Iowa or Utah

Hello,

Sometimes it takes children to point out differences especially when viewing or hearing something that they have not experienced before.

What does Iowa have that Utah does not?

Crickets
Cicadas
Toads
Insects that we cannot name even though I have often seen them
Strange spiders
Forests or woods with many trees clumped together
Cornfields, so many of them
No irrigation for the corn
Gravel roads (at least not that they had ever seen)
Robins
Squirrels
Bunnies
Night noises that insects produce
Thunderstorms
Humidity, humidity, humidity (so their mother says)
All houses look alike?

What does Utah have that Iowa does not?
Few flies
Arid air
Mountains
Comfortable air with no humidity (according to their mother)

Sweets in the house
Bathtub

So there it is straight from the children’s perspective.

Paula

Ride Like the Wind

Hello,

“Go faster,” Olivia shouted as we headed off down the alley with the wind blowing our hair. Because this was my first time controlling this blue two seated bike I was a bit cautious. It was great so on the way back I did indeed go a little bit faster. The girls are too small to help pedal or steer so the adult on board had to do all of the work.

“Don’t stop now,” Nora begged. So we went to the other end of the alley. It is a great paved space and almost private so we could check out this bike of our landlord with carefree abandon.

Leroy and Miriam also had a turn riding on this great invention. It is a tandem recumbent where the seats are side by side. At first the girls sat on a cushion giving Nora a seat between the seats. Later they tried it without the cushion and found that they could both fit on one seat.

The next day, Leroy and Miriam rode that bike about a mile to the lake while I came in the car with the girls and our two adult bikes. When we connected once again, Leroy confided, “Miriam got a little scared on the street.”

About five minutes later Miriam declared, “Dad tried to kill us on the road.” The bike does take up a bit more room on the street than a regular bike, but we figured that was the easiest way to get to the lake even though our landlord had offered to drive it over in his van.

Leroy, because he is the strongest bike rider now, chauffeured the girls up the bike path and around the lake. There are some hills, but not so many, however, later the girls observed that some panting noise sounded like grandpa when he was going uphill. In Leroy’s defense, it is different muscles being engaged because you sit differently. We all thought it was great even hard working Leroy. The girls got to see two ducks, several geese, a great blue heron, and a goldfinch along with many wildflowers.

A friend rode over on his bike and chatted around the lake with Miriam. He also joined us for lunch. So all in all it was a great experience.

Paula

Horses

Hello,

After we gathered every egg in sight and out of sight, we said good-bye to the chickens, climbed carefully out of the pen, took off the boot bags, and moved on to the apple tree. Our hostess graciously told Olivia and Nora that they could pick up apples from the ground and feed them to the horses that board with her. When their little blue buckets were full we tromped off through the pasture avoiding horse poop on the way to the enclosure that was the horse home. Because it has been so dry they have to move the horses around to give the grass/weeds a chance to revive. Thankfully some grasses are indeed drought resistant.

Two of the horses quickly realized that there might be treats in store and they quickly moved up to the fence. These animals seemed quite large when you stare up at them as did this five year old and four year old. I asked, “Shall I show you how to hold your hand so the horse can just eat off of it?”

This is another experience that I have not had in years, but I trusted that they would not bite strangers if I held my hand flat. Just like the chickens these were delicate animals around humans. With just a slight tickle of lips the first one grabbed an apple. Nora tried holding an apple up, but the horses neck did not reach so far over the metal gate as to get to her hand. I then lifted her up and we had a successful feed.

Olivia also wanted to be lifted, but she is quite a bit heavier. “Come over here where the fence is lower and then the horses can reach your hand.” I suggested.

That worked out quite well. Both girls soon emptied their buckets and turned to pulling up some of the taller grass and offering that to these eager eaters.

All in all this was a most successful farm visit. I am so happy that I thought of it. I miss being around animals even if I do live with Leroy.

Paula

Chickens

Hello,

Miriam, Olivia, Nora, Leroy and I all arrived at the chicken farm at nine in the cool comfortable morning. Because they could not bring old shoes we slipped bread bags over their feet and secured them with rubber bands making impromptu boots.

Both girls were understandably hesitant to step over the board to get into the pen with these slightly flighty 25 reddish brown pullets. Miriam and I both stepped in holding the hand of one girl. The chickens accepted our presence almost as soon the girls felt safe enough to let go of hands and move around on their own. Then we went into the chicken coop. Again the girls moved close to humans as they crouched down to see the eggs in the four nests. Our hostess assured the girls that they could gather the eggs. Luckily she told them to be careful with the eggs so they did not drop but one. After they had gotten all of the eggs in the nests without a sitting hen, they eyed the last two places where a hen kept guard. Our hostess urged them to stick their hands under as she was sure there would be more eggs under there. These were nice chickens and they would not peck. As a demonstration I put my hand under, but it still seemed scary so I took a little hand and guided it under after that she was comfortable getting all of the eggs that were under this resting lady. I then helped the other little girl in the same way.

