5 Sept., 2009 -- Dandelion on steroids

Dandelion. But three feet tall? Living in the weed patch at the driveway entrance. Has leaves with spiney teeth, a nice strong milkweed stem, and flowers all over the stems. Maybe the ancestor to our cultivated dandelions? The Ozark Wildflower book calls it False Dandelion, Krigia biflora Blake. Looks real to me...


Supper time. Black and Yellow Argiope


At least one airplane in today for the long holiday, species - Grumman.

There. We've had our biology lesson for today.

The moon tonight is still looking full, but there are a lot of thin clouds and moisture. Looks like a Halloween moon... where's the lady on the broom?

4 Sept., 2009 -- Another bad air day

After catfish buffet and local music at the Junction Store, we meandered back to Mtn. Grove via the Denlow route gravel road. After a mile on ZZ pavement, we heard thump thump, and sure enough, bad air day! Today the front tire was relieved of a nail, and the rest of the tires were inspected, and reportedly ok. Curious, huh...

Then we discovered that the handy dandy floor hydraulic jack that I've been hauling around for five years doesn't get tall enough to raise the Suburban. So much for handy dandy, huh... (wrong... it gets tall enough, it just isn't strong enough to raise the truck).

So while the guys slaved with the regular jack, Juanita wandered off to smell the roses. Well, not roses, exactly, more like wild onions and goldenrod. Oh, well, close enough!
Then, to put more icing on the cake, the engine wouldn't start. Turns out the battery cables weren't making connection. Oh, such adventures we have. Good thing we weren't all dressed up!

Happy Birthday, Carolyn! I won't tell. You're now three years older than me, instead of two, and I'm still the younger. But you're probably wiser, though, right?

3 Sept., 2009 - Howling at the moon

Larry & Lloyd & Juanita and I sat out on the deck after supper
and watched the moon come out from behind the cloud cover.
.... I didn't hear any howling ....


National Guard helicopter was busy in the area this afternoon.


Juanita and I went 'tiquing at the landscaping/consignment store. Didn't buy this green bottle, nor the funny tree with the blossoms at the end of each branch. Just getting ideas for gifties for friends back home in Arkansas. Juanita's hiding behind the bushy tree, I forgot what she called it. (She knows the names of everything growing, being a Master Gardener!)

1 Sept., 2009 -- Some shuffling, some migrating

Ben shuffled Don to Sedalia, and Don shuffled the van back to Mtn. Grove. Then Don shuffled back to Mansfield on his Harley. Ben shuffled off to... I think we've got all the vehicles and airplanes back in their nests.


Brad migrated from Iowa back to Louisiana, spray season over.


Fuel stop for a Cardinal, shuffling off to parts unknown.

31 Aug., 2009 -- Having a good/bad air day

Starts out well; Keith brought the RV6, Randy delivered
the Ag Truck. This was a shuffle operation; Boone, Iowa to
Sedalia to Mtn. Grove.


Then, John goes out for a jaunt in the RV4.


But... on landing, ooooh, flat tire!

Hang on, Keith... there aren't any handholds, and lumpy things
to sit on! The rescue team heads out with the air tank.

Took three airing-ups to get the Zipper up to the hangar.
Tube troubles.


Keith and Randy head back to Iowa.


As long as we've got the air out, let's put some air in. Jan's
four were all low. Got the Suburban doctored, too.

30 Aug., 2009 -- Lake of the Ozarks - a million Sunday boaters

On my return trip from Boonville this morning, passed
over Lake of the Ozarks.