The End Of Blackberries.

The tail end of the Black berries. 

Well...Not the "forever" end.... Just for the season.   Cheryl and I picked a few several days ago, and the quality of the berries has diminished substantially.    If they are not completely dried out,  then they are either over-ripe, or just too small to bother caring about. 

Barely enough to cover the bottom of
the pail. 

They are still tasty though.  If you can get past the seeds,  the flavor is much sweeter than earlier versions.  But that being said, I think Cheryl and I picked as many as we could during their "peak".  (5 lbs on one occasion!) We have a freezer overflowing with them, and several other berry types.  And already Cheryl is thinking about Apple Pie as the summer winds down and Fall begins.

Watermelon is just coming out. 

Not like the watermelon from the store
that tastes like cucumber. 

We still have yet to slice up an Iowa Amish Watermelon.  ( The Amish grower near Kalona has the sweetest watermelons!  Nothing like the ones you buy in the store.  i.e. CUCUMBER FLAVORED!)

LOTS of green tomatoes.

Green Tomatoes. 

And our Tomatoes are certainly taking their time ripening.  We have many on the plants currently, but they are all remaining green.  Cheryl predicted that first tomato would have ripened before this week is over.  Looks like she has one more day before that Prediction is a bust.

Hops!  Growing up my
string ladder

Description!   So the landlord
will not cut them down. 

And did I mention that we have a Hops vine growing next to our building?   I wired up a bunch of climbing strings so it can grow nice and tall.  I hope that it will get to the roof before it begins producing cones.   Fingers crossed that it would be productive its first year.   As for the Hops on the Trail,  they look like they should be producing soon.    I have big plans on harvesting them this year.

What is this? 

Looks like the Cones are farming! 

Looks like they are even forming cones already!   If this is the version that grows wild long the trail,  the Hops will taste like a bitter pine flavor.   (Awesome IPA material!) I think the Pine flavored Hop is my favorite, although I do appreciate the "Strong Grapefruit" flavors as well.

And lastly,  Tomorrow is my Birthday.  I shall be writing my obit....I mean, blog post in my head as we head out to Muscatine for a ride/run and some Tee's Ice Cream!  Then again, I may skip the Ice cream this time, since we can't eat it inside and it will melt as I enjoy my hamburger in the drive through.  Plus!   I don't really need the calories. 

Thanks for stopping in.

Bike Trouble?... Trouble no longer! ( Hopefully.) And The Golden Tortoise Beetle.

All of the above!

Today, I finally received the missing part for my Trek Mountain bicycle.  (Or Mountain Bike.... even though there are no mountains in Iowa...  Maybe Gravel Bike?  That is what the Brits call them I think.)  Anyway   About two weeks ago, ( Has it really been that long?)   I replaced the chain because it was slipping off of the gears.   The chain arrived and I put it on.  It was not very difficult with a chain breaker tool and  a chain pliers.  It was late at night, but I was eager to get it on before the next morning's ride.

Is it bad when it looks like this? 

Turns out,  it ended up slipping even MORE!.    How could this be?   Well,  "apparently"  you have to change the rear cassette if you let your bike chain ware further than you should.   I think I have never changed mine since I purchased it two years ago.    We average 7-20 miles a day..  hmm..  Perhaps I should have done it earlier?

Is this the right thing?  Looks odd. 

But ...Whatever!  I'll just order a rear cassette now and everything will be better!  Right?  One Week Later!  It arrived. 

No lowest gear? 

It looks a little different from the one I had on the bike before.  Hmm... Maybe this is a newer, better version?   It says it is a "downhill" cassette so the bike chain will not slip off your lowest gear and rip up your spokes.   Sounds good to me.   However...

There is nothing I can't handle
with a Dremel Tool!  I used to carve
Wood!.

The plastic guard on the largest gear would not set properly on the wheel hub.   Even after Dremel-ing a small groove to fit it snugly,  it still wobbled and threw off the chain.   Looks like I may have to buy a new one.

Doesn't look like the chain
de-railer will work...

Luckily,  they are not terribly expensive.  And I still save money if I can avoid the "World of Bikes" bike shop.   So Cheryl orders another one.  ( We read a little closer this time.  I go with a Shimano because that is what the bike mostly has as accessories.)

Flat tire... From a Thorn? 

