A summer of family, fiber and fun

Well, Fall is officially here and Summer is over. It's been a dry one and Fall has welcomed us with two inches of rain in one day! So I can look back on a hot, dry time but with a lot of family things. The beginning of it started in early June when we met Jill and the kids at Fort Ridgely for a camping weekend.  We have a wonderful time with them on our camping times.  Fort Ridgely is an 1860s fort that was a safe haven during the Uprising.  The Uprising was also called the Dakota War of 1862 when the Sioux of Minnesota, starving, attacked the whites, hoping to drive them out and reclaim their lands.  Many white settlers, fleeing from the Sioux, headed to Fort Ridgely for safety.  The fort has been restored, in some places, and become a museum.  During the time together, the kids went to the Fort Ridgely Creek to wade and splash.  Norm and Jill played in the creek as well and everyone came back to the camper soaking wet! Jill announced that NEXT camping would be at this spot and she was bringing her swim suit.

Our set up at most of our campouts

Anders is always doing some kind of puzzle

The dogs have their own yard where they are safe

Friend Pegeen lives close by and rode her beautiful horse over to visit

The river was cold and clear and fun

Harley went to a pottery class and made me this mug

Mid-June, Windom had a RiverFest celebration and the local historical museum was giving free admission. Most years Norm and I demonstrate. They have a station that is set up for the Prairie kitchen / home. That is where I sit and I spin on an 1860s spinning wheel and talk about fiber and prairie life. Norm is in the pioneer workshop and does wood carving. This year, Ashley was able to join us for the day. She sat and wove on her "new" loom - the eight inch Structo that I gave her for Christmas last year (I got a new demonstration loom) while I did some spinning. It is fantastic that she is willing to travel two plus hours to spend time with us, sharing her skills with visitors.

Then the magnificent trip to North Carolina and Jessica's wedding!  That was fiber-filled, as I spun Jacob's wool on the way down, then purchased BFL (Blue Face Leister) at Leslie's store, Poppies, in Meadows of Dan to spin on the way home.  And, of course, filled with family and fun.  

Have to share one last picture of the wedding day

The last three weekends in July are dedicated to the Laura Ingalls Wilder days in Walnut Grove; there is a pageant for two nights each weekend and events in the park on the Saturdays.  Norm and I have gone for so many years that I can't even count them.  (Note to self: write down the first year of attending ANYTHING so you can keep track!)  We have been paid for demonstrating and allowed to sell our wares.  Neither of us sell much so the payment is more than welcome.  Ashley joined us one year, with Jessica and Joy, when the Langs were down here residing our south kitchen wall.  Ashely has come several times when she was free.  Last year she was officially asked to come and was actually paid!!!  So this year she joined us again; Matthew was free one weekend and joined us as well.  He is "getting into" the joys of historical crafts.  This year Norm found a small hammer head and Matthew hued a handle for it.  Each time Ashley comes, we try to get her to spend the night at least one night of the weekend.  Saves her rushing and gives her a break.  Gives us time to visit, as well.

Matthew fits in well, even though he's not actually wearing period correct clothing

Ashley fits in extremely well.  But she's been doing this, off and on, for over 20 years

The last weekend in July we went to Jill's to celebrate two birthdays - Harley and Anders.  They are close enough in dates so that we can usually celebrate them together.  We also went to a park celebration nearby and spent the day wandering and letting the kids play.  We took Roxie and Pixie; I take my walker with a basket in the seat.  I can't sit down but I do need the support of the walker for my ankle.  That way the dogs can go out and enjoy being with us.  

Ten and eight!!

 

All comfy in their basket and Roxie has a blanket to keep her warm

Lots of things for the kids to enjoy

A beautiful summer day to enjoy

A peaceful (sort of) day at home

We went up to St. Croix State Park, just on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, to join Joy and family.  Jessica and Caleb had flown in to spend a long weekend with family; Ashley and Matthew were there as well.  Joy did not tell them that we were coming so it was a happy surprise.  The whole Lang / Bird / Polson family went canoeing along the St. Croix river while we stayed "home" with the dogs and had a relaxing time. The kids went home early and we stayed an extra day.  With Joy and Ken (and the dogs) we took a nice walk along the river.  

The gang is all here

Gathered around the table for lunch

Enjoying wonderful weather

The St Croix River - Wisconsin is on the other side

My morning coffee buddy

Married 28 years and still holding hands

The week after, Ashley joined us at Fort Belmont for Pioneer Days.  This is held in Jackson, MN, just an hour away.  But because it IS an hour, we take our camper so we don't have to travel to and from.  This year Joy and Ken brought down their camper; Ashley's friend, Jessie O, came as well.  She and Ashley slept in Joy's 5th-wheeler, which is bigger and easier set up for company sleeping.  We set up in the cabin that is in the fort.  Fort Belmont was located north of I-90 but was moved and re-built on the south side, just outside of Jackson.  Norm set up outside along the fort walls and Ashley and I (and Jessie O) set up inside.  Ashley did spinning, I did weaving, both on my demonstration loom and on the 1860 loom that is permanently in the cabin.  Ashely got Jessie O. weaving on her little loom and Jessie O. fell in love.  (Ashley gave her a ridged heddle loom and has gotten her weaving!)

