Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Morning Walk; Online Church; Pictures; American Idol & Dessert!

Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Morning Walk; Online Church; Pictures; American Idol & Dessert!

Being inside most of the time is making me lazy and I don't like it.  It was 5:30 before I got up yesterday...but after our morning coffee we did walk and it felt great to be outside.  There was practically no wind, and the temperatures were mild mid 40's.  We did have to bundle up a bit more but once we start walking the cooler weather doesn't bother us.  We decided to take a different route today, once around the park, and then around the other half of our park.  

Leaving the RV Park this morning.

Saturday evening the RV parked next to us left, and two others also left either earlier or sometime the next day.  The RV on the other side of the now empty lot is not there right now.  The owner needed a place to leave it while he cares for a family member, so we basically have no neighbors now.  The area to the north and south of us are grassy areas.  

I wish it would dry up so I could walk here in the park during the day.  It seems like just about the time things begin to dry up, and Todd does some work to the roads, it rains again.  Eventually it will dry up and we'll wish for rain - right?

Only one picture in Riverside Park this morning.

 We made one loop through the park, approx. one mile.  As we reached the south entrance we continued on to the area of our park that has a basketball area, tennis courts, Community Center, Labette County Fairgrounds, ballfields, Kamp Siesta RV Park, and then back to the road leading into the park.

The stadium on the right was originally constructed as seating for High School football.  In the late 60's they built a new field on land where the new grade school was built - just catty cornered from the entrance sign to Riverside Park.  The green roofed building is the Fair Board Office. 

The first building on the right is a restroom, used during  the fair and summer ball games.  The buildings to the left are exhibit buildings for rabbits, chickens, etc. during the fair.

These buildings are for sheep, swine, beef, etc.

This is the new horse barn.

Leading the way to Kamp Siesta RV Park

Back side of the horse stalls is an open arena for the horses.

Kamp Siesta.  There are over 40 sites here.  All sites have electric/water.  There is a dump station and restrooms on site.  

Wild redbud trees.

There is a nice pavilion with picnic tables, and some playground equipment for people parked here.  During the fair every single site is rented, typically for a full week.

Restroom and shower house.

This area links the old RV park area to the newer site.

This is the Little League ballfield, across the road from the RV Park.

The newer RV Park area.   This new section was constructed a few years ago.

This is the new Rodeo arena.

 I would imagine most communities that are involved in 4-H and County Fairs have many supporters, with folks that work hard to support these local clubs and events.  I can only speak for our leaders here.  The city has worked with the Labette County Fair Board over the years and I don't think I've ever seen such a dedicated group of people as those serving on the Fair Board.  They have worked diligently to rebuild almost every single building and to keep this fair a very bright spot in our community.  We are fortunate to have such a great group of men and women in our County.

Back in the park, just a few more pictures.  The Arts Council had a couple of metal sculptures built to add to the park.  Buffalo below:

There was an old "worn out" lookout on the park, built many, many years ago - long before my time.  Everyone loved it and people would drive to Oswego to lookout over the Neosho River Valley.  From this area you can often sea eagles, the beauty of the trees during the four seasons, the river changing from dry to flooding, watching the fishermen below, and a wide open view over the area that is often breathtaking.  A former Mayor looked into tearing out the old lookout and replacing it - then made it happen.  One of the main requirements was, it needed to be built out of local rock - to match the shelter houses and swimming pool bathhouse, and to include the same kind of rock designs.  I think the design of the lookout is wonderful.  It's been used by High School students for Senior  and Prom Pictures, Wedding Ceremonies and Pictures, Family Reunions, etc.  A tremendous landmark for our City.

Practically no wind this morning and very foggy.

Another metal structure donated by the Arts Council.  This is the Indian looking out over the valley on his horse, the city's logo.

Leaving the park.

Tennis courts in the background.

Oswego Community Center - notice the city Logo at the far left - to match the metal sculpture in the park.

 As we headed back to the RV Park, I snapped this picture of our former home.  My kids and I lived here, when Dean and I married.  All of the kids were still at home then, so this house was a blessing, with 5 bedrooms.  We added on a third bathroom and a laundry room, an open breezeway and a two car garage.  It was a great home for us.  After the kids left, we wanted to downsize, and moved to another home on the west side of Oswego.  

Our home when Dean and I married

 so we bought this house and totally remodeled it before we moved in to it three months later.  

We loved this house and the location, but we had the hitch itch and sold it to full-time.  As most of you know we've now purchased a lot here in Oswego and will eventually build a house there.  

Our grocery store - located nearly across the highway from the RV Park.

At 11 I brought up our church online service and enjoyed Jim's message.  

Afterwards, we had a simple lunch of meat, cheese and crackers, vegetables and an apple with peanut butter.  I have always bought Peter Pan peanut butter.  Dean is not a peanut butter fan.  Recently I needed more peanut butter but no PP anywhere, so I bought a jar of Reese's peanut butter.  It is really good.  Personally, I don't think the taste is that different, but it is a little smoother.  Dean on the other hand things it tastes much better than Peter Pan.  I warned him that Reese's comes in smaller containers and it costs more.  I know one thing, if he gets hooked on peanut butter on his apples I'll be buying peanut butter in bigger jars.

Dean went to the garage, and that was my cue to turn on Joanna Gaine's cooking show.  I recorded it while I was "attending" church.  I really liked it.  She will have a regular cooking show on their new Magnolia network, scheduled to debut on Oct 4, 2020.  I love cooking shows, especially The Pioneer Woman and Trisha's Southern Kitchen.  For the most part they are easy recipes that I would make.  So many good ideas.

Once Joanna was done, I opened the tub of pictures and spent the next 2-3 hours looking through all of the contents.  Oh my, I am overwhelmed.  I've decided I need to find a program that makes it easy for me to get the pictures into Google Photos.  If any of you have used a program like this, or have an EASY way to scan pictures in (several at a time), I would be interested in knowing more.  I have at least 6 of these tubs, maybe more; so this is going to be a huge project.  Granted I will not scan all of them in, but with 6 kids, and soon to be 16 grandchildren, with big families on both sides, we will have lots of pictures we willl want to keep.  

Here's a couple of photos I took a picture of to transfer to Google photos.

Dean and I on our wedding day - Feb 26, 2004 - that's my Uncle Richard behind us.

My sisters and I had this photo taken in the mid-80's. 
Back:  Cindy, Jody & Crystal
Me in front
(the reason I'd like an automatic scanner - so many pictures and it will reduce the spots on the pictures you get from lighting (windows, lights, etc.)

Dean returned around 4:30 or 5:00.  He started the grill, and I made a sausage pizza in our cast iron skillet.  One of our favorite meals.

I ran out of mozzarella cheese, so I added both cheddar and parmesan to what I had.   Delicious!  

I quickly did the dishes and cleaned up, just in time for us to set down and enjoy American Idol.  My favorite Arthur Gunn, from Nepal and now Wichita, KS made it to the top 20.  


Half way through we had dessert - another piece of our brownie pie and some ice cream.  Yum!