Birds, Biscuits, Big Problems and the Best coffeeshop concert

 

This first day of September, my friend Elaine and I went to Hesston Dyck Arboretum to take a class on the migration of birds.  We learned that the night before 13,000 birds flew over Kansas on their migratory path.

On August 22, they said 659,700 did so!!  I guess they use Doppler weather satellite. computer modeling and specialized acoustic tools to determine this.

Most migrate at night, but hawks migrate during the day as warm air thermals help conserve energy in flight.  Flapping takes a lot of energy; gliding is easier.  And they also can see prey.  The night flyers find the air calmer and they can eat bugs while in flight.  They also can hide from big birds that are predators.  Over time, they say there has been a 30% decrease in birds because there are fewer insects due to spraying.

Our grandddaughter in Chicago is an RA at her college.  This week they had an unfortunate accident.  A sprinkler malfunctioned in one of the rooms on her floor, dumping water everywhere!  The fire department wouldn't let the facilities turn off the water until the building was cleared (since the alarm was going off) so it continued to pour into the room and spilled out into the surrounding rooms.  The room it started in had 5" of standing water!  So much damaged belongings, technology and books.  Below, you can see the water seaping out of the building.

Our son and daughter-in-law who live in Arkansas told us that the University of Arkansas also had a huge water issue.  "A massive overnight water leak at the University of Arkansas forced the immediate evacuation of Reid Hall, an all-girls freshman dormitory. While initial rumors inflated the numbers, the hall actually houses 450 freshmen - not 800. The flooding began around 11:30 PM on Thursday, August 20, 2026, when a water valve burst in an eighth-floor bathroom. Witnesses reported that a toilet had been flushing continuously before the valve ruptured, sending water cascading down multiple floors and reaching ankle-depth within minutes."  They had to scramble to find alternative housing until the problem was fixed.

On Thursday we went to Wichita to take our car in to get a new windshield that was cracked from trips we've been on these past months.  We drove 2 cars down so we could go to a doctor appointment and go shopping.  We tried out a new restaurant called "The Big Biscuit" for brunch.

They have a biscuit called the Bonut.  It is a biscuit dipped in french toast batter and fried and coated with powdered sugar.  Definitely not healthy!  But one has to try something new at least once!

On Friday evening, Allen and I went to 201 Main coffee house in Whitewater.

There was a concert by Katie and Jonna who are from Louisiana.  They played Cajun music.

Jonna could play so many different instruments!  It was fun to hear how talented they both were!

Friends Ed and Chris own this coffee shop and Katie's dad was a friend of Ed's from military days. 

One song was played to honour Ed and Chris' son, TJ.  I don't know that there was a dry eye as they got up to do a slow dance to the music.

Evan, who was our son's class-mate, did the mixing and sound.

Many "old" friends were there that we hadn't seen for some time.  Did they look at us and think "Man, they sure have aged."  We all are getting up there in years.

Evan joined in on the jam session.

I went on a bird walk this Saturday morning. The sun was just coming up as we gathered for the walk. It was so informative!  Usually the monthly bird walk lasts about an hour, but this morning, we all had lots of questions and Jean, who teaches biology at the college enjoyed telling us lots about bird behaviour and about the plants along the path.  It was delightful!  And lasted 2 hours!

We heard the gutteral cry of baby cardinals, and there was a red-tailed hawk in the tree watching us.  We saw several Mississippi kites.  They'll be migrating south in the next week or so.

We heard the sound of several upset robins.  We couldn't find what they were upset at, but sometimes it is  an owl.  We found a feather of a great horned owl.  Jean told us that you can't take a feather like this home.  Evidently, you wouldn't be able to prove that you didn't kill the owl to get the feather, and it is illegal to do so.

Red bellied woodpecker

A "kettle" of turkey vultures.  Over 30 in all.

If I were a bird, I'd migrate north.  This weather here is just too HOT and hotter down south!

Friends, Funerals, Fall starting back up & Fun Home Designs

 

The first Sunday of August, we met a new guy who was wanting to meet up with believers with Japan connections as he had lived in Japan for 15 months.  We gathered a group together, although several could not come due to conflicts (health, travel, etc.)  It was a sweet time and it was so enjoyable to hear eachother's stories of our years in Japan.  Next time we shall try to get a bigger group to expand his friendships.

I went to visit a friend in Halstead.  She has so many flowers; beautiful gardens!  I should have taken more photos!

This is her little glass garden - it lights up at night.

We had iced tea out on the patio.  Amazing that this August day was cool enough (is this Kansas??) to visit outside!  I should have taken a few more shots as she has her eyes closed.  She showed me her quilts, her dolls (she loves little dolls like I do!), and various projects around the house!  What a delightful morning!

I found out from Ruby that Meridian's had their Colorado peaches, so on the way home I stopped to pick some up.  I let them ripen a couple of days then I prepared them for the freezer.  Although, I did keep a little out that we put on top of vanilla ice-cream!  Oh my, sooooo delicious!