They had a great time and a great learning experience as we ate the eggs scrambled for lunch today. It is not often that a city kid gets to be so close to the source of food.

I was so happy to be spending some time out with the chickens. I cannot remember the last time that I was in a chicken house. I both liked the chickens and found them to be both chore and fascination when I was growing up with them.

Paula

Cleaning

Hello,

You would think with Miriam and girls coming to visit I might be doing some major house cleaning. Well, just get rid of that thought because it is not happening. Instead I am cleaning out a note book in which I keep recommended books as well as notes of books I have read. This is a special book as I carted it home from Slovakia six years ago. Actually I have no longer been writing in this book and instead doing that “books read” record keeping on line. Have you ever considered how dependent we are becoming on this medium? Those clouds better not fail.

Going back to that book, my recommended book list lived on several pieces of paper, threatening to fall out every time the book was picked up. Today I checked to see if the titles were in the Ely library or the Cedar Rapids library since I have borrowing privileges in both institutions. Those papers that I had been hauling around for the last several years now have a new home in the recycle bin. I did transfer the found titles to one new piece of paper with Ely books on one side and CR on the other. My apologies to any of you who might have recommended some good book that I just consigned to becoming new paper in a new situation.

At least my books are a tiny bit lighter, a lot neater, and more realistic. Now if I can just find the time to read all will be well. Actually I do have something in progress almost all of the time. I just read “Riding the bus with my sister”. It was excellent written by a woman who spends a year riding the bus with her mentally challenged sister. In the process they both learn and grow. Reminds me to look around myself and see what is there both in ways to help, things to appreciate, and how new learning can happen for me even at this age when I thought for sure I would have arrived. Is the secret that we never arrive and we are always traveling?

Paula

Rain

Hello,

We got almost an inch of rain. Neither of us can remember getting more than a half inch this summer. Such a blessing! It also cooled down the heat so that we do not have the air conditioning pouring out that frigid cold dry air.

Leroy and I both rode our bikes to the museum. It turned out to be not such a big deal and we could have stayed home, but we did not know. I did get to tour the two galleries that I had not been in before. However since we have a family membership I could have gone free at anytime. We were visiting with one of his co-workers in the library and she commented on how dark it was getting outside. At that point we decided to come home and hopefully beat the advancing storm. About three blocks from home I started to feel drops that kept increasing in small increments. It was still quite fine by the time that we got in the garage. The garage is not attached to the house so we still did not slow down and made it inside before there was a release of the clouds wonderful gift.

I had decided that we should plant some things for a fall garden. Leroy dutifully went out and started digging up the dry tough sod in one more place by the house. It was such hard work that he only got a four foot square done before I begged him to quit. There were even pieces of cement in the mix along with some rocks, but no discernible moisture. Regretfully we did not get anything planted, thinking we would do it later. At least now the land has had a small drink, hopefully making it easier to stir up.

More fall veggies are in my mind, but I do not know where to put them. We will have to think outside of the box or lawn or something. There will be a place for them, right?

Paula

Visitors

Hello,

Miriam and her girls are coming to visit next week. I am excited. It was in 2009 when they last visited my home. I hardly know what to do as I am certainly out of practice for a weeklong visit. Because the grandchildren have come so seldom, I do not have many toys or games for them. It seems not worth the effort to “haul” them around on our moves plus tastes change with age hence making it difficult to have the right things.

I have also planned two away from home activities for them and they will be going to visit some other people in the area. Part of me is afraid the time will just fly by and I will wonder what has happened to it.

Leroy is going to take some time off and I will only take one day off as their schedule fits my days off quite well.

They will come next Thursday. Even though that is so far from now I went grocery shopping this morning and bought a number of things in anticipation. After they are here I will probably have to get some more things as I did not buy any meat and they do eat that.

I had hoped to pick up the picture that was being framed, but no such luck. He said they were expecting a shipment of the glass that is needed. It should probably be done today, but I am not sure that I want to go back again even though it is not that far. I do not like to make trips for just one thing.

Tomorrow the museum is having a thank you for the volunteers. It is at 11:00 in the morning. Leroy is going also. We plan on riding our bikes. I hope I am not so very sweaty when I get there as it is to be hot once again. I have not ridden the bike since I volunteered there. The heat just keeps me more confined even though I do try to walk many days.

Paula