Dog Day's

 Mass this AM, volunteer a short while at the school then home to mow/yardwork. Boys off to groomer later in AM. They are getting better about going---just a lot to handle getting to and from the groomers.

Temperature is 71 degrees and expected to hit another triple digit  today.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Garden Visitor(s)

Still dark, cloudy, 75 degrees and quiet.

Thought I would share a pic of one of my latest garden visitors. Planted extra parsley this year---lots of pots of it. The Swallow tail butterflies are scurrying about laying eggs on all the parsely plants---A little different slant on a butterfly garden. They only feed on the parsely. The Monarchs only feed on Milkweed. May think of putting in a pot of Milkweed next year.

Plan to go to Mass this AM and then attend  a volunteer luncheon @ 12:30pm, hosted by the new priest at the SLC. 

Thinking of all of our family in the storm areas and wishing them safe keeping.

Love, Mom

Summer of 1952

 Mass early this AM, ran an errand, took a walk in the 73 degree morning...

Still sorting through old pics/things. These were 2 of my favorite summer places, especially in 1952--The Iola Library and the Iola swimming pool. Would spend each morning at the library (lying on the cool tile floors gazing through the stereo-optic viewer, reading, and chatting w/the librarians), then jump on my bike at noon to ride to the pool and swim for rest of the day.   Probably read over 100+ books that summer. Got an award from KU during that school year  for all of the book reports----lucky I chatted w/the librarians and they remembered me as I had to request notes from each of them for my teacher to authenticate my reading (or pestering/chatting) summer skills.

Write up on the pool: " The Iola Swimming Pool was one of the largest in the region when it was constructed.  It was one of several WPA projects started in the 1930s. " This is really an early pic. Do not recall the slippery slide on the right side. There were 4 diving boards 5', 10' 15' and 25' (mastered all by the third grade). Jackie was also a wonderful swimmer, passed her first aid swimming/test in Jr High and helped the kids w/polio swim in the small pool each morning. The structure on the left was the concession/shower/fountain area. The fountain was surrounded by a circular stairs on each side and left you w/an Esther Williams moment when you descended the stairs in the evening while the water was spraying from the fountains.  Remember my mom going swimming one evening w/us--not an Esther Williams moment-she was a little under the weather, became nauseated and will add no more to this story other than to say the outcome would not have made Esther proud.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

How high's the water, mama?

 Expecting rain/stormy weather today---feels like it also. Still dark but the air is thick outside. Took the "boys" little or no time to get their busines done and back inside----hardly a bark this AM. Nice.  Mass this AM, volunteering at the rectory, spending some time w/Allie, then free wheeling...

More old pics: Pics of Bassola (formerly known as Shale Mound when I was a child) and the flood of 1951. Think they might have shaved the tops down because I remembered it being much taller. This was located right across from our home. Jackie and I had so much fun exploring, "boating", "sledding" down the wet shale (after a good rain) in wash basins, swimming, fishing, and ice skating on this pond.

Below was described as:

"The granddaddy of all floods hit Iola in July, 1951. The water rose within half a block of the square.  You can see just the top of the Marsh Arch bridge." We stayed in our house until the water was coming in the back door because all of the "old guys" told my dad the water had never reached our house before. We left during the night ---who'd thought a 1941 Chevy could hit 70 MPH and almost fly through water---We did. Jackie and I laughed---thought it was one of the most exciting rides except for a few hill jumping trips through the KC, KC hills as we left the relatives homes during the holidays.

Loved finding these pics---have more to send---of course along w/a story or two.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom



Back in time

Mass yesterday AM and to the movie in the afternoon. Fixed salmon for supper, watered plants, read, Face Time w/LJ and family, watched a little TV then off to bed at 9:30pm w/ the Dogmingos.  Quiet day. Sure have a lot of those this summer w/it being so hot outside. Find I have to really work to make the weekends work for me-----long days. Looking into doing something enjoyable this winter. Now, the challenge will be to find what the something is.

Going to share some pics this week w/you of days long ago.  Picture of my 4th grade class at Jefferson Elementary. I was as tall then as I am now---skinny but tall.  Weird thing---I went to school w/these kids from 2nd to 6th grade and I still remember some of their names. Was surfing the net yesterday and there all these pics were.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom



Oh Joy!

Mass this AM, pulled some weeds while it is still cool (85 degrees, 51% humidity),  plan mowing later when the grass is not so wet. Supposed to be another triple digit day. Oh Joy!!!

Still intending to see a movie before the weekend is over. Looking for some fall classes---they cannot be over 6 weeks in length and must be during the daytime---preferably in the AM. Maybe they will offer a class for "overcoming control issues"----that would sum up all of the above. Oh Joy!!

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Today

Mass this AM (to be offered for our family), back home to sweep, possibly see a movie later in the day----Nice. Cooler, but humidity (83 %)  makes the air hot/heavy. Getting things done in small amounts---have all day to do it---will just mix it up a bit.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch. 

Love, Mom