One patch later....  all fixed! 

Another week later!  It arrived today!  But not before I got a flat tire!  Yep!  A small little tiny tiny thorn managed to poke through the rubber outerwall and punch a hole in the tube.  Luckily,  I had a pach kit that actually WORKS and fixed it without any hiccups.  Hey,  I might almost be "competent" when it comes to bike maintenance!

Looks better. 

Fits better! 

So it finally arrived today, but Cheryl would not let me put it on before out evening ride.   ( She was probably afraid I would botch it again if I had a time crunch on me.... She knows me so well.) I have been riding my bike in 7th gear the entire time.. It turns out that that is the ONLY gear that does not slip... probably because I never use it during my normal rides.   But I just finished putting on the new cassette and took it for a test run.   Seems to be all fixed.   I still will have to adjust the gears so they match the switcher later... but for tomorrow at least,  I should be able to ride in the lower gears as God intended. ( I do not "race" while biking along side Cheryl as she runs.)

And it WORKS!  

Well there it is.  A New Bike chain,  Bike Tire Repair, and Two New Cassettes...  one that actually WORKS! ( so far, anyway)   And it only took 2.5 weeks to complete!   Most people would take it to the shop and get it done in a day... maybe even an afternoon.... But not me!  I can't see spending the extra $40 to get it done properly the first time by a professional.  I would rather limp it along for half a month as I wait for improper parts to arrive from China... so I can save money and Show off my almost dangerous bike fixing skills.   That is just how I roll!

Smooth Chanterelles. Only a few
today. 

Mushroom hunting in Coralville. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their evening this evening.  It is the last pleasant day we are to have here in Iowa for the next few weeks... I guess.   We could certainly use some rain.  Cheryl and I went Mushroom Hunting  this morning and only found a small handful of Chanterelles and Russulas.   Even the Deadly Web-caps were not out!    I guess everyone is waiting for rain.     Normally Mushrooms start popping out in late august again anyway.   And then the Chicken of the woods and Hen of the Woods will be out.   I can't wait! 

Golden Tortoise Beetle. 

What is this gold thing on this
leaf? 

One last note.   I saw  another  really cool insect along the Bike path the other day.  A Golden Tortoise Beetle!   I was only able to snap this blurry picture before it jumped away. ( apparently,  Cheryl said it jumped!)   A little research on Google show much better pics.    It's something you don't see everyday here.   Thanks for stopping in.

Running With Butterflies

Riding on the trail.   

Dodging the Butterflies!

 The last few days, while running on the Kewash trail,  we have noticed an increase in the butterflies.  There are usually lots of butters flying around,  but now and then it will hit a peak and things will seem like you are in one of those butterfly gardens.   It is really a very cool time to be out there.   People pay money to be surrounded by exotic butterflies in some natural garden enclosure, but they could simply step outside and find a huge cloud of butterflies for FREE... If they simply look for them. 

Pretty Flower!  The Butterflies love it.

Tiger Swallow tail. 

It probably helps if you have flowers or a "butterfly garden" filled with bright colorful plants for the butters to eat.   Even on the our tomato plants,  I have been getting frequent Monarchs, Red-spotted Purples, Tiger's, Sulfurs, and Red Admirables.   But finding several of them at a single time is quite the sight.

Lots of Tigers clustered together. 

And they are friendly!  Camped out
next to my bike! 

I remember back in my youth, we used to chase Tiger Swallowtails around all over the neighborhood.   We were armed with one of those 5 and 10 butterfly nets that were worth "every Penny!"   And about as useless as a wet paper bag!  The Tigers would fly high and never return...  catching one was usually left to "finding a dead one" on the road or trail.

But here they are!  Flying around us and "just hanging out" as I snap dozens of pictures. 

Tiger Swallow tails hanging out on the Bee Balm. 

That is more than the Question Marks and Commas.  They never hold still long enough for my camera to focus.   Also,  the Blues!  The trail is covered with SWARMS of Karner Blues, but they are too small to capture with the camera as well.  It is pretty cool to be riding your bike and have cloud of blue explode around your bike.

Like this!  If I could ever capture my Own photo.....

The Sulfurs are similar... only a huge cloud of yellow!   They gather in huge clusters of 30-50 butterflies. 

