Happy Birthday, Janice

My cousin Janice is celebrating a birthday today. Seems like just a few years ago that she and I were sporting our Iowa Hawkeye apparel. I was a mere college sophomore then, and Janice was just getting cuter and cuter.

Happy Birthay, Janice! Hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends all around you.

Hosting Our Australian Friends Part 1

Many of you know that during our Mediterranean cruise a couple years ago, we met a couple from Australia who shared our dinner table. We became good friends quickly and have stayed in touch since that time. This year, they made plans to visit the U.S. for the first time, and we offered to meet them for a portion of their trip and to tour part of our country with them, including out west, at our two homes, and a bit further east. Their names are Margaret and Murray, and this posting is the first installment of our time together.

Kathie and I left Iowa a few days ago. We traveled through northwest Nebraska, which we had never visited as well as parts of Wyoming and Montana that were new to us. Along the way we stayed in two different B&Bs, one in Broken Bow, NE and the other in Lewistown, MT.

There were numerous coal trains operating throughout this area. We saw and heard the ones in Nebraska all night long—as many as three per hour.

We also visited Carhenge, not to be confused with Stonehenge, of course.

Other "car art" was on the same grounds.

Shortly after entering Montana, we stopped to visit the Little Bighorn National Battlefield Mounument, where Custer met his demise after some seriously poor leadership and questionable governmental policies. This view looks down over the famed "last stand" site toward the visitor's center, which has a national cemetery nearby as well.

An informative and touching Native American monument has been added to the grounds and honors the tribes and individuals who were involved in the battle.

In Shelby, MT we awaited the Amtrak arrival, which was uncharacteristically right on time—a little early, even.

And here we are all happy and reunited.

After traveling to Livingston, MT, we stayed at the Murray Hotel. You have to do that when one of your guests is named Murray! It is a historic and very nicely kept lodging.

Kathie found a bar with a gorgeous backbar, so we had a few drinks to celebrate our getting back together. If you look close, you will see three of us in the mirror.

The town was very lively in the evening, with an arts fest going on, so we visited several galleries before retiring for the evening. There was some nonsense involved, which is only right when you are having such fun.

More later!! Onto Yellowstone National Park.

New Arrival

I'm proud to announce the arrival of our seventh grandchild. This is grandson number three, born to Betsy and Pete this morning at 7:20AM. A strapping lad of 9 pounds 11 ounces, his name is to be Frederick Ross.

Mother and son are both well, although Betsy said it was hard work toward the end of the delivery. (All I can think to say about that is, "Well, yeah.")

Henry and Clara were rounded up, taken to the hospital to meet their new brother, and pronounced him acceptable. Father Pete just smiles and smiles and smiles. Maybe he looks a little tired too.

Copper Falls State Park

On the last day of our time together with David and Robert, we visited Copper Falls State Park starting with a nice picnic lunch.

Then we hiked a several mile loop around the gorge through which the Bad River runs. There are numerous falls in the gorge, including one which results from a secondary stream tumbling into and joining the Bad River. This gorge and these falls are what makes this particular state park so interesting and unique. The water is often copper colored from the tannins in the water (hence the name of the park), and those colors evidently fooled early residents into believing there were copper deposits in the area. Two failed mine shafts quashed that hope. Just as well! The natural beauty of the area survives for us to enjoy instead.

Not surprisingly, there was some silliness along the way, making the day extra fun.

Near the end of the loop, there was an option for a climb up a long set of steps to the top of a high bluff and then another climb to the top of a high viewing tower.

The fall colors were at or near their peak while we were in Wisconsin, and from the top of the tower, they were especially nice to see. Too bad the sun didn't light them up more for us. The late afternoon was too cloudy for that.

Here are two of the intrepid climbers.

Of course, what goes up, must also go down. The geometry of the stairs made for an irresistible view.

NJ Visitors

We have been enjoying a week in Wisconsin with our good friends David and Robert, who live in New Jersey (and sometimes Florida). David and I go back more than a few years, having first met on a Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness trip in 1973. We quickly became very good friends, and I count him among the most important of my male comrades. When he met Robert, the circle of very good friends quickly grew. David, Robert, Kathie, and I have enjoyed many visits together over the years and more than a little good food, seeing as how Robert and Kathie are outstanding cooks!

Tuesday was David's birthday, which we celebrated at a local brew pub called the Angry Minnow. Here we are with some of the local brews and our appetizers.

Later, we stopped at the local grocery to stock up for the week. They were featuring a prominent local brew, and I could not resist getting this shot.

Kathie and I had surreptitiously purchased a special cupcake in order to celebrate David's birthday later at the cabin.

A single cupcake, divided four ways, was thought not to overload any of our caloric limits for the day. However, we did manage to add some Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

This morning, we traveled to Duluth and visited the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. Robert easily figured out how to operate this particular engine.

David and I enjoyed all the various cars, engines, and special pieces of equipment. After the museum, we had lunch at Grandma's, a Duluth landmark. Click here for info on Grandma's if you have never enjoyed the experience.

Next, we drove to Bayfield for a sailing adventure on Lake Superior. Here I am looking all masterly as I scan the horizon for oncoming vessels (and pirates) while navigating and steering the boat through the lake.

Kathie also looks good doing this, although she is majorly more curvaceous while doing so.

Robert, David, and Kathie attempted to maintain a smiling attitude, even in the face of several semi-scary instances of the boat leaning far (tipping!) to starboard as the wind caught the sails while I deftly maneuvered. (Note the catchy nautical terminology.)

This is not our boat, but this is the type of boat on which we were sailing, and you can get some idea of how we might have enjoyed this trip near the Apostle Islands.

Here we are safely back in port. This is the boat on which we sailed, and this is its loyal crew. Doesn't the Gilligan's Island theme music pop right into your minds?

Anders' Birthday

We enjoyed an opportunity this past weekend to see Anders and his parents. Anders' birthday had already passed by a few days, but this gave all of us in Iowa City an opportunity to enjoy a late party with him. He enjoyed some time riding a Big Wheel around our driveway.

The three generations of us also posed for this picture. It was Anders first time to see my "new big blue pickup."

Later, we all traveled to one of our city parks for the official festivities. One of Anders surprises for this day was the chance to go to his first Hawkeye football game with his Mom, Dad, and Uncle Rob. Actually, it was supposed to be a surprise, but he somehow had deduced that he was going to get to go!

Cousin Eleanor posed on some of the playground equipment with her party hat.

Anders played a little baseball with me and his Dad.

Penny modeled her Hawkeye outfit.

Her dad wanted everyone to see his special T-shirt, which sported an image of the first, not-well-received adornment on the Cy-Hawk Trophy. (This trophy was sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and for some reason, they seemed not to understand that the trophy should have a sports theme. This version of the trophy was scrapped in favor of something the public seems to like better. You can google for more on this story if you are so inclined.)

Anders opened lots of gifts...

while his Uncle Rob awaited the good food.