Some of the Visitors at My Birthday

There were 15 people at my birthday celebration.  My son Rick (actual name is Steve) came with four others.  They are all musicians and they, along with Rick put on a music fest as part of the celebration.

Rose plays the saxophone, the flute, and is has a marvelous singing voice.

Terry is a singer that performs with Rick.

Rodney is part of the music group as well as Terry's wife.

Don Heath was one of my visitors.

My sister-in-laws, Judy and Connie, also were there.

Friday Evening Dinner

On Friday the four of us decided to go out for dinner.  We first tried Mel's in Spicer but it was closed.  So, on to Willmar to a Greek restaurant.

John and Drew drink Pepsi while waiting for the food.

Launching the Canoe

Drew wanted to go canoeing with his grandpa.  Here they are putting the canoe into the water with the help of John.

The three are getting set to carry the canoe down to the dock.

Drew goes up front to help his grandpa.

They are on the dock with the canoe.

Canoe is in the water and now Drew runs to get the life jackets.

Dick and Drew are now about to leave on a canoe trip.

Drew and His Grandpa

What a weekend I've had.  First of all, John and his son, Drew, flew here from Salt Lake City to be with me for the weekend.  While Drew and I get along just fine, he likes his grandpa.  The two were inseparable for the weekend.  Here are a few pictures of the two.

Drew uses his iPod Touch while Dick is doing some church work using his iPad.

Dick and Drew play a game of chess on Drew's iPod Touch.

Dick and Drew prepare the fire and forks before roasting brats.

Our Wild Pet Duck

In early July this year (2011) a baby duck was abandoned near our dock.  The duck hung around our boat lift, swimming between Don & Judy's pontoon and the Pierson's dock with our dock in the middle.  The duck survived the summer by itself and will probably be leaving us soon as it migrates south for the winter.  Here are a few pictures of the duck recently taken.

The little duck swims close to the dock to greet me.

The adults feathers are beginning to appear.

The duck comes right up to the dock.

The flight feathers are beginning to grow.

Visiting Brenden in Duluth

Once we got home from our vacation, Dick and I decided to visit our grandson, Brenden.  He is attending collage at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

While we were touring on Lake Superior, we passed this sailboat.

This is the lift bridge at the Duluth Harbor.

Inspecting the bridge at the Duluth Harbor.

A view of Lake Superior from Enger Tower.

Here is Dick and I with our grandson, Brenden.

Stop in Nauvoo, Illinois

On the way home from Mississippi we stopped in Nauvoo, Illinois.  There is a pioneer settlement there that has been restored that Dick and I wanted to visit.

Dick stands by a statue of the founders of Nauvoo, Joseph & Hyrum Smith.

A play by Mormon Missionaries in costume, at Nauvoo.

An ethereal view of the Nauvoo Temple.

Once home, we visited our son Rick.  He is performing at a music fest.

Wind damage to our tree occurred while we were on vacation.

More wind damage to our tree after getting home.

Family Reunion in Mississippi

During the middle of July Dick and I drove to Mississippi for a family reunion.  It was my mother's side, the Sansing's.

Two of my cousins are looking at some genealogy while Dick shows his iPad 2.

My youngest brother and his wife Marilyn

Me and Dick

My sister-in-law Chris and I in the swimming pool.

Rob's Birthday

My son, Rob, had a birthday on the 28th of July.  He and his family came to the Lake Home where we celebrated the day.

Rob likes to have a camp fire.  Justin and Alyssa do a fire dance to help it start.

Rob loves to ride his Yamaha Wave Runner.

This is Arianna's son, Aden.

Happy 49th, Rob.

Rob's family:  Justin, Aden, Rob, Arianna, Alyssa, and front center is Kristin.

Trouble in Mississippi

Back in the middle of July 2011, Dick and I drove down to Mississippi for my family reunion.  We had been in Mississippi for about a half an hour when our car began having problems.  The alternator failed.  We were able to drive off the interstate into the town of Como, Mississippi.

Dick in a restaurant in Como, MS, waiting for the car repair.

Me in the restaurant.

There is the Citco station were our car was repaired.

The mechanic that repaired our car.

The restaurant that invited me in to wait for the car to be repaired.