2023 - In Review~

 The seventh year in Iowa - on the Home Place!  The New Year dawned chilly & gray, but the temperature was moderate, especially for January!  What little snow we had left on the ground was melting.  

New Years Day - Tinkle Branch Trail~

Mari Jo & I decided if the weather was decent, we'd start the year with a bike ride.  Even without sunshine, it wasn't too cold.  It was great to get out in the fresh air & it felt pretty amazing to be on our bikes so early in the year.  Butch pulled in at home by 8:30 p.m. in the evening.  It was a short stop, but he managed to come by again a day later & a total of three times during the month. The last time was the saddest - we lost Nika...

2-16-23 Lots of snow!

February was a tough month for me.  Nika had helped to buffer the loneliness of having Butch gone.  Without her, it was so quiet, so still & so lonely.  Butch completed his first year of OTR driving on the 25th.  (He made it home for our birthday weekend, but Nika's recent loss cast a long shadow.)  During the winter months, Butch made some interesting drives through snowstorms in WY, CO & CA.  The weather cooperated enough I could do some riding at Lake Manawa.

3-9-23 Beautiful Snow~

March gave us a couple good snowstorms with several inches of white stuff.  I met Mari Jo & Gracie for a few walks on the trail, but it wasn't the same...  Luckily, when I saw the first of the tulips emerge from the ground, my spirits lifted.  Butch made it home & we had fun riding our bikes at the Lake.   By month's end, the Wabash was open again & we loved getting back out in the countryside.

4-7-23 New trees planted~

April - with nice spring days - I decided to get some long overdue projects done.  The first, was to get all the old Mulberry tree trunk & limbs we'd had stacked against the east fence since May of 2017 - removed!  That was a nightmare.  The fence ended up with a $800. repair.  The yard was torn from end to end, but having the mess finally gone was worth it.  Butch came home & we took Traveler to pick up new Emerald Green trees to plant along the now bare looking east fence. 

5-18-23 The Marsh~

May, the most beautiful month of the year, didn't disappoint.  It was dry, I did spend a lot of time watering, but it was so rewarding to see the flowers I've planted grow & bloom!  The end of the month I took my yearly trip to Greenfield & Creston.  The weather cooperated & the flags flew at the Memorial Day Service in Greenfield.

6-1-23 Rain!

June roared in with 3.1" of badly needed rain!  The novelty of it kept me outside watching most of the morning.  The month was wetter than usual.  It didn't make up for the deficit - but it was a huge relief anyway.  I almost was caught out in a thunderstorm on the trail.  Beautiful, but scary at the same time.  On the seventh - a bad hailstorm hit.  It was hard to watch as the vehicles got plummeted.  Two of the three sustained major damage.  Only the Bronco - solid steel - had a few minor dents.

7-12-23 Skyla, Josie & Jentry Visit!

The highlight of the year was a long overdue visit from our daughter Jentry & granddaughters Skyla & Josie!  Butch made it home & we enjoyed every minute they were here.  We visited our favorite attractions, Fontenelle Forest & the Henry Doorley Zoo.  As always, it's so hard to see them leave. 

8-8-23 New Gravel~

With Butch parking the semi on the drive by the cabin - it was ready for another layer of gravel.  Pat, one of the volunteers who keeps the Wabash trail passable, was available to do the job. Since we were hauling gravel, I decided to add rock along the drip line of the Cabin's roof.  On his home time, Butch installed new shutters on the front of the house.

6-18-23 Picking up a Jacko Trailer~

September, Butch passed the 200,000-mile mark driving OTR.  After just over a year with Blake Scott, the owner turned over Authority to Jacko LLC.  Butch had been pulling Jacko trailers since the middle of June, but now Butch would be driving for them.

 Later in the month, the front hose spicket broke. While the plumber was here, I had a new hose bib installed at the back of the house. Next, the AC quit cooling.  Mari Jo's husband repaired it & replaced parts in the compressor, along with an overhaul of the furnace.   

10-11-23 Butch, Lake Okoboji 

For our 41st Anniversary, we drove up to revisit the Lake Okoboji area.  Our first time here had been for our anniversary in 2017.  A favorite restaurant with lake views had been torn down, to make way for expensive high-rise condos.  The main street through town was completely torn up & the two detours took us through some beautiful residential areas.  

Returning home, the garden style tub in the master bath developed a crack.  We hired a contractor to tear it out & replace it with a walk-in shower.  The same week, my Speed Queen washer quit, we replaced it & the water heater too.

11-27-23 Butch & Maverick~

Butch gave notice to Jacko in October & started driving for Nationwide out of Omaha November first.  He was ready to be done with the winter driving in the west.  He enjoys his new truck, Maverick.  A 2022 Volvo with a large interior & more amenities. Dispatches have taken him to IL, IN, OH, KY, MI, WI, NE, KS, MO, TX, etc.

