Quilting Help

Friday afternoon we took a break from playing to do a little sewing. I had the partially completed quilt top on the floor so that Lincoln could help me position the newest strips to the big part. We did a little sewing first then Lincoln gathered up the strips to sit on his favorite stool. He did help with arranging the strips before snuggling in to try the quilt. I think he undersetands that all of this sewing eventually makes a quilt like the one that we play on often.

Little People

 Look what I got out this afternoon! Lincoln came over to play and I decided it would be a good time to get out the Fisher-Price "Little People" barn and house that I have had since the eighties. The barn was Jay's and the house was Ashley's. Lincoln and I had a great time playing with all the pieces but we wish there was a cow. I wonder if a cow got lost sometime over the last three decades.

Frame Project

A year ago when Travis and Ashley moved the piano to my living room I decided that I wanted an arrangement of family photos hanging on the wall above it. I had a wide variety of frames and knew that I wanted to paint them all one color for some continuity. Those frames sat on a shelf in the guest room until June. A trip to Goodwill filled my need for some bigger frames. A can of spray paint from Menards did a fair job of covering the old color when I painted in the back yard in July. Now I need to select at least nine photos that I want on the wall. I have worked on the arrangement but the frames have been stacked on top of the piano for weeks. I hope that this step of the process does not take another entire year. Although the piano clutter annoys me I am hesitant to put them away and delay the project even longer!

How My Garden Grows

Roma tomatoes and red bell peppers are plentiful in my garden. Those are the only produce this year but I will have plenty! 

I am enjoying the colorful flowers and foliage this year. It's too hot to enjoy the patio much this week but it even looks good from inside. A couple of months from now all of this will have been pulled out after a good frost. I do love the change of seasons and gardening is one of the best parts of the summer season.

Kernels and Czechs

 On Saturday afternoon Dale and I made a road trip to Cedar Rapids. Because we left town early we took some time to do a bit of exploring. Several years ago we had been to Czech Village seeking the kolache at Sykora Bakery that was on the list of "100 things in Iowa to Eat Before You Die." It was closed at that time then the flood waters caused damage but on Saturday the bakery was open for business and we got to check off one more item on our list. We also took time to stop at Newbo City Market which was a fun discovery also.

 The main reason for us to hit the road was to see a Cedar Rapids Kernels game. We had heard about the ball park and planned to go last summer but busy schedules or hot temperatures kept us away. With the season winding down we found time to visit Perfect Game Field for a Kernels baseball game. It's probably our last game of the year and it was a fun ending to our baseball season and a nice day trip.

 

Dishwasher

 I don't think I have ever had this much fun washing dishes, except maybe with my siblings after holiday dinners! Lincoln and I were doing some baking last week which made quite a mess so I enlisted his help with the dishes. He stayed at it for more than 45 minutes and did a great job getting all wet and having fun while the dishes got clean.

Children's Garden

 Cedar Valley Arboretum is a beautiful spot not far from my home. I have enjoyed it in the past but this week I had an opportunity to experience it in a whole new light with Lincoln. Above he is pointing toward the huge sunflowers that are high above my head. We were in a sunflower house, completely encircled by the towering blossoms.

 The Children's Garden area was wonderful, lots of fun activities and interesting comfortable spots. I loved following Lincoln around and hearing him say, "Watch, Grammy, watch!" I look forward to returning to the arboretum with Lincoln again.

Too Humid

 It got hot and very humid this week which really affected my routine. I mowed before the heat hit and didn't garden all week. I didn't get any exercise on Tuesday or Wednesday either. Thursday morning we got some rain and a bit of a break in the heat so I got out on the trails today. It was a humid ride and I was thrilled to get home to the bath but I am glad to get out.

 During that break in the heat today I asked Ashley and Lincoln if they wanted to do a patio lunch. I am not sure why we have done that so seldom this summer with the perfect weather. Lincoln brought his own bubbles; a perfect patio activity.

 Here are a couple of Ipod shots from my evening with Lincoln when Mommy and Daddy were away. They aren't the best shots but we had so much fun in a very short period of time. He got his shoes and helmet and asked so nicely for a bike ride before his bath so we went outside to brave the heat and humidity. The blurry shot below is one quick horse ride before stories, snuggling and bed. I love bedtime with Lincoln

Introducing Kirby Bear

It's another new member of the family and he is adorable! Jay and Briana adopted a puppy this week and named him Kirby Bear. He really is a very sweet little dog and I think that he will learn very quickly. Although we don't know lots of details it appears that he is 8 months old, well potty trained and an interesting blend of more than one breed. He is actually very laid back for a puppy and I think he will fit into his new family perfectly!

