May Day; flowers, bunnies and birds.

This May Day is quite a cool day!  This afternoon it is 52 degrees.  Not the 70 you would think May Day would bring.

We like to deliver May baskets on May Day.  Here is an old photo from 2011 when the grandkids delivered some May baskets to their great-grandparents.

In Sunday School, we made May baskets and I brought flowers from home to put in their baskets. I'm sad I didn't take pictures.   Here are some of the flowers I picked from around my house for those baskets along with some others that are growing too.

Soon!!

 I love the paddle plant (or flapjack plant - kalanchoe thyrsiflora)

 
The pods from our birch tree are falling all around.

looks like a worm!

This rose bush will be full of blooms soon!

The chive plant has cute pom-pom flowers - but it smells like onion, of course! 

 

 A few weeks ago, I took a picture outside my kitchen window of a bunny making a nest in the front yard.  She was so very busy!

And yesterday, there was a cute little bunny hopping around in my backyard!

The orioles arrived this week!

I know God loves the little sparrows, but they are a mess.

I'm glad God loves messes - messy people included!

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

If you let them build nests in the purple martin house, I've read that they will attack the purple martins' eggs and even the mother or babies and can kill them.

So my husband faithfully has gotten rid of their nests.  Sparrow nests are made from dried vegetation.  It fills the whole box - amazing how fast that happens since Al tries to clean out their nest every 2-3 days!

Purple martins' nests are made of twigs, plants and mud so you can tell the difference.  Sorry, sparrow, find other places to build your nests!!

We have had beautiful sunrises this past month.

Happy May!

Fire!

This past week, we could see smoke rising in the distance.

"Let's go check it out!" Al said.

I'm always ready for an adventure! 

 We headed west out of town on Southwest 36th.

An old bridge for a train

(no longer in use)

We were getting closer to the fire 

The Kansas sunset seemed to set the sky on fire

We turned onto a really sandy road.

Similar to the sand dunes in Hutchinson.

We did not realize that there was this type of sandy soil so close to us.

 We came across a controlled pasture burn.
(This is important to keep wild fires from occuring)


Al grew up doing control burns as a kid on the farm.
I know he misses being a farmer at times.
(we joke that he went to pharmacy school thinking it was spelled "farmacy")

We enjoyed visiting with the farmer who owned this acerage.

 We could hear peacocks from
 a couple of farms calling out.
Maybe calling "Help!  Fire!" in peacockese.

 They were coming behind the fires to water them to keep the fire from spreading.

It was all so fascinating to watch! 

Moses' bush?

We drove back home on SW 48th.

Drove past the farmhouse we lived in for 6 months while our home was being built.

Such good memories of that time with our very nice landlords, the Josts! 

We went on this unmaintained road.

Looked like some kids had fun mudding 

in their pickups after the last rain!

 I'm so glad to have a husband who enjoys taking me on little adventures!

Shopping in the city

I enjoy living in our town; population approximately 19,000.

 I've lived in one of the largest cities in the world; Tokyo, Japan.  Population around 24 million in 1970's.  I lived there for 2 years in highschool at boarding school.

I've also lived in a very small town; Pretty Prairie, Kansas with a population of around 500 when I lived there.

I like to go shopping in the "big city" every so often.  Wichita, population about 300,000.

This past week I decided to go to town using the old highway.  I like driving back roads over the gentle rolling hills.  Pretty farm country.

On the way to town, I listened to stories of Paul's missionary journeys from 2 Corinthians and Galatians.  I have this CD series that has sound effects and is pretty amazing.  We are planning a trip to follow the life of Paul so we have been encouraged to read his letters. And I often use drive time to listen to it.   

I took 81 all the way to 37th.  Just for the heck of it.  There was a train blocking 37th, but I was in no hurry.  I actually like the laid back drive.

 We used to live in this neck of the woods back in the 80's and used 37th to go to Eve Free Church.

Mom and Dad Canada geese and their babies were crossing the road.

I enjoy shopping at Kohl's.

I saw this cute bag in the advertisements and I was so glad to find one!

I also got Al some dress pants for only $10!  Regularly $60!

At Aldi's, eggs were 88 cents for a dozen!  I picked up 5 dozen!  I try to keep extra bags in the car (since you have to bag your groceries) and try to remember to take my cooler along when I go.  And cash.  They do take a debit card, but we don't have one.  They do not take credit cards.

Got some non-dairy cheese at the Fresh Market at Bradley Fair 

for my granddaughter who is allergic to dairy.

I love the classical music they play at this grocers.

The crazy wild music at some grocery stores make me want to rush out!

I picked up several Keurig coffees at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  They have moved and aren't beside the Fresh Market any longer, but are now located north of 96 on Greenwich (for the east side of town).

I like to use my 20% coupons.

Do you know that they NEVER EXPIRE?!

I used 6 coupons.

I had several stores to go to and spent several hours in town before heading home.  I'm exhausted when I'm done.  

Shopping success!

Now to begin a new list.
When it is long, I'll make another trip to the city!