Monday, September 28, 2015
Miss El's Seventh Birthday
Miss El celebrated her seventh birthday the day before.
Friends came over for the celebration.
Her father told a story about feeling the body parts of a dead man.
El's big sister and brother were the 'helpers' who brought around
the 'body parts' for the girls to feel.
"OOOOUUUU.....G-R-O-S-S-S.....,"
"I'm not touching THAT!" said the girls.
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We ate pizza, then sang, "Happy Birthday."
After cake and ice cream (note the purple lips),
presents were opened.
The day was chilly.
The pool had been warmed for the children to swim.
And they swam/played until finally, they got out to eat again!
Happy Seventh Birthday to you, Miss El!
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Lunar Eclipse
There was a lunar eclipse on Miss El's seventh birthday!
The sky was clear.
What a birthday present!
Happy Birthday, Miss El!
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Thursday, September 24, 2015
Forecast calls for warm fall
Fall began at 4:21 a.m. Wednesday, September 23.
The National Weather Service predicts
it will be a warmer Fall than normal,
thanks to the effects of an El Nino.
it will be a warmer Fall than normal,
thanks to the effects of an El Nino.
September has had seven days so far at or above 90 degrees,
more than any summer month.
August temperatures didn't reach 90 degrees.
Average temperature was the coolest is has been in three years
at 72 degrees,
three degrees below the August 2014 average.
More than two inches of rain fell in August,
less then the nearly four inches that fell in 2014.
July saw only four days at 90 degrees or above.
The average temperature was 75 degrees,
three degrees above the July 2014 average.
More than five inches of rain fell in July,
compared with just over two inches in July 2014.
June saw five days at 90 degrees or above.
June had an average temperature of 72 degrees,
two degrees below the June 2014 average.
Seven inches of rain fell,
slightly more than the six inches of rain that fell in June 2014.
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Monday, September 21, 2015
Antique Machinery Show
The Butler County Antique Machinery Club has relocated from Chrisholm Historic Farmstead to the Barn-n-Bunk in Trenton.
A couple of weeks ago, the two of us helped several of the members of the club build these corn shocks. About ten stalks had been bundled together in the field.
We then stacked the ten stalks to make the larger corn shocks.
Aaaaaagh!
Members brought 70 tractors to the show!
Up from 50 tractors last year.
This is the machine that separates the corn from the
leaves and stalks. The dried corn goes into the green wagon;
the chopped leaves and stalks, into the red wagon.
A Bobcat is lifting a shock of corn to be husked.
This man was really busy, cutting the twine binding the shocks
and feeding the stalks through.
All done. Time for a new shock of corn.
Why were shocks of corn built?
The chute got clogged with the husks.
Pumpkins for sale.
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Friday, September 18, 2015
Xenia Adventure
We arrived at the Greene County Fairgrounds Tuesday morning.
The plan for the day was to ride north along the Little Miami Scenic Trail
to Young's Dairy for breakfast.
to Young's Dairy for breakfast.
A tradition with the group.
A newly constructed covered bridge crossed the Little Miami Scenic Trail.
We stopped to investigate the Hyde Road Bridge.
A car came through the covered bridge as we were leaving.
The construction intrigued the engineers of the group.
The weather was quite pleasant; we rode 24 miles.
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Wednesday's ride was to the Carillon Park in Dayton for lunch.
The ladies decided they would meet us at the Eastwood
Metro Park just east of Dayton.
Here we are.
Ready or not.
Ron, Don, John, Mike and Jack.
Mike and I swapped places so I could be in the photo.
We stopped for a break along the Creekside Trail.
Don checked out the recumbent.
Eastwood Park. Waiting for the ladies.
The ladies with their bikes in the truck.
The last stretch along the Mad River Trail was a bit difficult
as the trail/roads within Dayton were under construction.
Dayton from the Mad River Trail.
The stronger riders carried their bikes up the stairs.
The rest of us rode the circuitous, less steep path to the top.
Where beer is brewed the old fashioned way.
Some had huge reuben sandwiches -
four of us took half of our sandwich home.
Some sampled the beer.
We returned along the Mad River Trail together.
The ladies stopped at Eastwood Park.
John, Don and I continued on the Creekside Trail,
except that we 'accidentally' happened upon the Iron Horse Trail
taking us south towards Kettering.
Oooops.
We turned around - an additional three miles we didn't need.
We met up with Jack and Mike who hadn't taken the scenic tour.
We ended the day with 46 miles -
more than I have ridden at one time all year!
I was exhausted!
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Thursday, John and I rode the Little Miami Scenic Trail south, then we
rode west on Route 725 to Bellbrook and the Blue Berry Cafe.
The 'Muffin Man' showed the patrons his wares.
We ordered two blueberry muffins for breakfast the next morning.
"The muffins are sleeping.
Twenty seconds in the microwave will wake 'em right up."
Thursday morning, the three couples from North Carolina made a trip to
Jungle Jim's for supplies to make Cincinnati Chili
for a community dinner.
Thank you, Ladies! The chili was quite good!
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Saturday, September 12, 2015
Clinton County Corn Festival
The Corn Festival always has a beautiful display of quilts.
The quilt on the left is similar to a T-shirt quilt, but on a slant.
The quilt on the right is just plain intriguing.
I'm not necessarily an OSU fan, but the letters/design are interesting.
Very rarely is a quilt finished with a colorful outside border,
as is the quilt on the right.
The day was overcast and chilly as we walked
between/through the buildings and displays.
We were eating lunch when John spotted his friend, Pete,
setting up his oil field engine.
Pete was glad that John happened along to help .
In the background is an operating windmill.
A Fairbanks Morse engine is housed in the building.
Antique Power at Work
Rain started to fall - a drizzle, but with promises of more.
We headed toward our car.
We walked through the tractor display area
and past the steam.
Rain was coming down and black clouds were overhead.
Never a good sign.
Time to head home.
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