21 July, 2009 -- Ten wheeler ready to roll

In the morning, transporting the van to Marshall, then dragging the tow dolly home with the VW. We just shuffle, shuffle shuffle.
Rained almost all day, only recorded 3/4 inch. I think it was more. But since the new roof drains off in front of the hangar now, maybe it just seems like it rained more. Sure was cool, I'm not sure it really is late July! 58 degrees tonight

21 July, 2009 -- Rainwater, and water under the bridge

My rainwater collection system. Well, it works.


Mike Hall's flight jacket. He'd like this drizzly humid night... can't fly, but can go barefoot in the summer night. Mike lived in Las Vegas, flew a 172, never saw humidity higher than 10 percent, except in LA occasionally. I'll bet he never saw fog. Mike and cousin Jody flew me over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, and got me hooked on flying. The scenery was spectacular, with the Grand Canyon; can the Ozarks compete with that... yeah, I think so.
Jody gave me Mike's leather flight jacket... I think Alaska would be a good place for Mike's jacket to be flying. Randy will be flying in Yakutat in September! Perfect!

It's not the moon, just a random raindrop caught by the flash. Serendipity!

Grack

20 July, 2009 -- Happy Birthday to my babies

Fonda, July 15

Grant, July 20

19 July, 2009 -- Almost Grant's birthday

Wouldn't want to embarass Grack by posting this on his birthday...
so I'll put it up a day early. Do you think I should call him at
4 a.m on Monday morning to wish him a happy 39th birthday?????
Aw, let him sleep... it was really 6 a.m. Just because I woke up at 4 a.m.,
should we punish him for that...


Ben and Dave and Hailey took a late evening joyride...
the air up there was "buttery smooth"!

Wonder what this wildflower might be called...
Juanita's on an Alaska cruise, so can't ask expert...

18 July, 2009 -- Airplanes!

Ron and friend in the Skipper.


Newt and Janet in the 172.

John in the Zipper, in a challenging wind.

17 July, 2009 -- Volunteer

I know, I know, I'm way behind on my postings. Snapped this one of the tomato/green bean/flower garden. Notice the volunteer sunflower, from the winter birdseed scatterings. There is one green bean plant in there, and it has overtaken the tomatoes and the trumpet vines.
I'll try to catch up tomorrow, with stuff I shot last week.

16 July, 2009 -- Storm, turmoil, agitation...

Looks like rain..... (Oh, Puleeeeeeze don't take our roof again...)

Yup, it's rain, all rightey.....



But all that storm was "nuthin" compared to the turmoil at our MPA meeting this evening!
Well, it's all for show, there's a running practical joke, a prank, and Ray's the instigator of course. (President Jerry doesn't stand a chance).

14 July, 2009 -- Taxi service

Drove to Marshall this afternoon, picked up Randy, drove home, almost 4 hours each way. He will put the new prop on the Ag Truck, then fly back to Marshall. They are still spraying corn in MO, haven't got the call to go to Iowa yet. (Didn't fly up to get him, the weather was crappy here and there when I left at 3; an hour later, and it was vfr. Who-da-thunk-it, so much rain in July).

Editing the photos, and I don't have Photoshop on this computer, so am using GIMP, freeware. It's supposed to be simple, but the menus are all different. "Paint" on steroids.
Anyway, it was a pretty sunset after eating supper with Lloyd and Lloyd.
It's really the 15th, and Happy Birthday Fonda. Won't tell how old. After all, it's not official until 4 pm.

12 July, 2009 -- JT & Kim

At the great social meeting place, visited with JT and Kim, Jan and Jamie and Jared.
JT is in the Army, pilots those unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, and is home for a short visit before deployment again. He's a sergeant now.
Once upon a time JT would stay at the airport with us, sleep on the floor under the kitchen table (it was a little place). He had a few adventures with me in Toby, the Aeronca Chief, and he and Roy went with me to Harrison, AR for the airshow in the Archer.
Happy Anniversary, JT & Kim! One year July 4.

11 July, 2009 -- not enough rain

Tornado warning tonight... so what do I do, go outside and photograph the storm going by. We got a sprinkle, lucky I guess. Had my laptop bagged up to run for cover, so am working on the old HP pc, don't have Pshop, using freeware GIMP. Learning all over again!
More tomorrow... I missed the best pic of the day, Mikey under the instrument panel of the 180, fixing an electrical problem (hopefully fixing). I was the tool go-fer, and the 5 gallon fuel-B for the racing crowd.
Then mowed the runway, after John landed in the 180.