tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826187973391490882024-03-18T17:01:20.142-07:00Jim and Barb's AdventuresJim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.comBlogger485125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-35729821757249191262024-03-17T06:12:00.000-07:002024-03-17T06:13:50.293-07:00Here we go Again!<p>Here we go again, just when we thought we were going to take it easy for a few weeks we come up with another project. Just a little project, nothing too big or time consuming. Just a 24x48 garage to put our junk in. </p><p>To think, just a few years ago, all our worldly possessions fit in a 40' 5th wheel. Now we have a house garage and shed that seem to be bursting at the seams. It's really Kevin's fault. We had been thinking about a garage in a few years and I mentioned it to him. He then said he was remodeling a garage that required different trusses and we could have the old ones. That is how this mess started. So, Barb and I went over there, loaded up the old trusses, brought them home and have them stacked and waiting for us to start building. </p><p>We won't get it done by the time we leave for Alaska, but I do hope to get the dirt work done. We started by scraping all the topsoil off and setting it aside. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cYUEG5kMWVdh3ezy3rhlq7jb9TFaJof3Xtpg2Lvt3CHhIAhjsesdVMX0urGLbxJYSOOfGanR_pVQbaxDpnTh578xH4H9t4gmwbzgLblAk9woxSxGzxW1RYW9UT2Ws-S8WG5u5bCbTDl96_VdrJyx8Py8lgb6XTI4419qOy8tIhkQ5RkMUo8NkwvvhzI/s4624/20240313_123754.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="2604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cYUEG5kMWVdh3ezy3rhlq7jb9TFaJof3Xtpg2Lvt3CHhIAhjsesdVMX0urGLbxJYSOOfGanR_pVQbaxDpnTh578xH4H9t4gmwbzgLblAk9woxSxGzxW1RYW9UT2Ws-S8WG5u5bCbTDl96_VdrJyx8Py8lgb6XTI4419qOy8tIhkQ5RkMUo8NkwvvhzI/w225-h400/20240313_123754.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjHKAkaj0h4UleKp_ZWzoWnYgtw-M7TJqogOKuT5MLUYAk71-gea998_UQVhph-TUe8R_XL4uB2aKXGW-gSNGpfknSUTPvDAJtR1wZKHeZx0y-0l302kUYHVmhMrM4ghi0NPf3sJg7D9K1zqbn_K-83-4ZTwFSugxLBGR5BiMAo0jB0HIkFO0CBnd4aU/s4624/20240313_141103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="2604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjHKAkaj0h4UleKp_ZWzoWnYgtw-M7TJqogOKuT5MLUYAk71-gea998_UQVhph-TUe8R_XL4uB2aKXGW-gSNGpfknSUTPvDAJtR1wZKHeZx0y-0l302kUYHVmhMrM4ghi0NPf3sJg7D9K1zqbn_K-83-4ZTwFSugxLBGR5BiMAo0jB0HIkFO0CBnd4aU/w225-h400/20240313_141103.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Once that was done it was time to set grade and level out the site. But here's the deal, there is not much level on our property. This spot requires 2' of fill in one corner, 1' in two other corners and nothing in the 4th corner. Rather than pay for all that fill, I went down to the pond and scraped a few loads of loose dirt around the edge and loaded into Neighbor Jim's dump trailer.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dwzAUt4BThquCHT80VRyLiz2LhD1rZgEBW45M4AE_9X0-praqpPEvKh66dM_-Ng-CytnT03NZLf02B63H8BuVI9p2O1PLSDKE2fuYcXKO00IkK8E9LjNQC8f6jechaskbBPUdgvLOmM_hpDJW84Fvtig74etvz2IA-SODSvkSywYaClntz6_lgmFBXw/s2592/IMG_20240314_121140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dwzAUt4BThquCHT80VRyLiz2LhD1rZgEBW45M4AE_9X0-praqpPEvKh66dM_-Ng-CytnT03NZLf02B63H8BuVI9p2O1PLSDKE2fuYcXKO00IkK8E9LjNQC8f6jechaskbBPUdgvLOmM_hpDJW84Fvtig74etvz2IA-SODSvkSywYaClntz6_lgmFBXw/w300-h400/IMG_20240314_121140.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfae1rbIMoFQFILrkDEGnltfYRVTJlIg3ab5tQ_ibAPlCjQ7MvRznkThHWYNtj-ziwiA8TtU_73EwEHC2w715lSPoy-znfXsn2QDBEkoWnmrvdM_yH0h_7l1SXiQWol7bIrV6TORK41bqnECgXvdH3o_bap0dueKnRRFjafCPz4xfHjsjLkjBw27Mi7E/s2592/IMG_20240314_110333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfae1rbIMoFQFILrkDEGnltfYRVTJlIg3ab5tQ_ibAPlCjQ7MvRznkThHWYNtj-ziwiA8TtU_73EwEHC2w715lSPoy-znfXsn2QDBEkoWnmrvdM_yH0h_7l1SXiQWol7bIrV6TORK41bqnECgXvdH3o_bap0dueKnRRFjafCPz4xfHjsjLkjBw27Mi7E/w300-h400/IMG_20240314_110333.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Once I got all that I could take from that area it was off to the local quarry for road base gravel. 4 loads so far and it looks like I will need about 6 more. Once it is all leveled out, we will let the rain and weather compact it over the summer and carry on with this project in the fall.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrju9RfdHZin_aynRsXzkAQw5YQuNKLN4ZvOqs1fN4V0ax0RisLR5lS19Aj1xVvJl2MgykSMtISQY7Ksn1BKJulbJyDRF7GxLV_Q8lIhkeoIjlz2PHTWWPtorQRaVE2Uh-hw9tGC4kBrAGi8exjA4_tKHauEabclV2GL3xpQZrrZfF-Dm-z5MQTZ-1iHU/s2592/IMG_20240315_103320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrju9RfdHZin_aynRsXzkAQw5YQuNKLN4ZvOqs1fN4V0ax0RisLR5lS19Aj1xVvJl2MgykSMtISQY7Ksn1BKJulbJyDRF7GxLV_Q8lIhkeoIjlz2PHTWWPtorQRaVE2Uh-hw9tGC4kBrAGi8exjA4_tKHauEabclV2GL3xpQZrrZfF-Dm-z5MQTZ-1iHU/w300-h400/IMG_20240315_103320.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Several of you commented on the map program we used to document our travels. The program we use is </span><a href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=4aaac2c4ce62969cJmltdHM9MTcxMDAyODgwMCZpZ3VpZD0zM2E0ZDkzOC1kOWY1LTZjM2EtM2RjNS1jYTRlZDg4MTZkZjAmaW5zaWQ9NTIzOA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=33a4d938-d9f5-6c3a-3dc5-ca4ed8816df0&psq=travellerspoint&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudHJhdmVsbGVyc3BvaW50LmNvbS8&ntb=1" style="text-align: left;">Travellerspoint</a><span style="text-align: left;">. We looked at several, but this is the one we settled on. Travellerspoint gives you a variety of options for mapping your route. We've tried several and prefer the Curved Line.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDv48OiLB_fxQtJwV64RHehuSBtsBmdPquLGabbq8pITDlQENzj0mcfvLxVb2VzSVbDmZnUnqJfy11haNh-DY7qoBob2zG08aprmUtFkXcoRKHF5RgTjcxlo-l1lCED8gOdOToMJaAFEUEmzA95mZ4knbZUdjlb8pkP2jz8EysupZG4dCDDcW2tn4nlNM/s1522/Screenshot%202024-03-10%20174721.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1522" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDv48OiLB_fxQtJwV64RHehuSBtsBmdPquLGabbq8pITDlQENzj0mcfvLxVb2VzSVbDmZnUnqJfy11haNh-DY7qoBob2zG08aprmUtFkXcoRKHF5RgTjcxlo-l1lCED8gOdOToMJaAFEUEmzA95mZ4knbZUdjlb8pkP2jz8EysupZG4dCDDcW2tn4nlNM/w640-h386/Screenshot%202024-03-10%20174721.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This screenshot shows the "Drive" and Straight Line" options.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCENlRkb07XjQ3rVhsFgeo6eHValiCvSZnmnKHJP83yn5SzwJTYT_TE-NW3OFIOHyYA5ksG-fHNiUPdXk6uOYGq978WCVptplsmCQr-XgXdQpqL3ttcWgVDo_5t-Ignxr8nQbb3QXG0O-4qg-kx4TZEXO0mvwFvqd2E7RnqtYeBdxMdr-tk4RaQ_cg-Dk/s1352/Screenshot%202024-03-10%20175352.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1352" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCENlRkb07XjQ3rVhsFgeo6eHValiCvSZnmnKHJP83yn5SzwJTYT_TE-NW3OFIOHyYA5ksG-fHNiUPdXk6uOYGq978WCVptplsmCQr-XgXdQpqL3ttcWgVDo_5t-Ignxr8nQbb3QXG0O-4qg-kx4TZEXO0mvwFvqd2E7RnqtYeBdxMdr-tk4RaQ_cg-Dk/w640-h424/Screenshot%202024-03-10%20175352.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The website also has other features including a Blog feature, but we have never tried them. Speaking of blogs, Blogger has been giving me trouble lately. Not as much as it has given other people, but I spent an hour or so putting a couple dozen blogs in the "Our Favorite Blogs" section. This is how we keep track of the blogs we read and it tells us when one of them posts a new post. They were all there initially, then some, randomly, started disappearing. Not enough that you would notice but eventually I would say to myself "XXX has not posted for a while". I would go to their blog and sure enough, they had been posting but had disappeared from our sidebar. Very frustrating!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We, along with Kevin and Cheryl, went over to Dan and Bonnie's for salmon supper one evening. It turned into quite the crazy night. There may or may not have been a video taken of Kevin near the end of the night showing him shirtless, flexing his muscles. I was traumatized seeing it in person and since many of you are probably eating breakfast as you read this, I will save you from having to view said video.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p>We did play a couple of dice games. I don't know if they do this in other states, but in Wisconsin almost every bar has something called <a href="https://www.stayinprairieduchien.com/post/wisconsin-s-shake-of-the-day-a-brief-history-tutorial-for-bar-dice">Shake-a-day</a> where everyone puts in a dollar and with 6 dice you have 3 shakes to get 6 of a kind. If you do, you get 1/2 the pot. If no one gets it, the pot carries on until eventually someone gets it another day. You can only play one time a day. </p><p>We also played Sh#tbox which is what you see in the picture below. It is really called Shut the Box, it seems to have taken on this new name. Everyone putting in a dollar. The winner with the lowest total wins the pot. <a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Shut-the-Box">Here are the rules</a> if you are unfamiliar with it. Of course we do not use real money for either of these games, that would be illegal! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-TMW0MJkAvhSIbnX4IAL91jM3Soqo6AUekKMzB2vJj19Eo_Cralk3SiE1RaSQ-tzV6JpsOQ38gaXGYOpLx1ZsdQYII6JtL-H9hSJaIxjjp1nHvF-tf-y5I7iU8xkzWIcepRDJKlLJLHM1OOuvSHSKENv93dDw8wFs4CYsVB6YbZX_ZRo1w0H2FTYpYo/s2592/IMG_20240306_200632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-TMW0MJkAvhSIbnX4IAL91jM3Soqo6AUekKMzB2vJj19Eo_Cralk3SiE1RaSQ-tzV6JpsOQ38gaXGYOpLx1ZsdQYII6JtL-H9hSJaIxjjp1nHvF-tf-y5I7iU8xkzWIcepRDJKlLJLHM1OOuvSHSKENv93dDw8wFs4CYsVB6YbZX_ZRo1w0H2FTYpYo/w400-h300/IMG_20240306_200632.jpg" width="400" /></a></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last Sunday, we spent the day over at Kevin's helping him cut shiplap boards out of rough cut for their bunkhouse. I cut the boards to length, Kevin dado'ed the shiplap groove into each side of the boards, finally, Barb and Cheryl sanded them. We headed over there today (Sunday) again to continue to help them get the bunkhouse ready for renting this summer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzTGZY5iVYjHq-HTeoAHYZa2c1CYnP0ENdY2ZvnVb32JuDNymi6XY-wZHGUtesY-E58NcSJyVbYLI4Gg7ZiqvRH1w2l-_HoCdDg1Tp68W3CbCQfEiYCSKA5tPu8zJBtpQ2T8zl-2xWhGj8kVqrro-LQaGK1hyDG-_HVNDNcjwFU2HwHL5lO0neQJsWb8/s4608/IMG_20240310_100204%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzTGZY5iVYjHq-HTeoAHYZa2c1CYnP0ENdY2ZvnVb32JuDNymi6XY-wZHGUtesY-E58NcSJyVbYLI4Gg7ZiqvRH1w2l-_HoCdDg1Tp68W3CbCQfEiYCSKA5tPu8zJBtpQ2T8zl-2xWhGj8kVqrro-LQaGK1hyDG-_HVNDNcjwFU2HwHL5lO0neQJsWb8/w400-h300/IMG_20240310_100204%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Let's see, what else have we been doing? Oh! we made three Bluebird houses! We have plenty of scrap wood around the garage so we thought we would put it to good use. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA64HfWMyPsNjRxikIlfjpWBRUpKo5G8Pwwah1IscAQHvXcAZiRNTGzyuJo0Z5R6rOkYUJaL3GEWmVascMKKbRuy_x1u-KHonEge8B68H_QKG-ROVdRhJ-D9B9HqBNMT7tDISqLWQvHPmAPnqqs8Q-nCeHyYmiQ1br82u8KZBhhi9ZQor63KCfm4l0kbw/s4608/IMG_20240313_092604.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA64HfWMyPsNjRxikIlfjpWBRUpKo5G8Pwwah1IscAQHvXcAZiRNTGzyuJo0Z5R6rOkYUJaL3GEWmVascMKKbRuy_x1u-KHonEge8B68H_QKG-ROVdRhJ-D9B9HqBNMT7tDISqLWQvHPmAPnqqs8Q-nCeHyYmiQ1br82u8KZBhhi9ZQor63KCfm4l0kbw/w300-h400/IMG_20240313_092604.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFWFMlurHQs9FkhqQjDjlId34F9847j5iBUh59I5hKYi32-sGdsYLAYKTgEw0-084gf3aA545qRHIaRjttoMjLlKA1QnsRKz__9YeeDOfAU-5UkROGtutaw8YGjISnyNwaepghxsOx0eL9JV08S9if4513MDYB-TJwYMaSAU4MOB04wsWGfp9LoNbLvM/s4608/IMG_20240316_151722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFWFMlurHQs9FkhqQjDjlId34F9847j5iBUh59I5hKYi32-sGdsYLAYKTgEw0-084gf3aA545qRHIaRjttoMjLlKA1QnsRKz__9YeeDOfAU-5UkROGtutaw8YGjISnyNwaepghxsOx0eL9JV08S9if4513MDYB-TJwYMaSAU4MOB04wsWGfp9LoNbLvM/w300-h400/IMG_20240316_151722.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've had a few checking them out, but so far, no one has taken up residence. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went for a couple of walks looking for sheds. The elk and deer have started dropping their antlers. You see a lot of interesting things out in the forest. I did find this pile of chocolate covered peanuts in the middle of the woods.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFtJnvoINeQsvqycZy_EHOA3NWSVuxNrYpY73ZNHnTMG3MeGNxhLS1cj5nXuenTR_kbNtoIvOVEFE6Fz9aY038qZKzKOisi_HpHWg3vWU5bBTSvuNGIFqEcN5VdKZfjrKLKIiaMc9stcg9P1LA28iOPRktTn791VhD6d1bJUMcyMJsFHQVyJhtRTbEE8/s4608/IMG_20240312_120548.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFtJnvoINeQsvqycZy_EHOA3NWSVuxNrYpY73ZNHnTMG3MeGNxhLS1cj5nXuenTR_kbNtoIvOVEFE6Fz9aY038qZKzKOisi_HpHWg3vWU5bBTSvuNGIFqEcN5VdKZfjrKLKIiaMc9stcg9P1LA28iOPRktTn791VhD6d1bJUMcyMJsFHQVyJhtRTbEE8/w300-h400/IMG_20240312_120548.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They were a little fibrous and earthy, but otherwise they tasted okay. We knew we were in the right area but have yet to find anything. There are bearing trees scattered throughout the forest. The geological service uses them instead of permanent markers. We also found numerous elk rubs like the one on the right below. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5MFQTFgOMwkTpnLr8fCYqpykFhSHCNGPZpji0Srd3ovxhFjNhyXKq0a83Xlfjr2zk1Z858Vv1GFGNOKwSDKlhBNnx1TB2Q0VzA0raX9QXBGVAwioazFO8JkXmXDlvEh1zQhojF9FjwgdNEi5gt8ecOZstLXRi_93FDYhVlj4M6uS-d3KPjSO6xTZZeU/s4608/IMG_20240312_115453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5MFQTFgOMwkTpnLr8fCYqpykFhSHCNGPZpji0Srd3ovxhFjNhyXKq0a83Xlfjr2zk1Z858Vv1GFGNOKwSDKlhBNnx1TB2Q0VzA0raX9QXBGVAwioazFO8JkXmXDlvEh1zQhojF9FjwgdNEi5gt8ecOZstLXRi_93FDYhVlj4M6uS-d3KPjSO6xTZZeU/w300-h400/IMG_20240312_115453.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHUakRoC8jMQfnKmHX2K3EvBfwLCbslgLYUYkBS6gWAHF-oWqkGVMOAb-rD0zLmqbEcIYGDrRD_IjQV3oMnwMAnxqFYLHDvHZh4BzSHemdwi7sNrYayUr-qPpynAVkjDWUJOL-2gyJwotXCWRvr9ndXYTXGxgpltkC3NYPx_8RVjQ222gTj6tP5swr68/s4608/IMG_20240312_113249_BURST001_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHUakRoC8jMQfnKmHX2K3EvBfwLCbslgLYUYkBS6gWAHF-oWqkGVMOAb-rD0zLmqbEcIYGDrRD_IjQV3oMnwMAnxqFYLHDvHZh4BzSHemdwi7sNrYayUr-qPpynAVkjDWUJOL-2gyJwotXCWRvr9ndXYTXGxgpltkC3NYPx_8RVjQ222gTj6tP5swr68/w300-h400/IMG_20240312_113249_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Lastly, the weather has finally warmed up enough for us to enjoy the gazebo. We put the TV back out there, restocked the bar and hung two signs we picked up on our travels. Life, is good!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFwHV6rxND8xQbGGLEwk2-2-yzxB7AvIExODYPNPAG7oXYWrOkeYwn4iAReOhktRUZJT91cGY_62Oc4QMwGJtBcboqzSy1zVB_QjOgkr6oRzPtkpkdEGBrbW8vbrjhZAloucUVavhnHEPhcf5uMkw_bUX1d-gaCgR1cfQTXlzWN0cR-5h1HlwylwkMDQ/s4624/20240316_105950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="4624" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFwHV6rxND8xQbGGLEwk2-2-yzxB7AvIExODYPNPAG7oXYWrOkeYwn4iAReOhktRUZJT91cGY_62Oc4QMwGJtBcboqzSy1zVB_QjOgkr6oRzPtkpkdEGBrbW8vbrjhZAloucUVavhnHEPhcf5uMkw_bUX1d-gaCgR1cfQTXlzWN0cR-5h1HlwylwkMDQ/w400-h225/20240316_105950.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB1en2iEZ0GA2G99eq9R1JLqna_-VTZ0qOQbjMi-T0S9epu98SQzxX1LUF2swp7iM50MWt-MO3VdDgb45zrIFcoua-K17SQBmt3XI7mO_2hyvxDg1S7KJwKgA08TpJBuvd2Uyf8k5s2aLqZd3GZF_q5-X3co_U2N4dsdrQGW9T401EIyHEzB-PoLXdLw/s4608/IMG_20240311_154953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB1en2iEZ0GA2G99eq9R1JLqna_-VTZ0qOQbjMi-T0S9epu98SQzxX1LUF2swp7iM50MWt-MO3VdDgb45zrIFcoua-K17SQBmt3XI7mO_2hyvxDg1S7KJwKgA08TpJBuvd2Uyf8k5s2aLqZd3GZF_q5-X3co_U2N4dsdrQGW9T401EIyHEzB-PoLXdLw/w400-h300/IMG_20240311_154953.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-42837733874559679192024-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-09T07:43:53.659-08:00Blog-iversary <p> I am actually a month late, but it is official, our blog is 10 years old! </p><p>But today, is the 10-year anniversary of the day Barb and I started our great RV adventure leaving Spring Valley, Wisconsin for parts unknown. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpnlHrpIRL6izElVDxbzOlibLtgRt0B2dw3ABDNPMM3-vxcsGLKhZHUN3oXaqAUjhV4wqSmoGtu0UB2HxUYYtIefSk6MbtTu4eeYkrPZYZh5tBQxJTDLeo6_6N7_4fKIepKXAy1i6zTGofJAnrAR3408HxapKkPSJ8RqFnNux7sPGhdiwTgcSWn16JUo/s826/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20071519.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="757" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpnlHrpIRL6izElVDxbzOlibLtgRt0B2dw3ABDNPMM3-vxcsGLKhZHUN3oXaqAUjhV4wqSmoGtu0UB2HxUYYtIefSk6MbtTu4eeYkrPZYZh5tBQxJTDLeo6_6N7_4fKIepKXAy1i6zTGofJAnrAR3408HxapKkPSJ8RqFnNux7sPGhdiwTgcSWn16JUo/w586-h640/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20071519.png" width="586" /></a></div><p>Not only that, but last week is also 10 years since Barb retired.</p><p>Some of you have followed our blog from Day 1 and what a journey it has been! 86,769 miles, 47 states, 9 provinces and of course Mexico. So, where have we been in 10 years? Let me show you.....</p><p>You'll notice a couple of things; even before we bought and built here, the Black Hills of South Dakota was one of our favorite places. As was The Farm in North Dakota and of course Pasha north of Thunder Bay Ontario. We wintered many years and have great memories of Quartzsite Arizona only missing that area in '21 &'22. Both the kids lived in Salt Lake until '17 when one moved to Pennsylvania and the other to Oregon. Some of the years you can see where the year ended or started, like 2017 where the trail ends in Fort Stockton, TX and picks up again there in the 2018 map.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVopKJtj1BxQ-5DmOoEMYbNCxlzS6JMNInKHuuS4e8BgTK0eetOm4zklnf6mxEairGuGtVn3yrLpLDR-OY-fuymCiqLtVrHMQLp9lpr2ZLQv9onOMMFCaTlYjXAyoiGMip4kSC4YnglovPMSwFLDNqyUeR1LHHjUKsKu_-wksNIjW2b2JgN6t2lqrzMk/s1448/2014.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1448" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVopKJtj1BxQ-5DmOoEMYbNCxlzS6JMNInKHuuS4e8BgTK0eetOm4zklnf6mxEairGuGtVn3yrLpLDR-OY-fuymCiqLtVrHMQLp9lpr2ZLQv9onOMMFCaTlYjXAyoiGMip4kSC4YnglovPMSwFLDNqyUeR1LHHjUKsKu_-wksNIjW2b2JgN6t2lqrzMk/w640-h330/2014.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2014</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NKXsxIuMUfM3OZy7zLPmiFH7QAwSOfA8t0X-Q6yWSiTxlYNf1yFasarVcZhOwucohygnNkwU0karttXJBFY17Y0L3wvXIczlWX8mo600vSle2NoF6hrBNhLx7_75qHPTu8o9G8ReXS0yQr-nRgzOjttprGiXJz7WFoCyYum_N3cdPhdsvaqoNJidHXQ/s1640/2015.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1640" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NKXsxIuMUfM3OZy7zLPmiFH7QAwSOfA8t0X-Q6yWSiTxlYNf1yFasarVcZhOwucohygnNkwU0karttXJBFY17Y0L3wvXIczlWX8mo600vSle2NoF6hrBNhLx7_75qHPTu8o9G8ReXS0yQr-nRgzOjttprGiXJz7WFoCyYum_N3cdPhdsvaqoNJidHXQ/w640-h310/2015.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0WlnfQdTH8SiMBjCd8fUtLFZvd6JfA5q14MmJEsGcguVRBXBYDNjKdgWU4payVhbeo79TV0Qgp_UxMwIJ_rwXb1Qu3H9YRVfJhRXLdWtka-3XUpWBKC1R5dZf6xWJSbeDrp1WR1NAgFpZlseCkrmb-rp-QXTHTzbLiB1nOhz9qjMod1fN_5hsLGnQnw/s1143/2016.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0WlnfQdTH8SiMBjCd8fUtLFZvd6JfA5q14MmJEsGcguVRBXBYDNjKdgWU4payVhbeo79TV0Qgp_UxMwIJ_rwXb1Qu3H9YRVfJhRXLdWtka-3XUpWBKC1R5dZf6xWJSbeDrp1WR1NAgFpZlseCkrmb-rp-QXTHTzbLiB1nOhz9qjMod1fN_5hsLGnQnw/w640-h400/2016.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dFrJ0TbkjaojHmIx3TCHH72B7GggVNM2gHeO9fF8zkB4AXnH7jmz6gJyKXLMyBqKZ1xC-HvXooYkEOq4iqvoCqpSGtV1IYWqQCuV5c3BBIUlVbYEeqkPjZNkv9O3bEfU34sVywRV7F_NUcbfwK2yMDAacMb0pTr0Rg7sHXi9qgN1EPUK13MlC2RvmSA/s1483/2017.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1483" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dFrJ0TbkjaojHmIx3TCHH72B7GggVNM2gHeO9fF8zkB4AXnH7jmz6gJyKXLMyBqKZ1xC-HvXooYkEOq4iqvoCqpSGtV1IYWqQCuV5c3BBIUlVbYEeqkPjZNkv9O3bEfU34sVywRV7F_NUcbfwK2yMDAacMb0pTr0Rg7sHXi9qgN1EPUK13MlC2RvmSA/w640-h324/2017.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2017</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3mQyrNNOAaLO4dHEmVOvzHcBBkS7cZ2-HNduDQQWNuy3PQKUXVTx3YJQWczEMviBBqGMpliLoGtbUGLuPhVUrIDpzUV1a55WKRcC_lkIQzCm2awdnd9cBdr8FunxdFE89fsLjWPhS_y_qveZ-9_u4ax7UObDvwrtDtsse46rItpeydeXesqxu3ZYwUY/s1482/2018.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1482" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3mQyrNNOAaLO4dHEmVOvzHcBBkS7cZ2-HNduDQQWNuy3PQKUXVTx3YJQWczEMviBBqGMpliLoGtbUGLuPhVUrIDpzUV1a55WKRcC_lkIQzCm2awdnd9cBdr8FunxdFE89fsLjWPhS_y_qveZ-9_u4ax7UObDvwrtDtsse46rItpeydeXesqxu3ZYwUY/w640-h314/2018.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2018</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYVIr6I3E5053g372vDnZnmIaetvtH6igOldbM-xeuji5ioQYt-_wgdgiil5aRVfDGgqIDH82emyRw331N0DpEgllkkNIdG2tT5Zf2MSwubG2aIVCyl8uLXH46A5BD1GpiRUgD75gl1Y2IIv4p8sj6XM_PkcFk3Xxga3H19v6MB8BKGxRV_HzgQt-j_Y/s1596/2019.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1596" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYVIr6I3E5053g372vDnZnmIaetvtH6igOldbM-xeuji5ioQYt-_wgdgiil5aRVfDGgqIDH82emyRw331N0DpEgllkkNIdG2tT5Zf2MSwubG2aIVCyl8uLXH46A5BD1GpiRUgD75gl1Y2IIv4p8sj6XM_PkcFk3Xxga3H19v6MB8BKGxRV_HzgQt-j_Y/w640-h310/2019.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVxTm43Sln0gQTopoOteItZhgyCiItMPbj67wJ1pl-DeFrr3gelweQV-9spGDVPuzHvHTxOt4oahtFMQxpqqzXSnzcb919IC1zTU9OxBs9y7bpLmQlJULV_zzZiwIHlleMNpB9jYfyzz4s1A99uEFuw-m5r3jYQ6hWIaY3bNTzmJFVeaBLoHQFKZrYmc/s1275/2020.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1275" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVxTm43Sln0gQTopoOteItZhgyCiItMPbj67wJ1pl-DeFrr3gelweQV-9spGDVPuzHvHTxOt4oahtFMQxpqqzXSnzcb919IC1zTU9OxBs9y7bpLmQlJULV_zzZiwIHlleMNpB9jYfyzz4s1A99uEFuw-m5r3jYQ6hWIaY3bNTzmJFVeaBLoHQFKZrYmc/w640-h336/2020.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2020</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1UmvROTWV7s6d5yu9KQG1lOpsQcvEFnekiERqXMv-DqhisS2jiLlKoJYwEG1bW9FRMxcWo3EfTyR-H0zE5vIoAkGBQEFRIF4Z9sLc-GbeT6xcPCNV7xmwnUc-0Rhjgs-TetmAMUbvWhV506ebcc0gS0gqnvFt4hXf3CXdz_zGUw0KIYbwGT0QBDpWag/s1240/2021.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1240" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1UmvROTWV7s6d5yu9KQG1lOpsQcvEFnekiERqXMv-DqhisS2jiLlKoJYwEG1bW9FRMxcWo3EfTyR-H0zE5vIoAkGBQEFRIF4Z9sLc-GbeT6xcPCNV7xmwnUc-0Rhjgs-TetmAMUbvWhV506ebcc0gS0gqnvFt4hXf3CXdz_zGUw0KIYbwGT0QBDpWag/w640-h312/2021.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2021</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbu1ntTn6p4TTCKtKLKAgoSU-bkAV5zfIjyUbNSesnpb-ZGeTkd670yM838CGdy_lpon_LDOJcYI7xVuQNwmfhfzWEgvtQZ6IQ7acktoEAM54C4f1zvaxMiBsG99vMZ4UVnh4pkywtNUvFlShnQhgXo0VLEJ4LCeffAt5DBifBwGb4IWP1hCYysjuopZQ/s1508/2022.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1508" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbu1ntTn6p4TTCKtKLKAgoSU-bkAV5zfIjyUbNSesnpb-ZGeTkd670yM838CGdy_lpon_LDOJcYI7xVuQNwmfhfzWEgvtQZ6IQ7acktoEAM54C4f1zvaxMiBsG99vMZ4UVnh4pkywtNUvFlShnQhgXo0VLEJ4LCeffAt5DBifBwGb4IWP1hCYysjuopZQ/w640-h284/2022.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2022</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JwfMw6cFZNDO07VSEK-SSg1ZWZ2ojMM1EYi0ldNM0xjmPd-MMeSbPU5WFc1WAVP0lWA8Q_TXpSTBzwVbvlpylpGJhPkGwxSs49OZYd7MapHquB-IDhQsKZ2xP07H0UOrWGXmAje0KLXS34zuCYjj8Mzwh-IggUUmZx9gbwiToiJeUeja7aJBv8iIMNc/s1638/2023.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1638" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JwfMw6cFZNDO07VSEK-SSg1ZWZ2ojMM1EYi0ldNM0xjmPd-MMeSbPU5WFc1WAVP0lWA8Q_TXpSTBzwVbvlpylpGJhPkGwxSs49OZYd7MapHquB-IDhQsKZ2xP07H0UOrWGXmAje0KLXS34zuCYjj8Mzwh-IggUUmZx9gbwiToiJeUeja7aJBv8iIMNc/w640-h312/2023.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2023</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">So, what will the next 10 years bring? Let's start with this....our big travel adventure for this summer. I will let the map tell the story.....</span></div><div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XAtCOZzW3PWs7gLrfji-gx_LQ_HBnMFgQAahd_7JKoie5wOHJ2IVd-g4l1JFHfpxh8t3nE0rqSV2mbRJmsaTzpWdhFcVpov7mJUKv6vhrggE9_dt6euaJErJFSx4dCH8BPXwI5Er3peqnbr_9yKbKWOzQwzJj2DKo_dwH_lFm9d3D5ZoAx-wFaolVYw/s963/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20071717.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="963" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XAtCOZzW3PWs7gLrfji-gx_LQ_HBnMFgQAahd_7JKoie5wOHJ2IVd-g4l1JFHfpxh8t3nE0rqSV2mbRJmsaTzpWdhFcVpov7mJUKv6vhrggE9_dt6euaJErJFSx4dCH8BPXwI5Er3peqnbr_9yKbKWOzQwzJj2DKo_dwH_lFm9d3D5ZoAx-wFaolVYw/w640-h486/Screenshot%202024-03-05%20071717.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer of '24</td></tr></tbody></table>A three-month adventure to Alaska! Barb has the route all planned out to hit some new places, a trip to Fairbanks to see Barb's cousin as well as hitting some of our favorite fishing spots, including a month in the Homer/Soldotna area! </div><div><br /></div><div>We are beyond excited for this adventure. Here is to 10 more years of good health, happiness and great adventures!</div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-54070846056056842362024-03-04T05:41:00.000-08:002024-03-04T06:12:50.724-08:00Friends<p>Friends. Where do you meet friends? How do you meet friends?</p><p>How did we become blessed with so many good friends? Since we do not get out to the east coast very often, we planned our route to trying to visit as many of our friends as possible. I did a mental recap on how we met most of the friends we visited on this trip. The answer? Traveling. Over 1/2 of the people we stopped and saw on this adventure were people we met while on the road. We met Mike and Liz in Alaska, Shawn and Kim in Arizona, Dan and Mary in Ontario finally Guy and Sue who we also met in Arizona. Combine that with the 4 other couples we met on the road that we hoped to see but it did not work out and it obvious we have met a lot of good people on our travels. </p><p>What made me think of this? Well, last week I mentioned a package that was waiting for us when we returned home. This package was sent to us by another friend we met on the road. But here's the kicker.... we have yet to meet her! <a href="https://kissackadventures.blogspot.com/">Nancy is a fellow traveler and blogger.</a> We have been following each other's adventures for....I actually don't know; I will just go with years. And over those years we have become friends, I would venture to say, good friends, who have never met. We have so many life experiences in common that we could not help to be friends. She is the definition of a Cowgirl. Born and raised on a ranch with a life immersed in adventure, cattle, horses and farming. </p><p>So, when she emailed asking for our address, saying she wanted to send us something, we were excited and intrigued. She said that it was something she had that no longer fit into her house decor and she immediately thought of us! Unfortunately, we would be leaving within a few days and would not be home to receive it. So, we gave her our neighbors address to mail it to and would have to wait until we got home to see what she had that made her think of us. </p><p>Then it was almost the package that wasn't when it totally disappeared from her house. She realized that when she was getting rid of some antique clothing, the box was accidently taken by the person who picked up the clothing! She was able to get it back and get it shipped off to us. </p><p>When we got home it was waiting on our counter where Neighbor Jim had put it. We were too excited to take a picture of the box, we just tore into it. Was it going to be something cool that we were going to cherish, or something cheesy that was destined for the 2nd hand store? Barb tore into the box like a Tasmanian Devil. Cardboard and packing flying everywhere. </p><p>The first thing she pulled out was this gorgeous quilt! A quilt I had known well as she had posted in her blog while she was making it. I had posted how much I liked this quilt and low and behold, here it is!</p><p>Being a non-quilter I do not realize the work that goes into making a quilt. I know it is a labor of love and take hours and hours of work. The number of pieces and detail in this thing is incredible! Just look at this one little corner. Each of those different colors and sections had to be individually cut out and sewn together. And did you notice the stitching? Bear paws!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQafsEjcZVekY-zG3htUbdiIQs58978dPTpsK5gRKYdtOZzekzQuNRldhyajnXyU2vurTHSRJ1JZCE9NoBk74ENLA5AqHMbTsjAnJ3AkBPJRapPjQqZhxe5mgO1bWjVg09gdBSWrNJqPyzSD26OneMZ8sV4z-xVIVKL3RknvTRHhF7yn2xXF12nABTtHc/s4608/IMG_20240302_092053.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQafsEjcZVekY-zG3htUbdiIQs58978dPTpsK5gRKYdtOZzekzQuNRldhyajnXyU2vurTHSRJ1JZCE9NoBk74ENLA5AqHMbTsjAnJ3AkBPJRapPjQqZhxe5mgO1bWjVg09gdBSWrNJqPyzSD26OneMZ8sV4z-xVIVKL3RknvTRHhF7yn2xXF12nABTtHc/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_092053.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsfxLV6wtKwk0Np6wV6627EQL7ZPc-Azx3S99Wh8QpdxWOWycHiKLdzBIwzJ0lzP3j_uIOcjkym7M9PUIG92cuvZQk38bOplt4-2xq22AUeYbCaP5ewASPiZHpA3-rprXLx0fgAj0glfG03e1L-8HQYaIB7k3talC23MonRDOYEhNAGmjRmd8OnLtGTs/s4608/IMG_20240302_093228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsfxLV6wtKwk0Np6wV6627EQL7ZPc-Azx3S99Wh8QpdxWOWycHiKLdzBIwzJ0lzP3j_uIOcjkym7M9PUIG92cuvZQk38bOplt4-2xq22AUeYbCaP5ewASPiZHpA3-rprXLx0fgAj0glfG03e1L-8HQYaIB7k3talC23MonRDOYEhNAGmjRmd8OnLtGTs/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_093228.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">But wait, there is more! Digging further into the box, Barb pulls out this beautiful fox pelt! This thing is huge. Just look at the size of it compared to the quilt. Nancy has seen pictures of the inside of our house and knew that it would fit in perfectly. We have a corner by the entry dedicated to furs and trapping. It fits in perfectly! It is on the left side of the door above the coyote. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF0JHcs-iudBMf8K-cyYefodqIaSm2lUYaEiyptniFMPNUu0VxuhfOySnojSnFzreuL11YGvZj0n49_3G-SfMQJ5k3bn-DJ2APglDYEuPnaQ51zukE3U7nExaqB7Amo2ks9LXDRmxKbLx8oNrCCnqebVR9hf6x6isAKVzEgCj63bvGdfZ8VamUe-wjQs/s4608/IMG_20240302_092100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF0JHcs-iudBMf8K-cyYefodqIaSm2lUYaEiyptniFMPNUu0VxuhfOySnojSnFzreuL11YGvZj0n49_3G-SfMQJ5k3bn-DJ2APglDYEuPnaQ51zukE3U7nExaqB7Amo2ks9LXDRmxKbLx8oNrCCnqebVR9hf6x6isAKVzEgCj63bvGdfZ8VamUe-wjQs/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_092100.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dBn1ltl-vS6RQCABrwo5ikkRHvet_cq-ZUc-zHO9hC3D0p7AszIWfcQ69gpFF1Zo1M4Pcpu0jB2fnU7hjix1_DfaAxiRzmMiGgEKac3cjzhThnSh_kCCc4E6w69U95DOg3U_ixt4Vrhqv2kfCn2Zmt7LvDUizxWfFNr2jDoSdiwUBgi15ULKPHANWrg/s4608/IMG_20240302_092228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dBn1ltl-vS6RQCABrwo5ikkRHvet_cq-ZUc-zHO9hC3D0p7AszIWfcQ69gpFF1Zo1M4Pcpu0jB2fnU7hjix1_DfaAxiRzmMiGgEKac3cjzhThnSh_kCCc4E6w69U95DOg3U_ixt4Vrhqv2kfCn2Zmt7LvDUizxWfFNr2jDoSdiwUBgi15ULKPHANWrg/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_092228.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Nancy even included a letter and story of how each of these items came about. Here is a bit of what she wrote:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_qntss_9-_eMj4teXlsE8ARK6yInE8vmQICAUeudTEqVaiW03ut6WuCQ14k0WBsalGLA6RhSaWoeGBhD66_Dvt0Z3wbBNvfwuH4IskjQaAEnPrxTuszoVILq3YxDuzNpyr-c6_bL9Pze6llxahELYIRnnSGtEI6aYI91oCw8SKVDwvhEGFuIGLOZ0Og/s4448/IMG_20240302_094944%5B9304%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1991" data-original-width="4448" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_qntss_9-_eMj4teXlsE8ARK6yInE8vmQICAUeudTEqVaiW03ut6WuCQ14k0WBsalGLA6RhSaWoeGBhD66_Dvt0Z3wbBNvfwuH4IskjQaAEnPrxTuszoVILq3YxDuzNpyr-c6_bL9Pze6llxahELYIRnnSGtEI6aYI91oCw8SKVDwvhEGFuIGLOZ0Og/w640-h286/IMG_20240302_094944%5B9304%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then there is the story the quilt tells......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVEK-5XO_m0tp4POlYxQ0hmm2mAqeWeOHBKc8O-PBNpSBT16-R2eouNUeOb4RdgugLr7S2wSufrXF-iPhkC0dKBbL4EMKn5c4cPpReCw1C94rSeytO5fwOPMHhFTrfq67MVyGwDIOZeEzN1n4LSpqBLUhsNEBZmvXlDWxn-OH-ydGub3GH6C0W3xu78U/s3815/IMG_20240302_094647a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2566" data-original-width="3815" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVEK-5XO_m0tp4POlYxQ0hmm2mAqeWeOHBKc8O-PBNpSBT16-R2eouNUeOb4RdgugLr7S2wSufrXF-iPhkC0dKBbL4EMKn5c4cPpReCw1C94rSeytO5fwOPMHhFTrfq67MVyGwDIOZeEzN1n4LSpqBLUhsNEBZmvXlDWxn-OH-ydGub3GH6C0W3xu78U/w640-h430/IMG_20240302_094647a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz0s2lyVOFxIxqU97N5C-svzmUkDNRXcf0tcuQPXUT1WIhdsJYYcmeViD5SWeogf_UnlI5cOzSAP8FCQPBVodeMoBAO7-I9CQA8WNdEvJrW-mJSbTqt3QKILMJg3Kwxx592cBWw0HBIbJYKBDFuE3dF-zbKhwLPAyybTF81CNbBLKAyOMl0Bv_f3trQI/s4342/IMG_20240302_094717a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2568" data-original-width="4342" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz0s2lyVOFxIxqU97N5C-svzmUkDNRXcf0tcuQPXUT1WIhdsJYYcmeViD5SWeogf_UnlI5cOzSAP8FCQPBVodeMoBAO7-I9CQA8WNdEvJrW-mJSbTqt3QKILMJg3Kwxx592cBWw0HBIbJYKBDFuE3dF-zbKhwLPAyybTF81CNbBLKAyOMl0Bv_f3trQI/w640-h378/IMG_20240302_094717a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She obviously knows us very well. All this from a woman we have not even met! We are truly blessed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also celebrated Barb's birthday this week. A milestone birthday, she is officially on Medicare! Have you ever tried to buy a present for the woman who has everything? Well, it's not easy. All winter I was taking note of things she said she wanted or looked at longingly before putting it back on the store rack. Do you think I could remember a single one of them when it came time to buy her a birthday gift? Nope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Instead, I took her to Rapid and we went shopping. She has the hardest time spending money on herself, so I drug her to her (okay my) favorite store and made her pick something out. Cabela's always has the perfect gifts, right? While she walked around the store, I went and looked at the animal display. Dreaming that I too might one day, harvest one of these beasts. When I found her again, she was looking at hiking socks. She put them back saying "I am not spending that much on socks". After some prodding, she picked out a pair and away we went to the register. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN1EJv8yMEcLNeajo_aYy1_fOSk-pPJ726S0-TQian8WCy5n6Kzw9qeErmuqSEh9nXD1K50eWfxxleXUsVOGcIKFoInaZeIV7OVKzIANyoWhmJorobYQ1FelfI9reTyjgy5jTVLinIFvEpgycmax9eQXPj7ZS5369q6mENCt4dcu9msSeer3uGBAiKqo/s4608/IMG_20240301_093241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN1EJv8yMEcLNeajo_aYy1_fOSk-pPJ726S0-TQian8WCy5n6Kzw9qeErmuqSEh9nXD1K50eWfxxleXUsVOGcIKFoInaZeIV7OVKzIANyoWhmJorobYQ1FelfI9reTyjgy5jTVLinIFvEpgycmax9eQXPj7ZS5369q6mENCt4dcu9msSeer3uGBAiKqo/w300-h400/IMG_20240301_093241.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKHvpfUWr58i6zHTTaL_TXxNih25gha1Tir19-_NJVaLFc5bNFeyJE-VbGwlaR08kLd92npWQba3I8VioxLY3ios_5UnZiHHvmtKJpQG7cxljP6BEclwD0_ibwDy-eAfQq4bmfrjdmCAKAwJdxq1II5rWHsXKCmAQG2mlDfC_MPqesbIwTzmPiPOUMuM/s4608/IMG_20240301_092433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKHvpfUWr58i6zHTTaL_TXxNih25gha1Tir19-_NJVaLFc5bNFeyJE-VbGwlaR08kLd92npWQba3I8VioxLY3ios_5UnZiHHvmtKJpQG7cxljP6BEclwD0_ibwDy-eAfQq4bmfrjdmCAKAwJdxq1II5rWHsXKCmAQG2mlDfC_MPqesbIwTzmPiPOUMuM/w300-h400/IMG_20240301_092433.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then we were off to her next favorite store (okay, mine again) Scheels where she picked out a new Yeti mug for herself. Do I treat my woman right or what?!?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcN_Ur3RWJtIPnCgPcPx04V3m8jbOrVx6zgVcRbySIBc8KsFQ37yEjfD7KkqG681hH5sTzQ_bZB2Mk_qgHvyR5e-arM7nktqchobi7Bx4-Flr4vfW3Wm3iVaNWIK30IQqw8Ebsh2d9AGJ00BBTRANOmAosr4A1CtxrVgt13vd00l-tefzIyD1LlkyzPrY/s4608/IMG_20240301_103954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcN_Ur3RWJtIPnCgPcPx04V3m8jbOrVx6zgVcRbySIBc8KsFQ37yEjfD7KkqG681hH5sTzQ_bZB2Mk_qgHvyR5e-arM7nktqchobi7Bx4-Flr4vfW3Wm3iVaNWIK30IQqw8Ebsh2d9AGJ00BBTRANOmAosr4A1CtxrVgt13vd00l-tefzIyD1LlkyzPrY/w300-h400/IMG_20240301_103954.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up was Sam's Club where we picked out these Cowboy Cut Ribeyes and a dessert.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiuNVxYJkdLOsAJY84zUe3aHZlm5Jnn4ZZMml5VXRYm2HRMugc0KoVbvdSPWvo3AG2n2qS6_d12BlvJyNIYogDxBIs27mqhmNvsHQvQnW41FhcqURmmbQ2yZRWaHL8HZ-ZGr-2w84CkSB5da20cjeAJBJZgmNbONqn9Xe2Lbl5I0oJnTuc0s2Y7eejrw/s4608/IMG_20240301_105842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiuNVxYJkdLOsAJY84zUe3aHZlm5Jnn4ZZMml5VXRYm2HRMugc0KoVbvdSPWvo3AG2n2qS6_d12BlvJyNIYogDxBIs27mqhmNvsHQvQnW41FhcqURmmbQ2yZRWaHL8HZ-ZGr-2w84CkSB5da20cjeAJBJZgmNbONqn9Xe2Lbl5I0oJnTuc0s2Y7eejrw/w300-h400/IMG_20240301_105842.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For supper on her birthday we got together with Dan and Bonnie, going to Jalapeno Grill in Hot Springs. Mexican food. 😬 But, Barbie loves it so so do I.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The critters were happy to have us home too. We were greeted by turkey, deer and even a huge herd of elk!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dh8pN2aFj3Q" width="320" youtube-src-id="dh8pN2aFj3Q"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KlgNq9idZ8QQRq9VM2nq1sdb-10L1CYsvMugKW9O5ouEidL1SfVRIxocIh6GtZ5jhl0_slX1NSV7DZ5Gu_6NDoBokCpRKkampvpNQvNq01Sab9tIpt4WIB5Yz56dpCItK0anpE25ISZfqfyjFAo78lWKMGVbXY9dc-SZSveUYgt7DDx4VVoKwOJS1pA/s4608/IMG_20240228_160057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KlgNq9idZ8QQRq9VM2nq1sdb-10L1CYsvMugKW9O5ouEidL1SfVRIxocIh6GtZ5jhl0_slX1NSV7DZ5Gu_6NDoBokCpRKkampvpNQvNq01Sab9tIpt4WIB5Yz56dpCItK0anpE25ISZfqfyjFAo78lWKMGVbXY9dc-SZSveUYgt7DDx4VVoKwOJS1pA/w400-h300/IMG_20240228_160057.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_9cMpcIid24k7eFbTShshCn7PsEVaN8mBEgVJdl79zvAo2BnnzX9OX4Sim6Lbg5kMTcQU0T4ow2qKkq2OKHz5D8xucbYowE53est1InVoWC0w0re_RgJ9xDjEavDW6F7AG59S1ZLt4cjtEE20rY598Hv_lppx2g72ZlapUeleg0HEEnSaXOjJ-Ge5lk/s4000/P1200364.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_9cMpcIid24k7eFbTShshCn7PsEVaN8mBEgVJdl79zvAo2BnnzX9OX4Sim6Lbg5kMTcQU0T4ow2qKkq2OKHz5D8xucbYowE53est1InVoWC0w0re_RgJ9xDjEavDW6F7AG59S1ZLt4cjtEE20rY598Hv_lppx2g72ZlapUeleg0HEEnSaXOjJ-Ge5lk/w300-h400/P1200364.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I know some of you might find it hard to believe, but we have not started any new projects since being home. The only work we have done is getting the house in order, installed a whole house water filtration system and spent one day out in the woods clearing brush. We have three large piles ready to burn next time we get 3" of snow or more. Barb also started a sourdough bread starter. She is on day 5, it is pretty slow going as our house rarely gets above 65 so it is definitely struggling.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKarBizSMQ1GhyphenhyphenH-Na6ZoTUBfUKl1uSQLQ1hMcMsE7EYxgXZ6iAfixZ7RvGW7BZtHjmji7f0M5nUIPGYD5uuZJKiu45T6_L7YfXiEmtSpN6Y1ZP4ABrwfDTDJ9KjARtgJODmc2vTfG2I35TcuKUSWraOs7x-FVVzZkjC_BooJKR3-TVqkFqNFV6flnlY/s4608/IMG_20240302_111028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKarBizSMQ1GhyphenhyphenH-Na6ZoTUBfUKl1uSQLQ1hMcMsE7EYxgXZ6iAfixZ7RvGW7BZtHjmji7f0M5nUIPGYD5uuZJKiu45T6_L7YfXiEmtSpN6Y1ZP4ABrwfDTDJ9KjARtgJODmc2vTfG2I35TcuKUSWraOs7x-FVVzZkjC_BooJKR3-TVqkFqNFV6flnlY/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_111028.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdsG2WkWPpHayBVMfexfWJRlvTp4qgouBzZ1iFYsGDYnZ8DbvQ_JWlZU5kUj1_tErDEq7kMJdyBgeIcxZMqyaWKeJaoeo_hZdBj5jMpKMm-2HmMlV7bX6uxbH736Y5sjOAAVw65zfTUWiBDLVK-D6848lPUHBWbGspoCOOCZOr4Codau8wExg-WBJU6g/s4608/IMG_20240302_091546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdsG2WkWPpHayBVMfexfWJRlvTp4qgouBzZ1iFYsGDYnZ8DbvQ_JWlZU5kUj1_tErDEq7kMJdyBgeIcxZMqyaWKeJaoeo_hZdBj5jMpKMm-2HmMlV7bX6uxbH736Y5sjOAAVw65zfTUWiBDLVK-D6848lPUHBWbGspoCOOCZOr4Codau8wExg-WBJU6g/w300-h400/IMG_20240302_091546.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">Dakota and Zoey had an exhausting week reacquainting themselves with all the smells around the yard. Zoey was exhausted at the end of the day!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGq1f4tfI9fhk1ds0Gd-1Ik06A1PQFODilFxHWyt3GnAbRohzdLb1iYi2Cxh5xOxBh_WxN5E29Nx2cWRISnx2FAQA9FJZmSlFp7jAyqjDqFTPWpZPwFgFJHG7GuPeN-SGinuVnuwlh9I8-jFDs63UYTgCzB_wDiLJ1tXcxKR8-lMGuYh_M7LdebKDTYyI/s4608/IMG_20240229_090545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGq1f4tfI9fhk1ds0Gd-1Ik06A1PQFODilFxHWyt3GnAbRohzdLb1iYi2Cxh5xOxBh_WxN5E29Nx2cWRISnx2FAQA9FJZmSlFp7jAyqjDqFTPWpZPwFgFJHG7GuPeN-SGinuVnuwlh9I8-jFDs63UYTgCzB_wDiLJ1tXcxKR8-lMGuYh_M7LdebKDTYyI/w300-h400/IMG_20240229_090545.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the way, check out <a href="https://kissackadventures.blogspot.com/2024/03/its-done.html">Nancy's blog for today (3/4) </a>to see the incredible quilt she finished today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since everyone like teasers so much, here is another one for next week where I will reveal our summer plans. Another great North American Road trip! </div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-55576384663700578892024-02-26T15:29:00.000-08:002024-02-27T06:52:37.292-08:00Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky<p> After we cross the Florida state line, we went less than a mile before stopping at a place we have heard a lot about, but never stopped. </p><p>The <a href="https://www.florabama.com/">Flora-Bama Bar</a> is on the Florida/Alabama state line. Actually, in Alabama, the property the bar sits on used to be in Florida. That was until 1962 when Florida gave Alabama a 2 mile stretch of beach along the border.</p><p>Multiple levels, live music, inside and outside seating, the Flora-Bama is a must stop tourist attraction. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Cold, wet and windy. Despite that we did have a good time as we met our friends and fellow Custer, SD residents Merrell and Vicki there. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXA06m24BAQlfgxsK6pdAJbxwN-moHr0mByhlT70_aYHcvDsyhFiL-it_RCr-pJHnZ9A1Z4BB_kFbGbJv5JmXo6ptK5Apf50OsTcLXJu2Az5rB0qfGQnJjTQxTIci8zFeezdqD7IMtBdhCeOCRnhpCjloKW3XaSzcrUowCV9THqVoXnVaxJkb2HwIMPE/s800/IMG_20240217_143157.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXA06m24BAQlfgxsK6pdAJbxwN-moHr0mByhlT70_aYHcvDsyhFiL-it_RCr-pJHnZ9A1Z4BB_kFbGbJv5JmXo6ptK5Apf50OsTcLXJu2Az5rB0qfGQnJjTQxTIci8zFeezdqD7IMtBdhCeOCRnhpCjloKW3XaSzcrUowCV9THqVoXnVaxJkb2HwIMPE/w300-h400/IMG_20240217_143157.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad hair day? Windy? Both?!?!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">With the weather the way it was, everyone was inside. Between the people and the live music, we could not hear each other so we opted to go across the street to the restaurant and get a bite to eat. We spent an hour and a half talking and catching up. In my mind, I saw us spending the entire day with them sitting outside in the sun and talking, but it was just not to be today so after a late lunch we headed on our way. </span></div><p>Our stop for the night was a Cracker Barrel in Pensacola. It has been quite a while since we have stayed at one, nice and quiet. </p><p>The next day we were off to our next destination and our last visit with friends on our Great Winter Adventure. Dadeville Alabama is a small town of just over 3,200, two of which are our friends Guy and Sue who live in the Stillwaters community just outside Dadeville. Guy and Sue have/had been fulltime travelers for many years but recently got off the road. Speaking of which, if someone is looking for a really nice 37' Tiffin Class A, they have one for sale!</p><p>The Stillwaters is a gated community on the shores of Lake Martin which boasts over 700 miles of shoreline. Guy and Sue were residents here for over 20 years before going on the road and are now again. They gave us a tour of the area. Really, really beautiful. </p><p>Having just emptied out a storage unit, Guy spent a good 30 minutes going through his garage handing me stuff, saying "You need this, and you need that" as he handed me stuff he no longer needed from their RV life. I was like a kid in a candy store! Thanks again Guy!</p><p>We only had one night here so we spent it catching up over a great steak supper with the best grits I have ever eaten! Their driveway was just big enough to fit our rig, so we were able to spend the night right there and have a goodbye breakfast with them before hitting the road.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArsMhTW7TP_kPv1ZVQ8wSqB8rcYAiqbUV_cIk6Z5-FPH35k0BYUStRAZSjIi3bsPozqG2H16oOV7ywOomQJgn9bw1nFUxi9f8gC5NrFVBTsVHuw11Q5JQlWKmV_nzl9EFfVbWYhFl1Ajen2pMRxhRv0XVN9ZgK39PRmQhkGXWiA_rjOUnhMZcLyHxTGY/s800/IMG_20240219_082048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArsMhTW7TP_kPv1ZVQ8wSqB8rcYAiqbUV_cIk6Z5-FPH35k0BYUStRAZSjIi3bsPozqG2H16oOV7ywOomQJgn9bw1nFUxi9f8gC5NrFVBTsVHuw11Q5JQlWKmV_nzl9EFfVbWYhFl1Ajen2pMRxhRv0XVN9ZgK39PRmQhkGXWiA_rjOUnhMZcLyHxTGY/w400-h300/IMG_20240219_082048.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>Our next destination was another one that I had been wanting to go for several years. I think Nashville was higher on my list than Barb's, but she indulged me by booking 3 nights at the Nashville KOA. We did not get in until late the first afternoon, so we just chilled and planned out our Nashville day. There is a $10/person shuttle that will take you from the campground to the Country Music Hall of Fame, so we booked the first shuttle of the day and were off!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEp2xwQkv00Fp1PjUjLHFV998GAHQ2czuK0RbaVcyPpmDRXm-p96O729jremt1CELQe_OT-rXbf75w_gBI807UlDY2C9jhzCY0785nuNTssxLwpbk1rMB7igq-8HwTroYUdDBepvPFCqQMLar3YJY0LWYbxRriAzfLvdM4XvMYqevRWrAvTVd0pNguY0/s4608/IMG_20240220_101412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEp2xwQkv00Fp1PjUjLHFV998GAHQ2czuK0RbaVcyPpmDRXm-p96O729jremt1CELQe_OT-rXbf75w_gBI807UlDY2C9jhzCY0785nuNTssxLwpbk1rMB7igq-8HwTroYUdDBepvPFCqQMLar3YJY0LWYbxRriAzfLvdM4XvMYqevRWrAvTVd0pNguY0/w400-h300/IMG_20240220_101412.