KICKING IT AROUND BELLEVUE and THE BELLEVUE WAR.

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 When I take the time to look back at what we've been up to since my last post, we've really been quite busy.  I'm a sucker for any C00L and unusual ride and I had to stop and admire this Smiths Ferry Fire Truck /Party Truck.

 Last weekend was the yearly Fishtival here along the Mighty Mississippi.  Once again Susie and I participated in the Bellevue War Portrayal, with a bonus Becker.   Beau jumped in at the last minute as one of the members of the Brown Gang.







While Susie and I, Mr and Mrs Bates, were among the good citizens of Bellevue.

 In the Spring of 1840 between January to April.
The war started when Sheriff Warren strode down the fledgling town’s main street with 40 citizens toward the Bellevue Hotel for the purpose of arresting the owner, William Brown, and his band of hardened criminals. A gun battle and hand-to-hand fighting broke out. When the smoke cleared, seven men, including Brown, lay dead or dying; seven had escaped; and 13 had been captured.
The next day, the prisoners faced an angry mob who would decide between hanging them or whipping them. Colored beans were used to count votes, and their lives were spared. The prisoners were whipped and put on a makeshift skiff in the Mississippi River with a warning never to return to Bellevue.




 After the war they unveiled  a huge mural depicting the history of Bellevue from the Native American tribes, the Sac and Fox in 1833 to the morning of April 2, 1840 the morning of the Bellevue war.

Enjoying a cone from Grandpas Parlor after the reenactment.

 After the unveiling of  the mural the kids got out and danced at the street dance.  I think Susie picked up a few new moves.

 
 Curt and the Fast Clides played up in DBQ.



















 Just hanging out after hitting the Bronco.




















 a couple of dummies.

A fresh batch of compost in the hoop house as we get ready for the fall/winter garden


















And a fresh layer of mulch as the new plants start to come up.





















A few zuc plants and lots of spinach

 radishes, carrots and some beans

And finally a picture of one of our biological pest control methods under some chives.

BACK TO SCHOOL / BACK TO THE BACKBONE

  All good thing must come to an end but not without a fight.


With the start of school just around corner, Beau an I set out for a day of fishing.


 Once again, my buddy Steve was the man to turn to if you want to catch fish on the Big River.

Steve always has the boat loaded and hooked up to his VW just minutes from the boat ramp at lock and dam #12.

 We boated across to the rip rap on just below the dam.





I had no problem catching more than a dozen small, Large mouth bass and lots of small Stripers.


After hitting the rocks we went across to the sea wall along the lock and dam to try to locate some larger Stripers.  After talking to another young fisherman, Jesse.  We managed to find a school of 10 - 14 inch fish.

Jesse is another guy who grew up on the Mississippi who knows what it takes to catch fish.

Often the pelicans will school up the Shad and trigger the stripers.

 For the afternoon session we ventured north for our annual fishing trip to the Devils Backbone.

Beau had already caught a small pan fish before I had even entered the water.  He didn't stop there.

 Beau had the touch and he caught bass after bass.  Most were in the 8 - 10 inch range but he also caught several larger fish with the biggest topping the 15 inch mark.

Beau is gearing up to make the move west to Denver, Colorado.  I know it's a good move to get out and explore and experience a new part of the country.  But, the selfish side of  me wishes he would stay close to home, because I will miss having him around.



I'll be looking forward to the next time we make the run up north the the Backbone.

What Ya Been Up To?

 So what have we been up to? 




Well you know that window trim that I've thought about fixing for the last 18 years.

 Not a big job and I had the red paint out to do some touch ups here and there.

 The window trim is done.

We've gotten a little time in on the bikes.

Maxine and Ace are always ready for a run back to the barn.

 Susie and I took the bikes down to Sabula to tool around the Island.  We hit a beautiful day and had a blast!

 We spotted a Uncle Pie sticker in the window of one of the bars. 

 This morning we were up in Milwaukee visiting Kendo.

We got up early to make a run down to the lake shore and worked on our cartwheel skills.

