Amana Colonies

We went to Iowa for Mother's Day and took a trip over to Cedar Rapids to see Andrea's Grandmother. Zach has one living great-Grandmother, which is more than anyone in my extended family can say.

On the way there, we went through the Amana Colonies. Andrea had always thought they were Amish, but Dick described them as more like socialists. I read the history on their movement, and I still don't understand it. It was a community property society up until the depression when the system collapsed. At some point, it became a corporation. They have lots of restaurants and craft stores, with quaint old houses with immaculant yards and beautiful flowers. We'll have to go sometime when we can really get out and look around.

Strike Market

This used to be a bowling alley called Strike Market.

This was our hang out in High School. It had video games and pool tables, so we could waste hours and vast amounts of quarters there.

I remember playing Asteroids, Galaga, and Space Defense (or was it Star Defense?) mostly. We very rarely bowled there. They had food, but I don't remember getting it very often. There were adults there, but it wasn't a problem with us irritating them or them cramping our style.

It doesn't surprise me that it went out of business. My classmates and I are going to reopen it as a bar with live entertainment.

Swine Flu

We had to slap a decorated mask on our fearless leader when he arrived in the office today with what has to be the Swine Flu.

It's supposed to be a swine and crossbones symbol, but most people don't spot the curly tail.

We're not all tough like Paul (as he pointed out to us), so we had to force him to go home. We avoided having the CDC put us under quarantine.

Thanks Karen Conrad

Here's one of the outfits Karen Conrad sent us.

I love the whole big-fish-eats-little-fish theme.

Karen was an art teacher at the Junior High who worked across the hall from my Mom. She was one of the most popular teachers in Junior High, always up and happy and excited.

Blimp

We hired the MetLife blimp to circle the office to help drum up business.

Unfortunately, it ran into the light pole in our parking lot. It was like the Hindenburg, all over again. Except without the explosion.

Wet Lush Spring

We have oscillated between flood and drought in this area in the last 20 years. We had record floods in 1993 and 1995, and the worst drought I remember from 2001 to 2008 (with some relief here and there).

This summer has been very wet and lush, and I have to say I prefer an excess of water to a lack of it. Everything looks so green and healthy and freshly washed.

Hidden Valley

I've lived here most of my life and thought I knew all about the area.

It was surprising to find a rural farm valley, complete with cattle, a nice huge pond, a beautiful field full of wheat, and a neat old barn and silo.

If you go about a mile in any direction, you're in a populated cityscape. It's like finding a pirate chest washed up on a beach.

Off the Beaten Path

When you follow the crowd, it is sometimes mind numbingly frustrating.

In figuring out my options of how to get from work to my son's day care, I pulled up a map and found a little back road that I thought might work as a short cut.

The road wraps behind an old apple orchard, past 4 enormous mansions, through a spot where a stream has eroded a whole lane off the road, past an old fashioned farm in a valley, and past this log cabin.

It's still being used. I wonder how old it is and what it was originally used for.

Little Red Barn

Sometimes, when you take a little detour, you find some really neat things. I'm not sure why they always used to paint the old barns red.

I like the little red shed that is like the son of or little brother of the red barn.

The Maiden Voyage of the Exersaucer

Zach finally got big enough to launch his maiden voyage of the Exersaucer. He was quite pleased.

Twarted!

Just when I was thinking about dancing about wildly and trampling the wheat into a fake crop circle, I read this stern warning sign.

Hen House

Zach just loves going to the Hen House Market (grocery store).

For some reason, the bumpy ride across the parking lot always gets him laughing.

When inside, I like to put things with a strong scent under his nose. He likes the scented soaps, garlic, bread, cheese, and strawberries.

I never thought about it before, but the only things that you can actually smell are fresh produce and fresh baked goods. Maybe we should spend more time shopping in those aisles rather than the aisles where everything is in cans and boxes.

Isn't it romantic?

In honor of the procedure going on today, the theme is: Isn't It Romantic?

I was surprised to see this marriage proposal on the roadside today.

I suppose in these hard economic times, that it is easier to afford a roadside sign rather than the megatron at the sports arena at halftime. I noticed that there is a huge thistle weed sprouting up in front of the sign. A little mowing and trimming would have been a nice touch.

I had a cousin whose boyfriend popped the question to her by putting the proposal on a billboard on a major interstate. That made a good story.

I tried to imagine the way this campaign style sign would work out. Driving to work together... oh hey honey, look at that, willya? Whaddaya say? I wonder if he gave her a paper band off of a cigar for the ring and if they were on their way to the Demolition Derby.

These signs are usually used for campaigns, so I wonder if the proposal was more of a persuasion than an offer. Marry me and I'll lower your taxes and fill all the potholes in your life?

Isn't it romantic?

Zach was Strolling Down the Street One Day

Here's Zach, trying his land legs out.

While supported, he does fairly well. He is also motivated by music, but it becomes more of a dancing thing than a walking thing. As soon as you let go, he becomes unstable.

He's got some strong little legs, though. Many people are telling me to enjoy the time when he can't walk and don't teach him to learn early.