 

Saturday Morning

 Blank Park Zoo is one of our most regular stops when I am in Des Moines. Although our weekend was cut short by Dale's work obligations we still had time for a trip to the zoo on Saturday morning. Look who we saw at zoo, Travis, Ashley and Lincoln who were there with Travis' family. It was fun to see them and of course I enjoyed the giraffes as always.

Before the zoo, Mowgli and I headed to Gray's Lake for a walk. I hadn't walked there yet this summer and wanted to hit the trail with Mowgli. He did very well with all the people, bikes and dogs. It's a busy place but still a great place for a walk in Des Moines.

Lost Lake Hike

 Dale had to work on Friday which gave me an opportunity to catch up with some hospice friends from Des Moines. It was so great to have conversation with several friends and former colleagues and volunteers. Because Mowgli's family was spending the weekend in Des Moines with the Schrages he came to join Dale and me on our adventures. The day went so quickly that I was surprised to find that it was 4 pm and time to pick Dale up at work. Mowgli was thrilled to see Dale. The three of us stopped for a snack then made the drive to Ledges State Park.

 Dale and I had not been to Ledges in several years so it was fun to go back and drive the canyon road. We were happy to discover a trail that was new to us and away from the busier part of the park. The trail to Lost Lake had some pretty steep climbs but it was a beautiful trail and great exercise. It was a wonderful Friday evening and Mowgli was a great companion for us.

State Fair Evening

I traveled to Des Moines on Thursday to spend time with Dale and arrived just as he finished his work day. Although I do not love the Iowa State Fair, it did seem like a good time to head out to the fair. It was a beautiful evening, prices are reduced at 5 pm and Dale does like the fair. I had thought that the crowds would be smaller on a Thursday evening but I was wrong. There were plenty of people which leads to lots of extra entertainment.

Due to the crowd we parked in a lot that was less convenient and new to us. It was quite a hilly walk to the park and even more hilly on the way back to the car when we made a wrong turn or two. The blessing was that we saw parts of the fair near that entrance that we had not visited before. We rode the sky glider and saw this beautiful building glowing when we were ready to leave. We went in and found an interesting mix of flee market, live music and historical displays. It was worth the hike in the parking lot and we got extra exercise which is a good thing after the corn dog, fair square and gizmo.

Good-bye Buck

 

 It was the last Waterloo Bucks game of the year on Tuesday evening, the last of the post season play and the last opportunity for Lincoln and I to visit our favorite mascot. I invited Lincoln to the game after asking Mommy's permission to be out past his bedtime. Lincoln was so very excited and I just love watching his enthusiasm.

Lincoln loves Buck and got lots of attention from him. Although he is happy to get pretty close to Buck, Lincoln waits to get up close enough for a high five until I am close at hand. We stayed through the first half of the second inning then went over to "give knuckles" to Buck, tell him goodnight and head home for stories and bedtime. When we were saying prayer before bed I said, "God bless Mommy, God bless Daddy, God bless Lincoln." Lincoln added an enthusiastic, "Buck!" So we "God blessed Buck" too. It was a wonderful night at the ball park!

August Patio

Although I love patio dining it usually doesn't happen in August. Dinner with a girlfriend on Main Street tonight seemed like a great opportunity for patio Mexican. September is in the air and I love it. After work I biked the trails then enjoyed some sandbox time with Lincoln at his house before meeting my dinner date. It felt like the weekend and it's only Wednesday.

Monday at the Pool

At the end of the week the swimming pool is closing so I wanted to get there with Ashley and Lincoln once more and remembered my camera this time. I miss the pool that I had in WDM so it's fun to get into the water occasionally. Lincoln is so brave at the pool and loves to explore the different water features. The end of the pool season makes me think about how different things will be next summer at the pool with Lincoln.

 

Italian Meatballs

One of my favorite things from one of my favorite stores in Des Moines is the Graziano's Italian Meatball mix. It's an amazingly tasty blend of herbs, crumbs and cheeses that combines with ordinary meat to make a wonderful family treat. I mix a big batch and freeze them in bags for meals in the future. Saturday night when I was mixing up a batch Lincoln and Jay joined us for dinner. I took this photo when I pushed the meatballs aside to sauté the onions, peppers and garlic in the flavorful bits. Of course I moved Jay's meatballs to another pan without the veggies! It was a yummy pasta dinner with great company.