 Susie's form was a little better than mine

 We gathered up some rounded wave tumbled stones and a few nice pieces of sea glass.

 A little yoga and back to  Iowa.

THE JOB IS DONE, TIME FOR FUN!

 For the past two weeks plus, Marty and I have been installing 21 new windows and three new door at our friends Jerry and Gails.  Mart and Joan are bustin out for the mountains on the weekend  so we've got a few days for a little RnR..

We got our buddy Steve fired up for some fishing and believe me, it didn't take much.  Steve knows the river better than anyone in the area.  He is the ultimate outdoors man.  After a pot of Joe at Steve and Peg's we jumped into his 95 Vanagon with with the boat and we hit the river...

We fished the rip-rap just below the dam on the East side and more than once we had all had fish on.

 We pretty much had the river to our self the only other fishermen were the pelicans that hung out below the dam.

We stopped by the shore line of the old Bellevue button factory and picked up some of the old discarded shells and some of the old button blanks

Round saws were used to cut blanks or circular pieces from the clam shell. The white pearl shells were often 1/2 inch or more thick. This blank was divided into several unfinished buttons which were ground on a traveling band that passed under grindstones. A depression was made in each disk and holes drilled for the thread. The buttons were then smoothed, polished with pumice stone and water in revolving kegs, sorted, and sewed on cards. The "holey" shells and rough blanks can still be found in the soil along the river.

 Mart and I just couldn't call it a day just yet so we went up river to  the cabin.  We kicked it old school like Huck and Tom and rowed the boat a mile up river then drifted back down the Mississippi and pitched for bass.

 We each caught fish and we each missed a few.

Tonight we on the road to Cascade for the Braves game in the tourney semi finals.  Catch ya later.

Update Braves win!   Fished Thursday.
More bass, a couple northern and a trout out on little mill.

 

Grow Your Own.

With the temperature in the mid 90* I need a project for in the pole barn so I got started growing Shiitake mushrooms that I got for a Christmas gift.

Long a symbol of longevity in Asia because of their health-promoting properties, shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for more than 6,000 years.
They have a rich, smoky flavor and can often take the place of meat in a meal.

Last spring cleared an oak tree from near our power line and blocked the larger pieces up into four foot lengths.

Supplies:
- logs, 3-4 feet long, 4-6 inch diameter
- ‘dowel’ or ‘plug’ spawn
- high speed drill
- 5/16” drill bits with stop at 1”
- bees wax
- old paint brush
- old can for melting bees wax
- hammer

Drill holes, 5/16” diameter, 1’ deep, every 4 inches along the log. Rotate log and
repeat. To create a diamond pattern, shift the 2” down along the guide for every
other row. Typically 1 row of holes is drilled for every inch of log diameter.

 Place a plug (dowel) spawn in each drilled hole and hammer it into the log.














Each plug should lie just below flush with the log surface.

Apply thin layer of liquid hot bees wax with the brush over the holes and the exposed end of the log.

The ‘laying yard’ which is the place

where the logs are incubated and where routine “maintenance” is performed. Almost
nothing is more important that laying (incubating) the logs under year round shade in
order to keep the logs from drying out due to sun and wind.

Keep an eye out for pests too.

Late Hatch In The Berry Patch

 
This morning Susie and I ran up to the Dubuque Farmers Market and then down to the National River Museum for the Ding Darling celebration .


Ding was awarded two Pulitzer Prizes for his editorial cartoons, and President Roosevelt appointed him to what would ultimately become the US Fish & Wildlife Service, which today continues to sport the original National Wildlife Refuge  "blue goose" logo designed by him.



  Aside from many conservation efforts enacted within the governmental system as a politician, another result of his leadership and vision was the creation of the Federal Duck Stamp  program.

 When we got back Maxine and I went down to the Sugar Bush to pick some black raspberries.





















I just about dropped the whole batch of berries when I flushed a hen turkey off of her clutch of eggs.






My hope is that  



More Berries  =  More Tarts!