Snow and Other Fun

The snow has been very pretty up here in Wisconsin. The temperatures have been quite tolerable for crisp cold walks with the dogs or trips to the mailbox. Mostly, it has been below freezing, although the sun on dark surfaces like our deck frequently results in some melting. The birds have been delightful to watch–I've had the feeder filled since we arrived–mostly Chickadees but lots of other species too and a few squirrels.

I've gotten lots of good exercise, including some snow shoveling and lots of skiing and snowshoeing. I've done several trips around the perimeter of the bay in front of our cabin (up to the river, along the far shore, down to the bridge, and back to the cabin). I feel lots better when I'm exercising and look forward to getting out nearly every day.

Tighe likes the snow too. Josey as well, although I don't have pictures of her in the snow.

Kathie took this picture. She says it shows a contented old retired guy. (I might have made part of that up.)

Tighe likes bully sticks. We are told they are dried bull penises. (Really! You can't make this stuff up!)

Jessica and Maia are spending the week with us. Mike will be over in a couple days. Maia gets very excited about the pinball machine. She knows all the buttons to push at the right times.

Kathie and Jess have started a picture puzzle. I may have to help, being the puzzle meister that I am.

This morning, our neighbor brought her grandson Tyler over for a visit. Tyler doesn't get to spend much time with other little people, so this chance to play with Maia was not to be missed. He's a cute little guy just a couple weeks older than my grandson Fritz, who he will have to meet this summer.

Tyler's grandmother is one of his best buddies. We love having such good neighbors nearby.

This afternoon we took Maia out for an adventure on the snow on our lake. I pulled her around in her new sled for awhile. She was a real trouper and seemed to love every minute out there.

Grandma (Nana) was snowshoeing alongside us.

I had to make a snow angel for Maia. A girl who has relocated from Tennessee to Minnesota needs a little instruction in such things. Couldn't get her to try it out, though.

North for Winter

Sad to say, but we just can't seem to get a good, honest winter in Iowa anymore. All we get are wet, sloppy, gray messes, if that, and few really nice cold temperatures. So, our property in northern Wisconsin is a nice place to escape to in the winter, because we do get good snow and cool air up here.

I bought Kathie her first pair of snowshoes for Valentine's Day this year. What a nice, romantic gift you're probably saying! Here she is donning them for her first-ever outing.

She thinks they are quite light and easy to use. I was impressed at how quickly she took to them.

I had been out on mine yesterday for a hike up to the river entrance and back. Today, I did most of the perimeter of the bay on which we are located. I'm a little out of shape and need to re-lose some weight I gained during the holidays, so this has been good exercise, even though my muscles are complaining a little.

Here's Kathie in motion.

I snapped this shot of our place near the conclusion of this morning's hike. We are supposed to get more snow this afternoon and tonight. Looking forward to it.

Christmas 2012 Round 2

A few days after the actual Christmas holiday, the remainder of our family members came to celebrate the season with us. I didn't take lots of pictures that day, but I want to share one of each of the grandkids and offer a few thoughts as the new year begins.

Clara will be five in just a few days. This year she is enrolled in a preschool hosted at her local community high school and which provides the high school students with an opportunity to learn about early childhood education and care. Clara seems to love her time there. I love her affectionate nature and always-charming smiles. She recently asked me to install a mail slot on the treehouse I built for her and Henry last spring, so now she sometimes gets mail delivered there from her Grandpa Bill.

The newest member of the family, Frederick, shares my father's name, so I sometimes get to call him Fritz, as Dad was usually known. Fritz turned three months old on Christmas day. He has lots of fun outfits, including this Mr. Cable-knit ensemble. A very happy baby so far, he is starting to watch everything and everyone and is smiling and talking. We don't know what he is saying, but it is fun to have conversations with him nevertheless! And I'll take all the cuddling I can get too.

The oldest of the lot is Henry, who turned eight just before Thanksgiving. How is that possible? He is showing potential as an engineer, what with all of his Lego fabrications and inventions. Because he reads all kinds of books, I like to challenge him with things like Totally Irresponsible Science and Oh Yuck! The Book of Everything Nasty. It remains to be seen how much his parents approve of the grandfather's selections. I like it that he enjoys baseball and is showing improved skills in that regard. It is easy to be proud of him and to admire the love he shows his sister, brother, and parents.

