Olivia's FIRST birthday party

We're mid-way through a two-week visit to Minnesota, and one of the major events of the time was Olivia's first birthday party. Olivia is Melanie's youngest, born Sep 24, 2009 when we were here last year.

About 30 people of friends and family came to Olivia's party. Here Melanie, the mother, is demonstrating how to build a scarecrow.

The building and stuffing of scarecrows in progress.

More scarecrow stuffing.

Aunt Angel came from Illinois and was put to work cutting the cake. Aunt Lori watches from background.

Paternal grandmother (Jason's mom), Nancy, and great-grandmother, Bev with Olivia.

Even at the age of one, girls can really get into opening presents.

Most of the kids, with their scarecrows.

The first thing Olivia grabbed to eat was the #1 candle.

Yes, there was cake!

Sisters and friends "helped" Olivia open the presents.

The greeting on the front sidewalk - art courtesy of Olivia's older sisters.

On The Road AGAIN!

We have departed Illinois, and are once again on the road. After spending a few days at the Hixton WI KOA (had some work done on the RV) and also had a one-day visit at the VA Medical Center in Tomah for an exam (all is well). Saturday, Sep 18 found us arriving in St Paul MN where we are staying on Tanner Lake in Landfall (east side of St Paul).

Pat and Dave with our Roamin' Gnome as we leave the Chicago NW KOA where we have worked since April. It was a long, but good, summer.

Before leaving Illinois, we had a visit with daughter, Angel, at the Roscoe Fall Festival.

Sabrina, throwing candy during the parade, and Angel, red apron, marched with the Girl Scouts.

Always stuff to see and shop for at festivals. Here, inside merchandise tent.

No visit to central Wisconsin is complete without seeing the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens.

Jim Rankin, owner of Hixton KOA, buying ice cream at the Cranberry Discovery Center.

Pat with Donna Rankin at Hixton KOA.

We'll be in MN for about two weeks.

End of summer recap

It's hard to believe that the summer we waited for so expectantly has come and is (almost) gone. We have only 2 and 1/2 work days left in Illinois. The last month has been a busy one and we have not been to a lot of places or events. We'll make up for that when we begin to travel in about one week. This entry will merely catch us up on some of the events of the last month.

We got together with some of our winter Texan friends in Creston IL recently. Jack and Bernadean Kerns hosted the get-together.

Around the table, Pat, Carol Casner, Dave, Jim Casner, Jack Kerns, Bernadean Kerns.

Jim and Jack working the fryers.

This is Illinois fish, not Texas. Mostly catfish and crappie.

Jack showing off one of his big watermelons.

Sister, Gretchen Winkler, came for a 2-day visit. She is shown here crafting a felted wool soap item.

We did some sight-seeing in Rockford. Here we are with the Stone Guardians of Rockford.

Here we are at the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford. Really nice place to visit.

A lot of work went into the building of Anderson Japanese Gardens, and the work continues as this is a high-maintenance type of venue. Lots of gardening going on every day.

I've started carving on a walnut slab that I hope will end up with two sets of cute raccoon kits looking out of the log. Time will tell. Never worked with walnut before.

Here are the judges at the woodcarving show in Rockford last month. Dave's piece is the acrobatic girl on the left.

And here she is after the show, complete with Honorable Mention ribbon. My first entry in a woodcarving contest, ever.

Here's another piece I carved recently. This one was done for Pat as she loves daisies.

Some swallows nested in the tractor barn at the KOA and I discovered them just a couple of days before they left the nest.

So, we end this entry with a shot of nature, which is part of why we live the RV lifestyle. It keeps us close to nature.