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>The main thing I wanted to see there was the live music and walk the strip. Since we were planning on coming into town both days, day one was dedicated to doing just that. Our first stop was Kid Rock's place. I went to the bar, ordered two Coor Lights and gave her a $20. She came back with my two beers and $2. Back home I would have received $12-$14 in change, but apparently not in Nashville. Being the big tipper, I am I told the bartender to keep the $2 and walked bewilderedly back to Barb with the 2 beers. </p><p>The music was good, but too loud, so after finishing our beers we headed over to Ole Red across the street where the music was more to our noise level. We ordered some nacho's and two more beers (only $8 here) and enjoyed both the music and nachos.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEz1YaskE4vO-ECqZq4zXuISL0zNV9x7NXdEuecDhaqVM7pvd-n4Z37PtZCWY0rojbB9WpekkTRuSQGwTdnGGlOfS7I3ZeVkcr3j-jtUuRtVAgDVLlVxI3STW22znw7qlbSMWn3gStlH-mamG2EywgsROx-CooqNMddAl-vN0h6edmb93MsUNdA6Iwrk/s1019/423454621_1150005995984649_7225425643171887278_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="596" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEz1YaskE4vO-ECqZq4zXuISL0zNV9x7NXdEuecDhaqVM7pvd-n4Z37PtZCWY0rojbB9WpekkTRuSQGwTdnGGlOfS7I3ZeVkcr3j-jtUuRtVAgDVLlVxI3STW22znw7qlbSMWn3gStlH-mamG2EywgsROx-CooqNMddAl-vN0h6edmb93MsUNdA6Iwrk/w234-h400/423454621_1150005995984649_7225425643171887278_n.jpg" width="234" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLt8eIApLN9rmTR41c1xnD3babOQpvtTreR3tbGH6gQ7cXXa43ztFQuI5cM_86qJ3i-5ROI-LUT0AVTEX2JjpTV-BWNRROIB2_ScZF8ZTL384BU_RDcWM2eEvPVO4UfB5F-8FLzmVa8fj40VWLWpQjbryAQ3LBb7sZHsc6dHij47lWQZZBR1VHPO5F0ak/s1734/423599944_768856514751962_3854496787024698101_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLt8eIApLN9rmTR41c1xnD3babOQpvtTreR3tbGH6gQ7cXXa43ztFQuI5cM_86qJ3i-5ROI-LUT0AVTEX2JjpTV-BWNRROIB2_ScZF8ZTL384BU_RDcWM2eEvPVO4UfB5F-8FLzmVa8fj40VWLWpQjbryAQ3LBb7sZHsc6dHij47lWQZZBR1VHPO5F0ak/w180-h400/423599944_768856514751962_3854496787024698101_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><p>From there, we walked about 15 minutes to the Ole Smokey Distillery where Barb picked up a t-shirt and I, a sign for our gazebo. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUUUZQj55X_LDBitswzCvLQ5b68eamNjK6rCAqax1T-54MKgskLYbQwLSTyJpE9eptxipMatZKfYnC9wGTv24A0L-gkJxoNPj5DASlbJIJVzt8Pl81yCBLYVfKYAQPVJ1zGpSGQhPEeS4ZA_bYeWboJbunuCup6Ls62PboXHleKeQ5ZxEmcxtEpqNAnQ/s1734/423599933_422635820142063_5035035173999378121_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUUUZQj55X_LDBitswzCvLQ5b68eamNjK6rCAqax1T-54MKgskLYbQwLSTyJpE9eptxipMatZKfYnC9wGTv24A0L-gkJxoNPj5DASlbJIJVzt8Pl81yCBLYVfKYAQPVJ1zGpSGQhPEeS4ZA_bYeWboJbunuCup6Ls62PboXHleKeQ5ZxEmcxtEpqNAnQ/w180-h400/423599933_422635820142063_5035035173999378121_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><p>We spent the rest of our afternoon at the Luke Bryant bar on the second level. A guy by the name of Clay Bitter was playing there and we really enjoyed his music. A great afternoon, but way more than we wanted to spend. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6jM48iA9eK1yNKVtU1cTmkuo5NyUieSw-7FNjB7Njv17FFaCR0-1ZomXWDI-8u6TFE4tmGLwTqgE0wsQybjb8Izmws7AiKFIgIaajNTg6_MsC64sWDU-PX52xJI83feKZeP7D6uEiI0ZeRqJr-GdIMbtnUBJPx-4QkbkR2w6vr7uNWrK7HR_ouh22EA/s1734/423221442_676021661395962_8923895933885681317_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1734" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6jM48iA9eK1yNKVtU1cTmkuo5NyUieSw-7FNjB7Njv17FFaCR0-1ZomXWDI-8u6TFE4tmGLwTqgE0wsQybjb8Izmws7AiKFIgIaajNTg6_MsC64sWDU-PX52xJI83feKZeP7D6uEiI0ZeRqJr-GdIMbtnUBJPx-4QkbkR2w6vr7uNWrK7HR_ouh22EA/w400-h180/423221442_676021661395962_8923895933885681317_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEf_DK5Jvlpvw7tfVArSNXXx86Kc7zBU4jLIMv6gY-US8BgjDQQq-EXlyZywq6cUQVcMGHr9aflVsvuEweprBgfUlgzRwGwCY4Dd-Nlo3GlGJDtOzYxnO9lGhJd7z_SVeEutN9aOVTRbiJk13JaWKuPcnhFGPiKOTUWwUW0sbXbvzflHtBO2JslT2tDO0/s1734/423541969_1816395178784355_1157157737460181042_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEf_DK5Jvlpvw7tfVArSNXXx86Kc7zBU4jLIMv6gY-US8BgjDQQq-EXlyZywq6cUQVcMGHr9aflVsvuEweprBgfUlgzRwGwCY4Dd-Nlo3GlGJDtOzYxnO9lGhJd7z_SVeEutN9aOVTRbiJk13JaWKuPcnhFGPiKOTUWwUW0sbXbvzflHtBO2JslT2tDO0/w180-h400/423541969_1816395178784355_1157157737460181042_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yMNF2TTDtSkBg3qh-63YsKnjey9CcRJ4nZZR4TYuFdL3V5jxln-On_oJTKfpwQrwILFbmX-asqwOqtbnWL2DD92syWZeNrsMY6OHJvvXg7cqdNCiBvN8lSdu-S-Lnrfj2eFet3ORtUYi7HlVgqxpkg-L58C2FJupe15o43NQfIZMfzbBgJnrvCbJ33c/s1734/423422401_1133960341315443_8379411905169868999_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yMNF2TTDtSkBg3qh-63YsKnjey9CcRJ4nZZR4TYuFdL3V5jxln-On_oJTKfpwQrwILFbmX-asqwOqtbnWL2DD92syWZeNrsMY6OHJvvXg7cqdNCiBvN8lSdu-S-Lnrfj2eFet3ORtUYi7HlVgqxpkg-L58C2FJupe15o43NQfIZMfzbBgJnrvCbJ33c/w180-h400/423422401_1133960341315443_8379411905169868999_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><p>The next morning, we were reviewing our options for the day. Country Musci HOF, Johnny Cash Museum, and other attractions. I was still run down from this dang cough though, so we decided to just hang out and take it easy. Instead, we did laundry (Barb), cleaned the camper (Barb), cut my hair (Barb) and worked on the blog (me).</p><p>After an hour or so drive the next morning, we arrived at Mammoth Cave National Park (24th NP) just in time for our tour. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWzaSadyzMoxf1XXKsJZCrNuJJhzJTMNisCJ6MW51ULDz8lgPXVZb2ZyxnTy0Jeo1_s53mKqI6dMPfAzlALumWEP4Pq2_bzt5PCPTOaftyH9yJ5OxI95sMDTkBJ6RBT0NpYKvVD0P5S-5_UE1aPZRxNcx3dEuPzKcLOt-Ai73qslw7eVXHBQ4Rzm6mfo/s3791/IMG_20240222_102325a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2368" data-original-width="3791" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWzaSadyzMoxf1XXKsJZCrNuJJhzJTMNisCJ6MW51ULDz8lgPXVZb2ZyxnTy0Jeo1_s53mKqI6dMPfAzlALumWEP4Pq2_bzt5PCPTOaftyH9yJ5OxI95sMDTkBJ6RBT0NpYKvVD0P5S-5_UE1aPZRxNcx3dEuPzKcLOt-Ai73qslw7eVXHBQ4Rzm6mfo/w400-h250/IMG_20240222_102325a.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>You take a bus ride from the Visitors Center to the cave entrance. Of all the cave tours we have done across the country, I think this one would rank near the lowest as far as enjoyment. There were 25 in our group and with much of the tour being narrow passages, it was more like a conga line with you just staring at the person in front of you. Luckily, Barb was in front of me, so I had that going for me. Not a lot of interesting cave features until you get to the last 5 minutes where they have quite a few very cool formations. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpnXO2dXeaAP0IF3U-BIb5cVlMhbqv3f0Q-NHFLxoQbkVROMiPO4v7jVrldcDXkJfMKvZPr3VSBiMz-aHYimEWB77zJDJnejHp9ub2Xhi7sPURoS8u8-bSJZnRtmJ9P0VZiSesorCFcMwq_ViZZ-GsPjBmG-jplqHaca-Uh3Oe01gQ_GtMzHdV56QaNU/s4000/P1200327.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpnXO2dXeaAP0IF3U-BIb5cVlMhbqv3f0Q-NHFLxoQbkVROMiPO4v7jVrldcDXkJfMKvZPr3VSBiMz-aHYimEWB77zJDJnejHp9ub2Xhi7sPURoS8u8-bSJZnRtmJ9P0VZiSesorCFcMwq_ViZZ-GsPjBmG-jplqHaca-Uh3Oe01gQ_GtMzHdV56QaNU/w400-h300/P1200327.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">It is really hard to get good pictures in a cave. Afterall, the lighting is not the best. I did manage to get a few that were blogworthy. To be honest, most of the tour was rather boring, but the last 5 minutes was worth the wait. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FAGVXl1MAjn7Pz1p0_Bp41fGbiMAvRB-2u6YC7xNly8kOx98pu3hGat4omfcOptTNFW1lV6nDkgM-GnKhkfqv0Ouc3lI6dgb9JCO_Q5ps5j9JMlLzORlXnvpfNknxnS9Mc7e7BP0BNmFkmRej8AjkvTrI0Xh_dIp0NrnVhEcztI0Zo8lAm0pa6Q1hBc/s4608/IMG_20240222_150410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FAGVXl1MAjn7Pz1p0_Bp41fGbiMAvRB-2u6YC7xNly8kOx98pu3hGat4omfcOptTNFW1lV6nDkgM-GnKhkfqv0Ouc3lI6dgb9JCO_Q5ps5j9JMlLzORlXnvpfNknxnS9Mc7e7BP0BNmFkmRej8AjkvTrI0Xh_dIp0NrnVhEcztI0Zo8lAm0pa6Q1hBc/w300-h400/IMG_20240222_150410.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG98RMK9JMLu7uMyIN9RncySCcIM9M02-H0bPFSRQCsuDbCNCNPZOc-YqAtma6Vqo1HhW8WK6k-PW04c2uIQW51ML4qASMwbOaSpWVE91eMJWiAlqA8FiyzhE-FnMhhX3WgSHRyOWOfYwEV55BoxG0ogkxUp8ECWABMZc67W3PD87Dvmee7O_p_k_xRRs/s4000/P1200346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG98RMK9JMLu7uMyIN9RncySCcIM9M02-H0bPFSRQCsuDbCNCNPZOc-YqAtma6Vqo1HhW8WK6k-PW04c2uIQW51ML4qASMwbOaSpWVE91eMJWiAlqA8FiyzhE-FnMhhX3WgSHRyOWOfYwEV55BoxG0ogkxUp8ECWABMZc67W3PD87Dvmee7O_p_k_xRRs/w300-h400/P1200346.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrR1I6XMa5G0Hg9P1XdliJ-DDnkZ6-xTWA1T5B3HjT2KxicdZapOGvUjWQB7xWqFGX6_KbRVs-2nGtH_60BTmWNROzkLpekuwnpVSV2f7mMLZypVWGbpPRzxWL5TZ4yocrbMPxzMdkCICpPLoSsesOngTmuKXCHaGEYzFEcG78dG1dDF5gvtrrN3FYK7I/s3985/P1200349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2538" data-original-width="3985" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrR1I6XMa5G0Hg9P1XdliJ-DDnkZ6-xTWA1T5B3HjT2KxicdZapOGvUjWQB7xWqFGX6_KbRVs-2nGtH_60BTmWNROzkLpekuwnpVSV2f7mMLZypVWGbpPRzxWL5TZ4yocrbMPxzMdkCICpPLoSsesOngTmuKXCHaGEYzFEcG78dG1dDF5gvtrrN3FYK7I/w400-h255/P1200349.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>From there it was up to Frankfort Kentucky to visit Buffalo Trace Distillery again as well as a couple more tours at other distilleries. For those of you who are into bourbons and whiskeys, you know that Buffalo Trace is like THE distiller in the area. They offer a variety of products, several of which are nearly impossible to find on the open market. These are Blanton's, Weller, Eagle Rare and E.H. Taylor. </p><p>Whoever designed the marketing strategy for Buffalo Trace is a genius. As they offer one of these 4 for sale in their gift shop every day, randomly rotating them. What other company do you know where hundreds of people line up outside 3 hours before they open, waiting, having no idea what they are going to buy? </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHeZ1FC1m6XdWoCikcu8GUFDrdJk52bj_c4QZe3X2hKqk2T85q9uPo1OdJFcOMDCyKVIQM1J1qGxkwZTZfdjt4ZkvyVFPRSa9-Goq-299yihCgbqdvu_TrxHhC_E-3qLaG5NcN_bnX6eUoC9mBWKbh0BsivEUM5Nj-GbzZ_EZ3bE9wVrMVmhP8-NgWmA/s4608/IMG_20240223_084918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHeZ1FC1m6XdWoCikcu8GUFDrdJk52bj_c4QZe3X2hKqk2T85q9uPo1OdJFcOMDCyKVIQM1J1qGxkwZTZfdjt4ZkvyVFPRSa9-Goq-299yihCgbqdvu_TrxHhC_E-3qLaG5NcN_bnX6eUoC9mBWKbh0BsivEUM5Nj-GbzZ_EZ3bE9wVrMVmhP8-NgWmA/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_084918.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Here's the kicker, once you buy one of a variety, you cannot buy it again for 90 days. So, some people are in line for hours not knowing if they can even buy anything. We had bought Blanton's and Weller on our way through in December, so we were only eligible to buy Taylor and Eagle Rare. In line we went not knowing if we could even buy anything. We arrived at 7:30 each day and were probably 50th in line. By 9:00 there were hundreds of people in line. Your first clue of what is being offered is usually when one of the employees comes out at about 8:45 and spills the beans. </p><p>There are several Facebook groups dedicated to predicting what they will offer the next day. The first day we were there the odds-on favorite for our first day there was E.H. Taylor.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCluHz1WKYOH_ocr5VAlZBXhVCeSlygV8kvjtlG_AjDES09QCfWG_xql7lk5weYnXFByeAucPwr8lcb0zIKwOq4V2zanxkcp8cduH1iYGM8JyPTTyMmYUTqHp77Eoc9chZDAKrpU5G-3EMg86WXJOwidxiPlzNo5Fqhs8qbH80MMcmqYSuQft6HrU3JI/s935/EH.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="935" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCluHz1WKYOH_ocr5VAlZBXhVCeSlygV8kvjtlG_AjDES09QCfWG_xql7lk5weYnXFByeAucPwr8lcb0zIKwOq4V2zanxkcp8cduH1iYGM8JyPTTyMmYUTqHp77Eoc9chZDAKrpU5G-3EMg86WXJOwidxiPlzNo5Fqhs8qbH80MMcmqYSuQft6HrU3JI/w640-h326/EH.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">About 8:45am, word started spreading through the crowd that it was indeed Taylor. We were in luck our first day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJM7cngANC24o-HefT8p3euQ-c16SvbKrHpQvbifWifQmugRenTK4flyN-5qPC7vH_Sr1w7ervCutIEWNc638PQ-Ri6vILDViIGiHY3siB1ueVHx9cIGx43IjAiMoWYuy6IkaO6Bhp1tNYVSlUUGobXtE7UcaCnNZxizl9ShbENpiJvh58mQe_qIzz4aA/s4608/IMG_20240223_090034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJM7cngANC24o-HefT8p3euQ-c16SvbKrHpQvbifWifQmugRenTK4flyN-5qPC7vH_Sr1w7ervCutIEWNc638PQ-Ri6vILDViIGiHY3siB1ueVHx9cIGx43IjAiMoWYuy6IkaO6Bhp1tNYVSlUUGobXtE7UcaCnNZxizl9ShbENpiJvh58mQe_qIzz4aA/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_090034.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMP7j5nJUch2w-DJz88Ftn3VshSvM2A9RxCeEToy3yNDCGOi3BIbkNX-2vJ1hLav92V-wwHc5vfZoRJNJQEB2697OhwERG6XNb19hbyC1_v144eZNp21KtgpMoK4evXeNFwXZ90JmBy3Z8X4-MGyvuV6vGs0M1TWeBkyCLk6k2F1F4BwZAcil6VnB1N0/s2592/IMG_20240223_090743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMP7j5nJUch2w-DJz88Ftn3VshSvM2A9RxCeEToy3yNDCGOi3BIbkNX-2vJ1hLav92V-wwHc5vfZoRJNJQEB2697OhwERG6XNb19hbyC1_v144eZNp21KtgpMoK4evXeNFwXZ90JmBy3Z8X4-MGyvuV6vGs0M1TWeBkyCLk6k2F1F4BwZAcil6VnB1N0/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_090743.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After making our purchases, we headed over to a local park to kill some time before our tour at Castle & Key distillery. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Cove Spring Park in Frankfort is absolutely beautiful. Several natural springs, a creek and a picturesque setting in the Kentucky hillside. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteYr80XlJuOY9cNP9EgR9_4_-n54U9Fepwf73Wg9C3gbI9lQM5nnCZSXI3QgpNx-KGVmIVjLpUE7UdKOHO_rKU9SThaJOeqszNUQVbwol-wZsvnJkL0FvmwR3ZA02pRphhC_AJesPm1Ze6rDvv972_JGe9xxx9WEb02X7Kab2Fo6xhdyRWuMTe-0OWbs/s4608/IMG_20240223_103838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteYr80XlJuOY9cNP9EgR9_4_-n54U9Fepwf73Wg9C3gbI9lQM5nnCZSXI3QgpNx-KGVmIVjLpUE7UdKOHO_rKU9SThaJOeqszNUQVbwol-wZsvnJkL0FvmwR3ZA02pRphhC_AJesPm1Ze6rDvv972_JGe9xxx9WEb02X7Kab2Fo6xhdyRWuMTe-0OWbs/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_103838.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7KIhsK7bkgsDdUXPyAyYFhACBl46wiGyXcIHDBKrAN0uNcsOIs7q0NOs76ULZq5s7q9z_OQlsG8DeKtILH3BnGXvhwxZsLQGhs3yCfIWzVJZ1CUc5llnvEjhHtmF4RW5ljgNNw14iyfx5npeb4fIFBDlrlNQPFOKwgAbXNeuqfjU32scGwV6TxHrA7A/s4608/IMG_20240223_114425.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7KIhsK7bkgsDdUXPyAyYFhACBl46wiGyXcIHDBKrAN0uNcsOIs7q0NOs76ULZq5s7q9z_OQlsG8DeKtILH3BnGXvhwxZsLQGhs3yCfIWzVJZ1CUc5llnvEjhHtmF4RW5ljgNNw14iyfx5npeb4fIFBDlrlNQPFOKwgAbXNeuqfjU32scGwV6TxHrA7A/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_114425.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The park has a really nice children's memorial with each of the bricks below a memorial to a child. The picture to the right is the head of the spring and an old structure from back in the day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdZw7Z7Q7Vd_O42nIEuAppR8dQCLo2Ee_6on3c4RDCfePHFyR5NC7aNnl16eNL3uWl-WtGZ5oJpPWfrqb5WNKMuW50PNr263LRqy3ZsCqjrbVXlcrEbQy1kzYIKdYe8JMcRps6MfsRC91YdVFzKwNG7KIbn3grf_IqtU-j-MPGh6Dxwf8bS_Jr7VUvq0/s1734/423063052_391453093617475_4167135795688453690_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdZw7Z7Q7Vd_O42nIEuAppR8dQCLo2Ee_6on3c4RDCfePHFyR5NC7aNnl16eNL3uWl-WtGZ5oJpPWfrqb5WNKMuW50PNr263LRqy3ZsCqjrbVXlcrEbQy1kzYIKdYe8JMcRps6MfsRC91YdVFzKwNG7KIbn3grf_IqtU-j-MPGh6Dxwf8bS_Jr7VUvq0/w225-h400/423063052_391453093617475_4167135795688453690_n.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvDgUg27Cwi8jkeZ_DEgwapTQ51CSLPs67NXhB__cNpNKyIhnUmJEronSIzcIFYH5kgsX7342gnjqIk8S72wi200pCkNnIndJMinMyNZNMd6-UvX5osP7mP5a0_XjSnmzJQL6AhL0ii17uA29m6NFRXCCj8Xbdxpa1wO3bvuBrBuJ6jFOb6EB6Jiw63o/s1734/423105777_775364991125636_3784939023067403521_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvDgUg27Cwi8jkeZ_DEgwapTQ51CSLPs67NXhB__cNpNKyIhnUmJEronSIzcIFYH5kgsX7342gnjqIk8S72wi200pCkNnIndJMinMyNZNMd6-UvX5osP7mP5a0_XjSnmzJQL6AhL0ii17uA29m6NFRXCCj8Xbdxpa1wO3bvuBrBuJ6jFOb6EB6Jiw63o/w225-h400/423105777_775364991125636_3784939023067403521_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were a few oddities in the park, like this mini-farm in a hollowed-out tree, or this strange looking creature just randomly hanging out in the woods. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkdyEZg9pPbL2PvzWJS8l4SlpWOJ9Q2GQu7NcORu8Q2KB1RZDMRyx9-lPs4KrFmis7WUSb7iQTeWfBAFkPAbBd6sHElROaeHmyw5pT6Xk6lFBE9RepWzwDFdV_OKrFMiGWz00CEelD9fCr_isiLJFGwgg1U2rLl64CxwSr20XQbCJ02rpA6maRG8tfFM/s1734/423541838_2930060783817416_7605182637483509060_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkdyEZg9pPbL2PvzWJS8l4SlpWOJ9Q2GQu7NcORu8Q2KB1RZDMRyx9-lPs4KrFmis7WUSb7iQTeWfBAFkPAbBd6sHElROaeHmyw5pT6Xk6lFBE9RepWzwDFdV_OKrFMiGWz00CEelD9fCr_isiLJFGwgg1U2rLl64CxwSr20XQbCJ02rpA6maRG8tfFM/w225-h400/423541838_2930060783817416_7605182637483509060_n.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFC2IJDqKcNTEHb5lgkmzihOzBxDiiJaEdavR6hsg7wUBVllYPR2kaDRkHIun4dFM7C_YUSQH5ntMEK-CoWDhE1UBLT36K4lxcjhmsB1N9qHUm7IPU8XAuwBp3UQrlXNwToBeR9Ji540hL6otEbbWFV_8dDR1UOP8eeH3hoa6XxLjA3Pn_EdiGrxiYKM/s1734/423766267_416299954407475_4339274570216977851_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFC2IJDqKcNTEHb5lgkmzihOzBxDiiJaEdavR6hsg7wUBVllYPR2kaDRkHIun4dFM7C_YUSQH5ntMEK-CoWDhE1UBLT36K4lxcjhmsB1N9qHUm7IPU8XAuwBp3UQrlXNwToBeR9Ji540hL6otEbbWFV_8dDR1UOP8eeH3hoa6XxLjA3Pn_EdiGrxiYKM/w225-h400/423766267_416299954407475_4339274570216977851_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A great way to kill a couple of hours and walk the dogs while waiting for our next tour. The Castle & Key Distillery was founded in 2018, but the building in which it sits was built by E.H. Taylor (sound familiar?) in 1887. E.H. was the nephew of President Zachery Taylor. We were more interested in the history of the building than we were of the Castle & Key products. Very cool and historic building. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQCntFzLpRpp-_MTBzdY-j8-TZAnnXBL4vn4XYqvcA6KOaGyUeXfRDRXuhlE1tY8CZhXx8Ugcv0sHmBu5omoGFqgA0yUcWZKqcLCTaVhJ2UOmWwyxb2u9DTQFi5t6_i-M9xwQ7P2VzVPJlFSx58U0QsRqQLAEuEnMkgDStDuRBOmNx00dk9HDMnH7sBU/s4608/IMG_20240223_140331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQCntFzLpRpp-_MTBzdY-j8-TZAnnXBL4vn4XYqvcA6KOaGyUeXfRDRXuhlE1tY8CZhXx8Ugcv0sHmBu5omoGFqgA0yUcWZKqcLCTaVhJ2UOmWwyxb2u9DTQFi5t6_i-M9xwQ7P2VzVPJlFSx58U0QsRqQLAEuEnMkgDStDuRBOmNx00dk9HDMnH7sBU/w400-h300/IMG_20240223_140331.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-nOaVM5_bXp5ZNX_y-ULgXfIOUx_SpmDJTr0ksbVO8tYkdwGfCGl5r3UUXM2l9via-VuRBRebxlYEJBpkHWi5VusbG0oPnRJbtlSUETurXcu9LpuwNQ-vbwKDDerX6FCzs7M4bVmQrCHYvE6KxfaUEobuv-dIq3ywIxhiwpOK3RZd4MECDMtO0LK_84/s1734/423147245_1165976274777823_1112376402617688906_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-nOaVM5_bXp5ZNX_y-ULgXfIOUx_SpmDJTr0ksbVO8tYkdwGfCGl5r3UUXM2l9via-VuRBRebxlYEJBpkHWi5VusbG0oPnRJbtlSUETurXcu9LpuwNQ-vbwKDDerX6FCzs7M4bVmQrCHYvE6KxfaUEobuv-dIq3ywIxhiwpOK3RZd4MECDMtO0LK_84/w225-h400/423147245_1165976274777823_1112376402617688906_n.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI3s6_C82Ck7dOphV7dHZcOxUVOA0a81XaGr22GIeHW_7w64JhafF_5BvpklKUfmkn8JIs5Pvl8al1mQAN52xAbknDm-XPpI6j_4gGYBWW3ZRMC__TiEgFrid7lDnb9C_ItUZYbQ6TtQVdnlLVCtNQBy_vh9k91SzaIUD1gwKW1_rsinrZgjU6lMxENw/s4608/IMG_20240223_142443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI3s6_C82Ck7dOphV7dHZcOxUVOA0a81XaGr22GIeHW_7w64JhafF_5BvpklKUfmkn8JIs5Pvl8al1mQAN52xAbknDm-XPpI6j_4gGYBWW3ZRMC__TiEgFrid7lDnb9C_ItUZYbQ6TtQVdnlLVCtNQBy_vh9k91SzaIUD1gwKW1_rsinrZgjU6lMxENw/w300-h400/IMG_20240223_142443.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ee2iMwCw1xq2OctMuAdBLQPqaoXARGazI6DetOh9o9HwLaXyVJiLpJh2_pyidoavjUU57_8IciPOj9p_g0o4mfhWVfkxmWinytxkXnhhyujSjvpFP5nwVQxrjqYvKUzI0k3iyPJEr9KstmKu0zPkIcUhHiUyc6IEsI4W99fsZhTob-FUTvMEt4afutE/s4608/IMG_20240223_142356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ee2iMwCw1xq2OctMuAdBLQPqaoXARGazI6DetOh9o9HwLaXyVJiLpJh2_pyidoavjUU57_8IciPOj9p_g0o4mfhWVfkxmWinytxkXnhhyujSjvpFP5nwVQxrjqYvKUzI0k3iyPJEr9KstmKu0zPkIcUhHiUyc6IEsI4W99fsZhTob-FUTvMEt4afutE/w400-h300/IMG_20240223_142356.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Raf3JJ6qVJnoOIEy5cEAMtI7U4pgW1dR0CS2fGOol2_Xl8dkragtr631uqXVEZa6M_pVtBVn8duPi523nQsDBMOdDZWiFonDLOnNFYfp0762Wus5qlUJBsoUKQmEDVN1eF1ZiNqbNArdvtUbwMeTLHjZf-Eyeb44H1xmEXPMuYNaXvT1aEdB5ptYqC8/s4608/IMG_20240223_150524.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Raf3JJ6qVJnoOIEy5cEAMtI7U4pgW1dR0CS2fGOol2_Xl8dkragtr631uqXVEZa6M_pVtBVn8duPi523nQsDBMOdDZWiFonDLOnNFYfp0762Wus5qlUJBsoUKQmEDVN1eF1ZiNqbNArdvtUbwMeTLHjZf-Eyeb44H1xmEXPMuYNaXvT1aEdB5ptYqC8/w400-h300/IMG_20240223_150524.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, they have an open fermentation system which is then pumped into the still. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following morning, we were back at Buffalo Trace in the hopes that Eagle Rare was the allocated spirit of the day. It was the odds-on favorite, could we be lucky enough to get all 4 in just 4 visits?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT8xIldhuisKTuBUY2Jplavbu-gEfWdj1w5Y100hRJV-IxTBrSqiqQLhKxH7-UyaeU40k5KkqJaTi9TTnyUDGCLOUaP-O5rvW2U5CBKu3YiAzXORS7JEiWnmVRKmiiujQnut3EnVKDq0jes2ZuEKYhEKBfw82IzSGNOk9MeaxrpWz60zHujU6YqZgvfk/s922/Eagle.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="922" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT8xIldhuisKTuBUY2Jplavbu-gEfWdj1w5Y100hRJV-IxTBrSqiqQLhKxH7-UyaeU40k5KkqJaTi9TTnyUDGCLOUaP-O5rvW2U5CBKu3YiAzXORS7JEiWnmVRKmiiujQnut3EnVKDq0jes2ZuEKYhEKBfw82IzSGNOk9MeaxrpWz60zHujU6YqZgvfk/w640-h314/Eagle.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, at 8:45, Barb and I we get the word that spirit of the day was an underdog; Blanton's, one that we could not buy. Barb, not deterred, said she was going to try, so at 9:00, we go in, she grabs a bottle, goes to the register. Denied. Oh, well, 3 out of 4 isn't bad. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then it was off to our last tour in the area. Bulleit Distillery is located a few miles west in Shelbyville. This is by far the most modern facility that we have been in. Everything appeared to be state of the art and computerized. They were founded in 1987 and this facility was designed with tours in mind giving the touree a pretty interesting experience. Our tour guide was very good too, which really helped. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsLXYT-GGwUNElqsi0XPDFM19ATCmGWi3xnkJZvq5feScqRob7tKldio8V61WMDA9y7m5s-qPj4I7068zsklkCePjmYTItqgre9PZ4H0XplU9msWe5iFsQ5Cl7XHB7vJms1wC1Ht5woOnUmwAMpXyVZuHHihMbpM_Odr2eGFJWPQ7yn-JFqHwnJ3OR4E/s4608/IMG_20240224_105822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsLXYT-GGwUNElqsi0XPDFM19ATCmGWi3xnkJZvq5feScqRob7tKldio8V61WMDA9y7m5s-qPj4I7068zsklkCePjmYTItqgre9PZ4H0XplU9msWe5iFsQ5Cl7XHB7vJms1wC1Ht5woOnUmwAMpXyVZuHHihMbpM_Odr2eGFJWPQ7yn-JFqHwnJ3OR4E/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_105822.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWa9NhxCIVzPluMen_xvO73n-r1FBPzfWPNYAeMOIjTSRigJ9ZEbtv_KZxnV0NVK59StFHxcxB2CfblesQuDIjlD1vbvNcRgDHxAaiE3osjwnDXcSkP3hjRN6xwsKBql7EwCfvq7PRCvufiufd8oyazVcNPsQNhJJ7iSqSSU6xu_rg94NVAfyq6roRpRk/s4608/IMG_20240224_111228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWa9NhxCIVzPluMen_xvO73n-r1FBPzfWPNYAeMOIjTSRigJ9ZEbtv_KZxnV0NVK59StFHxcxB2CfblesQuDIjlD1vbvNcRgDHxAaiE3osjwnDXcSkP3hjRN6xwsKBql7EwCfvq7PRCvufiufd8oyazVcNPsQNhJJ7iSqSSU6xu_rg94NVAfyq6roRpRk/w400-h300/IMG_20240224_111228.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX0TU8F7hOIX0dHLAhV7ReCuOvn1Tz-JLv1eyTwTYqoZXr7SEJQ7e6j2iheC_9K8mdwCkYcY7BSRAUIWz676FHuud0D5fi55T6gtGFawBeQy0xrUMioWvFjn_POKCXZDOhQtPgC1TS8Z8kJ6F540-lsLjwhioiAIUHrmoAQ7tzHXoEvYpDitYUcjZY8U/s2592/IMG_20240224_112625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX0TU8F7hOIX0dHLAhV7ReCuOvn1Tz-JLv1eyTwTYqoZXr7SEJQ7e6j2iheC_9K8mdwCkYcY7BSRAUIWz676FHuud0D5fi55T6gtGFawBeQy0xrUMioWvFjn_POKCXZDOhQtPgC1TS8Z8kJ6F540-lsLjwhioiAIUHrmoAQ7tzHXoEvYpDitYUcjZY8U/w400-h300/IMG_20240224_112625.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTDnHSapFvdHSp9GHALwITbnksKJOhDlBDketdC441QFmRgMR5BuQmrEX8hPYQoQmDNU9qHfJvYoGOnQLiDS5Hv8Ir9gIVV3I7ZNg1oicP8xMjnKQ94V0IEtPGgehtpq5oYkdJrW4nP4jN-s0FglSVSADKAktPpURnHFZ9nxnWnvIVAxKtjszUEqYKZ4/s4608/IMG_20240224_111554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTDnHSapFvdHSp9GHALwITbnksKJOhDlBDketdC441QFmRgMR5BuQmrEX8hPYQoQmDNU9qHfJvYoGOnQLiDS5Hv8Ir9gIVV3I7ZNg1oicP8xMjnKQ94V0IEtPGgehtpq5oYkdJrW4nP4jN-s0FglSVSADKAktPpURnHFZ9nxnWnvIVAxKtjszUEqYKZ4/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_111554.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPKL571kxUBzrnPp0Bp5EmihGFQOGadaXfE4pcebI_c23-MOT2ewDPil5Ujpq3ErF8XFr1HlYMCjX3wcf8rsqcDq6FIb7P2blHGvgqJdsYRD6bwu74OoRCc0JY2UiQfnveaKQ8gSsTEF8YhXa2YIpq6-ROL6i-J427mK38PLPAoVp2VVn5IlJdh3Zqjg/s2592/IMG_20240224_112853.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPKL571kxUBzrnPp0Bp5EmihGFQOGadaXfE4pcebI_c23-MOT2ewDPil5Ujpq3ErF8XFr1HlYMCjX3wcf8rsqcDq6FIb7P2blHGvgqJdsYRD6bwu74OoRCc0JY2UiQfnveaKQ8gSsTEF8YhXa2YIpq6-ROL6i-J427mK38PLPAoVp2VVn5IlJdh3Zqjg/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_112853.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOg_GLGjdDM2vDlUshP6cuHkbS2fbqM0rRk3KdY7vqiVP_NutZhARMLe-4FN1QZwuq1IoYjRJfTPGd2ZNwg2FeV1jVMVySdU9NaAWu_rsuL8MEqyq2CfHlpbY_NDiWDwNRW8lLeMkpKkMKY_-Grjz18ReKoLyF99fnn9GXNj-2MKB3Usrjlyfjh2Y05w/s2592/IMG_20240224_113418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOg_GLGjdDM2vDlUshP6cuHkbS2fbqM0rRk3KdY7vqiVP_NutZhARMLe-4FN1QZwuq1IoYjRJfTPGd2ZNwg2FeV1jVMVySdU9NaAWu_rsuL8MEqyq2CfHlpbY_NDiWDwNRW8lLeMkpKkMKY_-Grjz18ReKoLyF99fnn9GXNj-2MKB3Usrjlyfjh2Y05w/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_113418.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGqHuKMZLPu1WHNfRsLg5gFQ14_cZEaf4pltlZb2mN-r5nDKdFe7pXr9yYiAtUlFfysWa062jP62yqeYTsCe-lY99Ar-Yrd6H2OK3fPMc3OT1G2eJrCC-V0MiHHGkA9ROQYpO23vqOyPZS1WvzpDbsnfOJzIwFFMFhx4ohGS1nDjitCABhz5wUA0ZAM4/s2592/IMG_20240224_113429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGqHuKMZLPu1WHNfRsLg5gFQ14_cZEaf4pltlZb2mN-r5nDKdFe7pXr9yYiAtUlFfysWa062jP62yqeYTsCe-lY99Ar-Yrd6H2OK3fPMc3OT1G2eJrCC-V0MiHHGkA9ROQYpO23vqOyPZS1WvzpDbsnfOJzIwFFMFhx4ohGS1nDjitCABhz5wUA0ZAM4/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_113429.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We ended the tour with a tasting that was paired with some spices which you smelled before and after tasting each of the bourbons. It was the first time we have ever done that and was pretty interesting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KaewRIyULpnVCNmLyw_9693L4cuFK53HTZICQCqxHFiLGoiUy_JKiVSCpBkZakHxeMCLgwWeF8ymunu-29kjPwvR6l8fqfsbwomqQprJlh1AnEbtgnOdjW5Auvuh1A2OBQmjZPl6iuf8aKM0heMnI4qlqI0AdiE36yaRPYAVBXFdL_HsREiqGlP4X-E/s4608/IMG_20240224_114314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KaewRIyULpnVCNmLyw_9693L4cuFK53HTZICQCqxHFiLGoiUy_JKiVSCpBkZakHxeMCLgwWeF8ymunu-29kjPwvR6l8fqfsbwomqQprJlh1AnEbtgnOdjW5Auvuh1A2OBQmjZPl6iuf8aKM0heMnI4qlqI0AdiE36yaRPYAVBXFdL_HsREiqGlP4X-E/w400-h300/IMG_20240224_114314.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That was our last event for our winter vacation, and it was time to head home. We made it just west of St. Louis that afternoon before we pulled into a truck stop for the night. The next day we woke up and were on the road by 6am with just over 800 miles from home. The plan was to break it up into two days, but as we got going, we just kept on going and going and going. I would drive a few hours, Barb would drive a few hours, the girls just slept between their potty breaks every few hours. The girls are such good travelers. Dakota just picks a spot and sleeps. Zoey moves around every so often tucking her head into various crevices. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwclm39cO1g0U4TqAiMbF-LBJwZ41FbnsZ95XgDtTJZDRWSfnoVXe8uvzE51QofvFNNIJKMVnCGfGPXAOJqUoSTbSJudpoiIOZiXQ2w3al4Eyw-HofnLws_HJmn6xD42SezqPynfVPEJyezwf7c5UcNS60s6GhUoqI6gVVoiEtbR2vu84MjrVXx0Z6Xk/s2048/423036297_1244942696894615_2810838429210058270_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwclm39cO1g0U4TqAiMbF-LBJwZ41FbnsZ95XgDtTJZDRWSfnoVXe8uvzE51QofvFNNIJKMVnCGfGPXAOJqUoSTbSJudpoiIOZiXQ2w3al4Eyw-HofnLws_HJmn6xD42SezqPynfVPEJyezwf7c5UcNS60s6GhUoqI6gVVoiEtbR2vu84MjrVXx0Z6Xk/w400-h300/423036297_1244942696894615_2810838429210058270_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmamd2hgSwuBNp1GxG0VwGFcFvJzXFfiS46M9RL9VmDLtSpj89PJAqQY-i2vOurb2M3zXW3qd5oNziMbGki8raDu3eTnOy38Qmh6usFul0yOk3wQponNzXEAzBevPN7RLi6Wycqt2XitOZ58UZ6q53SQATpMimmvmKVjxHPzFPBdWhjOQ0GVno-W5xV1k/s1920/423105596_379793274805636_8300799409303747340_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="949" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmamd2hgSwuBNp1GxG0VwGFcFvJzXFfiS46M9RL9VmDLtSpj89PJAqQY-i2vOurb2M3zXW3qd5oNziMbGki8raDu3eTnOy38Qmh6usFul0yOk3wQponNzXEAzBevPN7RLi6Wycqt2XitOZ58UZ6q53SQATpMimmvmKVjxHPzFPBdWhjOQ0GVno-W5xV1k/w198-h400/423105596_379793274805636_8300799409303747340_n.jpg" width="198" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXrOlMPZv5_o-WLPEckKnA0BicEMrd9MZU3mfy-WjTMzaqDOCEplHiGDgA4cFi7SOAaxjWUekWTGkgWd4bQxKnVwgY5-ObHoUgTytJPZOpguFrk6jKe8olw2ZowL9dxTZ68SiPPdyDNgf6VwdHoGoMOEHosyD_LTb_edjQCkjiF6vtZNwhk3tNEdpKbE/s1920/423541721_1076700016881528_8329129111454257594_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="949" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXrOlMPZv5_o-WLPEckKnA0BicEMrd9MZU3mfy-WjTMzaqDOCEplHiGDgA4cFi7SOAaxjWUekWTGkgWd4bQxKnVwgY5-ObHoUgTytJPZOpguFrk6jKe8olw2ZowL9dxTZ68SiPPdyDNgf6VwdHoGoMOEHosyD_LTb_edjQCkjiF6vtZNwhk3tNEdpKbE/w198-h400/423541721_1076700016881528_8329129111454257594_n.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxytwcAO9WB9km9eC7YklgVTMK6vzQz26vlX39yjmirQC5TuiThswOsEFT7wkK_p2F37MJphaAGTk3xrlRV3jXsMEunGwB7AcS2XrXMEzIygbd7ycnr16S_nSfQ5UdMjHA7aQ-ybbytldp3AQya3l3idMsJrCFH6OM7cRk1RKH5YA3yfcX2JToL0_0jY/s2048/423422397_7660108123999462_3741165894333794809_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxytwcAO9WB9km9eC7YklgVTMK6vzQz26vlX39yjmirQC5TuiThswOsEFT7wkK_p2F37MJphaAGTk3xrlRV3jXsMEunGwB7AcS2XrXMEzIygbd7ycnr16S_nSfQ5UdMjHA7aQ-ybbytldp3AQya3l3idMsJrCFH6OM7cRk1RKH5YA3yfcX2JToL0_0jY/w400-h300/423422397_7660108123999462_3741165894333794809_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barb just gets annoyed with me as I do not make a very good passenger. I was able to sleep a bit, but mostly annoyed her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVU_MMMm4AYimZGC3_XKsOrR9c2AC2pDhpRnYz_mAxRbKjeiaho39OTCBJKD-glmsGZj6tgbzg8hUumDZKfE8WUuvzRgg9FmP2PLfpOVxu1h0KQOcEGq91u98oLLxi406KAVlU59gr_367oduLJ0U0_ZGokdck4gqLTN1A1yw3R8NuWhFViAip73aqW0/s4608/IMG_20240219_130253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVU_MMMm4AYimZGC3_XKsOrR9c2AC2pDhpRnYz_mAxRbKjeiaho39OTCBJKD-glmsGZj6tgbzg8hUumDZKfE8WUuvzRgg9FmP2PLfpOVxu1h0KQOcEGq91u98oLLxi406KAVlU59gr_367oduLJ0U0_ZGokdck4gqLTN1A1yw3R8NuWhFViAip73aqW0/w300-h400/IMG_20240219_130253.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRZ7qQeUiV8H5W68TJWOo12H_y-WrNSWyHtr-8xrdRkC0il2-h11Ap0qSiPHT1MZYqjox2YPvc9koT2R8xo2F-U1z9tLXca89cttDm3J4at5wesWQkGaw0wOYejog7i_9vkWDArIIR58cqwP-Ya2VjrksNsugRVjSFaXfu9G51N12rczGlLJtqV8bFM8/s4608/IMG_20240219_130258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRZ7qQeUiV8H5W68TJWOo12H_y-WrNSWyHtr-8xrdRkC0il2-h11Ap0qSiPHT1MZYqjox2YPvc9koT2R8xo2F-U1z9tLXca89cttDm3J4at5wesWQkGaw0wOYejog7i_9vkWDArIIR58cqwP-Ya2VjrksNsugRVjSFaXfu9G51N12rczGlLJtqV8bFM8/w300-h400/IMG_20240219_130258.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">15 hours later, we pulled into driveway exhausted! An hour later we had a fire going in the fireplace, it is good to be home!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0x1q22OndkqUpfdv1vQddVQP19lbmjNRoDa2IyWgvbMJaprbuwenpVxl03DVmCpKMyza5uHG4zaiEL4rG1nlnPhGQrNvTmGMBzgjMJc4qLX-_fCuev2mYu-3mLexUIH3AlD-EKoSoowbGnfH6FnIBbwpW8PWcbSISBKxMfFJtQLtL9bpQkgfv0_4e7A/s4608/IMG_20240225_201730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0x1q22OndkqUpfdv1vQddVQP19lbmjNRoDa2IyWgvbMJaprbuwenpVxl03DVmCpKMyza5uHG4zaiEL4rG1nlnPhGQrNvTmGMBzgjMJc4qLX-_fCuev2mYu-3mLexUIH3AlD-EKoSoowbGnfH6FnIBbwpW8PWcbSISBKxMfFJtQLtL9bpQkgfv0_4e7A/w400-h300/IMG_20240225_201730.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, with that, our Great Winter Adventure is over. 76 days, 6,957 miles, 29 stops, 2 wineries, 5 breweries and 13 distilleries. Lots of fun, fishing and great visits with family and friends. My cough is all but gone, I am feeling much better, and we are looking forward to sleeping in our bed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwyuEICLQRsAnMiEISjJVqbu2CCklP-bG_ZqZnEi7aQlNhTNXtjAOQlAR_ONHbgCzA6ZiNXcl6369KSHcybknrewRdVF5LRFcwVYs_BkikgQZjLk5FHUQVe6yGN21-eqDRiOMcoIglt0ka_oQsoqO76EzEM5d1t8R0f8pcLR01zp9-GyW8JsJXexzfxM/s941/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20145346.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="941" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwyuEICLQRsAnMiEISjJVqbu2CCklP-bG_ZqZnEi7aQlNhTNXtjAOQlAR_ONHbgCzA6ZiNXcl6369KSHcybknrewRdVF5LRFcwVYs_BkikgQZjLk5FHUQVe6yGN21-eqDRiOMcoIglt0ka_oQsoqO76EzEM5d1t8R0f8pcLR01zp9-GyW8JsJXexzfxM/w400-h343/Screenshot%202024-02-26%20145346.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The news does not stop there though, we had a very special package waiting for us when we got home. Actually, it was mailed to our neighbor, who put it on our counter. To say we were thrilled when we opened it would be the understatement. What was it? Tune it next week to find out!</span></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-60571939383202027362024-02-20T06:34:00.000-08:002024-02-20T06:34:48.115-08:00Goodbye Florida<p class="MsoNormal">Traveling now for 9 weeks is a little bittersweet. We are
still enjoying see the sights, our friends and family, but we are also missing our home. When we get a little homesick, we will pull up the cameras and
see what is going back in South Dakota. We had this visitor the other day.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTvWtzy2P1eZ91OTUF4oZw6KB11KSoIhJezJIKa7W_9Mlqhqh91fXb9_Rz8CaFptawkPk_GH0UrQkmzBQ9fqhchai73G8XCkNyD5aM3o7_bPehyphenhyphen37WiJuAJNdQ6bU2K9jMoZ8x80nErdx-oIZ3tWi3OLhs733EWp9ibR357uxOMO_0Ff2DmVN4hHZPEQ/s1640/Screenshot_20240103-151902.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1640" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTvWtzy2P1eZ91OTUF4oZw6KB11KSoIhJezJIKa7W_9Mlqhqh91fXb9_Rz8CaFptawkPk_GH0UrQkmzBQ9fqhchai73G8XCkNyD5aM3o7_bPehyphenhyphen37WiJuAJNdQ6bU2K9jMoZ8x80nErdx-oIZ3tWi3OLhs733EWp9ibR357uxOMO_0Ff2DmVN4hHZPEQ/w400-h175/Screenshot_20240103-151902.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">How’s my cough you ask? Horrible. Week 3, some days I feel
like I am getting better and only have an attack a couple times throughout the
day. But then at night when I try to lay down it really hits. Hacking so much I
get dizzy. My lovely wife bought some Vicks
Vapor rub that she lovingly applies to my chest each night while quietly
singing Soft Kitty ala Big Bang Theory. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-qra604RbU">If you are unfamiliar with this scene, you can watch it here.</a> The only difference between Barb doing it and Penny is
near the end of the song, although Barb was still singing, she had stopped
rubbing. When I opened my eyes, she was holding a pillow at both ends hovering
inches from my face with a rather scary look in her eyes. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Thank God, we have tolerant friends in Dan, Jeannie, Liz and
Mike who still wanted to hang out with us despite my coughing.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Dan and I got out fishing two more times. This time on a
large lake up near Gainesville. We left early each morning trying to get
the morning bite on crappies. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2XJyVR6kuKvCQxrMXhaeyoSjcWYukrFUsTbCRzm1n7WMiUDjvrZ7nn6kcw241_xMhNcU5yqt98CoCmKda3MAZ0tFtfE34DCsIyR83jkqbrOp0FIKiD_t0fHi1TY3kEX3sZWENBNrHQznuZ9Wp6l-qDZ6mWX7GivGsXmUfP1Eneejnyzb-oo3W8nIkwU/s1236/IMG_20240212_084959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1236" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2XJyVR6kuKvCQxrMXhaeyoSjcWYukrFUsTbCRzm1n7WMiUDjvrZ7nn6kcw241_xMhNcU5yqt98CoCmKda3MAZ0tFtfE34DCsIyR83jkqbrOp0FIKiD_t0fHi1TY3kEX3sZWENBNrHQznuZ9Wp6l-qDZ6mWX7GivGsXmUfP1Eneejnyzb-oo3W8nIkwU/w400-h300/IMG_20240212_084959.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Our plan was to fish the flooded timber around the lake, and
I do not mean going along the edge and casting into the timber, I mean going
into the timber and fishing amongst the trees. This was a first for both of us.
When I saw the impenetrable wall of Spanish moss and trees the first thing, I
thought of were spiders and snakes that were no doubt lying in wait for some
unsuspecting fisherman to get too close. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3wpuqTUlfAzXoBys7u6Gt9VvJHer4RUhlfDhOee3CVzMyag2q_i73VczHfVFrm84_8Y3i4B5lbpj81wMQQJ4gqDVFvf1iP-7GIffbPcDwgmeHtnFmXEBzxR8InbscXq5gfeoCyOTW5AooCHv7zLpH_rbMdY3zYKOHmBBiLRJXn19bwAlM2qHgG838V0/s800/IMG_20240212_102115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3wpuqTUlfAzXoBys7u6Gt9VvJHer4RUhlfDhOee3CVzMyag2q_i73VczHfVFrm84_8Y3i4B5lbpj81wMQQJ4gqDVFvf1iP-7GIffbPcDwgmeHtnFmXEBzxR8InbscXq5gfeoCyOTW5AooCHv7zLpH_rbMdY3zYKOHmBBiLRJXn19bwAlM2qHgG838V0/w300-h400/IMG_20240212_102115.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_ARFxAzJyYog46iuMPxCm-BudHIa_S-HpNmk_PDTuuvnyWxaGndRYUSCoCB9k2Ib9hpyeioxVQE3Rc5boz9uO2NCYptYnjGHIqt0XfI6930QKJWNRNpp-C5wrWDRuFjTjD-CAePvRxfI67YiA7R8NdpRdWU_cjYh6fm_NgKx0Uq7D-jy1kNKUNn_9K8/s928/IMG_20240212_091841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="696" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_ARFxAzJyYog46iuMPxCm-BudHIa_S-HpNmk_PDTuuvnyWxaGndRYUSCoCB9k2Ib9hpyeioxVQE3Rc5boz9uO2NCYptYnjGHIqt0XfI6930QKJWNRNpp-C5wrWDRuFjTjD-CAePvRxfI67YiA7R8NdpRdWU_cjYh6fm_NgKx0Uq7D-jy1kNKUNn_9K8/w300-h400/IMG_20240212_091841.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">As we approached the trees and started
pushing through the moss, I was constantly on the lookout for both. We would
push through, fish an area for 20-30 minutes, go back out to the open water,
go down the shore and find another area to push through. Sure enough, I soon
saw a snake lay on a branch as we approached. No way, not going through that hole! </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UIKYz3SnBpnl2BqCrJ25jAASg2AJMnOknbicq4GVuMPeycD0K65c8kMdiPdk3To_hT_yYgpDxdThXJF3KDzo8j9f1mT2w1P44amzjgxWTSOKDx1ZHW7NUkOFgjIvm-xiP0vJJcY9shloAGAVwTJxmT9CFfzfhly5tE5P4rXWO21f1CmxtnxdzTa3VaM/s800/IMG_20240213_110515.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UIKYz3SnBpnl2BqCrJ25jAASg2AJMnOknbicq4GVuMPeycD0K65c8kMdiPdk3To_hT_yYgpDxdThXJF3KDzo8j9f1mT2w1P44amzjgxWTSOKDx1ZHW7NUkOFgjIvm-xiP0vJJcY9shloAGAVwTJxmT9CFfzfhly5tE5P4rXWO21f1CmxtnxdzTa3VaM/w300-h400/IMG_20240213_110515.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The waters were only 1-2' deep in there, but that did not
matter to the fish, as we’d pick up one in this spot, 3 or more in the next. By
noon both days we had about 20 nice fatties to take home with us!<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDwhIE0xvCW1kYNAfDyhAuzhC9hCtgmTTqrBXJljYfDCuUvrNVERosJLLshdibpfAwYBM3LhORnWXHAXrHqNZrCFlc2gVEISqfN65dTP0CKBLU4PQSq_kSKgqlFeMTRzC8xKCAOUcxDSd2PFUy1NDpTdzpAQzoXghYEdE5A98cPpafbPxn6PBoX3-_7E/s800/IMG_20240212_120655.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDwhIE0xvCW1kYNAfDyhAuzhC9hCtgmTTqrBXJljYfDCuUvrNVERosJLLshdibpfAwYBM3LhORnWXHAXrHqNZrCFlc2gVEISqfN65dTP0CKBLU4PQSq_kSKgqlFeMTRzC8xKCAOUcxDSd2PFUy1NDpTdzpAQzoXghYEdE5A98cPpafbPxn6PBoX3-_7E/w400-h300/IMG_20240212_120655.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgoFepVwdOJA2KD6TOOAQzz-jOdYOQeliBjJSZA5yIcZz5OLwH61SGloiNq45xHm9BvZ3fRnUruuip8JgFdPSh2yxpYuBuSvLIdsoUxZ1LhM8SFxXQHdqMvGhIueCqFMenEtef2Q0-rxd4VfGAn9m-S-J8tVhjuP2pZWtFI2-uMp7u3XsKP-sEx5FLdo/s800/IMG_20240213_150426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgoFepVwdOJA2KD6TOOAQzz-jOdYOQeliBjJSZA5yIcZz5OLwH61SGloiNq45xHm9BvZ3fRnUruuip8JgFdPSh2yxpYuBuSvLIdsoUxZ1LhM8SFxXQHdqMvGhIueCqFMenEtef2Q0-rxd4VfGAn9m-S-J8tVhjuP2pZWtFI2-uMp7u3XsKP-sEx5FLdo/w300-h400/IMG_20240213_150426.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2</td></tr></tbody></table>These two outings would serve as the last of our fishing
adventures on this trip, but we sure had a lot of fun between the surf fishing
on the east coast, ocean fishing in the keys and this lake fishing on the gulf
side. <p class="MsoNormal">While we were doing this, Barb and Jeanie were on their own
adventures doing whatever girls do while their men are fishing. One day they went on a farm tour on the outskirts of Ocala. They said that
although the farms themselves were interesting, the guide was not very good.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeB8aIvADXQ4YtxAPGnTLazaaUJsFmQI3hj7Sjr9lKP336Yzezn6qBaVgvi4Oa__qBtrqa1YB3p0evTIhSV-ZQxxZ_6wWvZfSLEgq7ksjIT2NIfMpT8PruF1TADj2bQFfzEH8nk6SkQh-K_MaFkfHJR-U7zpMULuS1p18R6n6ofY9vkarSJBSswP60CI/s1734/423686557_1552387098933352_5901455849853219572_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeB8aIvADXQ4YtxAPGnTLazaaUJsFmQI3hj7Sjr9lKP336Yzezn6qBaVgvi4Oa__qBtrqa1YB3p0evTIhSV-ZQxxZ_6wWvZfSLEgq7ksjIT2NIfMpT8PruF1TADj2bQFfzEH8nk6SkQh-K_MaFkfHJR-U7zpMULuS1p18R6n6ofY9vkarSJBSswP60CI/w180-h400/423686557_1552387098933352_5901455849853219572_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE0TISQFsaqnRGWktbEdBpwn8w2Y3aj-mzIIkI5pF22Wa0Wzn-7VBDbr5LZfQOHIJd8OiXVGzFM-tZdVMZlpE7HivGoYs0wGSpCnQA-nYD-ra_Yw4_VSVdVm_D5YAuZ5BaEEmLmCH5T07uQua0EPVd9VLCYhDu51bZ2L8_bL-J_H9oDWVBVSsG4zD-p4/s1734/423147757_1081293369803118_4538614101157457160_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE0TISQFsaqnRGWktbEdBpwn8w2Y3aj-mzIIkI5pF22Wa0Wzn-7VBDbr5LZfQOHIJd8OiXVGzFM-tZdVMZlpE7HivGoYs0wGSpCnQA-nYD-ra_Yw4_VSVdVm_D5YAuZ5BaEEmLmCH5T07uQua0EPVd9VLCYhDu51bZ2L8_bL-J_H9oDWVBVSsG4zD-p4/w180-h400/423147757_1081293369803118_4538614101157457160_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Another day they went swimming in the Rainbow River. Now that looks like fun!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFdeTlvw8MsDUZXw6Jzz0fV7jDcJrv8jz0euJbYaeKtdWlweB6peANpPnl3y97SI52pCJI5hSFhsbbcJAvjKO_aZvuUR82yCamEl6LqFgxnlz9wVXEJGoC2-27ihdkQdTYySpzvMZ4f7Kijo5z3EWdbKz60fNHe3tCl1DiImIzLcPnnwblgSBiScGayc/s403/423472473_615456464093423_1983530285334203468_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFdeTlvw8MsDUZXw6Jzz0fV7jDcJrv8jz0euJbYaeKtdWlweB6peANpPnl3y97SI52pCJI5hSFhsbbcJAvjKO_aZvuUR82yCamEl6LqFgxnlz9wVXEJGoC2-27ihdkQdTYySpzvMZ4f7Kijo5z3EWdbKz60fNHe3tCl1DiImIzLcPnnwblgSBiScGayc/w300-h400/423472473_615456464093423_1983530285334203468_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">One evening we bought a 1/2 bushel of fresh oysters. The only way we like them is grilled on the 1/2 shell. Our first challenge was shucking a couple hundred oysters without cutting our hands up with these oyster knives. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QVANYyRv8iQtu8D5LUbN3id66Q_RWvSpDrQlE5n86Fhhy9nKhyphenhyphenXPw5PxnS3X1wc19CaKAmAdyNLuCD-2r6DM0V2CXhIw6xR5ir1jPjBrNb6yWQ0DjpVo5MnzmA1tmBWJccXnFYv4DqIf3dZz7D98Hg3pgewfQBkAwzS5G-hF2z3XtKiAAPezD_zju00/s800/IMG_20240213_165022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QVANYyRv8iQtu8D5LUbN3id66Q_RWvSpDrQlE5n86Fhhy9nKhyphenhyphenXPw5PxnS3X1wc19CaKAmAdyNLuCD-2r6DM0V2CXhIw6xR5ir1jPjBrNb6yWQ0DjpVo5MnzmA1tmBWJccXnFYv4DqIf3dZz7D98Hg3pgewfQBkAwzS5G-hF2z3XtKiAAPezD_zju00/w400-h300/IMG_20240213_165022.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Once they were shucked and laid out on cookie sheets, we applied toppings to them. Garlic/parm, various hot sauces, bacon. We ate about 20 each and had oyster belly by the end of the meal. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Dan and Jeanie have two labs: Star and Sally. All the dogs got along well, with no incidents. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Lwn7LtnZFFR6EmimnEn3WsTH0SC0ByvUfy231A2zDvfF-aGR6LHoOBloYxcGBw9sCRD-z6ptshR31tGV37Z_3KEHm5EfXnNEorQH_uYmGB9kmZscUl9eRcmDWpUfThs8Rtz_S6XjC_tTnzSjjKth0YNE6YsMqMkZ_AtgrQrtfEhQgLMdgkL8CZjDys/s2048/6966.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1910" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Lwn7LtnZFFR6EmimnEn3WsTH0SC0ByvUfy231A2zDvfF-aGR6LHoOBloYxcGBw9sCRD-z6ptshR31tGV37Z_3KEHm5EfXnNEorQH_uYmGB9kmZscUl9eRcmDWpUfThs8Rtz_S6XjC_tTnzSjjKth0YNE6YsMqMkZ_AtgrQrtfEhQgLMdgkL8CZjDys/s320/6966.jpg" width="298" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">We spent our last night in the area back over at Mike and
Liz’s giving Zoey and Dakota one last playdate with Tux. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, we loaded a hood and grill from Mike’s jeep
that he asked us to deliver to a friend in Apalachicola. Since that was our next
destination and the parts were to be delivered to a bar his friend owned, we
were more than happy to! We arrived at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Belles-Winery-and-Saloon/61554011730231/">Belle's Winery and Saloon</a> midafternoon and met the owner,
Mel. Super nice person, if you are ever in the area, stop by Belle's.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDHs3qMPZPpehSS0hPduV6BKzTQlpxDUCpQWnuQq3r_N5JxQIL5YmorRQ_uKVZ4SXTSITMbwrvtvvdyYUVeNsaHxKBJM1fTyvYdjptfGtjYBPB-yrjpZRggRPD6Wi9YkKTVHdIHUGjEFXJuDcVj_sY4AcqyWltgO7aDP9tY-1uflKmndBgDIGBTfc_O8/s1097/423090645_1886919985102723_2101268162653510389_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="774" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDHs3qMPZPpehSS0hPduV6BKzTQlpxDUCpQWnuQq3r_N5JxQIL5YmorRQ_uKVZ4SXTSITMbwrvtvvdyYUVeNsaHxKBJM1fTyvYdjptfGtjYBPB-yrjpZRggRPD6Wi9YkKTVHdIHUGjEFXJuDcVj_sY4AcqyWltgO7aDP9tY-1uflKmndBgDIGBTfc_O8/w283-h400/423090645_1886919985102723_2101268162653510389_n.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barb and I with Mel</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This destination also included the first campground we had
stayed at in quite a while. And believe me, we needed it. We had not dumped our
tanks since we were in Everglades NP many, many days ago. The Tate's Hell State Forest Cash Creek campground is
a quiet little park within the Apalachicola National Forest. At $23 a night
W/E, it offers a nice, quiet place to hang your head for the night. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The next day we drove across the bridge to check out St.
