yesterday's parade and festival...

Newman is a very small town 8 miles north of us...

even smaller than our little town of 900...

its where DH works...

and they have been having this Freedom Festival in this little town now for a few years...

along with a pretty impressive firework display on Saturday night...

which we can literally see from here...

and almost the whole town is in the parade...

really...

but we went up to see this guy...

Super C...

Kernel Korn...

Super Creepy...

King Kornholeous...

there are many names for him now...

and some I cannot put on here...

(you know how guys are)

and these dorks...

are my DH and his work buddies...

the official ADM Float...

and these are all from our town...

and there were a few more, too...

then it was time to head up town...

(after we picked up the old guy from the elevator)

there are marvelous old buildings, beautiful street lights and some really friendly people up there...

and...

they kept throwing candy at me...

just put an old lady in a wheel chair on a street corner and see how much they throw!

I am not sure if I am getting any of it...

the kids are wiping me out...

but it was a good day...

came home to eat, all the food places had lines miles long...

so we just headed home...

I HAVE TO PACK MY FOOD AND SNACKS WHEN WE GO NEXT TIME!

I have a schedule that I need to follow and when my blood sugar drops, I have to eat...

so, I will start taking things in the van for such times in the future so we can stay longer...

I was so disappointed in the vendors...

all home party stuff...

there were no crafts...

none...

not like the festivals were when I was setting up in them...

just wonder if I could make a killing doing that again...

didn't spend a dime there...

which is a good thing, too...

just ask the old man...

they did have an awesome, home town band playing old tunes in the gazebo in the middle of the square, though...

that was a fun thing to have there...

Craig's working today and the old one and I mowed the yard, took a drive and a nap and getting ready here to do supper...

so off I go and I will post photos tomorrow of our drive today...

from Moo Holler...

;0)

we got rain and then some, plus a picnic in it...

this is what we woke up to and its rained more since then...

we will check when we go out this morning...

we have green beans!

the dam at the town lake...

water standing on the road sides and in the fields...

not as bad here as in the areas around us...

they had all the rain we missed before and now this stuff...

bean fields look like rice fields in the low areas...

I think we have had all we need now...

flash flood warning have been issued...

milk weed is blooming...

cows in the rain...

 black angus cows...

pretty, huh?

1st base is under water...

along with the rest of the diamond...

I named him Boscoe...

and then onto the picnic at the state park just north of us...

it drizzled most of the time...

but we had a good time...

they cooked 45 rib eyes and fried chicken, too...

they had 2 big grills going...

and this fryer...

took them awhile, so we had time to walk to the water...

and visit with everyone...

there is a restaurant there and after we headed over to it...

for hot fudge sundaes...

and to watch the geese swim by...

this is the eatery and we need to get out there more often...

we got the festival to do today and DH will be in the parade...

I can see a funnel cake in our future...

the guys love them...

I hope you had your coffee with you when you sat down...

;0)

spent most of the day on the deck, out of the rain...

I went out after lunch...

someone was sleeping so hard, I had to check him to make sure he was still on this side of Heaven...

our big old boy, Hermie...

so, I grabbed a pillow and curled up with him...

and just snapped away...

I came back in and when DH got home, we went out for a walk and checked out the yard...

we hadn't gotten much rain at all...

it was still dry and cracked under the trees...

Craig landed briefly, headed out to the movies in Paris with Tia...

so, after supper, DH and I hit the deck again...

and Charlie...

and it was raining the softest rain...

no wind at all...

and Charlie and I played a bit before falling asleep...

spent the whole evening out there...

I am buying things cheap for the kids shopping night in December...

some lucky mom or grandma is going to get that lamp and snowman cookie jar...

need to start a tub for all this stuff...

and my morning ritual...

there isn't tea in there at all...

its Crystal Lite energy packets...

which I drink hot...

and my scrunchies for my hair...

for when I do my eyebrows or make up...

there might even be some change in there, too...

you just never know...

I need to get so much done, but just don't have the inspiration to do it...

and when I do, not the energy...

it already feels like the dog days of summer around here...

but, we do have baby green beans...

and should be picking within at least a couple weeks now...

and more blooms on the tomatoes this evening...

so, y'all have a great weekend...

enjoy the days without snow and ice...

and several layers of clothes...

;0)

the prairie is in bloom...

we had to run to the grocery store here before supper last night and took a short country drive on the way home...

Bill is moving in around 2pm this afternoon...

soy bean field...

I wanted to show you how the roadsides look here this time of the year...

got DH's company picnic coming up tomorrow afternoon...

and then the little town festival where he works...

the guys are going to be in the parade this year...

riding on a hay wagon...

one lucky person gets to wear the ear of corn costume...

seriously...

stay tuned to see that...

;0)

humidity is up, clouds moving across, letting spots of sunshine in here and there...

clover is a thick carpet in the yard now...

we have gotten just under an inch of rain for the week now...

not enough to roll the yard, so hoping we get an inch or two today...

'tis kind of quiet here, without little paws running around...

no puddy cat wrestling or curtain climbing...

;0)

but they are all doing well...

where they are at...

and that's the goal...

got 4 more who will be up and running soon enough...

its like the first week of school...

the kids are off starting a new year and you are left at home...

wondering where all the chaos went...

now what do I do?

I'll tell you what...

that baby blanket needs more work on it...

got some books here, too...

and there's always naps...

without anyone licking my eyelids!

have a blessed day...

and plan something fun this weekend...

besides bailing water...

I would love a day on a lake, just don't want it in my backyard...

;0)