17 Jan., 2009 -- Flowers blooming in January

Amaryllis is blooming... and it's only been in the pot since Christmas. Thanks, Bruni.

The purple orchid is still blooming...
Mericlone MTSSA Royal Robe Jerry's Pick HCC/ADS RT 070.
Now you know.

And this one, little brown leaves, little tiny blossoms. Thanks, Juanita!

16 Jan., 2009 -- TGIF

Skiff of snow, cold and blowing this morning.


Oh, no, Dr. K, I'm not going into that scanner alone!

Yes, you are. No, I'm not. Yes, you are. Did.

15 Jan., 2009 -- Frost on the windows

Zero or below this morning. "Pretty" chilly.


Ok, if you don't know what's wrong with this, you all are going back to school.
I found this on the packaging of a pocket knife in the camping department at WM.
I was wandering around while the automotive department fixed my headlights. Two workers installed new headlights on my VW yesterday, using one Phillips screwdriver between them (that really didn't have anything to do with this problem), and the driver's side light was installed upside down. Lights on dim, light in the treetops. uh...

14 Jan., 2009 -- Blast of arctic cold, can't play outside

Incoming... in the cold cold wind. Spotted med-evac as I was escaping St. John's for the day.

Oh, boy... come spring, Theresa and I are going to invent new games... Cow Pasture Croquet. Ozark Obstacle Croquet. Hundred Acre Wood Croquet. Any suggestions? (We're getting too old for tennis, still too young for shuffleboard). Ebay treasures.
\
Notice the last score here, that's Harry, and he almost bowled a perfect game!
Notice the first score, that's mine, left-handed. Sad. But that was my best game tonight.

Straight out of the camera, no Photoshopping here, just a really hot sunset on a really cold evening.

13 Jan., 2009 -- Don't you wish it was spring?

Found in the gift shop... can't you just hear the peepers now, announcing spring?
No?
Oh, that's right, it's was only 12 degrees out this morning. And going to get colder.

Angela wore her tiara proudly all day!

I got to the clinic just in time to hear that cowbell clanking this morning. And Betty sang out "back to the old farm house" with joy that her sessions were over! Another patient, Paul, had his new car packed and ready to set out for Arizona for the rest of the winter after he got to ring the school bell. He was grinning as he anticipated seeing old friends and going square dancing!

12 Jan., 2009 -- Spirit of 03

The Wright Flyer replica, built by Bill Ghan and assisted by the Experimental Aircraft
Association Chapter 1218 members, hangs in the ticketing area at Springfield Branson
National Airport.

Do people notice it? Yes and no. I spoke to a couple of ticket agents, and they both said
some people see it, most people don't notice. They were excited to hear the stories I told
of building and flying it on January 10, 2004, five years ago, at Willow Springs.

While I was shooting pics, a security guard nosed in over my shoulder, and said... "I've
been trying to find the right angle to take a picture of it, and it's so cluttered in the
background... " (I was ready to be hauled off in high security handcuffs). I mentioned
that I had gained access to the catwalk when we raised the Flyer to the ceiling, and he
looked devious, said "don't dare me", so I did, and we did, and he found a new viewpoint.

And, he pointed out that the ghosts of Orville and Wilbur and Bill and Don were dancing
around in the pictures! His name is Randy, he's a former Marine, and he was really
impressed with the Wright Flyer!

This afternoon, I rigged up a cowbell. Ok, I'll tell you why.
This morning, in conversation with Betty, a radiation patient, she lamented that she
forgot to bring a cowbell from home to ring after her final treatment tomorrow morning.
(There is a big schoolbell on the wall next to the therapy room, and patients who complete
treatment give it a big heave-ho to announce to the world that it's over!) Betty just
wanted to use her own bell.

Sooo, I went past Race Bros. Farm Supply after terrorizing the airport, and thought
"hmmmmm"... I took it back to the treatment center and left it with the techs for Betty,
in case I'm not there at the right time in the morning.

Which way... This place is a rat's maze of halls and tunnels.

11 Jan., 2009 -- Frosty & crisp, & windy

The texture of "cold" on my VW. Clear and windy this morning.



Randy flew the Husky home from the bootheel. Nice landing, rare headwind, gusty. Lloyd showed up later in Randy's pickup. They had been to the Ag Pilots' seminar, and Randy was learning how to use the newly installed gps system.


Ben made an afternoon trip in the Sport, and John flew Black Bart. It wasn't as windy as yesterday. I chased the wild turkeys off the runway at sundown so Ben could land.



Jamie's in training.