Flowering

Spring seems to be arriving slowly but surely here in northern Iowa. I have been waiting with great longing for tulips and lilacs and irises. It's more rain today, and tomorrow but I am not complaining. That means these flowers will arrive even quicker, I think. If I were really on the ball, or had more time, I'd take a hike to the woods to get pictures of dutchman's breeches and bloodroot flowers. They really shout "SPRING".
I took these pictures yesterday in bright sunshine. More practice with my camera and lens. Spring makes me giddy. The thought of outdoor activities again is something I anticipate more than I thought I would!

Baby Kroesche (snap, snap snap?)

Isaiah told me the baby's name yesterday. His new little brother, no less. So let me be the first to tell you. Don't be too agahst at my spreading this all over. It was such fun to hear him tell you'll never quite get the feeling of it from me just telling you. Ok, so here it is: Ooogalooga. Now doesn't that sound like just the name Nathan would come up with?! Before Kristin, when he was still overly influenced by his weird friends...Jeff and Dan and Tim he had names picked out for all his kids and he shared them freely. Kid number one was to be named "snap" (as in snap your fingers and the sound you make was the name) Kid number two was to be "snap, snap" and so on. Thank goodness for sane mothers, else he might really have been tempted.
We'll know for sure in a few weeks.

Planet X

So I have been discovering things about LeMars that lead me to believe I might actually be on a whole 'nother planet. Clue #1: several weeks ago I was checking out my buys at WalMart. Not my favorite place, but hey, they sell cardstock and computer things cheaper than, well the paper store. But I digress...Since I was waiting to check out I thought it would be a good idea to observe. I am often found wanting in that area so when I can practice observing, I do!... Ahem, yes, well what I observed was the clerk. Something funny there. Hmmm. She? was dressed like a woman, her name tag said 'Joanne' but, well she? really didn't look like a woman. Too, hmm, square if you know what I mean. Voice-several octaves lower than most of my girlfriends. Slight hint of stuble on the face. Double hmmmm....I actualy did the rude thing, I stared. I cocked my head and squinted my eyes and really really tried to figure it out. Ok, so I behaved like what I always told my kids not to do, you know, "Don't stare". Short of directly asking "her" about my observations, I had to move on.
Clue #2: yesterday we had a little old lady in. Not too much unusual in that, but this gal looked to be about 60 and had long flowing black hair. After asking one of the staff to hold her bag she raced back to the bathroom. And went directly into the men's bathroom. Well, that stopped me. And I stopped the next two gentlemen who needed to go in. Goodness aren't the doors clearly labeled? Yes indeed. Our little old lady was feeling like the male that he was born as that day. Come to find out, sometimes he/she will come in and use the ladies.... goodness.
Adding up..an arrest in our entryway. stolen daily papers,colorful characters=planet X!

A Lunch Break

It was a perfect day for taking my lunch to the park. Le Mars has the coolest bike/hiking path and it runs right next to "the pit". Evidently I am the last one to have discovered this place. On a beautiful day like this everyone was sitting out there soaking up the sun and the warmth. Me, I had to have a book, too. I could hardly drag myself back to work. The place is lovely. The ducks were out enjoying the day, butts up in the water. All around me were walkers and birds and I could see the trees leafing out as I sat there. I've found the best place for the sumer for sure.

Things that happened on Tuesday

For having nothing on my calendar today I was overwhelming overwhelmed

Grant writing means I have to keep my calculator handy
Phone calls - line up, convince, confirm,
instant messaging
ACHHH that dumb bill I've been waiting for came back and hasn't been changed one bit. Am I going to have to get irritated about this?
City council meeting where I learn about railroad extensions, sewer projects, hospital aquisitions, and I try to stay awake through it all.
"Sue, yes or no?" I have to say no. It's easier to say yes later when I find out what the question is.
Wow, look at all these books in J that could be YA. We shall move them....Today?
Someone goes home sick. I will have to stay late....at least I'm willing to if I need to.
A trip to Walmart for pictures. I hate Walmart for pictures. What am I talking about, I hate Walmart for most everything. I feel like I am compromising my basic American values by shopping here.
Oh, look they have peanuts. There go my values again.
emails, mail, a beauty of a day, lunch at my desk, time to wait on people and even answer some questions.

Lens

I just got a new camera lens. It's a Tamron, 10-24 mm wide angle lens. If you look at the picture of the courthouse in my header at the top of the blog, you can really see how this thing works. that snowy, courthouse picture was taken with my 18-250 mm lens and I was standing across the street to get the shot. With these middle three pictures I'm practically standing next to the courthouse, yet I can get the whole building in the shot. The first picture of the Dutch front I shot downtown and I'm right underneath the building, yet I can get the whole view in the frame. I am excited about using this lens when I take my trip to Europe with Amy in a few weeks. We will be no doubt be slowed down because Sue is forever taking shots and changing lenses. Well, we'll see anyway.