Back on the Farm

We were intending to fuel up on Monday, but didn't find a station with the required price below of what we have been seeing. We did see one station at $2.95, but we were too late to stop and I never turn around. Then we left the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and the next stations in a small town were all $3.10 for diesel, so again, we pushed on. (The gauge was not on the RED line, just getting too close.) We ended up missing our turn in Manhattan and thus had to do a loop through a construction zone, which is always fun with a big rig. Then Sandy spotted a big Shell station to the right, so instead of turning left, we turned right at the light. When we pulled into the station, it had just enough room for a big rig and the price was $2.95 for diesel. Okay, we can handle that. (By this time, we were desperate, with the gauge now in the middle of the RED band.) It really was "fuel at any price!"

With that problem solved, we headed east and learned just how strong the crosswind was. We quickly decided that we were in no hurry and knew that a little town 20 miles up the road had a city park with 3 RV sites, with 50 amps.(and free) It was on a four lane road, we took our time and we parked for the day at 12:30 pm. A bit early, but at least we were safe and off the road. On Thursday, we were up early so that we could continue driving east in Kansas and Missouri before the expected southern winds returned. Of course once we hit I-35 at Cameron, MO, we were ready for the the wind to blow us north to Des Moines.

At Des Moines, we took the short south loop around the city and quickly learned what the wind was really like, not good for driving east. So we stopped at the Altoona Walmart for groceries, fuel and obtained permission to park over night. Fuel was $2.95 at Murphy's.

Friday was again an early morning drive as we headed east on busy I-80 towards the farm. It was a real joy to get off of the highway by 10 AM knowing that we were parking it for 3 weeks. We found everything in good order on the farm other than the lawn grass is about 2 weeks past mowing. We parked the motorhome and later went for the mower, which to my amazement, started. Shortly after our arrival, a pair of turkey vultures checked out the trees to our north. But then they moved on.
At 12:30, a turkey hen and a gobbler stopped by to look the lawn over. They spent about 5 minutes moving across the lawn, the hen picking up food and the gobbler trailing the hen by about 10 feet.

This morning the turkeys returned. Again, the hen was feeding and the gobbler following along behind, once spreading his tail feathers as if to say, "I'm ready". The hen ignored him.

Friday afternoon we went to see my mother in the care center in Amana, where they were having a birthday party for all of those with April birthdays. Mother will be 99 years old and is doing well other than she can't hear much of anything.

This morning we've done most of our inside things, like setting up a couple of appointments for next week. Shortly I need to get outside and mow the lawn before it is too thick for my little mower. Yesterday afternoon, it was windy and in the 80s. Today we have more sunshine, but it is going to be windy and in the lower 60s. Maybe Arizona isn't too bad. But is nice walking on the carpet of grass when I get out of the motorhome.

Gene