what we went through last year - trying to get "little Joe" to take flight!

Daddy in the Walnut~

Last evening, the male spent a lot of time hanging around the porch, trying to convince the last chick to join the rest of the family. He posed for me several times, but when I saw him land on the sign I had to laugh out loud! Yes, Cardinals can read! :-)

What can I say?

Now the weatherman is telling us that the heat is On! We're to reach 100 by Wed. at the latest & it will last for at least a three-day stretch, before cooler air moves in the first of next week. Plenty of time to spend watering & being thankful for Air Conditioning!

Persistance~

A couple weeks ago, as I watered the flower basket hanging off the back deck, I noticed that it looked a little rough.  Reaching in, I found the start of a bird nest!  No way, just off the back door area was not where I wanted another bird nest!

I removed it, watered the basket & called it good.  Well, each day, there would be the start of yet another nest!  I had no idea what kind of bird it was - but I wasn't going to go through the bird thing - outside the back door this time - again!

Between Butch & I, we removed no less than six nest starts in six days.  Finally, on a Saturday morning, Butch looked & found one brown speckled egg, No nest!  Just laying on the dirt in the middle of the flower.  Butch threw it away - saying - that would be the end of it!

Sunday morning, we were sitting out with our latte's when a pair of Cardinals landed on the deck railing, not five-feet from us!  I'm sure they are the same pair that hatched their young in my front artificial plant last year!  They gave us a resounding cussing out!  We couldn't believe that they would understand what was up?  Let alone what we'd done!  I felt horrible...

Hatched chicks!

Monday morning, I was at the kitchen window, when I noticed a lot of activity by what I'm sure - was the same pair of cardinals...  Back & forth they were flying from the front porch.  I went out & sure enough, here was the start of yet another nest in my beautiful front flower basket!

Daddy visits~

When Butch came home for lunch, I showed him. This time, we just had to leave them be... That kind of persistence, all to have their nest here, under cover of course, just had to be rewarded...  So, again... I'm tippy-toeing in & out our own front door,  to keep from disturbing them.

On the first of July, I could just see three speckled eggs in the nest. By Monday the 8th, I got out the ladder & peeked again to find three tiny chicks! I'd not seem them last year until they had feathers, that basket was hung higher.

I was amazed to see that their skin too is red! I stealthily stood inside the storm door with my camera at the ready - to get photos of the male coming in to feed the chicks! He is very brazen & will even hang around sometimes when I'm watering.

Gorgeous!

They are so incredibly beautiful with the flowers, they almost look artificial!  The pair take turns coming in to feed their chicks, but the female is much faster at leaving, if I go out.  We put in a bird feeder & filled it with black sunflower seeds.  I found it empty this morning.  We also had to install a squirrel baffle.  The squirrel's feasted on the first of the seeds we put in!

Feeder by the Timber~

 I'm hopeful that the Cardinals will come by this winter too, since I can see the feeder from the Cabin.  I look forward to getting some beautiful photos against a snow covered landscape.

We both think now - Cardinals can probably read & have read our Backyard Wildlife Habitat sign!

We've got about a week until the chicks will be ready to fly - if the schedule is similar to last year.  Even though - they're a month later than last summer, when all this started in June.  Maybe the wet spring had something to do with it.  My poor flower is taking a bit of a beating, but it's worth it to help this determined couple out!  Next year, I'll try putting up a basket just for them - like that will work!  :-)

50th Greenfield Class Reunion~

I received a call from my cousin Larry's wife - also one of my first school friends.  The class I started school with, fifty-years ago invited me to their reunion.  It took me a minute for Patty's words to sink in.  Was she kidding?  There's no way we could be old enough for that number to have crept up! 

Where Kindergarten was held~

Since dinner was to be held the day after the Fourth, we didn't have specific plans & Butch agreed it would be a fun trip.

The Opera House, Warren Cultural Center~

The ladies were also planning to meet for lunch at the Olive Branch.  We arrived in time for me to attend.  Patty & one of my best early childhood friends Susan would introduce me to people I either hadn't met, or possibly didn't remember.  Those of us who'd started school in the church basement, had a connection that the newcomers didn't really understand :-) One classmate said she would have remembered me better, if I knew the color of the floor mat, I'd used for nap time!  I do have a photo of me holding it, in black & white!

We filled two-tables!

Larry & Patty had attended Dad's graveside service in 2012, we'd had time to catch up a little with each other then.  But Susan & I hadn't seen each other since a summer her family visited mine in Boulder.  We were probably in our early teens.

Sign for our Class of 69~

That evening, the square filled with cars & we filed into the Warren Cultural Center.  So well organized - with name tags on the registration table.  The next line, was at the top of the stairs, for the bar! :-)  It was a full room of people talking non-stop!  I would turn one way & see a face I remembered, or someone would come up to me & say;  "Connie?!"  There were 68 in the graduating class, twelve have passed away.

Before dinner, the photographer wanted to get a class photo on the stairs.  Sounds easy right?  It's not!  He kept telling us to move down another step, then another.  Things got pretty friendly to say the least!  The guys just couldn't help themselves & offered to put ladies on their knees :-)

Greenfield H.S. 50th Class Reunion~

One classmate mentioned something about being unsteady on her feet!  That really brought out a laugh!  We told her that if she went down, we'd all go down with her!

Besides catching up on where everyone lived, what our occupations had been, or still were, the Hot Topic was Grand-kids!  Most everyone had them, everyone loved them & we all agreed that they were Way more fun than kids! :-)

The organizers had hoped to have people bring enough old photos for a slide presentation.  I was one of the only ones who brought any.  They were from way back when.  I've promised those involved I'd forward them on.

My birthday party 2-11-1957

Doug is up front, along with my cousin Larry on the right.  There were so many kids, Mom couldn't get us all the photo!

Connie, Doug, Patty & Susan~

The four of us played badminton at Susan's every summer. Grandma lived catty corner from Doug.  Susan was just a block away, making it easy to continue our friendship during my summer visits.  The last time we'd been together was 1964.  Doug has become the most reconized of our class. He's the Director of Animal Health at the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.

Patty, cousin Larry & me~

As the family of our childhood gets smaller year by year... ties become closer. Though we seldom see each other, when we do, it seems like yesterday.
The class invited some of their teachers & a very special Optometrist. When I heard someone say that Dr. Purtzer was with us for dinner, I couldn't believe my ears.

Dr. Purtzer & me~

My Grandmother Carrie worked for Dr. Purtzer for many years before she moved to the farm.  He instantly remembered her & said that she was one of his very best friends.  He also immediately remembered my mother & her two sisters.  I had been into his office as a child to visit grandma & he even remembered that!  What a wonderful man, he made me feel like a kid again!

Sat. morning after driving past the farm, we had coffee in Greenfield with Susan, Jeff & a couple other classmates. Before leaving for home, we took Nika on a walk around town.  I was stunned by the hollyhocks in this beautiful yard!  We stopped to chat, the kids were playing with a fast remote controlled car & wanted to pet Nika.

Jennifer's beautiful front yard~

Since my black hollyhocks have done just outstanding this year, we're going to exchange seeds next time we're in town.  It was a really fun time for me.  Butch was the long-suffering husband to attend - but he really enjoyed meeting some of the people who were in Mom's photo's from my childhood.

I'm so thankful that these wonderful people included me & my friend Marilyn too!  She's now lives in Kentucky!  I asked if she ever attended the Derby?  That brought up the story of how a blind date to the Derby - became marriage!  Plenty of stories, plenty of years to have lived them!