George Island and the state park. The beaches on the park are beautiful, but
not dog friendly. Barb and I walked one beach and it was just loaded with sea shells.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkR7saUOJj2cZSkIAfYeFsf5PdW_BLgx1vCIlWgnGIZDZGSJaaXNhIb0vmB2vQ7BcRY733BzR2CEMIAhSrxT9jjTKqP8VZsOA_3LRQQ_CmI5ywaxMeHd7HkVUHJ8l__nitopXbcqA6RJtKsClHZgiEVqmT63QC1tYAo8eOQx5h5aJP_EJb4qb0z6zFoU/s800/IMG_20240216_103105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkR7saUOJj2cZSkIAfYeFsf5PdW_BLgx1vCIlWgnGIZDZGSJaaXNhIb0vmB2vQ7BcRY733BzR2CEMIAhSrxT9jjTKqP8VZsOA_3LRQQ_CmI5ywaxMeHd7HkVUHJ8l__nitopXbcqA6RJtKsClHZgiEVqmT63QC1tYAo8eOQx5h5aJP_EJb4qb0z6zFoU/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_103105.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIrCMoP6KuqffBgUXTM16co3cowTdyTwxyZGrLAwWxQgLcglM61tkQPUlPbrzgaSQMObNjNK1qmeaa0QhZ28yAKvu57KvPK8_ys2MkMd7LqwXKWWoy1bRmsrDwekKy-x3xH2N0uMKyjI9qxyzpz7ty2qR2hWD7t5VEGtbSG_vfezqkDTBFusUeInVrF4/s800/IMG_20240216_103118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIrCMoP6KuqffBgUXTM16co3cowTdyTwxyZGrLAwWxQgLcglM61tkQPUlPbrzgaSQMObNjNK1qmeaa0QhZ28yAKvu57KvPK8_ys2MkMd7LqwXKWWoy1bRmsrDwekKy-x3xH2N0uMKyjI9qxyzpz7ty2qR2hWD7t5VEGtbSG_vfezqkDTBFusUeInVrF4/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_103118.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">We did find a beach outside the park that was dog-friendly, so we were able to get the girls out for a walk on the beach before we went to lunch at the Blue Parrot right along the waterfront. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zekGL4SmVosHwAO3WrEih73Txt57XYMI6l-umKuzUm5Ch-raAcBWYsHclrC5P44OJFi528be_3IJC80v0LcE0MhHUrMhVMRhyphenhyphenmBM1L8J-xeK95Kg7AvUGofGIQMBGj9QEdr2OR2EIUEByiYhivz1Mki8rdczyKzjT7HvysVfJbxPmWlHEfFaMkh08X4/s800/IMG_20240216_112732.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zekGL4SmVosHwAO3WrEih73Txt57XYMI6l-umKuzUm5Ch-raAcBWYsHclrC5P44OJFi528be_3IJC80v0LcE0MhHUrMhVMRhyphenhyphenmBM1L8J-xeK95Kg7AvUGofGIQMBGj9QEdr2OR2EIUEByiYhivz1Mki8rdczyKzjT7HvysVfJbxPmWlHEfFaMkh08X4/w400-h300/IMG_20240216_112732.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbGrYHN9LZ8YjxqJRv4OlcTxGNo3fVA4IwWkaFbgwdHvhl9AyYl1oYGdE2aCKda8_ZXId1xMbYSOQAMpqb3o0DXPb15F4-SDUdhxG-wZaYcCyRTkozj08M-5yM44n7X59e3P311BjIWxQiwuXtyZJvIX8-G-JfX-BQ014AqZjUHM4ssL9XgyEvxAr2uc/s1734/423147340_417696523970826_233932085463564491_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbGrYHN9LZ8YjxqJRv4OlcTxGNo3fVA4IwWkaFbgwdHvhl9AyYl1oYGdE2aCKda8_ZXId1xMbYSOQAMpqb3o0DXPb15F4-SDUdhxG-wZaYcCyRTkozj08M-5yM44n7X59e3P311BjIWxQiwuXtyZJvIX8-G-JfX-BQ014AqZjUHM4ssL9XgyEvxAr2uc/w180-h400/423147340_417696523970826_233932085463564491_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneSiYmKlzW8liUNl0bwdgwFHWFiwPnGnmH0pKEOiEXJB6RmyQKp4Kt7FGwrCdJqIpKUklWLGxN3kPQo7QOB4L8C-ps9hMyVjNGx5BrlmrXt9mt1AgeNVckL9kWlCs64-bchE3CBQXxQGOeBM2XfeOmvS3WHe8z7Tj1QM6wlqGhLOb_kbufJJtPyo2lA4/s1734/423221373_381189904511846_2034172068801409309_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1734" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneSiYmKlzW8liUNl0bwdgwFHWFiwPnGnmH0pKEOiEXJB6RmyQKp4Kt7FGwrCdJqIpKUklWLGxN3kPQo7QOB4L8C-ps9hMyVjNGx5BrlmrXt9mt1AgeNVckL9kWlCs64-bchE3CBQXxQGOeBM2XfeOmvS3WHe8z7Tj1QM6wlqGhLOb_kbufJJtPyo2lA4/w400-h180/423221373_381189904511846_2034172068801409309_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">We knew our friends Dino and Lisa had spent some time here a
few weeks ago and when I saw this gentleman metal detecting on the beach, we
thought perhaps Dino was back to try to find more treasures. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyFaONQlHfd0PXuy_g9Zi5psPHSdXad2lW05HcmlY24aaL3XKyzzhwKQmDoa9iz0Ob1IXaxzHStKr2hJqpUppiSYRuPWMbldbwj-p2cpq1P-mN-c30MJS3wMFLpxOGEqFEhIeC1R7bFCOAfrVmMHNeFzC5ynkRCKJkLeFoU7PCM5iudPzDFqbPtgC-0o/s800/IMG_20240216_113216.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyFaONQlHfd0PXuy_g9Zi5psPHSdXad2lW05HcmlY24aaL3XKyzzhwKQmDoa9iz0Ob1IXaxzHStKr2hJqpUppiSYRuPWMbldbwj-p2cpq1P-mN-c30MJS3wMFLpxOGEqFEhIeC1R7bFCOAfrVmMHNeFzC5ynkRCKJkLeFoU7PCM5iudPzDFqbPtgC-0o/s320/IMG_20240216_113216.jpg" width="240" /></a> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It was then that I noticed this guy did not have a Busch
Light in his other hand, so it definitely was not Dino. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Our favorite stop in the area was the Chestnut Street Cemetery. This was by far, the most rundown cemetery we have visited with many headstones turned over. Maintenance had fallen way, way behind. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9-2FoJrKW4ERONWevAXp-YOvkNqK1ifMiVxsByJKAfpDdsJi7UC_1OiqsaVPAe6yUFD7F8EU8OrhJ7uquILbMB5znYuAimX7NTAy1-SuuzAdmacNi-M_D2byxHey6jqZtPa9q4QgtnpRXRdh8b_vtpfrB3J-an5FSEl5HfkXmzXgS9i3sdcZZZ-_B5c/s800/IMG_20240216_132701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9-2FoJrKW4ERONWevAXp-YOvkNqK1ifMiVxsByJKAfpDdsJi7UC_1OiqsaVPAe6yUFD7F8EU8OrhJ7uquILbMB5znYuAimX7NTAy1-SuuzAdmacNi-M_D2byxHey6jqZtPa9q4QgtnpRXRdh8b_vtpfrB3J-an5FSEl5HfkXmzXgS9i3sdcZZZ-_B5c/w400-h300/IMG_20240216_132701.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The cool thing about this cemetery was the pamphlet at the entrance highlighting many of the gravesites within the cemetery. This is the first time we have run into this and found it very interesting. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5BDYNIeC0dlmublEwS7AEtfAkWvk5Al2a0BoyDU_MLdvyQh1wDz00uL2ZjzPcoahwC_toQuoAhrvl1JRrnUFDvUaSWA_qmsCvrdOKupL26jeYqoq99QhkbY8v2gUsJf00s8CbZIkahjQAKeox_30KbRvxp3euWarqkmdwDCe2GlKej_CKisxljMIDAY/s1728/423568360_404654955476631_2232941945313457670_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="1296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5BDYNIeC0dlmublEwS7AEtfAkWvk5Al2a0BoyDU_MLdvyQh1wDz00uL2ZjzPcoahwC_toQuoAhrvl1JRrnUFDvUaSWA_qmsCvrdOKupL26jeYqoq99QhkbY8v2gUsJf00s8CbZIkahjQAKeox_30KbRvxp3euWarqkmdwDCe2GlKej_CKisxljMIDAY/w300-h400/423568360_404654955476631_2232941945313457670_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Following this pamphlet really added an interesting element to our visit, bringing history and context to many of the sites. Like these two; Louisa Bruni and Frank Messina whose story goes like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Although Louisa (7) was a year older, Frank Messina (8) was her uncle, the youngest brother of Louisa's mother. The two were playing on the dock (in 1882) when Louisa fell into the river. Frank jumped in to save her, but her struggles caused him to drown also. When their bodies were found her arms were wrapped around his neck.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcSZz-P9xqYYSAmhJhFz7TShzY6Dwlg06wHsB4lzyC0Nyf1l22dWlzytiOpYWwzgWhwNAkc1h6WFgdZuqVJvDTT2VATgX7dDQNzcwiY7b8CIfqM8ItZfvd8vI2RwK09w1fkjGGspoBkeRozrcWLXMLLGcjXT7i_NmuvWaziAuO2IyVPQlhV0RXM-af2Y/s800/IMG_20240216_134152.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcSZz-P9xqYYSAmhJhFz7TShzY6Dwlg06wHsB4lzyC0Nyf1l22dWlzytiOpYWwzgWhwNAkc1h6WFgdZuqVJvDTT2VATgX7dDQNzcwiY7b8CIfqM8ItZfvd8vI2RwK09w1fkjGGspoBkeRozrcWLXMLLGcjXT7i_NmuvWaziAuO2IyVPQlhV0RXM-af2Y/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_134152.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Messina family experienced another tragedy a few years later when 11-year-old Clarence Joseph Messina was playing on a dock and fell in and drown in 1901.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-huXsa-3ftn8SvyWCYHRUBDJmcnAjQThVYk39GSP0hQLVaBkb7Jt7Qon48Yh90CQIRKgBJhHop_MOcQuSFBlYjdPHqONEsXrS7rBt7eDBJCVn6EdIqm1jEJnE8G42S3rHogyLEtse1RtBT5PhO9SFCIAN8Y2ibn89PLJvB13k2Ivi673InTm0F2qHWZs/s800/IMG_20240216_134728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-huXsa-3ftn8SvyWCYHRUBDJmcnAjQThVYk39GSP0hQLVaBkb7Jt7Qon48Yh90CQIRKgBJhHop_MOcQuSFBlYjdPHqONEsXrS7rBt7eDBJCVn6EdIqm1jEJnE8G42S3rHogyLEtse1RtBT5PhO9SFCIAN8Y2ibn89PLJvB13k2Ivi673InTm0F2qHWZs/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_134728.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then there is Charles Marks, a seaman and ship's captain. His house was burnt down by the Union Navy during the war and was accused of murder for the killing of two Union sympathizers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4m_iuRbvCmcOe4oY0HfCPbFay_Ts0AkpsGWWt3KXtVgrFIJ5y7Hsnbtd1ULtoFYfjpvwI7dc8QpWZT2JIzz3_3rW0N2hWWSidaJLXr2QSOdpE0bRFUrpNXxsNs6PhYDnmaiKyY_8P3mR3QbENhUaLZxe04Yk1_36aSh5l3hqt1fgCeNRNrBR7JatLw0/s800/IMG_20240216_132512.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4m_iuRbvCmcOe4oY0HfCPbFay_Ts0AkpsGWWt3KXtVgrFIJ5y7Hsnbtd1ULtoFYfjpvwI7dc8QpWZT2JIzz3_3rW0N2hWWSidaJLXr2QSOdpE0bRFUrpNXxsNs6PhYDnmaiKyY_8P3mR3QbENhUaLZxe04Yk1_36aSh5l3hqt1fgCeNRNrBR7JatLw0/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_132512.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were dozens of child and infant sites where children succumbed to Yellow Fever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip8B7tZ5qF-Llb1MsdTdYbjSvzB_rY5ynAu_q1pxgxUNfF03Rn2i55UNTVuf8iX8XUc0T6bDhyphenhyphenfGmbDb-234gR_2q4rfeMTS_VIZDLrJWk1sQ21PEu6i3_yHALcqJzDa3_xv55kVAB9cX6W6T7LwQlIETF1jU2v9NHWset9YvrVw1HexBLDyjJgxnoCk/s800/IMG_20240216_132329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip8B7tZ5qF-Llb1MsdTdYbjSvzB_rY5ynAu_q1pxgxUNfF03Rn2i55UNTVuf8iX8XUc0T6bDhyphenhyphenfGmbDb-234gR_2q4rfeMTS_VIZDLrJWk1sQ21PEu6i3_yHALcqJzDa3_xv55kVAB9cX6W6T7LwQlIETF1jU2v9NHWset9YvrVw1HexBLDyjJgxnoCk/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_132329.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6-x6Cdh5hqNq8zx3duSv5CeOQP2akM6x74UtuRuV0xDXt6F2dKpP0AjBWHkTlnuuzss7i6uXi6t75PXbThVsdTpOYBz5bbGomh5r7kqxHeXkvYpt-khP7dmY1HTP9KYpF-x2YBnkvpiD1xbhv1facORmYghypClLZZG-RY2lqlzsIGnsVynhMw-rvW8/s800/IMG_20240216_133005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6-x6Cdh5hqNq8zx3duSv5CeOQP2akM6x74UtuRuV0xDXt6F2dKpP0AjBWHkTlnuuzss7i6uXi6t75PXbThVsdTpOYBz5bbGomh5r7kqxHeXkvYpt-khP7dmY1HTP9KYpF-x2YBnkvpiD1xbhv1facORmYghypClLZZG-RY2lqlzsIGnsVynhMw-rvW8/w400-h300/IMG_20240216_133005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There were dozens of stories listed in the pamphlet, but I will leave you with Marie Hickey who was married to Patrick. Both of their lives came to an end in October 1907 when Marie slashed Patrick's throat above a store on Market Street. Marie then cut her own throat. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH6PjKUxlGknbr7i0S-UNV3r_aIpwH_LX6gwoeqRm0YiaV8ueQ8m9reCOtZdcQO1YB3C6qkJtqT_RrrX2zoOWjxN31Mcj1zoAQ6o87WCNq-roSEyUxDvrRQ0404MnU5wEwTdWRYF1_sWfMWfJGmT3PNeVh9Y1MU-slXVEwN4Gs3PvF7zvb3bViIYxmRw/s800/IMG_20240216_132422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH6PjKUxlGknbr7i0S-UNV3r_aIpwH_LX6gwoeqRm0YiaV8ueQ8m9reCOtZdcQO1YB3C6qkJtqT_RrrX2zoOWjxN31Mcj1zoAQ6o87WCNq-roSEyUxDvrRQ0404MnU5wEwTdWRYF1_sWfMWfJGmT3PNeVh9Y1MU-slXVEwN4Gs3PvF7zvb3bViIYxmRw/w300-h400/IMG_20240216_132422.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is unknown what caused Marie to do this, but I would not be surprised if Patrick had a hacking cough and she just had had enough!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This stop brought our Florida adventures to an end, now we are off to Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky where more adventures await!</div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-77036589589069391372024-02-11T16:13:00.000-08:002024-02-11T16:13:35.081-08:00Headed up the West Coast of Florida<p> Why is it, in a world full of jerks, the good ones always seem to go early? The world lost a good one this week when my friend Greg passed away at the age of 72 from cancer. We worked together at Cub back in the day. He a Store Director, me in various positions where I visited his store. A dedicated, easy-going man, Greg was always easy to get along with and receptive to suggestions and change. </p><p>Although I had not seen him in a number of years, we communicated every month or so and was one of those guys who you knew were always going to be a good friend no matter the years that have passed. I am not ashamed to say I shed some tears upon hearing his diagnosis and again at his eventual passing. This picture will be how I will always remember him, a strong, fun-living man fill of life. He may be gone but will never be forgotten. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L1drJ6aG00JPjT5LPlwSK44TXvB4hLaNH5qMm8J_wFjglJRq__h3x-x-gs_wLUgaaAiwlcQrsSbHTT45TtHk1_BVpyclwPjhpJN5p1EfGlC78cOiyID595AN_w2rw4pzWElEELyEfTSvxEv97wL6ne6Jnesv8SZ23OpyNifEclRDtWYWkzWY7sma690/s400/P1030654%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="354" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L1drJ6aG00JPjT5LPlwSK44TXvB4hLaNH5qMm8J_wFjglJRq__h3x-x-gs_wLUgaaAiwlcQrsSbHTT45TtHk1_BVpyclwPjhpJN5p1EfGlC78cOiyID595AN_w2rw4pzWElEELyEfTSvxEv97wL6ne6Jnesv8SZ23OpyNifEclRDtWYWkzWY7sma690/s320/P1030654%20(3).JPG" width="283" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We arrived at my sister's place in Fort Myer's on Friday afternoon after a 6-hour drive from Big Pine Key. Judy and Mike have had a place in Fort Myer's for several years, spending most of their winters down here. That was until Ian hit in September of '22 making their house inhabitable. Over the past 18 months they have been busy fixing and renovating it making it better than it ever was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Judy had something planned for each of our days here. The first day was involved to trip down to Fort Myer's Beach, just 4 miles from their house, it is about a 20-minute drive. The beach area is about halfway rebuilt from the hurricane. Our first stop, <a href="https://thewhalefmb.com/">The Blue Whale</a> is just a tent at the moment. The building was completely destroyed. They do have a full bar though as well as food trucks and live music. Our next stop, the <a href="https://lanikaiislandresort.com/">Lani Kai Island Resort</a>. The resort itself was still under reconstruction but the bar was open. We had one, okay two, of their famous Rum Runners before heading to <a href="https://snugharbor.restaurant/">Snug Harbor Restaurant</a> for supper. Very good food!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day, Judy had reserved us a tour at the <a href="https://wickeddolphin.com/">Wicked Dolphin Distillery</a>. They mainly distill rum, which I have a particular interest in. I asked the distiller several questions that would help me should distilling rum ever become legal in South Dakota. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMRCuZZfw9L3UfIXAkhKWuLOLfDdZY34eGODYs2zVpFhHX5W8Ri2WV91skAav8O68NnH2NsYWJfZgdL7VTFzjWGKFnlMn2EulCTwyKu7k2QdqeeZNPOiaBnaQuIZejYIi2iW96u1ODBUEZW3i2Ys0j_-QriORJGh0QjqYAsGmVZOiTLTociwgs3VzEHU/s4608/IMG_20240203_135520.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMRCuZZfw9L3UfIXAkhKWuLOLfDdZY34eGODYs2zVpFhHX5W8Ri2WV91skAav8O68NnH2NsYWJfZgdL7VTFzjWGKFnlMn2EulCTwyKu7k2QdqeeZNPOiaBnaQuIZejYIi2iW96u1ODBUEZW3i2Ys0j_-QriORJGh0QjqYAsGmVZOiTLTociwgs3VzEHU/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_135520.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were off to <a href="https://www.docfords.com/ft-myers-beach/">Doc Ford's</a> for supper. This was even better than the night before! Then it was off to <a href="https://bonitabills.com/">Bonita Bill's</a> for one more before heading home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAqN3TQcz8BRKZSaZ69cQAIKD6H40a_Am2K9jmv1T4qAviZCnKSDpi3ZULjsoVEa2kbckPvoBlG5aYv1Es6k4wxVvrBCsaLBiOb84S3bly3wElzmAPUaGi-h7HwD0AO41GtyrS7sMG9F3RjBji61Fb2_iO420I6QwQoCt-Q5sDx-Avfg1yq6d5teryw/s4608/IMG_20240203_173540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAqN3TQcz8BRKZSaZ69cQAIKD6H40a_Am2K9jmv1T4qAviZCnKSDpi3ZULjsoVEa2kbckPvoBlG5aYv1Es6k4wxVvrBCsaLBiOb84S3bly3wElzmAPUaGi-h7HwD0AO41GtyrS7sMG9F3RjBji61Fb2_iO420I6QwQoCt-Q5sDx-Avfg1yq6d5teryw/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_173540.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The evidence of the hurricane is still pretty much everywhere you go. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxaOWlFY_xT9qcunEpjrmJUsj_h3m36QTeLimMXl_8_SMBgQCd-Mfsf0SBL4SiPjPBxnFr876gbBWJOPAN8P05oInJPdvove9kJ-VN90I9Nv13dHGVJTX_Wgx6oIhmEP6fhaDLleCCkJvqL59nD__-AtM4t45xDzwg8Naqua-3t42RFGEHxkA2dMRTJI/s4608/IMG_20240203_171819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxaOWlFY_xT9qcunEpjrmJUsj_h3m36QTeLimMXl_8_SMBgQCd-Mfsf0SBL4SiPjPBxnFr876gbBWJOPAN8P05oInJPdvove9kJ-VN90I9Nv13dHGVJTX_Wgx6oIhmEP6fhaDLleCCkJvqL59nD__-AtM4t45xDzwg8Naqua-3t42RFGEHxkA2dMRTJI/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_171819.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeKMbXa8RPQ5lFxovzP6jS7dODfFLLZr_PFgPEwLNwmMcVVMAq1GLszCNlrvljSjVKD_C46lIIeUg6dhu0pOMzdNTjRnZuFR_Z9jZJJol0VtbP28qQQYboNDoCOB_9UAN2GEvPbUvyr6XMHyxdqDN2MU_03XXI7FmnoT3ihG_cEyG3zgKiD3vzabxA8s/s2592/IMG_20240203_172239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeKMbXa8RPQ5lFxovzP6jS7dODfFLLZr_PFgPEwLNwmMcVVMAq1GLszCNlrvljSjVKD_C46lIIeUg6dhu0pOMzdNTjRnZuFR_Z9jZJJol0VtbP28qQQYboNDoCOB_9UAN2GEvPbUvyr6XMHyxdqDN2MU_03XXI7FmnoT3ihG_cEyG3zgKiD3vzabxA8s/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_172239.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, we asked if there were any projects we could do to keep us busy while we were here. Although most of the reconstruction had already been done, there was one project Mike said we could do. That is replace the sliding door leading to the back yard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since the house is stucco, we had to grind out the area around the old door so we could get to the flange to remove the old door. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfty5SB_WPAPMlPpp7eGQpyJPCHxCrygTAQRU2DIt-W22OhLDbQbhvCrHCfxwa7EscJ7MsxtBF2yOVCPI3JW-3joUZZSzZoYpb-Uru3XtWZyncmy5BwPjN27Vumz_Nw3NhGPtBO-BM-HINJXs0FrJkRgO2stoyH8gwkKEgbL0t2dfm_K_I8ywfOSqnpE/s4608/IMG_20240203_090814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfty5SB_WPAPMlPpp7eGQpyJPCHxCrygTAQRU2DIt-W22OhLDbQbhvCrHCfxwa7EscJ7MsxtBF2yOVCPI3JW-3joUZZSzZoYpb-Uru3XtWZyncmy5BwPjN27Vumz_Nw3NhGPtBO-BM-HINJXs0FrJkRgO2stoyH8gwkKEgbL0t2dfm_K_I8ywfOSqnpE/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_090814.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF4tp1UxTxEg9XKnDn2erqqcMVx8ZpCHl9I7rGTzp8EsB0ttwxYRSpOwNcMSwCTI2vjGescZZFEJ3Q_m6Mso7cYLXHDDPcHQXG0Hgih_9FqQ7Qe4jSeCOzoukn4FEWAOQfyTltAiGkI40S-p6IUXkIR6_pFySF9-1v8ynJnLQxiCko1jZJv7UJdVBzEY/s4608/IMG_20240203_092902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF4tp1UxTxEg9XKnDn2erqqcMVx8ZpCHl9I7rGTzp8EsB0ttwxYRSpOwNcMSwCTI2vjGescZZFEJ3Q_m6Mso7cYLXHDDPcHQXG0Hgih_9FqQ7Qe4jSeCOzoukn4FEWAOQfyTltAiGkI40S-p6IUXkIR6_pFySF9-1v8ynJnLQxiCko1jZJv7UJdVBzEY/w300-h400/IMG_20240203_092902.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mike solicited help from his friend Bill to help us put the new one in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcaWK1-OaDmNbUjGWyIGLozkrqfPqiFLSiQ0g46iZSwMiNVxDWVK-0KBMECStRVIwYOWlU_icnAGwxD7lnOltnnFfiw2axl6OfmU7TIKmAtgV2vxNzXMB9GPg8pTDDffN0WvLc0pgZZNS_sPLDcIsznzM_ScnMo8ZVvJpe5lJJHVLXdN16UUYCX23Y8I/s800/IMG_20240205_113638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcaWK1-OaDmNbUjGWyIGLozkrqfPqiFLSiQ0g46iZSwMiNVxDWVK-0KBMECStRVIwYOWlU_icnAGwxD7lnOltnnFfiw2axl6OfmU7TIKmAtgV2vxNzXMB9GPg8pTDDffN0WvLc0pgZZNS_sPLDcIsznzM_ScnMo8ZVvJpe5lJJHVLXdN16UUYCX23Y8I/w300-h400/IMG_20240205_113638.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjBHi0QZSF4MTKnI9L4oUxxc65y4HsT59X-KL0srCJR1RPFJJXnu9vym19qiXio_z7gmup4X5YhJvkMEf_uhLi3K8pKHShk_tsruJlX6WS96uXtnSU7aWr-RyIei7ER9Ks5CBerg3rW8yN9XmHv-c6bI3hzqeciDGGj2vWhoGjVxpLrjGB80kaHq-NEw/s800/IMG_20240205_132111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjBHi0QZSF4MTKnI9L4oUxxc65y4HsT59X-KL0srCJR1RPFJJXnu9vym19qiXio_z7gmup4X5YhJvkMEf_uhLi3K8pKHShk_tsruJlX6WS96uXtnSU7aWr-RyIei7ER9Ks5CBerg3rW8yN9XmHv-c6bI3hzqeciDGGj2vWhoGjVxpLrjGB80kaHq-NEw/w300-h400/IMG_20240205_132111.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head on down the road. North, we went out of Fort Myers. We arrived in Sarasota about 10:30am and took the girls for a walk around the waterfront.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP0zLREsWUzeeP_jP51TdXLfJw32W-B7zTNvlKQthXwIIkqmW5YBZ2gOq_M-ziP3g32LchZNA4G9nW6OOgUAtjYTn7nHy55pqmR2yN8REE0-E7XFWCAK9RNhG9ATmI8_AwI8EvVubm5AaL4j6KlEhHjpZ8cR97BUTw-AMhrJ9TJA6fNXT_5ISFHAG8iU/s4608/IMG_20240206_105816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP0zLREsWUzeeP_jP51TdXLfJw32W-B7zTNvlKQthXwIIkqmW5YBZ2gOq_M-ziP3g32LchZNA4G9nW6OOgUAtjYTn7nHy55pqmR2yN8REE0-E7XFWCAK9RNhG9ATmI8_AwI8EvVubm5AaL4j6KlEhHjpZ8cR97BUTw-AMhrJ9TJA6fNXT_5ISFHAG8iU/w300-h400/IMG_20240206_105816.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am told this is a Banyan tree<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ahxGEAfPfxg7fjm6oGYyAtxn2q9vfzV4RARBxz2xaMZkQwahkEXZSyt9lTNlj-n28N2zpC7Yxq0l7nBfv5lWuBPzO_x6Edkf7aS-eohYX2QRbqUTdsJkabpgqFTi2FPRZGBW9YdBKotACgy2aSPpuFehcO7uw8pNRfEJwEI6hNrdYWr3VLzQB2mw_6I/s1728/423568556_913793963751415_6058387029326521802_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1728" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ahxGEAfPfxg7fjm6oGYyAtxn2q9vfzV4RARBxz2xaMZkQwahkEXZSyt9lTNlj-n28N2zpC7Yxq0l7nBfv5lWuBPzO_x6Edkf7aS-eohYX2QRbqUTdsJkabpgqFTi2FPRZGBW9YdBKotACgy2aSPpuFehcO7uw8pNRfEJwEI6hNrdYWr3VLzQB2mw_6I/w400-h234/423568556_913793963751415_6058387029326521802_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There were a few dollars in yachts there as well. <br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">The reason for stopping here was not to take the girls for a walk, but to meet a former co-worker of Barb's. Shirley and Barb had worked together for almost 20 years before Shirley had retired shortly before Barb did. She and her husband Al winter down here in Florida and they were on our travel route so we made arrangements to stop and have lunch with them at Marina Jack's. </div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MDq6I3kKMcKhd_7aQJAKc-bLX-VOyB1s_ZotZb9BLYQo6J3zp4uhzhyphenhyphenVe8fj2zbAIkPPvx_i-SW0Rzw81JSxw79LWKwlTiGHZh3TVfcM6JsDlyoAk9LiiB8_t5I5oLR0cWddcdgvzGBn542_sxO5AJyTveGam9d0ARgbQYcfqxgH_ChBFjIy5JkBWMo/s4608/IMG_20240206_112736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MDq6I3kKMcKhd_7aQJAKc-bLX-VOyB1s_ZotZb9BLYQo6J3zp4uhzhyphenhyphenVe8fj2zbAIkPPvx_i-SW0Rzw81JSxw79LWKwlTiGHZh3TVfcM6JsDlyoAk9LiiB8_t5I5oLR0cWddcdgvzGBn542_sxO5AJyTveGam9d0ARgbQYcfqxgH_ChBFjIy5JkBWMo/w400-h300/IMG_20240206_112736.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We spent about 90 minutes chatting and catching up before we said our goodbyes and headed on our way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then it was off to our friends Mike and Liz up in Citrus Springs for what was supposed to be a 2 night stay. We had met Mike and Liz up in Alaska in 2016. Where did we meet them? A brewery in Fairbanks of course! We hit it off right away and have been in contact ever since. They have the perfect little spot for visiting friends with a concrete pad, electric and water, right next to their house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MfRpZj94K-eMB02kfVNjFVKUYhuzI6L7zi9lDARcO7T9zz3K86RKQ4NaC0Iupm54dbJbQ6GOvEW4o9_jjERpidXXatonigBNKmlPF25NuRd7zUnVi37_y7TzP2JJ5a4Z6C6rkJRwa4dkMlpdco9cBpkF13wjmeEMkwQqmkUx4rXgLPY9As5rZHAFxj4/s2342/IMG_20240211_113652~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="2342" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MfRpZj94K-eMB02kfVNjFVKUYhuzI6L7zi9lDARcO7T9zz3K86RKQ4NaC0Iupm54dbJbQ6GOvEW4o9_jjERpidXXatonigBNKmlPF25NuRd7zUnVi37_y7TzP2JJ5a4Z6C6rkJRwa4dkMlpdco9cBpkF13wjmeEMkwQqmkUx4rXgLPY9As5rZHAFxj4/w400-h200/IMG_20240211_113652~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After getting settled in we headed to their shed where they have an awesome happy hour area set up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EjmhqPlSmA6Dv9uOWRs4N52e_c26VhzAEaEauoOpvmT2mmTV4dGZ2AM8tm_CSoyr7NxrPhCIRomOULA6LAu4Uz2XiWVPSJa-XxBbLszZXmUYRStTVwwFlGciITn3oczeFbrpQqMWY8hiSaKrbsUAgs7_xar5SZ2OCbg-i7xvZmm1AG9S11GwIqU8lc8/s2258/IMG_20240211_114400~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2258" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EjmhqPlSmA6Dv9uOWRs4N52e_c26VhzAEaEauoOpvmT2mmTV4dGZ2AM8tm_CSoyr7NxrPhCIRomOULA6LAu4Uz2XiWVPSJa-XxBbLszZXmUYRStTVwwFlGciITn3oczeFbrpQqMWY8hiSaKrbsUAgs7_xar5SZ2OCbg-i7xvZmm1AG9S11GwIqU8lc8/w400-h241/IMG_20240211_114400~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mike and Liz have a little dog named Tux. And when I say little, I mean ginormous! This dog makes Dakota look like a teacup poodle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37McTzY9seyc3ABerISyFabde4ENyh2TmCMmgRs9cf-AL773KTkV-mWN4ZlwWuVf_tyMtksgwQajdCZZXLj0Pf5MVF_IidKKP7Eo4ZTI5l3klDfYcW1n5fe9DHebt9HvVcgtzSzr9se33J_KRSnSunC8O0xNfi25zYFDDcfgdN_XiHC2RjsOZ0s0EVgw/s4608/IMG_20240211_114242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37McTzY9seyc3ABerISyFabde4ENyh2TmCMmgRs9cf-AL773KTkV-mWN4ZlwWuVf_tyMtksgwQajdCZZXLj0Pf5MVF_IidKKP7Eo4ZTI5l3klDfYcW1n5fe9DHebt9HvVcgtzSzr9se33J_KRSnSunC8O0xNfi25zYFDDcfgdN_XiHC2RjsOZ0s0EVgw/w400-h300/IMG_20240211_114242.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The cool thing about Tux is that he loves to play with Zoey and is as gentle as can be. They have a fenced in backyard so Zoey can be off leash and run. And run, and run. She was in heaven. Tux was lumbering behind her while Zoey zipped through the yard. Dakota just sat back and watched the antics. Tux just knocks Zoey around with his head and paws and Zoey just keeps coming back for more. That was until Zoey picked up Tux's favorite toy. Then all hell broke loose and Tux went all Cujo on Zoey. No biting, but Tux lunged at Zoey with a vicious bark and then hovered over her growling. This was the first time we have ever heard Zoey squeal like she is scared. Usually, she goes on the offensive and attacks, but not this time! Zoey has not gone near that toy since. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Although I did not get a video of that incident, we did get a couple others. Mike took one while we were in the shed and Barb got one of them playing out in the yard. A few things to notice in the videos; one is how big Tux is compared to even Dakota, how Tux uses his head to bounce Zoey around and how Mike has the heater on in the shed because it was sooooo... cold. 60 something, I think. On more than one occasion Tux would be playing near that heater and left the scent of burning hair in the air when his tail got too close.</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7xYE_uVMvw" width="320" youtube-src-id="k7xYE_uVMvw"></iframe></div></blockquote><p> <span style="text-align: justify;">The next day was our 38th anniversary! We were up and on the road at 6:30 because Mike had scheduled us a fishing charter as an anniversary present! We went with </span><a href="https://www.windyday2fishingcharters.com/" style="text-align: justify;">Windy Day 2 Fishing Charters</a>,<span style="text-align: justify;"> with the owner and guide Misty, on the Withlacoochee River. Our main target fish was crappies, but we caught brim, gar, and catfish in addition to the crappie. It was a great morning and if you are looking for a guide down in this area, you could not go wrong with Misty!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mqKI-V37AJiKDd9RbxdT2wwTMa3dR9se-h_csLxi0CDbhYoK5b7bbtpyXYxma1AgMxda3lfm_vjw42sWzxl83iUHeYLJuHCKbWp8vrRKPrb7oU3U5AMgVipbtDvXtCwGqcRVEJx7ZVMRdti8Zf-LNKwLooUlyk7fE28rQLE8t-QzN0Lj2wOnmTpsTmo/s4608/IMG_20240207_080951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mqKI-V37AJiKDd9RbxdT2wwTMa3dR9se-h_csLxi0CDbhYoK5b7bbtpyXYxma1AgMxda3lfm_vjw42sWzxl83iUHeYLJuHCKbWp8vrRKPrb7oU3U5AMgVipbtDvXtCwGqcRVEJx7ZVMRdti8Zf-LNKwLooUlyk7fE28rQLE8t-QzN0Lj2wOnmTpsTmo/w300-h400/IMG_20240207_080951.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V7H0iX7QcvPtonmFHCO9UOV0yaJtEoJ48OTyAYd7-M85AiOeVrafhdiBGQ8YocLsZamUw51canX4Xyiy9JIvx7UpqYUF4ONhIsJQKHOkn6x7ln8TddBva8I8oT1DzTiObC4PZ-QzIeZkud0GpHo0M5UZk8fCNnfhC5BDLhydWc2hZqKU4AXtGdgUObg/s800/IMG_20240207_092010_BURST001_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V7H0iX7QcvPtonmFHCO9UOV0yaJtEoJ48OTyAYd7-M85AiOeVrafhdiBGQ8YocLsZamUw51canX4Xyiy9JIvx7UpqYUF4ONhIsJQKHOkn6x7ln8TddBva8I8oT1DzTiObC4PZ-QzIeZkud0GpHo0M5UZk8fCNnfhC5BDLhydWc2hZqKU4AXtGdgUObg/w300-h400/IMG_20240207_092010_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsIw5i3OSzHV5YSqtovzXodf0SkRRTzPZHpYszK98sBL0vRpZ__u9JKnZ_YvB0MbqJoy9j0x4tu45qYjRgfNVxbu9ItV33sMaqjxMBxgXaiVzo9bi1Sy5TBFRhRdl0BCWHS7R0NZ5dikbb1VXrNr2rTsFKNgfQeuKjI7f8FS61401if6Wj3QeGbPMubM/s800/IMG_20240207_125130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsIw5i3OSzHV5YSqtovzXodf0SkRRTzPZHpYszK98sBL0vRpZ__u9JKnZ_YvB0MbqJoy9j0x4tu45qYjRgfNVxbu9ItV33sMaqjxMBxgXaiVzo9bi1Sy5TBFRhRdl0BCWHS7R0NZ5dikbb1VXrNr2rTsFKNgfQeuKjI7f8FS61401if6Wj3QeGbPMubM/w400-h300/IMG_20240207_125130.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIozJCzw0vf_un0P75azHx7Zm62FynWfj02v_sukZxC-qsgAXmHHRUTGHAwRLsxRm_ew_D9sAvDba8SrBhByEM7FE_O5Yb7iS0P3rEdjNZ1f87pWgtVnd3zG7fcbf7V8tL45o0nP9LfbSSLXuTsvAmBwtBntCjbWZ9qGYl_jOJwDEvZO2E4ecKL_cZwc/s1440/423619563_352897117568073_7390491003756965634_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIozJCzw0vf_un0P75azHx7Zm62FynWfj02v_sukZxC-qsgAXmHHRUTGHAwRLsxRm_ew_D9sAvDba8SrBhByEM7FE_O5Yb7iS0P3rEdjNZ1f87pWgtVnd3zG7fcbf7V8tL45o0nP9LfbSSLXuTsvAmBwtBntCjbWZ9qGYl_jOJwDEvZO2E4ecKL_cZwc/w300-h400/423619563_352897117568073_7390491003756965634_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrkkV-98RtyVqRACWWSLYE-kDBJh3D6r2-2wwhnSu3tBihdlK8oup7R34fxcOr8DkilzyecSDJM1baj44vgfWLWq0gbrD3oNVo8mOsp1KkDNEpes9EBsrVzuRYBXrqreJwParbcqHW2uF7-pDUFzXNb5IhWy12RmVW7x-OJgjzEORuLz6bZW1cl67v4U/s480/423568268_241772428984414_1237055688872826793_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="353" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrkkV-98RtyVqRACWWSLYE-kDBJh3D6r2-2wwhnSu3tBihdlK8oup7R34fxcOr8DkilzyecSDJM1baj44vgfWLWq0gbrD3oNVo8mOsp1KkDNEpes9EBsrVzuRYBXrqreJwParbcqHW2uF7-pDUFzXNb5IhWy12RmVW7x-OJgjzEORuLz6bZW1cl67v4U/w294-h400/423568268_241772428984414_1237055688872826793_n.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After getting back home and cleaned up, we were off to Mike and Liz's favorite brewery; <a href="https://coppbrewery.com/">Copp Brewery and Winery</a> where we got our next surprise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMkwT0obvX_uZP_xZWS11F6TFPFr7k7Dc7-jlpReF4d8NRlSvcR5XGsE6ykGREOlWM-YjO7WFO0ZQSIXAZNTwhuME0AXvOBuZlkI0qWPHj_nT9eKf5K6DzkN88c817j66fVks4qF8OIjBX0yUDJYCcBdSS0jQVGlSD7J4FWKrrfxm1IcI2RvVyL2lj48/s800/IMG_20240207_152630~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMkwT0obvX_uZP_xZWS11F6TFPFr7k7Dc7-jlpReF4d8NRlSvcR5XGsE6ykGREOlWM-YjO7WFO0ZQSIXAZNTwhuME0AXvOBuZlkI0qWPHj_nT9eKf5K6DzkN88c817j66fVks4qF8OIjBX0yUDJYCcBdSS0jQVGlSD7J4FWKrrfxm1IcI2RvVyL2lj48/w400-h300/IMG_20240207_152630~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Halfway through our visit, Mike whispered something to the bartender who went into the backroom and came out with two bottles of wine. Mike had ordered us two bottles of wine with a picture of Barb, me and Daisy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCVgaZr8IzKveyCgkAUXJivIzMKs1_LPk5HPtQtOL_XnC14YyuujCcKo1K495rTdRytSzCCM426EQuGs-Bgu8_P53Uxva3qo3oky674-9mqaB6ulSXIVe3PffI90DMYIiZhl3OCES71U_OE2RL4iLS2LPBLKS2TEFTJH0omXCuiMEUbghn6T9D8uuQBA/s403/423422759_764999828884511_7647287792784333456_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCVgaZr8IzKveyCgkAUXJivIzMKs1_LPk5HPtQtOL_XnC14YyuujCcKo1K495rTdRytSzCCM426EQuGs-Bgu8_P53Uxva3qo3oky674-9mqaB6ulSXIVe3PffI90DMYIiZhl3OCES71U_OE2RL4iLS2LPBLKS2TEFTJH0omXCuiMEUbghn6T9D8uuQBA/w300-h400/423422759_764999828884511_7647287792784333456_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg98wRw6sw241dcNGE4ioVK-TcnPGfg2CM_i-Ilpy7lMSepd479w9Zl1dpweY8WBqs2TdeGzqcvdPwN0LCVoCqeYPNwi5Fh8du9ppXZloyedWjXPtX7foTq0cd_e9q4sZylHwX6e5CcGMXyfKgxlJrXsksaFfXL_HIDaJqYDSMbXw9p7PlXtxOxM9R4c/s403/423472525_946616996366574_8774618046549231284_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg98wRw6sw241dcNGE4ioVK-TcnPGfg2CM_i-Ilpy7lMSepd479w9Zl1dpweY8WBqs2TdeGzqcvdPwN0LCVoCqeYPNwi5Fh8du9ppXZloyedWjXPtX7foTq0cd_e9q4sZylHwX6e5CcGMXyfKgxlJrXsksaFfXL_HIDaJqYDSMbXw9p7PlXtxOxM9R4c/w300-h400/423472525_946616996366574_8774618046549231284_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We left Mike and Liz's the next morning and were going to head to our friend's Dan and Jeannie's for a several day visit but we changed plans and laid low the next day hoping to get rid of a nasty cough I had been fighting for about a week. Seriously, this thing has been keeping me up all night with my hacking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Do you know what is worse than having hacking cough that keeps you up all night in a 100 square foot camper with your wife and two dogs? I'll tell you the answer; being the wife of the guy who has a hacking cough that keeps EVERYONE up all night in a 100 square foot camper! We have been so tired and busy the last few days, we needed a down day. It did not do any good, but at least I was hacking in the comfort our camper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We hung out at Blue Run Park in Dunnellon where Barb walked the dogs and left me in the camper. I did get out for a couple walks but mostly hung out. The next day Barb and Jeanie went kayaking on the Rainbow River while the girls and I hung out at Blue Run again. Their takeout point was right there at Blue Run so it worked out really well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNC6n0j2hI1Dj6lAnzE0qrQn1_YmIYZXuDklvNzKERrt6zZhu001FIwra6ts5PFkmDzyrRHXmqMijvMTsU58VLVOWrJM9pES1902JE8yjJAVoRtwGabrz9tL6Cw9kKNU6Ojt3I9C8P11hZNgfXARq87MHjOK1OYnjaYjQQQq3QmWeBryanJM-bUxtVwU/s1600/423147386_280968958147296_1893396648741212297_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNC6n0j2hI1Dj6lAnzE0qrQn1_YmIYZXuDklvNzKERrt6zZhu001FIwra6ts5PFkmDzyrRHXmqMijvMTsU58VLVOWrJM9pES1902JE8yjJAVoRtwGabrz9tL6Cw9kKNU6Ojt3I9C8P11hZNgfXARq87MHjOK1OYnjaYjQQQq3QmWeBryanJM-bUxtVwU/w269-h400/423147386_280968958147296_1893396648741212297_n.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgCYPe_qwbkPWUwZUFZRhx6aTDFyslFLJ1DAOa3jncZSrhWFUdyrmR8NQbhbdaCkJ9F-qKjOtksko-UIzdoivTvdW9hmGSSZEpbWQLeEDLCI8BG8bdJna1Ou2uuvVILV00KQKdphRWsoPdo-DbQt1ln-pE8ZJcG5Wfp_iGzuAHZKwks0_Uvh57EcG0e8/s894/423542059_897607775481440_8878169363488616338_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="894" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgCYPe_qwbkPWUwZUFZRhx6aTDFyslFLJ1DAOa3jncZSrhWFUdyrmR8NQbhbdaCkJ9F-qKjOtksko-UIzdoivTvdW9hmGSSZEpbWQLeEDLCI8BG8bdJna1Ou2uuvVILV00KQKdphRWsoPdo-DbQt1ln-pE8ZJcG5Wfp_iGzuAHZKwks0_Uvh57EcG0e8/w400-h180/423542059_897607775481440_8878169363488616338_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFaEb9cqWz4GqCMAj3ozCCvOPD5URRDLpgQunN2HfmVgJCuh0PxlggfF3O0vcDweHF8oh4SeBV-IVXSH5deGX92vXpOCUIGHqIohzqf6Pj1hPh_mEu4H-dYkGoQAXbeY6YK1yckI8y4F67230fyagSyxHtbsuIkBFdYE0Q2OstHiUuc0GmgE32UHqmJA/s894/423062808_920916832763487_5442116522940713767_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievMa4-AebKdzwijARFz5RKA1aXG51Y4sHf42UelZbc5radonQ6sX4IY42wnS3e5vt5ku0fzCtMOqjx52pn08tyfLVrH5530IFGXtANrnM68ir-Bc2-NrN5NnpANxUtVgAxCfF6rdYReo2noo04_kMUY8pJ39E5qW3im8fsk_Jh67tESv_fBLw98WMX6Y/s710/423599708_625832816336191_1140959667952839322_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievMa4-AebKdzwijARFz5RKA1aXG51Y4sHf42UelZbc5radonQ6sX4IY42wnS3e5vt5ku0fzCtMOqjx52pn08tyfLVrH5530IFGXtANrnM68ir-Bc2-NrN5NnpANxUtVgAxCfF6rdYReo2noo04_kMUY8pJ39E5qW3im8fsk_Jh67tESv_fBLw98WMX6Y/w180-h400/423599708_625832816336191_1140959667952839322_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS5_Kx_KiQtEjkjiYb4hl3U4OH5nL_VG8iHS9Y71pCjU2_AUsyc6tmdz3U2JlUV_iRVvvO8RjfodNmOyL8vZvoPffW-ZC7S_z6U_iyAuPmYuuWVYGjE5KVjeeP-AyEvgy4M5tT4u-jPJwhz60GOvmTmdEnhujreYlO0jKkdorKFwv-TZ3kBdsta5q6AQ/s710/423472285_1718931918881281_7291902230298504181_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS5_Kx_KiQtEjkjiYb4hl3U4OH5nL_VG8iHS9Y71pCjU2_AUsyc6tmdz3U2JlUV_iRVvvO8RjfodNmOyL8vZvoPffW-ZC7S_z6U_iyAuPmYuuWVYGjE5KVjeeP-AyEvgy4M5tT4u-jPJwhz60GOvmTmdEnhujreYlO0jKkdorKFwv-TZ3kBdsta5q6AQ/w180-h400/423472285_1718931918881281_7291902230298504181_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWqYRSXtjW4-zwJG0GCiaj2P082q4qFuhlQ2HDvY0ewRLoIqqNBF62NEyY4X1SMiHBQlctHHoHf5wkVU0gv3Uu1zTZKw8wfEDAU3Aobgq-FayjaZDKHjIpyx09bfAf7IkGejV9Epda70CXoV7kVQ73wmtz-9LEqVTKY7o-DFWYSDCLCGfzgvjEr9Q8m8/s710/423221490_932617845130434_1419844103012261024_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWqYRSXtjW4-zwJG0GCiaj2P082q4qFuhlQ2HDvY0ewRLoIqqNBF62NEyY4X1SMiHBQlctHHoHf5wkVU0gv3Uu1zTZKw8wfEDAU3Aobgq-FayjaZDKHjIpyx09bfAf7IkGejV9Epda70CXoV7kVQ73wmtz-9LEqVTKY7o-DFWYSDCLCGfzgvjEr9Q8m8/w180-h400/423221490_932617845130434_1419844103012261024_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">That night we went over to their house for an outdoor supper. After supper I was ready for bed, but Barb and Jeanie wanted to go to listen to the live music at the community clubhouse. So off we went. Me, to the camper, them to the dance. I heard cackling outside the camper at 10:30 when they came back. I also heard a man's voice say "I hope you gals can make it out tomorrow night as well." Then I heard a golf cart putter off into the darkness. This was the only photo shared with me from the night....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VMhs42S138yOf6kpB-pbsAakanop1O_4RMlvIIAo3_k0x6pqn48_6lNbH9kzHjmKe5l9Il_uc5ecGb5Z0a_cdM9Yk-jYXSmrF6QOb5dVaLPWR51pF6iaeGL-f79_KE7CmeJF3YxKDuweckNKfAa17HAUc5FRPvhlJthD2suOjJUtYljbB1tBXa-n6pE/s2048/423105886_1823789741395757_2065668237549876239_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VMhs42S138yOf6kpB-pbsAakanop1O_4RMlvIIAo3_k0x6pqn48_6lNbH9kzHjmKe5l9Il_uc5ecGb5Z0a_cdM9Yk-jYXSmrF6QOb5dVaLPWR51pF6iaeGL-f79_KE7CmeJF3YxKDuweckNKfAa17HAUc5FRPvhlJthD2suOjJUtYljbB1tBXa-n6pE/w300-h400/423105886_1823789741395757_2065668237549876239_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Barb said they had a great time listening to the music and fending off 80-year-old men who wanted to dance. She "said" she turned down their requests but did dance with Jeanie and a few of her friends. It was so late, that we decided to stealth camp in their driveway for the night. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">The next morning, I headed back over to Mike and Liz's to continue to recuperate while Barb and Jeanie went to the World Equestrian Center in Ocala to watch jumping. This is the grand area with the hotel in the back. You too can stay there for a mere $600 a night. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFmxl1dbFjtTYImlb0PrRENyK400le1YVU68_9r7mMJ7bhdjxX2pZGGVOgoro5GAReWjAUhPlxOJYV9xZT-CydGQ1X3sKR44a4-TuvxjYEpxQh4Acr9rMd_e2-eta3AWI3QRWBGAIuNKnOTGSZ7Qvp20Dxt-IOssc9b7ftdRyqGQF6dhJeusgizjJ6N4/s894/422923675_770838021574673_2252422800683773893_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="894" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFmxl1dbFjtTYImlb0PrRENyK400le1YVU68_9r7mMJ7bhdjxX2pZGGVOgoro5GAReWjAUhPlxOJYV9xZT-CydGQ1X3sKR44a4-TuvxjYEpxQh4Acr9rMd_e2-eta3AWI3QRWBGAIuNKnOTGSZ7Qvp20Dxt-IOssc9b7ftdRyqGQF6dhJeusgizjJ6N4/w400-h180/422923675_770838021574673_2252422800683773893_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvxaUvJQISqZ6Wh0e5KQ9iPZ43AOucAobExMJJ7r3aFSW6ZIhyphenhyphenpU9R98ILoGrd9-Z3egG5vPL7VMQmnqE3J0pTeoJ6D_9ceEcUnOqTP2F_UwIImf8oVxU0g5V0F02VaM8Nred6BfO3NQlWOSI5fluBF18eCBCN1hYQLagxFBnhUuJu6FL1hvIUkdk_MY/s894/423735784_893021792303323_3531552726951411991_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="894" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvxaUvJQISqZ6Wh0e5KQ9iPZ43AOucAobExMJJ7r3aFSW6ZIhyphenhyphenpU9R98ILoGrd9-Z3egG5vPL7VMQmnqE3J0pTeoJ6D_9ceEcUnOqTP2F_UwIImf8oVxU0g5V0F02VaM8Nred6BfO3NQlWOSI5fluBF18eCBCN1hYQLagxFBnhUuJu6FL1hvIUkdk_MY/w400-h180/423735784_893021792303323_3531552726951411991_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Still not feeling well, we decided to go back to Mike and Liz's for a quiet weekend, which bring us to today. Where we just hung out all day waiting for the Big Game. It is about to start; I have $20 on the Chief's to win against my nephew-in-law Ryan up in Spearfish. Go Chief's!</span></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-72591540113023401652024-02-03T09:11:00.000-08:002024-02-04T09:00:56.876-08:00A Week of Firsts<p> Like the passage of sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Those words came to me as I sat down to write this post.
Why? I have no idea, but I do remember where those words came from. That is (was?) the
intro to the soap opera Days of our Lives. Yes, it's true, I used to watch soap
operas. I didn’t have a choice really; it was forced on to me as a child. You
see, when I was in high school, we lived across the street from the school.
Well, not across the street exactly, but one street from across the street and
I used to go home for lunch. We weren’t supposed to leave the grounds, but the
parking lot monitors were not very attentive, or very smart. Whenever I got
caught, I would say that I had a dentist appointment and even mumble it, so it
sounded like my mouth was still full of novacane. Like I said, they were not
the brightest, or just did not care. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At home, mom would always be watching soap operas. Days of
our Lives and General Hospital, and I would watch while I had my lunch. I
remember having a crush on Laura and was aghast at how Luke treated her. Don’t
know for a fact, but I think, 40 something years later they are both still on
General Hospital. How is that possible? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At any rate, the days are passing on this, our great winter
adventure, a week of many firsts!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Our first first of the week was when we arrived at Everglades National Park. We left Long Point Park
campground; we headed south to <a href="https://flamingoeverglades.com/campgrounds/">Long Pine Key campground</a> in the Everglades
National Park. No hook ups at all, the nightly fees are between $33-$60 depending on the day of the week. This is our first time visit to this National Park, making it our 21st NP that we have visited since retiring. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zwH5TimnhlnQ3IMYejgtM-L51uuPAG6e_7-uK_o8t4QLLerrlk1_McCZxYcP5elWVni7V71nX-m7oX_epP4_3RVSNdHQbq7WuVMEoOsRRS0GbiwiMnWdrOqBLy9n5LrnKpKB1LMfqHB5FFSSBUsGfqTGLWeQ9yHbpEb_so__CHmwXN6Qd9PPhU7wJOM/s4480/IMG_20240129_134917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2520" data-original-width="4480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zwH5TimnhlnQ3IMYejgtM-L51uuPAG6e_7-uK_o8t4QLLerrlk1_McCZxYcP5elWVni7V71nX-m7oX_epP4_3RVSNdHQbq7WuVMEoOsRRS0GbiwiMnWdrOqBLy9n5LrnKpKB1LMfqHB5FFSSBUsGfqTGLWeQ9yHbpEb_so__CHmwXN6Qd9PPhU7wJOM/w400-h225/IMG_20240129_134917.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgrg2FrBL3H5WYaMt8JX_VZxrfgGZMoUEWcqxvnEqHn3TouIiz-HVWUY7iYwLk601XuK1qRsQ8XeazkDVBg9xL8YL2ZWke_12Ub9OR7gO4KO3r0iGc9b2JYcDtMN9yDPOngyIAnrGeQY7f3APn7Gu_3hBdsQ1MVGxFZMgl0xoYBm6DYZHWd2cmJhcFeM/s4608/IMG_20240129_140322%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgrg2FrBL3H5WYaMt8JX_VZxrfgGZMoUEWcqxvnEqHn3TouIiz-HVWUY7iYwLk601XuK1qRsQ8XeazkDVBg9xL8YL2ZWke_12Ub9OR7gO4KO3r0iGc9b2JYcDtMN9yDPOngyIAnrGeQY7f3APn7Gu_3hBdsQ1MVGxFZMgl0xoYBm6DYZHWd2cmJhcFeM/w400-h300/IMG_20240129_140322%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our first day there was hot, mid 80’s, and with no hook ups
at all, we did not dare leave the girls unattended in the camper. Instead, we
drove around the park with the AC on taking in the sights. Zoey wanted to see
an alligator and get her picture taken with one, but alas, we did not see one that day.
What we did see was a very unique and different area. I wonder what the first settlers thought of
this area when they arrived. They probably thought "Damn, there is a lot of bugs here!"</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoT4ZVc_QtMqIcp7XOcFKbcIWdSHQNLp0kwjjVQcbqYg4cVTvmRt8t97JpZDVh8kkCEqBW47pO3KymbO4wywyBmWwgfGcSXE-j273B_ljsHf4QPICPaYPfYfNVeYBuY_3uD7Pbx-ZqB_PvwKXPUWitvC-a7ajuKn8BWrLjM12lC0p1QjRlVQwWqdPMVp0/s4000/P1200258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoT4ZVc_QtMqIcp7XOcFKbcIWdSHQNLp0kwjjVQcbqYg4cVTvmRt8t97JpZDVh8kkCEqBW47pO3KymbO4wywyBmWwgfGcSXE-j273B_ljsHf4QPICPaYPfYfNVeYBuY_3uD7Pbx-ZqB_PvwKXPUWitvC-a7ajuKn8BWrLjM12lC0p1QjRlVQwWqdPMVp0/w300-h400/P1200258.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Barb spent 3 days scratching her arms raw like a drug addict going through remission, but now her bug bites are much better. A week later, mine are still itching like crazy! This was another first, the first time bugs have attacked me worse than her. Both of my legs and arms look like this. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb-bi8lkeY3tt32AMtrT-JIekq0gL79sq3uad4usQV8QW8uC6CSjs998C52D_pHacyAtAjCexzgn_i1XKM5DhYqmf84AZkQLcZkvGOuQypcCcL9aSBDVAWfz2AmaaX4SPdlmCQxrkcmQswVZE6oLD36mHG3ApZuRHQajCc3P-g6KQ4qoQRFRQXW8Lb8w/s4608/IMG_20240131_173657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb-bi8lkeY3tt32AMtrT-JIekq0gL79sq3uad4usQV8QW8uC6CSjs998C52D_pHacyAtAjCexzgn_i1XKM5DhYqmf84AZkQLcZkvGOuQypcCcL9aSBDVAWfz2AmaaX4SPdlmCQxrkcmQswVZE6oLD36mHG3ApZuRHQajCc3P-g6KQ4qoQRFRQXW8Lb8w/s320/IMG_20240131_173657.jpg" width="240" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sunday afternoon we headed back into Homestead to hit a
brewery and watch the football games. Again, being so hot, we needed to find
someplace that was dog friendly as we could not leave them in the camper. The
first place we stopped at was packed. They allowed dogs and they had the game
on, but there were dozens of kids there. And
to top it off the kids were signing korokke. No one wants to hear that! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So off we went to the next one. It too was full of screamers.
We decided to just find a quite parking lot with a breeze and watch the games
in the back of the camper. We watched the last ½ of the first game, the Chiefs
won! Then we watched the first ½ of the Lions/49’ers game. I wanted the Lions
to win, they were well ahead when we left but with no internet service it was
another day before I learned that they lost to the 9'ers. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The weather had cooled down quite a bit that night making
for perfect sleeping weather. I love days in the 60’s and cool nights. To me,
these are the perfect days. Floridians beg to differ. With the cooler temps we
were able to get out on a couple hikes and leave the girls in the camper. Dogs
