These are our rain spotted and rain washed Toyota vehicles after 4 and 1/2" of rain came down last night! A beautiful sight indeed!

I wonder what happened to this?

Kind'a looks like a cactus

This double one was the only one along the roadside that looked like this. Should normally look like these

~~~~~
I think this vehicle has seen better days. Note the wire and latches on the hood . Do you think this must have held the hood closed?

Interesting paint job. I'm sure there is much history with this vehicle, but we'll never know what happened to this truck.

~~~~~~~
 

Bringing my camera with me everywhere I go has made even a simply trip to the super market fun and very enjoyable
.
  
I've passed by this abandoned gas station hundreds of times. Yes, it is on highway 69 and sun bleached and in disrepair. But in days gone by it was a major stopping point for a fill up,windshield wash, oil check and an ice cold bottle of Orange Crush.
The only evidence of where the gas pumps once stood:

What really caught the camera's eye was this:


Behind  and to the side of the building

Would this be the heating system? What do you think it is?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love garden art. I bought and sold much garden art when I was an active dealer. I was delivering some things to the Goodwill yesterday when I spied this item outside the building. I  cheerfully paid the $4 they asked for it and with much joy headed home.
 
 I have a decorative yard windmill sort of......I did straighten out the tail easily after taking this shot.

It is well over 7 feet tall, otherwise in pretty good shape and well made.
 
I will get a metal arrow point welded to this flag making it an arrow rather than like the fan blades and motor used on this wonderful old folk art windmill.  I also like this very much, for sure I like anything unusual.

  This over 6 foot long arrow on my living room wall

might be my pattern. I shall give this some thought and when it is to my liking I shall post a picture of the completed piece. I need a staff, a crew of craftsmen to carry out my ideas! Help wanted! Any takers LOL.
~~~~~~~~
Early this morning the sky looked promising for rain, the air smelled of rain and the thunder rumbled in the distance.

We were hopeful for a while, a very short while as we watched the sky quickly begin to clear, the thunder ceased and the air no longer promised rain.

We could surely use some rain here. How's the weather where you are?

My sister Dominie and I talked about the importance of taking care of ourselves and how sometimes it is difficult to take time to do something just for our own good  with no demands on our time forgetting  the many responsibilities that often seem more important. I told her I would yield to this advice and document my success.
I grabbed my walking shoes 
I grabbed my walking stick 
I remembered my cap 
I called for my dog
I got a camera or 2
and went for a nice walk and saw chicory and Queen Ann's lace and Jerusalem artichokes

 
The golden fields of corn   
The magnificent sky    
So much beauty for me to see on a hot summer day
and there is the 'beautiful ugly' I have developed such an interest in

Much  fun and then the  grand finish of thinking of myself and treating myself as I download the pictures from my walk.

Life is good
What have you done lately just for yourself?

Years ago my brother-in-law captured this shot of the windmill on the family farm that had recently sold to new owners.
 
Unknown to him at the time this lovely old windmill was scheduled to be  bulldozed down the next day. I am a slow learner this should have taught me not to delay getting that shot when something catches my eye.
Along a route I often travel stood an old barn, showing signs of the ravages of the years but remained picturesque and in a pretty setting. . Each time I passed I thought I should stop and get a picture of that old barn. The other day I found  this new sign on a new closed gate

and the barn had partially fallen with the wind and I would be trespassing now if I got any closer. This is certainly not the shot I had wanted to take of the old barn, I had to zoom to get this.

This timing amazes me.Remember this shot several weeks ago?

Today it is a pile of ashes.

With that in mind I grabbed my camera and approached this wonderful old round barn. One of very few round barns still standing.


I had been wanting to capture a shot of this for a long time and am certainly glad I learned my lesson not to delay.
Kind of a lesson in life as much as in photography actually. I guess my motto can be "if not now when?" no matter if it applies to fixing broken  relationships or visiting sick friends or sending out that card or whatever,"if not now when?"
~~~
Are you staying cool today?  It is 75 here at the moment and we have had an early morning sprinkle, just enough to make it like a sauna as it warms back up.

 

I am posting this mainly for my family who mght want a nice recent picture of Uncle Wink, his wife and his only child.

RIP Uncle Wink you will be sadly missed..
~~~~~~~

Is there not beauty here also?  

Several years ago my brother and his friend were attending a funeral. As he looked around scanning the group attending he said,"where are the old people, everyone here is our age?" His friend responded,"we are the old people."
With the recent death of my 94 year old, much loved and much admired uncle, I am soberly reminded that his widow is the last of that generation in our family. Fritz's side of the house also has one remaining aunt from her generation. Thus making us pretty  much,"the old people".
~~~~~
Uncles, aunts and cousins are to me the most interesting relatives to have. All my life they have been so very special. If they were rascals or if they were heroes, you can make an amusing story out of their misadventures or claim them with pride knowing they really do not reflect directly on you like a parent or a sibling would unless it is for a noble good achievement. It's your choice. Fritz had an uncle who amused him with his stories and his antics, the very same antics he'd look on with shame if it were his father acting like that. As a child and actually all my life I've enjoyed my aunts and uncles and learned much from them. Listening to them talk of the past, and for the most part admiring how they lived their lives it was all good for me.
Friday we bury this last uncle and he was very special, highly respected and much loved by family and friends. I cherish the memories of him. His wife of 70 years is every bit as special and admirable. Indeed they are the best generation who form 'a cloud of witnesses' as to how I  want to live my life and to consider what legacy I will leave behind. I appreciate the influence of  my aunts and uncles on me and hope I can have some positive influence on my nieces and nephews.
Do you have uncles and aunts you admire? Are you yet among the "old people" in your family?

It is so hot and sunny in Iowa it is like living in the french fry bin at the local Dairy Queen!

	Lamoni IA

Enter Your "City, ST" or zip code

NWS Des Moines, IA  Point Forecast: Lamoni IA  40.62°N 93.93°W Mobile Weather Information | En Español Last Update: 8:25 pm CDT Jul 17, 2011 Forecast Valid: 9am CDT Jul 18, 2011-6pm CDT Jul 24, 2011

Today Hot Hi 97 °F Tonight Mostly Clear Lo 76 °F Tuesday Hot Hi 97 °F Tuesday Night Mostly Clear Lo 77 °F Wednesday Hot Hi 98 °F Wednesday Night Mostly Clear Lo 79 °F Thursday Hot Hi 97 °F Thursday Night Slight Chc Tstms Lo 78 °F Friday Chance Tstms Hi 97 °F Hazardous weather condition(s): Excessive Heat Warning Hazardous Weather Outlook Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 110. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 107. Southwest wind between 6 and 10 mph. Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 77. South southwest wind around 8 mph. Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. South southwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 79. Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. What is it like where you are? view Yesterday's Weather Lamoni Municipal Airport Lat: 40.63   Lon: -93.9   Elev: 1122 Last Update on Jul 18, 7:53 am CDT Fair 79 °F (26 °C) Humidity: 85 % Wind Speed: SW 8 MPH Barometer: 30.09" (1017.8 mb) Dewpoint: 74 °F (23 °C) Heat Index: 83 °F (28 °C) Visibility: 8.00 mi. More Local Wx: 3 Day History:   Click Map for Forecast                        Disclaimer Lat/Lon: 40.62°N 93.93°W   Elevation:1105 ft