Even little ones stink

While pulling weeds on the west side of the house this afternoon I was startled to see 5 or so baby skunks right by the step for the door of the living room. A couple days ago a adult skunk was walking around on the lawn south of the house and Bill shot at it a few times (maybe 8 or 9) and we think hit it at least once and hopefully it died. Must have left the babies under or behind the cement step. Of course, Bill was gone hauling rock this afternoon when I saw the babies. Tony and Sherrie Sander were here working on the shed so Tony took the shovel and gave them a toss out into the lawn. They were only 6-7 inches long, but you know what? They can still spray stinky stuff! Bill got home then and shot the four of them that were out, but I could hear more still under the step. Just a few minutes ago we got 2 more. Hopefully that is all! Skunks do stink!!!

Dancing

Anyone else disappointed in the finale of Dancing with the Stars? I personally didn't want to see Christy win anything. Himes did a great job and deserved the trophy.

We went RACING in Newton Sunday. A great day. Nobody told me to wear my walking shoes, however. We did a lot of walking--from the parking lot, to the fan walk, back to the parking lot. There was water and mud there from the rain on Saturday but Sunday's weather was great, not too hot, sort of cloudy. We sat WAY up high on the bleachers, but hey, the tickets were free. A lot of people we knew were up there with us, all with free tickets from Green Valley. One more thing to take off my bucket list.

We missed the weather here on Sunday, there was wind and north around Olin/Stanwood there was 3 inch hail. Not like the poor people in Missouri so we will count our blessings once again.

Getting closer on finding a minister. Our search committee is having personal interviews in June. Wish us luck!

Racing

Last Friday's race in Tipton was rained out. But the best racing news is that we get to go to Newton on Sunday for the John Deere sponsored race. Larry got 4 free tickets! It was on my bucket list to see at race at Newton so I am very happy. Now the weatherman says it could rain. We will wait and see. If those of you who have gone there have any advice about the track, etc., let me know.

I spent last Friday working at the library while Vicki was on vacation. She had some work for me to do in the morning; in the afternoon I looked at Cedar County/Lowden history books. It was very interesting. I made some copies of a few articles to share. Does anyone want a copy of an article about Christian Fehling, who would have been my Grandpa Fehling's dad? If so, let me know.

Yesterday was spent doing laundry and hanging everything on the clothes line and mowing yard. We had frost yesterday morning but it looks like the corn survived. All the corn and some beans are up. The contrast between the green waterways and the dark fields is very pretty seen from a distance. Be sure to take a drive in the country and enjoy Iowa's farmland.

Summer !!!

Did I miss spring? Yesterday was almost too hot. I took Grandma to her chiro appointment and had the air conditioner running. Mowed lawn without a jacket. Got my neck sunburnt. The new air conditioner in the house didn't work. Yep, summer must be here.

Spent Friday night at the Legion Fish Fry (where we fed over 300 people) instead of the races. Ben's car came back with a busted front side, bent rim etc., but it was not his fault. A car spun out in front of him and he had no place to go. So said his Grandpa Chip. We saw Chip at Dorothy Holtz's funeral Saturday morning. Saturday evening Rick and Deb took us to Monticello for dinner as pay for doing their cat chores while they were gone and to pay ahead for when they leave again this month. Deb is taking me for my first ever pedicure and manicure today. My nails and feet are so ugly, the clinician will probably have to hide her face to either laugh or throw up.

Bean planting going well, should be done in a day or two.

Turkey

We see a lot of wild turkeys around here, but Sunday I saw something I had never seen. On the hill to the southeast was a big black spot, Bill said a turkey; I said a deer (it was that big)! It indeed was a male turkey with his tail feathers fanned out. I had never seen this before and with the help of binoculars I could see him standing there in all his glory with 5 females around him. You know I don't like birds; but this was something to see.

Larry has been busy putting little sweatshirts on all the corn seed he has been planting. They started Monday morning and have been at it since. Bill and Ben are getting the fields ready for Larry. Should have the corn all planted either today or tomorrow, depending on equipment malfunctions etc. So far, so good.

Ben's first race Friday night was exciting and he did really well during the feature as he stayed behind the rest and just got the feel of the car and track. He did finish, not last, second to last, but not last and had no spin outs. The heat race on the other hand--well, he finally pulled off much to my relief. Ben said yesterday that he would like to find others to help him rent the track for practice, but to rent the track costs $500. Last night found Ben and Bill working on the car; the oil pan has a hole in it. We won't be able to go to the races this week as we have to work at the Legion Fish Fry, the last one of the season. All proceeds will go to the Honor Flight.

Prayers for Caleb and the 3/2, please. Life might have gotten more difficult for them since the death of Bin Laden. Hopefully no reprisals but all our servicemen need our thoughts and prayers.

Time to Plant Corn

It really is time to plant, but the weather isn't cooperating. I have mowed the lawn one time. I did the yard Sunday afternoon and now water is sitting where I mowed. It will get nice again; it always has and we've always gotten the crops in. It just seems like the time will never come and the weather will never get warm.

I had guests Sunday for lunch; Rick & Deb Sawyer, Larry, Ellen, Caitlin, Grandma Fehling and Sue and Ben. We had a great big meal and I only fixed the ham, potatoes, broccoli & corn casserole, a carrot casserole and rolls. Deb brought a green bean casserole, corn casserole and a strawberry whipped salad, Ellen brought her famous pea salad and Sue brought 4 pies (none of which she made herself!). Mother brought 2 bottles of wine she said she didn't want back, one of which was vinegary and I dumped down the drain. The other one we will drink. We played a few rousing games of Farkel which the women won!

Didn't go to school this week (Easter vacation for the school) and Vicki wasn't having story hour this month so I didn't go to the library. Last night was the night the Maragaret Dallas scholarship committee got together to pick the winners and North Cedar got 2 of the 4. There was only $2000 to divide among 35 applications. Three of us from North Cedar decide on whom we like from our school district, the other members read Tipton, Durant, Wilton and West Branch applications. A short, to-the-point meeting and we were done in less than 2 hours.

Home

We are home from our cruise to Bermuda. What a great time we had! New experiences for all of us. I really hadn't know where Bermuda was, or that it was a chain of islands, really, attached by bridges. The water is a beautiful shade of blue and as we saw on our excursion in the glass bottom boat, full of coral reefs (and even sunken ships!). Of interest on the island are houses with white roofs--they use the roofs to collect rain water as their main source of water. The water collected goes into a tank under the house and is used for everything. The houses are painted in pastel colors, they can be painted any color the owner wishes. Very big mansions there and some not so nice very old (think hundreds of years old) houses. We did a tour around the islands in a boat with a very knowledgeable man who told us many things about the island; a tour in the glass bottom boat; and a 5 hour tour on a bus. There are no straight roads in Bermuda, just narrow winding ones and they drive on the wrong side of the road! Steering wheels are on the wrong side of the vehicles. Only one car per household is allowed, so there are many motorcycles and scooters.

We came home to cold temperatures, the death of another 16 year old North Cedar student and the death of the mother of one of Larry's classmates.

Bill and I went to the races the night before we left and Ben's car won the heat race and the feature. Of course, we realized right away that Ben wasn't driving, Dan was. The races were cancelled last week--still looking forward to??? Ben's first night driving!