are not allowed on the trails here. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our first hike was the Anhinga Trail out of the Royal Palms visitors center. This is a nice boardwalk hike through the marsh area filled with birds and a few gaters. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtV7_pHvASr8KVXj0AsyWttJgq3Wk4NEFBvmoeHxqCQoY0eJFT96jObMgTXOSyWE3L0oTNdjuzsoCGpeB6SqjMSM2dRWYEjqPi5z3VmHbiN59UXZnB9Ns4UJjJpRKHs2Gk0ix-Xtb2MwbQB2eYZIAdOmf1m029TVXC52kyOP_eqRJKJtqWVm6o_79P5TU/s4000/P1200298.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtV7_pHvASr8KVXj0AsyWttJgq3Wk4NEFBvmoeHxqCQoY0eJFT96jObMgTXOSyWE3L0oTNdjuzsoCGpeB6SqjMSM2dRWYEjqPi5z3VmHbiN59UXZnB9Ns4UJjJpRKHs2Gk0ix-Xtb2MwbQB2eYZIAdOmf1m029TVXC52kyOP_eqRJKJtqWVm6o_79P5TU/w400-h300/P1200298.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUImeOkJQWM0kszHpMOzycGjLMeDnVkr5w1aQcNAq-DKarFOYoYv-1AJVeFfnvmvoeMt1if96vXRagPcU3fj3T-CVoU6AUJ9ZY0JDs5N36PWgNaL8upVKP5dySysOG7PZ-Dzv2wN6Go0CSJ33gAf9DUL-rTMToAXdY5GuvumLzQEHjTOXqU1ucr6SynQ/s4000/P1200271.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUImeOkJQWM0kszHpMOzycGjLMeDnVkr5w1aQcNAq-DKarFOYoYv-1AJVeFfnvmvoeMt1if96vXRagPcU3fj3T-CVoU6AUJ9ZY0JDs5N36PWgNaL8upVKP5dySysOG7PZ-Dzv2wN6Go0CSJ33gAf9DUL-rTMToAXdY5GuvumLzQEHjTOXqU1ucr6SynQ/w400-h300/P1200271.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsDbeK57H-Ig5-iRvMjNrJSsfB1HuiRA47mcFru3n75XLu9euJtoCe3FUFd8uKS73PwBQqNre1u5HjVYcS3n4WRKClzX2zxsP54a5_6C340wowRJ-Yg_fRCRlCtNpGBsfP4tEZzvzI_hyphenhyphenSr36i1mNe-X_uJ41bz2-fNtdYv-E70LFr49TtcI9Q8zf-I8/s4000/P1200272.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsDbeK57H-Ig5-iRvMjNrJSsfB1HuiRA47mcFru3n75XLu9euJtoCe3FUFd8uKS73PwBQqNre1u5HjVYcS3n4WRKClzX2zxsP54a5_6C340wowRJ-Yg_fRCRlCtNpGBsfP4tEZzvzI_hyphenhyphenSr36i1mNe-X_uJ41bz2-fNtdYv-E70LFr49TtcI9Q8zf-I8/w300-h400/P1200272.JPG" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ct2O-85eyNpemDmSBcIv0wUIAIGq2P5cRfCIq9lD3b03IGCQLmVmn0kl7RxCnwmpTp873xs4L5F0wVAwH_rEjJKY1Yxp7rkzJ_npAyFkbRxO529dPC3xIehk72yKGyVieZlhXAxcyvKxBYM2z_xtmsmasr-8ZHfCesHOkB1V_TaNY5-bkSkgUsqcATs/s5152/DSC00433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="5152" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ct2O-85eyNpemDmSBcIv0wUIAIGq2P5cRfCIq9lD3b03IGCQLmVmn0kl7RxCnwmpTp873xs4L5F0wVAwH_rEjJKY1Yxp7rkzJ_npAyFkbRxO529dPC3xIehk72yKGyVieZlhXAxcyvKxBYM2z_xtmsmasr-8ZHfCesHOkB1V_TaNY5-bkSkgUsqcATs/w400-h225/DSC00433.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">We then walked the Gumbo Limbo trail through the dense vegetation. The root systems on some of these trees were incredible!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAZX-iL3-AyeV_rYatvpMklq96lzXF-4gMWYe6ULmW6389pxXyUIDWIsQYOTMe74KGDURluhO5pZBdIxTs7AFvoNaCHh9luh0imuORF2B7VOCpnpOxHXM6ZZyv1ytEb43ESwq57EuCdT5ViggzdV0uO0ZNvOGfLPgB-DQmRVdkUHH6KgqQ6AU8RZZRvk/s5152/DSC00443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="5152" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAZX-iL3-AyeV_rYatvpMklq96lzXF-4gMWYe6ULmW6389pxXyUIDWIsQYOTMe74KGDURluhO5pZBdIxTs7AFvoNaCHh9luh0imuORF2B7VOCpnpOxHXM6ZZyv1ytEb43ESwq57EuCdT5ViggzdV0uO0ZNvOGfLPgB-DQmRVdkUHH6KgqQ6AU8RZZRvk/w400-h225/DSC00443.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvXO98IfJZ6vBjtSr99M12AGyagUAyfM27jhQhM1dNsFArBVYRlvn5nW3-NG0FcEg1eQgVTO208RxLf0PFUjxv__dTIAUFQzFUE2oO_Y35OxOiDTJbk3D6d8gj1aBWTzrhn9EtcCuvpcOBU29yLk3kV1_G5pqwbTFduJe3QvT1sd-hW8h-zNm28s41Hk/s5152/DSC00445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="5152" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvXO98IfJZ6vBjtSr99M12AGyagUAyfM27jhQhM1dNsFArBVYRlvn5nW3-NG0FcEg1eQgVTO208RxLf0PFUjxv__dTIAUFQzFUE2oO_Y35OxOiDTJbk3D6d8gj1aBWTzrhn9EtcCuvpcOBU29yLk3kV1_G5pqwbTFduJe3QvT1sd-hW8h-zNm28s41Hk/w400-h225/DSC00445.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">We still had time left in the day, so we headed into Homestead to check out Biscayne National Park (22nd). </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSXCqYQkCcSC5zog5LwKGd9h9bHGp2ovSqSzs3KoWTlMFCrVTcIZt9WTa5IJr_ZxehiegOXgm5B_krsqyj8fdl6hFds8Q06264hRsCrgslzzfM1hFTmfspJ_JCOHAZ0zEdod8hd3QCHS4yc0_XP2kVht_6SH4hn1n5YZ0QLXTHd7hGIC2R62E8OdfsX8/s1885/received_1123190128840723.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1885" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSXCqYQkCcSC5zog5LwKGd9h9bHGp2ovSqSzs3KoWTlMFCrVTcIZt9WTa5IJr_ZxehiegOXgm5B_krsqyj8fdl6hFds8Q06264hRsCrgslzzfM1hFTmfspJ_JCOHAZ0zEdod8hd3QCHS4yc0_XP2kVht_6SH4hn1n5YZ0QLXTHd7hGIC2R62E8OdfsX8/w400-h215/received_1123190128840723.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Unbeknownst to us, Biscayne NP is almost all water with very little on shore. In fact, they only had one hiking trail, a boardwalk along the water. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNyg0dPf4MWlEIneY4f_mmvbn-9MMGLHUjNNvMeSXxdc7XpOLXYjCwKoWbgH9ElvbOhzYhI-kcIYsqQuRnmIWy3tEH520wgYjB2zC1Sls6ckqSWhGYe0i8iUg83JPZU04kG-KIhtPRcvOT2P4noF2_kUW5ObOtoyHUu36xwkGyMOJ9c0e2tMSAdchPrU/s3503/P1200309.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2157" data-original-width="3503" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNyg0dPf4MWlEIneY4f_mmvbn-9MMGLHUjNNvMeSXxdc7XpOLXYjCwKoWbgH9ElvbOhzYhI-kcIYsqQuRnmIWy3tEH520wgYjB2zC1Sls6ckqSWhGYe0i8iUg83JPZU04kG-KIhtPRcvOT2P4noF2_kUW5ObOtoyHUu36xwkGyMOJ9c0e2tMSAdchPrU/w400-h246/P1200309.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvgRltFsl40vVEh7QJ5SXsuKu9vxsXZdGNa9dENl5Ke-bbXpiAkkaUClPg0DEC9ZQAIRjgWnshW5vgkrZwnjKQNakHqmMGfZD7TdyYeOqELLPlWALbp6h7-iamtPx7FtrolXx9qNZtUTGzNbFRg36Gfq8CwzCf3dalt9ftOaYGzHDqE5x4_d1yIGVtFs/s4000/P1200320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvgRltFsl40vVEh7QJ5SXsuKu9vxsXZdGNa9dENl5Ke-bbXpiAkkaUClPg0DEC9ZQAIRjgWnshW5vgkrZwnjKQNakHqmMGfZD7TdyYeOqELLPlWALbp6h7-iamtPx7FtrolXx9qNZtUTGzNbFRg36Gfq8CwzCf3dalt9ftOaYGzHDqE5x4_d1yIGVtFs/w300-h400/P1200320.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEJ87qkDx6WNRxI2_LoogdpciapyrjGBb92HzSgbK2oGbX0ltZ2SWHEb6QBZalt8Nn_0qS5Wgz2JihifDkA-1Fc2XZpAdN7Wbm6l5ZV65yYLDlUHWkmA0LHXzT9drL6yQjZPRa7v5i3efvhR4mS58ZvXk4FeeItzqxENID09S7E8DxBBvQFyyIe722ZQ/s4000/P1200321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEJ87qkDx6WNRxI2_LoogdpciapyrjGBb92HzSgbK2oGbX0ltZ2SWHEb6QBZalt8Nn_0qS5Wgz2JihifDkA-1Fc2XZpAdN7Wbm6l5ZV65yYLDlUHWkmA0LHXzT9drL6yQjZPRa7v5i3efvhR4mS58ZvXk4FeeItzqxENID09S7E8DxBBvQFyyIe722ZQ/w300-h400/P1200321.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The following morning, we headed even further south to meet up with friends and fellow bloggers Shawn and Kim. We had met them once in Quartzsite in 2017 and had not seen them since then. They were fulltime RV'ing at the time as well, but now they are fulltime sailing. Very cool lifestyle. <a href="https://ktmissouri.blogspot.com/">If you want to follow their blog, you can do so here. </a></p><p class="MsoNormal">They were moored at the Marathon City Marina and were able to get us a parking pass for the night. We spent the afternoon with them playing bocci ball for the first time. I can see playing that again. </p><p class="MsoNormal">We then experienced our next first. Our first time grilling steaks on a sailboat. We all rode out to The Shift on their dingy. That was an experience in itself! Luckily, it had cooled down enough that the girls were able to stay in the camper with the windows open. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLvBhgn4F3UaygcYlbsfhMxU2drn57vrljq21cSLx_M4KAGD8XveMevD1zAS4hzKdOZ8KRum5cauJyEdkldlww59AsYuL7Hi9WAuejk7jeEIWQ0qvFuEi0occ7EHssUkp4aOaDdgVZyQEwfPyNRaC4g4gbseGjuvAyER-w5o1CKkRYMabWuc7cXDViGE/s4608/IMG_20240130_163353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLvBhgn4F3UaygcYlbsfhMxU2drn57vrljq21cSLx_M4KAGD8XveMevD1zAS4hzKdOZ8KRum5cauJyEdkldlww59AsYuL7Hi9WAuejk7jeEIWQ0qvFuEi0occ7EHssUkp4aOaDdgVZyQEwfPyNRaC4g4gbseGjuvAyER-w5o1CKkRYMabWuc7cXDViGE/w300-h400/IMG_20240130_163353.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstrHnqLfPq1TOPDvEtmZJR9XXqNUU2b8tGU8nmycWPHXzZwxvSlK6_gNZH6tBlsgUQUpd77Air2fq-Pz9nGQexl6_Zp932K5pQ9t9Mvvb924KWqbnlXU6eiIPFSQxyLvm-OKnStG5viA6fn46RD3Iy0OeED6drM58ITHGMc8L6EefAq4n_5xYUymiv7g/s2592/IMG_20240130_163854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstrHnqLfPq1TOPDvEtmZJR9XXqNUU2b8tGU8nmycWPHXzZwxvSlK6_gNZH6tBlsgUQUpd77Air2fq-Pz9nGQexl6_Zp932K5pQ9t9Mvvb924KWqbnlXU6eiIPFSQxyLvm-OKnStG5viA6fn46RD3Iy0OeED6drM58ITHGMc8L6EefAq4n_5xYUymiv7g/w300-h400/IMG_20240130_163854.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">We spent a few hours on their boat, catching up, grilling steaks and having a slice of key lime pie for dessert. Before we knew it, it was time to have Shawn dingy us back to the camper where we said our goodbyes with the hopes of catching up with them somewhere down the road, or ocean. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbMLJozy1JVOfAe_4_8ZuNS_MtjHVdQhf3WaF09neDvAqJZnSByG3V0DwQqHTOydvkNz14s-pFbYe4xu8EBb559AXkuY0gdNanggiU8WU6k4nLYqx84BeIZ_vm87Y9DtZd93_nlQXzhacl0WGrxa-xsay2oxVWcFyPcI-e1mPaqVOD7CE-fRo0cLSPN0/s4608/IMG_20240130_172809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbMLJozy1JVOfAe_4_8ZuNS_MtjHVdQhf3WaF09neDvAqJZnSByG3V0DwQqHTOydvkNz14s-pFbYe4xu8EBb559AXkuY0gdNanggiU8WU6k4nLYqx84BeIZ_vm87Y9DtZd93_nlQXzhacl0WGrxa-xsay2oxVWcFyPcI-e1mPaqVOD7CE-fRo0cLSPN0/w400-h300/IMG_20240130_172809.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, we had a short 30-minute drive down to Big Pine Key to our friends Dan (Hutch) and Mary's. Dan and I had met up at Pasha in Ontario several years ago and have seen each other several times over the years up there. Dan is a hunter extraordinaire, so we have a lot in common and lots of stories to tell. </p><p class="MsoNormal">They have a place there in the Key's as well as a remote island cabin up in Alaska. Those two are living the life! We were only able to spend one evening with Mary as she was flying out the next morning to see her son. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Two firsts right away upon arriving in Big Pine. Besides being our first time here, it was also our first time seeing Key Deer. They are endangered, but seem to be thriving in this area walking right up to you and eating out of your hand. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGi6L1E2v1H-4acikqduXIaH8kgtDH7KNiI2Qf18Bz54Wld4G8SQ7e-1bESnW5HgAjFatfKJ1yrzp528GDjUvJ6KPhb_dNDTwZ5L7U2j3mQC6IrWLuj8Ib48F-UllNTp5-Kj2jpyiRCS6CUy2AcrWaWahlPY_ZEjaoSIHbDOAqr7HlLVWbKNCbRWPYeU/s4608/IMG_20240201_115235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGi6L1E2v1H-4acikqduXIaH8kgtDH7KNiI2Qf18Bz54Wld4G8SQ7e-1bESnW5HgAjFatfKJ1yrzp528GDjUvJ6KPhb_dNDTwZ5L7U2j3mQC6IrWLuj8Ib48F-UllNTp5-Kj2jpyiRCS6CUy2AcrWaWahlPY_ZEjaoSIHbDOAqr7HlLVWbKNCbRWPYeU/w300-h400/IMG_20240201_115235.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU577TQehRSHo6ycfycmlUcoQXk9g7_4Exyqbyrl5VCtndLuVC7ALiJWldp82NUWUiCptkOJT0XpBCCcNDAayJNskY4-BvSarhWCx3TzW6BST5HvpeVHVXLeZP5j7AeDVyymtesxR1uPFalPojJnoX02WsCV1xR22TElIwABoisJtLlpW5axVyzUs7_Eo/s4608/IMG_20240131_152156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU577TQehRSHo6ycfycmlUcoQXk9g7_4Exyqbyrl5VCtndLuVC7ALiJWldp82NUWUiCptkOJT0XpBCCcNDAayJNskY4-BvSarhWCx3TzW6BST5HvpeVHVXLeZP5j7AeDVyymtesxR1uPFalPojJnoX02WsCV1xR22TElIwABoisJtLlpW5axVyzUs7_Eo/w300-h400/IMG_20240131_152156.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">These things are so small! A big Key Deer will be about 50lbs. For comparison, Zoey is 25 and Dakota is 85. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Our two days there consisted of fishing and eating fish and fishing some more! Their place is right on a canal, so they can park their boat in front of their house, jump in, and be out in the ocean in a matter of minutes.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8HSO3vNqvUOLquZ8OlQlB106F-veILv-coOohS1Tr15Fh0GJCj-plSO1lZiKkJET2VeF8lGKyX3nJMKtUXc4GaV6BpexufEd3u2Mo8zKfjg-nyvk91R2BvO81hCLsIWxfTz8vdSpblunB5bztWVe23tsRCFW9bPR1OLxg7mz2Tn1D6kG2Txshr5Isc8/s2592/IMG_20240131_110630.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8HSO3vNqvUOLquZ8OlQlB106F-veILv-coOohS1Tr15Fh0GJCj-plSO1lZiKkJET2VeF8lGKyX3nJMKtUXc4GaV6BpexufEd3u2Mo8zKfjg-nyvk91R2BvO81hCLsIWxfTz8vdSpblunB5bztWVe23tsRCFW9bPR1OLxg7mz2Tn1D6kG2Txshr5Isc8/w300-h400/IMG_20240131_110630.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed up the canal</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"> The first day we went south to a reef 7 miles out. Hutch as twin 150's on his boat, so it did not take long to get out there at all. Our target fish for the day was Porgies. I have never heard of them let alone caught one before. But catch them we did! Dozens of porgies!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94_EyiigQ0KWek9NqKxuuC5AoT6Yy88QtDoO4N_7xORZyNGGAys1IKYOctD7MnfG_Gq5cH7PQYVgscbs1LMyp-Djc4kfcQM3RHO_4GkGnwZl4bLRX0no7n88A-hiMGFJYl03wX5m9GWE_idRN9IyI6WdBbUXEKeX1MWhME9ianLzZ5VP0HmWyViFyZ_c/s4608/IMG_20240131_144755.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94_EyiigQ0KWek9NqKxuuC5AoT6Yy88QtDoO4N_7xORZyNGGAys1IKYOctD7MnfG_Gq5cH7PQYVgscbs1LMyp-Djc4kfcQM3RHO_4GkGnwZl4bLRX0no7n88A-hiMGFJYl03wX5m9GWE_idRN9IyI6WdBbUXEKeX1MWhME9ianLzZ5VP0HmWyViFyZ_c/w300-h400/IMG_20240131_144755.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaYJ5xOLVo-uNoUt5x50F8SsK-gViIrKNkEZIBOsT2ibNIa8pwiRik9i3eaPSL98uUCuXh7qEyzmb9ykFi0t-R-JIABWwgO6rz3Pv96kLsCZiHGMJx59ZzI_ycju7nYJog_2yZKKXMBVPu_JMzEcxqepQGB8qgL7yVhRIdVH1sp3CPbr_acUSrTScHl0/s2592/IMG_20240131_121200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaYJ5xOLVo-uNoUt5x50F8SsK-gViIrKNkEZIBOsT2ibNIa8pwiRik9i3eaPSL98uUCuXh7qEyzmb9ykFi0t-R-JIABWwgO6rz3Pv96kLsCZiHGMJx59ZzI_ycju7nYJog_2yZKKXMBVPu_JMzEcxqepQGB8qgL7yVhRIdVH1sp3CPbr_acUSrTScHl0/w300-h400/IMG_20240131_121200.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUtdWmaeRdZu5XtJCwy1T9d4-BgGy4iY1fCcQRBh0iF6NluDyYFdR2W6qltJJCZUSz4dmcrx-sefIsuzPk5EaRAutYUphHvTAaQjOnstV7zFm9R9KMR11a_IK54UdCaZdO8XagGcxYcZL29BMjkZ112lWJqn5wTZa5Gw6q1s4_QPohi0DEQ2gZJfyVZQ/s4608/IMG_20240131_145659a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUtdWmaeRdZu5XtJCwy1T9d4-BgGy4iY1fCcQRBh0iF6NluDyYFdR2W6qltJJCZUSz4dmcrx-sefIsuzPk5EaRAutYUphHvTAaQjOnstV7zFm9R9KMR11a_IK54UdCaZdO8XagGcxYcZL29BMjkZ112lWJqn5wTZa5Gw6q1s4_QPohi0DEQ2gZJfyVZQ/w400-h300/IMG_20240131_145659a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooler full of porgies!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggKIYMXdJbDXORYneOg5AeHBagLZfMS0NM45GGnRpFgp4YWgTQKXbeyv2slztHvKEedYuP4eafGSE_62CHXk9ka9MPDrDmZjl_MsSJbMZvQoYS78E79j4kfMzy-pK8u7-cyXuCJ_vt9F_eh2s8whw7N2bvChU1_bGkqv-hmsoRdvHEyjv_8hUJUb0XLE/s2592/IMG_20240131_152539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggKIYMXdJbDXORYneOg5AeHBagLZfMS0NM45GGnRpFgp4YWgTQKXbeyv2slztHvKEedYuP4eafGSE_62CHXk9ka9MPDrDmZjl_MsSJbMZvQoYS78E79j4kfMzy-pK8u7-cyXuCJ_vt9F_eh2s8whw7N2bvChU1_bGkqv-hmsoRdvHEyjv_8hUJUb0XLE/w300-h400/IMG_20240131_152539.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">We deep fried them that night, they were very good. The next day we headed 10 miles out to another reef in search of Yellowtail Snapper. Another first for us. When we pulled up to the reef, we were in 50' of water and the water was so clear, you could see the bottom as though it was 10'. Incredible.</p><p class="MsoNormal">We put out a chum bag which the tide takes, then you fish in the chum line. I will tell you right now, those things are fighters! You would see 50-60 of them darting in the chum line. Sooner or later one would bite the piece that has your squid and hook on it and away they would go. </p><p class="MsoNormal">When Barb and I catch a fish in fresh water, we usually reel it in slowly, enjoying the fight before landing the fish. When we hooked in into one of these yellowtails, Dan would just yell at us "Reel fast, faster, faster!". We had no idea why he wanted us to reel them in so quickly until we realized why he wanted us to reel them in so quickly. All of a sudden, the reel would stop bringing line in and start taking line out the other way. Dan would say "He got ya". I had no idea what that mean until I fought what was on my line now, not budging it. A shark. </p><p class="MsoNormal">This happened to us about 6 times where we would get the fish half way to the boat and a shark would take it. We were reeling as fast as we could, but those sharks were fasters. I would guess them at 6' long. We got a pretty good look at a few of them as they would follow our fish right up to the boat. Barb had one yellowtail on, then a shark got it, she fought it for a while, then she got the yellowtail back, well most of it. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAVFgYVw-TuWRGr34IyzQzYeoU682EmFwmSw2B79s65_j1geYvQN_OdhZyf0z1RMhyW4Xck6eDqXbdEWg8LdmKBG0AfNt5-Eoi7qLL4KY5cm7kIecNvhLzjxuMcC0eevwO1584V697s1YuM0DU2f8_qcBag10LhoyEXKKwCyKshqzFLOCntPXP8PcL9c/s4608/IMG_20240201_153615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAVFgYVw-TuWRGr34IyzQzYeoU682EmFwmSw2B79s65_j1geYvQN_OdhZyf0z1RMhyW4Xck6eDqXbdEWg8LdmKBG0AfNt5-Eoi7qLL4KY5cm7kIecNvhLzjxuMcC0eevwO1584V697s1YuM0DU2f8_qcBag10LhoyEXKKwCyKshqzFLOCntPXP8PcL9c/w300-h400/IMG_20240201_153615.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Despite the sharks, we managed to get enough for supper. These we grilled with some seasoning and were even better than the porgies the night before! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh7tpQew7-6oreKf567DxqEGv7VgIdO5PXM_E0nfxtfRy5BDluC9uRzzWAA8zdB4SK2ELu9eMWcbXnSNzRG-3aJQqSDz-hKjYKLJ8WZfOff8AHq5waXmC_yqTmvnEAu-vQEpuVuJEIHtm-_-CkwXjPt7caYpkO40k-wVm14S-8albmXa-is5ShzW-iHg/s4608/IMG_20240201_164819_BURST001_COVER%5B2375%5Da.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh7tpQew7-6oreKf567DxqEGv7VgIdO5PXM_E0nfxtfRy5BDluC9uRzzWAA8zdB4SK2ELu9eMWcbXnSNzRG-3aJQqSDz-hKjYKLJ8WZfOff8AHq5waXmC_yqTmvnEAu-vQEpuVuJEIHtm-_-CkwXjPt7caYpkO40k-wVm14S-8albmXa-is5ShzW-iHg/w400-h300/IMG_20240201_164819_BURST001_COVER%5B2375%5Da.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">We had a great two days in Big Pine, Dan and Mary were great hosts and provided us with a lot of "firsts" that we will never forget. But alas, it is time to move on. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">This stop marks what we are considering our halfway mark of our trip. We now turn north and are headed to Fort Myer's where more adventures await. Hopefully our lives will be soap opera free, filled with more fish, fun and firsts!</span></p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-53505224557717167932024-01-27T07:07:00.000-08:002024-01-27T07:07:02.808-08:00The East Coast of Florida<p> I don't complain often, but right now I am tired and crabby. Operating on just a few hours of sleep makes Jim not a happy camper. We had been happy up to this last stop. In fact, we were having a blast. </p><p>After leaving Forrest and family in Savannah, we continued south to Brunswick. We were going to visit Jekyll Island, but a friend suggested St. Simons so we went there instead. We had visited Jekyll last time we were in the area, so we thought we would try something new. </p><p>Our first stop was Fort Frederica. There is a dozen or so forts like this scattered along the coast dating back to the mid 1700's. What I find interesting about these forts is what they were built out of. Looking at them for the first time, I thought they were built out of a manmade material of seashells and some kind of concrete. I later learned that I was not that far off, but it is natural, not manmade. </p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquina">Coquina</a> is a sedimentary rock of all things ocean; seashells mostly. They were able to cut it into slabs and build the forts out of it. Much of it is still standing, hundreds of years later. Very interesting. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO3tVquCm8bDdToCDjDNcX_hrVJqWqQDCr4ZuMNfPgZyX5TlmqUNg1zNwrbCpC89X31e4XtfVXWDmE5yW_VVip3uS0X2F-hBc4Uve7SoWFy9S3nmrxfyP_7qJtkyTyjgKd1OBEswMIXpej2iaP26HKOLONoxcwWKGCOzY_vLxWDBxbgm9VtWgnqNailM/s4608/IMG_20240121_132843.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO3tVquCm8bDdToCDjDNcX_hrVJqWqQDCr4ZuMNfPgZyX5TlmqUNg1zNwrbCpC89X31e4XtfVXWDmE5yW_VVip3uS0X2F-hBc4Uve7SoWFy9S3nmrxfyP_7qJtkyTyjgKd1OBEswMIXpej2iaP26HKOLONoxcwWKGCOzY_vLxWDBxbgm9VtWgnqNailM/w400-h300/IMG_20240121_132843.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Some of the trees on the grounds were equally impressive dating back up to 300 years. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWfzCAhFmsfeMntKspvb8JDDtsQS7tRK_afVZ1e-H5-aIKV3QZU9bS_lh9vsuXIMpYxilX-z-BSmpgCjgxN0xxbHeoHuSbtg04UvaRfl4eUUIWM8lt02Qlwu9M688IitaKg_edsXLxSxT8JPwTyeilhMWU5JkOOLFbDDTFJ08pvlZ0fRrfzjoySUpPVc/s4608/IMG_20240121_132940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWfzCAhFmsfeMntKspvb8JDDtsQS7tRK_afVZ1e-H5-aIKV3QZU9bS_lh9vsuXIMpYxilX-z-BSmpgCjgxN0xxbHeoHuSbtg04UvaRfl4eUUIWM8lt02Qlwu9M688IitaKg_edsXLxSxT8JPwTyeilhMWU5JkOOLFbDDTFJ08pvlZ0fRrfzjoySUpPVc/w300-h400/IMG_20240121_132940.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We drove to the other end of the island where we walked the waterfront and saw the lighthouse. Whenever we are in places like this Barb peeks at the real estate prices, not because we are looking to buy, but to see how much out of our price range the houses are. Very few houses were under a million and if they were, they were fixer uppers. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDJqFxyHjKTBg9ffUhGyx4q9SW5Ie76F7Ws62jrD6MPWI47QkW5nsNj0NYD_dzb4SfjrpKqQS2Affnf40r87m3EeYsH6Yokn_trTtsMyxJudbgi1sbZ4oF7bhGKc0tx7OjlE-9zcsynA2nhmiYaqA86l9H6_kuF260yrm9SJA0qWCDcpFMQUo73MbxDY/s4000/P1200176.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDJqFxyHjKTBg9ffUhGyx4q9SW5Ie76F7Ws62jrD6MPWI47QkW5nsNj0NYD_dzb4SfjrpKqQS2Affnf40r87m3EeYsH6Yokn_trTtsMyxJudbgi1sbZ4oF7bhGKc0tx7OjlE-9zcsynA2nhmiYaqA86l9H6_kuF260yrm9SJA0qWCDcpFMQUo73MbxDY/w300-h400/P1200176.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuxW0xYkbeYdtvHorPs2b77n3Te3hLZdMHnQlE4XiebxQSLkcOu6lNa8PT14gnI6X_RwSYIATn5cCi3SlkE5rcyst_WY24hdpdZo1c5tsBh3RkDzJw3gq07yCus5slqo2xbKjVFXePq3AOXsb7BuyneBOXI3EqPjqHJd550LP_iPpo_-cpRxBRQQLyKY/s4000/P1200178.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuxW0xYkbeYdtvHorPs2b77n3Te3hLZdMHnQlE4XiebxQSLkcOu6lNa8PT14gnI6X_RwSYIATn5cCi3SlkE5rcyst_WY24hdpdZo1c5tsBh3RkDzJw3gq07yCus5slqo2xbKjVFXePq3AOXsb7BuyneBOXI3EqPjqHJd550LP_iPpo_-cpRxBRQQLyKY/w400-h300/P1200178.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We spent the night in one of the sketchiest Walmart's we have in a while. I can tell you for certainty, that Brunswick has a drug problem and most of the deals are taking place right in that parking lot. Some genius based their operation out of a beat-up Class A right there in the lot, about 15 yards from us. Car after car approached this RV, stopping for a few seconds before taking off again. We were never in any danger, but it did give us something to watch. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The next day we headed to the St. Augustine area in Florida. Our friends Dan and Jeanie were driving over from their place in Dunnellon to hang out with us for a few days. They were staying at the Hampton Inn right on the beach. We were just going to wing it and find someplace to stay at night. That is the beauty of a truck camper, you can usually find a place to park at night. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Our goal for the next few days? To fish and check out St. Augustine. We met Dan and Jeanie at Vilano Beach, after saying hello, they went and checked into their hotel. When they came back Jeanie hands me a parking pass saying that the clerk said we stay right in the Hampton parking lot! So, we tucked into the corner and called that home for the next couple of nights. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgyTtCdXjP5KuD87GPD5oRInLXCUCdyDJ2Ckj2vaZIxmeXLTNR1vwEgF1ay8UqXab6unAjNwL-nGLQhBlgttBwwMm49q4r1CScdqdoiO_PWe3fDe1HjxhNDnfEdn2u-oaOpM_4xUtNdn8wkul43k6UQr1-j9jPAO-pHqItX43gjbrjERq7L1wRPCVu60/s640/IMG_2807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="640" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgyTtCdXjP5KuD87GPD5oRInLXCUCdyDJ2Ckj2vaZIxmeXLTNR1vwEgF1ay8UqXab6unAjNwL-nGLQhBlgttBwwMm49q4r1CScdqdoiO_PWe3fDe1HjxhNDnfEdn2u-oaOpM_4xUtNdn8wkul43k6UQr1-j9jPAO-pHqItX43gjbrjERq7L1wRPCVu60/w400-h370/IMG_2807.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Neither Dan nor I had been surf fishing before so we wanted to see if we could figure that out. Dan had bought and brought all the rods, reels and equipment to do it, so off to the beach we went!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQKgsm2J8PbdZVvgrPdkrsoEpJ7qtIbYQs0tBYVMZSscI3omF_OyTAbRD8BhKp1o5Ymo5jeaziXUF0itg21GiszJB-ykaGFYC7f6Sv6zdltvEinlG1KKI2mSLa-E2dN0NnS_7YAGxAjMBTbis0WO-IVon4YJEUhdUbswy_r8-8_ZhvsFZZDlcotGr08Y/s640/IMG_2810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQKgsm2J8PbdZVvgrPdkrsoEpJ7qtIbYQs0tBYVMZSscI3omF_OyTAbRD8BhKp1o5Ymo5jeaziXUF0itg21GiszJB-ykaGFYC7f6Sv6zdltvEinlG1KKI2mSLa-E2dN0NnS_7YAGxAjMBTbis0WO-IVon4YJEUhdUbswy_r8-8_ZhvsFZZDlcotGr08Y/w300-h400/IMG_2810.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDcJIPXbIv7ldSxLYCUTcZlPWni3StB3xsDya1ckpAPUrsxA5IYWx-DrSwvgg5J44NRSasH3MLi93_HTQCGnjytzambnSF8GDuUDNtgyiO5Le2p3iwNf___gSyiQwhf_ko7iOtOavqsM12DWDTPnf4_yWXMsAnmSgz0UnIowW9aTvLe9bZPvtSABLRac/s4000/P1200206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDcJIPXbIv7ldSxLYCUTcZlPWni3StB3xsDya1ckpAPUrsxA5IYWx-DrSwvgg5J44NRSasH3MLi93_HTQCGnjytzambnSF8GDuUDNtgyiO5Le2p3iwNf___gSyiQwhf_ko7iOtOavqsM12DWDTPnf4_yWXMsAnmSgz0UnIowW9aTvLe9bZPvtSABLRac/w400-h300/P1200206.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDP8_gRqSqsnX1qhes13Yt7SdAMiImzkhROPmULUwkD47BXiBFj2fZgp1xPb0i5YojuEKcN1LerzOOF-E-Lj7qn44eUm81VJleF0XThjqEhLDwYN81iWKIiPk4FiSKAaolWnpqKE2QNdo_ANcrnhzk6b-PEP11mH7_L17OMa1vVw9NwmfL5PcHKhAtTM/s4000/P1200186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDP8_gRqSqsnX1qhes13Yt7SdAMiImzkhROPmULUwkD47BXiBFj2fZgp1xPb0i5YojuEKcN1LerzOOF-E-Lj7qn44eUm81VJleF0XThjqEhLDwYN81iWKIiPk4FiSKAaolWnpqKE2QNdo_ANcrnhzk6b-PEP11mH7_L17OMa1vVw9NwmfL5PcHKhAtTM/w400-h300/P1200186.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We learned a lot. Our very first lesson came when we baited the hooks and walked to the edge of the surf to cast out lines out. The lesson? Put your bait away before you walk away from it to cast out your line. When we walked away, birds immediately landed on it and gobbled up the rest of the bait!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YZqyMW-ZL0S3vhxU_9rtvzdDFB93GJXrU1gBMXbNJTzHm_0RjSB6zB8YEzX6NvHseoZqkRpBsHKDONYT4BIVXMoJqB9omPxi26fBeZPC1Bd5n0ekqFEyRqm5-vdxiPl2PYJz-8b81hkv1TqWgICaMy3DcICDB4mgi0JgIHLiqoECKB-WuxnYj2ipKVY/s3248/P1200256.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2886" data-original-width="3248" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YZqyMW-ZL0S3vhxU_9rtvzdDFB93GJXrU1gBMXbNJTzHm_0RjSB6zB8YEzX6NvHseoZqkRpBsHKDONYT4BIVXMoJqB9omPxi26fBeZPC1Bd5n0ekqFEyRqm5-vdxiPl2PYJz-8b81hkv1TqWgICaMy3DcICDB4mgi0JgIHLiqoECKB-WuxnYj2ipKVY/w400-h355/P1200256.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Speaking of birds, we had our first Wood Stork sighting. What an odd bird. It just followed us around and hung out while we fished. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQMExFxGBn_0z_WyudEGB0m79kRBqoVLpMBUTb1jM-c9rwLrAviFm81aKf-ckcViiPKoJENIkb2TBpY_K5M1adjV2uQCIv5zdr3eXeV6HoXElJeop9bKPHS__PEiJWOQKZJElJq0gzXS0QsVdXvDTReTWsXaBmsdhj_HxF9hIgswGXAgIFWE6YytSB4o/s4000/P1200246.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQMExFxGBn_0z_WyudEGB0m79kRBqoVLpMBUTb1jM-c9rwLrAviFm81aKf-ckcViiPKoJENIkb2TBpY_K5M1adjV2uQCIv5zdr3eXeV6HoXElJeop9bKPHS__PEiJWOQKZJElJq0gzXS0QsVdXvDTReTWsXaBmsdhj_HxF9hIgswGXAgIFWE6YytSB4o/w300-h400/P1200246.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmreEKFd6Jlcepb4mKoMxrpjMXv-g6M0ZkMa1JDVkvhsTjkTn3Xfoaok_WFu3cxegKjCE7cfEkyhyphenhyphenAF1knDtayd93y85h1jMUB3Io0kMQ6_RzvpFmnHPOYe6ZuAjbe2vNLyWecmkbskYu6no2w9gL5NVnjK34uFzShCIqPi2h1YJ4rhWC3iADuDqML3s/s4000/P1200255.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmreEKFd6Jlcepb4mKoMxrpjMXv-g6M0ZkMa1JDVkvhsTjkTn3Xfoaok_WFu3cxegKjCE7cfEkyhyphenhyphenAF1knDtayd93y85h1jMUB3Io0kMQ6_RzvpFmnHPOYe6ZuAjbe2vNLyWecmkbskYu6no2w9gL5NVnjK34uFzShCIqPi2h1YJ4rhWC3iADuDqML3s/w400-h300/P1200255.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">There were also a lot of gulls and osprey overhead as well. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn59GrKQzxPMqW1UvmuWnwyFixkcFJrVjNc0bB0lQM72PWDY3odlwV1PWXt6cvTtJVenDVkTZZPe6eWNfMSW0cfumr0vKwnTqJKcF4-1C_aTfGQb8Q77W-Sg39e5ZotJWWNLcBj-e6hOLyOu-LqUEoZMxZTnezWJ33c9TF07cqKgLmqcDEsy3H3hhC1uw/s2257/P1200251.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1931" data-original-width="2257" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn59GrKQzxPMqW1UvmuWnwyFixkcFJrVjNc0bB0lQM72PWDY3odlwV1PWXt6cvTtJVenDVkTZZPe6eWNfMSW0cfumr0vKwnTqJKcF4-1C_aTfGQb8Q77W-Sg39e5ZotJWWNLcBj-e6hOLyOu-LqUEoZMxZTnezWJ33c9TF07cqKgLmqcDEsy3H3hhC1uw/w400-h343/P1200251.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn45jWV8KbIIa_G0MbX4TsxqxRXXL3fxNlMrZHkNhUJ0Etp1bnBXV0BtbmHY5M2yCZPzwsZFaYUebNdlUKWV7AVTcEgYrbGb7BJqlzDxYNdHn0269lTwXQHYC9pJbt3iQuYZVo5kmrlcVWJIczsKAgmlRwNXjWbbCRjzl-i589e3ybXg7jCbhbFVxAoUc/s3254/P1200248.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2851" data-original-width="3254" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn45jWV8KbIIa_G0MbX4TsxqxRXXL3fxNlMrZHkNhUJ0Etp1bnBXV0BtbmHY5M2yCZPzwsZFaYUebNdlUKWV7AVTcEgYrbGb7BJqlzDxYNdHn0269lTwXQHYC9pJbt3iQuYZVo5kmrlcVWJIczsKAgmlRwNXjWbbCRjzl-i589e3ybXg7jCbhbFVxAoUc/w400-h350/P1200248.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The fish were just not cooperating. We packed it in for the night and decided to get up bright and early to see if the morning bite was any better. It was not. We then headed over to the local pier to try our luck at pier fishing. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Eghbh-8Q6Y_xyq6fZVP_IJ5PCKcsP9GyHAQj7byMWUigf_VdpvuDtzZEfGlemRT2CTIIb7CR78OkhmRYSadjMaaCRuP8opvNJQ4Y_gcFTEcktxx373VWxIV0iDviJjfgRct18_Vdm-mUG4Ys_lveZXGiHatPMDy2ZFIGZ31SsEfAZ3zi5e3YGAZcQrk/s4608/IMG_20240123_094610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Eghbh-8Q6Y_xyq6fZVP_IJ5PCKcsP9GyHAQj7byMWUigf_VdpvuDtzZEfGlemRT2CTIIb7CR78OkhmRYSadjMaaCRuP8opvNJQ4Y_gcFTEcktxx373VWxIV0iDviJjfgRct18_Vdm-mUG4Ys_lveZXGiHatPMDy2ZFIGZ31SsEfAZ3zi5e3YGAZcQrk/w300-h400/IMG_20240123_094610.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Nope, nothing going on there either. If it was any consolation, the other fisherman were not catching anything either. It wasn't. Dejected we headed into town to drown our sorrows at the St. Augustine Distillery. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgpUweasPn3_HrPJVi6IQUaK9kJM8yzQPq_KFKIkZxRZYNCu7Ou5t_rlraOB01LZ3iNN0wehN3racFm9XynGPSvKR-Cy-F57OyrA4vAbgbcyuUHi5gcmWaxd2AyLSfMfeHzgR-1rYszBsDWz6U8rL_8DTLLsdsxMo-JQaD0SYulpMdPZXd5HwsgUH3Oc/s4608/IMG_20240123_142735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgpUweasPn3_HrPJVi6IQUaK9kJM8yzQPq_KFKIkZxRZYNCu7Ou5t_rlraOB01LZ3iNN0wehN3racFm9XynGPSvKR-Cy-F57OyrA4vAbgbcyuUHi5gcmWaxd2AyLSfMfeHzgR-1rYszBsDWz6U8rL_8DTLLsdsxMo-JQaD0SYulpMdPZXd5HwsgUH3Oc/w400-h300/IMG_20240123_142735.jpg" width="400" /></a>\</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">\<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLH76564IvFzDfYc_nK1mHnvmah4ljeIc5JpMLOKXEX-etTEXKspmrc5aIv5P3Fm-6chSOjEYQMbdqFDotaIOBzQ1lJWLgEXjMkgw-fl2dL_TI6UJ4mzEm4V5oFVAtjeQKsWYGRupQeE1iWUSesz7t-GMrW_L4fo5hfJK0Ks8BdPKWzJOHNUVvNvHB2M/s640/IMG_2825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLH76564IvFzDfYc_nK1mHnvmah4ljeIc5JpMLOKXEX-etTEXKspmrc5aIv5P3Fm-6chSOjEYQMbdqFDotaIOBzQ1lJWLgEXjMkgw-fl2dL_TI6UJ4mzEm4V5oFVAtjeQKsWYGRupQeE1iWUSesz7t-GMrW_L4fo5hfJK0Ks8BdPKWzJOHNUVvNvHB2M/w300-h400/IMG_2825.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDeC0kqUC8QxxB5-Axjss_8rVU5N2akaAAFdXIhTv9_vajz3SnyoSB82QIm0Q3P8vCQBNhXF2f-Ca5zq8E1L8saCchVBrQL4e5rR8cS5n_gE-byy7UvxNH80USvNqyWDAayEe2C09CsYxqr4QRpev8UlF8057jjZeTgp-N96rLK1xBqYYUJHA5Cg3N80/s640/IMG_2844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDeC0kqUC8QxxB5-Axjss_8rVU5N2akaAAFdXIhTv9_vajz3SnyoSB82QIm0Q3P8vCQBNhXF2f-Ca5zq8E1L8saCchVBrQL4e5rR8cS5n_gE-byy7UvxNH80USvNqyWDAayEe2C09CsYxqr4QRpev8UlF8057jjZeTgp-N96rLK1xBqYYUJHA5Cg3N80/w300-h400/IMG_2844.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The tour was free and it was pretty cool. They had different taster stations set up throughout the distillery offering both mixed tasters as well as the straight product. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJFzxohCPbC-fWTdr9ac5MGY6UyfrTF8cHTDoOM3lfxbN6lV_X57z2B0r7rUWkGOiCJDcRphU0cOQje5KykgCiDoJC5taP9FfWagNwt8mBl4bVC-r3aF7p945lM2HqC9DQuL9JhCLo-k1vE-W3D4Ej1T99IgLq7YzA0EikyjmmHOV3XMaRlE_hVra5bo/s4608/IMG_20240123_120823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJFzxohCPbC-fWTdr9ac5MGY6UyfrTF8cHTDoOM3lfxbN6lV_X57z2B0r7rUWkGOiCJDcRphU0cOQje5KykgCiDoJC5taP9FfWagNwt8mBl4bVC-r3aF7p945lM2HqC9DQuL9JhCLo-k1vE-W3D4Ej1T99IgLq7YzA0EikyjmmHOV3XMaRlE_hVra5bo/w400-h300/IMG_20240123_120823.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CWWk2pv6ey_Yr-9qjFNnmn3cxiSVeixpKGxeI_cjyLpzH6fR3YueX_UBcO5zXSeJikdEhQN5TlPOhsyWQDNDZbKBefrpTlRotxrSOdCfaOIoM_bFOoM7PA_nBGmegFvKHUwZUeNtt47O1XK1aFJvDf7bYcaz3-fnXtpJpBtx_nH_VNTdeE7CcKbxj6E/s640/IMG_2834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="640" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CWWk2pv6ey_Yr-9qjFNnmn3cxiSVeixpKGxeI_cjyLpzH6fR3YueX_UBcO5zXSeJikdEhQN5TlPOhsyWQDNDZbKBefrpTlRotxrSOdCfaOIoM_bFOoM7PA_nBGmegFvKHUwZUeNtt47O1XK1aFJvDf7bYcaz3-fnXtpJpBtx_nH_VNTdeE7CcKbxj6E/w400-h263/IMG_2834.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwegi6_oXJurHu163-I5wnlTu0UX7fKQ0J8QuDhUgvzPYFBhifey8IP4QwKb3_7QhO4kxQhEYFPYfeA2y4F8nk89pVzEKSTA0yZVdEybxA4BwvpIp5vaop05gDlnWHXO3n5jIbx1yL-a5yPZhKlCdUrvz3s_7UU4Fibs_xHPPineHEKuWXTxvrG9qOEA/s4608/IMG_20240123_120414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwegi6_oXJurHu163-I5wnlTu0UX7fKQ0J8QuDhUgvzPYFBhifey8IP4QwKb3_7QhO4kxQhEYFPYfeA2y4F8nk89pVzEKSTA0yZVdEybxA4BwvpIp5vaop05gDlnWHXO3n5jIbx1yL-a5yPZhKlCdUrvz3s_7UU4Fibs_xHPPineHEKuWXTxvrG9qOEA/w400-h300/IMG_20240123_120414.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After a tour and tastings, we were still dejected so we headed over to San Sebastian Winery for a tour and tasting which apparently no one took any pictures at. Then it was into the historic district of St. Augustine to walk the streets. But wait? What is this? City Gate Distillery? Of course we have to stop! We picked up a bottle of Cookie Dough Whiskey. Sounds horrible, but it actually quite delicious! By then we had worked up a hunger, so we walked down to the famous <a href="https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/historic-district-st-augustine">Columbia</a> restaurant for an early supper. The Columbia offers authentic cuban cuisine. It was very good!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After supper we walked down to the old fort. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkuwPwrUwrFDZ4wP-Ez_dkZ9F5_5yFJiDPyAeJT-E4v5flr9DqN7MsqAGqfHL5tXOdYu4iBMpGCG_V2jYo6FrbaAZgCmv4zImGsZIyUeggTO4ta6Z0FuqjeS8L4lBObPQS8EkLbWqI8gn9S4Mugqbkegqqij2jI7mojGeJyVwaTvb6Jp53YBfAMhpsCo/s4608/IMG_20240123_143303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkuwPwrUwrFDZ4wP-Ez_dkZ9F5_5yFJiDPyAeJT-E4v5flr9DqN7MsqAGqfHL5tXOdYu4iBMpGCG_V2jYo6FrbaAZgCmv4zImGsZIyUeggTO4ta6Z0FuqjeS8L4lBObPQS8EkLbWqI8gn9S4Mugqbkegqqij2jI7mojGeJyVwaTvb6Jp53YBfAMhpsCo/w400-h300/IMG_20240123_143303.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXFtaG-wfikTuE0rozLQUPKj4X5D6wHowpFw0ZBxqr8qXjwkzyO9Yo8791L0aoR8ebuD8byrsI-0vppEfZif8l2sVRirHAMBIGhyphenhyphen4qcM4EG0Yj_DFieKfneDE9HNIR1VYo-6vLS-v-onouZck1WpVidvZRE2PLKHHyz67x2iS9q0oxs9fM7BBCAlBTFY/s2592/IMG_20240123_142954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXFtaG-wfikTuE0rozLQUPKj4X5D6wHowpFw0ZBxqr8qXjwkzyO9Yo8791L0aoR8ebuD8byrsI-0vppEfZif8l2sVRirHAMBIGhyphenhyphen4qcM4EG0Yj_DFieKfneDE9HNIR1VYo-6vLS-v-onouZck1WpVidvZRE2PLKHHyz67x2iS9q0oxs9fM7BBCAlBTFY/w400-h300/IMG_20240123_142954.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did not have time to take the tour, but even walking around the outside was fascinating. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One more walk on the beach the next morning and we hit the road headed further south. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IZYCol6MyL6S_OPzBtHJ7STjtoA2wSNLZSoU6r63lg5tiNPkQJIrDvNQjd324dxhTbgzLM2RiRj7pqopBYsVh5N44GdI0D398ARKe2PKe9V-dDij9tCIcilEsnlkTp4zB28G09WbwiinMRb_XLEtQ-lcpWlBgaZ2RXiy8sAOyYXEs5fM_Osax-Fho70/s3642/IMG_20240124_073723~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2943" data-original-width="3642" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IZYCol6MyL6S_OPzBtHJ7STjtoA2wSNLZSoU6r63lg5tiNPkQJIrDvNQjd324dxhTbgzLM2RiRj7pqopBYsVh5N44GdI0D398ARKe2PKe9V-dDij9tCIcilEsnlkTp4zB28G09WbwiinMRb_XLEtQ-lcpWlBgaZ2RXiy8sAOyYXEs5fM_Osax-Fho70/w400-h324/IMG_20240124_073723~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6Mc8LJfdpvKVOp_sK8EnL78Dz0oqNaMJ3PgPprQvQyDdG5eVb9wTcL9_1YIcUeS_v0BlthkQ5eqvC02J3P4mNvZ78OFRujruxyVo08Z7RcDq2Bhx9psdkXKV7oOHeDmBuZFi6J5NXnYHnqzqV2pi6tP0jyIuJaaOyoYPsGKbX6fE_Ajra94spPJiyEw/s640/IMG_2847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6Mc8LJfdpvKVOp_sK8EnL78Dz0oqNaMJ3PgPprQvQyDdG5eVb9wTcL9_1YIcUeS_v0BlthkQ5eqvC02J3P4mNvZ78OFRujruxyVo08Z7RcDq2Bhx9psdkXKV7oOHeDmBuZFi6J5NXnYHnqzqV2pi6tP0jyIuJaaOyoYPsGKbX6fE_Ajra94spPJiyEw/w300-h400/IMG_2847.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnRAFC6ifZAwi3fSpbYroN6sw8pfTQnBY4UvDq4NV3FIZHpdUzdGnPuGo3HFQ0kf1UzIXao57bzDyK9-nB8vCiAKJnTAmHx7Ul6QQ5M8BE3C-8tlkNB3i-CG0MwBLwTYOANG8Otq2BHF0yWvAFc_rgwmAZWXgquxZVHiZPNXpDbxJdddxBC7PvO7aKt8/s480/422695460_1549019959193252_8408978626476106396_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnRAFC6ifZAwi3fSpbYroN6sw8pfTQnBY4UvDq4NV3FIZHpdUzdGnPuGo3HFQ0kf1UzIXao57bzDyK9-nB8vCiAKJnTAmHx7Ul6QQ5M8BE3C-8tlkNB3i-CG0MwBLwTYOANG8Otq2BHF0yWvAFc_rgwmAZWXgquxZVHiZPNXpDbxJdddxBC7PvO7aKt8/w300-h400/422695460_1549019959193252_8408978626476106396_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">But we did not go our separate ways. Dan wanted to try one more fishing spot about an hour down the road at Flagler Beach. The results you ask? Well, let's just say, the fish won this round as well. I still have yet to figure out this surf fishing. Our "Adventures with Dan and Jeanie" portion of our east coast tour complete, we parted ways and headed in different directions. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barb and I carried on south while they headed back to Dunnellon. We stopped by <a href="https://www.rustysseafood.com/">Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar</a> in Port Canaveral for a late lunch. This place was recommended by our friends Jim and Diana who have wintered in Melbourne Beach for years. It did not disappoint!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our destination for the next three nights was Long Point Park just south of Melbourne Beach. Our plans were to meet with Jim and Diana down here. They have been wintering down here for 7 seasons, but when they heard we were headed this way and were going to visit, they decided they would rather endure the cold Michigan winter than see us so they did not come down this year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That brings us to now, we are in the last day of our stay here. At first I thought we would love it. It is a remote park. Reasonable at ~$50/night. Quiet and it offers a lot of fishing opportunities. In fact, that is all we did while we were here. We got out the inflatable kayak and hit the water! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not being experienced saltwater fisher-people we did not know exactly what to do, but we tossed some live shrimp into the mangrove bushes and it was not long before Barb had her first fish on! It was a Whiting. We had to buy a cheat sheet at the local bait shop just to know what we were catching. She also caught a sea trout and a catfish which left me a bloody mess by the time I unhooked it and got it back into the water. All told, Barb caught 5 fish to my 1, a typical day fishing for us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch I went out by myself for an hour and caught quite a few. Black Drum, Mangrove Snapper, and a Jack Carvelle that pulled the kayak around before I finally landed it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCdwDcacDwBOTanxS02oHaSvue_WYlZLr6IH7IGSp2rGLaFAatsH1G8toWOD1jda-XulE3QdFlG_fv0SNbpdLzaF0jcmsSW3bAXulyf58JzHFqMUFCeOPu1_Pwh1HI6SfMfiqvUEuHjZ4hjlSNdBUe2X8WqRjSI9M0DMoaZij_Gu5MyC5i2svWLQhPdA/s2048/420242990_1420949375174640_557784743257540536_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCdwDcacDwBOTanxS02oHaSvue_WYlZLr6IH7IGSp2rGLaFAatsH1G8toWOD1jda-XulE3QdFlG_fv0SNbpdLzaF0jcmsSW3bAXulyf58JzHFqMUFCeOPu1_Pwh1HI6SfMfiqvUEuHjZ4hjlSNdBUe2X8WqRjSI9M0DMoaZij_Gu5MyC5i2svWLQhPdA/w300-h400/420242990_1420949375174640_557784743257540536_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXBH-iaCjVAbi_8cNm8fFG3IlSXGN83HsY6iL9AizkfRi0QU3c2EaQLMWl1FO_fmKkoi0j28tvUS-RkQ26rnfZIJ4rgpnxSRN67iNyIFr3MYC3lyg-9dbBDURnwKScNA0rV6K83llWvk-usWQXhXxTJMgB2WekHnCDpSGNyp0MM4wF9ePwpO36SzLja4/s2048/422651835_6921169591326079_7165799621909561691_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXBH-iaCjVAbi_8cNm8fFG3IlSXGN83HsY6iL9AizkfRi0QU3c2EaQLMWl1FO_fmKkoi0j28tvUS-RkQ26rnfZIJ4rgpnxSRN67iNyIFr3MYC3lyg-9dbBDURnwKScNA0rV6K83llWvk-usWQXhXxTJMgB2WekHnCDpSGNyp0MM4wF9ePwpO36SzLja4/w300-h400/422651835_6921169591326079_7165799621909561691_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Barb came and joined me after a while, she quickly caught a few more fish taking the lead back. The coolest part of the afternoon were the dolphins. 3 or 4 swam by us a couple of times within feet of the boat. The problem was we could never get any good pictures of them! They would surface and be gone before I could put the pole down and grab the camera. Very cool to see though. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we first arrived in the area, we thought "This is someplace we could spend the winter". Barb even went as far as researching monthly prices at the park. That all changed when the sun started to set and we started to feel all these little pin pricks on our legs, arms and necks. We could not see anything, but we knew what it was. They don't call them no-see-ums for nothing. Anyway they attacked Barb like crazy. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that Barb blows up like an Umpalumpa.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We retreated inside to escape them, but these little buggers are so small, they were making it through the screens! We started a Thermacell, which helped but they still attacked us both all night long making for a miserably sleepless night. Barb has been taking Benadryl, putting on hydrocortisone, but nothing seems to be helping. So, what we thought was our paradise has turned into our nightmare. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is fine during the day, but at night it is a terror. We leave today and carry on south. Hopefully our next stop is bug-free, and we get a good night's sleep! Looks like we might be without cell in internet at our next stop so we will not be able to keep up with reading blogs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, I will leave you with this calm and soothing video I took of the surf at sunrise in Vilano Beach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwMzhiiscPYOCMxX4Z2Woyq00lRSJfRzWKY1n2DSaxj2rUX8oWewvAbk7Gr2Y2sdA7tRnrRLm2-8vMGZEpqSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com84tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-24596327754485412462024-01-20T06:34:00.000-08:002024-01-20T06:41:00.414-08:00Savannah; Beaches, Breweries and a Birthday!<p> We had another birthday this week when our little baby turned 37. Funny how I forget what I did yesterday but remember this event 37 years ago like it <i>was </i>yesterday! It was a Saturday; we were driving from our apartment in New Richmond Wisconsin to my dad's in Shell Lake. The drive is a little over an hour. We were about 1/2 way there, when Barb started having really bad contractions. We turned around, a short time later, Forrest was born. We have never been broker than we were back then, but we were happy, everything was new and we had our whole lives in front of us. </p><p>We did not know the gender prior to the birth, something I think very few people do anymore. Gender reveal parties are now the rage so rather than be surprised at the birth, expectant parents gather together with all their friends and family and make a party out of it. Did you know the gender of your child(ren) before they were born?</p><p>Speaking of surprises. I had a surprise when I went to empty our black tank the other day. For those of you unfamiliar with RV'ing, the black tank contains everything from the toilet. We had stopped by Camperworld to use their dump station which was a broken off pipe in the middle of the parking lot in the back, near their service area. No water available to rinse, or wash anything when you are done, just a hole in the asphalt. </p><p>So I pull up, get my hose, hook everything up and pulled the tank lever. Apparently, I had not used this hose in a while and when the "liquid" started down the hose I quickly found out it had a dozen or so pin holes in it resulting in something that looked like a sprinkler hose you would use in your garden! I quickly turned it off and switched to my back up hose, but the damage had already been done. I used my outdoor shower to clean it up the best I could, but there was only so much I could do. Camperworld really should provide a water source at their dump stations! </p><p>Now, for this week's edition of Find the Frenchie! This is a tough one, you may really have to zoom in. Don't worry if you cannot find it, I have a picture near the end that shows exactly where she is. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HtMbL6Dy2RkQLZFj_HQsHTV4-gyTzqRKcl4BvO0pIrAv571H0X2UzZNVwv0fLRIYwHH8uPTK5FgqgEZHASZIIo3LzxK55Br-f0MNuuQ7Ei2AMLgePvtSk7_62DOYF4dq1vdyCHG2vGs9zcbTyfiXIvhaqI-ttxMk37gR1vD9neJrlx-4bQP0oyf5XWs/s647/IMG_20240119_122504_01a.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HtMbL6Dy2RkQLZFj_HQsHTV4-gyTzqRKcl4BvO0pIrAv571H0X2UzZNVwv0fLRIYwHH8uPTK5FgqgEZHASZIIo3LzxK55Br-f0MNuuQ7Ei2AMLgePvtSk7_62DOYF4dq1vdyCHG2vGs9zcbTyfiXIvhaqI-ttxMk37gR1vD9neJrlx-4bQP0oyf5XWs/w334-h400/IMG_20240119_122504_01a.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">We got out on several adventures this week. The first was just Forrest, Lily, Barb and I while Somer was sleeping. We headed to the Hilton Head Beach to take in some sun and sand.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxkAArPSKroC-7fH5JpbI1l0DbeqfRRhl9R6D2UAKaiphhufuKxptDzwV4mqZLGchScWAlo3I_Zy-70XazimGnTv4su-Gwh9rwbj43Im1UK62Oy7CeC6M2ga6d0NPlMqQmy7Jb9F4m9xJ_sscCoohRsmFyFp0KMKIaXmI-MGAg_aQVqdQr9VAvKZyS0U/s4608/IMG_20240115_120216.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxkAArPSKroC-7fH5JpbI1l0DbeqfRRhl9R6D2UAKaiphhufuKxptDzwV4mqZLGchScWAlo3I_Zy-70XazimGnTv4su-Gwh9rwbj43Im1UK62Oy7CeC6M2ga6d0NPlMqQmy7Jb9F4m9xJ_sscCoohRsmFyFp0KMKIaXmI-MGAg_aQVqdQr9VAvKZyS0U/w300-h400/IMG_20240115_120216.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiM6ml3yJYBqWNK5vrcY5mOuHk3DAdEiDiAe0Q9_D80tzLnStQ9h0dMAzu_TrD9okpuaUFZqWCChXuQpMmJ8HPPb2yx7AD0KduBkEaSa1TPAcb8dmFZPyx7sE7sD9nm4rcTKlHxxj_3tgeqbPbwD4wZs998V7UuQiET_2Tl0FlaJf7-_zfapFWTAJNdU/s4608/IMG_20240115_122922.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiM6ml3yJYBqWNK5vrcY5mOuHk3DAdEiDiAe0Q9_D80tzLnStQ9h0dMAzu_TrD9okpuaUFZqWCChXuQpMmJ8HPPb2yx7AD0KduBkEaSa1TPAcb8dmFZPyx7sE7sD9nm4rcTKlHxxj_3tgeqbPbwD4wZs998V7UuQiET_2Tl0FlaJf7-_zfapFWTAJNdU/w300-h400/IMG_20240115_122922.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Those are my toes on the left, I think my last manicure turned out really well! Barb's, however, need a little work!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ViAplqhhJsAmZThG_A6kZ4YmEInBBeM6JyB3cn5ArjyNRnhOVmvvIJJ2FziVIsQlUb_0gVFp8OPJy3dBAeyvuDUwNaz9vEr-xPQfw5Zfr13B25tglbjU3VwWeICKmUv8KQ3oWUzk9_SDd1ImUU8QyPMWahBD-w4oNwhCvJKYkNaoZ8GaJX3G-fwx3ic/s4000/P1200132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ViAplqhhJsAmZThG_A6kZ4YmEInBBeM6JyB3cn5ArjyNRnhOVmvvIJJ2FziVIsQlUb_0gVFp8OPJy3dBAeyvuDUwNaz9vEr-xPQfw5Zfr13B25tglbjU3VwWeICKmUv8KQ3oWUzk9_SDd1ImUU8QyPMWahBD-w4oNwhCvJKYkNaoZ8GaJX3G-fwx3ic/w400-h300/P1200132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Forrest brought his metal detector. We looked for treasures but only came up with bottle caps, pull tabs and a few foil wrapped candy wrappers. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2a3vUeVfAgKXIbVc3lxp1JDfWFq3zeLjuI6CjEUKTzkqnczu1I4pIiABFTEJRqFzXxEGEsRXMFn4rhKaMP7YdmZJTEFJlmuQcOsAfFxkED5alqkV98uc9Jh7UNx9zlUkNIxgWLTWSVwtloLEOcP__QMxGUt1zfIJ02qjvlmPdnX3EFykwdjUaIarPOg/s4608/IMG_20240115_121001%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2a3vUeVfAgKXIbVc3lxp1JDfWFq3zeLjuI6CjEUKTzkqnczu1I4pIiABFTEJRqFzXxEGEsRXMFn4rhKaMP7YdmZJTEFJlmuQcOsAfFxkED5alqkV98uc9Jh7UNx9zlUkNIxgWLTWSVwtloLEOcP__QMxGUt1zfIJ02qjvlmPdnX3EFykwdjUaIarPOg/w300-h400/IMG_20240115_121001%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Then it was off to mini-golf!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMYTfrHuYNtrCPs2NQ6IjQq36jnelybpuvfoJkOfipXtl7Zgwb2AGuWAow8A-ruXL0buKvDKGfh1dusnZY5Im5QAOiHqiVc9zAefkVZuJXrXkUjeAme6x8gAKu99vx1dBgDx9tpTwS9cY-30GMYe9bhj_4yCbhurghEg0X52zax8Z3UEjP-nd9HGPaK4/s4608/IMG_20240115_150118%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMYTfrHuYNtrCPs2NQ6IjQq36jnelybpuvfoJkOfipXtl7Zgwb2AGuWAow8A-ruXL0buKvDKGfh1dusnZY5Im5QAOiHqiVc9zAefkVZuJXrXkUjeAme6x8gAKu99vx1dBgDx9tpTwS9cY-30GMYe9bhj_4yCbhurghEg0X52zax8Z3UEjP-nd9HGPaK4/w300-h400/IMG_20240115_150118%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We finished the day off with a stop at Hilton Head Brewery for a couple of cold beers and jumbo pretzels. </p><p>On Somer's first day off work we headed to the <a href="https://www.americanprohibitionmuseum.com/">Prohibition Museum in Savannah</a>. A very interesting time in our country's history. The older I get, the more I discover that our country has not progressed a lot in the past 100 years. The issues have changed, but the blowhards on both sides in Washington continue to push their agendas with regard to what is really good for the country. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4KDNbWlVWFBf1N3HmZsbgPt36mMz7jxGkfCST75rDZpq30mkLK7L50xjxnuSg0koQgUnt-q0cN4RPBVmZ-rR6w6w2LwsRWXDwNNoJsX4xLhgHAqLItbG5GvcemAUcrYdGXPV2ICINpsJJe9u0oKkkiWCu0otEDuBKv36TC41gge2BnpDxPqeCTfd1cA/s4608/IMG_20240116_141020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4KDNbWlVWFBf1N3HmZsbgPt36mMz7jxGkfCST75rDZpq30mkLK7L50xjxnuSg0koQgUnt-q0cN4RPBVmZ-rR6w6w2LwsRWXDwNNoJsX4xLhgHAqLItbG5GvcemAUcrYdGXPV2ICINpsJJe9u0oKkkiWCu0otEDuBKv36TC41gge2BnpDxPqeCTfd1cA/w400-h300/IMG_20240116_141020.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>The museum had displays depicting the time leading up to prohibition, during and after. The wax figures were very realistic.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXflRbI7x6OLpJ6W9f6-XtfQsJNZUYPANxk9Vb2nUxAT7I77_egZQpYJLhpU3WnMdGiannYHWJJ-d9EuIvfa_FSKI28_VMRQ5wfUPJGRMKlPOcra2o3YgO8Dv_NOYGJmke5pyM6-AosLEaNMIYQdDO8k6NtXrISCyfSWumUlKde7JukT111QZZl2z0V4/s4608/IMG_20240116_130736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXflRbI7x6OLpJ6W9f6-XtfQsJNZUYPANxk9Vb2nUxAT7I77_egZQpYJLhpU3WnMdGiannYHWJJ-d9EuIvfa_FSKI28_VMRQ5wfUPJGRMKlPOcra2o3YgO8Dv_NOYGJmke5pyM6-AosLEaNMIYQdDO8k6NtXrISCyfSWumUlKde7JukT111QZZl2z0V4/w400-h300/IMG_20240116_130736.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCajJ833NGzbMHXDANFjs2FTPhwdo7eMHB6K5U6XOoGaZjOUgcOezXMZY4QiuMM73QKJHyza_rI9rOv49gpyUMsD6gec4ZYh0h4VJotU-CVjNRuH2luNrqkGvghWA4rItH9DV0ycGrHG17HzeXXBuFrT5r7B2ap1DrhatTTUF57jZC9OpxOqcT9AoJ4E/s4608/IMG_20240116_132015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCajJ833NGzbMHXDANFjs2FTPhwdo7eMHB6K5U6XOoGaZjOUgcOezXMZY4QiuMM73QKJHyza_rI9rOv49gpyUMsD6gec4ZYh0h4VJotU-CVjNRuH2luNrqkGvghWA4rItH9DV0ycGrHG17HzeXXBuFrT5r7B2ap1DrhatTTUF57jZC9OpxOqcT9AoJ4E/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_132015.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_sXI0B9RIWWjiZ6soTlYfSxOFZ42L3lGsVrs-VOljLvW9yCelXDx500Le6Lc9TuDRESMeWIRQxGPNluCSx5PZLWypqh-JBHFkjo0fk3-gaCU-56LW7IqZIHBWe-0duYnt7T5-mUd51pbqm4wOFJGgkCWMKze6VuX9jEjk9f8dVTsbBqru1iA11xyjRQ/s4608/IMG_20240116_131430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_sXI0B9RIWWjiZ6soTlYfSxOFZ42L3lGsVrs-VOljLvW9yCelXDx500Le6Lc9TuDRESMeWIRQxGPNluCSx5PZLWypqh-JBHFkjo0fk3-gaCU-56LW7IqZIHBWe-0duYnt7T5-mUd51pbqm4wOFJGgkCWMKze6VuX9jEjk9f8dVTsbBqru1iA11xyjRQ/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_131430.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>From there, it was off to the Bonaventure Cemetary. In use since 1864, it is one of the oldest in the country and has some really spectacular headstones and monuments. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZWBj-leyDQjBF48orYaXFpbIILOb55TXy1fYmC_tyeu_ZXdL2XwVzQKWBHNFmqW7lmN_IKg0Z41DPCloApF1a6hRhNmENoEe0Bjshau-w79u4v-PvGX3hKuv-hHaH7OgW-CFUlS6Aj2VMha5qHPqduRuxP1gTzSPTaue4G1j910U0_Yi-YkMofEoE5w/s4608/IMG_20240116_152050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZWBj-leyDQjBF48orYaXFpbIILOb55TXy1fYmC_tyeu_ZXdL2XwVzQKWBHNFmqW7lmN_IKg0Z41DPCloApF1a6hRhNmENoEe0Bjshau-w79u4v-PvGX3hKuv-hHaH7OgW-CFUlS6Aj2VMha5qHPqduRuxP1gTzSPTaue4G1j910U0_Yi-YkMofEoE5w/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_152050.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5rx4eoFgF0V9erDrizxpudeTpgGA_UixXG6N26qfY2Mqm0mNw_Qk4kZiy1HfNMSzJqxx4HdKwM01jrIXy0KJBdCDxSEM0ITgoO24VNz6Jizqg1oqPUS79D7NwnY0X4T51CgcB5ipwXHscX3jMfiuAFXm3qQIJxpvpghPhyFpz9hW-Haec8vUPIFT8eM/s4608/IMG_20240116_153328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5rx4eoFgF0V9erDrizxpudeTpgGA_UixXG6N26qfY2Mqm0mNw_Qk4kZiy1HfNMSzJqxx4HdKwM01jrIXy0KJBdCDxSEM0ITgoO24VNz6Jizqg1oqPUS79D7NwnY0X4T51CgcB5ipwXHscX3jMfiuAFXm3qQIJxpvpghPhyFpz9hW-Haec8vUPIFT8eM/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_153328.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">One thing different about this one compared to others we have seen is the number of Family Plots. It seemed like the majority of them were large family plots that could hold up to a dozen or more burial sites. Some were filled, some were empty, some had only one or two sites used, where other family member decided to go elsewhere. There were a number of baby sites where the infants were a few days or few months old. Always sad to see, I can only imagine the hardship those parents went through. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVFKY643fff0VePeGmXdrgrVs-LaRUs0l7oOxAM29L81yzIt4ouvHLQhsA6IqI_QsivQ0rGKIrGAS_kikTcBe_ulOXjWzkXRSB3VvuI38s7cowol77Q8K_bn4Rxa1b7qesmaYvxgo-BbUyaefakgLvXV79E6Fj_26gRR8I2RQh35rdyb1mESB5ufdRxk/s2592/IMG_20240116_153305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVFKY643fff0VePeGmXdrgrVs-LaRUs0l7oOxAM29L81yzIt4ouvHLQhsA6IqI_QsivQ0rGKIrGAS_kikTcBe_ulOXjWzkXRSB3VvuI38s7cowol77Q8K_bn4Rxa1b7qesmaYvxgo-BbUyaefakgLvXV79E6Fj_26gRR8I2RQh35rdyb1mESB5ufdRxk/w400-h300/IMG_20240116_153305.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Barb, Somer and I enjoyed the cemetery, Forrest to a lesser extent, Lily, not at all. </p><p>For Forrest's birthday we had planned three events. We started off by going to <a href="https://burntchurchdistillery.com/">Burnt Church Distillery</a> in Bluffton, SC. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8RM6FQuGdGpXQkWgNzjwwTiN99bgHCBLdDBRIzYKwURnKz4Je9LAt3pFSdKLgR7QFIt7ThGr5nGc3ucC66e6kq6LrUDnm6Xl8IHZhPOlJAAo0EA_Yzhwz7oZ-6AgtsGRStcpVJpkC7ZLI81ASPXN66CJdcP2rskfbF8OBtH2__htO_urpHVQSh37F1w/s4608/IMG_20240117_140546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8RM6FQuGdGpXQkWgNzjwwTiN99bgHCBLdDBRIzYKwURnKz4Je9LAt3pFSdKLgR7QFIt7ThGr5nGc3ucC66e6kq6LrUDnm6Xl8IHZhPOlJAAo0EA_Yzhwz7oZ-6AgtsGRStcpVJpkC7ZLI81ASPXN66CJdcP2rskfbF8OBtH2__htO_urpHVQSh37F1w/w300-h400/IMG_20240117_140546.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUhWVMA6JQ06DTC-tou1SiETyu9xJxULOSoRwqBC6pn3DLo4CvZSKMi3YhYPRqPkSWAs839vhU0ur9fGs1fuiU_Os5gREhvcMaAGtXpgiXAK7wtV3zifq8ATR9hrvSLw8WWkFqsFJXiNqFWNEwjCB3uRNwzNzalcOX98E4TUcn8Bk4PiNMP_R42-aU8k/s4608/IMG_20240117_140529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUhWVMA6JQ06DTC-tou1SiETyu9xJxULOSoRwqBC6pn3DLo4CvZSKMi3YhYPRqPkSWAs839vhU0ur9fGs1fuiU_Os5gREhvcMaAGtXpgiXAK7wtV3zifq8ATR9hrvSLw8WWkFqsFJXiNqFWNEwjCB3uRNwzNzalcOX98E4TUcn8Bk4PiNMP_R42-aU8k/w300-h400/IMG_20240117_140529.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>This is a very cool distillery offering lots of whiskeys, moonshine, bourbons, gins and vodkas. We each had a flight of tasters and a couple of appetizers. I really liked the cards that accompanied each of the tasters. It explained what goes into each and a QR code that links to a short video telling a story of each.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFS2ehKS1RSXAbRO7g2PQRZ2pqeRCB_TGkNzC8HNWrQ-F3OQN-eR4bx0imX_mBQLFNSzbEw62LeS88sadDUF9bPE2T6H6pvvuc-ej9p_C5vJy-jT27wGOv4HDvvAi9dWgubnhF2p7oeAX7-WRk1hjfohC2cypWLGPTw1A2Cfk0W4UcGip1K5DUHTpLXQ/s4608/IMG_20240117_140838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFS2ehKS1RSXAbRO7g2PQRZ2pqeRCB_TGkNzC8HNWrQ-F3OQN-eR4bx0imX_mBQLFNSzbEw62LeS88sadDUF9bPE2T6H6pvvuc-ej9p_C5vJy-jT27wGOv4HDvvAi9dWgubnhF2p7oeAX7-WRk1hjfohC2cypWLGPTw1A2Cfk0W4UcGip1K5DUHTpLXQ/w400-h300/IMG_20240117_140838.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>The highlight for me, was the bathroom. I think I need one of these in our house! It is a cascading water wall, quiet, peaceful and serene making for the perfect setting when the need arises. I just hope it is not recirculating water!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_15pMeXq94b4Inxtmwcja-1UOPWRaPY-Mh85YsCzJbr-C-poL6jwZyrTDUa4EAACb4FezWc3fbjjtmRK5lErx0Xr9NbQ5WUtxiqWshbZzf6nQwtsd5F-9oTOsp0ES9wuGms_rH8zxTh8OJY9k77idBOKWZvBWOcYGBsUzh4A4Nbm750c8BpDMvRQ9_ac/s2592/IMG_20240117_145128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_15pMeXq94b4Inxtmwcja-1UOPWRaPY-Mh85YsCzJbr-C-poL6jwZyrTDUa4EAACb4FezWc3fbjjtmRK5lErx0Xr9NbQ5WUtxiqWshbZzf6nQwtsd5F-9oTOsp0ES9wuGms_rH8zxTh8OJY9k77idBOKWZvBWOcYGBsUzh4A4Nbm750c8BpDMvRQ9_ac/w400-h300/IMG_20240117_145128.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>From there it was off to bowling! Twice in two months. We all had fun; Somer had her highest game ever at 141!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJLpyzCWmYdegREi5GgcrQFKR7HK4rHOh36DBOfyanMKWETwfngFB1ctUPagS0QfR2ckzujHPcezaT3zymIZd1Pi4fX1cQnlh32_vF2DW4vX2qZMeM3uyz3uYA40esAkMyKV3yTM0H1UO0WFWcjSIHSMqfbsQJ55EkaML0QtPqoQ0jh24ekjBJqH9VVs/s3743/IMG_20240117_155319~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3743" data-original-width="1997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJLpyzCWmYdegREi5GgcrQFKR7HK4rHOh36DBOfyanMKWETwfngFB1ctUPagS0QfR2ckzujHPcezaT3zymIZd1Pi4fX1cQnlh32_vF2DW4vX2qZMeM3uyz3uYA40esAkMyKV3yTM0H1UO0WFWcjSIHSMqfbsQJ55EkaML0QtPqoQ0jh24ekjBJqH9VVs/w214-h400/IMG_20240117_155319~2.jpg" width="214" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUJTbZmLYUYX-tvU9q-z8nRf2g9FBsNwi2f67zTCBUCaR6DpxvCRMz_6GYqZkqOrsei0JbYB4pGwI19fNuZusR09pJ2kaPlcrlhxYeuwjZSthnsfG-9r-XF_t-a5IPQTK-Jxut1YXcSVPmTSogJ-8y1Gin1cpfK-sq9krPQ3lrOSNrjV5iDgtSEtwzWQ/s3931/IMG_20240117_170526~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3931" data-original-width="2354" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUJTbZmLYUYX-tvU9q-z8nRf2g9FBsNwi2f67zTCBUCaR6DpxvCRMz_6GYqZkqOrsei0JbYB4pGwI19fNuZusR09pJ2kaPlcrlhxYeuwjZSthnsfG-9r-XF_t-a5IPQTK-Jxut1YXcSVPmTSogJ-8y1Gin1cpfK-sq9krPQ3lrOSNrjV5iDgtSEtwzWQ/w240-h400/IMG_20240117_170526~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1pfDCQE2jbQ4ibivrpog4HWTAkgTPfymbRBPu5aLl8v1d9oSwmcMx5P2usqIO3z_t6SbGJLltJ89vM-HqtAg7S35YqeQ6djlcfJBuQ-d98rSlhO_E_mq6GFwJHPhyphenhyphengxlnYDql4AlzlFPAokwgob46QESmSimDXnppKkdZT3at9vVkf4Dynq8m9v9B6w/s2280/IMG_20240117_170705~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="2253" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1pfDCQE2jbQ4ibivrpog4HWTAkgTPfymbRBPu5aLl8v1d9oSwmcMx5P2usqIO3z_t6SbGJLltJ89vM-HqtAg7S35YqeQ6djlcfJBuQ-d98rSlhO_E_mq6GFwJHPhyphenhyphengxlnYDql4AlzlFPAokwgob46QESmSimDXnppKkdZT3at9vVkf4Dynq8m9v9B6w/w395-h400/IMG_20240117_170705~2.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then we were off to the Bluffton Seafood Company for supper. Good, but not great. Their prices were reasonable though. </span></p><p>The next day Forrest and I loaded up our inflatable kayak and hit the New River in Bluffton. We had Barb drop us off at a launch and we floated 4 miles upriver (the tide was coming in) to another launch where we were picked up several hours later.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PvfZoZZSgwI6LIZWKBrR1vdRDOH-Sw3ilhPr_rVGOBCDdOPIm4ZV-sIV55gLJno56TTLTGwGcTgea-3mhSgQeBiDAOyrIjKU70u0VdHl_BJnSpPwootH5Eo2ZkoqO4025nlb8U4vk9PxRFqz3Qc9Y65kXjdfgl2KSM1wDKn024KJm9JwlKjQxtpn7Og/s4608/IMG_20240118_130935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PvfZoZZSgwI6LIZWKBrR1vdRDOH-Sw3ilhPr_rVGOBCDdOPIm4ZV-sIV55gLJno56TTLTGwGcTgea-3mhSgQeBiDAOyrIjKU70u0VdHl_BJnSpPwootH5Eo2ZkoqO4025nlb8U4vk9PxRFqz3Qc9Y65kXjdfgl2KSM1wDKn024KJm9JwlKjQxtpn7Og/w300-h400/IMG_20240118_130935.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSfNWp0C_h0uOw6VrN0jDWok9ihloMISp6YGLp5saX8gSCfbg_lHDI9Leb5PcKJH7kRB-KwqzwbXKExJkyjjiGJ_27kOapk_IMONwbLqCbmlX6zi-K0zN_LHzAcciQ15TrUQcYs1j-nSACWXFF0wkGEYodU_HUkWU6FFqFjO78xynRPmVqbkzaNYzZ7c/s2592/IMG_20240118_132357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSfNWp0C_h0uOw6VrN0jDWok9ihloMISp6YGLp5saX8gSCfbg_lHDI9Leb5PcKJH7kRB-KwqzwbXKExJkyjjiGJ_27kOapk_IMONwbLqCbmlX6zi-K0zN_LHzAcciQ15TrUQcYs1j-nSACWXFF0wkGEYodU_HUkWU6FFqFjO78xynRPmVqbkzaNYzZ7c/w300-h400/IMG_20240118_132357.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">It was very cool and very remote. It is amazing that you can be in the middle of a city one minute and in the remote swamplands the next. Forrest brought his fishing pole to see if he could catch anything. Neither of us knew what species of fish were in the river so we were going totally blind. On his second cast he hooked into a largemouth bass that danced its way across the water as he brought it in. It got off right at the boat, but Forrest was pumped that he even caught anything. