New Year's Eve 2013 Dec. 31 -- going out in glory!

I know, I know, it's not New Year's Eve yet.
But, this is as good as it gets, 2013 going out in glory. (What's 2 days in the span of centuries.)
Happy New Year, family & friends, love all y'all. You know that.

I love this tree. It's very photogenic, with wiggly branches, demands center stage at sundown, any season. Youngest child.

 
 

Merry Christmas! Dec. 24, 2013

Christmas Eve in southern Missouri.

Grant's view in Jeff City

Oh, yeah... The KIDS! Cousins Samantha, LAD and Cameron. Merry Christmas, all y'all!

December 9, 2013 -- Snoopy's ski trip at the 10 acre wood

Ah, a ski trip! Winter! Snoopy's great adventure (more from the Dec. 6 "blizzard").

Hey, I see a runway! Let's do a touch & go!

Not a runway, but ok, landing anyway.

Slick and narrow, ... oops. Off airport ground loop. I'm ok, I'm ok.

I'll try this nice wide runway. Departure uphill... too much dra...  ?

Up, up... come on... UP!

Aargh  Yup, too much drag.

Ooh, so softly we land... I'm ok, I'm ok.

Ok, let's go downhill to go up up up!

Wilderness shelter. Yoo hoo, anybody home?

Hmmm, snug little hangar...

Ok, just a little too snug!

Short field take-off.

Ok, Snoop... my toes are cold, wiggle your way through the obstacles and let's go home!

No, Snoop... you're hungry, but we're not going out there to bbq tonight! Aren't you glad you're snuggled in G'pa's recliner?

December 6, 2013 -- Winter dumped on us

Winter didn't slink in today... it blew and snowed and dumped in about 8 inches. It's dry and cold, and I went out on the cross country skiis, and had a good workout circling the 10 acre wood.

 

 

November 29, 2013 -- Winter's slinkin' up on us

The pond has a little ice, and there was a patch of white ice, or snow, in the middle.

Nov. 17, 2013 -- Tadpoles, in November?

Yeah, that's what I thought. Tadpoles in November?
Well, LAD lost interest in cutting down bamboo,
and disregarding my "don't get wet" (haha we're at a pond, ya know)
and it's 70 degrees today (November????)
Wind's about 40 mph, but no problem, just offed our aim a little at the range...

Just one tadpole

Five tadpoles at once!

Launching the "boat". 70 degrees today, Ozarks paradise.

Nov. 5, 2014 -- Fall colors

Had about a week of peak fall color. Oaks are surprisingly yellow and orange, and there are lots of multi-colors; green with red, orange and yellow stages. Unusual!

Austin Lake, northeast of Mtn. Grove.

26 Oct., 2013 -- Night bloom

I brought this gangly plant in after a summer in semi-shade, after threatening it with extinction for not blooming in two years. So what do you think... it produced two buds. They start out as little tiny branches, then spend two weeks developing. Today, they started bulging, and after dark, suddenly they pop open and fill the air with such sweet scent! Wish they would last more than one night.

2013 Oct. 16 -- Anniversary Fonda & Randy a day late

Oct. 15., and I missed it. Happy Anniversary, kids.
And I will get back to posting again soon!
Yes, I have been taking photos. Whaddyathink...

12 Sept., 2013 -- Grack and Grubs, our 0440 canoe flag

Grack and Grubs
It's way inside this family's story. This will be the banner on our canoe, boat 0440, in the MO River race on Saturday.
Racetothedome.org, and on Facebook. Twitter too, I suppose, although I can't make sense of most of it. I don't know if raceowl.com will be following it. Probably not, it's ONLY 26.6 miles to Jeff City.

Haven't figured out how to fix it to the canoe yet.

Oh, fearless leader, Grack of Grack and Grubs. How can you lead from the back of the boat...?

7 Sept., 2013 -- Corn Maze

Now, if you think that's a weird corn maze, it's because it's a maze. No hints, no cheating. That's Duncan Smith's corn maze north of Mtn. Grove, and I'm not going to give it away! If you get lost in it, I might give you a hint. I'm not even sure Duncan wanted me to take a picture of it so he could find his way home; he might still be out there!

12 Aug., 2013 -- Flying things

Have been chasing about 3 dozen geese off the runway. Maybe it's too wet for them out there in the grass. It has dumped about 18 inches since Aug. 3, that's about a third of our yearly quota.

All together now, come on... up... up... UP... somebody's out of step...

Do these feathers make my hiney look fat?

26 July, 2013 -- They made it!

Grant and Roger, The Lost Buoys came paddling in under the I70 bridge in St. Charles. They finished 115th out of 180 who finished overall (274 starters), and 26th of 41 finishers in the Men's Tandem (66 starters). Pretty good for a couple of old coots on their first Missouri River 340 mile canoe race.

Coming in under the I70 Bridge at St. Charles, north of St. Louis, after 76 hrs. and 3 minutes on the MO River.

The look in Grant's eyes... FINISH LINE!

Sea legs. 76 hours and 3 minutes.

Grant and Roger, The Lost Buoys. 26th in Men's Tandem out of 41 finishers, 115th of 180 finishers overall.

25 July, 2013 -- The Lost Buoys

Roger and Grant started out on July 23, 2013 on the Missouri River 340 mile race from Kaw Point in Kansas City to St. Charles in St. Louis, two guys in a canoe. They will finish the race tomorrow, mid-day.

It's a grueling test of will power and stamina, to finish in the 88 hours allowed. The Missouri Conservationist Magazine July edition features a story of last year's race. At Raceowl.com, their progress is posted. They are in the Men's Tandem category, boat 0440. The Lost Buoys.

Day two 24 July, just after passing by the Columbia checkpoint.

Day 3, at Jeff City checkpoint, on way to Hermann. Credit Monica for pics.

This was race morning, 23 July, credit the Kansas City Star.