Thursday, July 8, 2010

So Green it almost hurts your eyes










































I have used this phrase before, but this year the crops are so green it just doesn't seem possible. Perhaps it is all of the nitrogen applied to the corn fields, but more likely it is the moisture that we have been getting lately. Last night I ran up to Leavenworth to take in a minor league baseball game. It was like going back to the 50s when my Dad played for Ormsby fast pitch. The games between Ormsby and Odin would draw hundreds of people in the days before decent television. I can remember sitting in the car waiting for Dad to get out of the pool hall after the game where the team went for a couple of cold ones. Believe me it must have been tough just forcing your way in the door the crowds were so big. It is hard to believe that those days are almost 60 years ago now. I have been thinking about trying to get a blog together on the rural schools that I attended in my youth. I went to district 67 for first grade, before district 126 was re-opened the next year. The district 67 building was torn down and replaced with the Galena township hall in the past, but the district 126 building is being used as a shed on a nearby farm to this day. I need to contact my Mom about possible pictures of those days. Anyhow, Jan and I have been busy since my last post 2 months ago. A couple of weeks ago we went on an extended bike trip that was pretty much destination determined by the Weather Channel. Originally we had planned to head out across North Dakota and Montana to Alberta, but nasty weather in that direction changed our plans. We ended up going to Nebraska and northern Colorado to Utah and up into Idaho. We tried going toward northern Idaho but the sky was just black in that direction so we turned around and went east to the Grand Tetons. I'll throw on some pictures of that trip. Previous to that trip we spent a weekend near Winona in a crowded campground across the road from the Mississippi river. The Theobalds came over and spent some time in their tent. Jan and I spent a couple of days there wandering the back roads in Wisconsin. Steve, Gen, Sam, Gus, and I hiked a State Park on the bluffs overlooking the river one morning. I will try to include one from that day. I have some photos from our July 4th weekend and I will include some of them in here too. Saturday is Aaron's birthday which we will be celebrating at Eli and Lindsey's house on the 10th. It's hard to believe that he is already two years old, my how time flies. With any luck I plan on making a run out to the Big Horns next week for a few days to cover some roads less traveled. Also need to remember my sister Kathy who has spent the last couple of weeks in a hospital in Modesto battling with the after effects of colon surgery. Lately it has been one thing after another with her health, so keep her in mind and your prayers. I know that it has been a couple of months since my last post, but I just did not have the urge to type. I can't blame work I guess. So anyhow, stay in touch, be good and eat your vegetables.