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoFbGx9oWwIMgW_Vi1j8U6N_kLw0atWfroh2qNF7TFRDtEFEblFb-hDvHYfZU08B4QA392cEd6VT9hbLQTmCvvfMY4Xh14J-liO-lFBeuR7OJGpqljUd0H55mGXDke4bs5IqCNocClS3imU_uP-W8EjoQ5Ww_Dk_-1foB32oLPcwG57jCjdPDvSB8Ai4/s4608/IMG_20240118_141735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoFbGx9oWwIMgW_Vi1j8U6N_kLw0atWfroh2qNF7TFRDtEFEblFb-hDvHYfZU08B4QA392cEd6VT9hbLQTmCvvfMY4Xh14J-liO-lFBeuR7OJGpqljUd0H55mGXDke4bs5IqCNocClS3imU_uP-W8EjoQ5Ww_Dk_-1foB32oLPcwG57jCjdPDvSB8Ai4/w300-h400/IMG_20240118_141735.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSw4-AWhRZMf43wC5pB2gJqHTHTjx1sgddC7oT_oDyDfA-PptEAr6Mdln7N_sQ-Na71BscqGTR-rbBAkpuo0t6GG-ZWLRCcpTvtjSiaEo5rYh56PB03RFa841jO-yrkvP_MA5_ENbRufszlYsVJS4vy7x5LxgomTvA7SHKwJz9E7RqQj3xNIPdQqqQZU/s4608/IMG_20240118_142112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSw4-AWhRZMf43wC5pB2gJqHTHTjx1sgddC7oT_oDyDfA-PptEAr6Mdln7N_sQ-Na71BscqGTR-rbBAkpuo0t6GG-ZWLRCcpTvtjSiaEo5rYh56PB03RFa841jO-yrkvP_MA5_ENbRufszlYsVJS4vy7x5LxgomTvA7SHKwJz9E7RqQj3xNIPdQqqQZU/w300-h400/IMG_20240118_142112.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I paddled and guided the boat while he fished. 15 minutes later, he hooked into something else. This time it was much, bigger. As he fought the fish, he finally got it near the boat and we got a look at the distinctive dot near the tail. A Red Fish! We did not bring a net, so Forrest swung his rod around to guide it to me to try and pick up. It took several attempts, but I managed to get it in the boat. No easy feat in the kayak! Forrest took a picture with me holding it, then I handed it to him for a picture. Forrest had it in his hand for a total of 1 second before it gave a mighty wiggle and plopped back into the water. Oh well, he was happy to have caught his first Red!</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4_7FGId02JPdjU5djShBzWVE_eHl1WOI96K9gn5t_zSMkY8XJl4pSPJbm06k9w4x8C7yrby_8xeLChSexN98ls-EBdneSpISMqAHPflXRUBt_qUdTCsemtv2c0Trhu-X066MVgeX1vRsYfxvdep3dvJRQeiGZqADwLZsx_DLhDopuREdjp6FD3WyQYE/s480/IMG_20240118_172444_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4_7FGId02JPdjU5djShBzWVE_eHl1WOI96K9gn5t_zSMkY8XJl4pSPJbm06k9w4x8C7yrby_8xeLChSexN98ls-EBdneSpISMqAHPflXRUBt_qUdTCsemtv2c0Trhu-X066MVgeX1vRsYfxvdep3dvJRQeiGZqADwLZsx_DLhDopuREdjp6FD3WyQYE/w300-h400/IMG_20240118_172444_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>I started with a pup picture; I should end with one too. Here is a close up of the Find the Frenchie picture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxW3aSzPcykWXydZX8du_xhXw39Rz__pZgbWqpWmmYQA3D1MeZeohfE6N4u0Ejjs-n4tBJrChJ7zVGBPUEty5Kq-No_yYmDvtXxgpkr4-lW0m3rOxwI-TKE-vDi1Yq0XFtmztoBG4lxbNZYmwx6SSuHRZXRI1QgAuSILY62gr1xNsScDCscE7QWXGuls/s380/IMG_20240119_122506_01a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxW3aSzPcykWXydZX8du_xhXw39Rz__pZgbWqpWmmYQA3D1MeZeohfE6N4u0Ejjs-n4tBJrChJ7zVGBPUEty5Kq-No_yYmDvtXxgpkr4-lW0m3rOxwI-TKE-vDi1Yq0XFtmztoBG4lxbNZYmwx6SSuHRZXRI1QgAuSILY62gr1xNsScDCscE7QWXGuls/w228-h400/IMG_20240119_122506_01a.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every time we come home, those two eyes and little pointy ears are in the window. And sometimes there is a big white lab head right next to her!</div><p>I get the biggest kick out of Chloe. I do not know how to describe her expression. Mournful? She always has the goofiest look on her face. And then there is Jack. Anytime there is food around, he sits up like this and rotates his head from person to person trying to act cute so someone will give him a treat. It worked every time!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3d2fdXXowNEs-RI5RyQqhdJsRFvPfA63EGfH6VT3JkNIYPAPwNtmxAqA_YS9m8P11dJpmMZpC_v-R_Zr_yXI62Foc65D0eMtBev41Ll8b7QGJ6LT2PFZWsvZKboDZrNWx0GKXw-gKoIcdfVoAnHyLP-wMlbsZ89LBw81JU-Dhlca-eMnlc0sO_-5gjw/s4608/IMG_20240116_183828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3d2fdXXowNEs-RI5RyQqhdJsRFvPfA63EGfH6VT3JkNIYPAPwNtmxAqA_YS9m8P11dJpmMZpC_v-R_Zr_yXI62Foc65D0eMtBev41Ll8b7QGJ6LT2PFZWsvZKboDZrNWx0GKXw-gKoIcdfVoAnHyLP-wMlbsZ89LBw81JU-Dhlca-eMnlc0sO_-5gjw/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_183828.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1GHd4EjGkdAZUHa9Q3Z5sLVIRey0pnxd_a8XE4G7FcfiEqDuN3h6prjweA38m-KD3FwV3MU88tSdQ7nRmSBBC292eXaRsfCUkHFlkzXAY6JolXx5AnGi7wV2YgQRTrvhxaveFym8tPJl496qKLOyV3edqTxRRrPPzqHlaZMDjT9p9zYUbKNvmhhS040/s4608/IMG_20240116_203643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1GHd4EjGkdAZUHa9Q3Z5sLVIRey0pnxd_a8XE4G7FcfiEqDuN3h6prjweA38m-KD3FwV3MU88tSdQ7nRmSBBC292eXaRsfCUkHFlkzXAY6JolXx5AnGi7wV2YgQRTrvhxaveFym8tPJl496qKLOyV3edqTxRRrPPzqHlaZMDjT9p9zYUbKNvmhhS040/w300-h400/IMG_20240116_203643.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Today is our last day here in Savannah, it is time to move on. Who knows what adventures await as we head south into Florida!</p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-44532670581166662262024-01-15T07:57:00.000-08:002024-01-15T07:57:15.825-08:00Week One in Savannah<p> Our first week here in Savannah has come and gone. This is the first time in a long time that we have been able see both of our kids on the same trip. Up until a year or so ago they were 44 hours apart, now they are 10 hours apart, at least temporarily while our daughter in law, Somer works a travel job at a local hospital. </p><p>It is so good to see Forrest, Somer and Lily. And of course, Jack and Chloe! Jack has a really cuddly personality and Chloe always has the goofiest look on her face.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvHNN3RmUv9r3TAFj0ZWnfjA57liMg34vI_PmATSBHC9ZnuHlKZm5Ukq-tYWNzLjPwlaJmpKlm6wn5u6fdP3MRl77owQuUgV4U_jiRqM97jJZzYdj3qWIZ6xHxc1FWdLwL9QZ1ipUcU5AS39YjQh_zO_ZjBeJb4Z6J-IUS3SFRXVr7uNqS8MhCfEqqww/s4608/IMG_20240109_190725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvHNN3RmUv9r3TAFj0ZWnfjA57liMg34vI_PmATSBHC9ZnuHlKZm5Ukq-tYWNzLjPwlaJmpKlm6wn5u6fdP3MRl77owQuUgV4U_jiRqM97jJZzYdj3qWIZ6xHxc1FWdLwL9QZ1ipUcU5AS39YjQh_zO_ZjBeJb4Z6J-IUS3SFRXVr7uNqS8MhCfEqqww/w300-h400/IMG_20240109_190725.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFiRlwPORWoAKRxT9A0vzU38PPUUmHFbf6RfJNHfJ24gf-O0WC_vSTecRrIoiP5pHVosBrgTO6w5Vu_ELE_CrtlMD3lkjITWeRyTvwDnfGuw703Rvzw8txjyFdoUCB695W_OmdKbsU8J7CY6BzpEe_WbGgvCZxBWTQDHXXkFYBVsnARJvJg7WGxnwWc4/s4608/IMG_20240109_180831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFiRlwPORWoAKRxT9A0vzU38PPUUmHFbf6RfJNHfJ24gf-O0WC_vSTecRrIoiP5pHVosBrgTO6w5Vu_ELE_CrtlMD3lkjITWeRyTvwDnfGuw703Rvzw8txjyFdoUCB695W_OmdKbsU8J7CY6BzpEe_WbGgvCZxBWTQDHXXkFYBVsnARJvJg7WGxnwWc4/w300-h400/IMG_20240109_180831.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>This is Somer's 3rd travel job since they went back on the road just over a year ago. The travel jobs are 12 weeks, then they will typically take 12 weeks off to explore and then work for another 12. So far this has worked out for them and allowed them to travel and see different parts of the country. Forrest's main responsibilities are to maintain the day-to-day things around the house and homeschool their daughter Lily who is now 12. I am impressed with the regiment they go through for her schooling as he follows curriculum suited for a 12-year-old. </p><p>Somer works three 12-hour days 7pm-7am, so we try to be as quiet as possible until she wakes up. </p><p>They have no idea how long they are going to do this, until they find where they want to live again. Last time they did this, it was for 2 years when Lily was 6 through 8 years old, before they settled in Klamath Falls for 4 years. It works for them, and they are happy. That is what is most important. </p><p>We were lucky enough to snag a spot right next to them at a private RV park. This park is not really a park, but more of a long-term rental area. When we first contacted the owner asking him if we could stay here, he said no, that he only rents to long-term guests. but when the spot next to Forrest opened up unexpectedly, Forrest asked again, and he said yes! $25/night with full hook ups, right next to Forrest!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2qW2CCReyCaOtOZH7M76h-WaM3HhlooqDWAiksMLt7WfX5El_vUSaNWVBIYPIxjyxehz-QN4L63ko8_vhpibq9uQgD3EOhGBRbPiPlKHwxRcJU4x5j-UZG7pMwQ3pS65_EzfM-UtrhnnT2UotbLazBNNjtjD4AfxLPmbiKLGKQwP3XT2SlBq68XjH_M/s4608/IMG_20240113_151909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2qW2CCReyCaOtOZH7M76h-WaM3HhlooqDWAiksMLt7WfX5El_vUSaNWVBIYPIxjyxehz-QN4L63ko8_vhpibq9uQgD3EOhGBRbPiPlKHwxRcJU4x5j-UZG7pMwQ3pS65_EzfM-UtrhnnT2UotbLazBNNjtjD4AfxLPmbiKLGKQwP3XT2SlBq68XjH_M/w300-h400/IMG_20240113_151909.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forrest's rig is in the background</td></tr></tbody></table>So, what have we been up to? A little relaxing, a little exploring and a couple of projects. The biggest project we tackled was replacing one of the awnings, one neither of us had done before. But, after watching a couple of YouTube videos, we were able to figure it out. <div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmoU8TElI8pQRO-f2hEuFewWjaenehNEhbEBDDIf54jhiHjlxOtp0tHsUz-QEgPVCsQTEa2VPIZm4QkXJsdzOsvRoBh_8lANeb0fbg2I61raJBOd56ooO3XGg17LqAMla2l3CNKvbYBFXHSUIdUlwT8rF1-eTSVtZkj7iRuj3p-uvKDpg28aioa_pXg4/s4608/IMG_20240114_123731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmoU8TElI8pQRO-f2hEuFewWjaenehNEhbEBDDIf54jhiHjlxOtp0tHsUz-QEgPVCsQTEa2VPIZm4QkXJsdzOsvRoBh_8lANeb0fbg2I61raJBOd56ooO3XGg17LqAMla2l3CNKvbYBFXHSUIdUlwT8rF1-eTSVtZkj7iRuj3p-uvKDpg28aioa_pXg4/w300-h400/IMG_20240114_123731.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DS-KTUexbvfPD77Mp2HIqYQQIMdx8I6q5tbohctjfbocgtwE1L_N2vURsL2fV_HfV__1ND707PZc5F5YrKbTZLcfatsXeZXTEpNwG0szhxzb8t5m0bINl-F32dTyZzDjVJi6uRCXg44rhGNDh5WHb9NiqV1-I7qEq7WjFfXdN44JKMhfr89_YM5kNOM/s4624/20240114_130417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="2084" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DS-KTUexbvfPD77Mp2HIqYQQIMdx8I6q5tbohctjfbocgtwE1L_N2vURsL2fV_HfV__1ND707PZc5F5YrKbTZLcfatsXeZXTEpNwG0szhxzb8t5m0bINl-F32dTyZzDjVJi6uRCXg44rhGNDh5WHb9NiqV1-I7qEq7WjFfXdN44JKMhfr89_YM5kNOM/w180-h400/20240114_130417.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Off with the old.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialgEUm6O6OyEpwnWWFH-l9zNELq-7TyH8WtADnrLAwygi4q8c8uUKhzwSxQ_uQMPCF_KpoqDkHRYhBFypH8qtP95Re5a5JjKYB0h4XZg_jikdm9g8Q5TT1YxJeT8WlIHV8NNARRniSai2_yel0qEiRK-9Afn_eZGqQVpejFX5i6-JWGw8l4Fpkhn0tfA/s4624/20240114_131816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2084" data-original-width="4624" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialgEUm6O6OyEpwnWWFH-l9zNELq-7TyH8WtADnrLAwygi4q8c8uUKhzwSxQ_uQMPCF_KpoqDkHRYhBFypH8qtP95Re5a5JjKYB0h4XZg_jikdm9g8Q5TT1YxJeT8WlIHV8NNARRniSai2_yel0qEiRK-9Afn_eZGqQVpejFX5i6-JWGw8l4Fpkhn0tfA/w640-h288/20240114_131816.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On with the new!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">On the fun front, we explored the </span><a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/savannah" style="text-align: left;">Savannah National Wildlife Refuge</a><span style="text-align: left;">. This is mainly a drive through refuge, but does offer a few hikes as well. I am like a fish out of water in this area. In my home area, I pretty much know every bird I see. But, out here, not a clue, so you will not see any names with these birds. If you know what they are, feel free to let me know in the comments using the number below the pictures.</span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSPMOTferEfL0C8dxDd4XdM4XRPuc5YF6ZWL7xPfjtNF03kD4T5WYkWftDnlTM4lFO17T1VcvCP0da6rICwrtpnLPXJi9-fUqdODjoB-PCZHLICsho-gFVDdyry9zrkjUi2hvkirPMOe8zuJ2_YKXhBxxofLzw9o5CYN4tcAz38-xbmInPiLO8TdGtC0/s4000/P1200094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSPMOTferEfL0C8dxDd4XdM4XRPuc5YF6ZWL7xPfjtNF03kD4T5WYkWftDnlTM4lFO17T1VcvCP0da6rICwrtpnLPXJi9-fUqdODjoB-PCZHLICsho-gFVDdyry9zrkjUi2hvkirPMOe8zuJ2_YKXhBxxofLzw9o5CYN4tcAz38-xbmInPiLO8TdGtC0/w400-h300/P1200094.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#1</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5W3m-mlex35mCLpHlQEwEjNnI64tThePOcCkFLcNv5l3N2JdZS8Gmja_u-dgWdKHrUO96AcWruKZ93AbdEI5XbJumtU9HTifWHatka74-45iPfekMWPmjnyWvPqig7jddcPp2ZF4QEg-TUUv8Ntf7j5T7n1rckipIZHJP6ofnw8f84VXkAipJ6VJRQU8/s4000/P1200102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5W3m-mlex35mCLpHlQEwEjNnI64tThePOcCkFLcNv5l3N2JdZS8Gmja_u-dgWdKHrUO96AcWruKZ93AbdEI5XbJumtU9HTifWHatka74-45iPfekMWPmjnyWvPqig7jddcPp2ZF4QEg-TUUv8Ntf7j5T7n1rckipIZHJP6ofnw8f84VXkAipJ6VJRQU8/w300-h400/P1200102.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sZstr51Wy82hXa44VuGf8_1JCK6YjvGtslDZqdwmqpppxfdqDxfYjARzHAvkTnNaPl26nvnewrkd8UwRPcTVct77Dxz03yuQMssbU2QwI8Uzfb5Jr8PId6FPizrvQM9t9b4sdKqvhmAhKJhzLOu7nleioADkS9Qugx9u_5yK3nlzCpme7xiXzf3CiWM/s4000/P1200110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sZstr51Wy82hXa44VuGf8_1JCK6YjvGtslDZqdwmqpppxfdqDxfYjARzHAvkTnNaPl26nvnewrkd8UwRPcTVct77Dxz03yuQMssbU2QwI8Uzfb5Jr8PId6FPizrvQM9t9b4sdKqvhmAhKJhzLOu7nleioADkS9Qugx9u_5yK3nlzCpme7xiXzf3CiWM/w300-h400/P1200110.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">#2 #3</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_RfyTbYCkeHJuux-49L_PCrEvdGFDRkLph_mft_u46rHho0d4jowqxZQyk8xPkW-Fn3pU1m-EWCdcc_3NmPL-3aGMa9X0qLkLn_3Gf6RLQQMwLPEUINl6kAYiBMEx8oJ0AKWmLpOZPIFYnkIXXEpbenk2YIzwnfeh1uLYtCcYGxDue-ZaRUOWNXcBXQ/s4000/P1200130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_RfyTbYCkeHJuux-49L_PCrEvdGFDRkLph_mft_u46rHho0d4jowqxZQyk8xPkW-Fn3pU1m-EWCdcc_3NmPL-3aGMa9X0qLkLn_3Gf6RLQQMwLPEUINl6kAYiBMEx8oJ0AKWmLpOZPIFYnkIXXEpbenk2YIzwnfeh1uLYtCcYGxDue-ZaRUOWNXcBXQ/w400-h300/P1200130.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#4</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXUFzB0KnCEbXv0lEP1tCK-vS-E6Omtzd39jK9xdE89V1_RL9w2VzNpjbI3q6jg_wQsn6bSMYl0Mb2Dnfl-bmlxZ0YJtRkCtw0_rQBX__Krn4KKY9WSTSsR-x8mok1J6hIXCR1_2-I0uHR-S7_nmaXP_9Bc6okLu4RVAsEvzYypvfQtZogoI7kCUVj6g/s4000/P1200116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXUFzB0KnCEbXv0lEP1tCK-vS-E6Omtzd39jK9xdE89V1_RL9w2VzNpjbI3q6jg_wQsn6bSMYl0Mb2Dnfl-bmlxZ0YJtRkCtw0_rQBX__Krn4KKY9WSTSsR-x8mok1J6hIXCR1_2-I0uHR-S7_nmaXP_9Bc6okLu4RVAsEvzYypvfQtZogoI7kCUVj6g/w300-h400/P1200116.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7sj8N_5qwWaiEpPcrRbGFwDPzxHcDi1l6F38R9mZEzeGpfvlMiyNiJfr2EiUfE_qbnFwJ1nLSg4hemrhA2_QkOnal562BSr809zJJM-8NXc91iPrkonc1cZalinU7flPalWRyIBtAzkG85pjolb_jQe4dJPGZ2gX7vrZwzDA8p27-bSftjo84BScB5U/s4000/P1200113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7sj8N_5qwWaiEpPcrRbGFwDPzxHcDi1l6F38R9mZEzeGpfvlMiyNiJfr2EiUfE_qbnFwJ1nLSg4hemrhA2_QkOnal562BSr809zJJM-8NXc91iPrkonc1cZalinU7flPalWRyIBtAzkG85pjolb_jQe4dJPGZ2gX7vrZwzDA8p27-bSftjo84BScB5U/w300-h400/P1200113.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">#5 </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhtc6ksUlf99aaRMdol6Q8rLrTZZJfPrikxr9OexghfpE-PkX0GoQ36aLQlXr5Z6MtgZO3hW2HTkwfTsSj3wes0eUGg4O7J_ORawiPz-X9lkscbJFN4DbHVCL8e8MNVn6xC9nDdSDutR8iMpDGgdbtLzJqhmc7i-WDKsd1DicvSa4ZFa-8lojKCkw8v8/s3039/P1200122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1984" data-original-width="3039" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhtc6ksUlf99aaRMdol6Q8rLrTZZJfPrikxr9OexghfpE-PkX0GoQ36aLQlXr5Z6MtgZO3hW2HTkwfTsSj3wes0eUGg4O7J_ORawiPz-X9lkscbJFN4DbHVCL8e8MNVn6xC9nDdSDutR8iMpDGgdbtLzJqhmc7i-WDKsd1DicvSa4ZFa-8lojKCkw8v8/w400-h261/P1200122.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#6</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst7Pg_WbF__9KXrecMdKhg-IRBBPMmDQJESJkTALsudmdXH7lHDnrlGsGzv76RPa0gkoLM74tor9L6KZW__REkuz8_p_hIKVmRD7deBaLbjp23gqR5ZXTg1YTC8E-eC3Wk0wYbtUxrQuD8dPED_t3tZLRd1lcY57SPHjxJ9T6x61WjjVrieOhTvjZkQM/s4000/P1200092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst7Pg_WbF__9KXrecMdKhg-IRBBPMmDQJESJkTALsudmdXH7lHDnrlGsGzv76RPa0gkoLM74tor9L6KZW__REkuz8_p_hIKVmRD7deBaLbjp23gqR5ZXTg1YTC8E-eC3Wk0wYbtUxrQuD8dPED_t3tZLRd1lcY57SPHjxJ9T6x61WjjVrieOhTvjZkQM/w400-h300/P1200092.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#7</td></tr></tbody></table>The weather has been a mix of sun and rain. One rainy day, we decided to go to a movie: Aquaman. Not a great movie, but one that is family friendly. <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9YWNNqht9JE3K42mE9i4OqOLeuHMlEsiCxPVA4wo0RWOwROOYo9VQYvvoqonFQBMY5MdZEsWlcPY3UKIy079YH0rcRURZ-z3Xd5GGbK5wmovw-wRFgn0VptCaE5Utfrj93N5w3OxzCQX-iB8s8bIVIAF8Tb5C7lrDaQ9jVC5dyU6U9G27HCWPSifMdA/s4608/IMG_20240109_130509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9YWNNqht9JE3K42mE9i4OqOLeuHMlEsiCxPVA4wo0RWOwROOYo9VQYvvoqonFQBMY5MdZEsWlcPY3UKIy079YH0rcRURZ-z3Xd5GGbK5wmovw-wRFgn0VptCaE5Utfrj93N5w3OxzCQX-iB8s8bIVIAF8Tb5C7lrDaQ9jVC5dyU6U9G27HCWPSifMdA/w300-h400/IMG_20240109_130509.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We also walked downtown Savannah, looked at some shops, went to lunch and no stop in downtown is complete without a stop at the famous Leopold's Ice Cream shop!</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQe7fafPWYjjb3OvmXzD2L313Un7xnJcMUCgTyL56jQRPxgx8Qsw6Krlz5CbxzXYnqwT6sABfFVKsVuI2msuKl7o3f50oNnduNljKRzuJys775WlZHRvdRD4qfG_nVFpYBqQ7TarRBOT8BYk7XtFOiDI0h_oQt0myimS-1QVC71OkBwXXc6BSayrWJkQ/s2592/IMG_20240110_145341.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQe7fafPWYjjb3OvmXzD2L313Un7xnJcMUCgTyL56jQRPxgx8Qsw6Krlz5CbxzXYnqwT6sABfFVKsVuI2msuKl7o3f50oNnduNljKRzuJys775WlZHRvdRD4qfG_nVFpYBqQ7TarRBOT8BYk7XtFOiDI0h_oQt0myimS-1QVC71OkBwXXc6BSayrWJkQ/w400-h300/IMG_20240110_145341.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">While the weather here has been bearable, most of the rest of the country has been in a deepfreeze. When I woke up Sunday morning and looked at the temperature at home, I saw -25 with windchills -38. Then I looked at the temperature in the house and saw 43! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloKaQMPCjAGEOl3A7oG7VlSEVScJFWlahbGDkslEvzErsxZZJQMkeZEhvG7maUkpKf1L97W9xD9rgHRrsdxLTu5HqtaV5HxhULl36lbSy56tbO36Q3eLJsSdxkRsReqiwX9jMgQXwRtYdCBlHTx_0QQVD-RdhKmHQmwrv4Tm7EkzHd51x3YsgDXpipy8/s1640/Screenshot_20240114-094344.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloKaQMPCjAGEOl3A7oG7VlSEVScJFWlahbGDkslEvzErsxZZJQMkeZEhvG7maUkpKf1L97W9xD9rgHRrsdxLTu5HqtaV5HxhULl36lbSy56tbO36Q3eLJsSdxkRsReqiwX9jMgQXwRtYdCBlHTx_0QQVD-RdhKmHQmwrv4Tm7EkzHd51x3YsgDXpipy8/w280-h640/Screenshot_20240114-094344.png" width="280" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yPt90H6jcEy8pdbnWx5lR5R6VUChc0MGNdJAEb0vBDydW618VGy6ZUUGbymKr3vbfCiB3A7DKqiY7mwOD5Jev-6NV3KDFnez0m9hM9G0lZ373uhuGwbUMR-lQSQ67YXaYf8heLix8pKNuOnQMWhBaMv8F_SoAUKStPl3L0tsuK22oQaG8ROmhEcS7g8/s1640/Screenshot_20240114-094324.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yPt90H6jcEy8pdbnWx5lR5R6VUChc0MGNdJAEb0vBDydW618VGy6ZUUGbymKr3vbfCiB3A7DKqiY7mwOD5Jev-6NV3KDFnez0m9hM9G0lZ373uhuGwbUMR-lQSQ67YXaYf8heLix8pKNuOnQMWhBaMv8F_SoAUKStPl3L0tsuK22oQaG8ROmhEcS7g8/w280-h640/Screenshot_20240114-094324.png" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We set the house at 55 when we left, there is no way it should be 43! At first, I thought maybe the heating system was not keeping up and it would warm up as the sun came up. But when it didn't, I had to call for help. My first call was to neighbor Jim who went over and ran water through each of the sinks to make sure the water was not frozen. He then checked the boiler and saw that there was an error code, and it was not working. Since Kevin has the same boiler, I called him, and he went over a looked at it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Keep in mind, that it is double digits below 0 when these two are doing this. Do I have good friends or what?!?! Kevin was able to get the boiler working again and he built a fire in the fireplace to get a jump on warming the place back up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">That's it for so far, we have about a week left before we continue south into Florida. Who knows what adventures await us the rest of this week!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Oh, in case any of you are thinking of stopping by our place while we are gone, you may want to give me a heads up first. Otherwise, you may run into this crazy trigger-happy lunatic running around our property with more firepower than a small army!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXwnQMRMna_GnkJ18VXL1WErU8ZPhba3qjZA6Md7XJzhPUXLqI6b8b32x0wb99QL_bE032eWhh3-M-zC2G9H-bfDMtkfK2KuABeUTt43T7nUyKyTllQLQ6S6pkW4Izb2r7JZD_5OVALqKB3p1GBOYwnRh5h5N0i_T56eEZ71sooab_fU_pTRiaM-5ObU/s2560/Resized_20240111_105658.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXwnQMRMna_GnkJ18VXL1WErU8ZPhba3qjZA6Md7XJzhPUXLqI6b8b32x0wb99QL_bE032eWhh3-M-zC2G9H-bfDMtkfK2KuABeUTt43T7nUyKyTllQLQ6S6pkW4Izb2r7JZD_5OVALqKB3p1GBOYwnRh5h5N0i_T56eEZ71sooab_fU_pTRiaM-5ObU/w300-h400/Resized_20240111_105658.jpeg.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-8079362457067033742024-01-09T07:50:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:01:43.816-08:00Eastern Time, not a fan <p>Since we started traveling, we have been in 7 North American time zones (Alaskan, Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic and Newfoundland). Of those, I would have to say that Eastern is my least favorite. I just cannot get used to it. I have found that we are sleeping a little later, getting up at 7:30, which would be 5:30 back home. But, what I cannot get used to is my football schedule. At home games start at 11:00 am, 2:00pm and then 6:00 for the night games. Out here, the games at 1:00, 4:00 and 8:00. The night games do not get done until 11:30 or so! This old man cannot stay up that late! Maybe if we lived here longer, but as of right now it is wreaking havoc on my system!</p><p>Except for New Years Eve. My Viking's were playing (if you could call it playing) the Packers, so I stayed up for the entire game. Once that was over, it was only 26 minute until midnight, so we stayed up and brought in the New Year!</p><p>Interesting thing about Pennsylvania, when the clock struck 12:00, everyone started unloading their guns into the sky. It sounded like World War III out there with all the gun fire. There were fireworks also, but the distinct sound for gunfire dominated the noise we heard. Shane contributed with 3 shotgun blasts himself before we hit the hay for would be our last day in Pennsylvania. </p><p>I've read many posts that said they were glad that 2023 was over and were moving on. Personally, we had a great 2023. Nationally, I think we are still a mess, and I do not see that changing anytime soon. The media is going to do everything they can to insure that. Especially with the election this year. They are going to sensationalize and terrorize us all through the election. </p><p>But, with the start of 2024, it is time for us to move on. So we packed everything up, hugged everyone goodbye and pointed the truck south. We had a great and productive trip, but with Jess heading back to work and the kids back to school it was time to head south. We made it out of there without any broken bones, just a bump on the back of Barb's head. Oh, and a nasty scratch on Zoey's nose when she got too close to one of the cats. Zoey was a bloody mess, but totally deserved it and STILL did not learn her lesson! I just wished I would have taken a picture of it instead of cleaning her up right away.</p><p>Our first stop was in Waynesboro, Virginia where we hiked the Blue Ridge tunnel trail. At 4,237', it is the longest railroad tunnel in the country. It was in operation from 1858-1944, now it makes for a very interesting hiking trail. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm6Nt9rIT5K0Mk_5q8bdKY_73aoExw_5te-kSkmDtCtQqjQr7s0XOeBXTtNmDXUS_WVd4HqPsB01ooc2P6FQ9spAeYZxmzJNEQYtQYCVtwIhmEF0ugCeX3DrRPpPCGzUQ6Br7ySN_mmmclK6pRmZpfM6ta6-lOVQ_rccJUkTU7c7rSw2nPuUvJKNYxkU/s4608/IMG_20240102_120700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm6Nt9rIT5K0Mk_5q8bdKY_73aoExw_5te-kSkmDtCtQqjQr7s0XOeBXTtNmDXUS_WVd4HqPsB01ooc2P6FQ9spAeYZxmzJNEQYtQYCVtwIhmEF0ugCeX3DrRPpPCGzUQ6Br7ySN_mmmclK6pRmZpfM6ta6-lOVQ_rccJUkTU7c7rSw2nPuUvJKNYxkU/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_120700.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbfqYylzLvGfyV8czu0X9WjXO-zwVCNVZMEYQrKWcD_0bp7e-MB2qSaLAnDXwrF0oVGZD5Uu7qAX2Ro6QiRA0ixH0GfEX0Kimnmw3niW2kuIHloBOEV7FGDmNyAPTVoRkGnhAx6BgHuIt4T5wLh0EVNfl1-4Iy1pC7eJHc7ZGqzgy7IpOWg9z_2ojTZc/s4608/IMG_20240102_121640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbfqYylzLvGfyV8czu0X9WjXO-zwVCNVZMEYQrKWcD_0bp7e-MB2qSaLAnDXwrF0oVGZD5Uu7qAX2Ro6QiRA0ixH0GfEX0Kimnmw3niW2kuIHloBOEV7FGDmNyAPTVoRkGnhAx6BgHuIt4T5wLh0EVNfl1-4Iy1pC7eJHc7ZGqzgy7IpOWg9z_2ojTZc/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_121640.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">See the light waaaay back there?</p><p>We started on the east end and as we approached the tunnel and saw the light at the other end, we thought that there was no way it was almost a mile to the other end. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl2eAYnNSRvJKCCODhTxl5rpMjtBCiyilULuEhQpbBruFYXVTZ9lYS9HBxUlDjyuQK_763guQAXTJsy8D-dzm5X1FK4xLnR-d1-1q1jLenLvDCKDFIcNhEjVwxUwYbTkVuCmx2yGIiftw7wR3mrPSNoFepOS0-D5IWx4OQq5xgJO48Q3oQyCB1fukwUM/s4608/IMG_20240102_121729.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl2eAYnNSRvJKCCODhTxl5rpMjtBCiyilULuEhQpbBruFYXVTZ9lYS9HBxUlDjyuQK_763guQAXTJsy8D-dzm5X1FK4xLnR-d1-1q1jLenLvDCKDFIcNhEjVwxUwYbTkVuCmx2yGIiftw7wR3mrPSNoFepOS0-D5IWx4OQq5xgJO48Q3oQyCB1fukwUM/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_121729.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHf1iwyd1L_G0FSi9v4JAhEsX2e5qpuLXVesbhGmbT9miayZTRS2-LiJUupxL_RW21O4UBS9LwSZ9DS2_1lCgQ_sM-weM835fwrdxbcWAx61b0Hg1zPYO8IfwgImIEQNew5esW75YofY-1Sap8rY545QzwIhyphenhyphen-jr_Xi4GMY5qffcSwKPd29ztbne4gBo/s4608/IMG_20240102_122610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHf1iwyd1L_G0FSi9v4JAhEsX2e5qpuLXVesbhGmbT9miayZTRS2-LiJUupxL_RW21O4UBS9LwSZ9DS2_1lCgQ_sM-weM835fwrdxbcWAx61b0Hg1zPYO8IfwgImIEQNew5esW75YofY-1Sap8rY545QzwIhyphenhyphen-jr_Xi4GMY5qffcSwKPd29ztbne4gBo/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_122610.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Zoey, and her bat ear shadow</p><p>But as we walked it and the light on the other end did not seem to be getting any closer, we learned it was indeed almost a mile. We brought flashlights for the middle section, which was pitch black. We heard tell that there were salamanders and crawdads in there, but we did not see any. What we did see were bats. Not a lot, but there were a few hanging from the ceiling. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCyC-PDntKTj3ff7t3fh4_Q5yI8dBBn4vcSM1upaKOE-0r0xfVOcyt6ZY6jKu5UwC3W340ClLk0XgemoF7Bh_ly_qOdL3C6Gtoa3Txgniq3y5uPj8tkuZbXSRxHqw-TEdPbpMz7qiFJCN_pjhebih4L7KZISEE2je30xhD5VqpM_YLqdj1RAb_PmUL8E/s4608/IMG_20240102_125249.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCyC-PDntKTj3ff7t3fh4_Q5yI8dBBn4vcSM1upaKOE-0r0xfVOcyt6ZY6jKu5UwC3W340ClLk0XgemoF7Bh_ly_qOdL3C6Gtoa3Txgniq3y5uPj8tkuZbXSRxHqw-TEdPbpMz7qiFJCN_pjhebih4L7KZISEE2je30xhD5VqpM_YLqdj1RAb_PmUL8E/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_125249.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-lfNjE_OK5L0xffGG_441NZyaHldndiujOEemdv1Vxqq19Is4Mh_tHB7CZIChTv7-mBlkEkCIN8FQcAp-WeJcN7A65YMZ3GrzEjxXAthHm9IJoQtgLNeGrz-YxXPgKskD-u0fGj-qlyzd-gGq8s4HP10xt-zl_ImrN1Qzi5m0LTUHgwwQxLSdEbgf8w/s4608/IMG_20240102_123939_BURST001_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-lfNjE_OK5L0xffGG_441NZyaHldndiujOEemdv1Vxqq19Is4Mh_tHB7CZIChTv7-mBlkEkCIN8FQcAp-WeJcN7A65YMZ3GrzEjxXAthHm9IJoQtgLNeGrz-YxXPgKskD-u0fGj-qlyzd-gGq8s4HP10xt-zl_ImrN1Qzi5m0LTUHgwwQxLSdEbgf8w/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_123939_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Headed back through the other way</p><p>After that hike, we had worked up a thirst, so we headed to our Harvest Host for the night; <a href="https://www.sevenarrowsbrewing.com/">Seven Arrows Brewing Company</a> right in Waynesboro. Our plan was to hit as many Harvest Hosts as possible on our way south. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXnc7LNmOO89AcHxweiYvvfJ7XP_c4dt6Jf82OYT7FAWaBkUkAhKUC6FkNUOTgJ1BasewmDO82o4eyfwjxeX136boZW5MM3hVzkZLMMSXWZZ0uLC6C178qYBY2aAcKkH5HqRSKvWUbpWgPbW0ix9mVHdaYa2MQR-bqJ850QcdHsxu2yT4vDCaruENJBY/s4608/IMG_20240102_150009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXnc7LNmOO89AcHxweiYvvfJ7XP_c4dt6Jf82OYT7FAWaBkUkAhKUC6FkNUOTgJ1BasewmDO82o4eyfwjxeX136boZW5MM3hVzkZLMMSXWZZ0uLC6C178qYBY2aAcKkH5HqRSKvWUbpWgPbW0ix9mVHdaYa2MQR-bqJ850QcdHsxu2yT4vDCaruENJBY/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_150009.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">If you have never been to the eastern part of the country, you may have this picture in your mind of lots and lots of people and you would be partially right. But the countryside out here is as beautiful as you will see anywhere else in the country. Mountains, rolling hills, farmland and forests. The countryside around Waynesboro is stunning. That said, as Barb and I settled in for the night in the parking lot of Seven Arrows, we did hear the distinct sound of gunfire coming from somewhere in town, and it was not even New Years Eve!</p><p style="text-align: left;">The next day was one Barb had been looking forward to for over a year when she started seeing the place called The Blind Pelican in Holly Springs, North Carolina. <a href="https://blindpelicanseafood.com/">The Blind Pelican</a> is known for their infamous bloody mary's and Barb planned our route so we could stop there and get one.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When it we got to town, it was a bit early to start drinking (is it ever really too early?), so we headed to Holly Springs park and walked around the lake with the girls. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsKa04lFdhqVgDH84143XAUifhyphenhyphenilLyK1hdh0XOjvrswr_tEFNdJGGx30PMM0TN1APADuUvUNJW2KdOgjPlTRukBrrydT35VmrjsNe82Na5aKb8gN3ts3Ds4-UhHkyz20QxkESxbncQu2mdCNa_vUrdQvG2xj52-xhMpG9HXVvKO8ITxr-tSKhFWRRR4/s4608/IMG_20240103_124406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsKa04lFdhqVgDH84143XAUifhyphenhyphenilLyK1hdh0XOjvrswr_tEFNdJGGx30PMM0TN1APADuUvUNJW2KdOgjPlTRukBrrydT35VmrjsNe82Na5aKb8gN3ts3Ds4-UhHkyz20QxkESxbncQu2mdCNa_vUrdQvG2xj52-xhMpG9HXVvKO8ITxr-tSKhFWRRR4/w300-h400/IMG_20240103_124406.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">It is two miles around the lake which normally would not be a problem, but at the one mile mark my foot fell asleep, then it started creeping up my leg so my leg was numb up to my thigh. Barb was laughing at me as I tried to walk with this numb stump for a leg. Looking more like a guy about to have a stroke than a healthy man out for a stroll with his wife and two dogs. I don't know what the heck was going on but when got back to the truck we figured a little hydration was in order, so we headed over for Barb's bloody mary. </p><p style="text-align: left;">When she saw the prices, she started to back off her desire for one, but I told her, we came this far, we are not leaving without her crossing this off her bucket list. So, we made a meal out of it. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK_JimhZQAhlRcOnEqTxWV3kWjSVYn-9qXbZz3f_ut14wF6vHm7O7JAHskCV3-62sTcDzT2bYWJ6Gtf-EKkAHexzlJgun1wQPCYv62r5cOV0zYasequ7uT7qaGZZzMUHzTwMxc5E0cQSbsgpQ6uqHzyTMv8rOYZlxhnW46SzuerioN2mOIRANZYQE-Eg/s4608/IMG_20240103_135108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK_JimhZQAhlRcOnEqTxWV3kWjSVYn-9qXbZz3f_ut14wF6vHm7O7JAHskCV3-62sTcDzT2bYWJ6Gtf-EKkAHexzlJgun1wQPCYv62r5cOV0zYasequ7uT7qaGZZzMUHzTwMxc5E0cQSbsgpQ6uqHzyTMv8rOYZlxhnW46SzuerioN2mOIRANZYQE-Eg/w300-h400/IMG_20240103_135108.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Pickles, olives, peppers, a grilled cheese sandwich, shrimp, a pound of crab legs, two lobster tails and frog legs just for fun. That was our supper for the day and Barb said the bloody mary itself was just how she liked them; spicy!</p><p style="text-align: left;">The waiter took a picture of both of us, but when we looked at it later, it looked like the crab leg was right up my nose!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw3sWLI5dut_61gCh71BTATZr3R251liV8FPCcdwDWeDbpYmhVZelOdSGyQXWGiFRucKfwI9k24WHiVcCSCQIA3kOElJWKZqRjCPpFVok-A_QEqOOsTKeFBOg3nXW1EInK30ZSMLgpwTBh8CIjKXJTlqw3WnYcqZjre3alQkVcWj-9PYhd3pbx6tUR_I/s3953/IMG_20240103_135039~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3953" data-original-width="3318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw3sWLI5dut_61gCh71BTATZr3R251liV8FPCcdwDWeDbpYmhVZelOdSGyQXWGiFRucKfwI9k24WHiVcCSCQIA3kOElJWKZqRjCPpFVok-A_QEqOOsTKeFBOg3nXW1EInK30ZSMLgpwTBh8CIjKXJTlqw3WnYcqZjre3alQkVcWj-9PYhd3pbx6tUR_I/w336-h400/IMG_20240103_135039~2.jpg" width="336" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Out Harvest Host that night was <a href="https://masonjarlagerco.com/">Mason Jar Lager Co</a>. in adjacent Fuquay-Varina. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSUqLGvAoI4OpHyL1OPOpy4sscedrWH2uA3xB9s6NXY7GnIDYOoKZXb7o0W8B4qth_O3jmK4kHPPBbNxQ7Xkryede1Tpny2_sHgnZchmux0QAE9DM_oUH7wXDY838aRDSspyUWQDEQIZVY60-6-5ADK8V6vZvZ86cPFsSYKlDZGc80bWIJWek2B8pBqY/s4608/IMG_20240103_181031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSUqLGvAoI4OpHyL1OPOpy4sscedrWH2uA3xB9s6NXY7GnIDYOoKZXb7o0W8B4qth_O3jmK4kHPPBbNxQ7Xkryede1Tpny2_sHgnZchmux0QAE9DM_oUH7wXDY838aRDSspyUWQDEQIZVY60-6-5ADK8V6vZvZ86cPFsSYKlDZGc80bWIJWek2B8pBqY/w300-h400/IMG_20240103_181031.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The next day we were off to Florence. Zoey was comfortable on the center counsel, sleeping most of the time or gazing longingly into my eyes with her head on my shoulder. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVyDNhbc6kiPQpzPWv7hHcDEhSuFq8QZts9rXX_ATg9CSpEnTx0RpwDgUUhSA5DvjWOe_5Sd9Z3GJ6yi5AFv-szrg_S_-tQ_ys6Dv1poaFntQE3Myg9dyQf91Wqh4YAeq3mF8ZdcPn_KWIjMA_JcIm7tjKc77zyyMzM6uJxohuXVQgjwA6kJZOohanAg/s4608/IMG_20240102_102643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVyDNhbc6kiPQpzPWv7hHcDEhSuFq8QZts9rXX_ATg9CSpEnTx0RpwDgUUhSA5DvjWOe_5Sd9Z3GJ6yi5AFv-szrg_S_-tQ_ys6Dv1poaFntQE3Myg9dyQf91Wqh4YAeq3mF8ZdcPn_KWIjMA_JcIm7tjKc77zyyMzM6uJxohuXVQgjwA6kJZOohanAg/s320/IMG_20240102_102643.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Dh3xW5W1StSSNL0RCGNw18LwjXDHCkTSbI9nBUG27pzkjLBlRnyKXFH-y5Rl38jlHdDXzPyhbYx5Lva8LyQg3lbQhLxMk-34N_G_5I8zCb1qnXNvtR7uClC0AtrYyo29NXq8ZvzsDq9cGFXRlSMjbmsigSfviDilP7Jj3D4AHLg_HNVCfYXqIh0vEVY/s4608/IMG_20240103_103837.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Dh3xW5W1StSSNL0RCGNw18LwjXDHCkTSbI9nBUG27pzkjLBlRnyKXFH-y5Rl38jlHdDXzPyhbYx5Lva8LyQg3lbQhLxMk-34N_G_5I8zCb1qnXNvtR7uClC0AtrYyo29NXq8ZvzsDq9cGFXRlSMjbmsigSfviDilP7Jj3D4AHLg_HNVCfYXqIh0vEVY/s320/IMG_20240103_103837.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Dakota gets half of the back seat to herself. Both are really good travelers never moving or whining until we are stopped. Then they get up, look out the window to see what brewery we stopped at next!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ74PuKHl7h11XtGcPt_coEd2Gy4E0ii1UFIGzCq0Ynm30lYqSA9eEYYjLTbuL9ZaMy-aMlRK0IZ-aF0VymUL_wJzY6QKMCKh0FoOb9IsGDC0fLnOx6ffoR05v6GAjoZQ2rlF4X6iW113pKB2sNhRXq6oZ82GZ-MY_u9vCpXuxepyPFqJM4JyHjFOTts/s4608/IMG_20240102_110954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ74PuKHl7h11XtGcPt_coEd2Gy4E0ii1UFIGzCq0Ynm30lYqSA9eEYYjLTbuL9ZaMy-aMlRK0IZ-aF0VymUL_wJzY6QKMCKh0FoOb9IsGDC0fLnOx6ffoR05v6GAjoZQ2rlF4X6iW113pKB2sNhRXq6oZ82GZ-MY_u9vCpXuxepyPFqJM4JyHjFOTts/w300-h400/IMG_20240102_110954.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why, it is <a href="https://seminarbrewing.com/">Seminar Brewing</a> of course! We went in for an appetizer and beer before settling in for the night. Earlier in the day, we stopped by <a href="https://tubbsseafood.com/">Tubb's Seafood</a> for lunch. A kind of hole in the wall place, but very good food!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5YIGvgGwvCz-nFlaXRnA1saLEro7wQjOTeUPLylrv-CN-aRdKAbzAhqFXxn4y4nUjgPNar4pxB_EAnDGtEAZqsyagHLOLfOmNrQKDIs_EDXaVk-LeLOKryv0VtYCzREUvSHySQAJOXzWW2p8nIXWGXmSKGLml_AW4LEpHdeW0mRNpQbZ4igrxHN3gF4/s2592/IMG_20240104_173215.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5YIGvgGwvCz-nFlaXRnA1saLEro7wQjOTeUPLylrv-CN-aRdKAbzAhqFXxn4y4nUjgPNar4pxB_EAnDGtEAZqsyagHLOLfOmNrQKDIs_EDXaVk-LeLOKryv0VtYCzREUvSHySQAJOXzWW2p8nIXWGXmSKGLml_AW4LEpHdeW0mRNpQbZ4igrxHN3gF4/w300-h400/IMG_20240104_173215.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up was one of our favorite towns along the coast, Charleston. The history and architecture in this town is incredible. And if you are into old churches and cemeteries, this is the place to be! This is the <a href="https://www.circularchurch.org/">Circular Congregational Church</a> graveyard established in 1681. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHfAJJ06tVNk7lwKmgCsyZ8CvuKchLuKyfVSm5fuo1sl5uKPqz4wb_dd-9Z9Z-2KvxEeSRo2woUeNOBX3FqQFbYiGS7hIeYo7pbdxBj0vxTXIgcUsddDusNDQFU_0fuR1jry65nDjmlA9pyFZZmZE88zQWh1imw9DY2EXJsHiJm9lYlFRSUHVt6j82VQ/s2592/IMG_20240106_101935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHfAJJ06tVNk7lwKmgCsyZ8CvuKchLuKyfVSm5fuo1sl5uKPqz4wb_dd-9Z9Z-2KvxEeSRo2woUeNOBX3FqQFbYiGS7hIeYo7pbdxBj0vxTXIgcUsddDusNDQFU_0fuR1jry65nDjmlA9pyFZZmZE88zQWh1imw9DY2EXJsHiJm9lYlFRSUHVt6j82VQ/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_101935.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some of the headstones are just as old, but you cannot read them. This pillar monument below is just one of the many in the graveyard. The picture to the right of it is the inscription. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8XyKEHtzVJPnNobQgF2yHSa79G7YlLXZYDepeBzPhgWlduCO-Uz9qlNDjFxl5lT5sV-GBNpBA06_GAEoPUF2R4atByb9S7B-KPa4RTZwfrsfdTBKuG3b8VNsHvdHMAi5xU0WgtylVlUAkjNNftZPKjFbbW60WsvQo9J_QtBJCVqYXTYCfddK0_tg5Ts/s2592/IMG_20240106_102625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8XyKEHtzVJPnNobQgF2yHSa79G7YlLXZYDepeBzPhgWlduCO-Uz9qlNDjFxl5lT5sV-GBNpBA06_GAEoPUF2R4atByb9S7B-KPa4RTZwfrsfdTBKuG3b8VNsHvdHMAi5xU0WgtylVlUAkjNNftZPKjFbbW60WsvQo9J_QtBJCVqYXTYCfddK0_tg5Ts/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_102625.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nw8KjeqTsfST6aiBnUYSL3oF2ocdj6VM0BAMGVQ4eRhCxJo9jCg3MzgHOHLJhy809WP9Wv9RCM96H8P2_MYFq0X2rIKHeQrD0LqdhGsWxc6pB315_ZMK_o1ErvT4R9ophbwXemZ-gUBMtEJ5SpDkVQRBLmKXACwqBBGFoh54KQwsYw_Qm8dVNxXecKk/s2592/IMG_20240106_102632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nw8KjeqTsfST6aiBnUYSL3oF2ocdj6VM0BAMGVQ4eRhCxJo9jCg3MzgHOHLJhy809WP9Wv9RCM96H8P2_MYFq0X2rIKHeQrD0LqdhGsWxc6pB315_ZMK_o1ErvT4R9ophbwXemZ-gUBMtEJ5SpDkVQRBLmKXACwqBBGFoh54KQwsYw_Qm8dVNxXecKk/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_102632.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am sure back in the day, these inscriptions were hand chiseled into the stone. Poor Nathan (below left) was a merchant from Rhode Island who died at the age of 48.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4aiGb0K4LRPASG28QT98UkvphfH0tOTcqJGJGb4mspYO4f7JRYsMAr47PTF6DfRttV3ATwRZveXwYiHU8h7Jw41XNKi2EgCvdkZ08XAXC5Bu_pb3NpRcRV97YFeW-l-M-DDa-XioDJf95Dcr4jhky3IqqrWzT7K5J9uHGZZtyc7-jsmxKQOmPkp8MGw/s4608/IMG_20240106_102323.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4aiGb0K4LRPASG28QT98UkvphfH0tOTcqJGJGb4mspYO4f7JRYsMAr47PTF6DfRttV3ATwRZveXwYiHU8h7Jw41XNKi2EgCvdkZ08XAXC5Bu_pb3NpRcRV97YFeW-l-M-DDa-XioDJf95Dcr4jhky3IqqrWzT7K5J9uHGZZtyc7-jsmxKQOmPkp8MGw/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_102323.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wZyxXrdFK-tCW_OXJ_j8rdv2J0y95OwgW6a_K63lkw16cVhoNJTS7K84PibMlmX9-6qeW5F3Gq3bdpXT_HkfEsjPnNnd58emGe75avbB7rpUIJ4GKAJuF239uMhF2WxK0_JcKkp4aFlnUACXHW413qSoGC7X_wtW_vdIhfjdMiQ4gu4Hc7F7hJ9n8pk/s4608/IMG_20240106_102229.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wZyxXrdFK-tCW_OXJ_j8rdv2J0y95OwgW6a_K63lkw16cVhoNJTS7K84PibMlmX9-6qeW5F3Gq3bdpXT_HkfEsjPnNnd58emGe75avbB7rpUIJ4GKAJuF239uMhF2WxK0_JcKkp4aFlnUACXHW413qSoGC7X_wtW_vdIhfjdMiQ4gu4Hc7F7hJ9n8pk/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_102229.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaboLSop0mCoPHtPdQZlvfK__Yj4N3JDKBpImo6uBNwwgqTvSDNKXx9Scf3gxH4KMyGp0pSWPpSAHWLzOczawBw7DKeZt_58BUMkIUESfxTV3zoOxTzcGy694NfTPoTwC9pzOHQSnBQxsDrhfont6VfiSGFjha0DUS7Qtrq2hr5XGflDfWhsn8PK1Kn4/s2592/IMG_20240106_102356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaboLSop0mCoPHtPdQZlvfK__Yj4N3JDKBpImo6uBNwwgqTvSDNKXx9Scf3gxH4KMyGp0pSWPpSAHWLzOczawBw7DKeZt_58BUMkIUESfxTV3zoOxTzcGy694NfTPoTwC9pzOHQSnBQxsDrhfont6VfiSGFjha0DUS7Qtrq2hr5XGflDfWhsn8PK1Kn4/w400-h300/IMG_20240106_102356.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From there, we walked about 2 miles to the waterfront where we looked at the monuments honoring war hero's and those lost at sea. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbnZSe8Ugi37Zp3REjZBEjgd7qWe__NUKBd70hKfDanUpjevQUJblRCSNSAuIA1oMwhFo6duRsK_5KgANwxWPSGO-meChRAci5z9Y38tcgbn2E8RE6PbsfM62lfrRuN0uwUZELmWgrNCyfkSypcamEvIyBYujDOiGMcM6j9LT_TB_fG_JL4_zVNb75L8/s2592/IMG_20240106_105117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbnZSe8Ugi37Zp3REjZBEjgd7qWe__NUKBd70hKfDanUpjevQUJblRCSNSAuIA1oMwhFo6duRsK_5KgANwxWPSGO-meChRAci5z9Y38tcgbn2E8RE6PbsfM62lfrRuN0uwUZELmWgrNCyfkSypcamEvIyBYujDOiGMcM6j9LT_TB_fG_JL4_zVNb75L8/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_105117.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhry3CyZOXqFXVLG521WPbmnXCpluqR0OCFW8zTBfC6wgUVTjTL1TNDIqtLoSAg4d_G1jfLwYDstXFKfzm69n9Tm9QjXavev4TVSe_bqvV07ILsYiC0_JStqTYfhq045sdj1pIYYKa9hSaD2aV1ROychL07eWEURuokC2cI-fxWm0Is5OLcwQ3M0UJ3Vlc/s2592/IMG_20240106_105635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhry3CyZOXqFXVLG521WPbmnXCpluqR0OCFW8zTBfC6wgUVTjTL1TNDIqtLoSAg4d_G1jfLwYDstXFKfzm69n9Tm9QjXavev4TVSe_bqvV07ILsYiC0_JStqTYfhq045sdj1pIYYKa9hSaD2aV1ROychL07eWEURuokC2cI-fxWm0Is5OLcwQ3M0UJ3Vlc/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_105635.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxYJk6IGHIWo-AS1bYd6Kbj-JBu83Sv7MRoi7jm5lBxrHIeY9PRPE8xzdtAZJq9xLtpjuqmO08jvKkGDCVZZ4ZJETAGIw7pBhbY0eZgQ8Nvo06HhJf6Ny3OaNlxLWmd-6uKertq1iKuTiNSrCEWcltOsfOouT5V3BXJgS_ctJQRyB0d1xvXDOLeD53NY/s4608/IMG_20240106_110058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxYJk6IGHIWo-AS1bYd6Kbj-JBu83Sv7MRoi7jm5lBxrHIeY9PRPE8xzdtAZJq9xLtpjuqmO08jvKkGDCVZZ4ZJETAGIw7pBhbY0eZgQ8Nvo06HhJf6Ny3OaNlxLWmd-6uKertq1iKuTiNSrCEWcltOsfOouT5V3BXJgS_ctJQRyB0d1xvXDOLeD53NY/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_110058.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTV2Cw64lQoe2eN_sijPR1-CkEfc3UeHlDhQktvX1ZDUprBwCPEH9OQh8F0OMnEzb7d-RIBcO1iWkrxmYdeDD3Zz4Qj-GYcUan4bkSIkyFlhqlJfnO_11uQeApepGSuekdDzUDcdJ1UvYpUR-XFmr6yVrFo4GyrWhZ1bwHlQHonFVgByH1nqCZkwE6DM/s4608/IMG_20240106_110154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTV2Cw64lQoe2eN_sijPR1-CkEfc3UeHlDhQktvX1ZDUprBwCPEH9OQh8F0OMnEzb7d-RIBcO1iWkrxmYdeDD3Zz4Qj-GYcUan4bkSIkyFlhqlJfnO_11uQeApepGSuekdDzUDcdJ1UvYpUR-XFmr6yVrFo4GyrWhZ1bwHlQHonFVgByH1nqCZkwE6DM/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_110154.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we were in town, we stayed at two Harvest Hosts. The <a href="https://tidelandbrewing.com/">Tideland Brewery</a> and <a href="https://stripedpigdistillery.com/">The Striped Pig Distillery</a>! Breweries that serve food are the perfect place to stop as we got some great food and got to sample some local beers. We got to talking to the owner who gave us a tour of the backrooms and get a behind the scenes look of his operation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFMpsE8V9q2RkUZq3eF-Oez4qd_4DqsXkULXD2UjX7ldgwI2iFU6dR_y9DCUBy_jDn_mJhhAgAGQ8rvCQkBliN1SVAreqymKU9UupB9RjIrbEzLzMNvv-q5tS_sdcoehnFvsZCO5bB-9jH8JuCk3mQo79e5O2nwqjZMHCRT2UU9I56tkb50jotKy252g/s4608/IMG_20240106_124854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFMpsE8V9q2RkUZq3eF-Oez4qd_4DqsXkULXD2UjX7ldgwI2iFU6dR_y9DCUBy_jDn_mJhhAgAGQ8rvCQkBliN1SVAreqymKU9UupB9RjIrbEzLzMNvv-q5tS_sdcoehnFvsZCO5bB-9jH8JuCk3mQo79e5O2nwqjZMHCRT2UU9I56tkb50jotKy252g/w300-h400/IMG_20240106_124854.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Striped Pig is a very cool distillery, family owned. One of the son's gave us an in depth tour and a tasting of each of their products. They got their name from a tale back in 1838:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;">The story behind our particular Pig dates back to 1838, when the Fifteen Gallon Act was enacted in an effort to curb the excess drinking practiced by Americans at the time. </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;">The Act stated that liquor purveyors could only sell alcohol in quantities of 15 gallons or more, essentially making the product too expensive for the average man. In retaliation a quick-witted fellow devised a plan to make money, whilst staying within the confines of the law – he no longer sold spirits, he gave it away for free. He cleverly striped a normal pig with paint and charged admission to see this </span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.45px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“most un-natural curiosity.”</span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;"> </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;">Even more strange, the cost of the ticket was equal to the amount of a tipple of rum. The Striped Pig later became a representation of less regulation and tax in political cartoons all over America.</span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8f3ef; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;"> </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZNiGsmpgu-EYd7mHVJDaRzk7m2kdH-n7Bau4KQagPzk6JZV4pqpHuJY04h9RxiaeSoANMqmT22i1B3qSzoEN6KxnYc1Tq567GixaqNPWR3l_VrikImcVTRdghAqL-rAmjW-F1vC871mzTMOwLsexNpgjryTY3YAubJd5ObnRQIUeYmemryqmtMF4BPo/s800/415748377_404008301957602_953066395592230775_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZNiGsmpgu-EYd7mHVJDaRzk7m2kdH-n7Bau4KQagPzk6JZV4pqpHuJY04h9RxiaeSoANMqmT22i1B3qSzoEN6KxnYc1Tq567GixaqNPWR3l_VrikImcVTRdghAqL-rAmjW-F1vC871mzTMOwLsexNpgjryTY3YAubJd5ObnRQIUeYmemryqmtMF4BPo/w400-h266/415748377_404008301957602_953066395592230775_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8f3ef; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.45px;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day we set off to tour the <a href="https://www.patriotspoint.org/explore/uss-yorktown/">USS Yorktown</a>. As we pulled up to the gate, the attendant said, "You cannot park here, you are too big" Then she said, "Unless you can fit into one spot". Well, I can, if I back in and overhang the grass area so I asked her how much parking was. She said, it is whatever you want to pay day. We paid $5 to park. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After parking we went up to the ticket booth. Prices were $27 for adults, $19 if you were over 62. At the booth told the attendant 1 adult and one senior (Barb being the senior of course) and he said, "It's pay what you want day, how much do you want to pay?" I said $30 and he gave us our two tickets and we were on our way. We overheard the two couples behind us say they wanted to get in for free, so the attendant just gave them tickets. It was so weird paying that way! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The carrier itself is huge! You could spend all day there. One does not realize what it takes to operate, maintain and provide for the 3500 crew members. Cooking, laundry, doctors, dentists, everything that goes into running a city is contained into this one ship! We spent about 3 hours taking each of the four self-guided tours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIMVVj7kkS1H8FhFTRjFagu-KoclE1Rt71EIywUfwafGcVaOq1_wk5XipEboCfRmH2F3UJctC4bn3P-Ph9D1MLXbBdCrjunSbjBz51lW1J4gPGPDmtjsNSr2WzT7Sq_muaq8Sg28hdzh27mYczC0RIGbwAMttKNxM7SfRoIifT8HnHAY_Ick3G_c9R_0/s2592/IMG_20240107_101044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIMVVj7kkS1H8FhFTRjFagu-KoclE1Rt71EIywUfwafGcVaOq1_wk5XipEboCfRmH2F3UJctC4bn3P-Ph9D1MLXbBdCrjunSbjBz51lW1J4gPGPDmtjsNSr2WzT7Sq_muaq8Sg28hdzh27mYczC0RIGbwAMttKNxM7SfRoIifT8HnHAY_Ick3G_c9R_0/w300-h400/IMG_20240107_101044.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlUacDdo0ZA12ze4NuIcL4vTMazJYWe1K3GCdtt68VGKS8kF6BFNI0YZJ8D1ako9TizOlnDdv2cYK2xypnlkyRM_vC0TgHcfxKfRasN9qVTOWvLssXZhXongwM8REwfMVTUext53A88idNyJQ9tA0bmpiDShjOhDiGavMw7wEzWXRMMlcBsTGTg9wX0o/s2592/IMG_20240107_105545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlUacDdo0ZA12ze4NuIcL4vTMazJYWe1K3GCdtt68VGKS8kF6BFNI0YZJ8D1ako9TizOlnDdv2cYK2xypnlkyRM_vC0TgHcfxKfRasN9qVTOWvLssXZhXongwM8REwfMVTUext53A88idNyJQ9tA0bmpiDShjOhDiGavMw7wEzWXRMMlcBsTGTg9wX0o/w400-h300/IMG_20240107_105545.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SH2MhphA6oqRssmfSGQPrwxaPUZ8shVw29YOSxlz3hLpfudk2QinSViNK-zD-Ro5irWRoytZ7m6bYFZHeZBvzBDIAnauW7I-LjMIciJinDkyUhlrug7zKdnH66MoNBVpCci_HF_6zupH4gw0J2y0ZyRY_VRj3pMVmgg1FmeI1EqNVdlx5B8vmiYLeb0/s4608/IMG_20240107_113221.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SH2MhphA6oqRssmfSGQPrwxaPUZ8shVw29YOSxlz3hLpfudk2QinSViNK-zD-Ro5irWRoytZ7m6bYFZHeZBvzBDIAnauW7I-LjMIciJinDkyUhlrug7zKdnH66MoNBVpCci_HF_6zupH4gw0J2y0ZyRY_VRj3pMVmgg1FmeI1EqNVdlx5B8vmiYLeb0/w400-h300/IMG_20240107_113221.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1zahAlcMUarqXUijmjP2qpnGf3mAKJt2vB7d3F17gVaP_57NFqIzO-vmfv8YcfAFxkmgOPbt0gQd35XvCIVXITXEaUEAlDjuTHkBFAC8K54eBGGv0IsRm21Cz43Odyg5VjNlGVLKcguQwlVmeDxDySOwppTULJTz2a6MdVLROLitFr9HdTDZtxqI4ko/s4608/IMG_20240107_113349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1zahAlcMUarqXUijmjP2qpnGf3mAKJt2vB7d3F17gVaP_57NFqIzO-vmfv8YcfAFxkmgOPbt0gQd35XvCIVXITXEaUEAlDjuTHkBFAC8K54eBGGv0IsRm21Cz43Odyg5VjNlGVLKcguQwlVmeDxDySOwppTULJTz2a6MdVLROLitFr9HdTDZtxqI4ko/w400-h300/IMG_20240107_113349.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Exhausted, we drove south an hour parking at a trailhead right along the highway. Noisy, but we managed to get a good night sleep. Then we were off to Savanah! We arrived yesterday, and now are parked next to our son and his family. It seems like the past few days just flew by and now we are ready for some relaxation and visiting time!</div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-34895395560000575242023-12-31T18:43:00.000-08:002023-12-31T18:58:00.543-08:00Toys of Yesteryear.<p>Christmas has come and gone. Just seeing the kids look at the tree with all the presents under it was worth the trip out here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4yxat28HTqO0HzPzjAaz7ZxMH_10NV3mVTvCtIK3HZohqzaaUQYgT_3QzKQ3igXN72BFI-MmplvZCze14QBnn_VP_8xo64t-jqmU-dXkgyTo223SR1lM2MuCpST3q3Yu8Qb-_1JKbi-Hjkyd8siCieAcmDLGE3PLM3K9U3WHeAFmUfGvf9Uf7xDSYoI/s4608/IMG_20231225_081529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4yxat28HTqO0HzPzjAaz7ZxMH_10NV3mVTvCtIK3HZohqzaaUQYgT_3QzKQ3igXN72BFI-MmplvZCze14QBnn_VP_8xo64t-jqmU-dXkgyTo223SR1lM2MuCpST3q3Yu8Qb-_1JKbi-Hjkyd8siCieAcmDLGE3PLM3K9U3WHeAFmUfGvf9Uf7xDSYoI/w400-h300/IMG_20231225_081529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Toys sure have changed over the years. BB guns have been replaced with video games. Big Wheels have been replaced Hoverboards and One Wheels. And Stretch Armstrong has been replaced by something called a Squishy. Hot wheels racetracks, one of my favorite toys growing up, must be a thing of the past. What was your favorite toy growing up?</p><p>Like most mothers, Jessica used Christmas as an opportunity to replenish the kids socks, underwear and shirts. Like most kids, Dylan tossed those aside after opening them looking for the gift that he had been waiting for all year. For him, that was a gaming table, monitor and keyboard. Oh, how I would love to see the look on the kids' faces if we gave them presents from our era. Like clackers or a set of jacks with a little bouncy ball. Or better yet, replace Dylan's XBox with a old Pong console.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5c5wE2HUpc-d2wizJj9me_yFounJ6O2kd_EcPJHmJDve49TJ3Bd3UaeSsglBy8gmaWNOuq5cobfVmqhc6f8YAGrbRZ1zXRj6J71KQv_w-CxvdgAZ6L8IAHzpiOZom9QEmJIRC9s8IkirEv0y4z1EjU3bh_GnBv2K9Hu_NrAR_QB7Jvu2PidCKODfTtW8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="687" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5c5wE2HUpc-d2wizJj9me_yFounJ6O2kd_EcPJHmJDve49TJ3Bd3UaeSsglBy8gmaWNOuq5cobfVmqhc6f8YAGrbRZ1zXRj6J71KQv_w-CxvdgAZ6L8IAHzpiOZom9QEmJIRC9s8IkirEv0y4z1EjU3bh_GnBv2K9Hu_NrAR_QB7Jvu2PidCKODfTtW8=w400-h228" width="400" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">We received this photo from our nomadic son Forrest. He, Somer and Lily are in Savannah, Georgia for the next few weeks as Somer took a temp job at a hospital there. </div></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx3lMyqFe0kWKERHbHJU8dJLiu45vxhBBXfOdBNp6gd6naWDWB9XeKV8N052-ek62fK0xK-7sOeyVq_Xo20QfB1s8Zk7Yeb-YbrI4fjUzWbxhYBmraixcHCmg9EmgoCz37SD9X5wUeqsyX75O0yRR0rOOW0fCgn5nBq5C1ipAFFz3q4D-Dvg5mVRdvJI/s2048/IMG_9065001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx3lMyqFe0kWKERHbHJU8dJLiu45vxhBBXfOdBNp6gd6naWDWB9XeKV8N052-ek62fK0xK-7sOeyVq_Xo20QfB1s8Zk7Yeb-YbrI4fjUzWbxhYBmraixcHCmg9EmgoCz37SD9X5wUeqsyX75O0yRR0rOOW0fCgn5nBq5C1ipAFFz3q4D-Dvg5mVRdvJI/w300-h400/IMG_9065001.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Soon after opening their gifts, the kids were off to their rooms to play with them. That got Barb and I talking about the toys of our childhood. It is a wonder we survived and did not shoot our eyes out. Do kids even go outside to play anymore? Do they play Kick the Can, Flashlight Tag or go to the playground anymore?</span></div><p>For school recess, I am picturing kids all standing around just staring at their phones. All the dangerous equipment from yesteryear removed. No more Tether Ball, no more playground spinners, heaven forbid that a kid plays dodgeball with those balls that would leave marks for days. Nope, nowadays they just stare at their phones and text their friends 10' away from them rather than actually talking to them. </p><p>I am glad that I am old, so I do not have to see how the next generation turns out. Do you think our grandparents said the same thing? Speaking of grandparents, Dylan made Barb laugh the other day when he said, "You are not like most grandmas". I don't know if that was before or after she bonked her head after riding the hoverboard, but truer words have never been spoken. Funny, he never said that about me. Or maybe he did but I was in the camper taking my nap and did not hear it. </p><p>Our fireplace project continued this week. Shane was down most of the week with a horrible cough of some sort that resulted in an urgent care visit. So it was up to me to finish the taping and mudding. Not my best skill, but I faired alright. </p><p>From there, it was Jess and Barb's turn to take over, priming and painting the walls and ceiling. That was a two-day project. I attached the two sides of the fireplace surround back together and installed it, a TV mount, and the fireplace once the painting was done. