Tulip or Stem Festival?

We returned from our camping trip and I tried to catch up with your blogs last night after catching up on laundry and other necessities. We had a great time. The days were warm and the nights were cool, down to 41F the third night! As the blog title says, we missed prime tulip time. Most of what were left was stems in the flower beds. Apparently the peak bloom was about 3-4 weeks ago. We had such a warm spring and you just can't plan on that can you? The actual Tulip Festival, with a craft fair, parade and all kinds of events started Thursday and goes all weekend. I think there will be a lot of disappointed people in Pella, Iowa this weekend. 

It didn't affect us much. We all had a great time. There are lots of great shops, restaurants, bakeries, meat & cheese shops, etc. Pella is in southeast Iowa and I can't believe I had never been there. It was about a 3 1/2 hour drive each way for us, pulling the camper.

In the photo below from left to right, Curt & Barb, Terri & Phillip, Angie & Jeff, Dennis & I and Zoey. Yes, we have a dog stroller. It's our first time using it and she loved it. There were a lot of people there and it was much better than a leash.

Curt & Phillip are both Dennis's cousins. Phillip has had a LOT of health issues and is waiting for a heart transplant. He and Terri stayed in a hotel and spent the daytimes with us.

This was the only bed of tulips still blooming and even those were starting to droop a lot. This sculpture is a sundial and was very accurate.

Outside the visitor kiosk were a pair of wooden shoes. Unfortunately they didn't fit very well. Ha!

This was the view from our camper door. No close neighbors. I have to say, I think it was the most peaceful and beautiful campground we've stayed in. The spots were huge. We had bluebirds flying all around us the entire time. So much birdsong. There is an eagle sanctuary right across the DesMoines River from the campground.

Sitting around the campfire, but I missed taking a photo of the actual campfire! Such peaceful evening and so fun. We played a bunch of different trivia games, boys against the girls. We didn't keep score but I'm pretty sure the girls won.

This is such a cool sculpture by the river. It's shows all of the birds of the area and how large their wingspan is. I wish I could have gotten enough detail to show the writing on each bird. Our campground was called Howell's Station, but there used to be a river ferry crossing here years ago called Horn's Ferry.

These were the original ferry prices for traffic crossing the river. 

Then a bridge was built to replace it. I hope you can enlarge this and read it. The portion left of the bridge is from the river bank on the left to the supports on the right of the photo below. The rest of it collapsed into the river in 1992. We were able to walk out on the bridge to that spot. A bit scary because of the plank floor. You could see the river between the planks but it was still fun. From there we watched 5 adult eagles soaring through the sky and a baby across the river in it's nest.

We certainly had a wonderful time. Although my back prevented me from joining in, most of the others went kayaking, biking and hiking. It was so relaxing and although the diesel fuel prices weren't fun, we still thought it was worth it. It's a corps of engineers campground and with our America the Beautiful pass we only paid $12.00 per night! Most places are $75-$120 per night now, although we try to find deals where we can.

Yesterday I went to a Mother's Day luncheon at a community center here in Omaha. I've gone for the past three years with these same three friends that I've known for over 50 years! The speaker yesterday told the history of the Durham Centennial Museum that was originally the Union Pacific Railroad Depot. Every year they have fantastic speakers. The first year I went it was about influential women from Omaha. Last year was about Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

From left to right, Jaleena, Barb, Sheryl and yours truly. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed salads, chicken croissant sandwiches and brownies for dessert. I always enjoy the company of these three ladies. We've been through a lot together, even with me living so far away for so long. 

Dennis went to Piper's Taekwondo testing this morning and she advanced another belt. She's been doing so well and moving up steadily. Tomorrow we're going out to lunch with them and Brad's family. We like a restaurant in a tiny, tiny town called Malmo in farm country Nebraska. Really good food and very nice people. I'm looking forward to visiting with Brad's parents, we haven't seen them for a few months.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you as well!

I hope all is well with you all. 

Blessings and love,

Betsy

The Churches One Foundation

Text: Samuel J. Stone

Music: Samuel Wesley

1

The Church’s one foundation
  Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
  By water and the Word:
From heav’n He came and sought her
  To be His holy Bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
  And for her life He died.

2

Elect from every nation,
  Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation,
  One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
  Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
  With every grace endued.

3

’Mid toil and tribulation,
  And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
  Of peace for evermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
  Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
  Shall be the Church at rest.

4

Yet she on earth hath union
  With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
  With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
  Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
  In love may dwell with Thee.