Kansas Skies

I often grumble about the lack of mountains and trees in KS,

since I grew up where mountains and trees were

 at least closer to my southeastern Idaho home.

(The actual area where I lived was

kind of a desert until they started irrigating,

then it was full of potatoes, sugar beets, and wheat).

We could drive a few dozen miles and at least be

in the foot hills!

BUT

The one thing Kansas does have is

 pretty derned good sunsets

 and towering clouds.

These were some of the clouds this evening

 - which I might add produced very little rain on our yard.

It is very disheartening to see thunderstorms

blow up around us on the radar - then to watch

them disapate when they hit the county line,

or the highway 3 or 4 blocks to the east,

or just to the north of us.

We can't seem to beg, steal or borrow

much rain here in our town.

But at least the clouds were gorgeous:

Our lack of rain reminds me of the scripture from

Habakkuk 3:17

"Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines

[though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yeild no food,

though the flock is cut off from the fold

and there are no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!"

Illinois

Over Memorial Day weekend

we got away to Illinois.

My man went to high school in Waukegan and his folks

lived there for about 43 years

after moving from MN.

We went to spend some time with Younger Sister

and Hubby and one son home from college.

(the other college age son was at our house just before Memorial Day weekend)

Fun kids - all of them!

One of the things we did - that I remembered to take pictures of -

was the Illinois Railroad Museum

in Union, IL.

Of all the railroad museums we have been to, and there have been

several to many,

this one is the one of the best preserved and most diverse.

(The B & O Museum in Baltimore is good too).

They were having a reenactment of some battles from WWII, and

there were Confederate and Union soldiers from the Civil War,

WWI soldiers, army nurses, waitresses, girlfriends of soldiers,

some Italian civilians resisters, several Nazis.

Along with tents and various props.

It was kind of fun seeing all this going on, besides the trains.

We had a very nice time up there in IL, then stopped in Branson

on the way home.

There, we mostly just drove around and looked at the scenery.

And saw 1 show.

The Baldnobbers.

We've seen them several times before, but we so enjoy laughing

at those comedians.

They actually have very very funny CLEAN humor.

And some of it is laugh out loud stuff.

And the music is pretty good too.

Then my dear husband took me to see

the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

He was kind of bored, I loved it.

Anyway, it was good to get away for a week or so,

but not so great to come home to AUGUST in JUNE!!!

Way too early for this triple digit junk.

I'm ready to go to Idaho or Colorado - just get me back to my mountains!!

* * * * *





By Popular Demand:

    Okay - by request of two (yes, 2) people:

     Here are a few pictures of my newly painted kitchen/dining room/stairway to fam room.
Don't know if you can really tell the color or not on these pics, but here they are:









 

     Yes, the wall with the cuckoo clock is a ligther color, and more green. This may be the color that will end up on the east wall (chimney wall) - or not. Time to get rid of the yellow in the living room, but I have to rest up a little bit first. That is a whole lot more wall space for me to try to get covered. But I think I'll use a roller instead of just a brush. There was way too much detail work in the kitchen for a roller....
    So, my "Public," What do ya think? Is this acceptable to the masses (of two)?


http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/facelift/faroutfallbannercopy.jpg

May 9th, 2011

http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/facelift/faroutfallbannercopy.jpg

Yesterday was my beautiful mother's

97th brthday!

Zella Lois Kliewer

was born May 9, 1914.

She was married to Dr. Frank L Harms from September 7th, 1940

til March 28th, 1981, when he passed away

in Colorado Springs while on a short

vacation to see the Kansas kids

during the kids' spring break.

Lois has been a great role model for her children and grandchildren.

She has been a believer in Jesus Christ as her savior since she

was about 17 years old.

Lois celebrated her 97th birthday all last weekend,

starting with a Woman's Tea at Grace Community Church

where she won the prize for being the oldest Mom there.

Then Sunday was Mother's Day with a card, a chocolate

cake from me, and a beautiful bouquet from my sister and

"the Alaska Bunch"

On Monday I took Mother to lunch at the Breadbasket

because that is where she wanted to go.

She had a cup of chicken borsch and a peice of chocolate pie.

The Man joined us after we had eaten to help Mom celebrate.

She also received a beautiful geranium from my sis and the "Alaska Bunch"

and I brought over another chocolate cake (with white icing, alas)

for Mom to share with her table mates at Presby Manor.

[Are you sensing a theme here? ...

Mom prefers chocolate cake, pie, etc.]

All in all, I think she enjoyed her weekend, and

really did celebrate being 97.

Our family is so very blessed to have Mother

with us still. My sis and I ALWAYS thank the Lord for

this wonderful beautiful loving Mom. 

Correction

http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/facelift/faroutfallbannercopy.jpg http://mommah.typepad.com/mommah-musing/ is the correct address for the "other one."