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZcXmyOxecWEhiIrbEy68q24FQFfXgYx55_fAuInZKORqG3E4KVkJtt6ELjZihbRldwqLnbpGurBsVE76FD1PHqn6Z4fhW2Cbh4pwap8dZXEK4gR1QjNohzQiKjk7st140-ZG5nnWKs3PDNII3smVvhyphenhyphennMAdTtz2ebcZ4k5NbDWbu2Owlrz3s1ytJ3Zk/s4608/IMG_20231228_155336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZcXmyOxecWEhiIrbEy68q24FQFfXgYx55_fAuInZKORqG3E4KVkJtt6ELjZihbRldwqLnbpGurBsVE76FD1PHqn6Z4fhW2Cbh4pwap8dZXEK4gR1QjNohzQiKjk7st140-ZG5nnWKs3PDNII3smVvhyphenhyphennMAdTtz2ebcZ4k5NbDWbu2Owlrz3s1ytJ3Zk/w300-h400/IMG_20231228_155336.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1ZNhxjNSMEmt67zuLSmrwCXpDKwd8SXDdMr5RfuHsN0W8shWjLkRz5C1afZW8ZI6LtkEaUlj8MwJ94_SUIMZn4oXQEUma3SD1cHZeGXxFqolb_QZcLSklt5XlTNdDb2p4hyv5elnkS2UC5JNz6_3gq6j1M1nG48-b3wpZUhKC9ykiPJkrby5whUgD-A/s4608/IMG_20231229_160825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1ZNhxjNSMEmt67zuLSmrwCXpDKwd8SXDdMr5RfuHsN0W8shWjLkRz5C1afZW8ZI6LtkEaUlj8MwJ94_SUIMZn4oXQEUma3SD1cHZeGXxFqolb_QZcLSklt5XlTNdDb2p4hyv5elnkS2UC5JNz6_3gq6j1M1nG48-b3wpZUhKC9ykiPJkrby5whUgD-A/w300-h400/IMG_20231229_160825.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Barb priming the wall and Jess painting the ceiling.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeHkUFQ3rHa2ZCGwIDHBQBjd7Bd2g61dI7CnrfBJtL6j6dHp4839rqaoVfbvl5_jjPNy5kCaHIMBccTeOAGJQRcSb3oKQyi7sLt4_AppYkBBH9XEdbjHwto5srgug0MtiXsGitEMLYTz6ldvwOVro2V3WQkQrB27RAAcMe467RN4ODYjqGlJ6emDgWgw/s4608/IMG_20231231_094811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeHkUFQ3rHa2ZCGwIDHBQBjd7Bd2g61dI7CnrfBJtL6j6dHp4839rqaoVfbvl5_jjPNy5kCaHIMBccTeOAGJQRcSb3oKQyi7sLt4_AppYkBBH9XEdbjHwto5srgug0MtiXsGitEMLYTz6ldvwOVro2V3WQkQrB27RAAcMe467RN4ODYjqGlJ6emDgWgw/w300-h400/IMG_20231231_094811.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif_oC5BLG2EBtXD3A7qbTD02H8JJ6NiYLJ6SbZhqyopI69KhKuLDO-ZXAZKi9iMw5KWIyMSF0fRi8YQmYA8_zwLS1dW-FC8iUuWC6XimRkU9-WGBNr7vRxYPCY9hkXiw9KYp_2FlRaZk4l7r2j6-0vU0qIKXeZL5kOPGFRw-CPrhkYSL2QBGusSIgELY/s4608/IMG_20231231_095658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif_oC5BLG2EBtXD3A7qbTD02H8JJ6NiYLJ6SbZhqyopI69KhKuLDO-ZXAZKi9iMw5KWIyMSF0fRi8YQmYA8_zwLS1dW-FC8iUuWC6XimRkU9-WGBNr7vRxYPCY9hkXiw9KYp_2FlRaZk4l7r2j6-0vU0qIKXeZL5kOPGFRw-CPrhkYSL2QBGusSIgELY/w300-h400/IMG_20231231_095658.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jess painting the fire surround while Kendall watched on the couch with Oreo the cat tucked in her shirt.</div><p></p><p>The final touch was a new ceiling fan and we deemed the project completed!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXABf2Yqd4Nkf6gc1Q2e5CFP6CisaetVLVM_LTWJn7u6WPhWqvK04QT3n4OMy2YuthIL7lM0wZmcQx-8uLNXtZcHjVmePwoUj7ry-49zI3wqOi2K79xbAgcsKkqg2ANMTf7uu0X1N4A6tUqYXGzfKtau_qP1mJK2hiVhunydftSH4lEn_OTPKh-lY8d4/s4608/IMG_20231231_183218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXABf2Yqd4Nkf6gc1Q2e5CFP6CisaetVLVM_LTWJn7u6WPhWqvK04QT3n4OMy2YuthIL7lM0wZmcQx-8uLNXtZcHjVmePwoUj7ry-49zI3wqOi2K79xbAgcsKkqg2ANMTf7uu0X1N4A6tUqYXGzfKtau_qP1mJK2hiVhunydftSH4lEn_OTPKh-lY8d4/w280-h400/IMG_20231231_183218.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">We got out with the kids on one outing when Barb and I took them out for bowling and ice cream one afternoon. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pifhA423e-QAAuhiDJC5RbAglWcVKeCruwN4YF9Gc-2Vh2sbOz4WRP4sjR-sV4TOeXDqImzCWGBBTrLuX_6qylOpazXH4FlNBbD4zanQUKb9Cy15E4hGlZRCWtmRt2AeyOlwJjO-6mMeYz3RDgmNzf439BpMaK4hwMoscW67FuGDKo2kfqgpLORm9Ts/s4608/IMG_20231226_135316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pifhA423e-QAAuhiDJC5RbAglWcVKeCruwN4YF9Gc-2Vh2sbOz4WRP4sjR-sV4TOeXDqImzCWGBBTrLuX_6qylOpazXH4FlNBbD4zanQUKb9Cy15E4hGlZRCWtmRt2AeyOlwJjO-6mMeYz3RDgmNzf439BpMaK4hwMoscW67FuGDKo2kfqgpLORm9Ts/w300-h400/IMG_20231226_135316.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCW5Dn__D-3xKhL-FxkVhR9bNSGJYvh8r-3gHW94R4Qb4_dt0NHVFubAqClIB5I1VKJNcMCq2nsGcjsj3nxR2uP0vVOYWKFW6Jv5riwvIy5dz-5lkPsj1Wpi_rqCFz6gccVraxnKBNUT2dMCKVqwX-_jALs0uDF9dRbTy8fArOTl-kyyKcFKMmltD_04/s4608/IMG_20231226_143632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCW5Dn__D-3xKhL-FxkVhR9bNSGJYvh8r-3gHW94R4Qb4_dt0NHVFubAqClIB5I1VKJNcMCq2nsGcjsj3nxR2uP0vVOYWKFW6Jv5riwvIy5dz-5lkPsj1Wpi_rqCFz6gccVraxnKBNUT2dMCKVqwX-_jALs0uDF9dRbTy8fArOTl-kyyKcFKMmltD_04/w300-h400/IMG_20231226_143632.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has been unseasonably warm here for December, so warm in fact, that I decided to dewinterize the camper. The extended forecast for the rest of our stay shows it barely dipping into the 30's at night. Then we head south, so I figured it is safe. So nice to have running water in here again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The big event this week was my birthday! Non-event really, as the girls painted, Shane worked, and I hung out in the workshop. But we did go out that night to the Keylock Brewery, then brought home some Chinese for supper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-DNsReNlrYYScqLincGwNZNM3fiXVV00KDWVIQTAXmJeMgFrjxuu6R7HnAf3OTno9u8Sag2S-hiWGRC0IaJJ_bykYDurbwYy02OuLRZd9ERHExsvY_QAcA7rOQWo4rRcKZSjxoGI3rPek6hChi60aQDy-0RiL9U5l-gKIV61IlH9gj0HLwn-FgVZLMw/s4608/IMG_20231230_181423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-DNsReNlrYYScqLincGwNZNM3fiXVV00KDWVIQTAXmJeMgFrjxuu6R7HnAf3OTno9u8Sag2S-hiWGRC0IaJJ_bykYDurbwYy02OuLRZd9ERHExsvY_QAcA7rOQWo4rRcKZSjxoGI3rPek6hChi60aQDy-0RiL9U5l-gKIV61IlH9gj0HLwn-FgVZLMw/w400-h300/IMG_20231230_181423.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">A special thanks for our neighbors, Jim and Carmen in South Dakota. They let the furniture delivery people in the other day when they exchanged our couch. Carmen even inspected it before they left to make sure there was no damage to this one!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS-IFwsPjqd3gdlg0bRR_HGJzdfXRpNcJhiJK_tmq-eT_wdQ-8LT-IUVh27BgTZaQDQXcA3FXgvhFYQQvgAj1AF6bhrpR1z0AfTqk7baS5cLyHyRtqbiNsIFDyFuwkhcdnCF8YvQHMAbtnV5f7z9B6DpizV4JKzml-LATIFsHCiBN__3RAyw0UzP5rRQ/s1944/IMG_20231229_132445_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="1458" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS-IFwsPjqd3gdlg0bRR_HGJzdfXRpNcJhiJK_tmq-eT_wdQ-8LT-IUVh27BgTZaQDQXcA3FXgvhFYQQvgAj1AF6bhrpR1z0AfTqk7baS5cLyHyRtqbiNsIFDyFuwkhcdnCF8YvQHMAbtnV5f7z9B6DpizV4JKzml-LATIFsHCiBN__3RAyw0UzP5rRQ/w300-h400/IMG_20231229_132445_01.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSyvZeGkOqhFNdW1Cr4Rw1Opro2Oj6OtMK0mAkJVoVVOEzaWKRaBnq70umc-deWf0CkONkeiMWtibqLHQqq5uIF6zaPTKx38DlDGTgzYhStLSjkAwoOu1d1PJod8ZizJjDoHtq1DOvwWaBUt4tHbrlKbBvTLrR5lTSpgVHe8EQRLzZ5I6KywB8VgIlzo/s2560/IMG_20231229_132452_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSyvZeGkOqhFNdW1Cr4Rw1Opro2Oj6OtMK0mAkJVoVVOEzaWKRaBnq70umc-deWf0CkONkeiMWtibqLHQqq5uIF6zaPTKx38DlDGTgzYhStLSjkAwoOu1d1PJod8ZizJjDoHtq1DOvwWaBUt4tHbrlKbBvTLrR5lTSpgVHe8EQRLzZ5I6KywB8VgIlzo/w300-h400/IMG_20231229_132452_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow is our final day here before we hit the road, our 10 days went too quick but Jess needs to get back to work and the kids back to school. We have one day left to spoil the kids and maybe toughen up a little bit. Perhaps a good old BB gun fight in the woods or a game of Jarts. Nothing like sharp metal pointy lawn darts flying at you to toughen a kid up!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Happy New Year!</span></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com93tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-26397818472057954132023-12-24T15:19:00.000-08:002023-12-24T15:19:54.723-08:00'Twas the Night Before Christmas<p>'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the camper, not a creature was stirring, except a restless French Bulldog, a pleasantly plump lab and an overly caffeinated grandma. </p><p>The stockings were hung on the slideout with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7GyoDBnu6V_GQjZu5MyW3Rgtt3GZUGayRCGbtfD5ExdVal6deEIw8OhiZnIaM2qzSV4RUCHKEmHZzsEx9rZo5gJbg34RMY4OibUch-3LWQ7gjYeavaWOYx8vpij2_Vcw5jTNVVDaR4rbTh3HTx2OVwLDTiDHcYafGeiC5td54WbFkl2Xcx0pYM-lRwI/s4608/IMG_20231224_103538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7GyoDBnu6V_GQjZu5MyW3Rgtt3GZUGayRCGbtfD5ExdVal6deEIw8OhiZnIaM2qzSV4RUCHKEmHZzsEx9rZo5gJbg34RMY4OibUch-3LWQ7gjYeavaWOYx8vpij2_Vcw5jTNVVDaR4rbTh3HTx2OVwLDTiDHcYafGeiC5td54WbFkl2Xcx0pYM-lRwI/w300-h400/IMG_20231224_103538.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Barb and I have celebrated Christmas to its fullest for 38 years now. Mostly with friends and family, a couple just by ourselves. This year finds us in Greencastle Pennsylvania celebrating Christmas with our daughter Jessica, her husband Shane and their two kids Dylan and Kendall.</p><p>The last time we celebrated Christmas with them was in 2014 when the kids looked like this.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq34e_fY8NDiWM4l_ODZatH6mWQRImcVtQ5ink9SJW9JWHbMdldAyLWYvYvG5egCY9meymDRn1ko2-ZKS7hR4VUw6FLtjvVZ58NmTKv7vYoQJ-orOWnoqTDftScTYoga9Ny4hftTWciNr1fHamOpzeGKmQtch38BgS_XZ5BCYqN9vsnfWvuXPbbBtQJPk/s1600/P1020302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq34e_fY8NDiWM4l_ODZatH6mWQRImcVtQ5ink9SJW9JWHbMdldAyLWYvYvG5egCY9meymDRn1ko2-ZKS7hR4VUw6FLtjvVZ58NmTKv7vYoQJ-orOWnoqTDftScTYoga9Ny4hftTWciNr1fHamOpzeGKmQtch38BgS_XZ5BCYqN9vsnfWvuXPbbBtQJPk/w300-h400/P1020302.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1M5DopslTZeHNUqCDN3knhv95ruOfMcgB9UCLOtRWL4fRKb1nwNKkNnCFJeuUiLh-5CeBElOYwhZg6RzNld3KcngaGRvRSjBlMfhJv_Nm2G_TYD9A55FXxZlXlU804gxIOr4tPuSr7YlmmpNlktxfLYFYi02ERUv0sVtWFVeIHyW7bKeTD39oedzTgs/s1600/SAM_0531%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1062" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1M5DopslTZeHNUqCDN3knhv95ruOfMcgB9UCLOtRWL4fRKb1nwNKkNnCFJeuUiLh-5CeBElOYwhZg6RzNld3KcngaGRvRSjBlMfhJv_Nm2G_TYD9A55FXxZlXlU804gxIOr4tPuSr7YlmmpNlktxfLYFYi02ERUv0sVtWFVeIHyW7bKeTD39oedzTgs/w265-h400/SAM_0531%20(2).JPG" width="265" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Now they look like this....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_1N-Tz7km0mbwKYuCHABXKvNAWi1gKPBzmqFRN4an9wUZTKiXySKY3BG72e2YBdPSxch_WlqooMj8zxvL3EDQU5xhmBjQZV2L0teFfEUrNahch5k95N3nmS96AzFhx78-JhfE4vv4cdkVomtFMuonf0yMKEFBcyzKSNadRq7zq-ffMp4GwB4Hv_njB8/s4608/IMG_20231224_175108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_1N-Tz7km0mbwKYuCHABXKvNAWi1gKPBzmqFRN4an9wUZTKiXySKY3BG72e2YBdPSxch_WlqooMj8zxvL3EDQU5xhmBjQZV2L0teFfEUrNahch5k95N3nmS96AzFhx78-JhfE4vv4cdkVomtFMuonf0yMKEFBcyzKSNadRq7zq-ffMp4GwB4Hv_njB8/w300-h400/IMG_20231224_175108.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Shane and Jess are in the middle of a very busy few days. With many friends and family in the area they have several get togethers planned. Our day with them was today, Christmas Eve. And tomorrow morning before they head off to Shane's family gathering. </span></p><p>Several nights before Christmas found Shane and I at the kitchen table surrounded by 9 bottles of bourbon. We had a challenge in front of us. To sip each of them, ranking them in order of our least favorite to our favorite. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i0-zr8pyGHwSMZgCG0rfE_WRyOg2DmuPs2K8DppTCERDLFBTpzpfsFmKRv3NOcRnQwcH-wYsTeQVs8WlNz6OzCppmJbr6pmqXCqwulP9EjsWqws5N2BJkUWjsNnCvon4GKN4u7LpeXkET6fOMhjcExE564GRhymZ0fV09F4WqEYZ7VW_uA3qPNXiN5g/s2592/IMG_20231219_192917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i0-zr8pyGHwSMZgCG0rfE_WRyOg2DmuPs2K8DppTCERDLFBTpzpfsFmKRv3NOcRnQwcH-wYsTeQVs8WlNz6OzCppmJbr6pmqXCqwulP9EjsWqws5N2BJkUWjsNnCvon4GKN4u7LpeXkET6fOMhjcExE564GRhymZ0fV09F4WqEYZ7VW_uA3qPNXiN5g/w400-h300/IMG_20231219_192917.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>Barb and Jess were the moderators, pouring and numbering each of the mini dixie cups so we would not know what was in which cup. Then the tasting began. Just enough to wet the palette and get an idea of the aroma, flavor and taste. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPHwMnSeJgR3lOXSgAOzBMNjX2G5-ex-wQCus4N9f1mn85tP3VKj7MhhwnZk4JbHen5kO5BZh9YS-t7RFrTaFwlYBffCefuTehltEBbSWbNRZfdrNWQWfb5TCYzrPD-WSZy52plK1eYRYgZ9oer15KRHadV_6aEMs89h6iJdMGq5gM5o74b2v2JyAm8U/s4608/IMG_20231219_194008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPHwMnSeJgR3lOXSgAOzBMNjX2G5-ex-wQCus4N9f1mn85tP3VKj7MhhwnZk4JbHen5kO5BZh9YS-t7RFrTaFwlYBffCefuTehltEBbSWbNRZfdrNWQWfb5TCYzrPD-WSZy52plK1eYRYgZ9oer15KRHadV_6aEMs89h6iJdMGq5gM5o74b2v2JyAm8U/w400-h300/IMG_20231219_194008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">One by one we went through the 9 cups placing them in order. Some we could not tell the difference between at all, while others were absolutely horrible. Granted, this was not a controlled test as the flavor of one often carried over to the next. The results were surprising to both of us. </span></div><p>First, our choices were almost identical, with only a few variations. Secondly, since it was a blind tasting, we did not know until the end that one that we had thought was our favorites, actually ended up near the bottom of our list (Weller). </p><p>Our top 4 (although not in the same order) were Blanton's, Eagle Rare, Sazerak and Elmer Lee. Our bottom 4 were identical; Hartfield, Weller, MannCave and Bakers.</p><p>Here is the thing about doing blind taste tests. We started out with 9, then someone goes to the cabinet and says "You gotta try this one!", then they do it again, again and again. That was several days ago, and I still do not even want to look at a bottle of bourbon. This is what we looked like an hour or so later...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5upY8mtGdCh_IIK0rSCxBOeV6a4bfj8XpsEV9vwTqsLsfR744e9hHu9jZk3mJstvxC51vRT6cUD5Dlm68BOKn0MvdscK2nmp3qGMPck6JKLZFzbWGCUaC0GOV3-9cpRJjPeM877ZxO7NCxVEVCwGgzrBeW9RBuxDfsdmpcAe81VHxEg7lq9chkn1KVzs/s4608/IMG_20231219_205824_BURST001_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5upY8mtGdCh_IIK0rSCxBOeV6a4bfj8XpsEV9vwTqsLsfR744e9hHu9jZk3mJstvxC51vRT6cUD5Dlm68BOKn0MvdscK2nmp3qGMPck6JKLZFzbWGCUaC0GOV3-9cpRJjPeM877ZxO7NCxVEVCwGgzrBeW9RBuxDfsdmpcAe81VHxEg7lq9chkn1KVzs/w400-h300/IMG_20231219_205824_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Just for fun, we had the girls take a sip of some of the worst tasting ones just to get their reaction. Here is the results of that. This was a very peaty Scotch Whisky. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbDYmR9IZ5z7tdcN3Tx5TjtlTjodmsQjrmwvfuGXC7K328xSM7ErAP84Ew1vDkgFbL2v6m3ZZe7t_1LNFNwQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxb_z7F3bPV0EawAXt9uS4tZ588mXHamPBPcivxA08JF0x4avbJ8pDZxKXASinyGargjNxIWJDfPRUBxe9cXg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then momma, thinking she was Super Momma jumped on the Hoverboard and started hovering around the kitchen. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzbRljcZUH4fgLVV5dINtV2g2hqadBJfAXm_UIhfDS-oPQNYPY5xN-0ORekf1xJ6ny4TmgRJ0k4QVUmzugdyA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Pretty impressive for a almost 64-year-old grandma. What the video does not show is when she biffed a few minutes later and she hit the back of her head on one of the chairs in the kitchen. Grandma is not allowed on the hoverboard anymore. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Not to be outdone, Jess jumped on to show her mad skills. Her's, however, did not end as smoothly, ending in a death spiral. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzCA-i13wtDkcELpSi5XD3kOPs7qPO3aiNqZGCm6eg9tVb4WGGHLW9vDq_u49FlMwn092hsbGjunfjvhXQPQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">To keep us busy during the day, we started a project in one of the living rooms. This house was built in 1850ish and has lots of small rooms. Three of the rooms have fireplaces; the kitchen and the two living rooms. None are functional anymore and Jess wanted at least the look of a fireplace in the living room they spend more of their time. </div></span></div></div><p>So, away we went! It is still a work in progress, but here is where we are so far. We framed in the old chimney, ran some electrical for the fireplace and the TV, then sheetrocked it. We talked about leaving the old brick, cleaning it up and exposing it, but it is in really rough shape and is not the route they wanted to go.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis12HyRcjMdrk9YikVamywSi2ZRZAlUoqlhxK85346qOv5L2YKQvnUCru_PuB-1la4wEYNPs8T4dKchYibOblS4mP3eh6gufxDpFvwmLjneRAms4-na2hyphenhyphenVe5emIPaUXekkWa9GfGv5A1nFkop5It9ECm0pFr1cnAEarN4OzBfbgn80CytCgj1H0py9qs/s2592/IMG_20231218_084945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis12HyRcjMdrk9YikVamywSi2ZRZAlUoqlhxK85346qOv5L2YKQvnUCru_PuB-1la4wEYNPs8T4dKchYibOblS4mP3eh6gufxDpFvwmLjneRAms4-na2hyphenhyphenVe5emIPaUXekkWa9GfGv5A1nFkop5It9ECm0pFr1cnAEarN4OzBfbgn80CytCgj1H0py9qs/w300-h400/IMG_20231218_084945.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWCkJxvX4uEtfi4Rd-WPsBJXu1-3xOuPPv7XE5IZIfCeRyEF-iWUTlm_LuSeebNEcwdpClhhqfsmEx6ViW7C66pnGwOT7P0HjdmU4wwoiW-GSLhxMiL7I9F8psiAKw_4CFNRnF14IamdTvJcNFp_HmgXPEH9CrPCS5hV_haL3OYd6444FnkjQ0JZNQLg/s2592/IMG_20231220_161419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWCkJxvX4uEtfi4Rd-WPsBJXu1-3xOuPPv7XE5IZIfCeRyEF-iWUTlm_LuSeebNEcwdpClhhqfsmEx6ViW7C66pnGwOT7P0HjdmU4wwoiW-GSLhxMiL7I9F8psiAKw_4CFNRnF14IamdTvJcNFp_HmgXPEH9CrPCS5hV_haL3OYd6444FnkjQ0JZNQLg/w300-h400/IMG_20231220_161419.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiubfx3cSYOIFZy3Eyx-wFV1kPZgypgAoytzN4Jr4ESTEOrR58WlTcQ_Y537yIwuvmaFf_ZVvrp1MF0_xMX10UrdeG-WQ40KtpwaDhQeQ83v3_CEnDA1Rx-gLwfwFqfJurxDdck-chpKcUXjMXLEvrL1emf5242EPeybfEbid66Ikgof1yYzwgK6zMeI/s2592/IMG_20231224_100939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiubfx3cSYOIFZy3Eyx-wFV1kPZgypgAoytzN4Jr4ESTEOrR58WlTcQ_Y537yIwuvmaFf_ZVvrp1MF0_xMX10UrdeG-WQ40KtpwaDhQeQ83v3_CEnDA1Rx-gLwfwFqfJurxDdck-chpKcUXjMXLEvrL1emf5242EPeybfEbid66Ikgof1yYzwgK6zMeI/w300-h400/IMG_20231224_100939.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There is absolutely nothing square about this house. The walls and ceilings are off over an inch in a matter of a few feet, so every cut was a custom cut. The walls are made out of horsehair plaster and if you cut into them, they basically disintegrate in a puff of dust. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We are working on a fireplace surround at the same time. Shane had a surround from an old job that I needed to cut down to size. We tried every antique store in the area trying to find one that was already the right size, but no luck. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJndHcPl0AWwcJ6kZK13q74FFZVEc82cmd8F3kNzLUZUrS-5mA6GH1GShEndh5f-68aPuOOSlbD5oqlzdBzpLSwBoyu15NqOlEmY8zGA7_STMn6_l3zfPZO4aC-9NeV39B4CRKXjlbjH79pcFJIG0WqPJ2uuGq-279UZbQ6r-UwT6fp5ImOnbaMmvg2lA/s4608/IMG_20231223_140844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJndHcPl0AWwcJ6kZK13q74FFZVEc82cmd8F3kNzLUZUrS-5mA6GH1GShEndh5f-68aPuOOSlbD5oqlzdBzpLSwBoyu15NqOlEmY8zGA7_STMn6_l3zfPZO4aC-9NeV39B4CRKXjlbjH79pcFJIG0WqPJ2uuGq-279UZbQ6r-UwT6fp5ImOnbaMmvg2lA/w300-h400/IMG_20231223_140844.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqikdDnPgNmby3X0dHw25lpUcYAK8yYc-wSGszaalfd3esrhK1doCXF5OBtH-100NxKckTZ3WhY9nhbkv6omqlF0JStLVnFtqzu_GFVaAOYmvKZCzKH2e5irzVizAca8Fv0hfFsdSUaV0R5n80FeciCpfFG_fXktE-SPgwOWhCd1N__Hyx3ed-p77rmwU/s4608/IMG_20231223_155602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqikdDnPgNmby3X0dHw25lpUcYAK8yYc-wSGszaalfd3esrhK1doCXF5OBtH-100NxKckTZ3WhY9nhbkv6omqlF0JStLVnFtqzu_GFVaAOYmvKZCzKH2e5irzVizAca8Fv0hfFsdSUaV0R5n80FeciCpfFG_fXktE-SPgwOWhCd1N__Hyx3ed-p77rmwU/w300-h400/IMG_20231223_155602.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">This one needed 10" cut out of the middle bringing the overall width to the same as the wall. I am happy with my cuts, after the girls finish scraping it, I will attempt to put it back together hiding the seam as best I can. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next up, we need to finish the tape, mud and then paint. We hope to get it wrapped up before we leave in a week or so. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Last, but not least, our Christmas photo. No one really wants to see us and I know Harry would love to see the girls dressed up and ready for Christmas. We took this picture a few weeks ago when Sophie was visiting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxlSvg4mv3qWY89EEtsbTF9Uud7rmEWgYBuXaBE_OsMZSb5PmIuxJbJZpgywh0Xjs4M4V_07STsAPCuYYq3xdTb_kLhVe5TgEddMwi5j4LtCy5haaJPZf_5-mGolxQINDpcGYyYEztU-k5ZoWjHKDWZspC4mQF4Ie2kanAEUXoGO8gW7kN3aHer0Wv2Y/s4608/IMG_20231125_092930.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxlSvg4mv3qWY89EEtsbTF9Uud7rmEWgYBuXaBE_OsMZSb5PmIuxJbJZpgywh0Xjs4M4V_07STsAPCuYYq3xdTb_kLhVe5TgEddMwi5j4LtCy5haaJPZf_5-mGolxQINDpcGYyYEztU-k5ZoWjHKDWZspC4mQF4Ie2kanAEUXoGO8gW7kN3aHer0Wv2Y/w640-h480/IMG_20231125_092930.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!</span></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-40296203646027259162023-12-19T06:21:00.000-08:002023-12-19T08:25:30.075-08:00Eastward Ho!<p>The day finally came, and we left for our next adventure!</p><p>Those of you who have been following us for a while know that we are just a bit off our rockers (Barb more than I), so rather than head to a warm weather locale, we headed east. I mean, anyone can head south to the warm weather, but what is the fun of that!</p><p>So off we went heading east. Barb the ultimate planner has our entire adventure planned for us. Back in the day, we would drive 7,8,9 hours a day to get where we were going and when necessity dictates we still do, but ideally, we try to keep them around 4 hours now. The other thing she tries to do is find free places for us to stay overnight. This is not only part of the adventure, it saves us money and allows us to spend it on other things. </p><p>Day One took us from our home to Vivian South Dakota, an hour or so east of Rapid City. What is in Vivian you ask? A truck stop. That is about it. I once read a blog where a traveler stated that there is absolutely nothing special or redeeming about the small town they were staying in. I could not disagree more. small town America is the heart and soul of our country. It is the location of someone's dream, where they are going to work, raise their family and the place they would rather be, more than anywhere else in the world. </p><p>So, I took that as a challenge. To find something special about every town we stopped in. But, I did not do it alone. I solicited the help of good friend and fellow blogger, Jim from <a href="https://explorvistas.com/">exploRVistas</a>. Cell/Internet service is sometimes sketchy along the way so I would text Jim our location and he would tell me an interesting fact about the town. </p><p>So, back to Vivian South Dakota; population 98. The Black Hills area of South Dakota gets a lot of hail in the summer. In fact, our comprehensive insurance is double what most areas of the country are. Annual glass breakage insurance is more than the price of a replacement windshield, so we opt out figuring if we make it through a season without replacing a windshield, we are money ahead. What does this have to do with Vivian? Well, Vivian South Dakota holds the record for the world's largest hailstone! Weighing just shy of 2 lbs (.88kg) and measuring 18.6" (473mm). Imagine that thing hitting you on the head! Now, if that is not something to be known for, I do not know what is!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMryIfDKLdshHyTGpKkQwPAANXcYRplVi2AtWXICg82MDcnStVrhSwdMMQr1gs4Udc3FeQBR52tnmTFoh0tHzbJdHSzqSRwShWue7E24oC2ZO_FEGpwIOTzIe6weDjSNye2NIHl3_eu7ghzFwslv9p9zTgzgDnXdRgPTc5M3_XTwp2QjXlI_keyvkBOA/s4608/IMG_20231214_100156a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="4608" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMryIfDKLdshHyTGpKkQwPAANXcYRplVi2AtWXICg82MDcnStVrhSwdMMQr1gs4Udc3FeQBR52tnmTFoh0tHzbJdHSzqSRwShWue7E24oC2ZO_FEGpwIOTzIe6weDjSNye2NIHl3_eu7ghzFwslv9p9zTgzgDnXdRgPTc5M3_XTwp2QjXlI_keyvkBOA/w640-h322/IMG_20231214_100156a.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">Knowing most of our first month of our travels were going to be in subfreezing temperatures, we left the rig winterized, Meaning no running water for us. The temps that night dipped down in the teens, we set the thermostat to 55 and snuggled in for the night. </span></div><p>The next morning, we carried on eastward, spending the night in Holstein Iowa; population ~1,500. Home of Major League, Biggs Wehde, pitcher with the White Sox in 1930/1931. </p><p>Our next stop continued with the baseball theme and is a town that many of you will recognize. Dyersville Iowa. If that is not enough of a clue of what that town is famous for, then how about this quote. <i>If you build it, they will come. </i>If you still do not know, I give up. </p><p>Although it was bitterly cold, and there was no corn, one cannot pass through Dyersville without checking out the Field of Dreams set, an iconic movie filmed in 1989.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgp9wBrMRyBF-PgEN9mSomO8rJTrRjjsPehIK5ocwmcBVXCVpV3hYEge-g4Dz8Kq7unT7bbSzXjN6o9DY09BF4PijJ5_AyOqAgEG-D-A-JyJIHluh57IF42VhVjLSdnjrXpXYJvfJZN7QSSiWfS6c4YtF-E8-OOzqJajrYucGLwNdBDAf_qe7Oqpy17M/s4608/IMG_20231212_132710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgp9wBrMRyBF-PgEN9mSomO8rJTrRjjsPehIK5ocwmcBVXCVpV3hYEge-g4Dz8Kq7unT7bbSzXjN6o9DY09BF4PijJ5_AyOqAgEG-D-A-JyJIHluh57IF42VhVjLSdnjrXpXYJvfJZN7QSSiWfS6c4YtF-E8-OOzqJajrYucGLwNdBDAf_qe7Oqpy17M/w400-h300/IMG_20231212_132710.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We walked the grounds and visitors center. The guy in the gift shop said we were the only ones to stop by that day. Things get pretty quiet in the north during off-peak times!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PGMBJ1fVOd8qeIOgbMTNJgVFxZSLtSqjyXKzSeH4q345bT26fGVqBiCsEeKlZs-yXDZH90NWL0-sSZWc60zgfnxOjb_N2s2mr_wP2AT333dZuCy10hlQAET_bhP43xoWVDWeHZOGr-mRSdoew85_yCYJcZBiefV75s5vex8JXaFBrS2Oca7Jck2CwdU/s4608/IMG_20231212_132634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PGMBJ1fVOd8qeIOgbMTNJgVFxZSLtSqjyXKzSeH4q345bT26fGVqBiCsEeKlZs-yXDZH90NWL0-sSZWc60zgfnxOjb_N2s2mr_wP2AT333dZuCy10hlQAET_bhP43xoWVDWeHZOGr-mRSdoew85_yCYJcZBiefV75s5vex8JXaFBrS2Oca7Jck2CwdU/w300-h400/IMG_20231212_132634.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>That night was one that we had been looking forward to for a while. Back in February, when I took that distilling class in Denver, Barb and I met a couple (Lee and Karrie) who own a winery in Dyersville, Iowa and bonus, they are also Harvest Hosts! <div><br /></div><div>We went to check in and was greeted by Lee who spent pretty much the entire evening with us He gave us a tour of their facility. They make both wine and some distillation products there. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccYMOUIXL3fEalT4GPGN88fbuB39ToZrE-uZYiEmh6S-EeRdLyCoGZz3DeztVum8bvXVQKDITEePOB4EgfXkF4yu8Rts-5koqu_Y5zNQzZPVaMizTjTCTwQS-usKJrYRVG31-tpAcBWxO4mktnRDLNqB90fkWzOuCkhozdawowCpbMRIiubLukYuPi5M/s2592/IMG_20231212_141919.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccYMOUIXL3fEalT4GPGN88fbuB39ToZrE-uZYiEmh6S-EeRdLyCoGZz3DeztVum8bvXVQKDITEePOB4EgfXkF4yu8Rts-5koqu_Y5zNQzZPVaMizTjTCTwQS-usKJrYRVG31-tpAcBWxO4mktnRDLNqB90fkWzOuCkhozdawowCpbMRIiubLukYuPi5M/w400-h300/IMG_20231212_141919.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine making area.</td></tr></tbody></table>They also have a full restaurant, if you pass through there, you have to try their ribs! Karrie joined us as we were finishing our meal and we spent a few hours catching up with her as well. We bought a few bottles of wine, said goodnight and headed to our camper. </div><div><br /></div><div>They had a electrical for us to plug in outside, it was much appreciated as our batteries were getting a workout with the furnace running much of the time as this was our third night in a row where it hit the teens. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlOhD78s6fUWsfIwDEL_afhS3Xnu24pI8xd09YQTHdJ2cs8ahgtXmhuTYYsSwVcxfRxTy9DjUItmJdo9NNiC3fl_kRqvxaJ9hEPRIdWvbXA8GGrRIcTCTd1SMMYlCftdLf3O2nMDAkRl3vPlW7j2gdn0tvbmFe9OmYTsFh5-VoUIFUX_0NROhWsIOngg/s4608/IMG_20231212_152712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlOhD78s6fUWsfIwDEL_afhS3Xnu24pI8xd09YQTHdJ2cs8ahgtXmhuTYYsSwVcxfRxTy9DjUItmJdo9NNiC3fl_kRqvxaJ9hEPRIdWvbXA8GGrRIcTCTd1SMMYlCftdLf3O2nMDAkRl3vPlW7j2gdn0tvbmFe9OmYTsFh5-VoUIFUX_0NROhWsIOngg/w300-h400/IMG_20231212_152712.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curious Zoey checking out some curious horses.</td></tr></tbody></table>Day 4 found us continuing east to another town we had been looking forward to for quite a while. Frankfort Kentucky is home to one of the most famous distilleries in the country. At least it is famous to me. The Buffalo Trace Distillery!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQJyzMvuHHr4sH4naYjDxSt2w6h_sUrykubKJnZDYH_USOGqNwPda4IPB24FPr5q_olVd_xMDCl-Td62Mp-AUhDqkDDzsBv9cKeaN1E5R-ZjtBvDZAd6leX7TFLiwao5R2TqbyEpTgT6INCojFoeU0JMIOuqK3fp7s3_gm1LmP2wdRkGdr9YFmO3SuCE/s4608/IMG_20231214_095823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQJyzMvuHHr4sH4naYjDxSt2w6h_sUrykubKJnZDYH_USOGqNwPda4IPB24FPr5q_olVd_xMDCl-Td62Mp-AUhDqkDDzsBv9cKeaN1E5R-ZjtBvDZAd6leX7TFLiwao5R2TqbyEpTgT6INCojFoeU0JMIOuqK3fp7s3_gm1LmP2wdRkGdr9YFmO3SuCE/w400-h300/IMG_20231214_095823.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Buffalo Trace is the maker of several very good and very hard to get bourbons and whiskeys. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5sCdxVvSgCCuKxsrEF-nkQl-rugxZ_xcB50tHMf_haIf-F_JlLnRcO70z5J4tEr_Rllf4LK70Xwvn944K2RxuT9atc4DcIpkxL4nMn9EqyIzwCF5vx4DrabbcdtSEBahAiRjbfTvIEw3gegCJma8NU00b7Ee3NKU1VX62bnWtiSfYfkJVvKSS_E895I/s4608/IMG_20231214_105050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5sCdxVvSgCCuKxsrEF-nkQl-rugxZ_xcB50tHMf_haIf-F_JlLnRcO70z5J4tEr_Rllf4LK70Xwvn944K2RxuT9atc4DcIpkxL4nMn9EqyIzwCF5vx4DrabbcdtSEBahAiRjbfTvIEw3gegCJma8NU00b7Ee3NKU1VX62bnWtiSfYfkJVvKSS_E895I/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_105050.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyXsmVlw4BMV9VDGh7bru1G7pgTAb1wKJq5qQ1Wol9fLwgBDTXkyDx1EtD4qT3Ev0T5euNEdwCvSdgNru54pMCyFygkyXnREWHuz97Yoc5buPz0PmBpBTI1pMWA8pmrq71seCHXkIALdimDOAz7wrqXoMQOC8nOUM9GkYLXfH0iOgc8yAp3D-lUpAMZ8/s4608/IMG_20231214_105057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyXsmVlw4BMV9VDGh7bru1G7pgTAb1wKJq5qQ1Wol9fLwgBDTXkyDx1EtD4qT3Ev0T5euNEdwCvSdgNru54pMCyFygkyXnREWHuz97Yoc5buPz0PmBpBTI1pMWA8pmrq71seCHXkIALdimDOAz7wrqXoMQOC8nOUM9GkYLXfH0iOgc8yAp3D-lUpAMZ8/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_105057.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Buffalo Trace, Blantons, Weller, and Eagle Rare are on my list of bottles that I look for anytime I go into a liquor store and are nearly impossible to find. So hard, that last year I only found one bottle of Buffalo Trace all year long! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Buffalo Trace has almost a cult-like following of people trying to get their hands on some of these bottles. They carry most of their products in their gift shop, but not everything at once. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to listing what is available on a given day. Each day they offer one of four of their rarest bottles. On the first day we were there, they had Weller available, limit 1 every 90 days. Barb and I each bought a bottle ($40). They scan your driver's license to keep track of who bought one. Now that we each bought one, we cannot buy another for 90 days, this keeps people from coming back day after day and buying these allocated bottles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Several months ago, Barb had gone on line to schedule us a tour. These tours are also very hard to get. She was on line the morning the tours for our date opened. Within minutes the first tour she wanted was booked, but she was about to get us a tour for the next time slot. All the tours for that day were booked within 20 minutes! Why are they in such demand? Well, they are free for one, plus it is an awesome tour! We were supposed to go with our friends and former neighbors, Jim and Brenda, but they had to cancel at the last minute, so it was just the two of us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went on The Hard Har tour, which is a behind the scenes tour into the depths of the distillery. Their mash cookers and fermenters are huge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHpW1Bbuxm5pVMVYSrfLUHxaWpERhkISsIqwiX7CWcrh5wslN7p48T82hZbdCvOCGavOv2A-LbopL9y6wOV724h-Ic_ndr4AXuFHlw_IB3z1ZahUprZL14BtQMI3v0kXT0WFtl8DuVsiBu-qMPdtOYevJN6fwmORWa_wRQsldo8BLjSsxJiDlewI1u6Y/s4608/IMG_20231214_121125.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHpW1Bbuxm5pVMVYSrfLUHxaWpERhkISsIqwiX7CWcrh5wslN7p48T82hZbdCvOCGavOv2A-LbopL9y6wOV724h-Ic_ndr4AXuFHlw_IB3z1ZahUprZL14BtQMI3v0kXT0WFtl8DuVsiBu-qMPdtOYevJN6fwmORWa_wRQsldo8BLjSsxJiDlewI1u6Y/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_121125.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEAZFq1PVlaH2rUlk3jJRSkOSsDESl8BUCl2Z4f764Z0PLINT8dndkcCnr22RNFdwjHjrDVdmmjhFS5UCPdyb9dUWmKqAvspP5T5z2e1dQyBv9aiiso6XIcLA0U9jNEEcTWd3yKSyll6ot2iocOVJ-tjPuFf95oMd_m2wVvY_DqctbODXQrxRf7lgjxo/s2592/IMG_20231214_121755.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEAZFq1PVlaH2rUlk3jJRSkOSsDESl8BUCl2Z4f764Z0PLINT8dndkcCnr22RNFdwjHjrDVdmmjhFS5UCPdyb9dUWmKqAvspP5T5z2e1dQyBv9aiiso6XIcLA0U9jNEEcTWd3yKSyll6ot2iocOVJ-tjPuFf95oMd_m2wVvY_DqctbODXQrxRf7lgjxo/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_121755.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNn9JMpNORX7We0zRPi2u542QOUdctLsI2pW4vwuaECZPVSLg04K8hm_uGHguV0SzNyuXfDV1ecKzOdFGjKCGpyAFwhO36_j0XjT-1l9uEYW0f6-ubnP4-jD6rzjRwbN553QnK_y7kEcbTnpZel7X3kvC6IKQv7EL5y6IF0C2sGwOC43jwdSyMd2JoXlc/s2592/IMG_20231214_123912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNn9JMpNORX7We0zRPi2u542QOUdctLsI2pW4vwuaECZPVSLg04K8hm_uGHguV0SzNyuXfDV1ecKzOdFGjKCGpyAFwhO36_j0XjT-1l9uEYW0f6-ubnP4-jD6rzjRwbN553QnK_y7kEcbTnpZel7X3kvC6IKQv7EL5y6IF0C2sGwOC43jwdSyMd2JoXlc/w640-h480/IMG_20231214_123912.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We ended the tour with a tasting. Although we liked everything being tasted that day, we both agreed that Weller was the best. I take that back. The Bourbon Cream mixed with root beer was delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKmlEx-5GfKo4_jyqB66OCn58Umpfvzj7FoRUIsW8DC4z16nlb6oXUqijGHSNwRgDcFi0W8UDCvaX8UJgNYjrKL0u_75kVgm47AH9MP57YpshhJP01S0u1mNCSzvH6tYTwyhCvxBdtzd_baymY4Vbhz_ji4sAEA6fgq1BReoJP0DfrUsXFWH615r7_uI/s2592/IMG_20231214_131022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKmlEx-5GfKo4_jyqB66OCn58Umpfvzj7FoRUIsW8DC4z16nlb6oXUqijGHSNwRgDcFi0W8UDCvaX8UJgNYjrKL0u_75kVgm47AH9MP57YpshhJP01S0u1mNCSzvH6tYTwyhCvxBdtzd_baymY4Vbhz_ji4sAEA6fgq1BReoJP0DfrUsXFWH615r7_uI/w400-h300/IMG_20231214_131022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Funny story about the napkins above. As we were waiting for our tour just outside the tasting rooms, we noticed these two people who looked like a mother and son cleaning up the room. Upon closer inspection, they were not cleaning up, they were taking all the napkins left over from the previous tasting and shoving them in their pockets! People are so weird!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This it was still early in the day, Barb looked up to see if Woodford had any tour openings for that afternoon. As luck would have it, they did so we headed over there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnBjfy-Izz-TkRHC0y1yAtKh7qufeOUa5j69gOnRM7bNiRORjE1VUVYqoKTfaSpClZlnYSfpS95RnPltlWC-ifGkHdcvruX19XjbZnM6az_OseYmS0VPGW_2SHDlvPo4woNueS3ARLQgS84-Q_EfazqUiN6FU7PNpo6S3eOlr-CCxkjgGbtwp-epKnYg/s4608/IMG_20231214_143207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnBjfy-Izz-TkRHC0y1yAtKh7qufeOUa5j69gOnRM7bNiRORjE1VUVYqoKTfaSpClZlnYSfpS95RnPltlWC-ifGkHdcvruX19XjbZnM6az_OseYmS0VPGW_2SHDlvPo4woNueS3ARLQgS84-Q_EfazqUiN6FU7PNpo6S3eOlr-CCxkjgGbtwp-epKnYg/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_143207.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Just walking into Woodford had a totally different feel to it compared to Buffalo Trace. Pretentious and snooty are two words that come to mind. The Buffalo Trace tours are free. Woodford was $32 each. The bottles in Woodford were $10-20 more than you would find in a liquor store, at Buffalo Trace they were $10-20 less. We were immediately turned off by the experience. We even thought about asking for a refund. But we powered through and went on the tour and we were glad we did. <div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pEWcwy2Fqt8P1in5Wxi9xcDnjxnn3U9823OIzCv-Hc7wv7-9VSW_Q-Ju3Cst3Y4REa8T2bIeiUiOFf5IDbGnDdlqtlXAniKIIKWBnitXDIsobkPOZzKmtwUAtJWNelzKimqI7pgnm1305gXtXxXALI74EsNDKZ4dG2N-Dbg7SN1hLBTTcNrE_U66Q9w/s2592/IMG_20231214_151621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pEWcwy2Fqt8P1in5Wxi9xcDnjxnn3U9823OIzCv-Hc7wv7-9VSW_Q-Ju3Cst3Y4REa8T2bIeiUiOFf5IDbGnDdlqtlXAniKIIKWBnitXDIsobkPOZzKmtwUAtJWNelzKimqI7pgnm1305gXtXxXALI74EsNDKZ4dG2N-Dbg7SN1hLBTTcNrE_U66Q9w/w400-h300/IMG_20231214_151621.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Their fermentation vats were very old and very cool (above). The rickhouse was also very interesting, as were their pot stills. Huge, all copper stills, hooked up in a series. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NCUNGXOut_So8MPXmdUiVghbOXqTBH4kQfZ1x6RRKnCKTDcQVT2pDh8MAhZLWw7egKYhnhk1-Gn5fjl2breNc6fuXk1FIxS9XF-TGw0Q-f4T1gkBJiWHUBaZLeqxmL65qVsCMGrY263gGDH8hRZ5kNOzXg47t153Jwmd_WpMUzN-_zmrDsU4QKifoRg/s4608/IMG_20231214_151114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NCUNGXOut_So8MPXmdUiVghbOXqTBH4kQfZ1x6RRKnCKTDcQVT2pDh8MAhZLWw7egKYhnhk1-Gn5fjl2breNc6fuXk1FIxS9XF-TGw0Q-f4T1gkBJiWHUBaZLeqxmL65qVsCMGrY263gGDH8hRZ5kNOzXg47t153Jwmd_WpMUzN-_zmrDsU4QKifoRg/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_151114.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWeItNW-arP4BMm2rNF9J9ffQ8TCBu20lyKhzp8okHuRF1LSJRRfZwtZYmLqBr-Fi1ffhaTfbfRGM_PN7QfEYnjtnZ_ixu7rgEC7fHD0HvbVh2O_J8kfISB4ZI63SDRN89SZSrwVKwGUUhBmUpPnoASA7x-1N35vH9Ml3hXkIZVxtSpCXn1N2cRyfBHo/s4608/IMG_20231214_152346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWeItNW-arP4BMm2rNF9J9ffQ8TCBu20lyKhzp8okHuRF1LSJRRfZwtZYmLqBr-Fi1ffhaTfbfRGM_PN7QfEYnjtnZ_ixu7rgEC7fHD0HvbVh2O_J8kfISB4ZI63SDRN89SZSrwVKwGUUhBmUpPnoASA7x-1N35vH9Ml3hXkIZVxtSpCXn1N2cRyfBHo/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_152346.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We tasted each of their products liking the Double Oak the best. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP6alE_EMBHyjcwgcMNATqApv1kCuaKATloxdYTYHBf9Ak5j2NNX-2yXEvV7YiHjWyXj2NeMdN6vn99CHdS5NyYF3kN4vxsd_NzYNUlGkUpnjIhTNHy123kt7HiPvbgb5l-cM9HjsVHbxLfeJQajSpsX0EZW1qKHITbA2oY0L4VHdqNjPTdA-l8bVxpA/s4608/IMG_20231214_155103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP6alE_EMBHyjcwgcMNATqApv1kCuaKATloxdYTYHBf9Ak5j2NNX-2yXEvV7YiHjWyXj2NeMdN6vn99CHdS5NyYF3kN4vxsd_NzYNUlGkUpnjIhTNHy123kt7HiPvbgb5l-cM9HjsVHbxLfeJQajSpsX0EZW1qKHITbA2oY0L4VHdqNjPTdA-l8bVxpA/w400-h300/IMG_20231214_155103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">But distilleries is not all Frankfort has to offer. Our uber researcher told us that Frankfort is the home of Danial Boone's gravesite. How could we not stop and see that!?!? Now, I doubt that I will ever be buried, but if I were, this is the view I would want!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSVc-4tkEo0hOsBkd_rxf-NfUeSrvqpkdd6_aM28MGZdGvbdN-Q7EZ9xtWjhYR75KzCMLu44Cwo20rZ3VqWeQlxvEaUueKUtGc-KsZ8-CGty2hHlqIBeiE1O86iLK-Bfa7rIKFb0C_RKg75EMB8-44Lm151qEgXH8OarhqmTjd9VjqttgCntvrfn3_p0/s4608/IMG_20231214_163817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSVc-4tkEo0hOsBkd_rxf-NfUeSrvqpkdd6_aM28MGZdGvbdN-Q7EZ9xtWjhYR75KzCMLu44Cwo20rZ3VqWeQlxvEaUueKUtGc-KsZ8-CGty2hHlqIBeiE1O86iLK-Bfa7rIKFb0C_RKg75EMB8-44Lm151qEgXH8OarhqmTjd9VjqttgCntvrfn3_p0/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_163817.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnES6nFdPjTzmQp5C0EaMRDN6CTJb6pYdPSjAcOEQB-qg6RzmtLBOHP36OztBhaDI4-bVv6beE-wWPODhafjSnXBqEdGwzx9XkL4_HR0THSSyzXdrNDVSMCcDPDmnrwuHS4IXDVGonohHUSw3akuaF4DfYez-h2S_Zs6Fzd0xVM3vE0c24psosofTiLU/s4608/IMG_20231214_163801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnES6nFdPjTzmQp5C0EaMRDN6CTJb6pYdPSjAcOEQB-qg6RzmtLBOHP36OztBhaDI4-bVv6beE-wWPODhafjSnXBqEdGwzx9XkL4_HR0THSSyzXdrNDVSMCcDPDmnrwuHS4IXDVGonohHUSw3akuaF4DfYez-h2S_Zs6Fzd0xVM3vE0c24psosofTiLU/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_163801.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ee7MqHBSUrdM4oHN2dLgekpRCX2zU5BIOvEcK6Q7WpKZdf7Ldv5LqvVG7QIEl0xOkRdPiwJ3vrodyDnKk4gJBtLVd0GpOgrHKTwPvOVPgmUydeD0EW6bQqff3IxrD9RzSTlPOuecRV2YmIgpLQOGnM4kumVsiXtb1WT7_8B5Xou6yc4ZnPC1rHWX50Q/s4608/IMG_20231214_164159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ee7MqHBSUrdM4oHN2dLgekpRCX2zU5BIOvEcK6Q7WpKZdf7Ldv5LqvVG7QIEl0xOkRdPiwJ3vrodyDnKk4gJBtLVd0GpOgrHKTwPvOVPgmUydeD0EW6bQqff3IxrD9RzSTlPOuecRV2YmIgpLQOGnM4kumVsiXtb1WT7_8B5Xou6yc4ZnPC1rHWX50Q/w300-h400/IMG_20231214_164159.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were going to go a few miles down the road that afternoon, but we decided to stick around, get up bright and early and see what if Buffalo Trace had a special allocation bottle available the next day. And are we glad we did! When we arrived, the line was about 200 yards long weaving back and forth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifNNg_odoJ_g-0DfqNrXmDZEYFo3vIRljbfgZLMMV-U9K_j3kgIJbubHneMnU1iCsZDhF3wPKSdskGH3xOtT9O1CUG1YgAtYBHXMpqDQv6-swFXvxNc8uiT86-CWmCet3kNrPi0RK4OHL2xtf8xOj6Pu2A5_E2EHQwVmcRPZfHwTgDAC5u5OncAbsEG8/s2592/IMG_20231215_090401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifNNg_odoJ_g-0DfqNrXmDZEYFo3vIRljbfgZLMMV-U9K_j3kgIJbubHneMnU1iCsZDhF3wPKSdskGH3xOtT9O1CUG1YgAtYBHXMpqDQv6-swFXvxNc8uiT86-CWmCet3kNrPi0RK4OHL2xtf8xOj6Pu2A5_E2EHQwVmcRPZfHwTgDAC5u5OncAbsEG8/w300-h400/IMG_20231215_090401.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKGwbcTbybRnUJy901GoWm_3K82xhBbEKM7isp-FWa_lkl98KcoR8Z-LoTj7P-v9TqdpXd9XSY6SO3CRAJp95IVmPxCE_liXannLHbQ_LeK4sRem4FY22qoBc01E6dRGdBKbjFqVA9UkAQ39wF_hQ3ecCXaSzU8ebS6JeWP8GThb4TQV_JAoVVvYJ_8Q/s2592/IMG_20231215_090647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKGwbcTbybRnUJy901GoWm_3K82xhBbEKM7isp-FWa_lkl98KcoR8Z-LoTj7P-v9TqdpXd9XSY6SO3CRAJp95IVmPxCE_liXannLHbQ_LeK4sRem4FY22qoBc01E6dRGdBKbjFqVA9UkAQ39wF_hQ3ecCXaSzU8ebS6JeWP8GThb4TQV_JAoVVvYJ_8Q/w300-h400/IMG_20231215_090647.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we were waiting for 9:00, we just people watched and looked at the surroundings. One thing you will notice around almost every old-time distillery is the trees are black and there is a black fungus growing on many of the buildings. The tour guide referred to this are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baudoinia_compniacensis">whiskey fungus</a>, common at many distilleries.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At 9:00, they opened the gates and started letting people in 20 at a time. We did not know for sure what the allocated bottle was, but the speculation of Facebook was that it was Blanton's or Eagle Rare. When we got into the area where they check driver's licenses, we saw this sign:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ppk8gP-FlEqIrFsL6pnilnsgjm6dh6jygJgrai28iy2WcInXuM9eRS3Od9-A5szT5h7a6_qLOE9FxaDF_IotndKnuYQ6Zr1mX_WMXHnR-wO1-dAl6YtQDbhM3ZPwmLlOgiB1suMBVevJaLGPj6srf5aDE7NfpXOxPf4EPnmAcurKOxNKGEszn7Dc5w/s2715/IMG_20231215_093207a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2715" data-original-width="2089" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ppk8gP-FlEqIrFsL6pnilnsgjm6dh6jygJgrai28iy2WcInXuM9eRS3Od9-A5szT5h7a6_qLOE9FxaDF_IotndKnuYQ6Zr1mX_WMXHnR-wO1-dAl6YtQDbhM3ZPwmLlOgiB1suMBVevJaLGPj6srf5aDE7NfpXOxPf4EPnmAcurKOxNKGEszn7Dc5w/w308-h400/IMG_20231215_093207a.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blanton's! When our time arrived, we went in, got our two bottles of Blanton's and hit the road. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Still heading eastward, we made our way 6 more hours to another Harvest Host in Weston West Virginia. <a href="https://www.manncave.com/">MannCave Distillery</a> is about as far off the beaten path as one can get. 5 miles down a one lane gravel road where you are praying you do not meet any opposing traffic. Luckily, we didn't. It was almost dark when we arrived, and they were within 30 minutes of closing. Again, I think we were their only customers for the day. Feeling somewhat bad for the kid (20 something) behind the counter, we did a tasting, bought a couple of bottles, left him a healthy tip and hit the hay. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We woke up early the next morning excited to hit the road. Today was arrival day! We were finally going to get to our daughter's in Pennsylvania! We called her when we were an hour or so out. They were going to be going shopping, so we just met them at a feed mill store where they were looking at the Clydesdales. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKnTJSqHB6aO8FrfjoFjqF9E5Ay4P-4vNaCkkuV4AN9ixupF8Lv7-JoyemThVp0lizCiMefJjnToqulsEEEstPtsmPJYfmxslmhjqhCBNVFgmIR9I9EhcIMptjYkI8eCfT8RVevovytarjBTgLFlz79OJFDvmIaLR-n8hWNhw-mGhak6i-5YtgSaEZ5w/s4608/IMG_20231216_133958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKnTJSqHB6aO8FrfjoFjqF9E5Ay4P-4vNaCkkuV4AN9ixupF8Lv7-JoyemThVp0lizCiMefJjnToqulsEEEstPtsmPJYfmxslmhjqhCBNVFgmIR9I9EhcIMptjYkI8eCfT8RVevovytarjBTgLFlz79OJFDvmIaLR-n8hWNhw-mGhak6i-5YtgSaEZ5w/w400-h300/IMG_20231216_133958.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">So happy to see them, so happy to be here. We are here for the next couple of weeks where we have multiple projects planned to keep us busy and out of trouble!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtL-XmithebBhc_zZM2ONHM43jI9sorm9HY0gtplOueWzmW9C6BbRDEUzXdooXAeuFBGNSxIBF_uv1fYAbdCLs038U4d6VBkejHEtYfnMeqTuun5IR6_IwJ1_7cwr_mSeMqxsFkyZuKz3_yN_GDS3W90ZLTIxfepqxfMYhtLwkZErO2wvz7MZs8q4Ew/s4608/IMG_20231125_093039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtL-XmithebBhc_zZM2ONHM43jI9sorm9HY0gtplOueWzmW9C6BbRDEUzXdooXAeuFBGNSxIBF_uv1fYAbdCLs038U4d6VBkejHEtYfnMeqTuun5IR6_IwJ1_7cwr_mSeMqxsFkyZuKz3_yN_GDS3W90ZLTIxfepqxfMYhtLwkZErO2wvz7MZs8q4Ew/w480-h640/IMG_20231125_093039.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-39026919789381230952023-12-09T08:05:00.000-08:002023-12-09T08:05:18.771-08:00Where do you Come From?<p>"Worst gift ever", those were the words a friend told us when speaking about the gift of a DNA testing kit his father-in-law had received a couple of years ago. The ensuing scandal is still talked about years later. I know of several such incidents where people have taken DNA tests only to find out things were not quite as they seemed. </p><p>Even so, Barb and I were curious to see what our ancestry was. No, we did not take the test, but traced our ancestry back on paper. We used the free FamilySeach. The results confirmed what we thought we knew in some areas and surprised us in others. </p><p>Here is a brief summary. </p><p>On my dad's side, the records only go back to my great-great grandparents, my dad's dad's immigrated from Sweden, my dad's mom's side from Norway.</p><p>On my mom's side it gets more interesting. My mom's mom's goes back as far as 1460 to<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Appelhülsen, Kreis Münster, Westphalia, Prussia, Germany</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202121; font-family: inherit;">. That side was almost all German, but one branch went back to Ireland and Austria. We were surprised when one of my </span><span style="color: #202121;">nieces</span><span style="color: #202121; font-family: inherit;"> did a DNA test recently that showed we were 20 something percent Irish. And all these year's I skipped St.Patty's day. I have a lot of making up to do!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202121;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Barb knew little of her lineage and was surprised to find her dad's side almost </span>exclusively Scottish. Her 8th great grandmother on her dad's side was born in Somerset, Pennsylvania in 1685 and lived 86 years Think about what she saw in her lifetime!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202121;"><span style="background-color: white;">One branch on her dad's side goes back to 0300 and includes a number of Counts, Ladies, Lords, Countesses, Sirs, kings and queens. (King Eystein of Heidemark is one)<span style="text-wrap: nowrap;">. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;">I do not know how anyone could ever even start to trace lineage back that far. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;">Here is a little peek at what we found on Barb's side. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b0jxnhLBLHv-2XIjNa3X4jJTvIdKD3DMI9U-fx2SZjedovAJ1XBNo4_tcdewvA7-9cMRLnWqWjAJ0Cbf3omv9A_1ZiuPgnskDK_VTo6_Sr-vt854_jvAsjt6Gc9yvPNiGpB5qCi0dF93AHYE5KGDsR1lUgDMxFpVG2Vbm64ZMdPRNLx0DS-JCrs94DY/s1118/Screenshot%202023-12-03%20132532.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1118" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b0jxnhLBLHv-2XIjNa3X4jJTvIdKD3DMI9U-fx2SZjedovAJ1XBNo4_tcdewvA7-9cMRLnWqWjAJ0Cbf3omv9A_1ZiuPgnskDK_VTo6_Sr-vt854_jvAsjt6Gc9yvPNiGpB5qCi0dF93AHYE5KGDsR1lUgDMxFpVG2Vbm64ZMdPRNLx0DS-JCrs94DY/w640-h352/Screenshot%202023-12-03%20132532.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgV2n3OriKiqg9pcDfJBYlJBU3-iQnHjnsP505A2doVBOQefhgwbtDzeK1vhuC2bioWNcbSIPdy6i_AjRwclF78Dt0kzuV1bVEC7d4QdFp1RRIgyKeozmB4umkfpoOuXI6ECWdNwhbVlodXCEKNVuewW2RxBj_gzbOvLGkMGSkjK5QSORd61abU_1bbc/s698/Screenshot%202023-12-03%20133017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="698" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgV2n3OriKiqg9pcDfJBYlJBU3-iQnHjnsP505A2doVBOQefhgwbtDzeK1vhuC2bioWNcbSIPdy6i_AjRwclF78Dt0kzuV1bVEC7d4QdFp1RRIgyKeozmB4umkfpoOuXI6ECWdNwhbVlodXCEKNVuewW2RxBj_gzbOvLGkMGSkjK5QSORd61abU_1bbc/w640-h493/Screenshot%202023-12-03%20133017.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you see any resemblance? <span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;">Barb now insists I treat her like royalty. I am beginning to think it was a bad idea to research this. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaeF_Vg37zOUEQq3TCsjikcr1lLVpUoqeOxwJNZEZf08gblImijsujgbFr_-O0lzkxHeoPx2nAHwLblPt4LxbnfymohJEl_qFys8df1r809x6AMl1hOQOOkLdV4piqr7AO9KhuCh5i-nVGfQ63t_KgySKJ2s2P5_sOPQyag_EJxB1ESOuu74JeduU_SA/s599/OIP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaeF_Vg37zOUEQq3TCsjikcr1lLVpUoqeOxwJNZEZf08gblImijsujgbFr_-O0lzkxHeoPx2nAHwLblPt4LxbnfymohJEl_qFys8df1r809x6AMl1hOQOOkLdV4piqr7AO9KhuCh5i-nVGfQ63t_KgySKJ2s2P5_sOPQyag_EJxB1ESOuu74JeduU_SA/w299-h400/OIP.jpg" width="299" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiVqutA8l2bW17jmTStC4VjlBFPHBsUFpcF-uaG9UVHSnq1cV20LVBry4Mzjpaw_LnbJTZX0XNqRWyd0ZnSgHJVgp8LgYQWffvplS43hCmXb3Earga4hKWPpCbhmpWKeZI5UG11Cuv1sD9usp8loCqTyleZlWcRK34d9qfDJFq-Cfl4HzqTQ-ZyIScPY/s4608/IMG_20231209_090222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiVqutA8l2bW17jmTStC4VjlBFPHBsUFpcF-uaG9UVHSnq1cV20LVBry4Mzjpaw_LnbJTZX0XNqRWyd0ZnSgHJVgp8LgYQWffvplS43hCmXb3Earga4hKWPpCbhmpWKeZI5UG11Cuv1sD9usp8loCqTyleZlWcRK34d9qfDJFq-Cfl4HzqTQ-ZyIScPY/w300-h400/IMG_20231209_090222.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121; text-align: left;">Her mom's side was boring by comparison with that branch coming from Austria. </span></div></div></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #202121;"><span style="background-color: white;">Very interesting. But that is a rabbit hole that could suck you down for hours, days, even years researching individuals. Ain't nobody got time for that!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202121;"><span style="background-color: white;">The rest of our week consisted of us getting the camper ready for our next big adventure. Even though we will not be here for Christmas, Barb decorated the house, so we at least get a little taste of the holidays. And bonus, we got a Christmas card! This is likely the only one we will get. One or two might even recognize this scene. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202121;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202121;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLu3qhrjwuc72yIEqF5wGw_M5jR7jT_eQzRRKvPnPnS-QYwCUbHQc01wstKt07NaQoO_TmEUZ5RsUze04oaMp9z5NXHJ1sx2vFIFborsytvtTANG2_LsIvx7IIbO02_Ly8_tva0GyE8TFLRVU4mSbFbyEOCfWDMoagPUSTlCWG8c6BnRXf3bramZxW3Y/s3456/IMG_20231203_115232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3083" data-original-width="3456" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLu3qhrjwuc72yIEqF5wGw_M5jR7jT_eQzRRKvPnPnS-QYwCUbHQc01wstKt07NaQoO_TmEUZ5RsUze04oaMp9z5NXHJ1sx2vFIFborsytvtTANG2_LsIvx7IIbO02_Ly8_tva0GyE8TFLRVU4mSbFbyEOCfWDMoagPUSTlCWG8c6BnRXf3bramZxW3Y/w400-h356/IMG_20231203_115232.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #202121;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">We have the feeders full and a new bale out for the critters. The new tractor and bale fork worked like a champ!</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202121;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202121;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bd-lKbBpKcPHB-cm9EV7XdE44GON7omBAp3heFBlxdOcIGG281jGnFUp3Pphs_1EL7J07-l_0K81j7oO_QTowPlFLQAh-VHgeuC3T6HsDge9hJmo-OAXIvD01Y4phBC5YitXNKfV3Ncr7GvpkQKx-3A4WFRwm52oJOxAeIqDhJEuRvPpZuHUtv2gyyc/s497/IMG_20231203_141142_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="497" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bd-lKbBpKcPHB-cm9EV7XdE44GON7omBAp3heFBlxdOcIGG281jGnFUp3Pphs_1EL7J07-l_0K81j7oO_QTowPlFLQAh-VHgeuC3T6HsDge9hJmo-OAXIvD01Y4phBC5YitXNKfV3Ncr7GvpkQKx-3A4WFRwm52oJOxAeIqDhJEuRvPpZuHUtv2gyyc/w400-h300/IMG_20231203_141142_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #202121;"><div style="text-align: left;">On the hiking front, we not only conquered one peak, or two, we conquered three! None of them were very strenuous as you could drive to within 10-30 minutes of each of the summits. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each of them is on Forest Service Roads that are snow-covered and not traveled too much this time of year. With beefy tires and a winch, we felt confident that we would not get stuck. As we were coming around one corner, we saw several sharptail grouse on the road. I grabbed the camera quick hoping to get a picture or two. They took off just as I was focusing on them. Like a blind squirrel, I accidently got a couple of good shots through the windshield!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefQd9w3c-Ltx4JlDhodNlTidk8gw72DO27Htai11dM31w426LoD2n8v6J_IZsTnbFZ3szdgxYusQ6RsPE19T1i1mCwj40MdG0-1nkQ9Dm2_AlfuV3N9R7aMOY1EW61DkS0hiwzXJdtf3NJl-5zlrijmImq1mKTsZivekssWwC4eGMSIjS5Keo0hOqRdE/s2104/P1200017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1934" data-original-width="2104" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefQd9w3c-Ltx4JlDhodNlTidk8gw72DO27Htai11dM31w426LoD2n8v6J_IZsTnbFZ3szdgxYusQ6RsPE19T1i1mCwj40MdG0-1nkQ9Dm2_AlfuV3N9R7aMOY1EW61DkS0hiwzXJdtf3NJl-5zlrijmImq1mKTsZivekssWwC4eGMSIjS5Keo0hOqRdE/w400-h368/P1200017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1vJaAveJ8DaHRAzH6E8dnQwejZPVd5hGu-yBy0MPapVf9q41aLhHAUQPioXfXlm64U0_3wfCktAESMzlCeGVtea9-I2ci304wbw4uuAMM1YH0wI-4a2u8Y9bTCNjZIDQ-EJ1Gw_hCzY4-sQoaTKRtN7dBk3sWncIcbJ8LE_9oBtV_iL7paxzOT38nfw/s2734/P1200019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="2734" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1vJaAveJ8DaHRAzH6E8dnQwejZPVd5hGu-yBy0MPapVf9q41aLhHAUQPioXfXlm64U0_3wfCktAESMzlCeGVtea9-I2ci304wbw4uuAMM1YH0wI-4a2u8Y9bTCNjZIDQ-EJ1Gw_hCzY4-sQoaTKRtN7dBk3sWncIcbJ8LE_9oBtV_iL7paxzOT38nfw/w400-h275/P1200019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Some of the summits offer great views, some of the summits are in tree covered areas. Some of them have markers, others have a stack of rocks, others have nothing at all. </span><div><span style="color: #202121;">Here are our pictures from each of the summits. </span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202121;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6D9qe87G5YOw4phNesJM6w_ZhV5kaRCfYIfjF-5pmtloRhKGJBSTJfgdfEP3WtIFTfYZsaqEzzHNdUCfCT2xOg2c8FcKfB6GgEMbnCxyt5xzCCQgIEJ-OerZFReVtUJix4BwD7XEclgqDNHr1UHIXsUz-UTUTcLBG2XmHpRJBUh5vrzN3EUpWIDlG5o/s4000/P1200004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6D9qe87G5YOw4phNesJM6w_ZhV5kaRCfYIfjF-5pmtloRhKGJBSTJfgdfEP3WtIFTfYZsaqEzzHNdUCfCT2xOg2c8FcKfB6GgEMbnCxyt5xzCCQgIEJ-OerZFReVtUJix4BwD7XEclgqDNHr1UHIXsUz-UTUTcLBG2XmHpRJBUh5vrzN3EUpWIDlG5o/w300-h400/P1200004.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDrWph24CKQ55LIEEH-zej1Kjin9T33Qp-aBL-la41FOKQXoLDWpL6-TXkmEMFIujaU6iihWKB7oTfTObl-kaoML38GAUxf-mFqgSeSLVwUfCpIRPhzz0tZIJo1kQlXXSeIskja410UdIKX2qaGbH7KWaj_Wo48NQWwB5gtvL0LFTt4fxARSnhmOYmSM/s4000/P1200051.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDrWph24CKQ55LIEEH-zej1Kjin9T33Qp-aBL-la41FOKQXoLDWpL6-TXkmEMFIujaU6iihWKB7oTfTObl-kaoML38GAUxf-mFqgSeSLVwUfCpIRPhzz0tZIJo1kQlXXSeIskja410UdIKX2qaGbH7KWaj_Wo48NQWwB5gtvL0LFTt4fxARSnhmOYmSM/w300-h400/P1200051.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ODakota Peak, the 3rd highest peak in the hills Green Mountain, the 5th highest at 7,164'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoOz149wSfNO4Q03vMdXq6cyNeraOksy-rthmMlHxYdnEtghYnh4tOr7bsXdMtlMvpXBvP-upbJtX3Mg_fmfgsHt_nXpPfGofpyOYnvSZrleWL9XvnNqBBnr2Vz8hJ1uQ8l8ZfcMluGMle1sTWJf_vxfeS9_RV1q-8hJCczDNJ-YLhu7CxHcLvwWLxKA/s4000/P1200063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoOz149wSfNO4Q03vMdXq6cyNeraOksy-rthmMlHxYdnEtghYnh4tOr7bsXdMtlMvpXBvP-upbJtX3Mg_fmfgsHt_nXpPfGofpyOYnvSZrleWL9XvnNqBBnr2Vz8hJ1uQ8l8ZfcMluGMle1sTWJf_vxfeS9_RV1q-8hJCczDNJ-YLhu7CxHcLvwWLxKA/w640-h480/P1200063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Copper Mountain, the 15th highest at 6,920'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWWqxan1r4eFSPbU-rXiPLwIyHxP_j2NyAMCMr58T1PoY2TWCr50h5_dFCgKEupHpVOSVl3k7J0JjQ92O81dwBBR6E49TH0CqE5m4ph5a4EIH4NfcquUmiL4hdppQ0OdUQDhuoZCUBBsCsSAl-eLikAawOc8NUruICgwQypAulA8Vti4oASCY-XcOFh0/s4000/P1200036.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWWqxan1r4eFSPbU-rXiPLwIyHxP_j2NyAMCMr58T1PoY2TWCr50h5_dFCgKEupHpVOSVl3k7J0JjQ92O81dwBBR6E49TH0CqE5m4ph5a4EIH4NfcquUmiL4hdppQ0OdUQDhuoZCUBBsCsSAl-eLikAawOc8NUruICgwQypAulA8Vti4oASCY-XcOFh0/w300-h400/P1200036.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGylCQFKEJE5l4SMa0_4RLyqTaELozl6SNN2EZHtajzTq2eOOn_luIW8IvtZ0wE3kq736axlXTz2hBFgkbL_NR9JL_rtA8DIlIX0sGyRRUhFy813vppNRTHfBv-Kgt3Ek_4L4sBoX1t2N-8axlSCLGZ6dSPrOn2vXDv2XPPEzdXLzur0v7-T-YR5mf04Y/s4000/P1200048.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGylCQFKEJE5l4SMa0_4RLyqTaELozl6SNN2EZHtajzTq2eOOn_luIW8IvtZ0wE3kq736axlXTz2hBFgkbL_NR9JL_rtA8DIlIX0sGyRRUhFy813vppNRTHfBv-Kgt3Ek_4L4sBoX1t2N-8axlSCLGZ6dSPrOn2vXDv2XPPEzdXLzur0v7-T-YR5mf04Y/w300-h400/P1200048.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div></div></span></div><span style="color: #202121;"><div style="text-align: left;">I thought this week I would take you with us (if you want to go) with this video.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SpOfH8ZKuU8" width="320" youtube-src-id="SpOfH8ZKuU8"></iframe></div></span><div><div style="text-align: left;">Neighbor Jim got a really nice buck with his bow Monday night. We spent part of that night processing it and finished the rest on Wednesday morning in the comfort of our workshop. I then drained all the waterlines, put antifreeze in the traps and got it all ready for winter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wednesday night we headed over to Dan and Bonnie's for a quick happy hour before we headed to Hill City for one last hurrah with the gang. Kevin met us over there after work. Unfortunately, Cheryl's brother passed away this week, so she was back in Minnesota taking care of things. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We all jumped in the jeep; I don't think Kevin was complaining too much about the tight accommodations. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The food at The Alpine Inn never disappoints, and they were decorated to the 9's for Christmas.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwmFseAb1BuuYjYNWjgXXWVTg5RQROUP_KE3SrmrsmCS9EDwsB6PraigzI1oMHJ73r18hde4HbZDNeKbsWGdZCmyXa5OjbLHZojni6cqDq1rCkOWC9AIebFLJA0bkjkEpQa_11nDga5S8oPi8meI_ACoGDx33jED2c2aQpMVRqaECLSXvE2i5d22t_68/s4608/IMG_20231206_184010%5B1849%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwmFseAb1BuuYjYNWjgXXWVTg5RQROUP_KE3SrmrsmCS9EDwsB6PraigzI1oMHJ73r18hde4HbZDNeKbsWGdZCmyXa5OjbLHZojni6cqDq1rCkOWC9AIebFLJA0bkjkEpQa_11nDga5S8oPi8meI_ACoGDx33jED2c2aQpMVRqaECLSXvE2i5d22t_68/w300-h400/IMG_20231206_184010%5B1849%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barb and Kevin</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The following night it was off to Hot Springs with neighbors Jim and Carmen to try out the new Jalapenos restaurant. Barb and Carmen each had a margarita flight. We would recommend both the flights and the food. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJPvHe3cpq4dZ5Zsx4eKGtWwJ9NivlbJ_F5wqZUU89Obv7Dbi2CZo5MXVwrupMC4rQPmM4gqFjUSCY5gCtvu4fewEadK6YkToXzx0PssKfBn_iMdhK5QorEMXe1paMVJ7WKBvIACIFbYpGkuzg80syQyJewBG6vWzTsBygcUsQ_IxWka4GnBvmWAQcm4/s4608/IMG_20231207_171021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJPvHe3cpq4dZ5Zsx4eKGtWwJ9NivlbJ_F5wqZUU89Obv7Dbi2CZo5MXVwrupMC4rQPmM4gqFjUSCY5gCtvu4fewEadK6YkToXzx0PssKfBn_iMdhK5QorEMXe1paMVJ7WKBvIACIFbYpGkuzg80syQyJewBG6vWzTsBygcUsQ_IxWka4GnBvmWAQcm4/w400-h300/IMG_20231207_171021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Friday night, it was off to Kevin's for a pheasant supper. One last get together before we head off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">We have a herd of mule deer pass through Thursday morning. What used to be so plentiful, now are an uncommon sighting. They were obviously looking for water. The snow all melted yesterday, and it got cold last night. Meaning all the ponds and puddles were frozen, and with no snow on the ground, there is nothing for the deer to drink. They stopped by the water tank for a few minutes, came up by the house and nosed around before heading west looking for something to drink. It is supposed to get up to 55 later today, so I know they will find some eventually. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;">The next two days will be spent getting ready. The camper is on, we are pretty much packed. Barb, the ultra-organizer has lists going on what needs to happen before we leave. I looked at her list for the first time the other day. The first thing on her list? "Make List" Seriously? And it was not crossed off? How can one write "make list" on a list and not cross it off? I was later informed that this list was not </span><i style="color: #202121;">the </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121;">list, so it does not count. Upon hearing that, I slowly walked over to the liquor cabinet, poured myself a strong one and sat down to contemplate what my brain just heard. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202121; text-align: left;">I gotta go, her highness just rang her bell and if I do not come a running when she rings, she will probably have me beheaded! </span></div></div></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-49452154319694979492023-11-30T07:21:00.000-08:002023-11-30T07:40:22.308-08:00Thanksgivings Present and Past<p>When we last left you, we were just getting ready to shut the lid on the washing machine and clean the girls. Well, after the final rinse cycle, they were ready for the dryer. Sophie is now back with her parents in Spearfish all cleaned and refreshed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRJRMHWqMa0tthlQR2SXN75At7xG9yIgeqJT4ZH8GVuyqPyUZ-7jQ3WvsC3iKPaP5ztBIepBvXxNfCJ0daYjJNuaaMVOGtdfoU2fhKvoVBFHSAtheF0JFS9kxqvKvr75BMtGWy3rBJ0iB96zAvxDSuiCcJwdlgYP0yLxj4RG-ZNQYevQ5JMy1ZbvMzj4/s4608/IMG_20231126_091325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRJRMHWqMa0tthlQR2SXN75At7xG9yIgeqJT4ZH8GVuyqPyUZ-7jQ3WvsC3iKPaP5ztBIepBvXxNfCJ0daYjJNuaaMVOGtdfoU2fhKvoVBFHSAtheF0JFS9kxqvKvr75BMtGWy3rBJ0iB96zAvxDSuiCcJwdlgYP0yLxj4RG-ZNQYevQ5JMy1ZbvMzj4/w300-h400/IMG_20231126_091325.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Now, they are clean and good to go!</span></div><p>Of course, our big event for the week was Thanksgiving, but we managed to get out on a couple adventures. Although Barb filled our woodshed while I was at the farm, we were a little short of dry wood to burn this season, so we headed out to the National Forest in search of some dead trees to cut up and burn this year. We brought both Rangers and filled them up with dried logs. In the span of two hours, we had them cut, split and stacked.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIfksbovHrZBLcovvqeYOc8TRqThAxxuFSpLpnAArK2mbOTM7UnhOC4JmDN_2dR4IX05gFdLnNbVaA_AOBTIA2UOKikiu75WZQud_HR7fRym3w_SXkWSs0CJnqoLu_GUafT8FfSkHEqNlPwKvgeh1z7QPgIkhMNYWKCQsgML77dZYCMtOyC0KAHqqv7Y/s4608/IMG_20231129_102042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIfksbovHrZBLcovvqeYOc8TRqThAxxuFSpLpnAArK2mbOTM7UnhOC4JmDN_2dR4IX05gFdLnNbVaA_AOBTIA2UOKikiu75WZQud_HR7fRym3w_SXkWSs0CJnqoLu_GUafT8FfSkHEqNlPwKvgeh1z7QPgIkhMNYWKCQsgML77dZYCMtOyC0KAHqqv7Y/w300-h400/IMG_20231129_102042.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Later that afternoon Barb and I decided to hit the trails to cross off one more hike off our quest for 100. This time we decided to do Little Devils Tower inside Custer State Park. We parked the car at the Sylvan Lake trailhead at 2:15pm knowing we had just over 2 hours to complete the hike. The hike is rated as Strenuous with some class 2 bouldering near the end. We did not know what that meant at the time, but we were about to find out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4nI8w-R3Hda1lj8QLRMm571dsSt1t3ltF02tRtOpK1K-LJjqGFRpPcVDC87M4xo7TiGSJ4RiLmjYjl-3M9p-RGziE8Bu7TeIm5zNiaMfxevWBJnjJR-tupEMpnBEylpXc4D4ia_UmCaBwKiyItN14E28AIIPPERUYaALOI0LR2aVqLuBvA-tXkJ-q7g/s4000/P1190821.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4nI8w-R3Hda1lj8QLRMm571dsSt1t3ltF02tRtOpK1K-LJjqGFRpPcVDC87M4xo7TiGSJ4RiLmjYjl-3M9p-RGziE8Bu7TeIm5zNiaMfxevWBJnjJR-tupEMpnBEylpXc4D4ia_UmCaBwKiyItN14E28AIIPPERUYaALOI0LR2aVqLuBvA-tXkJ-q7g/w300-h400/P1190821.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x2SaaRb7RLAHFGypF7jAsfV6-hs6uo_Atn1hvd_0oYWuJ7ha5TFZXSd2x_O8x7Kr9KhcF0mKcewXzXAMATyfIPcBes_r7sCMDk-7CfIAzQqPfiswnxSIzjHZD28OjT6UShfzjIp__GfR07SoXK-lmFOJr0mq0jNZkTgAVSxQw_UzeUycY0tl8TA6pSc/s4000/P1190824.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x2SaaRb7RLAHFGypF7jAsfV6-hs6uo_Atn1hvd_0oYWuJ7ha5TFZXSd2x_O8x7Kr9KhcF0mKcewXzXAMATyfIPcBes_r7sCMDk-7CfIAzQqPfiswnxSIzjHZD28OjT6UShfzjIp__GfR07SoXK-lmFOJr0mq0jNZkTgAVSxQw_UzeUycY0tl8TA6pSc/w300-h400/P1190824.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The trail is nothing but up, up and up. It lived up to its rating and even though it was only 45 degrees, we were sweating up pretty good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuia3mW6jOFvjZa_ABhM14GronGux76Cm1ErfZH0YBQcihyphenhyphenzJFQUvmDGhKbB8WcrM0mVIqmBotJA8Epqqc1i0L8rWLAYU6UkCuFkTLQRVRT_YKSxSUDRt8DYcxU2jvlRtZTxDbB1fIEOwSjmMWCv26cE_4rYTpV_ehF-ih7ZY3-jTrmCv055Ip2AcOVg/s4000/P1190825.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuia3mW6jOFvjZa_ABhM14GronGux76Cm1ErfZH0YBQcihyphenhyphenzJFQUvmDGhKbB8WcrM0mVIqmBotJA8Epqqc1i0L8rWLAYU6UkCuFkTLQRVRT_YKSxSUDRt8DYcxU2jvlRtZTxDbB1fIEOwSjmMWCv26cE_4rYTpV_ehF-ih7ZY3-jTrmCv055Ip2AcOVg/w300-h400/P1190825.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHk9oWLYOoff8ZP6saPScK-ySBU3zCogxH8cv9lF9_hbvw2q4r3cW8U0GixuMouEeC8eO185i-jN0cRkAi7ZOxjgXlXZIJ2TEZqY4yN-NBfkSytR4xQ10-J3PEVu5YDbhE83UeBZV_ZtbiDpBOI2QXdHV8QJuF5olry8Dr2-zouXCoLcp8igZWrmk3RI/s4000/P1190826.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHk9oWLYOoff8ZP6saPScK-ySBU3zCogxH8cv9lF9_hbvw2q4r3cW8U0GixuMouEeC8eO185i-jN0cRkAi7ZOxjgXlXZIJ2TEZqY4yN-NBfkSytR4xQ10-J3PEVu5YDbhE83UeBZV_ZtbiDpBOI2QXdHV8QJuF5olry8Dr2-zouXCoLcp8igZWrmk3RI/w300-h400/P1190826.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The combination of the snow, rocks and green of the pines made for some spectacular pictures. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIgv6PNPgD9_vebEc9QVcNO5RSF0msCUCGTlS2PuQcb2quP4Fhb1zhBX5FvqcQ2ZpRYCXqQmtM40JLVKaTbsAygSkXA5lXirjvtXA5IvL16R_YyhJbt2H7saGJexHi0bsjdLaHq1osE4yluAU8pWqNY-8tIk_-LmelkKfv-ZSJ0mfF4td0J2SERoM_-A/s4000/P1190827.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIgv6PNPgD9_vebEc9QVcNO5RSF0msCUCGTlS2PuQcb2quP4Fhb1zhBX5FvqcQ2ZpRYCXqQmtM40JLVKaTbsAygSkXA5lXirjvtXA5IvL16R_YyhJbt2H7saGJexHi0bsjdLaHq1osE4yluAU8pWqNY-8tIk_-LmelkKfv-ZSJ0mfF4td0J2SERoM_-A/w400-h300/P1190827.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We FINALLY made it the Class 2 bouldering area where we learned what that meant. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhBHRAGsgaqrCvMaGW7nsU5E66c4heh8WzKAm3h5cj-dzLFxv26HD_uU6Ltt7LWWlhCyEGSWnE-iH73S8LlIvM1Ldxf0mwieieh5wQlWapCneIUR8tQsj-QUk82lkoD2EwkCWctFgbh7nicpY-kqe57XDjF8LAvsM9lkA-RzpAdlnL1dXqFIDtWvkJtw/s4000/P1190831.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhBHRAGsgaqrCvMaGW7nsU5E66c4heh8WzKAm3h5cj-dzLFxv26HD_uU6Ltt7LWWlhCyEGSWnE-iH73S8LlIvM1Ldxf0mwieieh5wQlWapCneIUR8tQsj-QUk82lkoD2EwkCWctFgbh7nicpY-kqe57XDjF8LAvsM9lkA-RzpAdlnL1dXqFIDtWvkJtw/w300-h400/P1190831.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnw74rGswP7zMH3NSmGsURsphSJxLaSnVXr3BZaJ-R7rl1Gp5mb1teSVYgwq9f3wQH4Q7qtGN4Tjz8yk8efx-IvTDqiOtJ1xvHjz2ra5aj-YQTIXPy90o7uLHjzQycJp9zwC08BvY-FgytccnF0P5MNOAzdo2_YODiQi4LvFiM1d3ndztqI2F9kMg8VE/s4000/P1190832.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnw74rGswP7zMH3NSmGsURsphSJxLaSnVXr3BZaJ-R7rl1Gp5mb1teSVYgwq9f3wQH4Q7qtGN4Tjz8yk8efx-IvTDqiOtJ1xvHjz2ra5aj-YQTIXPy90o7uLHjzQycJp9zwC08BvY-FgytccnF0P5MNOAzdo2_YODiQi4LvFiM1d3ndztqI2F9kMg8VE/w300-h400/P1190832.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>We had to climb up several crevices, grippy shoes were a must. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlY7M9Hyc-GkwsaWWbSVAZTfuz-vBCd3PeaHW3XhAUCAvuiy97sEWyT9ac3QblrbAGE3_VTRBEvmqQFrQwxKyhZfC54HSNfq-XVFHEdHpZ6bNiHcsPlGfAqAlCm5iZ6N2Kodb_rLIYYM9JWtTVLiKykNwcL9aUMOiHph4JADmVDN0SH7hBSAvo2ox6c/s4000/P1190846.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlY7M9Hyc-GkwsaWWbSVAZTfuz-vBCd3PeaHW3XhAUCAvuiy97sEWyT9ac3QblrbAGE3_VTRBEvmqQFrQwxKyhZfC54HSNfq-XVFHEdHpZ6bNiHcsPlGfAqAlCm5iZ6N2Kodb_rLIYYM9JWtTVLiKykNwcL9aUMOiHph4JADmVDN0SH7hBSAvo2ox6c/w300-h400/P1190846.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddGOFRuFFC-tnSXiYLDLOe2E8NF4z2KEgSDcMhPlGiDZ1gyuszPAvRetxg0YdtUnm2aMir6zsJXG4RkMovuGasokURkjgZZFLWE6_ZTlwuShLjcDJ928-tQko7M8AES_DNQ2GJ4ErOXfvoMLEX7odEQxc9-bdFs37YdEBXsl6Yo10rn-Z_icyZywYk6Y/s4000/P1190845.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddGOFRuFFC-tnSXiYLDLOe2E8NF4z2KEgSDcMhPlGiDZ1gyuszPAvRetxg0YdtUnm2aMir6zsJXG4RkMovuGasokURkjgZZFLWE6_ZTlwuShLjcDJ928-tQko7M8AES_DNQ2GJ4ErOXfvoMLEX7odEQxc9-bdFs37YdEBXsl6Yo10rn-Z_icyZywYk6Y/w300-h400/P1190845.JPG" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The nice thing about doing the tallest peaks is the views once you get to the top. The bad thing about them is, unlike a lot of hikes, there is a lot of <i>up</i> to get to the top. This is the 12th highest peak in the hills topping out at 6,960'. Our lungs and calves were burning. An hour and 15 minutes after leaving the jeep, we made it to the top! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RlCxIA84f7Ish1aWXGInshEUvAZeqY1Y68vIeR6nvRSbRZT_zJ4tRJC7HNlU39PPWy5i3d6aog2bUixsnhc_iiZtHb56_DLrsjJTywar7dIM-2W65AIRYtvuBVvXalshGiW5QBgLSLkbSqpY6fnftSAS9PO033DzvvmVS0Plj1pKosiN7SYgwecN-Jg/s4000/P1190851.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RlCxIA84f7Ish1aWXGInshEUvAZeqY1Y68vIeR6nvRSbRZT_zJ4tRJC7HNlU39PPWy5i3d6aog2bUixsnhc_iiZtHb56_DLrsjJTywar7dIM-2W65AIRYtvuBVvXalshGiW5QBgLSLkbSqpY6fnftSAS9PO033DzvvmVS0Plj1pKosiN7SYgwecN-Jg/w400-h300/P1190851.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">You could see forever in every direction. The only thing higher than us was Black Elk Peak across the way. You can see the watch tower in the picture below. That is a hike for another day, as it is an all day hike. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs43uwCV4YrzFEMC7gJJANvH9J_3Ns3kxoEgMWq4g9tRqY149-b6yrj60BpXO1hDP2J3_8ILdnPB4thmjb_hek1ozCddE_Amw2AAv98pQNOR1e7SpIRQbKCqrj5hU4B0Ql9zlgP1KZrz95WwnHOGxr1h0izYA-JVcPPEF6R-OAU-V90aZhXAa3quftnZw/s4000/P1190853.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs43uwCV4YrzFEMC7gJJANvH9J_3Ns3kxoEgMWq4g9tRqY149-b6yrj60BpXO1hDP2J3_8ILdnPB4thmjb_hek1ozCddE_Amw2AAv98pQNOR1e7SpIRQbKCqrj5hU4B0Ql9zlgP1KZrz95WwnHOGxr1h0izYA-JVcPPEF6R-OAU-V90aZhXAa3quftnZw/w400-h300/P1190853.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjd_Hmy1S6QEOA0sT1APfBKQe18JYcKrKmXLsuR7R27iecRNKhRzXi0kZXhb4xBabq0N-R50ETJBLwkug2Ug5D8i8ZR1ftlu3GHYKUyHDfUQVHTOGq4y7LylrY9iHAj_xFYBntul4hEV9TFBg_sN_rOGZmFcQgd5Vzr6EO64ULMBnkDuf0cZIdk4OSwo/s4000/P1190842.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjd_Hmy1S6QEOA0sT1APfBKQe18JYcKrKmXLsuR7R27iecRNKhRzXi0kZXhb4xBabq0N-R50ETJBLwkug2Ug5D8i8ZR1ftlu3GHYKUyHDfUQVHTOGq4y7LylrY9iHAj_xFYBntul4hEV9TFBg_sN_rOGZmFcQgd5Vzr6EO64ULMBnkDuf0cZIdk4OSwo/w400-h300/P1190842.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zYjCDiZb1nAlgXFATe2lujHSogjgdfwYpQnKF-ru2B7TPy_UHM4L6z9ELo4wMoOUKIYj3JHgM68JoJ-_05xJvK1dSyUD4gX8fhcXVJcaL4WYvkGVlOWQLz0amZeQHF388mlOshXppD-idmhX1jlam7T8xARlpbYgVpkMcq7RAulje2vcofdFm_JUswU/s4000/P1190830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zYjCDiZb1nAlgXFATe2lujHSogjgdfwYpQnKF-ru2B7TPy_UHM4L6z9ELo4wMoOUKIYj3JHgM68JoJ-_05xJvK1dSyUD4gX8fhcXVJcaL4WYvkGVlOWQLz0amZeQHF388mlOshXppD-idmhX1jlam7T8xARlpbYgVpkMcq7RAulje2vcofdFm_JUswU/w400-h300/P1190830.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH0we7rXaNBem_w_LEbnoITrKICQHVDrE9H8a83WFK60EW40fuXaZSxtVgaxLbuTHWy-m_FqRRoQ4SD2S2PF2gSNp1_mmh2Ug81BnxmNipcbkzfoKvJuvQnXZigvLMgRg9MDM9WQloCIOfsW43679gSUP4LixqxpK-9Wt1n3uBypogXkws4_SRGlZbyw/s4000/P1190856.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH0we7rXaNBem_w_LEbnoITrKICQHVDrE9H8a83WFK60EW40fuXaZSxtVgaxLbuTHWy-m_FqRRoQ4SD2S2PF2gSNp1_mmh2Ug81BnxmNipcbkzfoKvJuvQnXZigvLMgRg9MDM9WQloCIOfsW43679gSUP4LixqxpK-9Wt1n3uBypogXkws4_SRGlZbyw/w300-h400/P1190856.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWx8HG_uCjwSe1WI16qlWuA0M4Jd9NN8nJ3Y3WjUI97yo5YYkTbtsVVFBUmYooG5hlSLaQNlTOhjFe4CBPrrGF4ZzslEX3r_YcASii21CykFpahryB2QpxJ0UAkgHN0JTelCx17VmLrxVhQtOKYsGIX-WZAlwtoVU4Xf-yO91tMHjHGng4bTX_zghg7o/s4000/P1190863.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWx8HG_uCjwSe1WI16qlWuA0M4Jd9NN8nJ3Y3WjUI97yo5YYkTbtsVVFBUmYooG5hlSLaQNlTOhjFe4CBPrrGF4ZzslEX3r_YcASii21CykFpahryB2QpxJ0UAkgHN0JTelCx17VmLrxVhQtOKYsGIX-WZAlwtoVU4Xf-yO91tMHjHGng4bTX_zghg7o/w300-h400/P1190863.JPG" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The shadows were long and the sun was setting on our way down making for some incredible scenery. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQlzoNdh4FUZnEsL1oczZUuTL1lroEc7yUgNqtRvYarGCIW0KRHbM0WywsmPWQP0vywz_ZoIym548Xg3llwFcnedkRCN_-f9_sIHPZ6BfrGlfv4l__-BLmLUH2bo4HIwP2hIhdlnTgpvcTQAFbkAabM2efC2MSMy6PSwxRNoKbxbtSg5OkRgjK-sUYT0/s4000/P1190870.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQlzoNdh4FUZnEsL1oczZUuTL1lroEc7yUgNqtRvYarGCIW0KRHbM0WywsmPWQP0vywz_ZoIym548Xg3llwFcnedkRCN_-f9_sIHPZ6BfrGlfv4l__-BLmLUH2bo4HIwP2hIhdlnTgpvcTQAFbkAabM2efC2MSMy6PSwxRNoKbxbtSg5OkRgjK-sUYT0/w400-h300/P1190870.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">When we finally arrived back at the parking lot, we were the only vehicle left, what an awesome hike!</p><p>Now, for the main course (see what I did right there?) </p><p>We had a great Thanksgiving with the gang. Kevin arrived first to watch the Packers/Lions game. much to Sophie's parents' chagrin, we dressed her up in a Lions jersey. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdKGzCK6ZrrjyXzQ1m1LnCjfmeKEdkTNIjXamNQ-z4kfsGs3v38sssp0DkOAZhoCzmhJUjLjhCrkjVGYGCT4d-onTuFKTPvmHKhcb7xDAa-6gbBkdpLDZzP0UGX4hddfNwRF0pUtZ0Nm_SH17XvVgckcawtpF6pmNYi8vtrDQiKj11_11tAi_Yochr_0/s4608/IMG_20231123_094453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdKGzCK6ZrrjyXzQ1m1LnCjfmeKEdkTNIjXamNQ-z4kfsGs3v38sssp0DkOAZhoCzmhJUjLjhCrkjVGYGCT4d-onTuFKTPvmHKhcb7xDAa-6gbBkdpLDZzP0UGX4hddfNwRF0pUtZ0Nm_SH17XvVgckcawtpF6pmNYi8vtrDQiKj11_11tAi_Yochr_0/w300-h400/IMG_20231123_094453.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>The turkeys made an appearance as well. How many do you count? I counted several times and finally settled on 42.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pZYERyLnRnWLeCxFcEKfqZTZkE5ilEOgDJejgNfCl_8TAbhhoXFllmpqtCmTuysNYwutEToBSH-ch3hGHvaA5x0YcdmVY6rAPfrjoHOvkA-dkR7Qd30g0nvbrmyh54wGbpssAelVKURpv34hykoTPiFOk2RqyQOlBu1tiQ-asuFK2c8SFAqBdnb0PjU/s3552/IMG_20231126_083436a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2557" data-original-width="3552" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pZYERyLnRnWLeCxFcEKfqZTZkE5ilEOgDJejgNfCl_8TAbhhoXFllmpqtCmTuysNYwutEToBSH-ch3hGHvaA5x0YcdmVY6rAPfrjoHOvkA-dkR7Qd30g0nvbrmyh54wGbpssAelVKURpv34hykoTPiFOk2RqyQOlBu1tiQ-asuFK2c8SFAqBdnb0PjU/w640-h461/IMG_20231126_083436a.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Kevin also helped us take out our old couch and love seat and bring in our new furniture. Once we got it in and unwrapped, we noticed the couch had a tear in it. Nerts! Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. (Barb talked to them the following Monday, and they are bringing us a new couch). We sat down to watch the game and I looked over to see Kevin fast asleep on the loveseat. Well, I guess they are comfortable!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhGzjB-tZr4T5NejeY4bnJMKxOIp2ps5beP2HLAscJP8NuRQCM1SEhHD_h6dSTadqH1fGmhnDzG2ykwv-ru2YBgSBk1EASZIdZZ1_9M71PWHvwhW_RVPp8B3ebFt7V25fNzYUlidDHtW0TB8m_nhAENTWlNd1FCi9gW_cTz8jEfsklxGnOOANbTr7DE/s4608/IMG_20231123_111004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhGzjB-tZr4T5NejeY4bnJMKxOIp2ps5beP2HLAscJP8NuRQCM1SEhHD_h6dSTadqH1fGmhnDzG2ykwv-ru2YBgSBk1EASZIdZZ1_9M71PWHvwhW_RVPp8B3ebFt7V25fNzYUlidDHtW0TB8m_nhAENTWlNd1FCi9gW_cTz8jEfsklxGnOOANbTr7DE/w300-h400/IMG_20231123_111004.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jWBNCjLvsLmdA0owm9LO4bm3iawjJefJLZZHnznKiLr-jFHkudTLaKd_ty0WT-YBo-HTW9tWnYeakbSbY7BbGR6plttvy2l_lALzL5IdA3mQQKmTja3xU12Vmx1-Ze8SlpL09A4lXtF6ujv5z2WEJsY2nOt2_MEvs8tDhTxSSabRVLUnyX_yxt2oDoc/s4608/IMG_20231123_154329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jWBNCjLvsLmdA0owm9LO4bm3iawjJefJLZZHnznKiLr-jFHkudTLaKd_ty0WT-YBo-HTW9tWnYeakbSbY7BbGR6plttvy2l_lALzL5IdA3mQQKmTja3xU12Vmx1-Ze8SlpL09A4lXtF6ujv5z2WEJsY2nOt2_MEvs8tDhTxSSabRVLUnyX_yxt2oDoc/w300-h400/IMG_20231123_154329.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> It was not until a few hours later that I remembered that Kevin is having hernia surgery in about a month and probably should not be lifting anything!</span></div></div><p>Dan and Bonnie came over about 1:00 and Cheryl a while later. We had supper around 4:00, everything was incredible!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOsBb60GCX5mnQ8Mxevp1vPw4funOz6P6Pl9AjFn3dOkEcn656avynld0SKNExi356MWOQMg4YTBZ8ApgBhbBB_sK6dBayPTap0LUGY0So67TyGqQ-Uiahv2YaYv2W_1Vw7hQAzL77s2QhNN4ba0j4AgYLY05GsgSm2l9obv_ThFehyVDakJz-oRojhc/s4608/IMG_20231123_161649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOsBb60GCX5mnQ8Mxevp1vPw4funOz6P6Pl9AjFn3dOkEcn656avynld0SKNExi356MWOQMg4YTBZ8ApgBhbBB_sK6dBayPTap0LUGY0So67TyGqQ-Uiahv2YaYv2W_1Vw7hQAzL77s2QhNN4ba0j4AgYLY05GsgSm2l9obv_ThFehyVDakJz-oRojhc/w400-h300/IMG_20231123_161649.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">My earliest Thanksgiving memories are from around when I was 8 or 9 and involved mom and dad packing us up driving us south to Des Moines Iowa. Destination Aunt Jean and Uncle Joe's house. I do not recall if all our family members were there at the same time, but if they were, there would have been 16 kids and 4 adults. What I do remember is that they lived in a mansion. Huge 3 or 4 story brick house. We played a lot of hide and seek. I think the last of those Thanksgivings took place around the mid 70's and we have not seen our cousins in decades. I drove my mom down to see her sister a couple of times through the years but now both my parents, as well as Jean and Joe have long since passed away. Still, memories I hope to never forget. </span><span style="text-align: left;">I know my cousin Duffy reads the blog once in a while, maybe he can shed some more light.</span></p><p>Later in life, after Barb and I got married, Thanksgiving was centered around deer hunting. We usually got together with my mom, and my brothers and sisters, more often than not, at our house so I could deer hunt in the morning. Memories the kids and us will never forget. </p><p>Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, the families of our daughter Jessica, and son Forrest are spending their first Thanksgiving together in years. Brother, sister, cousins and spouses making Thanksgiving memories of their own.</p><p>Every year for the past few years our daughter has been going out deer hunting on their property in Pennsylvania. She takes her daughter Kendall out with her every opening morning. Each year, they look forward to spending a frosty morning with each other out on the woods. Hot chocolate, snacks, handwarmers. They do not really expect to get a deer, it is more mother/daughter time than really hunting, it is a special time for each of them. She sends us pictures every year. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz038bq_PAy74ExvFtxsR36_H5bV4j-iDHHAPB8Pc5JgdJ_3JOBeGVwRF-acdbtkCNNA3F_EuB9DsKUcm3j3svB7ADnQTogu4qNph22zrP3pVh9hBKB9GeLHKmrlNObidh3DSxnoyOxUl-yi4MiLEzzXyPoRTym4RLKNXd4epqPRH1cNTuShCLqHKQD_U/s2048/received_342469061824298.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz038bq_PAy74ExvFtxsR36_H5bV4j-iDHHAPB8Pc5JgdJ_3JOBeGVwRF-acdbtkCNNA3F_EuB9DsKUcm3j3svB7ADnQTogu4qNph22zrP3pVh9hBKB9GeLHKmrlNObidh3DSxnoyOxUl-yi4MiLEzzXyPoRTym4RLKNXd4epqPRH1cNTuShCLqHKQD_U/w300-h400/received_342469061824298.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An hour or so after receiving that picture, we received this text. I took a screenshot of the text just as we received it. Warning, dead deer picture ahead.... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWNhIGdxCZ2Py4InQtsxbXSS6ts1qdsZtFG2XIJnWsuXq3mUEmLlcsDI-HVrkTQzxMGDVsS9cLDkxlng8ZJsV6RyRgo41dNW7AEvia3rCwtKYEoRCeib4HwYlXwLpQSvfPue8IXnMPYTgvxL-C3NQQbyNzVplbwV1INS01-i3juaYVbAyCymdBMZgIxI/s817/Screenshot_20231125-080007~2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWNhIGdxCZ2Py4InQtsxbXSS6ts1qdsZtFG2XIJnWsuXq3mUEmLlcsDI-HVrkTQzxMGDVsS9cLDkxlng8ZJsV6RyRgo41dNW7AEvia3rCwtKYEoRCeib4HwYlXwLpQSvfPue8IXnMPYTgvxL-C3NQQbyNzVplbwV1INS01-i3juaYVbAyCymdBMZgIxI/w353-h400/Screenshot_20231125-080007~2.png" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We were beyond excited for her, and as you can see from her text, she was excited as well! We waited with bated breath for the next update. About 30 minutes later, we received this picture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next picture we got from her.</div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE-VSNKLwWf0M_lc9q6soi1lI9HK4n8TqKx2OoEq7GvxenV6Jbc-__bOeC70bnye9NttS22obOntgV-Spk25ECDoAAyGCRkhVsQhVqNAOqFquSsj2-8UuuQ9vk1gvcTDJXvlIsXsu_1TGpyQy_cDkerQYGMoyUWS7DcSCHEJJshK_i68STHmUFciOlxY/s1280/IMG_20231125_075947_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE-VSNKLwWf0M_lc9q6soi1lI9HK4n8TqKx2OoEq7GvxenV6Jbc-__bOeC70bnye9NttS22obOntgV-Spk25ECDoAAyGCRkhVsQhVqNAOqFquSsj2-8UuuQ9vk1gvcTDJXvlIsXsu_1TGpyQy_cDkerQYGMoyUWS7DcSCHEJJshK_i68STHmUFciOlxY/w300-h400/IMG_20231125_075947_01.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0J9ghV3vQ0oZHTFsrn4_s1pmFm0HzaAzcOMcBMslBTmOZdc4RHxd2ZYEtslmEJJFgbTQPAA9xtyloSUCK5jvCSECPh23wYvkuxSKyIYx12rj8fNY3_TI2CvPD6N3khMyteDhDYDwCUwMn0duGy3lVg_kfr0feTpFZYjQ_f2R9Qn3usMcsIHBQIwW7jU/s4032/403376937_2097968187210002_864818072931982105_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0J9ghV3vQ0oZHTFsrn4_s1pmFm0HzaAzcOMcBMslBTmOZdc4RHxd2ZYEtslmEJJFgbTQPAA9xtyloSUCK5jvCSECPh23wYvkuxSKyIYx12rj8fNY3_TI2CvPD6N3khMyteDhDYDwCUwMn0duGy3lVg_kfr0feTpFZYjQ_f2R9Qn3usMcsIHBQIwW7jU/w300-h400/403376937_2097968187210002_864818072931982105_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That is one happy girl, and we are two proud parents. Proud of her for getting her first buck, but prouder of the Thanksgiving traditions and memories are kids are making together.</div></div><p></p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-38194316940618766262023-11-22T19:41:00.000-08:002023-11-23T05:20:22.597-08:00Becoming an Influencer<p>Those of you who have read our blog for a while know that Dino and I go back and forth ripping on each other. Those of you who are new to our blog, be prepared to be a ghast that I would do this to a seemingly innocent person. Believe me, Dino is far from innocent, in fact, he is usually the instigator while I am an innocent victim just trying to defend myself. We both have pretty thick skin, and he deserves everything I give him. So, without further ado.... I present you another Dino tale. </p><p>It's all the rage you know. Becoming an influencer.</p><p>Who knew that I would become an influencer at least to one person, influencing and motivating the uninspired. Case in point. Apparently, Dino, author of <a href="http://mndrifters.blogspot.com/2023/11/fall-2023.html">MN Drifters</a> was so touched by my exposé on Wordle, that it inspired him to write an entire blog! Before you read any further, go read his blog. It will give you more context going forward. </p><p>Let me tell you, this is no easy feat given he has not one, but two grossly disfigured arthritic hands. I would post a picture of them here to show you just how grotesque they are, but I know some of you are probably eating breakfast and I would not want to spoil your appetite. </p><p>Now, here is a man, who is too busy to comment on a blog, who stops everything he is doing to sit down with pen and paper and start writing. Who I am kidding, Dino cannot hold a pen, he cannot even hold chopsticks. We had the horror of witnessing this firsthand a couple of years ago. My therapist says it is good for my recovery to write about it so if you are done with your breakfast, you can <a href="https://jimandbarbsrvadventure.blogspot.com/2020/01/sushi-with-dino.html">read about that incident here</a>. </p><p>It was after reading his latest post that I realized that I not only inspired him to write this post, but also inspired him to build his house. I am sure that after reading all our posts about us building our house, he thought. "If Jim and Barb can do it, I can do it". This simple thought (all of Dino's thoughts are simple), resulted in Otter Tail County in Minnesota to rewrite their entire building code to include things no one in their right mind would ever consider in the past. Like, who would ever consider running a pipe straight from their toilet into the Otter Tail River? Or, they now have a code against using mouse and muskrat pelts as siding on their house. The resulting stench still lingers in the air on hot, humid summer days. </p><p>Dino and I go back years, too many years. 9 years this spring. Since we have some new readers, I thought it might be good for some of you to read about t<a href="https://jimandbarbsrvadventure.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-worst-week-of-our-fting-lives.html">he day we met Dino and Lisa</a>. One would think we would run for the hills after meeting them, but we are gluttons for punishment, it was not until we met up with them in <a href="https://jimandbarbsrvadventure.blogspot.com/2016/09/yellowstone-new-area-51.html">Yellowstone during the fall of 2016</a> that we finally realized they were in fact aliens simply visiting our little rock. Obviously not very smart aliens as out of the 8.1 billion humans on earth, they chose to take over his body. </p><p>Now that I think about it, we have been inspiring and influencing Dino for years. Let's see....Jim and Barb buy a Cardinal 5th wheel, Dino and Lisa buy a Cardinal 5th wheel, Jim and Barb buy a Lance camper, you guessed it, Dino and Lisa buy a Lance camper. Jim and Barb build a house.....Well, you get the idea. Or perhaps the aliens are geniuses after all as they chose Barb and I to guide and lead them through life. Whatever the reason, being an influencer to if only one person, is a burden that I carry. </p><p>Now, for your viewing pleasure, I present you with this adorable video. This is what we deal with every night, x 2 now, with our little visitor. The other night I actually went out and slept on the couch as it seemed like they were having some kind of snore-off competition. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzydI_BFoehgWf9wp25UD7Lu5dbahuySVoblX6_tUPugCIXfX8QuA8g7hO98z2yQNuqF9z1_6TJU6cdE5YFoQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">We continued to send Alana and Ryan pictures each day to let them know Sophie is in good hands. Like this little gem for example. The girls got dirty and needed to be cleaned up so I sent them this picture asking if I should set the washer on delicate or extra soiled. The wash cycle went pretty well, the dry cycle was another story altogether. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC8UF4AtGDegHMryeHV9Xalzj4J3Z_dUJ08Op2H2l_bpXI_OEcppaadUxEFAT5bsGsXqCtWiIRzhq61Y6eEEg7VrFPeJyq561nN5iMOUAWOmXlAurefhAMXXlk7HbZAy25L4YeiGA0Knl9hjNmmg1Sbsb2TzlXFaFDjKOZEHBJp_wQ3KI2iAoCSsLy9k/s1728/368641392_1360250794614463_4168951837272975875_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="1296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC8UF4AtGDegHMryeHV9Xalzj4J3Z_dUJ08Op2H2l_bpXI_OEcppaadUxEFAT5bsGsXqCtWiIRzhq61Y6eEEg7VrFPeJyq561nN5iMOUAWOmXlAurefhAMXXlk7HbZAy25L4YeiGA0Knl9hjNmmg1Sbsb2TzlXFaFDjKOZEHBJp_wQ3KI2iAoCSsLy9k/w300-h400/368641392_1360250794614463_4168951837272975875_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sophie is usually a Vikings fan (or 9'ers), but when Barb is in charge of the jerseys, all bets are off. Sophie dressed up in a Bronco's jersey for the Vikings/Bronco game. Sadly, her team was victorious. I don't think Alana and Ryan are going to let Sophie come over and play anymore if Barb keeps this up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJa_iZEEIhuMiwdh1YoFEzM68HylBTsqsTXez3WCZAdTzc4-BMu9dSBSnZbTP_1N-2RVT3L8ZcM3e-PNavwNlRvOpqQkMEHc3sf_IP78mkLp81wPMHdpxoIIoqMe2w8r2j4vhReM9D3murDYcJyV3icXgqxxWzK9kMHHlR6RinF7zgtrgdHG-4lkAn7M/s4608/IMG_20231119_124633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJa_iZEEIhuMiwdh1YoFEzM68HylBTsqsTXez3WCZAdTzc4-BMu9dSBSnZbTP_1N-2RVT3L8ZcM3e-PNavwNlRvOpqQkMEHc3sf_IP78mkLp81wPMHdpxoIIoqMe2w8r2j4vhReM9D3murDYcJyV3icXgqxxWzK9kMHHlR6RinF7zgtrgdHG-4lkAn7M/w300-h400/IMG_20231119_124633.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then of course we needed more dress up photo shoots......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Xrh5TS0OZLAWirqxQDUSR7hj5JZa1_dW_TwmkMDwzE8ZBGwH22FtMoLMP0H3IdmM3qPM-rfTzsmh21siOZg-0VZBPeSSz5FPZd7PLJLD0lIsj-VC6F6PxOGBozZCqGeCA4xujnujrLDUiMn6sMpFlNHL9rjdscbQlb0ZwinGPwYQrcTvwAdBMNZsmec/s4608/IMG_20231117_093921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Xrh5TS0OZLAWirqxQDUSR7hj5JZa1_dW_TwmkMDwzE8ZBGwH22FtMoLMP0H3IdmM3qPM-rfTzsmh21siOZg-0VZBPeSSz5FPZd7PLJLD0lIsj-VC6F6PxOGBozZCqGeCA4xujnujrLDUiMn6sMpFlNHL9rjdscbQlb0ZwinGPwYQrcTvwAdBMNZsmec/w400-h300/IMG_20231117_093921.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSayYC_dyjlbplBsOaLeWOSkroeNg89ow-nEHXtCxmZgmwKXJWVHLpcXNAwrMjAheZkNm71vQ5E686xmp8YmbuWls6Xh4p5lhkT0RmJYayY4kQ4n8_0Z4j_zCz2OLvO_KjzsgorqIc0nY5brRkvrdU7AbblJ8MOX4n6Dca-ov6hd_MOxlHqMSAryAG9g/s4608/IMG_20231117_094128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSayYC_dyjlbplBsOaLeWOSkroeNg89ow-nEHXtCxmZgmwKXJWVHLpcXNAwrMjAheZkNm71vQ5E686xmp8YmbuWls6Xh4p5lhkT0RmJYayY4kQ4n8_0Z4j_zCz2OLvO_KjzsgorqIc0nY5brRkvrdU7AbblJ8MOX4n6Dca-ov6hd_MOxlHqMSAryAG9g/w300-h400/IMG_20231117_094128.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUTaDhgif6D17o2gaxIAyJEmObsdQ_IcrKdhTGlUOaV-2i0eBsXl4rti_3Q1uCjjrDV7OJ57gtexOiv7doO12ZcpzkmwjIeb0szt9Jfo0rFfleaSQ11b-ofAUYNc7U7RiKbs-3rIbYbsQKz5wlOMdY03wuRqHMpnHreei2inxJ_gJINOBy-X8FfsIOD0/s4608/IMG_20231117_094135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUTaDhgif6D17o2gaxIAyJEmObsdQ_IcrKdhTGlUOaV-2i0eBsXl4rti_3Q1uCjjrDV7OJ57gtexOiv7doO12ZcpzkmwjIeb0szt9Jfo0rFfleaSQ11b-ofAUYNc7U7RiKbs-3rIbYbsQKz5wlOMdY03wuRqHMpnHreei2inxJ_gJINOBy-X8FfsIOD0/w400-h300/IMG_20231117_094135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I forgot to mention in last week's post that DeAnne made us this awesome table runner. It matches perfectly with Barb's autumn centerpiece. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL19LumO1xJStVCS4xkVFw7fmepvIN0zst089XEKxs_jh35n5cJiMs4A2wkzqbjspk1e_aTyMku_saW7SWMhlzaA0MXqY39Q5jnJg57V1dbWcZXulyL6dGXFgnlL7ZqriSc3gmxpZdWXn7B8dtPg3vTEkQ6TCj9zY_CuvcsLZHlp4uQudIOX2kiWlhQI/s4608/IMG_20231120_174314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL19LumO1xJStVCS4xkVFw7fmepvIN0zst089XEKxs_jh35n5cJiMs4A2wkzqbjspk1e_aTyMku_saW7SWMhlzaA0MXqY39Q5jnJg57V1dbWcZXulyL6dGXFgnlL7ZqriSc3gmxpZdWXn7B8dtPg3vTEkQ6TCj9zY_CuvcsLZHlp4uQudIOX2kiWlhQI/w400-h300/IMG_20231120_174314.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Monday, friends Doug and Lisa came over to process a deer. Don't worry, no dead animals in this post, just Barb and Lisa packaging up a few cuts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH_XxYkY9QgMk-55VbmXi5xp2QGP8qyVQJ2FkYGDDT8EEgM1htNBth-hhB6ZQ-olBWAzmVy4sEhQSjAxjKN22LQdmEXcov_E7WudxVwo1torQn_4ZbgVQkQv9CFXfMqig3tgN4EUwlfnx8uwx-H-JKwBSbd-faBBvJBymM1YUMnvrXHuBHRdAKNgEOFk/s4608/IMG_20231120_112138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH_XxYkY9QgMk-55VbmXi5xp2QGP8qyVQJ2FkYGDDT8EEgM1htNBth-hhB6ZQ-olBWAzmVy4sEhQSjAxjKN22LQdmEXcov_E7WudxVwo1torQn_4ZbgVQkQv9CFXfMqig3tgN4EUwlfnx8uwx-H-JKwBSbd-faBBvJBymM1YUMnvrXHuBHRdAKNgEOFk/w400-h300/IMG_20231120_112138.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As we were processing the deer, Doug asked me if I wanted to go fishing on Wednesday. "Ah, hell yeah!" We hit the water about 11:00 in search of the ever-elusive lake trout. We would have invited Barb and Lisa but they both had Thanksgiving prep to do, and heaven forbid we get in the way of that!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E1S0WEGnpYNMYVUdprhzNuUDflmk6a6OaMYj4lhqB-hR6GsPcLcdtlD97HBPM7fLh55ncK-ULUPolJAnzUyXeOm7WKQOxvc2ysJfv6RwlVUdvyDCPYNWALmDQCQvUuCZvP2YX-cudcZcHeInHREmkCUoc4n1faLaJo9RTPTioy1DJNtMEl3V0jVboUA/s2592/IMG_20231122_112700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E1S0WEGnpYNMYVUdprhzNuUDflmk6a6OaMYj4lhqB-hR6GsPcLcdtlD97HBPM7fLh55ncK-ULUPolJAnzUyXeOm7WKQOxvc2ysJfv6RwlVUdvyDCPYNWALmDQCQvUuCZvP2YX-cudcZcHeInHREmkCUoc4n1faLaJo9RTPTioy1DJNtMEl3V0jVboUA/w300-h400/IMG_20231122_112700.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhzdlGIGTv1c1zZyR1w6AVwZzz8Q58Uw8GyaZjcMDvJJJ2DMFGDVRcQ1JQD93iP9mJdqAeuSw3TXED1-NEARRlm0hBzYpf1n_A4N4PXXcc88k4pd3uOuHH5T-I9d8wswgPRt2pumLYLsk4YcaN_J3cSThsazIDSK28NW-BqsaOQuGBFn_M2M68o1rgQs/s2592/IMG_20231122_122507.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhzdlGIGTv1c1zZyR1w6AVwZzz8Q58Uw8GyaZjcMDvJJJ2DMFGDVRcQ1JQD93iP9mJdqAeuSw3TXED1-NEARRlm0hBzYpf1n_A4N4PXXcc88k4pd3uOuHH5T-I9d8wswgPRt2pumLYLsk4YcaN_J3cSThsazIDSK28NW-BqsaOQuGBFn_M2M68o1rgQs/w400-h300/IMG_20231122_122507.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alas, we did not catch any fish, but it was a gorgeous day. Today got up to high of 57, then the bottom fell, and our high today topping out at only 28 and tomorrow is supposed to be 19. Brrrr! </div><p>Today is Thanksgiving, Dan, Bonnie, Kevin and Cheryl are coming over. Food, football and friends, it doesn't get much better than that! We have so much to be thankful for. Each other, our health, our family, our beautiful home, our friends. Especially friends like Dino, who gives me never-ending things to write about.</p><p>Wait! I just had another revelation. Dino writing that blog inspired me to write this post. Who is influencing who?!?! God help us all. </p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-7262355599250927692023-11-18T07:46:00.000-08:002023-11-18T07:48:53.830-08:00Wordle<p style="text-align: left;">Yes, we have joined the Wordle craze. Actually, we have been playing for a couple of years. It is part of our routine. Barb will say "Okay, it is your turn to pick the Wordle word" I would look around and come up with a 5 letter word of something right in front of me. Like today, my word would have been "Frost" on this frosty November morn. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Some people use the same word every time when they play Wordle. Believe it or not, researchers at MIT actually did a study on the best starting word. I won't tell you what it is here, but it is googleable. What is the worst starting word? "Xylyl" of course. I mean, who didn't know that? </p><p style="text-align: left;">We can almost always guess the word in the allotted six guesses, most times in the 3rd or 4th guess. One a week or so, Barb will get it in the second guess. </p><p style="text-align: left;">One time, I think it was two years ago now, Barb asked me for my Wordle word. We were somewhere on the road, Florida, I think. It was foggy and dewy, so I picked "moist" Barb plugged it is and one by one, all the tiles turned green! That is the one and only time we have gotten the word on the first try. What are the odds of that you ask? Not as high as one would think. 1 out of 2,315, as there are only 2,315 five letter words that Wordle uses.</p><p style="text-align: left;">But on to other things:</p><p style="text-align: left;">We conquered another peak on our quest for 100 this week. We continue to be amazed at the beauty right outside our backdoor. The <a href="https://www.theoutbound.com/south-dakota/hiking/hike-to-poet-s-table">Poets Table</a> hike is right in Custer State Park and at 6,606', it is the 38th highest peak in the hills. This was probably our most challenging peak thus far. Not because of the terrain of the hike itself but because the Poets Table is just hard to find. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_Zk8eAh3yMYON8UDUCC0XUvTiYFYvlJ7Glp7iPz3twqYc1ZQqi6rkyqmR3vv-E24UE0MRxkYJhGJ_wRzusR7R35Igia1-v3eYzBOpAKV3E-kD0ZaVC0fLBChz4yOPyamNQy4_i1qHKMVUOFID1a744stXpq6aTh3FckFQPLlhXd6-clXF0eniOyL5Bk/s4000/P1190808.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_Zk8eAh3yMYON8UDUCC0XUvTiYFYvlJ7Glp7iPz3twqYc1ZQqi6rkyqmR3vv-E24UE0MRxkYJhGJ_wRzusR7R35Igia1-v3eYzBOpAKV3E-kD0ZaVC0fLBChz4yOPyamNQy4_i1qHKMVUOFID1a744stXpq6aTh3FckFQPLlhXd6-clXF0eniOyL5Bk/w400-h300/P1190808.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The history behind this hike is quite interesting as well. In the 1960's a man by the name of John Raeck arrived in the hills and took a job with the park. He fell in love with the park and stayed, nicknaming himself The Vagabond Poet. He even built himself a table and chair in a remote part of the park where he would write his poetry. This site is now known as The Poet's Table. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM_tTvEgMGP91_qau34Pok1mbCeK1j3x4gnclVbRExtk-2C1fWGX-6sRaum7qWPvUrp5ECZwHFcC2C5Wfb5vT3IM82va-JJbTStSftjv9jFy3dCEbg_BRjD2QPAjs9w2NySa_xhhKeTHvDzJxR_Ntlb_xxc2KSINa-yRWGeTtHaJ-CbrD-nH8UFCJpms/s4000/P1190807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM_tTvEgMGP91_qau34Pok1mbCeK1j3x4gnclVbRExtk-2C1fWGX-6sRaum7qWPvUrp5ECZwHFcC2C5Wfb5vT3IM82va-JJbTStSftjv9jFy3dCEbg_BRjD2QPAjs9w2NySa_xhhKeTHvDzJxR_Ntlb_xxc2KSINa-yRWGeTtHaJ-CbrD-nH8UFCJpms/w400-h300/P1190807.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">You will not find signs leading you to the table. Nor will you find many people willing to tell you exactly where it is. What you will find is vague and cryptic descriptions of "about" where it is. So, with these vague directions, Barb and I set off to find it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We got off to a bad start right away when we headed off in the wrong direction from the truck. The instructions said to follow the main trail to Little Devil's Tower for 900' and look for a faint trail off to your left. Along the way we passed two elderly couples (elderly = anyone older than us). We exchanged pleasantries and each went our separate ways. Try as we might, we could not find this faint trail.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Then we ran into another couple who looked as confused as we were. They too were looking for The Poet's Table. Together, we determined we were nowhere near the area we were looking for. Starting anew, we found the faint trail and headed up the ravine. Between the 4 of us, we hunted and pecked up each trail we came across until Barb found this ladder. Having seen this ladder in pictures to the table she knew she was on the right track. Barb, Darcy and I climbed the ladder. Darcy's husband stayed below. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VTrGbDISe9UcvY6LXtgtb7-kpZAh3aOY_qoeQ6NfpN1RwuxfgVdB_Sht7nt3qa-aax5B3JtvRoSEP9I4Wbz1FlIQR2g3OuNigOsKtqLak69ND69buLkOAXamX11UCHZsf6lZQdLTTWMjVm3lha7wUTtY7mB_U00Ql9tQUgORBG03z84fTUqqo0TkX6s/s4000/P1190809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VTrGbDISe9UcvY6LXtgtb7-kpZAh3aOY_qoeQ6NfpN1RwuxfgVdB_Sht7nt3qa-aax5B3JtvRoSEP9I4Wbz1FlIQR2g3OuNigOsKtqLak69ND69buLkOAXamX11UCHZsf6lZQdLTTWMjVm3lha7wUTtY7mB_U00Ql9tQUgORBG03z84fTUqqo0TkX6s/w300-h400/P1190809.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL23OFkpALxHeOYgBVHz7DHVYxJdj-zRFZ1RasRRmXlXUNac4ykJFpQSbG3na3vDabIcRp2MrBurfe42cnoD7UNVplCGhLIBi1TUkT7g_RDYNCnQAtA9unzd6toggy2Oz_nztkAgJRenqIswzPmcwvYPskwzH2Cat-r9qvVQa8-mZ71E0GXE3JW2hEcxc/s2592/IMG_20231113_113846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL23OFkpALxHeOYgBVHz7DHVYxJdj-zRFZ1RasRRmXlXUNac4ykJFpQSbG3na3vDabIcRp2MrBurfe42cnoD7UNVplCGhLIBi1TUkT7g_RDYNCnQAtA9unzd6toggy2Oz_nztkAgJRenqIswzPmcwvYPskwzH2Cat-r9qvVQa8-mZ71E0GXE3JW2hEcxc/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_113846.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPYipMdGHdSSrzNnoC3BRMFNPKFMhpPLw7X3Vqpek7sexfQBba76BN_xUAdZvu3VkEUF-jQM4TuZ-RczlWnnnV3TMMtEidR-nCG1tBttZ0-wsT4tV350U01pZpyyKBLdC2lmyecXKYJl2R2QKqt9z8YVm2uCLetW_kOx9-4xH4UKe6RvaR4rH8R4ixY4/s4000/P1190812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPYipMdGHdSSrzNnoC3BRMFNPKFMhpPLw7X3Vqpek7sexfQBba76BN_xUAdZvu3VkEUF-jQM4TuZ-RczlWnnnV3TMMtEidR-nCG1tBttZ0-wsT4tV350U01pZpyyKBLdC2lmyecXKYJl2R2QKqt9z8YVm2uCLetW_kOx9-4xH4UKe6RvaR4rH8R4ixY4/w300-h400/P1190812.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB33vcR22I7MT8rAYVXyk9V6LKgcY8_qpVGbAM5WlmhSAQfkfa76hyphenhyphenWHFCvsYsniuoOao02so5yKEZBEufu8p57TbK1JiOodwr57GviteaEIpLGDPe3tFvOumBXtnMRCeLmlgQC9_KX_ibXougEY_QRConVSUyBkB44_4-0KvFFKsZ66Y3xsKb57-Nmf8/s4608/IMG_20231113_102125.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB33vcR22I7MT8rAYVXyk9V6LKgcY8_qpVGbAM5WlmhSAQfkfa76hyphenhyphenWHFCvsYsniuoOao02so5yKEZBEufu8p57TbK1JiOodwr57GviteaEIpLGDPe3tFvOumBXtnMRCeLmlgQC9_KX_ibXougEY_QRConVSUyBkB44_4-0KvFFKsZ66Y3xsKb57-Nmf8/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_102125.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Once up the next level, we split up looking to catch the trail again. Barb left, me right, and Darcy down the middle. I followed a trail up to the top of some rocks. Nothing. But I did see Darcy below me and those two elderly couples across a ravine. Barb was nowhere to be seen. I walked back down to Darcy, and we headed up to where we saw those other hikers. Upon meeting them, they noticed that I was with a different woman and asked how that happened. I told them I lost my wife but found this woman on the trail. One of the guys said "That is the western way" and kept on going down the trail. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczxdAQIr_Pza5R6WuBV__H7scHi2mVN8botn3dn5UhgEIo_vhaUnTCgti4QBDxR7auMv3Lsjaee8rBQRyFfUgA4kevxHK-rMl8R8Kdm-bcExvAnmLXTDfdj_O91dCQ9S1YaT9MLwqO4tjY4p_M6_SOPi8DjhhOD5aTfT0MPj0MiSWnhWAkqbt844Sni4/s6800/P1190811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="6800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczxdAQIr_Pza5R6WuBV__H7scHi2mVN8botn3dn5UhgEIo_vhaUnTCgti4QBDxR7auMv3Lsjaee8rBQRyFfUgA4kevxHK-rMl8R8Kdm-bcExvAnmLXTDfdj_O91dCQ9S1YaT9MLwqO4tjY4p_M6_SOPi8DjhhOD5aTfT0MPj0MiSWnhWAkqbt844Sni4/w640-h180/P1190811.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">A few minutes later, Darcy and I ran across 4 women who asked if I was looking for a brunette woman. They said she is just up the trail around the corner. Upon coming around the corner, we found Barb, sitting at The Poet's Table!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kA9Ci_89OqZ7mljkVVFDC___Xk7A1tbM99JqliA5tCkSwSBgzgAoiKaMaRTY0D6iI0-L94lC9_S2UCXLA-W3Z0L60eCamsAZhfS-iB_32i9aY5bK93TZjt1ZgNXFG2e4xn4FEikqwlH34ei9-4QGnuQ3UFl9ScqvdFqfakCRPEaSWuXnraK-EAvUoCU/s4608/IMG_20231113_112440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kA9Ci_89OqZ7mljkVVFDC___Xk7A1tbM99JqliA5tCkSwSBgzgAoiKaMaRTY0D6iI0-L94lC9_S2UCXLA-W3Z0L60eCamsAZhfS-iB_32i9aY5bK93TZjt1ZgNXFG2e4xn4FEikqwlH34ei9-4QGnuQ3UFl9ScqvdFqfakCRPEaSWuXnraK-EAvUoCU/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_112440.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21ZBxJhof343gdiH1rON-c4-n5GqqEKypNsYQJTngWRFgWQPRVVRyR7K12NxHaBJqZHfnmlCg26lxw5a5KlsZ_kAbvMUjvLQ7lO2xhTuejgGNOtHHyV26Y5xFYCA99wWr0GzfrEGABgGzHgFH5m2B4ZjI1PoZ7AiDoM2Hu51-bFwz8_HPDt6T7TcBkio/s4608/IMG_20231113_112617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21ZBxJhof343gdiH1rON-c4-n5GqqEKypNsYQJTngWRFgWQPRVVRyR7K12NxHaBJqZHfnmlCg26lxw5a5KlsZ_kAbvMUjvLQ7lO2xhTuejgGNOtHHyV26Y5xFYCA99wWr0GzfrEGABgGzHgFH5m2B4ZjI1PoZ7AiDoM2Hu51-bFwz8_HPDt6T7TcBkio/w400-h300/IMG_20231113_112617.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We followed Barb's route on the way back down, less of a trail, but a more direct route. We got back to the ladder, made it safely to the lower level and met up with Darcy's husband (I never did learn his name) and parted ways. What a random but great adventure! This one definitely ranks in our top 10!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhedQv_16v4o5vPX5V74Z7kC2uAYwEDhBMZ16NNK2_dfB4Uq0OgjnKisErPbVYwhPGG8hlYYonuoDxp6GF-hHfSu3AtMBfdTl1mu4t0vHWDWwmM3N0RH4L0ISkF-mT6FbAZIIpPpvqQNTYK-U2Uv80jRWSIn5fnz2bSDOl6lsgT0N47GpOd_PCAfEUFw/s4608/IMG_20231113_112832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhedQv_16v4o5vPX5V74Z7kC2uAYwEDhBMZ16NNK2_dfB4Uq0OgjnKisErPbVYwhPGG8hlYYonuoDxp6GF-hHfSu3AtMBfdTl1mu4t0vHWDWwmM3N0RH4L0ISkF-mT6FbAZIIpPpvqQNTYK-U2Uv80jRWSIn5fnz2bSDOl6lsgT0N47GpOd_PCAfEUFw/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_112832.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSz1SSFaaGRewQbLBDc7X5gbvvcUdmO6dsPEVOpAD-BveEh1iraIvRl4xJpM1sj_CrCAo1eCSZ0KWMLucjTM5p-sEgy_wg6E4W6MeMv2MjdEOWIoShH1WJNJC50EvzEwhfN29XuvXkwHmCBq4HjPOwBuT7OrIxvmJNBuTKeLacdR4vngIuY5j3El3Z4AA/s4608/IMG_20231113_113620.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSz1SSFaaGRewQbLBDc7X5gbvvcUdmO6dsPEVOpAD-BveEh1iraIvRl4xJpM1sj_CrCAo1eCSZ0KWMLucjTM5p-sEgy_wg6E4W6MeMv2MjdEOWIoShH1WJNJC50EvzEwhfN29XuvXkwHmCBq4HjPOwBuT7OrIxvmJNBuTKeLacdR4vngIuY5j3El3Z4AA/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_113620.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, we went to Dan and Bonnie's for an impromptu happy hour. Bonnie went to their fridge and pulled out a plastic bag of.... mini's! Fireball, 99's, Rumchata's and a Butterscotch Scotch! Sitting there in their garage telling tales and laughing, Dan sees his bunny friends outside and goes out to feed one. From his hand!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3RFO5uIMt9VmV_aMTFITyTNBZ6ekNRC7ZYbkU98yvlZvSfL5ix9-seRSqgnrShY5bkixK_PdR0tesgN1jljCkQDp8HzsChfLgAO3Kizaa-UE2M7NLVI21euSdSnm1ppe4le91s8j3ZqyKH8LhD-jgDwqrDHowXTNaTUEtWYyQCxYxSkJ3SU6uvfW714/s4608/IMG_20231113_151217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3RFO5uIMt9VmV_aMTFITyTNBZ6ekNRC7ZYbkU98yvlZvSfL5ix9-seRSqgnrShY5bkixK_PdR0tesgN1jljCkQDp8HzsChfLgAO3Kizaa-UE2M7NLVI21euSdSnm1ppe4le91s8j3ZqyKH8LhD-jgDwqrDHowXTNaTUEtWYyQCxYxSkJ3SU6uvfW714/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_151217.