• After Thanksgiving Dinner at church (365:320)

    After Thanksgiving Dinner at church
    After Thanksgiving Dinner at church. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I spent this evening helping in the kitchen at church

    We fed over 200 hundred people, including members of the congregation and local community. We were too busy to stop and take pictures, so all I have for today is this hastily taken picture of Ginger and I in a brief pause near the end of clearing up. Ginger, it appears, found a cookie.

  • That’s all for today folks (365:319)

    That’s all for today folks. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Gary and Ginger indulge in the ancient art of kitty aggravating (365:318)

    Gary and Ginger indulge in the ancient art of kitty aggravating.

    it’s a popular pastime around here.

  • Gary Fishing , James River, Springfield, Missouri (365:317)

    And all I caught was a load of leaves.

    Today looked like being the last warm day for a while so we took Lanie out fishing on the James River. It was a wonderfully warm and a very pleasant afternoon. Not that either Lanie or I caught anything apart from leaves and trees.

    Crighton Access – James River, Springfield. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Gary Fishing , James River, Springfield, Missouri
    Ginger and Lanie. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Crighton Access

    Crighton Access – James River, Springfield. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Today looked like being the last nice day for a while so we took Lanie out fishing on the James River. It was a wonderfully warm and a very pleasant afternoon. Not that either Lanie or I caught anything apart from leaves and trees.

  • Ginger, Gary and Lanie stopped for Lunch on the Sac River Trail

    Ginger, Gary and Lanie stopped for Lunch on the Sac River Trail. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Lanie enjoyed yesterday’s hike so much she wanted to go on another today.

    So we went on a short hike on the Sac River trail

    6457740931_99aa907a53.jpg
    What can I say?
    6457763419_d9ed702035.jpg
    Lanie taking a rest on the trail

  • Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pineview trailhead

    color photograph of the lookout tower located at the Pineview Trailhead of the Piney Creek Wilderness Area in Missouri, USA. Picture taken November 11, 2011.
    Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pines Overlook (Pineview) trailhead. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Unfortunately, the lookout tower at the Pineview Trailhead of Piney Creek Wilderness is fenced off. It’s a shame as I’m sure the view would be spectacular.

    This picture was taken on a day hike to Piney Creek. You can read all about our hike here.

  • Gary by Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (365:315)

    Gary by Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (365: 315) Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Today is Armistice Day, and the kids have the day off school.

    We took the girls with us on a scouting trip down to Piney Creek Wilderness. The wilderness has access from Table Rock Lake, so we’re planning on Kayaking in here sometime then camping and hiking the area. It should make a good 3-4 day excursion. We wanted to get down here now because the deer hunting season starts tomorrow, and for a while it won’t be a good idea to go hiking in the wilderness.

    Our plan was to get right down to the lakeshore, but we didn’t quite make it. We had to be back in Springfield early in the evening because Katie is playing in the orchestra for the school’s presentation of ‘You’re a good man Charlie Brown’ this week. So we decided to stop for lunch just short of our planned destination. The girls did really well, we hiked around five miles and climbed over a thousand feet.

    Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness
    Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
    Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
    Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
    Lanie finds a tree bark mask – Piney
    Trail back to the Tower trailhead at Piney Creek Wilderness
    Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pines Overlook (Tower) trailhead. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I couldn’t watch Katie play last night because it was my EfM tutorial night, so we went along tonight, and it was a great show. Afterward to celebrate we treated Katie and ourselves to ice cream at Braum’s.

  • Dead tree

    Dead tree, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    See the rest of the pictures taken today.

  • White Pelicans

    White Pelicans on Harry S Truman Lake at Bucksaw
    White Pelicans on Harry S Truman Lake at Bucksaw

    See the rest of the pictures taken today.

  • Day 314

    Just another day

    Looks like I’m happy though 🙂

    This is a re-edit the original looked like this.

  • Studying (365:313)

    2011-11-09-19_55_56.jpg

    I’m now well into year two of my EfM course

  • Ten year US Permanent Resident card (365:312)

    Ten year US Permanent Resident card (365:312). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Now I can stay in the US another ten years.

    Things seem to have moved on since my two year Green card was issued. This card’s got more security features, is RF readable, and the information pack that came with it was fairly comprehensive. I can’t vote, but I can buy a gun and if I was young enough, be called up to join the armed forces.

    Sobering thought. Based on the average life expectancy of my family I won’t need another one…   

  • Day 311 (365:311)

    Once more I stand before the wall

  • Gary with our Mutha Hubba tent, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake

    2011-11-06-12_23_14.jpg

    I thought I’d get my daily picture out of the way early in the day

    We sat around talking most of the morning until finally, the threat of rain persuaded us to pack up and go home while the tent was still dry.

    We beat the kids back from Kansas City with just enough time to enjoy an all day breakfast at Ziggies on South Campbell.

  • Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight

    Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    See the rest of the pictures taken today.

  • Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri

    Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Note the cool Crepuscular Rays.

    See the rest of the pictures taken today.

  • It’s November 5th and this year we left the Guy at home (365:309)

    It’s November 5th and this year we left the Guy at home (365:309). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Last year we were also at lake Truman for Guy Fawkes night, and we took the Guy along for company. This year we were expecting to be carrying up loads of kids’ luggage to Kansas City, so we left Guy behind. That’s three years now he’s avoided a fiery demise.

    We took the Kayaks out on the lake today, but it was too windy to go far. We saw a flock, or whatever the collective noun is, of white pelicans. After being driven off the lake by the wind I went on a walk around the closed-off areas of the campsite and ended up walking back along the lakeside. When I got back to our campsite Ginger fancied a walk, so we re-traced part or my walk, which was very fortuitous as we were able to see a fantastic sunset over the lake.

    Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    White Pelicans on Harry S Truman Lake at Bucksaw. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Bluffs and dead tree, Bucksaw. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Dead tree, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The wind continued to blow hard and unpredictable most of the evening, making sitting around the campfire hazardous at times, but the sparks made up for the absence of fireworks.

  • Campfire at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri (365:308)

    Campfire at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri (365:308). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Our plans almost changed.

    We arrived at Church to collect the kids to go to Kansas City only to find out that there had been a few late cancellations and our services were no longer required. We had a hurried debate, as to whether we should quickly go home and pack our packs and go backpacking for the weekend, but we finally decided to stick with our plan, and go straight to Bucksaw campsite on Truman.

    Here we are sitting by the campfire, it’s going to be a cold and windy weekend. We have our kayaks and with luck we’ll get out on the lake.

  • Relaxing (365:307)

    Tonight we had some rare down time

    And even better tomorrow we get to go away for a couple of days. We’ve volunteered to take some of the youth group kids up to Kansas City. We’ll not be needed for the event, so we are going camping by Lake Truman. Just like we did last year.

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