tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27109394571577489142012-02-16T08:44:54.396-06:00Getting to know our new homeMrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.comBlogger91100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-5566347518301333382011-06-15T18:36:00.000-05:002011-06-15T18:36:37.587-05:00

A variety called Wendy. They tasted as good as they look. Waiting in line for strawberries. “Tomatoes are all I grow,” she said. “They’re just yellow tomatoes. We could give ’em a name.” Community garden at Ellis Park, on the banks of the Cedar River.   

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-63619673703057696202011-05-06T16:39:00.001-05:002011-05-13T17:04:00.841-05:00

Though I come from a long line of quilters, the desire to piece a covering from tiny scraps of fabric never took hold with me. I tried. Too tedious. I also think a quilter’s mindset is one that starts from a small place and fashions outward. I tend to paint broad strokes and work gradually to a detail where I will often get lost. But I love quilts, especially the ones with the provenance of

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-79226632352392577972011-04-28T14:20:00.004-05:002011-05-04T10:34:48.058-05:00

DIY Water Sprinkler from Milk Bottle We love the milk from Kalona SuperNatural, headquartered just a little ways down the road. Short of having your own cow or owning part of a herd, this organic milk is as good as it gets. It is not homogenized, so you can see the cream line, and it is pasteurized at a low temperature. (The yogurt, by the way, is the best I’ve ever tasted. Ever. The strawberry

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-28070797117008871902011-04-06T13:03:00.002-05:002011-05-04T10:35:15.532-05:00

River watching begins in late winter as thick slabs of ice break and begin their way down stream. Tributaries feed the Cedar, Cedar to Iowa, Iowa to Mississippi, and from there to the world. I found a stretch of road that runs right up beside the Cedar River. I took these photos from the car (as a passenger). Spring flooding strikes more fear than it once did. In June 2008, the Cedar River

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-87807199084473217342011-04-01T10:16:00.002-05:002011-05-04T10:37:33.893-05:00

After a drive through Palisades-Kepler State Park last Sunday, we continued over to Mt. Vernon which has several antique shops, including Polly Ann’s. Lots of cool housewares in so many rooms you will easily lose your companion if you are not careful. This place has too many vintage linens and kitchen gadgets for my own good. Next time, we’ll hit the school-turned-antique-mall across the street.

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-32121566867835981392011-03-17T20:41:00.006-05:002011-04-01T10:17:56.339-05:00

Along Hwy 30 east of Mt. Vernon Have you ever had one of those moments when there's something is different but you can't quite put your finger on it? This happened to me when I was driving to Mt. Vernon on Wednesday. It's a cute small town about 15 miles east of Cedar Rapids. I drove along Hwy 30, a scenic road that passes through farmland and along one stretch you can glimpse through the

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-27590463316393597512011-03-11T17:28:00.003-06:002011-04-01T10:18:12.810-05:00

A juvenile bald eagle perched above the path at Cedar Lake. Mallards landing on Cedar Lake. Here's what I've seen the last couple days at Cedar Lake. Bald Eagle, adult and juvenile, a dozen total on the ice and in the nearby trees. Juveniles do not have their white heads or tails. Bufflehead Canvasback Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser American Coot a.k.a. Mudhen Mallard Redhead Ring

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-91202025207114889612011-03-10T10:23:00.003-06:002011-03-18T15:15:57.517-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Last week, I baked cookies and sent the rest with Mr. Darcy to his office. That night, he reported that the pile of

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2710939457157748914.post-44500362405222654242011-03-08T16:32:00.002-06:002011-04-29T06:52:06.239-05:00

Bald eagles at Ellis Park, Cedar Rapids Bald eagle sits above the street in Ellis Park There are eagles in Iowa. Long before Iowa was even a glimmer in our eyes, I watched a fascinating program about bald eagles on PBS's Nature. Just because one has a 6-7 ft. wingspan and eyes five times more powerful than a human's does not mean life is easy. It takes a lot of energy to carry that body

Mrs. Darcyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06183437265757969949noreply@blogger.com0