Out and About July 17-23

A beautiful sunrise Friday, July 17. I had not walked at Lake McKinley for more than three weeks. Time to return. It is so easy to find interesting shots while there, I took 17 photos and walked more than a mile.

The last time I tried to walk on the path through to wooded area the mosquitoes were so bad I left as quickly as possible. This time it was fine. I'm always, always aware of the play of light and shadow.

The deep blue-violet of the Monarda was so eye-catching.
This plant has many names: Horsemint, Beebalm, Bergamot, Oswego Tea.
Monarda is its scientific name.

There was still quite a bit of water going over the dam from the three and three quarters inches we received Tuesday and Wednesday.

The improper disposal method for PPE.

There are still roadblocks up in the area of the campgrounds.
These geese added just one more.

Do you know what tree has its own camouflauge bark? The Sycamore. This big limb had broken off and already been sawn into manageable pieces. It was blocking a turn around.

Just before I went to bed Friday night, I discovered I had missed a video chat with great granddaughter Lily, so Saturday morning I had a long Facetime visit with her, her Mom Alyssa and her little brother Maverick. It was so delightful. I asked her if her Mom ever told her stories about when she stayed with me when Aly was Lily's age and we had tea parties.
Lily was showing me around her room and tried to get something off a shelf, but she couldn't reach it. Later they sent me this photo - Lily have a tea party with her stuffed animals and the tea set I had given Alyssa when she was little.

Maverick talked to me too, showing me his favorite book and telling me about it.
He is so darned cute. This picture is from a few days ago - sitting in a box, reading.
I am so glad the great-grands share my love of reading.

It's hard to believe I did not take any photos on Sunday, so here is an early morning light and shadow that I took last Friday - the old willow down at the pond.

Sunday's highlight was Facetiming with daughter Kari. She's usually here this time of year for our family Christmas in July get together, which isn't happening in this year of Covid.

It is nice to at least see her live, chat, laugh, catch up on doin's and reminisce.

Monday morning, up and out early before the rain came. Just under a half inch, but still welcome.

Kari reminded me yesterday that today is their anniversary. They've been together more than twenty years, but married for eight.

I took this photo of them the first time I officialy met "the boyfriend", though I had seen Ken a number of times and knew who he was.

Granddaughter Katrina shared this picture on FB Monday evening saying: "On a walk and Brynley is collecting rocks... does anyone know where she may have received this charming trait?" Well....I might have an idea. 💖

                                                          Ughs! Slugs!





But they do leave pretty, sparkly trails.


Only these two photos for Tuesday.
I've been trying to get the last library book read because they are due to go back.

Quintessential Iowa - A photo I took at the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center seven years ago today, July 22, 2013.

I must have a gazillion sunrise, sunset, cloud and moon photos. I'm always afraid I'm missing something if I don't go out to see the sunrise.
Most days I am rewarded, like with this pretty pink cloud this morning.

Got the books back to the library and stopped for a few groceries.

And sunset tonight - more pink clouds.

How better to close out Wednesday than with the glow of the evening sky, silhouetted trees and a  New Moon crescent?

They were mowing at McKinley Park this morning. The smell was the usual pleasant grass aroma but with an underlying scent of sweetness.

This flower bed is around a stone tower "Erected by Creston Council U.C.I. of A. 1924" and search as I might, I cannot find what U.C.I. of A. stands for. But the Phlox are especially pretty among the lilies.

If you are going to McKinley for a Thursday morning walk around the lake, by all means go in your convertible.

Especially if it is a Sasykat Jaguar XKR.

(That big R could stand for Ramona.) 😎

The other convertible at the lake was this police car driven by a cute young man patroling the walking trail.

I started to lean Stix against the tree to take some pictures and saw the tree looking back at me!

I wonder if the owner will ever remember where he left his glasses?

HD walked at Lake McKinley this morning too - earlier than I did though. He brought something back for me - a handful of change; 86 cents he found at the spillway. It included this Missouri Ozark Riverways quarter. It is the 38th of the U.S. Mint's series of America the Beautiful Quarters - a 56-coin program that runs until 2021.
The building depicted is Alley Mill, built in 1894. Water to run the grist mill comes from Alley Spring at the rate of 81 to 84 million gallons a day.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways of Missouri is the first national site to protect a river system. (The Jacks Fork and Current Rivers.) 

Mom's Apple Crisp - hot and bubbly, just out of the oven.
No, I didn't find my mom's recipe, but I did find someone's Mom's Apple Crisp recipe online. It smells so good.

A little later.....

Well, it may not be my Mom's recipe, but it still tastes like I remember hers - sweet and tart. Mm-m, as good as it smelled.

I think tonight is supposed to be my last chance to see comet Neowise. I've been thinking about driving out into the dark countryside in the hopes of spotting it. Then last night on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources page was this photo taken at Green Valley State Park. That really whetted my desire to go looking tonight, but I doubt that I will. I can be content with a fellow Crestonian's photo.

The way the clouds started filling in during sunset, it doesn't look like I could have seen Neowise anyway.

Oh well.....



.....it's still interesting - the things you see and find - when you're out and about and paying attention.