After 15 YEARS ! Somethings NEVER Change !

When Sarah was 13 mo. old we moved to Watonga, Ok. and next door to this lady. Kim had a little girl 5 days older than Sarah and IMMEDIATELY we became VERY close friends! Our homes were almost extensions of the other, we were together so much!
We lived there for three years then we moved... before too long they did too. We still stayed in touch. Before we moved to Iowa in '90, Kim and the kids came to say goodbye.
Then in '96 ( the girls' senior yr) they came to Iowa for a visit. That was the last time we saw each other UNTIL last weekend!!!
Kim had to come to SE Iowa on some business, so she stayed with us and we DID have a time !

Thirty years ago Five-Alive juice came to Okla. and we had to try it.
I made blueberry pancakes for the kids quite a bit back then so, we made a "tradition" of
Five Alive and Blueberry pancakes.
Every once in a while Kim will get homesick and calls me. She doesn't say HI or anything
just "orders" some Pancakes and Five-Alive.
SO Saturday AND Sunday mornings we continued the tradition! :O)

Hurry Back, Miss Kim !!!

Our New Pastor

Last Sunday was Pastor Larry Brown's last service. Tonight was Pastor Joseph Brown's first service as our new pastor.

"Preacher" as he enters a service for the first time as Pastor

He still wants to lead the music and the choir which pleases us all VERY much!

"Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. " I Sam 10:22

Preacher said tonight that with all the "stuff" stacked around him as he was in the process of moving, He thought about this verse.
SO we posed him "hiding in the 'stuff' "

I LOVE Country Living !

I LOVE living in the country! Even on such a HOT day ( 100+ degrees) I LOVE IOWA !
Last week just about dusk I heard a tractor pretty close and looked up to see our neighbor/friend, Dave coming in to our back section to chop... Myron and I went out and watched him make a round and then got the camera out. It is such a pretty sight.

Music Man Square

I had never been to Music Man Square until my nephew, Ben's wedding in June... then two weeks later I was there again with the girls.... I combined the pictures from both trips to give you the complete "picture" of the "square". I didn't get pictures of each store but you can get the idea. Obviously the pictures from the wedding are the ones with the tables set up....

I HAD to take a picture of the restroom ceiling. prettiest I have ever seen!

Fun getting ice cream from the ice cream parlor!

Robin likes hers!

Sue LIKES hers !

Then we set outside the parlor and had some MORE laughs!

Such a good picture of this special mother and daughter !

Rose Cottage Tea Room

Another "chapter" in our trip last week was the Rose Cottage Tea Room .
Sue, Diane's sister took us to Clear Lake and after we went through those lovely gardens from the last post, we came here for lunch. What a beautiful old house!

The tables were set so attractively

And with the good company we had, the atmosphere was just the icing on the cake.

They had just added a panini to the menu and then the apple chicken salad. What a lunch I had!

This was another room and we were just in awe of the skills of SOMEONE who painted in this room.

It was just so beautiful! Such a talent!

A little "teasing" the bride to be....

The owner even played the piano for us while we ate....
Such a great time.....
Later today will add the last installment of the trip last weekend!

Central Gardens of North Iowa

After our wonderful walk earlier in the morning we met up with Diane, Robin and Diane's sister, Sue and went to this beautiful garden! It was so relaxing walking through, looking at the flowers,and plants and listening to the little streams of water throughout the park.

This cute little statue was sitting in one of the flower beds

This arch has been used for weddings... we thought it would be a fun place for a photo-op!

A Little Road Trip

"Wilma-Friend" and I took a little road trip Yesterday and came back today.
Our dear friend Diane's mother passed away this week up in Mason City, so we wanted to go up and spend some time with her.
I will share the day with you in a few posts. As usual I took a lot of pictures. It was a special time together.
First thing this morning we got up and headed to the Music Man Footbridge. We had a nice walk and enjoyed the water and flowers and plants.
It was also fun to retrace the steps that I had just taken two weeks ago today as Sarah and I photographed my nephew and his bride.

Started out at Music Man Square
Wilma with Meredith Willson :O)

The footbridge

a beautiful old house overlooking the creek

I LOVE all the old architecture. Here is a B & B in the neighborhood.

An old fence

Stay tuned for more of the day :O)