Finally Green!

 Today - a perfect Ten day!  mid-60's light breeze, blue skies & a few pure white clouds sailing overhead.  I was ready for the smooth sailing trails of Lake Manawa.

On the trail~

I'd started a new to me drug on the third, that my primary care physician recommended. By the beginning of the second week, I started feeling awful.  A sore throat, lower back ache, no energy & no strength.  I couldn't even walk up our hill without stopping to breath.  I stopped the drug on the sixteenth.  Today, was the first time I felt even close to human again.  I hadn't even had the bike out yet this month!  Normally, April is one of my favorite months for riding. 

The winding trail~

The fresh pale greens of early spring were so refreshing!  Even on a Sunday, I had the trails mostly to myself.  

Two Turkeys~

I say mostly to myself, since ahead I saw two Turkeys walking along as though they owned the trail.  AS I passed the campground, I could see a small flock of about six along the edge of the roadway.  These two were heading that direction.

Farmer at work~

As I rode north along the Indian Creek trail, I could see the farmer above working his field.  Since it was planted in soy last season, this year it will probably be corn.

Mutual of Omaha tower nearing completion!

It's been interesting to watch this building go from the ground up.  Omaha has had road construction in the main part of downtown for several months now.  Once that's done, the city should be back to the walkable, friendly place it usually is.

Wind on the water~

The lake was beautiful today.  The wind was whipping up some decent waves.  It was so nice to see the grass turning green too.  I stopped & took my usual break to put in a call to Butch.  He was in MO heading back to IN.

The shade is expanding~

Starting back, I took my time to admire the beauty of the day.  At home, my daily schedule seemed to suddenly fill up.  As the flowers bloom, the weeds grow!  The work I did last fall is paying off this spring.  There's more order to the plantings now.  Originally, I just looked for any spot I thought a plant would grow.  Now, I've moved plants, had some large enough to split & planted the same variety/color along the edge of the trails.  It's looking more cohesive!

Finn had been home alone.  He met me at the door, very happy to have earned one of his special cookies!  He assured me he had fought off a bear, the Amazon guy & the mailman!

Praying for Rain~

 Today, the promised rains - have started with a misty drizzle.  We're well over 2" below normal for the year & ended last year in a deficit. The numbers are sobering.  The forecast is for three days of possible precipitation adding up to hopefully .5".  We need five times that amount just to catch up.  

February 20, 2026

The only real snow we had this winter was four inches in February.  Since then, we've only received a dusting with almost no moisture content.  With the moles digging from below & the squirrels digging from above, as dry as the ground is I can only hope the plants survive.

March 15, 2026 - The Lowlands~

It's been so very dry, it's almost hurtful to be outside for any length of time.  My eyes dry out, my skin feels like I live in the Sahara.  The storms will start across the middle of the country, then split to the north & to the south.  They have missed us, Nebraska & most of the Midwest.

Photo by PR Newswire~

The photos & story's coming out of Nebraska are so horrifying scary.  The scope of the disaster will be felt for many years.  Third & fourth generation ranches, burnt to ash.  Our area has had a Red Flag Warning in place for weeks & weeks. With the winds blowing up to 40 mph gusts almost every day.  20 mph winds have become our new norm.  Many of our local volunteer Fire Departments have gone to help in Nebraska.

3/31/26 The Marsh

Even the lowest area of our property is dry, normally the grass here is emerald, green.  Some years, there were large pools of standing water.  I've been watering all the trees, shrubs & flowers we've planted since last fall.  Our local water bill has climbed, due to new housing developments & the resulting need for a larger sewer treatment plant.

April 1, 2026 - Nika's tree~

This afternoon, we've received .01 of moisture so far.  The air smells so fresh & is charged with negative ions.  To be rid of the dust is wonderful.  When I spoke to Butch this afternoon, he'd driven in pouring rain from the Iowa state line at Walcott 337-miles to Greenfield, IN just east of Indianapolis.  I told him to fill a trailer & bring some back with him!