Holy Hill

It was a little tricky - spiral staircases.

There are many views like this one all around the Holy Hill area.

I thought this was very touching

I pray this little girl is dancing!

While we were parked in Hartford, we visited Holy Hill.  I lived about 25 miles from Holy Hill, but never visited.  We chose a blustery day to make the trip, the beautiful Fall color made it worthwhile.

Grandpa's Place Up North

The windows are new I remember very small windows.

 These photos show my Grandpa and Grandma's place just north of Wausau, Wisconsin. My grandparents have been dancing in heaven many years now, but the house Grandpa built is still there and so is the big woods.

 I have fond memories of driving up to to visit them. Five kids in a station wagon.   My parents probably felt the trip took six hours - "this is the line! Do NOT touch me." or "Stop making faces at me." And the all time favorite of kids everywhere - "If I have to stop this car..." for 3 1/2 hours from West Bend to Wausau. 

After settling in and playing a few games, we would all pile out of the car at the half-way point, The Cheese Shop in Freemont, Wisconsin, along State Highway 110. We could walk around a bit, go to the bathroom, and choose string cheese or cheese curds for the car snack. The Cheese shop is boarded up, but thankfully we no longer need a unifying family break.

On the trip when I took these photos I was traveling to Wausau, with three of my siblings - it was a great trip the only tense moment? "Shot gun!  I called it." 

The house looks the same and the owners were so kind in allowing us to park and walk through their yard to the woods.

The remains of our maple syrup operation. 

In the Spring, we kids would "help" Grandpa and our dad make maple syrup.  Our job was to  gather wood - until we lost interest... .

In the Fall, sometimes Grandpa would hitch up the wagon - big enough for eight grand kids - to the tractor and take us for a ride through the woods out to the clearing. We had such fun.  

Now that I am a grandma, I hope that I can help make memories that will be treasured up through the years.  It is always a good time when I get together with my siblings and someone starts off with - remember when...

My House on North Street

536 North Street

Oh my goodness!  I have not been able to blog in what seems like forever!  I have missed blogging.  It is frustrating to be in a place with poor internet.  Can you even believe that there are places with poor or spotty internet? Well, there are and I believe I have visited all of them.   

In the latter part of September we were parked in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, then Hartford, Wisconsin, the following week.  It proved to be a perfect time to take a trip down memory lane.

When I entered fifth grade we moved to this house on 536 North Street in West Bend. We had lived in an apartment in Milwaukee.  Even ncluding my married life, it remains the house I called home for the longest amount of time. 

North Street was a great place to be a kid, even though I had to share a bedroom with my sister.  Living next door in this house there were ten kids! In our family we were five kids, so if you were up for a game, chances are you could find someone who was ready to go.  The house across the street also had ten kids.  I thought every kid got to play kick the can, touch (shove) football, ride bikes around the neighborhood (which encompassed about 10 blocks), go sledding -- on cardboard in the summer and on real sleds in the winter -- down Suicide Hill. (When I saw the hill this trip I was less than impressed by its fearsomeness.)


While I was away at college, my family moved to a new house.  It was much roomier and out in the country, but there were no neighbors with tons of kids.  I felt bad for my younger siblings missing out on the adventure that made my childhood so much fun. 

Parked at LHS

 During the last part of August, and  into September, we parked haRVey at Mayer Lutheran High School.  Before our traveling life began, I worked at the school.  It was fun for me to stop in the office and visit a bit and go out for lunch with my office buddies. Coach Grimsley assigned me a locker - with a combination!  I feel younger just sharing that bit.
 
We thought by parking in the back lot we would be out of the way.... not so.  The brown shed you see in the photo was emptied and sold.  The only sign left of the shed is a cement slab.  

Watching the demolition of the shed brought with it interesting memories.  The brown shed was the site of a HUGE annual rummage sale dating back 45 years!  Many churches in the area (30 churches) help raise funds for the school by donating gently used clothing, books, kitchen items, flea market treasures, furniture and tools.  It is not unusual to hear people say, "I am saving this for the summer sale."  With the brown shed gone, I wonder what people will say when sale time rolls around? Put it out on the slab? 

Thank you LHS for allowing us a place to park and catch up on the latest as you continue to Prepare the Next Generation of Christian Leaders!

RV Cleaning

haRVey was parked in a nice little campground spot in Wisconsin - a perfect time to take care of the difficult, time-consuming chore of waxing our home.

On a bright sunny Saturday morning, there we were amidst the happy crowd of folks in swimsuits, life vests, hauling boat trailers, and carrying various items for outdoor fun... and there we were with our wax on, wax off rags strewn about, hoses and a ladder littering  our space.  I must say we were victims of many strange looks as if to say, " you are in a campground, on a weekend, it is sunny, there is a pool right over there."  It was a bit much, but we did complete our chore and politely turned down lucrative offers of more RV cleaning from our neighbors.  

how beautiful is the beaded water!

Nice shine!

Black streaks are always a problem. 

Sister Time

Amy, Jane and me

Jane and I visited a mushroom farm located just outside of Random Lake.  It was indeed a delight. We brought our mushrooms to the home of my brother, Jesse, for a mushroom heavy on the menu, dinner.  We had portabella mushrooms on the grill, we had sauteed mushrooms with steak, and mushroom appetizers too.  There were a few mushroom haters in the crowd, I am not sure, but I think they put ketchup on their steak! (how uncivilized)

Jane and I also visited a cheese shop, but in Wisconsin... it is not quite a novel as a mushroom farm.

Whenever I am in Wisconsin (God's Country) my sisters and I get together - always fun.  This year we went to Cedarburg for the day. There are many, many shops and our husbands would not have had the stamina or desire to survive such an adventure.  We had lunch outdoors, walked a lot AND stopped for coffee - twice. :)  I thank God for my wonderful sisters. 

In Random Lake, Wisconsin, where Jane lives, there is a little grocery store. Along the back wall you will find an old fashioned ice cream shoppe!  Homemade Shake anyone?  I love small towns.

Uncle Charlie

While we were in Wisconsin this summer, my Uncle Charlie was admitted to the hospital.  Normally, we are far-flung when family events arise, but we were camped only one hour away from Wausau, Wisconsin. On late Sunday afternoon, July 15 we were able to visit with my Aunt Sally, my cousins, Jackie and Jenny and Jenny's hubby, Roy.  We spent a few hours and had a visit filled with the laughter of "remember when," as well as tears for the here and now.

 I have been the recipient of the gift of presence.  I hope you have too.  Sometimes you do not have words to say, but just being there, is gift enough.  Uncle Charlie died on Monday, July 16 and I am so very thankful I listened to that little voice nudging me to take a drive. 

Uncle Charlie on the left, my dad on the right

The funeral was filled with music and remembrances of a life well-lived! In his eulogy, Charlie's grandson, Josh, mentioned many things that made his grandpa special to him.  The gift of time was near the top.  I think my uncle understood that just being there at ball games or swim meets, where Josh could always see Grandpa in the stands, was a special gift of presence he could give his grandson. And he did.

I should also mention that one of the coolest gifts Josh received from his Grandpa - on his 10th birthday, Josh and Grandpa Charlie took a trip to Lambeau Field on a frigid November Sunday to watch the Packers play.  They both enjoyed the view from the warm comfort of a box seat.