Our son-in-law came to spend a night.  He and a co-worker were playing golf at Sand Creek in our town.  It was a fund raiser for fallen first responders.  His bank was sponsoring one of the holes.

Allen!  You need to smile!

I went to 3 funerals this month.  My Dad's first cousin's wife passed away and so I went to the funeral.

They had lived in Pretty Prairie for several years before moving to Newton, so there were several from our "home" town.

Stories were told.

The 2nd funeral I attended was for this sweet man.  He and his wife were founders of our church.

It was 104 degrees out!

Ron's wife, Theresa, was from Pretty Prairie.  Her sister was my junior year home ec teacher.  I still make the Southern Potatoe Soup recipe I learned to make from her!  It is my daughter, Mindy's favorite!  This recipe card was printed 55 years ago and has been well used, as you can tell!

"Sparsley"  HA!!

Mrs. Kemp had to put up with this 16 year old who was going through the culture shock of her life, having just come to the States from Japan.  I'm sure she must have prayed often for me! Or for her to have patience with me!

In her class we designed our "future home" and I still have that!  It was state of the art!  (Ha!)        A 1970's house!

We even had to add the furniture we liked for each room.  They were cut from magazines we had.  The harvest gold and avocado greens were "in"!

I did eventually design the current house we live in but it looks quite a bit different! 

The third funeral I attended was a dear friend to my mother and also Allen's mother.  She sang with the Quiet Place Singers back in the 1970s; Allen's mother accompanied them on the piano.  They traveled far and wide and cut a couple of records that I still have.

Kirby was in Allen's class from Kindergarten to 12th grade!  Allen had to work and could not get away for the funeral.  But good news is that he has officially announced his retirement!  They are looking for a director of hospital pharmacy to take his place!

This week we also heard of the death of a classmate of my daughter, Jill.  He died hiking in the mountains in Colorado.  Perhaps you heard of it, as it was on the national news.

Jill mentioned that she went to the banquet with him her freshman year and I found the photo.

We went to Wisconsin for a few days.  A quick trip.  If you want to read about that, you can click here.

I met a lady who has connections with me from Japan!  

Her grandparents were missionaries in China and had to flee when the Japanese invaded China.  After the war, the mission agency asked if they'd go to Japan and help build homes for the missionaries.  Her grandparents are the older couple in the back.  I heard about "Uncle" Willie quite a bit.  The teenager, 3rd from the left front row, is the mother of the lady I met!  My parents are in the middle. Mom is holding my older brother, Doug (we called him Dougy back then) and my oldest brother, David, is front right holding a ball.

"Uncle" Willie built our home in Aburatsu.  My mother was able to help design part of it, just like I did our home!

My parents, if they were still here on earth, would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary on August 5.  My dad would have turned 103 this year on August 19!

Sunday school started back up.  Allen is co-teaching the adult class with Don.

We had Awana training.  I will be teaching 3-5 year olds again!

We had women's Bible study training.

I loved this illustration.  Turning our "fallow" ground in hallow ground.

We had our monthly Coffee and Conversations.  There were many burdens shared.  I love how we pray for one another.

Our Community Life Group met at our home.  We've continued to meet over the summer and we have been watching "Grandparenting Matters" videos.  I served peach cobbler from the peaches I mentioned earlier!

Speaking of grandparenting, my family have been sending me  "Nanagrams" as part of my birthday present.  I can expect these regularly during the year!  I LOVE them!!

We were invited to our dear friend's home for dinner.

I had other friends I met with also, but forgot to take pictures.  I treasure the friends the Lord has put into my life!

My Colorado granddaughter started kindergarten!  Sister has to wait for preschool until September.

My Arkansas grandson began his junior year.

My Wisconsin girls began their freshman and senior years at college in Chicago!

Her birthday was recently and Hannah took Sophie out on a pirate ship!

Their sister, Claire, started her 8th grade year.

And Emeri is no longer an Arkansan, as she has moved to California, attending college by the beach.  Poor soul.  My son and his wife flew her out there.  

I am so ready for Fall.  Unfortunately, these 100's are supposed to continue on until the middle of the month.  Ugh.

Here's a solution to the heat!

Come, Fall!

The sky has been orange some days.  That sort of is fall colours.

I mustn't complain.  There are much worse things happening around the world than just us dealing with our hot weather.  So many tragedies!  Every week!! The glacial collapse in Nepal-Tibet.  The Columbia earthquake.  Russian attacks in Urkraine.  Himalyan landslide in India.  Large earthquakes elsewhere, along with other floods. Tokyo, and Grand Canyon too at the very spot my husband, son and grandson went to a couple of years ago!   Fires! 

In Matthew 24:6-13  Jesus said:

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,  and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,  but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."