Butterfly milkweed bush

this is one of the plants Gladdin planted in our yard. It is so pretty, I want more of them now that I see all the monarchs coming to visit it. Heaven must be full of them.

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Sigourney sunset

I got a new camera a few months ago so that I could keep it in my purse for shots like this. The Lord has given us such beautiful surroundings, make sure you take time to smell the roses.








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The other Gladdin

Bet you didn't know Gladdin had a multiple personality. Yep, Gladdin Grover, Bert Grover, or Albert. Depends on where he is as to which personality comes out. I've always know him as Gladdin. But go down south and Bert comes out. Sometimes Albert shows up too. First time I was with Gladdin and Bert came out, I was confused. I asked him, "what do I call you? Albert, Albert Gladdin, or Bert?" Well, whether he's Albert, Gladdin or Bert he is still the same old easy going guy. He said I could call him anything. So I call him Sue.



This is Nona, Bert's sister. She lives in Salt Lake City.
Nona wanted to come out for their mother's 95th birthday. We celebrated it August 19th, it was a great gift to mother to see all of the children together.


This is Bert, Nona and Chris, Nona's boyfriend; in our back yard.

Here they are all relaxing after a big breakfast.




They could spend only one night with us, and then had to head down to Sigourney to visit the rest of the family. Their dog angel was ready to hit the road.

What a nice dog she is. So mellow and sweet.

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Sure do love this guy

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Green Acres

Farm living is the life for me! We rent out 11 acres to a farmer, this year we get to look out our back windows and see corn. Beautiful. We don't live very far from the Marion airport, so frequently we might hear an airplane but it isn't anything bothersome. Gladdin was outside a few days ago and came in and said come look! So I went out to see a plane crop dusting the corn... zoom! I ran in to get the camera, got some great photos, and cheap thrills. I admit I am easily amused but hey! it was pretty cool for a city girl.

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Mary Ann's visit

I'm so sad, my sis has gone back to California.

We had such a good time. Monday, Mary Ann, mom and I shopped for bargains at the Goodwill; yes I converted my sister.

Mary Ann and mom shopped at Christopher and Banks while I shopped at the big girl store next door CJ Banks. I thought if we just fatten her up a bit we could shop at the same store! Believe it or not, her area of California doesn't have a Christopher and Banks so she stocks up while she's in Iowa. Tuesday we continued our shopping spree.

Wed. the 3 of us visited the Farmer's Daughter's Market, we both bought these happily ever after signs. Mine is in our bedroom. I don't think Gladdin has even noticed it yet! :-)

Thur. Mary Ann and Harold just hung out with mom.

But Fri. we all went to the Amana's and shopped, and ate catfish at the Colony Inn. DELICIOUS! The fatigue finally caught up to mom at the Amana's, she did alot of sitting while we browsed ,

but she perked up a bit when we all got a pair of these cute sandals, assorted bling! Too cute!

Mom was going to go to the farmer's market downtown Sat. with us but stayed home to rest. Our sweet corn festival plans got rained out on Sunday. We packed in alot of fun things while she was here, I sure hope Mary Ann and Harold move back here when they retire, like Harold put it, he would put her back where he got her from. I sure do love that guy.

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Giant Marshmallows

I like to eat marshmallows sometimes, just a nice quick sweet treat to have in the cupboard. I was at the store, pushing the cart along when out of the corner of my eye I say this huge bag of marshmallows! I mean huge! I went over and picked one up, and laughed out loud. What a fun thing to do, supersize marshmallows! There are pink ones along with the standard white ones. Tossing it in the cart, I couldn't wait to show them to Gladdin. He wasn't nearly as thrilled as I was, imagine that. So I busted the bag open, and took a bite...ummm, fresh and yummy. One marshmallow is enough to stuff you. I did a search for giant marshmallows on the internet, just to see what I'd find. Do you know where marshmallows come from? Neither did I, all my life living here in Iowa. I knew chocolate milk came from brown cows, and jelly beans came from the easter bunny, but never saw a harvest of marshmallows.

I'm going to get some seeds next year, and grow a bunch of my own!

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My sis is coming to visit August 10-20

mom, my daughter- in- law Steph, Mary Ann and me

My sis is coming to visit!

I am very excited. Mary Ann is the oldest in the King clan, born August 9th many, many years before I was born. (I did that for your benefit Mary Ann, a test to see if you read my blog! :-)) She has a high school reunion she wants to attend, graduated from Washington High school, you know, back in the dark ages.. :-)

She takes after dad's side, dark hair, skinny legs. She even sounds like my sweet daddy's sister, Mary.

Mary Ann has lived away from this area since she got married, I was just a wee child when she moved away. She lives in California now. You other gals whom have sisters might not believe this, but it is the honest truth...We never got into an argument. No not once, never. I do remember getting mad at her and her girl friend though; they probably wanted me to get out of their hair. So I made them give my gum back. Yep, spit it right into my hand they did. "That'll teach them!" I thought to myself. Humph!

I saw a movie on THIS tv last night, channel 7.2. The Man in the Moon was the title, with Reece Witherspoon, when she was little. I watched that movie with nostalgia. It was just like Mary Ann and I. She used to brush my hair, I'd brush hers, I'd scratch her back, she'd scratch mine, I couldn't wait to do the dishes JUST LIKE MY BIG SISTER. We used to sleep in bunk beds, hers was on top. Sometimes when we went to bed she would climb down and we would whisper and giggle, gradually getting louder and louder till dad would yell into our bedroom"you girls be quiet and get to sleep!" I looked up to Mary Ann, she was cool, I was clumsy and awkward.

For many years I didn't even know what to do with a sister when she came back for visits. I would ask my friends at work who had sisters what they did for fun together.

Then one year I went with mom and dad to California as their travel companion. They needed alot of help through the airport etc. after dad had his stroke. After we settled in California, Mary Ann and I took off for San Fransico for 3 days together. We had such fun! Laughing, catching up and reminiscing, laughing, walking and sight seeing, laughing, riding the cable cars, and laughing some more. If you catch us around town, we will be the ones laughing!

There has been talk...that when they retire they are moving back here. When I was out in California a few years back, Harold (her husband) and I were alone, and he told me the sweetest thing. He said, "Mary Ann gets homesick sometimes and would like to move back to Iowa, so when we retire I'm going to return her to where I got her from." I told you! SWEET huh? What a guy. Yep, she willed him to me too, said if she goes first I can have him!! I had such a crush on him when I was little. He would tickle me,and ride the scarey rides with me at the All Iowa Fair, what a guy.

Here's Mary Ann suprising Harold with a birthday cake.