Spinning, as usual

Pixie likes Joy a lot

MN Jack Sparrow - he has legal permission to portray Jack Sparrow from Johnny Depp himself

He was trying to get into the fort to loot it.  I stopped him with my trusty cane.

Also in August, we went to Mountain Lake to demonstrate in their big red barn.  Mountain Lake was founded by Mennonites, so they have a small village of some of the older houses and shops.  Once a year they have a Pioneer Days where the village is filled with "residents" demonstrating skills and selling traditional Mennonite food.  Ashley joined us, again.  She is really "getting into" the historical as well as fiber fun.  She has always loved it but is just now able to join us every once in awhile.  This was our last demonstration for the year.  I was sad to see it end; I enjoy the ability to share my passions with the general public.  And I sometimes get someone involved in one of the crafts.

The Red Barn that we demonstrated in

Ashley with the spinning wheel again

Also, we popped up to Fergus Falls to see Candy and Wayne's new house.  They deserted me by moving four hours away, instead of being only fifteen minutes away.  But last winter was such a trial that they decided they needed to get somewhere closer to stores and doctors and hospitals.  Also, Brook lives and works in Fergus Falls so they are only about ten minutes from her.  I didn't get any pictures of them!  We did go shopping at a craft shop that is mainly a weaving shop.  I thought I recognized the owner and when we compared notes found out that she had been in Walnut Grove the first few years that we demonstrated there.  She moved up to FF and started a store. We also went to Fargo, only about forty-five minutes away, to see my cousin, Jimmy, and his wife, Andrea.

A fantastic building that used to be the Fergus Falls State Hospital

Torie's shop had these lovely weaving benches, made by a local woodsman.  I got one and Norm is staining if for me.

We took the camper (and dogs) and camped in a very pretty park.

Early October, we zipped up to Jill's.  Harley was in a musical and asked us to come see it.  The musical was written for children and based on Rapunzel. Storybook Theatre is based in Minneapolis; they audition children and place them in the chorus they feel the children would fit.  Then there are rehearsals and rehearsals for five days.  The musical is put on Friday night and Saturday morning.  Jerry and Marie, the other grandparents, were also there so we had a wonderful weekend.  The musical was cute and funny and very enjoyable.  Harley got a dozen red roses from all of us - after all, the star of the show (in our hearts) deserved flowers!  We also were able to attend the kids' last soccer games.  Also, on Sunday, there were swimming lessons so we got to watch those as well.

The playbill

Her name on the playbill

She was in the chorus

The whole cast was great but our little one was best, in our hearts

A dozen roses

Marie and Jerry

Anders, number five, as goalie

Waiting for the ball to go her way

Not diving, yet, but still jumping off and swimming to the side

Learning how to float on his back

Heading to school on a chilly morning

They meet with friends and bike to school together

Then, the very last camping trip of the season (sigh).  We met Joy and Ken at Split Creek State Park to enjoy a delightful weekend.  The State Parks close off water on the Monday after that weekend and so we had to leave Monday; I would have loved to stay another day, but no!  The weather was beautiful on Friday so we had cheeseburgers and brats that night around the fire.  Saturday was blustery and cold.  We went for a walk - well, at least the others walked.  I took my mobility scooter, the "Pony." The dogs were in a basket under my feet and bundled up, as was I.  The area is beautiful and fairly wild, considering a highway just on the other side of the trees. We even saw several pheasants.  Sunday was warmer so I didn't have to bundle up as much on the walk.  I love to sit outside under the awning and spin or weave with the dogs beside me in their yard.  But it was too cold, even on the nicer days so I sat inside.  I took the band loom this time and almost finished a leash for Roxie.

We drove through Buffalo Ridge, a long ridge from the north to south where there are thousands of wind turbines

Beautiful sunset on the lake

Any time Joy and Pixie are together, they are together

Looking at the river on our hike

Ken is looking for mushrooms

Joy picked some wild sage

Let's play high five

And you've got it!

Norm always wants a fire

A cold morning

Beautiful sunrise on our last morning

Another view of the lake

A sunny day but brisk winds, so I kept bundled up.

Home again and time to winterize the camper.  All the food comes out and the waterlines are drained and have antifreeze put in.  It's a sad day when this happens.  The camper is parked in her winter spot and will wait until spring.  In Minnesota, the campgrounds open up about mid April; a long time to wait to camp, in my way of thinking.

So, that was our busy, busy summer.  Fall is here with a bang and we have our first snow of the season.