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...?