They're back....

working on replacing the spider like power towers that run on part of our property with big single rusty poles.  The big auger type tool you see in the photo below on the far left will be used to dig a hole that will be filled with concrete that will serve as a base.  Bolts will be embedded in the concrete and the bottom part of the rusty pole will be bolted down.  The remaining sections will be attached in stages to complete the operation and make one big single tower.

Every so often a helicopter flies along the power line and inspects the spider-like towers for imperfections.  The new towers are one long piece and are so rusty, I don't know how they would ever detect imperfections so the helicopter fly-bys may be a thing of the past.

 

The picture below was taken from the road above The Puddle Pond and shows the equipment that was moved into the corn field opposite our property.  The power company mowed down the corn crop and placed large stone and wooden "paths" back into the field in order to move their equipment in for work to begin.  The tower leg on the extreme right of the photo is part of the tower at the top of the hill above The Puddle Pond.  It will be interesting to follow the progress of the replacement of the towers as the work continues.

Veggies have been plentiful in the garden this year.  Below are tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and one lone potato that was unearthed when a clump of weeds was yanked as part of cleanup all of which were recently picked in an evening.  The asparagus beans are ready to pick and I will try to make sure and get a picture of those since they are quite unusual.

My Mom turned 86 on Saturday.
Some of her kids and their spouses took her on a picnic to a State Park we used to visit when we were growing up.  With six kids, our recreational experiences couldn't be expensive and so we went on a lot of picnics during the summer where we could swim, hike, play games, and just relax as a family.

One of my sisters left home early in the morning in the hopes of securing a pavilion.  Pavilions can be reserved for about $50 a day but if you arrive early enough and the pavilion has not been reserved it's "the early bird get the worm", so to speak.
When we arrived we got ourselves and our things situated and were handed freshly brewed coffee and scones.  My only brother had not yet arrived so some folks hiked back to the parking lot to await his arrival and help transport his stuff to our area while others read the newspaper and worked the crossword puzzle.  Four of us started a pinochle game too.

 

While we were playing pinochle, "Daniel Boone" walked by on his way to attach a schedule of events that were to take place that morning and afternoon for History Days Celebration.  He politely granted my request to take his photo on his return trip and gave me permission to post it on my blog.  Thank you Daniel Boone!

My sister and I walked to the Nature Center after lunch to see some of the scheduled events.  There was a fire making demonstration with flint and steel, homemade ice cream making, butter churning, bannocks on a stick and candle making.  We enjoyed the displays inside the center which included different native animals (stuffed) and fish and crafts for the kids.
These black-eyed susan's were flanking the one side of the building and they were colorful.

My brother and his wife arrived and we had just begun our lunchtime preparations when we discovered that the pavilion had been reserved by a local business for their company picnic.  There was a small piece of folded paper inserted in a plastic sleeve high up on the end of the pavilion at the roof which was missed when my sister originally claimed ownership of the pavilion for what we thought was the entire day.  We moved a short distance away to another group of picnic tables under the trees and resumed our lunch.   The weather was perfect - not too hot and not too cool - and we had a good time.  The food was delicious and we played pinochle and a card game called Phase Ten.  It was a new game for me but really a lot of fun.
We ended the day singing Happy Birthday to Mom and sharing birthday cake that my sister-in-law and brother had brought.
Once the cars were loaded for the return trip home, everyone agreed to meet at a little ice cream stand we would pass on our return trip to enjoy some soft serve ice cream.     

Happy Birthday Mom and may you many, many more!

Thanks to all in the family for a nice day!