Snow and Ice are Melting

Here is a view from our back deck today, the ice on the river is almost gone.

American Pickers

Two local men have a brand new tv series on the History Channel.  It is called American Pickers.   They roam the countryside looking for hidden gems of antiques. Mike Wolfe has his store Antique Archeology in Leclaire.   Here is a link to their new series: http://www.history.com/content/american-pickers

Burger Boat Story

Check out this local story on the Burger Boat that docks in Party cove, also known as the Leclaire Canal: http://www.qctimes.com/lifestyles/recreation/water-activities/article_2a481e84-bf32-11de-9a3b-001cc4c03286.html

Crane and Pelican opens

An old riverboat pilot’s house is finding new life as a new cafe in LeClaire.  Amazing, it was never subdivided into apartments as so many old houses are.  This pilot had nine children and the sheen they put on the bannister is still there.  My mother is going on Saturday night, report later. http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_16b714c8-9dbe-11de-bd1f-001cc4c03286.html

Waving down by the River in Leclaire

Here is a happy fellow showing off his civic pride, well, I mean the guy waving, not the one on the bench.

River Pup

Here is another favorite store, River Pup.  And when we moved to our new house, we discovered the owners live across the street with their bulldog and Frenchie. http://www.riverpup1.com/

Illinois wins Tugfest, they lead the series

My loyalties are divided.  I grew up in Moline, Illinois, went to college at the University of Illinois in ChampaignUrbana and law school at Northwestern in Chicago.  I work in Illinois, but since 1980 have been living in Iowa. So Illinois won our tugging of war last weekend and now has a good lead in [...]

Tubing on the river

We took the kids tubing right up between Leclaire and Port Byron where the river widens: I am the spotter — I tell Kim when they have fallen off the tube.  Or as happened with this tube, when it deflates!!

The flood is over, ready for the summer

We are back up and running.  I took these pictures a few nights ago as we got the fire started on the river bank.  FEMA left us a brochure, but we don’t need it, thank heavens. The sunset was pretty too. We can start to enjoy the river, but it seems like the summer is aleady [...]

White pelicans on the Mississippi River

The white pelicans migrate through here, but sometimes it seesm they get quite comfortable and do not leave.  (This happens to many folks in the Quad Cities, who thought they were just passing thru, just ask Kim).  I did not take these pictures since I was at work and it was the middle of the day, but [...]