The Stockade

Here are the few stockade pictures that I managed to take. 

Sorry it has taken me so long to get them put up.

Life just got away from me I guess.

I love this place so very much.

Just looking at these pictures makes me feel warm inside.

Also, gratuitous cat pictures at the end

Here are the fabulous Haggen sisters,

Minus two.

Does that make them slightly less fabulous?

Dem braids, do

Classic Dad with a pick in his mouth.

Sam has great hair too

This next picture would be the best ever if Mandy had

gotten the photo bombing memo.

I still love it.

Silly peoples.

The Mom and The Dad

Tying da apron.

Such cute sister

The handsome brother

The sassy sister

Goofy mom

Staff outhouse.

Silly, I know. 

But it's so cute!

Jack and Civil War Dude with the cranky wife.

Closed eyed dad

Darling baby going by in a dog cart.

Closer up of darling baby in dog cart.

Violet

Look how tall she is!

Her brothers were there a different day and ran like hooligans

and I never caught them for a picture.

Bob, Betty and daughter, Tammy

Love these people!

Random rendezvous man 

with a cool thingy

Ruthie

Are you impressed I know her name?

I just learned it this year.

The boy playing the checkers with 

the mom on Sunday when it was raining.

He thinks he is winning,

Ha!

Mandy

And Mia

Chilling in the cabin.

Again with the rain.

The Mom

WINNING checkers

Ha!

Sorry Sam

Dad schmoozing the few folks left after the rain.

Go Dad!

Betsy (the potter), Becky, and Cindy (the organist)

Selling all the good stuff on the front porch.

Jack's wife (whose name escapes me, sadly.

 Help me anyone?)

Liquid gold

He will always be the Dr. to me.

Even though he is the printing press guy now

He is a Dr, in real life, you know.

He doesn't just play one on tv.

(Old joke. Too old for you?)

Bob and Don

Our favorite bridge

A peek at the park. 

We were tired and it was raining and had poured previously.

We didn't stay long.

And last but not least,

The Chat.

Old Young Friends

My childhood friend, Christine, came for a visit.

It is absolutely bizarre that we have been friends for 44 years.

How is that even possible?

We met on the kindergarten bus.

She is as gorgeous as ever, although I never

 get used to her being blond. When we

were growing up her hair was pretty much

the same color as mine.

Those funny Californians!

We dropped the kayaks in at the south end of Buffalo Lake,

paddled around the bay and into the channel to Mink Lake.

We saw several Great Blue Herons, an Egret, An Eagle, Terns,

Cormorants, and lots of sea gulls.

We found another tiny channel into a kind-of hidden bay.

It was all very mysterious and lovely.

There were probably at least a hundred cormorants in the 

water and perched in a tree.

It was really cool.

We paddled the entire perimeter of Mink Lake

 and it made me so happy!

I think I found my dream house there.

We also found this spillway.

 The water level dropped several feet at the bridge.

This is at least one of the places the Crow River 

leaves the lakes.

Then we headed back through the main channel to Buffalo Lake.

One of the best things about spending time with someone

who has known you forever?

You skip so much of the useless small talk.

We know all of each other's stuff.

We can slip right into real conversation and it is wonderful.

We laughed a lot.

Ha! this next picture is ridiculous.

I had been taking a picture of a heron, and forgot 

to un zoom it to take a selfie of us.

Goofy!

It was a really nice day.

After we kayaked we came home and had a

garden lunch. And by that I mean we picked tomatoes

and cucumbers, and took pickles out of the

fridge and just munched on yummy stuff.

And farmer's market cheese too.

Hang onto your friends.

If there is someone you love and you haven't

 talked to them for a while,

reach out!

You won't be sorry.

Love you to bits!

Mom

Mandy and I went out to Ney to have a little

exercise and nature time.

It was a truly gorgeous morning- cool, breezy and bright.

I just snapped a couple of pictures to document our time.

We played Pooh Sticks, with me lucking

 in to winning two out of three.

Mandy was pretty sure it was just

 because I picked up superior sticks to hers. 

Haha!

The light was so dappled with the leaves and sun.

So beautiful!

So, Mandy hates this next picture, but it was the

 only one of the two of us.

I think we look like we are in hell because 

she is wearing red and I am wearing fluorescent orange.

All the reflection!

There's a fungus among us

We stopped at the bridge a bit to enjoy the day.

Here's the eagle's nest.

We had to do quite a bit of off roading after

 this point because the whole path was flooded.

I didn't realize that we had had that much rain.

It was a fun adventure.

Except for the part where I was climbing over

 a log and  had a branch break and I went falling down.

That caused us both some alarm because of my back.

Luckily I am okay, 

with only a bruise on my leg to show for it.

It was a lovely, lovely walk, both good

 for my head and for my body.

We stopped at a garage sale and reassured ourselves

that we weren't missing anything great.

(Much ado about nothing.

Tons of cars and people, lame stuff.)

We went immediately afterwards to get donuts.

Can't be too healthy, after all.

Haha.

I hope you have a fabulous day, today.

Love you tons!

Mom