Polar Run for Special Olympics Winner

Astrid got another "bestest of the restest" time today! 20 minutes and 14 seconds I think she said.

 Astrid won the race today for Special Olympics and this week she joined the local River Valley Runners Club.  Laura sent 15 dollars for her fee, but they just joined her for free!

The young man in the picture is Astrid's friend Clay.  He took second in the race.  Astrid set a record of the fastest time for this race!  Wahoo, Astrid!

 Astrid, Clay and Clay's dad.  He is a local hog farmer.

Bullies Are Back

The Red-winged Black birds are bullies!   They chase all my little song birds away.  The sweet little ones have to lit on the ground and eat the leavings!  In life and in nature there are bullies.  I recall in my earlier years of teaching schools had cola machines.  A bully would stand there and make timid ones buy him a drink.  Sometimes girls stood and did that too.  In bathrooms and locker rooms girls are the biggest bullies.  They claim a territory and only their "group" can venture in.  Lots of times when I met their parents I understood why they were like that.  The parents were bullies too!

One year, I had Larry sitting on the back porch with a pellet gun shooing the bully birds on their way.  At the end of the season my seed feeder was full of big holes so I have quit asking for his help.

Raising children is a tough job. You don't want them to be timid but you don't want your kids to be bullies either.  Balance is the key.  Stand up when the need arises but don't stand and block the way of others just because you can.

Last Dance

 I think the Dance Team's season is about to end.  Soon they will try out for next year.  Sure hope Ingrid makes the group again as she loved this year.  Above she is with the 8th graders on the squad.

 In the stands, I think at Russevllive High School

 On the bus going to a game.

 Waiting in the hall

 Out on the town above and near the wall below.

Eating out with the squad!

Cheering in the stands

Ingrid Today

 Above is Ingrid during Drill Team and below she is trying on her friend's glasses.  She looks plenty smart without them.

Just a Little Titmouse

 This is the only mouse I like.  Isn't it a delicate little bird.  I love the little tuft  on it's head.  The Titmouse is shy and hides on the back side of the feeder when I try to take a picture, but I snapped this one from inside the house before he could fly away.  A big song comes from this tiny bird.

A little gray bird with an echoing voice, the Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to feeders. The large black eyes, small, round bill, and brushy crest gives these birds a quiet but eager expression that matches the way they flit through canopies, hang from twig-ends, and drop in to bird feeders. When a titmouse finds a large seed, you’ll see it carry the prize to a perch and crack it with sharp whacks of its stout bill.

I hope "My New Patsy" will tell me if this is not the bird I think it is.

Hundred Dollar Store

 Astrid posted a new selfie at the site the young folks use.  Below is a picture of Helen's bathroom and her new shelf to put all her vanity things on.  She told me her goal was to get everything off her kitchen and bathroom counters.  I would like to do that in the kitchen but I have so much stuff on the counters.  I may try it.

We are going to Sams today.  Sister Helen calls it the $100 Store.  You can't get out of there without spending $100.   We go every couple of months.  I don't think we save any money, but I do love having toilet paper, paper towel etc. to last half a year!  I am going to look for yeast there.  I have had my package I got from there over 5 years and it does not seem to work as well.

It is going to be another beautiful day.  So nice to wake in the morning, make my coffee, see the sun in the sky, and hear the birds singing a sweet song just for me.

When Lake Dardanelle Wasn't

 The Corp of Engineers built a big dam on the Arkansas River in 1964, construction was completed on the Dardanelle Dam, located near the river crossing between Dardanelle and Russellville. Lake Dardanelle was created in 1965. Construction on the lock and powerhouse was completed in 1969. The dam, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was part of the McClellan-Kerr navigation project that made the Arkansas River navigable to commercial vessels.

These photos were taken in October of 1964. Old car bodies were placed along Lake Front Drive for fish attractors prior to Lake Dardanelle being filled.

 When the Dam was being built Larry lived across the road from the new Lake.

These pictures are of the area across the road from where Bona Dea Trail is today, our walking spot when I drive to walk.  Lake Dardanelle is home to the only Nuclear Power Plant in AR.  The steam in the aerial photos are from the Plant.  Every year we get a big packet of information telling us where to go in case of a disaster.  Three is a plan in place for everyone in the area--all the schools, etc.

Things To Come

 Jonquils are starting to declare that warmer weather is around the bend.

 Robins are hopping around looking for a worm and making my day brighter.

I went out to walk early and it was bearable.  I spotted the pretty yellow bloom and went back out to take a picture so I could show you and the wind had picked up but at least the sun is showing his face.

Into The Deep Dark Attic

Helen climbed into the attic today to rid the eaves of wasps nests.  She is thinking ahead when they are active in the summer. Daddy had made the entry into the back porch for himself to crawl through and Helen did not want to get stuck in there and have to wait to lose enough weight to escape the back porch attic but she peaked inside and over in the corner above where our old cistern was hang wasp nests galore.  Some she said were as big as a dish pan.  She is seeking a little person to help her.  Tone, Gil, and Kel are all off the list.  I am wondering about skinny Sister Fleta.  Fleet, would you venture over the back porch and punch a few paper wasp nests?  Helen's bed could end up like this poor fellow's if someone does not help.  Brother Clayton used the adage--"leave me along and I will leave you alone".  He lived peacefully among the stingers.  I think he even pointed them out to visitors that he wished would not come again!

She sent me this photo by phone.  I am afraid she does not know a dirt dauber from a red wasp!

On The Rocks

 Isaiah 32:2

Each will be like a refuge from the wind And a shelter from the storm, Like streams of water in a dry country, Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.

Roaming The Hills

 Erin, Clayton and Greta went to Richland Creek, Falling Water, and Alum Cove today.  Oh, they passed by Hillary's campaign headquarters for Arkansas, too.

Run From Your Sweetheart!

If Astrid ran from all her sweethearts, they would never catch her!!  She ran in Tech's Sweetheart race today and took 3rd overall.  She teamed up with her friend Clay's Dad and they won 2nd in the partner race!  She took a trophy and a basket of gifts!  Astrid's time was the best she has ever ran--20 minutes and 20 seconds--it was a 5 K or 3.10686 miles!