Eleanor is in kindergarten this year. I love her alluring smile and sweet nature. When she arrived for our day together, she handed me a beautiful hand-made card which reads, "I love you. Love Eleanor." That was good for a whole day of warm feelings and extra hugs. Eleanor likes to read and also to tell stories, especially fantasies involving elves, fairies, gnomes, woodland creatures, My Little Ponies, and other characters. (You may have seen a prior posting of a small woodland home I made for her.) Her artistic skills have become quite detailed and involved–I'll have to get her together with her Great Aunt Paula sometime soon.

Her Pop says she is the happiest little person he knows. Penny is nearly 1-1/2 years old already. Like her sister, she loves to read too. Her favorite book when here is a picture book and story that her parents made for us when Eleanor was just two. Penny asks me to read and reread that book to her when she visits, and she like pointing out all the familiar faces in it. We also play together with the farm set that my sister made for me (specifically designed to help me educate the grandchild about our rural roots). Penny knows all the animals and their sounds, and she seems to be fascinated with our dogs, especially Josey. The way a happy little person like this can warm your heart is quite amazing.

Anders turned four last September. You have to inlcude "Mr. Energy" as a descriptor when thinking about him–he was riding a bicycle by the age of three. He still loves music, especially anything by Johnny Cash (he knows several of those songs by heart), but his interests are expanding. He received a real, tiny violin for Christmas (might once have been his Aunt Betsy's), and I bet he will work at learning to play it. Pirates are another huge interest these days. Last year he was Johnny Cash for Halloween, and this year he was a pirate. Anders has a dog named Kelso (works nicely for singing the song about a dog named Bingo). He likes being at their northern lake property, and he and I have enjoyed time at our Wisconsin home catching fish, snow shoeing, and cross-country skiing. I always receive a big hug when we see each other. We look forward to a trip to Disney World together this spring.

My mother, in her later years, said that grandchildren were God's reward for growing old. She was right! She also once wrote a short story for children called The Most Wonderfullest Treasure which culminates in the reader learning that grandchildren were her treasure. Mom was very perceptive.

Christmas 2012

We enjoyed having Mike, Jessica, and Maia with us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Maia is nearly two already, and I believe this was her first experience with snow of any consequence. The roller coaster is also always a big hit.

Mike and Jessica took Maia out for some sliding on a borrowed saucer sled. Maia had fun, but I understand she didn't like having snow fly up in her face.

The night they arrived, Rob, Carrie, Eleanor and Penny joined us for dinner, so we had a chance to get the cousins together.

In my opinion, Maia has the most beautiful eyes.

We enjoyed a traditional raisin coffee cake for Christmas morning breakfast.

Then Maia, along with the rest of us, tore into our stockings to see what Santa brought.

Kathie and her mother were busy scratching their lottery tickets to no avail, although there were a few small winners among the rest of us.

Uncle Travis gave Maia some terrific new clothes.

She also received a nice Hawkeye cardigan from her great-grandmother.

And a slick new raincoat and boots from her Nana (Kathie).

Two of the children played with Play-Dough.

Another tried on a spiffy hat.

Then there was more snow fun. We no longer own a sled, so I showed Maia how she could slide through the snow on a scoop shovel.

Jessica used her culinary training to carve up the turkey.

Kathie and I just tried to look festive. Of course, I had to wear one of my two Christmas neckties and my special Christmas socks. These things come out once a year.

Turkey and all the trimmings made up our dinner.

Later, Maia operated one of my electric train sets.

And there was the usual evening of games.

A Visit With Daughter and Her Family

We spent a couple days visiting family members this past Sunday-Tuesday. When we arrived at Betsy's house, Frederick was sound asleep. I had to take this picture of him all bundled up in the blanket Kathie made for him. (She chose blue not knowing that if there would be a boy or a girl, but it worked out according to tradition nevertheless.)

Of course, my camera flash woke him up, or maybe he was ready to wake up anyway. He and I spent a few minutes just looking at each other and making little sounds. He's a keeper!

We played a few games of Sorry! with Henry and Clara.

Peter and Mary came over to join all of us for dinner.

Yesterday morning, we all got going early enough to have breakfast together before Henry and Clara headed off to school and Peter went to work. I got these two shots at the restaurant–you can't beat happy faces like these. What a fortunate Grandpa I am!