12-20-23 - Finnigan~

As the winter months approached, I found myself browsing dog adoption sites.  When someone would ask what kind of dog I was looking for - I couldn't answer.  I just knew if the right one came along - I would know.  Well...  That happened & December fourth, Finnigan came home!  I feel very lucky to have found him & it's wonderful to have a companion again.

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12-31-23 - Butch takes us for a ride!

The 31st., Butch came into Omaha.  He dropped a trailer at Nationwide, Maverick was serviced & he arrived home before noon!  He left again on the second.  Soon his second year of OTR driving will be in the rearview mirror & he'll be starting his third.

I continue to pedal the trails & rode just shy of 700-miles, mostly on the Wabash.  Working outside is still my favorite pastime.  

Happy New Year!  Welcome 2024! 

Past Year - 2022~ 

2017 - Our First Year - Settlin' In~

Our first year at the Home Place!  Twelve-months that will go down in our history as a basis of comparison for future years. Whether the routines, the weather, the landscape or the memories.

1-14-17 Our new norm - sunshine!

January, the first couple weeks we were in Boulder. Once we returned home, I was busy hacking, pruning & hauling years of accumulated trash up from the creek area.  The weather was so mild!  Butch was installing cabinets & new sinks in the master bath.

1-21-17 Nika & me - hard at work~

With such nice weather, I started bringing up trash from the bottom of the hillside between our backyard area & the creek.  Projects of one sort or another dominated most of the year.

2-15-17 Butch, Nika & the new fence~

By mid-February, the fence was finally in!  Nika was free to run & was the happiest dog ever!

Butch installed tile backsplash & the new kitchen island.  Farah & I enjoyed trails at Two Rivers, NE & the local Wabash Trace for the first time.  Butch & I joined the newly formed BCHIA, SW Chapter.  Butch was elected Secretary of the Mills County Trails Board - which we both joined.

3-19-17 Clearing~

March, the weather was still wonderful.  I started to clear & clean out the area between our south fence & the creek.  Vines went high into the trees & were covered with thorns.

4-16-17 Dutchman's Breeches

Spring was Grand!  We'd been taking walks around town all winter & continued them into spring.  The local parks were fun to explore & I loved finding new-to-me native flowers!  We took down a large Mulberry tree at the east end of the house.  We were referred to the best deck contractor in the area & John agreed to take on our deck & porch projects.

6-11-17 - Done!

Butch tore off the old deck & John began work on the new one mid-May.  It was complete the first week of June!  The front porch was delayed by our wait for a variance, which we eventually received.  John started the third week of June & by the Fourth of July - it too was done!

7-1-17 Summertime~

Farah & I were busy finding anyplace somewhat local - to ride.  Waubonsie was our usual haunt, but we branched out to Indian Caves State Park, NE, Glen Cunningham Lake north of Omaha, Lake of Three Fires near Bedford & Pierce Creek outside Shenandoah.  All of these places roughly a 100-mile round trip.

Butch was driving the big yellow school bus & doing maintenance at a small apartment property.  Between the two jobs, working full-time.

8-15-17 Mason, Butch, Cassidy & Courtney

August was the month we'd looked forward to all year! Courtney & the kids came for their first visit! We toured the Omaha Zoo & drove to Indian Caves State Park to see the total eclipse. It seemed like every day went by faster than the last... The kids were happy to see the things they remembered were still with us. Farah was thrilled to see them too!

9-3-17 Sliding Door in~

September, Butch installed a sliding door in the family room - where we'd just had windows before.  Huge improvement in the views & accessibility to the back deck.  We had volunteered to help with the BCHIA Poker Ride & camped at Brushy Creek Recreation Area.  Wow - what a great place to ride with miles & miles of trails.  So fun to see all the new to us country!

9-30-17 At Brushy Creek~

October of last year, we were in Sheridan, WY, this year, enjoying our 35th Anniversary weekend at Lake Okoboji.  The drive up was beautiful & the lakes incredible.  So great to find a place that we like so much, easy drive & no traffic!  Yes, we're spoiled now!

10-13-17 Touring the largest of the lakes~

November & fall - gorgeous weather - some of the nicest of the entire year.  Farah & I were on the trails more than any other month & had traveled 400-miles by year's end.  Not the huge number's we used to accumulate, my priorities are changing as the years continue to march by.  We found the north end of the Wabash Trace is closest to home & the longest ride in the area - so we do it often.  We also had fun horse camping weekend with a new friend at Lake of Three Fires.