This is how it looks with my camera capturing only a fraction of the butterflies. 

This morning, I tried to capture the effects while Cheryl was running.  Several of the rapid shots only capture a small glimpse of the butters as they fly all around.  I see the quality of the pictures also tent to suffer as I am moving along and snapping shots. 

This is how I remember it!

But with the help of one of my programs,  I was able to "enhance" things a little bit. 

The weather is unseasonably cool here in Iowa.  We are loving it!   I will take 72 degrees over 103 any day!   It also makes for easier running conditions for Cheryl.

  Oh!  And before I forget... Subie had a flat tire today.   A BLOW OUT!  Which was kind of exciting.   Luckily I had a couple of spares in the shed and Reggie put them on within 15 minutes of me driving up.   There are moments when being in a small town has its advantages!

Cheryl Runs in the nice weather. 

For later Blog Post....

Purple Tomatoes?   Is that normal? 

Other than that, Cheryl continues to make soap,  I continue to pretend I know how to garden. ( My Tomatoes are turning PURPLE!) , and the cat continues to sleep  on the couch.  in other words... not much is happening.   I guess that is a good thing.  I have been trying to fix my bike over the last two weeks, but that story may require its own blog post... AFTER I finally fix it!   I shall keep you posted.    Thanks for stopping in.

Bubble Trouble With The Neighbor.

Men never really grow up...right? 

Flying kites in the yard. 

It has been well documented by the blog, that I am  still just a kid when it comes to playing around with toys and bugs and things make messes.  I must admit, I am painfully aware of how it looks when a "man" of my years is out in the park playing with kites,  chasing butterflies with a net, and catching frogs and snakes with his bare hands.  I see the people pointing and whispering to each other.

Cheryl makes things
seem less weird...

Is this strange?  Only if I do it alone. 

Luckily,  I have Cheryl to even out the oddness.   One guy alone in the park flying a kite is odd and weird.   But a guy flying a kite while his wife watches is merely "Eccentric".    I like that take.   Even though it simply means:  Weird, but in a good way... And  mostly harmless.

With that lead in I will begin to explain the odd chain of events that got me to consider blowing bubbles as a "fun thing to experiment with" today.  Why bubbles?   I shall explain the long thought process that plagues me during sleepless nights.

Is this an actual Career?!? 

I was watching a "Ted Talk" about "Bubble Masters"  ( People who blow bubbles on stage.. for a LIVING!  Who the heck was this guy's career counselor?)   They are able to perform feats of bubble magic by using a "super secret Family recipe for bubble making... passed down from generation to generation!"   The recipe is carefully guarded..  or so they say.

What Methylcellulose does to
water. 

This got me to thinking:   I bet the secret ingredient is methylcellulose  The Same ingredient I use for making paper.   I happened to have a large stash of it and thought I would mix some up and give it a test run.

As it happens,   there is a kid upstairs... Who is NOT my friend and  I do not like...  very much. ( Really!)  He decided to join my in my bubble experiment in the yard.   And wouldn't it just happen that he had an entire "kit" for making large bubbles.  ( Tray, bubble wand, and so on.)  All he was missing was the liquid for making the bubbles.    Can you say Serendipity?

Well,  I must say that I was feeling like the mixture was a success!   I may have to tweak the ratios a bit, but the bubbles were quite large and able to hold their shape for a good duration.   I believe it was superior to simply adding soap to water and hoping for the best.

That is...  When "The Kid "wasn't  busy chasing the bubbles and breaking them.      I actually thought he would want to "make the bubbles"  but I guess he has more fun chasing and popping them.   I guess I can understand... Who doesn't like popping the bubbles in bubble wrap?

I finally talked him into trying to catch them with his hands.   ( WithOUT popping them.)   It appears the only thing funner than chasing the bubbles and popping them was chasing the bubbles  with slimy hands so he could catch them.

Thankfully,  the mixture ran out just  as he was getting bored.  I believe the experiment was a success despite  his help. And maybe, on a day when the Humidity is high and the temps are cool,  I will adjust the ratios of the mixture again and see if I can make the bubbles larger and longer lasting.   I guess the kid helps in diverting attention from a middle aged man playing with bubbles.   Possibly better than Cheryl.  That being said,   I doubt I will be knocking on his door for advice on bubbles or snowmen anytime soon.