more celebrations!

Mom turned 83 on August 8th so we headed to Cedarburg,WI for a girls' night at the Stagecoach Inn. What Mom didn't know was that her "5th child", Jan would be joining us! Jan grew up 2 doors down on Parnell Ave. in West Pullman and spent a lot of time with our family. We have known each other since 1957!!! She really is a sister and daughter to our family.... It's a good thing Mom has a good heart...it was a big surprise and it took her a while to recover!! What a great time we had wandering in and out of shops and of course...eating!! Delicious crepes at the restaurant in the Mill..yum!

3 generations!

3 sisters!

                                      The creek behind the Mill and Winery..

                                Be kind to your web footed friends...for a duck may be
                              somebody's mother! Remember that song??? Ray Rayner?

Cedarburg is a favorite destination...only 2 hrs from Chi-town...plenty to see and do...or just relax! Can't say enough about the Stagecoach Inn! AND they just opened the Wisconsin Quilt Museum!! I'll just have to get back there, soon!

                                        

Happy Birthday, Brenna!

The online class I took is finished...Yay! Now on to summer fun and celebrations! Brenna turned 31 on the 17th of August..wow! We headed to Tweet on N. Sheridan for a yummy brunch!

This joint is packed on the weekends so we were lucky that her birthday fell in the middle of the week! Thanks, Bren for sharing your special day and suggesting such a cool restaurant..loved it!

TWEET is sweet!

On to Navy Pier for a ferris wheel ride for Charlie!

The wheel is 150 ft. tall...really scary if you happen to have a fear of heights! I suggest NOT looking down.....straight out at the horizon is fine...not DOWN!!!

buckling down :(

Well, into each summer a little work must come....I have one more week to wrap up the assigned work for an online class I'm taking on Autism Spectrum disorder. The class consists of reading chapters in a text, watching videos, and responding to discussion forums with other educators. There are 4 modules and today I will begin #3. I have learned a lot and can see how I will apply this new knowledge in my teaching practice with students, colleagues, and parents. The type of writing that this course requires is good for my brain....requires a higher order sort of thinking that's prepping me for the new school year..Speaking of which, I am trying to mentally prepare myself emotionally for returning to a sea of change and a little uncertainty....can I hold onto this job with the reformists bearing down?

A nice place to visit....and I DO want to live there!

I did it! I got Chas to Decorah..no small feat! We are trying to figure out a compromise. Finances and life will play a big role..this is after all 5 years away...unless a load of cash falls from heaven..ummmm...not likely..
We returned from our Wisconsin mini vacation via Iowa..how convenient! Seriously, how can anyone resist this lovely spot...words I would use to describe it....
scenic, progressive, vital (Yoga Studio and Sushi restaurant!), artsy, friendly, interesting (more than one museum!), fabulous!

                                    Winneshiek County Seat right here in Decorah!

   The old half of the library..I did not photograph the larger more modern half..

                    Yummy house..not what I'll be looking for, but lovely to look at!

Typical garden in town...

                                                Fun building, no?

                        The lovely and reasonably priced Hotel Winneshiek...it really is!

                                        The main drag: Water Street

                                    Beautiful potted plants on Water Street
 So Chas set foot in Decorah and did not implode.....I think (maybe) he understands what I see in it, and for now that's enough...:)

midwest riviera

We have just returned from a relaxing tour of the midwest riviera....Eau Claire, Wi/ Chippewa Falls Wi, and then on through southern Minnesota to that great destination spot...Decorah, IA!! Oh be still my heart...Decorah, land of my dreams, land of promise, land of opportunity...just like the immigrant looking to the USA for the fulfillment of the good and prosperous life, I look to Decorah for the fulfillment of my soul's yearning for a peaceful, quiet, safe and friendly, lifestyle in my (ahem) later years....The scenery was unparalleled as was the company and hospitality of our friends, Peggy and Dave, proud owners of a paradise high above the lovely city of Eau Claire, WI. They work their forested acres like modern day settlers....clearing, digging, pruning, planting, weeding, plowing..you name it..they do it! Unfortunately my little digital camera could not capture the awesome beauty that awaits them each day and night. Peggy and I stayed up Saturday night to witness a thunderstorm up close. The front of their home has 2 double paned glass rooms, one with hot tub!!! (I'll be back in the Fall for that!) the ceilings are glass as well! What a magical hour that was!!

This is the view from the front of Peg and Dave's house the "valley of the tree tops"! I can only imagine what it must look like in the Fall! The side view is farmland, rolling green hills that rival Ireland's!

                               These are scenes from a tour of the forest!

The birdwatching is fabulous...we were treated to a constant parade of finches, cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, hummingbirds, wrens and in the distance eagles and hawks!

                                              A red breasted grosbeak
This paradise includes bears, gnats, and snakes....not my cup of tea...so I'll set my sights on small town living..next stop Decorah, IA!!

Heck with the pearly gates.....

Pearly gates and streets paved with gold....nah! Heaven will be a never ending Farmer's Market...fresh, sweet, colorful...a happy place....and it WILL smell like cilantro..and basil....:)

                                                           For Meara

                                                         For 8050!

a walk on the wild side?

                     

Yep, my little slice of heaven is wedged between busy Kedzie Ave. and St. Mary's cemetery. Mixed with traffic fumes, the aroma of Harold's Chicken gently wafts across the track where I try hard to burn up those pesky extra calories my body doesn't really need.... Today was an ideal hiking day...deep blue skies with wispy clouds skimming along...and low low low humidity. This is what we refer to in our family as a "Wisconsin day". In other words..perfect.
Perfect for any summer outdoor activity... fishing, picnic-ing, lying on a beach listening to the waves lap the shore....I went to all of those places during the course of my walk 4x around the .8 mi track today...in my head...
Walking a track is BORING! I will not wear an i-pod... want to be hyper-aware at all times of my surroundings....call me a city-girl...it's true..you have to be aware of folks around you. Truthfully, that's why I'm not over pounding the pavement in oh so beautiful St. Mary's where it's shady...oh-so quiet....green..... virtually empty...it's lovely. It's also isolated...big NO NO! I wouldn't do that even in a small town. Ladies..we gotsta be careful...
So what's the wild side to all of this?....I'm at a boring track....
check out the scenery, friends...heaven on earth in all it's glory is here, there, and everywhere!

                                                 Here's a wild bunch!

and another...

                                    Quick! What's my favorite color??

         Some beetles were napping in the late morning warmth..ssshhhhhh!

                  A bitty basking turtle...I think that's mom watching just to the right...

                                     Reminds me of linen and lace....

                                             feel like I'm in the forest....

                                                         I'll be back....