12-12-17 NW Corner of our second lot~

Though we were still waiting for the survey, I took advantage of the nice weather to start clearing into the timber areas.  After some reconnaissance, it was obvious the area was totally overgrown, forgotten & covered in trash.

December we flew to Washington - then drove south to Oregon - to visit the Grand-kids!  How many ways are there to say how much we miss them?  The two weeks have flown by...  We packed as much fun into each day as possible.  Making memories that will last a lifetime for us & hopefully for them too...

After spending the day at the beach, with the Wrights & loving every minute, they left for home  We drove south - to what was in the past - our favorite get-a-way Cannon Beach, OR.  Though the day had turned cloudy & cool - just an hour before sunset - the sun broke through the low hanging clouds.

We stood witness to a gift from God, humbled to be in such a place, at such a time.  2017 left us in a blaze of glory~

Past Year - 2016~

Henry Doorly Zoo - Omaha~

From the first time we'd driven past the Dome of the Henry Doorly Zoo - I had to ask what it was?  I first mentioned it to our friend Linus - who had actually worked there for several years!  He & everyone else seemed unanimous - speaking high praise of this attraction. 

Knowing that Mason & Cassidy would be visiting with their mother, we purchased the Grandparents Pass.  It was a great deal, allowing both of us & up to six children admission.  

A Great Zoo~

We'd planned to go during the week, to avoid the huge weekend crowds.  As we purchased tickets for the train & Skyfair - heavy dark clouds dominated the sky & thunder boomed.  Rain to a bunch from Washington State?  No Problem!  :-)  We were about the only people without umbrella's & had to laugh!

In the Lied Jungle~

Having been given lots of good advice on how to plan our day - we decided to go in to the Lied Jungle first.  It was like walking into a tropical rainforest!  There were waterfalls, streams, ponds & many, varieties of creatures.  A swinging rope bridge & the sound of the rain storm on the roof really added to the experience.  Our timing couldn't have been better, when we emerged from the jungle, the rain had just let up & everything was so fresh & clean. 

Next was the Butterfly & Insect Pavilion!  What a beautiful place!  There was a double door & mirrors so that you could check to be sure you weren't taking butterflies out with you!

Yummy fruit lunch~

We all agreed that next had to be the African Grasslands!

Cassidy, Papa & Mason

The Giraffe's were so calm & friendly - more than happy to take leaves from the children's hands.  the enclosure was large enough that the younger ones could actually run a little!

Up close & eating leaves :-)

Elephants, White Rhino's & other big game animals were in this area.  We were exited about riding on the Skyfair!  After looking at our map, we thought it would be the perfect way to get to the far northern end of the Zoo & see everything in-between!

From the air!

What a wonderful ride!  We crossed above animal enclosures, gardens, ponds & the views were great!  Since we were going to where the Lions are kept - it was thrill to see this big lioness snoozing!

"Typical cat" :-)

When we were in Greenfield a few months ago, I met a lady who asked where I'd started school.  When I mentioned the basement of the Lutheran church - she said;  "My brother started there too!"   I'd managed to run into the sister of one of my best childhood friends - Doug.  As I told Linus the story - he informed me that Doug is now the head Vet of the Zoo & a world expert on White Tigers.  Having a description of him, as; "Tall & a big man." I kept an eye open for someone of that description without success.   He is known for walking out & about at the Zoo, I do hope we manage to meet one of these days.

Desert Dome~

The largest in the world, this is more amazing from the inside than the view of it from out!  The temperature was perfect!  If you click on the link above, it will take you to a fact sheet & the facts of this exhibit are incredible.

Cassidy & Butch~

Lets face it - when it comes to sheer CUTE - Lemurs have got to be in the top ten!  Some of the expressions on these little guys faces had us laughing!  I think they enjoy people watching as much as the people enjoy watching them!  Cassidy was ready to take one home :-)

lemur~

The collection of cactus was incredible - especially when you realize we're in Omaha - not the Southwest!

Cactus~

In a way - it was like one of the futuristic movies when mankind has to live in domes to survive.  The birds here could fly around all over the dome & did!  It was so fun when one of these beauties landed close by.

Bright colors!

When we thought we were through - we discovered that their was an entire world below us!  As Mason got excited & Cassidy was ready to walk right it to the deep darkness - I was the one who could have passed on this exhibit!  :-)

A very Big guy!

While I would have passed - Kingdom of the Night -the kids loved it!  I kept wondering which of the creepy, crawly creatures in this barrier free habitat would crawl over my feet!  :-)

Mason & Butch moving the big ball!

It was a relief when we finally found our way out into the fresh air again!  :-)  We ended the day's adventure at the Imax - with a very informative show on The Great White Shark!  As we were walking back to the truck - we realized we'd been there for over eight-hours & hadn't seen it all!  No problem - we'd be back!