It's not like I'm one of those overachieving parents that wants my kid to be a superstar by the time they are 4, it's just that he likes to push with his legs, and I like to let him push into a standing position. If he doesn't walk until he's 5 months old, that would be fine with me.

Heron Friend

This heron has been hanging out in our pond this spring.

I think he's preparing for his photo shoot in Cancun.

Nothing to See Here

The cat is trying to act casual, but the turkeys know murderous intent when they see it.

Field of Dreams

Apparently, the water department does not believe in weed killer either.

Baby Quest

I imagine Zach is making a speech to the baby masses where he is telling them that they must all crawl out boldly and explore the back yard.

Two Lips and Bleeding Hearts

I never noticed how the names of these plants seemed to be human body parts.

Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn to anatomy.

Backwards Baby Bjorn

These things work in reverse, too.

Zach likes to see where we're going, so he likes this arrangement much better.

Clubbin' It

Here's the outside of the Round Hill Tennis Club's clubhouse.

We went to the 50th birthdays of Ken & Lilly, where Zach got to show off his snazzy sweater again.

A good time was had by all.

Airing Things Out

Just before burping, Zach gets this zombie-like stare in his eyes, then he does his best to imitate a bugling elk.

Reason #2

Here's another reason I hate herbicides.

Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea, which is a creeping perennial that smells like mint when you cut it, also has beautiful little purple flowers in the spring.

Ivy

We spent a long time at the nurseries trying to find a breed of ivy to replace the virginia creeper vines we tore off the front of the house this year. And here's the perfect breed growing in the back yard about 50 feet away.

Redbud, Magnolia, Dogwood

The house next door was finally sold and there have been contractors working there for the last 3 months. They chopped down a 30 year old magnolia tree in the back yard, so it's probably a good idea to get a record of how the place looks before they start hacking the trees in the front yard down, too.

Paul planted the dogwood as a memorial to his father when he died back in the early 90s, so it's about 15 years old now, and doing well.

Mutant Violets

While I love violets, I really love the mutation to the violet species that we have cropping up in our yard in spots.

This white violet retains some purple streaks near the center.

Violet Meadow

This is my argument against weed killer.

Baby's Eye View

Here's what it looks like from Zach's play mat.

It's blurry because the camera can't focus that close, and I can't either.

The only logical conclusion is that babies must have microscope like eyes.

Bird's Eye View

Sometimes Zach likes me to hang out with him on his play mat.

Funny Joke

Here's Zach after I told him the joke about the bumblebee and the Farmer's Wife.

Kitty Closeups

Here's two of my favorite pictures of cats lately. Speedy getting her much loved head rubbing and Eddy hanging out by my feet.

Dead Oak Cracks Up

This huge oak tree in our neighbor's yard was struck by lightning in 2004 and died.

It's been there for only 5 years, but it's really getting rotten fast.

Saturday morning, I heard a load snap and a thundering crash. I looked out to see a limb, probably weighing a couple hundred pounds had snapped off and speared itself upright in the ground.

Bullseye is in the lower left foreground, checking it out.

No furry or feathered animals were harmed in the making of this blog.

Miniature Airplanes

Zach did not enjoy his first trip to the Radio Controlled Airfield at Lake Jacomo.

This picture is about 3 minutes prior to his fussy meltdown.

Dino Fishy

I always notice the little religious fish symbols on cars.

This was a new one for me, the T-Rex with the fish in his tiny front paws.

Is it saying that evolution devours religion? I can't tell for sure.

I feel like I should be pixelating the license plate so the guy won't be targeted. But then, I remember that no one reads this blog.

Dino Jammies

Mommy loves Zach's dinosaur pajamas.

Bobbie meets Baby

Zach finally got to meet his Aunt Bobbie, to thank her in person for the quilt she made him.

A New Breed of Bradford

This bradford pear looks like it is trying to grab the truck.

This lot outside of Gate 2 at Lake Lotawana used to have a little store with a greasy little kitchen inside.

Some people claimed that they had excellent food (you know who you are Shane), but the place burned down a few years back.

Now, for some reason, there are always a lot of trucks parked in the old parking lot.

Stone Haus Cedars

I never noticed how dark, almost black, cedar trees look.

This line is outside of Stone Haus winery on Colburn Road.

Stunning Sycamore

I love a majestic giant sycamore. The white trunks stand in such contrast to all the other trees (with the exception of the aspen, but we don't have those around here).

This monster is so huge that the white extends out to its branch tips, filling the whole canopy of the tree.

Ward Parkway on a Perfect Spring Day

It's hard to imagine a prettier scene than the bright blue of a spring sky with the new green lawns and the blossums of the trees in their glory.

The drive down Ward Parkway in Kansas City is always nice, since the area has been pampered and manicured by the city and the land owners surrounding it for years.

Bradford Pears at Ash Grove

I love it when the Bradford Pears bloom. It's a toss up between them, Redbuds, and Dogwoods.

This picture doesn't do justice to the lush beauty of this little cul-de-sac near Zach's day care house.

First Contact

Zach got to meet his Uncle Steve and cousin Kyle for the first time.

For some reason, his main reaction was to laugh and smile the whole time.

I think he liked them on first sight.

photo by Andrea