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2H1GaOgNL3FTgKKSiCuhT6jPEn7DiWTIGHNHMx94hs4j8LEHw2kwmsnS9R972OqTvI8tg6IK1jXtLa_3zr2pJlDO2zGGuQnxSWgO6H3gQsL1L6f2j9PXhh5-r6aOHpGcAKMQwG9ZaudtjY4mI8okZnz2DGYIDZKAlIvoHHP6_V3rKprEWnsVo7LQJYE/s4608/IMG_20231113_152128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2H1GaOgNL3FTgKKSiCuhT6jPEn7DiWTIGHNHMx94hs4j8LEHw2kwmsnS9R972OqTvI8tg6IK1jXtLa_3zr2pJlDO2zGGuQnxSWgO6H3gQsL1L6f2j9PXhh5-r6aOHpGcAKMQwG9ZaudtjY4mI8okZnz2DGYIDZKAlIvoHHP6_V3rKprEWnsVo7LQJYE/w300-h400/IMG_20231113_152128.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Later that day, we had a special delivery in the form of Sophie, the French Bulldog! She is going to be spending the next 12 days with us while her parents are in Paris. Our house has been Chaos Headquarters ever since. One might think having two Frenchies is twice as fun as having one. But you would be wrong, it is 4 times the fun! These two play and play and play! Not only that, just watching their personalities. They are very jealous creatures. If one has a toy, the other wants it and wait for just the right moment to dart in and steal it. Then the chaos would begin again as they would run through the house. Heaven forbid one of us pay more attention to one than the other!<div><div><br /></div><div>Although they are both Frenchies, they both have short noses and pointy ears, they are both very different in looks and personalities. Sophie is mottled and she is a snorter. She snorts when she does everything! These two features make me think we have a little piglet running through our house!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Si2qGuv4tlmjkbgHj-bLdR_i9oWPuMSqLtj5FhN0MnBwhhBQwcsP1o6p63gdKYOYF86jwp1huzx_SUp8INKvwE7LvKxbhn-VOuPNHuEVFJYxbxyrxYtEDdhEb8zHv48S6QQ7j6Sk9KPMMbjOANFkv66TSA18wGNmPapOtlfxG5UNbjZRPYxeXWkcauQ/s4215/IMG_20231115_125612a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2004" data-original-width="4215" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Si2qGuv4tlmjkbgHj-bLdR_i9oWPuMSqLtj5FhN0MnBwhhBQwcsP1o6p63gdKYOYF86jwp1huzx_SUp8INKvwE7LvKxbhn-VOuPNHuEVFJYxbxyrxYtEDdhEb8zHv48S6QQ7j6Sk9KPMMbjOANFkv66TSA18wGNmPapOtlfxG5UNbjZRPYxeXWkcauQ/w640-h304/IMG_20231115_125612a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Speaking of walking, the other nickname I have for Sophie is Shuffleupagus, as she shuffles her feet whenever she walks. Case in point....</div><div><div><br /></div><div>And Harry, just for you, I have included these precious videos and pictures to waste one minute and 25seconds of your life! The first segment demonstrates Sophie's shuffleness, followed by a play session on the bed. This is one of dozens that take place throughout the day and then more shuffleness. As you can see in the video, Dakota pretty much ignores them. That is, until it sounds like things are getting a little too out of hand, then she will get up, stand over them and make them stop. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, prepare for doggie video and picture overload!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XKdTR1II3XI" width="320" youtube-src-id="XKdTR1II3XI"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then all of a sudden, they will stop, walk to their respective beds and plop down for a nap. </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7CUsF5_GxrnENf42n9lJW319O3-khV45xFVhA5AHGFCnbjSjY-a4cNwjSTHuJ58hazQjkpy9uuGXGoxoYRJByfx9NoExLmm4rA_f-xR-SL_Cs8YMf-bRVvJITLWLyz7FEDPgtt-XRio3Crghn3D1NRlO7sOe4Bprk9oq7gc-hQENgTRG4HfgbPpHaQ8/s4608/IMG_20231114_160356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7CUsF5_GxrnENf42n9lJW319O3-khV45xFVhA5AHGFCnbjSjY-a4cNwjSTHuJ58hazQjkpy9uuGXGoxoYRJByfx9NoExLmm4rA_f-xR-SL_Cs8YMf-bRVvJITLWLyz7FEDPgtt-XRio3Crghn3D1NRlO7sOe4Bprk9oq7gc-hQENgTRG4HfgbPpHaQ8/w400-h300/IMG_20231114_160356.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlgKxtM1-2GQkwvVQhRiiRIHNmZXyK3uGItGiV8VshzvI5_nELeI4PRN9KECGPdxbS7M4Dhjfcq2EoNbjEWJltUI4oq5BKTEp5wvtKcy-Jhh3FI23OEfGHHQjKA6NZpwI1cZhJQyF-UqQynjyqr4lo1nZ3L28yIXhOrlYmveTMtBGfWQ3FT40IvQdCqg/s3024/370228397_671258304804390_8652206779112734708_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="3024" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlgKxtM1-2GQkwvVQhRiiRIHNmZXyK3uGItGiV8VshzvI5_nELeI4PRN9KECGPdxbS7M4Dhjfcq2EoNbjEWJltUI4oq5BKTEp5wvtKcy-Jhh3FI23OEfGHHQjKA6NZpwI1cZhJQyF-UqQynjyqr4lo1nZ3L28yIXhOrlYmveTMtBGfWQ3FT40IvQdCqg/w640-h382/370228397_671258304804390_8652206779112734708_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBWwm7972zxcSVQcWUl9U9ak-uwXWYRxdrGUDXcN18FFVWCgOsDBa9Y3F5sZjgUj-gzsBM67_A-wphRl3z02xQA-XCA31PiItX1MOgi-ufJ4BNKWL9h7vc8r-AzU2orT6glzJDwi4zgNQ6jZYWcYvkLeUE_Dq1vf6Gn-YPFifv51aBiA186vxsCFf8Uk/s4608/IMG_20231115_072126.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBWwm7972zxcSVQcWUl9U9ak-uwXWYRxdrGUDXcN18FFVWCgOsDBa9Y3F5sZjgUj-gzsBM67_A-wphRl3z02xQA-XCA31PiItX1MOgi-ufJ4BNKWL9h7vc8r-AzU2orT6glzJDwi4zgNQ6jZYWcYvkLeUE_Dq1vf6Gn-YPFifv51aBiA186vxsCFf8Uk/w300-h400/IMG_20231115_072126.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah4Ogl1S0EKrWjbO76D20p1gDeSkhHGB2vtO0SPw9K8UJ_DYi-4ZsUQFcUGHBHB88mZIx58L3Ey9JoTW3Ii9_zmP0wjAU3w6zYiMKBtwz0vPaYOviks9EhGVj3eMGAjMf5XNBuDPhKHjojjs9Sx6lexsaqYE2CHba3AzYASaWjFm9Lh58zFtt0QVmIPE/s4608/IMG_20231116_101955.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah4Ogl1S0EKrWjbO76D20p1gDeSkhHGB2vtO0SPw9K8UJ_DYi-4ZsUQFcUGHBHB88mZIx58L3Ey9JoTW3Ii9_zmP0wjAU3w6zYiMKBtwz0vPaYOviks9EhGVj3eMGAjMf5XNBuDPhKHjojjs9Sx6lexsaqYE2CHba3AzYASaWjFm9Lh58zFtt0QVmIPE/w300-h400/IMG_20231116_101955.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">We sent Alana and Ryan various pictures each day. We have more, but these are the two we have sent them so far. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYU3xnenYcu9CYOStWIHQHmv2bwuaZMtwKAZ4ZhIEbcMSg-82M-hz3DeNB8XkR8hdjjiFNIF1RSFwaeh38nuXR0tWAVGsS4hpzhUfc9WS0_Gb9vkR5Pk6wSr7_ouA6U0ty4Kk48c11w9KgSOu6kFFOh3k1pz97n_5rlNkb6hziHZQf4kyvZuswwtvvGs/s4608/IMG_20231117_094238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYU3xnenYcu9CYOStWIHQHmv2bwuaZMtwKAZ4ZhIEbcMSg-82M-hz3DeNB8XkR8hdjjiFNIF1RSFwaeh38nuXR0tWAVGsS4hpzhUfc9WS0_Gb9vkR5Pk6wSr7_ouA6U0ty4Kk48c11w9KgSOu6kFFOh3k1pz97n_5rlNkb6hziHZQf4kyvZuswwtvvGs/w300-h400/IMG_20231117_094238.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those of you wondering, the harness in the next picture is specially designed for dogs to hang in so no harm or trauma came to Sophie in this photo.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTAj63BgRLDggLe7SqA0UVrlPV4CNFzpufzoZCifWzmqs3WetOEYRCkeQVRDhPT7_0jrXipMN3759ibqsRrkxffsfrnXGTSwZR2AspkpDuCkirsv7U9zBplUWM4lg4TG6j7mGRjt50ZNgaJV8XUSN_4SK-08UYL2Dsai7P1I7Wsn7K2AkzDqiO1MI16g/s4608/IMG_20231117_094657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTAj63BgRLDggLe7SqA0UVrlPV4CNFzpufzoZCifWzmqs3WetOEYRCkeQVRDhPT7_0jrXipMN3759ibqsRrkxffsfrnXGTSwZR2AspkpDuCkirsv7U9zBplUWM4lg4TG6j7mGRjt50ZNgaJV8XUSN_4SK-08UYL2Dsai7P1I7Wsn7K2AkzDqiO1MI16g/w400-h300/IMG_20231117_094657.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hanging out today</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barb has been busy making plans for our winter adventure. We leave in less than a month. It sounds like we will be staying at quite a few Harvest Hosts on our way down. One area we are having a hard time with is Savannah where we will be staying for 10-14 days. The campgrounds in that area want almost $1,000 a week. Might not seem like a lot for some, but for these two cheapskates, it is way too much.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Friday was a big day as we got visitors in the form of DeAnne and Farmer Bob! They stopped by for the night on their way to Denver for Thanksgiving. They brought with them their daughter's dog, Berkley who they were returning home to her. So, for the night, we had 4 dogs in our bedroom!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97tUY_kE_Cyxav7HtcEOzCeP6WfUYFBTSioT5cfHWaDZfUtMDuBs5t4YDEtFbHPbuwvsQrS5poWxmLnsyi4Yio3YPTHGrNX88-CGgf0ARlWYu1_fw3Zzf8Hyv9CiuwsZsMZ_xZ0bBMre704j0CsnoVUUdMqMVe0zW7kcVR_ZfKCJxgV9XcGFChgsiWEM/s4608/IMG_20231117_205209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97tUY_kE_Cyxav7HtcEOzCeP6WfUYFBTSioT5cfHWaDZfUtMDuBs5t4YDEtFbHPbuwvsQrS5poWxmLnsyi4Yio3YPTHGrNX88-CGgf0ARlWYu1_fw3Zzf8Hyv9CiuwsZsMZ_xZ0bBMre704j0CsnoVUUdMqMVe0zW7kcVR_ZfKCJxgV9XcGFChgsiWEM/w400-h300/IMG_20231117_205209.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">And.... they brought me a new (to me) toy to play with! They bought a new utility tractor to use around the farm to they sold me their old one! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEunhxI024XW2KW3lYKnb4_aevQyu6iATZ2eEzax1sykrfA3KFnNLW8Kkn7GZDuMwbSG7FzNqgSojEcQ6BFh8sOz0_P86sqdxzlhNYNFcmiqiEs8REMo4tdEyQh3LedJO4yuJS6Qx7BPlf9xMFpJ6i7GwYlRq4_nz9J_YmWz_aYVE0m2zTfCTEE9EAVg/s4608/IMG_20231118_074833.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEunhxI024XW2KW3lYKnb4_aevQyu6iATZ2eEzax1sykrfA3KFnNLW8Kkn7GZDuMwbSG7FzNqgSojEcQ6BFh8sOz0_P86sqdxzlhNYNFcmiqiEs8REMo4tdEyQh3LedJO4yuJS6Qx7BPlf9xMFpJ6i7GwYlRq4_nz9J_YmWz_aYVE0m2zTfCTEE9EAVg/w400-h300/IMG_20231118_074833.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl7jqJ31-7KXgwm2kWI66_Tp94OyyuOZh4ExFrW6F5I34DgPHqdkqc70aTviUDCLsXX6_YAxWmuo45WP15M0lmsSCGQWyQJobOTDiAaf_5TbNweXdjtBBgutGbTsMxN6_CL48i-PY_j26sqHzhvwiu0pAxsUK9wAjLekDxOAsd4sU6SDDf-qqmg1EwmY/s640/6549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl7jqJ31-7KXgwm2kWI66_Tp94OyyuOZh4ExFrW6F5I34DgPHqdkqc70aTviUDCLsXX6_YAxWmuo45WP15M0lmsSCGQWyQJobOTDiAaf_5TbNweXdjtBBgutGbTsMxN6_CL48i-PY_j26sqHzhvwiu0pAxsUK9wAjLekDxOAsd4sU6SDDf-qqmg1EwmY/w400-h300/6549.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The passing of the keys!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As much as I love the Ford Jubilee, it is just not as functional as the Deere and it is time to part ways. So, if you know anyone in the market for a Jubilee in great condition, send them my way!</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbrctvo2X5cPFTzM0FX0OwP4L5GclHKJ4xSEx6tBg8qS3kpWuY984PrXkFgS-Q206e4hUgoi5G26b90vrSumuwBTSPbX-X8sENtxk91CMEsqHQXZrvG89ye3zFfLr4yfTbzDcMM5IwjcbYKO8Dbogkhhe6ojNPZp0M4_tFp2bXzJONvsCkZRpUVS4wv8/s4608/IMG_20231111_082407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbrctvo2X5cPFTzM0FX0OwP4L5GclHKJ4xSEx6tBg8qS3kpWuY984PrXkFgS-Q206e4hUgoi5G26b90vrSumuwBTSPbX-X8sENtxk91CMEsqHQXZrvG89ye3zFfLr4yfTbzDcMM5IwjcbYKO8Dbogkhhe6ojNPZp0M4_tFp2bXzJONvsCkZRpUVS4wv8/w400-h300/IMG_20231111_082407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-59691748290842094462023-11-10T15:23:00.000-08:002023-11-10T15:44:54.615-08:00The One!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFULHK9_gEWjP0kjjDloKzEeIHAQC_CE6v2PTc9vztIaj5SHLjjo2RhKvh0_tpl1qqeuX0BQOOge2wi8eH8LVRlkGmHC5eMsRlviHdy5tnM5vY8zPRjY9wuwuT9FNxOVBoAb-fYFIafulMUz4BAedvWvxcskWu83b_NXubRNk5AIS4AkPR2yzJBCO7Pk/s1797/IMG_20231105_172754~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="1684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFULHK9_gEWjP0kjjDloKzEeIHAQC_CE6v2PTc9vztIaj5SHLjjo2RhKvh0_tpl1qqeuX0BQOOge2wi8eH8LVRlkGmHC5eMsRlviHdy5tnM5vY8zPRjY9wuwuT9FNxOVBoAb-fYFIafulMUz4BAedvWvxcskWu83b_NXubRNk5AIS4AkPR2yzJBCO7Pk/s320/IMG_20231105_172754~2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>There are pictures of several harvested animals at the end of this post. But you non-hunters can safely read the first two-thirds of this post. </p><p>Anyone that is a hunter will probably know what the above picture represents. Those are the date notches from my hunting license you are required to notch out when you harvest a deer! But, this post is not a tale of one deer, it is a tale of two deer and a buffalo!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A buffalo, you say......<span style="text-align: justify;">Custer State Park has about 1,500 buffalo in the fall of the year. Each fall, they auction off enough to get them down to the carrying capacity they are looking for within the park. This year, they auctioned off about 500 animals to other ranches and processers. They also have 25 or so tags for a hunt draw. After 5 years of applying, Kevin finally pulled a buffalo hunt tag!</span></p><p>But first, sister Carol. She has come and gone, it is always good to see her, catch up and just talk. At 72, she is 12 years older than me. She is the oldest sibling, and I am 6th out of the 7 our parents had. What is interesting is when she talks about growing up in our household. Her memories are nothing like mine at all. Her memories of mom were that she was always pregnant. I never saw her pregnant. She and my other sisters were our primary care givers when my younger brother and I were babies and toddlers, I of course, was so young I have no memories of that at all. </p><p>By the time I was 6, she was out of the house in college, so in many of my memories she is already out of the house. I do remember bits and pieces with her in the house, but many of those are aided by the movies my dad took. Silent movies of Christmases or birthdays. </p><p>Even though we were basically raised in two different time periods, our life thoughts and political leanings are almost identical. I was always a little mischievous growing up and she was always the responsible one. </p><p>One afternoon we were sitting on the couch, and she asked me "Does Dino really drink that much and does Harry really hate dogs?" I tell her "If you read it on the internet, it must be true". I would never, never exaggerate or make something entirely up, would I?</p><p>Talking to her got me thinking of all the things that have changed since we were kids. There are thousands, with technology being the biggest. But there are a few things that still surprise me. Like malls. Shopping malls were such a big thing for me growing up. Our primary malls were HarMar Mall and Rosedale Mall. As kids, my brother and I would bike to them and walk around the shops. As a young adult I worked security at J.C. Penney's catching shoplifters. I remember how busy the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas were. Elbow to elbow people hustling and bustling around. The mall was so full of life. Today, it is just sad to see how slow the malls are. </p><p>Both Barb and I were big roller-skaters. Her, competitively, me to meet girls. Her in Oregon, me in Minnesota. We both spent hours skating. Those are now a thing of the past, who would have thought?</p><p>Then there were the paper routes. My dad had a paper route, I had a paper route. Is that even a thing anymore? I honestly do not know if there is home paper delivery anymore. So many things have changed. </p><p>Sunday, Carol, Barb and I drove up to Spearfish to watch the Vikings along with my niece Alana and her husband Ryan. Zoey came along to play with Sophie and Loki. But mostly, she just terrorized the cats. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP9WEfnKe74fpi67kwyPCPIVnilRswxsg2tJtRL0k2QzU2cmZ74Mzn9RstagxhHANckoWgvhcfEEEfUPkRxS59W90jgjuumK3WUnTy45WV0P8-wxCFeB04BK_iq9hmWF1Wzg8SkPxGuA-25UzzX2PEKbZQvEfUaeCn8HPcB2bhU1OGLhyphenhyphenildMOM5r32Q/s4608/IMG_20231105_113012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP9WEfnKe74fpi67kwyPCPIVnilRswxsg2tJtRL0k2QzU2cmZ74Mzn9RstagxhHANckoWgvhcfEEEfUPkRxS59W90jgjuumK3WUnTy45WV0P8-wxCFeB04BK_iq9hmWF1Wzg8SkPxGuA-25UzzX2PEKbZQvEfUaeCn8HPcB2bhU1OGLhyphenhyphenildMOM5r32Q/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_113012.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRUShCkDkw0DP7e0LO-l5DLD5FeOEZ26dT2rrPyhDv7WnJfEIwiSQElJyY-T0JGkx8zQzOdQNFcnNp-S1ci_6GkUzECcsXuivtZQkw_GiUyBGRz8uPBlUPx6bfYuRuCJfWYQuWiR7L_TDPXmGkTdLQwY8k5TV9TMINTv32n3mgx_svHHRj1WhSjiC-bs/s4608/IMG_20231105_140342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRUShCkDkw0DP7e0LO-l5DLD5FeOEZ26dT2rrPyhDv7WnJfEIwiSQElJyY-T0JGkx8zQzOdQNFcnNp-S1ci_6GkUzECcsXuivtZQkw_GiUyBGRz8uPBlUPx6bfYuRuCJfWYQuWiR7L_TDPXmGkTdLQwY8k5TV9TMINTv32n3mgx_svHHRj1WhSjiC-bs/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_140342.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>The best part of the visit was seeing Ryan and Sophie decked out in Viking gear. Ryan made a bet with Alana when the Vikings played the 49'ers. Alana is a diehard Vikings fan and Ryan's team is the 49'ers. Ryan now has to wear a Vikings jersey every Sunday for the rest of the season! You ever seen a 42-year-old man pout? Well, you are about to! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeDu6pa7zf_nXbV-bhR4r4KFPOz_8Z74tp6-WzwqA8Rjsx0K8P2HIj5WbAcEbZg2pl9TJsZLUyXxA9wZWDoUYY9b96kB4oyvVva4ErQDBCR2JvB67gWyUC9PwFrgmR3vDd-H4xrG5N6gbW5-z3IwJklPzPSJ5qVx9NOFVRYgx8JijxVi0vCbzSfUawAQ/s4608/IMG_20231105_105848.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeDu6pa7zf_nXbV-bhR4r4KFPOz_8Z74tp6-WzwqA8Rjsx0K8P2HIj5WbAcEbZg2pl9TJsZLUyXxA9wZWDoUYY9b96kB4oyvVva4ErQDBCR2JvB67gWyUC9PwFrgmR3vDd-H4xrG5N6gbW5-z3IwJklPzPSJ5qVx9NOFVRYgx8JijxVi0vCbzSfUawAQ/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_105848.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEg7KMiNhd1AWpHmIIub1pKiqe4Aj-TBm-9Ca1J5ibxbMK3eRlDABf7hJjfsJNjBiJFlldDB5MH1eZWq-LE2V91qOypJUVXxeWrxjehTSvF81K4QamB45waWkcEvmf8Jn6Y17nyorzge8KOXoWO-HhWUDToku2qS_XLVJk6c4f7HWqHS3nWD9plz8p5w/s1600/IMG_20231108_082118_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEg7KMiNhd1AWpHmIIub1pKiqe4Aj-TBm-9Ca1J5ibxbMK3eRlDABf7hJjfsJNjBiJFlldDB5MH1eZWq-LE2V91qOypJUVXxeWrxjehTSvF81K4QamB45waWkcEvmf8Jn6Y17nyorzge8KOXoWO-HhWUDToku2qS_XLVJk6c4f7HWqHS3nWD9plz8p5w/w300-h400/IMG_20231108_082118_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first 20 minutes were pure chaos while everyone chased each other around. I tried videoing it but there was no way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a bit, they all settled down. Sophie crashed on the floor, Loki on the couch and Zoey continued to terrorize the cats, but from a resting position. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmQ7Uf5bFi_DhxrgA2qu3NMyNLVllTuCqoQPV2AU2ud2cyqWtLgWjsDV05gBQBiOeRfC7Ltzt9hvtjm7Q0XlV-5nxx5Pf7wVedTa4PHD4tCklMDHS1b_Kf5kMwhoSZs4show8M7qb_ZJjjUWz_0SthQYSa41cHEvdBRfj9NGoQQ58L3XKkGHf47dK4RM/s4608/IMG_20231105_145334.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmQ7Uf5bFi_DhxrgA2qu3NMyNLVllTuCqoQPV2AU2ud2cyqWtLgWjsDV05gBQBiOeRfC7Ltzt9hvtjm7Q0XlV-5nxx5Pf7wVedTa4PHD4tCklMDHS1b_Kf5kMwhoSZs4show8M7qb_ZJjjUWz_0SthQYSa41cHEvdBRfj9NGoQQ58L3XKkGHf47dK4RM/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_145334.jpg" width="300" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6c5YiZ50hz9cxpDjus8WWbFSWhAA9o9tvBN2eixle2k2SgaSBZRntVeWNnkda4Mv7SWP86ZzUB_t8XtBwhpM36T46lmRwBaCfLVfbvMlK-UolCdcM58h13S-Yg0hSTnVKt9QaGaYKD0tvvuG1UjQkvPGAIbRwpiQ6BoTg7pC9o_MaLYmVw8lSWC-Ns8/s4608/IMG_20231105_112218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6c5YiZ50hz9cxpDjus8WWbFSWhAA9o9tvBN2eixle2k2SgaSBZRntVeWNnkda4Mv7SWP86ZzUB_t8XtBwhpM36T46lmRwBaCfLVfbvMlK-UolCdcM58h13S-Yg0hSTnVKt9QaGaYKD0tvvuG1UjQkvPGAIbRwpiQ6BoTg7pC9o_MaLYmVw8lSWC-Ns8/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_112218.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXhQJAl4mbDNQyols0flnUUKh8QsuseOJHwF6aDph6Qyh5QWVKKb9y_MMGuthZT7yDzwa4OyasvxZCys95GNpQk7ADyI4ipzuht857TPmWk-6TEwzGmWTdBzXfIXph7CBb4J_-heVriOak_sZ08fyQi1McKCdBMc1wBWPZVkFOgjTA7JDBxAOvzHRXMg/s4608/IMG_20231105_145302.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXhQJAl4mbDNQyols0flnUUKh8QsuseOJHwF6aDph6Qyh5QWVKKb9y_MMGuthZT7yDzwa4OyasvxZCys95GNpQk7ADyI4ipzuht857TPmWk-6TEwzGmWTdBzXfIXph7CBb4J_-heVriOak_sZ08fyQi1McKCdBMc1wBWPZVkFOgjTA7JDBxAOvzHRXMg/w300-h400/IMG_20231105_145302.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I can also unveil our latest project. We have a spot in our bedroom where we were going to install a built-in bookcase. We have been working on this for a couple of weeks and we just finished it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">First, I want to thank my friend, and fellow blogger, Jim for his help. He was a cabinet maker in a previous life, and I could not have done it without his help. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrIAVZMZUxllv2cOjWricAgKtN1XjnQNlfIGF4ikeYR90OFNWLFeF8keOtxVhBFSilXJUGSoNQtlTC-DM10zD-B5sjCBrRcrwXQ95xuQWybVGryIfY8XdyFYkysgEigqd-sLpdo8egR4_RMrn_CFeT74OgS3x8xmvOMwIVzTu4UEW81RV5wgudW6OQfA/s2592/IMG_20231026_112758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrIAVZMZUxllv2cOjWricAgKtN1XjnQNlfIGF4ikeYR90OFNWLFeF8keOtxVhBFSilXJUGSoNQtlTC-DM10zD-B5sjCBrRcrwXQ95xuQWybVGryIfY8XdyFYkysgEigqd-sLpdo8egR4_RMrn_CFeT74OgS3x8xmvOMwIVzTu4UEW81RV5wgudW6OQfA/w300-h400/IMG_20231026_112758.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFS0fyV431-BysF3Hbs3wBxr0iHVgiAVV5GK_8h0FIZyMNm_BQvSv-Yrg4ohpcubmAfFhGFmVFHqShqXn5g9zKFzf7mesPOqk5E20D3q-FZfB1WKc4YLYAwKjKTtRLP7hB7nvpmqjz1Huv_-yvK7MxvpDWnPV4xIgceLKvJFC7BvIWv9jGzNJZcOXatY/s4608/IMG_20231026_153034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFS0fyV431-BysF3Hbs3wBxr0iHVgiAVV5GK_8h0FIZyMNm_BQvSv-Yrg4ohpcubmAfFhGFmVFHqShqXn5g9zKFzf7mesPOqk5E20D3q-FZfB1WKc4YLYAwKjKTtRLP7hB7nvpmqjz1Huv_-yvK7MxvpDWnPV4xIgceLKvJFC7BvIWv9jGzNJZcOXatY/w300-h400/IMG_20231026_153034.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jim suggested that I rabbet the sides, top and bottom into the back. I have never rabbeted before but I did have a rabbet blade so I was willing to give it a try. After a couple of test pieces, I was able to get the rabbets done. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next up came gluing and screwing. I either had the start of a bookcase or a coffin, at this point, it could go either way. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo65WPfSA1wfQphA1oBf6NjiIHqOYtxfN6O4kL7S4vJPmOCrDzVlcxtau30nnk2o33FzB2K0VezDZ5LYwSa-GTN2NJ7Td_xfLcbKgMTjsN9qsko7wKVOSYCgdQK3w8Syg0A1xOFpnH_tf3-cq89pKvzsAszVpqEDHnC0eZSgqamgxvh0LDdTwHeP9vgng/s3634/IMG_20231028_143537a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3634" data-original-width="3392" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo65WPfSA1wfQphA1oBf6NjiIHqOYtxfN6O4kL7S4vJPmOCrDzVlcxtau30nnk2o33FzB2K0VezDZ5LYwSa-GTN2NJ7Td_xfLcbKgMTjsN9qsko7wKVOSYCgdQK3w8Syg0A1xOFpnH_tf3-cq89pKvzsAszVpqEDHnC0eZSgqamgxvh0LDdTwHeP9vgng/w374-h400/IMG_20231028_143537a.jpg" width="374" /></a></div>Next up where the shelves. After cutting them out I put iron on birch edging to hide the veneer from the plywood. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVQxPe3AZbJlr45_WfMzI_4YMNjSOtj93MjcAKL6XIk5JwcoX9cSXeao_F8RxwrG5ZxmnhLnFbfghtxFCOFLkr1rYntoxfbTH68IGAuNIx3a-D31IJAPCp517j04P9mTqKcqwnVpMpSc-hz1sHfWQe9hoxVdRtluh5YBIOPgr6iB0VQt9JqK8Zun-zWM/s4608/IMG_20231031_094640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVQxPe3AZbJlr45_WfMzI_4YMNjSOtj93MjcAKL6XIk5JwcoX9cSXeao_F8RxwrG5ZxmnhLnFbfghtxFCOFLkr1rYntoxfbTH68IGAuNIx3a-D31IJAPCp517j04P9mTqKcqwnVpMpSc-hz1sHfWQe9hoxVdRtluh5YBIOPgr6iB0VQt9JqK8Zun-zWM/w300-h400/IMG_20231031_094640.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPiS1GuuFvlZTnw2c_nl5S5va-Rf0vF4_OqpOHCUVwv5wz2xRqmuSzCGRNPf00UnBViBeeFTB3X3LuSiHJ7tWZvTqDrlEKcHOK_sOguXVPsu1Ot4GJngiovgblcymSatTBfM0b6mXjlA57qXueQ2bx8cyZoT3tKiffXorvTk3N8asOXSt88vocL72qfI/s4000/IMG_20231031_091723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPiS1GuuFvlZTnw2c_nl5S5va-Rf0vF4_OqpOHCUVwv5wz2xRqmuSzCGRNPf00UnBViBeeFTB3X3LuSiHJ7tWZvTqDrlEKcHOK_sOguXVPsu1Ot4GJngiovgblcymSatTBfM0b6mXjlA57qXueQ2bx8cyZoT3tKiffXorvTk3N8asOXSt88vocL72qfI/w300-h400/IMG_20231031_091723.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Next up was the trim and Barbie to stain and varnish it. With everything else going on, it took us a little over two weeks from start to finish, but now we have a finished bookcase in the bedroom! Well, almost finished, I still need to put on the bottom trim piece.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86UALuwSshMzosnpL83cO7I2yzsZZAU1hL5IDNnh5zA4SXQSbwdulyTLvMkmn75aug_gagen3OSvnikoD45PTpd1vG_u-hOKA_-hwhQGwpZhAn5vUeEc17-ZTdCIl3ItSBJMx8jbtw7jFjWqpftxSGbMkzmFHjayi9VmTjJpTop549_v1Iabreg4FRQc/s4608/IMG_20231110_153657%5B1089%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3039" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86UALuwSshMzosnpL83cO7I2yzsZZAU1hL5IDNnh5zA4SXQSbwdulyTLvMkmn75aug_gagen3OSvnikoD45PTpd1vG_u-hOKA_-hwhQGwpZhAn5vUeEc17-ZTdCIl3ItSBJMx8jbtw7jFjWqpftxSGbMkzmFHjayi9VmTjJpTop549_v1Iabreg4FRQc/w264-h400/IMG_20231110_153657%5B1089%5D.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Now for the most exciting part of my week! Don't worry non-hunters you are still safe for a few more paragraphs. One of the commentors from last week said that I was pretty brave to post about deer hunting. If I were to guess, I would say 80% of the readers are probably non-hunters. My response was that I am either brave or stupid, but I am who I am and assume that those who do not care for hunting just don't read it. This is my 10th year blogging and each year I have posted hunting pictures. The comments from readers have actually restored my faith in humanity. Even non-hunters talk about how my posts brought back memories of growing up with their dad or other relatives as they hunted. Thank you!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The rut really started to pick up this week with new bucks showing up every day. Bucks will travel for miles looking for does that are in estrous. I will start with the smallest buck I have seen all year. All of these bucks are different bucks than I showed last week. This guy has a few more years until he is grown up.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LAm0FrM5tzxQqqoiiRDv_9toNDOl9BEZi7l7jUBXfIl4gDyP2SymePWBRxTIssqQJ-ji8TAMxqHZTtRr-q8rwM8_7v-zv9xnXhOGEQzB3Y8D8kePe3Vq2WaHfQWv7va7g25xWkoO-ulbAJJMUf3jWYVt0O6_8_rVNrucWc9txyun0_lW5pi9OX9M61g/s4000/P1190704.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LAm0FrM5tzxQqqoiiRDv_9toNDOl9BEZi7l7jUBXfIl4gDyP2SymePWBRxTIssqQJ-ji8TAMxqHZTtRr-q8rwM8_7v-zv9xnXhOGEQzB3Y8D8kePe3Vq2WaHfQWv7va7g25xWkoO-ulbAJJMUf3jWYVt0O6_8_rVNrucWc9txyun0_lW5pi9OX9M61g/w400-h300/P1190704.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Deer do several things to attract each other during this time of the season. Bucks will make scrapes where they scrape the ground and pee in it. They do this under a low hanging branch, so they rub their antlers or orbital scent glands onto the branches. Smell is the main way they attract each other. It is so interesting to watch. Here is a video and a couple of pictures of bucks rubbing their antlers and orbital glands on a branch. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sNZEAkxeIxkoHO9sDT2jumIZ7orQLhoipsEgL5k6CYxTEb5VO4lzNfmwzBtlOrvxdgUVuleFd865YP47cGde4SLyMRZ3Ylio4rLd9vpLST4rL4CckFQCyQiad6Anu69l9vV7i8wlc0__VReZw_WUIvnQRN0ZVPPbVgpVmYPijNaPeb2zsPrjzQIbdz4/s4000/P1190651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sNZEAkxeIxkoHO9sDT2jumIZ7orQLhoipsEgL5k6CYxTEb5VO4lzNfmwzBtlOrvxdgUVuleFd865YP47cGde4SLyMRZ3Ylio4rLd9vpLST4rL4CckFQCyQiad6Anu69l9vV7i8wlc0__VReZw_WUIvnQRN0ZVPPbVgpVmYPijNaPeb2zsPrjzQIbdz4/w400-h300/P1190651.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-2PN8nJQNL0" width="320" youtube-src-id="-2PN8nJQNL0"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I saw lots of bucks again this week, mostly small ones, a couple of nice ones. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacItjxBtwIMUQE18INbPAPm0LvcLwWYu99R6VoRN6LqfLoebc2mb2uTvsZ7BzzrZ_IMU5wgzmjowoqjE_r1k9mhDsN39YV33weIcMoBqcBT8Dr3atk3i7EMkqK9TiCuByyg4YeddmQOMZfmlk7cGltDdMP-bDg30g3LTU6mo409qCHmuEG1IPlqRtxwI/s4000/P1190641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacItjxBtwIMUQE18INbPAPm0LvcLwWYu99R6VoRN6LqfLoebc2mb2uTvsZ7BzzrZ_IMU5wgzmjowoqjE_r1k9mhDsN39YV33weIcMoBqcBT8Dr3atk3i7EMkqK9TiCuByyg4YeddmQOMZfmlk7cGltDdMP-bDg30g3LTU6mo409qCHmuEG1IPlqRtxwI/w400-h300/P1190641.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboODxBbtodS7B-UoYNaQcSUCEbv3mkNEe3db-54HkJB1Yx6R2l9BFc85bADdNqzqHLIlgMf6xNGaLH6zUf9t9CHzuMuNGqFUNwfaEswoc2CnefcWN0HanodWC1gjvl2HHOgLvLOlp0EuZJtisSdexLIWshKZzOnSxAHMm1oIvVnIkFoTLp5P5C9_07QU/s4000/P1190639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboODxBbtodS7B-UoYNaQcSUCEbv3mkNEe3db-54HkJB1Yx6R2l9BFc85bADdNqzqHLIlgMf6xNGaLH6zUf9t9CHzuMuNGqFUNwfaEswoc2CnefcWN0HanodWC1gjvl2HHOgLvLOlp0EuZJtisSdexLIWshKZzOnSxAHMm1oIvVnIkFoTLp5P5C9_07QU/w400-h300/P1190639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CPJ7o6iWci48lZbhebcAuEAqWsePyTLat5U4Q4-U5wbD-UmNQYVuwuvOVvE150PGXB6hoSw-YYH2GIdLegOz3MYUsXynpqDJ6i8aeZfgTDfaXzgs9CV6YhzRhgUZF-UXNwMRgtHPwxaoQMWUUGm593FVf6TAGYoQ7TdvAdnEojLNrWYL5c9hk5jBpiY/s4000/P1190697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CPJ7o6iWci48lZbhebcAuEAqWsePyTLat5U4Q4-U5wbD-UmNQYVuwuvOVvE150PGXB6hoSw-YYH2GIdLegOz3MYUsXynpqDJ6i8aeZfgTDfaXzgs9CV6YhzRhgUZF-UXNwMRgtHPwxaoQMWUUGm593FVf6TAGYoQ7TdvAdnEojLNrWYL5c9hk5jBpiY/w400-h300/P1190697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqr7_EP93i7bdO4JpBz7SqlKSgVyJpn_9rylshfnm8vdtp1dMfJyQs9GnVZo_y8YwrmunoqZhMuI9u_hE_qhyphenhyphenAavDZRnGmtD6p36XGqK40VrJ0N2ND3PlnF2E4RXYokQkimTS5-GF0wu6qbGr-K5LxjtErNnTwgB5lu7PkY00dnKiI0YUgEqAoSJRxnA/s4000/P1190737.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqr7_EP93i7bdO4JpBz7SqlKSgVyJpn_9rylshfnm8vdtp1dMfJyQs9GnVZo_y8YwrmunoqZhMuI9u_hE_qhyphenhyphenAavDZRnGmtD6p36XGqK40VrJ0N2ND3PlnF2E4RXYokQkimTS5-GF0wu6qbGr-K5LxjtErNnTwgB5lu7PkY00dnKiI0YUgEqAoSJRxnA/w400-h300/P1190737.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-CprXvY26ecvPazo5GJS-q2kI1ypaiXNtxme5vZeV1TbCptC_ys5LfTjdcgMJL6ecVvsxaf76tAo-PH_9RUEyv-MyqwxgUw2lj3O7WJYG3DBc0nR7QhwzLtY0BYqhaaprp3D8nFsDb9q4Kx6AoEsSXIhWksPJapruXYOlCWO3ic5EwsapnKvYzr-VRE/s2948/P1190666.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-CprXvY26ecvPazo5GJS-q2kI1ypaiXNtxme5vZeV1TbCptC_ys5LfTjdcgMJL6ecVvsxaf76tAo-PH_9RUEyv-MyqwxgUw2lj3O7WJYG3DBc0nR7QhwzLtY0BYqhaaprp3D8nFsDb9q4Kx6AoEsSXIhWksPJapruXYOlCWO3ic5EwsapnKvYzr-VRE/w313-h400/P1190666.JPG" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those are some nice deer, but not the one. Then, through the trees I see what looks like a nice one rubbing his antlers on a tree in the distance. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAQYTYLOmaLPHCgzwS0xV2XwIWDZuCtJhF9F8QQpMreV5bQlx9mscOLuYiScDpviFkdTTKDpsZINYARRgFRtMyTtB7nsF8oju0LdR7pkCp7r95mcTkbC7uLiCYFl-S4nVX6yscCGhUWN61MBwx6w6HcAWWKNn1UGc-YdiwWfXF9qFJ5XZEGJC8_Y1kXA/s2467/P1190744.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2467" data-original-width="2412" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAQYTYLOmaLPHCgzwS0xV2XwIWDZuCtJhF9F8QQpMreV5bQlx9mscOLuYiScDpviFkdTTKDpsZINYARRgFRtMyTtB7nsF8oju0LdR7pkCp7r95mcTkbC7uLiCYFl-S4nVX6yscCGhUWN61MBwx6w6HcAWWKNn1UGc-YdiwWfXF9qFJ5XZEGJC8_Y1kXA/w391-h400/P1190744.JPG" width="391" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I zoom in with my camera, I can see that he is nice but cannot tell how nice. I continue to watch him through my camera as he walked closer and closer. He jumps the fence onto our property and keeps on coming. The closer he gets the nicer he looks, and he keeps on a coming as I am clicking away with my camera.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqA53J-do0o0gLUunShB90x4a8dzA_kuK5c4ds1wt_SxbrCPeANiFCx12GGaYjxgkOdx-ru6wEuArr7_Gl4wRXLx5T5QbrtwhGMU0xTKtU_ld_WuTrc6M3lf2-WZtOeN2SMxbwpHcsb_HoO1nL_Bf50DmxKGT8UiJs0oWjyQMFY6wmTzIqHnzpEUdG64/s4000/P1190753.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqA53J-do0o0gLUunShB90x4a8dzA_kuK5c4ds1wt_SxbrCPeANiFCx12GGaYjxgkOdx-ru6wEuArr7_Gl4wRXLx5T5QbrtwhGMU0xTKtU_ld_WuTrc6M3lf2-WZtOeN2SMxbwpHcsb_HoO1nL_Bf50DmxKGT8UiJs0oWjyQMFY6wmTzIqHnzpEUdG64/w400-h300/P1190753.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As he gets to about this point, I decided he is "The One" and slowly take my bow down from the hanger and wait. This deer keeps on a coming and coming, and coming, to 12 yards! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made a good shot and harvested my biggest buck in 60 years! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Harvested animal pictures below....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRneNZiBveVHzLk_A5QhUjQQYICUJ_sVruxowLiPqcLUgseeV_ZSkrX7ETieRf1ayS38kvOgRVxEpOnsSySX8KU-UOv5sO2YssqqKtYJumze5Qhr0Kbyro4F1fGth2Fz6yhgr1yvi0OpEU6omZjOA21nrspgdq90pwLN7Q4Sjx1aV1RAwFXe0XL4TOfrY/s2038/IMG_20231104_193041~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2038" data-original-width="1731" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRneNZiBveVHzLk_A5QhUjQQYICUJ_sVruxowLiPqcLUgseeV_ZSkrX7ETieRf1ayS38kvOgRVxEpOnsSySX8KU-UOv5sO2YssqqKtYJumze5Qhr0Kbyro4F1fGth2Fz6yhgr1yvi0OpEU6omZjOA21nrspgdq90pwLN7Q4Sjx1aV1RAwFXe0XL4TOfrY/w340-h400/IMG_20231104_193041~2.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, Forrest got a really nice one with his bow as well. Jessica helped him get it out of the woods. While they were doing that, they talked about tracking deer and deer hunting with Barb and I while they were younger. To me, them having that experience of them talking about those memories, all these years later, is better than any deer I will ever get. We both got our deer on the same day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ynuEEULt-HIrpQ5xUdCo56O_t72o8CuEgjTK7chkJNhlvQxvvNeEcmPKpnMRIM9nX39Y8lHRLMv5ltCDDDNix7J1S1GwP2j1HuOE7KIrTcjU7fCUx_h7bFHGgjSWEQFVmmK03CV7ooOoKp9GFxR6CzjEXetzh8ApnCzpOYJfjNp4RRJu_EKkcS19RqI/s403/368516729_1330106137638575_6383098391703095736_n%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ynuEEULt-HIrpQ5xUdCo56O_t72o8CuEgjTK7chkJNhlvQxvvNeEcmPKpnMRIM9nX39Y8lHRLMv5ltCDDDNix7J1S1GwP2j1HuOE7KIrTcjU7fCUx_h7bFHGgjSWEQFVmmK03CV7ooOoKp9GFxR6CzjEXetzh8ApnCzpOYJfjNp4RRJu_EKkcS19RqI/w300-h400/368516729_1330106137638575_6383098391703095736_n%20(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But wait, we are not done! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Buffalo hunting has been a dream of Kevin's for years. He has been applying for a Custer State Park buffalo hunt for 5 years and this year he got a tag! He let me tag along to video and photograph. It was a very interesting hunt, a lot more challenging than I thought. These things that you see tourists practically pet, become very elusive when you are trying to get close to them with a bow! It took about 4 hours from start to finish. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eGPp_ddrbvPdV2VLE-qb3ktDNeLRTw75Lr7nhN1fPwT_oa9UJNblncfhnBY2G1i_io2WeS3X2zvSkTuuV386mYxWhxUsLTO1Tg6Zdw4XIimUZtiVi0ZaLtUXfiZpYgP4pt9cFKSOwPZujYxaLlfcEwMR8yXrezSYqCwZb6CcDNON5SX4xI3T1CD7O3A/s4000/P1190781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eGPp_ddrbvPdV2VLE-qb3ktDNeLRTw75Lr7nhN1fPwT_oa9UJNblncfhnBY2G1i_io2WeS3X2zvSkTuuV386mYxWhxUsLTO1Tg6Zdw4XIimUZtiVi0ZaLtUXfiZpYgP4pt9cFKSOwPZujYxaLlfcEwMR8yXrezSYqCwZb6CcDNON5SX4xI3T1CD7O3A/w400-h300/P1190781.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntJFQNQFknmRLfpZBqQyzhLtW2XZIaGJwJA9sYRbVRize5KYr2FOFfw9BQ1OI6p5TGHW0tg2u75y_LVYom_vmBt7rX-V2Th2EVtACKvwTbOKU3VQzVS7bhNEkWi7RtXQzmXmlJTSNPZ9Sqzi9ioksEcGBCbHbZf1qoQxn95XnQOiSI0FoNSS3Wi7MA1I/s4000/P1190795.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntJFQNQFknmRLfpZBqQyzhLtW2XZIaGJwJA9sYRbVRize5KYr2FOFfw9BQ1OI6p5TGHW0tg2u75y_LVYom_vmBt7rX-V2Th2EVtACKvwTbOKU3VQzVS7bhNEkWi7RtXQzmXmlJTSNPZ9Sqzi9ioksEcGBCbHbZf1qoQxn95XnQOiSI0FoNSS3Wi7MA1I/w400-h300/P1190795.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N4P-RojQ9gnnehyphenhyphenNgVvHQYlJAfB_q9P-Qc5w1TeVvvMY4hQu-Uvn04Vs8YtdEpO-Nhhwfed9NeW_v1l0zF56f-HYME6GI7ai1PRcBeGokLQLSvNQPWM5rtuA8aW3362pOqkp-umIUPlFgTNS_L1h74nbnk5bl0kfpfi7jP7E8NyJJsElmWAUCr8MJcw/s4000/P1190804.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N4P-RojQ9gnnehyphenhyphenNgVvHQYlJAfB_q9P-Qc5w1TeVvvMY4hQu-Uvn04Vs8YtdEpO-Nhhwfed9NeW_v1l0zF56f-HYME6GI7ai1PRcBeGokLQLSvNQPWM5rtuA8aW3362pOqkp-umIUPlFgTNS_L1h74nbnk5bl0kfpfi7jP7E8NyJJsElmWAUCr8MJcw/w300-h400/P1190804.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So with that, our hunting season is done for the year. We have plenty of food to get us through the winter, bring on the snow!</div></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-25553920552200814252023-11-03T18:46:00.000-07:002023-11-03T18:46:36.210-07:00Deer!<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">This post is all about the deer. Boy deer, girl deer, big deer, little deer. Oh, how I dearly love to see the lovely deer. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some think I should become a writer for Dr. Suess, others think I should keep my day job. Oh wait, I do not have a day job. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lately, my day job has been deer hunting, or deer photography might be a more accurate description as I spend the first two hours after sunrise and the two hours before sunset out in the forest photographing deer while waiting for The One. The One who will fill the freezer and maybe be forever immortalized and honored on our wall. There are no dead deer in this post, if I do get one and post a picture, I will give you fair warning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The color pictures were taken with my Lumix FZ300, while the B&W pictures were taken with one of the many trail cameras scattered throughout the property. If you were to ask me last week, I would have told you this guy was The One. But after seeing him up close and in person, I am having second thoughts. He is a beautiful deer but maybe not The One. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYdVfx6KRN766FmNzk6kXcoa-lI02kcWVOAy051FgzRs0D4JnNZIH1P1oiWjT1-e43tKvAQH09nQdwrxxk6g16yIUiVzVIlT_0lkw2CDl5ymuz_cQCCufAib2N8_-V-mP8_pZIJyq0OwF49MZDaxFycfP2qIbn66YJy6NxxN7o5_SWlv_y1K9Fs-Giks/s1920/10270408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYdVfx6KRN766FmNzk6kXcoa-lI02kcWVOAy051FgzRs0D4JnNZIH1P1oiWjT1-e43tKvAQH09nQdwrxxk6g16yIUiVzVIlT_0lkw2CDl5ymuz_cQCCufAib2N8_-V-mP8_pZIJyq0OwF49MZDaxFycfP2qIbn66YJy6NxxN7o5_SWlv_y1K9Fs-Giks/w400-h300/10270408.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaOwzqz25dYG1NfX9D8Q-skqU62dvK2oCn9rv7l8dGl6jdv_nPchZO6mPlXX7O1xodDZbEhXcW6B-aC9JUs8IiCJp30omktgjx_klr2xQ8qVCXlAVdKJ3cuBwD4DJDsgTd0Ta1r-6AEN0MJL_JaElxBNKAWgST90qmtPXx31V2NHPvFZKz6b0kfYF7QY/s1920/10270448.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaOwzqz25dYG1NfX9D8Q-skqU62dvK2oCn9rv7l8dGl6jdv_nPchZO6mPlXX7O1xodDZbEhXcW6B-aC9JUs8IiCJp30omktgjx_klr2xQ8qVCXlAVdKJ3cuBwD4DJDsgTd0Ta1r-6AEN0MJL_JaElxBNKAWgST90qmtPXx31V2NHPvFZKz6b0kfYF7QY/w400-h300/10270448.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I enjoy just sitting out in the woods, watching nature, with the anticipation of what might walk by. I am seeing plenty of deer. Even the does and fawns are fun to watch. Some of the fawns get the zoomies much like Zoey. They zoom around the forest just like Zoey zooms around the living room. The only difference is that the fawns do not have couches to bounce off of. Videoing them is nearly impossible though so here are a few pictures. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LlrVt8qQE7iu8jam0uHg-UYnKbLsWT4xs1MDjZO_0CPa7Y2wVwjBGQLksCJT6dSzZIbWwtcHk7WSIUWAsZULY9-A7Dq3AozGM_hBMpQscNTjGirQZimzfb8co7tw0lM7bnHrineUwHWiROMpktXwWBsNSShYM4vJ0IW8vg-40arAO3NNCDEEW7Ai78Q/s4000/P1190574.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LlrVt8qQE7iu8jam0uHg-UYnKbLsWT4xs1MDjZO_0CPa7Y2wVwjBGQLksCJT6dSzZIbWwtcHk7WSIUWAsZULY9-A7Dq3AozGM_hBMpQscNTjGirQZimzfb8co7tw0lM7bnHrineUwHWiROMpktXwWBsNSShYM4vJ0IW8vg-40arAO3NNCDEEW7Ai78Q/w300-h400/P1190574.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momma, ever watchful for danger</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNvg8hnnf31TZxhS0nUmpd9IbjK8U0Ca5MABPr8iSVbLy60usnaU8j9xVPbHMThcvFY4oszf4x2sicwl1S5xACDLmeCYDaZZNnMXAsLCBYHWb4yliS4tI6OxSwYqgeeovHqnTxilXVUtLfKXg7VJVad0bgCXKraII4o6ZhA6H0lbEdG3wztapQ3uxMl4/s4000/P1190544.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNvg8hnnf31TZxhS0nUmpd9IbjK8U0Ca5MABPr8iSVbLy60usnaU8j9xVPbHMThcvFY4oszf4x2sicwl1S5xACDLmeCYDaZZNnMXAsLCBYHWb4yliS4tI6OxSwYqgeeovHqnTxilXVUtLfKXg7VJVad0bgCXKraII4o6ZhA6H0lbEdG3wztapQ3uxMl4/w400-h300/P1190544.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are bucks of all sizes in the area, I will start with the smallest and work my way up. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJOxU6i78b9UBBzyi_T2_vCUYWrsBXu6SoI7efA2HVz5Zl1QaKWBc3Hwn5waYg4yx-XKlH7ZF_b23bxLV-7u9hCHT8yFSAvoA_rn2UcVBcYLb0UlFMQgM9e4-ncjkxpwmTe1k7MpicgASQxxKNSeImQLiI2a_VBy0krfAg_5Qy_gRonKeXBZxnUREMuI/s4000/P1190584.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJOxU6i78b9UBBzyi_T2_vCUYWrsBXu6SoI7efA2HVz5Zl1QaKWBc3Hwn5waYg4yx-XKlH7ZF_b23bxLV-7u9hCHT8yFSAvoA_rn2UcVBcYLb0UlFMQgM9e4-ncjkxpwmTe1k7MpicgASQxxKNSeImQLiI2a_VBy0krfAg_5Qy_gRonKeXBZxnUREMuI/w400-h300/P1190584.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spikey</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The pose below is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flehmen_response#:~:text=The%20flehmen%20response%20draws%20air%20into%20the%20vomeronasal,in%20the%20perception%20of%20certain%20scents%20and%20pheromones.">Flehmen response</a>. Deer (and other animals such as horses, elk, sheep....) make this face just after smelling where a doe peed. They are using all their olfactory senses to determine is a doe is in heat and ready for breeding. You will see this pose in another picture below as well. You can click on the link above if you want to learn more about it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrrv63wI5ZHe_g3VH4hgYSfIiRPxOLrMB0ZTLieRX2TYMe1OV6R9qGvtSIKxK3Suq5KJ25pQAlbPdfBCvlddVZuI5lGG-Z4FnBAraTF_K0zjHOWhgc-2hby53qsBFsYXeHSRH52XwGji_C6IWq0eIvCmlPPBOXo9Rmaxk__Jyh4lnfPvzz_GfvG-ST-U/s4000/P1190566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrrv63wI5ZHe_g3VH4hgYSfIiRPxOLrMB0ZTLieRX2TYMe1OV6R9qGvtSIKxK3Suq5KJ25pQAlbPdfBCvlddVZuI5lGG-Z4FnBAraTF_K0zjHOWhgc-2hby53qsBFsYXeHSRH52XwGji_C6IWq0eIvCmlPPBOXo9Rmaxk__Jyh4lnfPvzz_GfvG-ST-U/w400-h300/P1190566.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZwEu8YPLlaHo2Py2d2rRAZMXxsaH0_0pMDrbEXCofK3nGY9s1_CJUbzqaxiG_GauVmbGCspYbjCvsp6whLsWKxcQFBLAOMWjFJiS0d0sStV0iROPY8tv3SotkG3mxSqE85Nw1mExV2gaWlPkk4U7T8nDdQ94rTyCgwtlpPBtrcrEAaEjfLCvYkxL47s/s3073/P1190529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3073" data-original-width="2608" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZwEu8YPLlaHo2Py2d2rRAZMXxsaH0_0pMDrbEXCofK3nGY9s1_CJUbzqaxiG_GauVmbGCspYbjCvsp6whLsWKxcQFBLAOMWjFJiS0d0sStV0iROPY8tv3SotkG3mxSqE85Nw1mExV2gaWlPkk4U7T8nDdQ94rTyCgwtlpPBtrcrEAaEjfLCvYkxL47s/w340-h400/P1190529.JPG" width="340" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small 8 point</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFeVx2vKvjgtYAmp5td7ky9ryNA6A4_agCZPCw_r-232yZ9uspoH5rxN9WiDy9mKBKpetnV40QK0zaBe1cblck4m6Tx3sJt9fRnWc7scTSBRKSq4vyPrY29Vbon-M5WSvf9ZQOGuSTVSxw6nlkLfMXeTjDYRfkaVJjHPUgNkdz8wjfiQLRB4LUCfPrQM/s4000/P1190556.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFeVx2vKvjgtYAmp5td7ky9ryNA6A4_agCZPCw_r-232yZ9uspoH5rxN9WiDy9mKBKpetnV40QK0zaBe1cblck4m6Tx3sJt9fRnWc7scTSBRKSq4vyPrY29Vbon-M5WSvf9ZQOGuSTVSxw6nlkLfMXeTjDYRfkaVJjHPUgNkdz8wjfiQLRB4LUCfPrQM/w300-h400/P1190556.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bigger 8 point</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsQKS97bz1OBdHaLHdtIwMqw4qDMKd4WTp7OdAhfkP29RmILf1dgPoJtceD-6fiUlQip_iBfhmDPYKIYNdaNA5SwZLrHDvMx88htd_rFlPbFOFGhjISZyK6kzBwg2bjxpMr53oO4V0WxdTFqaZRxjC9vio4TNIJzi2fTgT_lclhUXKACKpIs9CZ7bvDk/s2867/P1190559.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2303" data-original-width="2867" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsQKS97bz1OBdHaLHdtIwMqw4qDMKd4WTp7OdAhfkP29RmILf1dgPoJtceD-6fiUlQip_iBfhmDPYKIYNdaNA5SwZLrHDvMx88htd_rFlPbFOFGhjISZyK6kzBwg2bjxpMr53oO4V0WxdTFqaZRxjC9vio4TNIJzi2fTgT_lclhUXKACKpIs9CZ7bvDk/w400-h321/P1190559.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Fleming pose</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Most of these pictures were taken from my ground blind. I had set it up before season so the deer got used this new structure in the woods. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnU_hpgS1bFrjTnTv5LVpxQZISe1tWhNjiGx66WXOtMjl_nlxu-DZQVOKsIzKgiS0Tn20sgUWmG8CjZT6e3gLEzdhsvEyEHEoXJgyaGGPQ3RBEJKTG5zFbXVGx6dShyphenhyphenvcLBPiC3FPlntECOf9zXio54sIwUWe_a4QFWkPxG_GIYQ5P3eGTy0LmPKlJpOk/s4608/IMG_20231026_161803.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnU_hpgS1bFrjTnTv5LVpxQZISe1tWhNjiGx66WXOtMjl_nlxu-DZQVOKsIzKgiS0Tn20sgUWmG8CjZT6e3gLEzdhsvEyEHEoXJgyaGGPQ3RBEJKTG5zFbXVGx6dShyphenhyphenvcLBPiC3FPlntECOf9zXio54sIwUWe_a4QFWkPxG_GIYQ5P3eGTy0LmPKlJpOk/w300-h400/IMG_20231026_161803.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The new ladder stands are working as well. At 18' high the deer don't even know I am there as they walk by. See the deer right below me?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj3W3fAXA57DJ4AEQicyB4vlsGyFjHW49NCCBBIfDJ55xnQ4nRrRwtKRsXOL0VvxFcv4zrRkdsd8OOKeq8AtUUvUiauQzqYb6bAwus9dYhOlb6heG8sfaR3mB8OLi9QFcmkibuaTNsBKaj06b7FyAp_zfLJmOhW5Ms2_DWJ54hB-vQ1tTBcE8UrsmATY/s2690/IMG_20231031_171652~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2690" data-original-width="2486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj3W3fAXA57DJ4AEQicyB4vlsGyFjHW49NCCBBIfDJ55xnQ4nRrRwtKRsXOL0VvxFcv4zrRkdsd8OOKeq8AtUUvUiauQzqYb6bAwus9dYhOlb6heG8sfaR3mB8OLi9QFcmkibuaTNsBKaj06b7FyAp_zfLJmOhW5Ms2_DWJ54hB-vQ1tTBcE8UrsmATY/w370-h400/IMG_20231031_171652~2.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was one deer I was very tempted to harvest. He had a really nice rack on one side and the other side was really screwed up due to an injury. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_7QC4HDk4-sf2QJ87voKI5H_Xr9of6dg4od7FhOGlYaF5KLeWTvktQli2kN6cFzkO4Og5aG0UC0bdCIzPs6N7l0Vj15ZIkFqIrIT-yhFy4z1OmEFWgU1OSk8Aa46mvkGxoEq9Y5imXB5Jg-mVtLk0910L7Qgq20ZEvdlT9Ho0pMmxlGVDwZU8lO-Zxo/s2402/P1190586.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="2402" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_7QC4HDk4-sf2QJ87voKI5H_Xr9of6dg4od7FhOGlYaF5KLeWTvktQli2kN6cFzkO4Og5aG0UC0bdCIzPs6N7l0Vj15ZIkFqIrIT-yhFy4z1OmEFWgU1OSk8Aa46mvkGxoEq9Y5imXB5Jg-mVtLk0910L7Qgq20ZEvdlT9Ho0pMmxlGVDwZU8lO-Zxo/w400-h341/P1190586.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiasE0yajRPf0groihgmBYC8MmK4Uzr_EKo2xuMNVu1GR4WjeDX-n-cJZL57i7wZGWjX8NpsBdxZxOHFvmaKZ7ntHsDtjGkme6oGiSfYs0tZd8a-9LwpIpvZnmw6fcJM5TGRz-o8R4_aypwqUxnbi6jf4wywRLICsZxYIEH4Cm6SPDINEFy_iDB-xdbQ/s2228/P1190614.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="2228" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiasE0yajRPf0groihgmBYC8MmK4Uzr_EKo2xuMNVu1GR4WjeDX-n-cJZL57i7wZGWjX8NpsBdxZxOHFvmaKZ7ntHsDtjGkme6oGiSfYs0tZd8a-9LwpIpvZnmw6fcJM5TGRz-o8R4_aypwqUxnbi6jf4wywRLICsZxYIEH4Cm6SPDINEFy_iDB-xdbQ/w400-h380/P1190614.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, he is a perfect 5 point on the one side while the other side is funked up with only 3 points as far as I can tell. Perhaps he and I will meet again in the near future. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The deer are not the only ones who have been making appearances around the homestead. The turkeys are visiting more often, sometimes walking right up to the window to see what we are up to! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiek6sccNTVBVmAtpOy8XMz44cAub-GzjgDBlC2LDKNDS2fHG5vlBJe5l7qOeiDbwNNYHZzyxfof8D7fyhaqWaygVKuIGOJjSl09aU8g3LXe0oM1AAU0ko7Y8N3BKtZY9tO42ICMQWhIVlUWVYUtrO8UScJXj4goAvRalOwX2V3zRbZYCNU6h4E12BoRcw/s4608/IMG_20231026_120046.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiek6sccNTVBVmAtpOy8XMz44cAub-GzjgDBlC2LDKNDS2fHG5vlBJe5l7qOeiDbwNNYHZzyxfof8D7fyhaqWaygVKuIGOJjSl09aU8g3LXe0oM1AAU0ko7Y8N3BKtZY9tO42ICMQWhIVlUWVYUtrO8UScJXj4goAvRalOwX2V3zRbZYCNU6h4E12BoRcw/w300-h400/IMG_20231026_120046.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Zoey and Dakota pay little attention to the wildlife outside, instead they just cuddle up near the fire to stay toasty warm!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCK2G5cxZ12UiAwQN63Lvwx-QLfMKl9nwgebCDiBLwAQmpufI0ar_dtyBa63rxO6lA14RDElaAzICTi4OTvpbMYUH93tSnbnwKy547lGwBTFbwZFhcrXBCAR2mXpjfw2XVHUCm-7Vjijk4I6b_RymvaTycfgda0J7OVzSYEirRid1_r02hl16pSXPOqE/s4608/IMG_20231027_150043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCK2G5cxZ12UiAwQN63Lvwx-QLfMKl9nwgebCDiBLwAQmpufI0ar_dtyBa63rxO6lA14RDElaAzICTi4OTvpbMYUH93tSnbnwKy547lGwBTFbwZFhcrXBCAR2mXpjfw2XVHUCm-7Vjijk4I6b_RymvaTycfgda0J7OVzSYEirRid1_r02hl16pSXPOqE/w300-h400/IMG_20231027_150043.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4GZz4Bt2Ai1qO3dSFvLj0_csiLljutLvORfr3nPi0SHYl51aXNKc_kbPNV54o_ruaSA-s2BX99F8jIQ4B4dKxXXDleoSrx5JAMqzOIArPOEVemMs15g9TMsaGsyJD7-sSoaLqO9ZlFQcTO4VzOfefwtA5AuKVprJcTq_OPoPJebQ5EPwcFU5vQeKPGE/s4608/IMG_20231028_131358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4GZz4Bt2Ai1qO3dSFvLj0_csiLljutLvORfr3nPi0SHYl51aXNKc_kbPNV54o_ruaSA-s2BX99F8jIQ4B4dKxXXDleoSrx5JAMqzOIArPOEVemMs15g9TMsaGsyJD7-sSoaLqO9ZlFQcTO4VzOfefwtA5AuKVprJcTq_OPoPJebQ5EPwcFU5vQeKPGE/w300-h400/IMG_20231028_131358.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Last Sunday was a big day when the Vikings played the Packers! We had quite the house full with Jim and Carmen, Kevin and Cheryl, Dan and Bonnie and Barb and me. <div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcH45rbU4i7OdpRhXRAuXYh_WTFEpfUlr-J8h2A7KBKGtUa_2fmPNpqC4xUwwO9zjtevTkIxeYJeji-EQLVb4PV2gdMQ85iTalljhJUX31EAxe502iQIyQ9GDh8jxb-YF4OOguOiPT7Q0UQ5XpRtOYr9PmBIvl4IOoAsTfP4BRHuvF4IBuhNqAd9Jx2c0/s4608/IMG_20231029_123240.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcH45rbU4i7OdpRhXRAuXYh_WTFEpfUlr-J8h2A7KBKGtUa_2fmPNpqC4xUwwO9zjtevTkIxeYJeji-EQLVb4PV2gdMQ85iTalljhJUX31EAxe502iQIyQ9GDh8jxb-YF4OOguOiPT7Q0UQ5XpRtOYr9PmBIvl4IOoAsTfP4BRHuvF4IBuhNqAd9Jx2c0/w400-h300/IMG_20231029_123240.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gang watching the game in the living room.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Utfizv248-A0LRayX2BXb72wkw5t43rTORJMHEc9iXFyzBmXshhV6NWgxiYTkqm-uihRnroNFrIxZEaYzcgbvyoJLj2nqf0mIvYoY9YupifRNDgT7vRNnjSm1Ym4iXyEJzMBt0IbP_8RUphPDvmXehumOvTW-34sGGXRcRpan8s9HREXpic0XrqWHNU/s1015/received_375231768193401~2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="735" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Utfizv248-A0LRayX2BXb72wkw5t43rTORJMHEc9iXFyzBmXshhV6NWgxiYTkqm-uihRnroNFrIxZEaYzcgbvyoJLj2nqf0mIvYoY9YupifRNDgT7vRNnjSm1Ym4iXyEJzMBt0IbP_8RUphPDvmXehumOvTW-34sGGXRcRpan8s9HREXpic0XrqWHNU/w290-h400/received_375231768193401~2.jpeg" width="290" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Barb, Kevin and Zoey were the lone Packer fans and were in mourning by the end of the game as the Packers lost. But then again, the rest of us were in mourning as well, having lost our quarterback to a season ending injury.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Tuesday was of course Halloween. Zoey wanted to dress up as a ghost. So spooky!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdxbR7yLaixcAnngMHtXCgaGOI2_8w-8rgU_EpVlRTvTO1tBOpm-m5U_FetTyZttOQgPzYgF_YaVeYsOeAn2d7PWKcvL7PCUb4ZaPniZM8scWRGHtDU7ZmgQCQJDiBRBHtQhiRBfvuHfWWiyWEK8tclRTUVUfN3jtTS7PYkHCEZpmNGIRy17uFpU6V8k/s4608/IMG_20231031_151045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdxbR7yLaixcAnngMHtXCgaGOI2_8w-8rgU_EpVlRTvTO1tBOpm-m5U_FetTyZttOQgPzYgF_YaVeYsOeAn2d7PWKcvL7PCUb4ZaPniZM8scWRGHtDU7ZmgQCQJDiBRBHtQhiRBfvuHfWWiyWEK8tclRTUVUfN3jtTS7PYkHCEZpmNGIRy17uFpU6V8k/w300-h400/IMG_20231031_151045.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of spooky, I got this letter in the mail this week. It was like winning the lottery! I mean, not everyone qualifies for a $20,000 TAX FREE benefit! To be fair, it did say that I <i>may</i> qualify. I have to send in the postage-paid card by the deadline to know for sure. Do people really send these things in?!?!?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkMRatBAOgURNb2KPHpjpYI06B5D31PsUS7ekcHkdTMV0zv5q5aHjE4G8uR4Ggl15EsfWTTz13fH7SiTYipS-gcQ9F3OvxaGf4dUWYlupMc4hPvJbnQT9Y6e6IBfAC_uSlZgOsc3OxmOiGxZ0qGyEbIa55Fsh5YPHYtQrfpAYJqvKNTrtNaqniMlx75k/s4608/IMG_20231026_122016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkMRatBAOgURNb2KPHpjpYI06B5D31PsUS7ekcHkdTMV0zv5q5aHjE4G8uR4Ggl15EsfWTTz13fH7SiTYipS-gcQ9F3OvxaGf4dUWYlupMc4hPvJbnQT9Y6e6IBfAC_uSlZgOsc3OxmOiGxZ0qGyEbIa55Fsh5YPHYtQrfpAYJqvKNTrtNaqniMlx75k/w400-h300/IMG_20231026_122016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I am not dead yet, so we did go to a couple of day jobs! We did two concrete pours this week. One on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Both were at the same job site as last week's pour. The temps were in the 30's when we started but it warmed up to mid 50's during the day giving the concrete a chance to harden. With these two complete, we should be done with concrete pours for the foreseeable future. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb00RMsB6swzT-G4XsAPbnymvL8BVjVkoEly5wqUsP7_m-BkPVjxd5ljtNkSzYI3W6iVNRi6cX55m3nJfNuJ5qLJtskNfB68hzsmOEPou6Iu5FOahJ78z5xS0pxxB9-VYt6GEw71FJjjXFB9j-FZ7kK88_mBTQiHr6HDgzy4XnnA-Zoda-WLwfiuaboYA/s4608/IMG_20231101_104813.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb00RMsB6swzT-G4XsAPbnymvL8BVjVkoEly5wqUsP7_m-BkPVjxd5ljtNkSzYI3W6iVNRi6cX55m3nJfNuJ5qLJtskNfB68hzsmOEPou6Iu5FOahJ78z5xS0pxxB9-VYt6GEw71FJjjXFB9j-FZ7kK88_mBTQiHr6HDgzy4XnnA-Zoda-WLwfiuaboYA/w300-h400/IMG_20231101_104813.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the first pour!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UoAGibEAxQ3k87pVah8Szq-cf5vJYL9GljP1e5n8Bt_oYBkXU1VmnFeN5Iq6Q9-oUWuu_NuFk4n0r2sPTgUXAErPfbuXCF6noDU14Du9uAcEBg19H7cycykGWBvRsV4KDlJWCugbcUyWmxGXtndnadXEXZDTYJWEcdz72A8bTyFF_pmtgui7h3Uwj_c/s1677/IMG_20231101_114405~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="1643" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UoAGibEAxQ3k87pVah8Szq-cf5vJYL9GljP1e5n8Bt_oYBkXU1VmnFeN5Iq6Q9-oUWuu_NuFk4n0r2sPTgUXAErPfbuXCF6noDU14Du9uAcEBg19H7cycykGWBvRsV4KDlJWCugbcUyWmxGXtndnadXEXZDTYJWEcdz72A8bTyFF_pmtgui7h3Uwj_c/w393-h400/IMG_20231101_114405~2.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin floating, while Barb works the edges. I sit back, drink beer and watch them work. Life is good!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8VgqYw3URWxIQG_b10IFQpC0MvqHfw1ULhEQakC4A5T1XkBRKoUO8mUzq7tEC9fJrZK2zD_V5w7NxHJLvz_Op82dCW6QfhABSoREJWkvHx3RnZouKFaA4zP87BiEuO2n1NZBp0LBUb12GKHQb6-PBpBgD_saEEx5We5wtNpbG_xc_8kVST2HCKS3i4o/s4608/IMG_20231102_092235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8VgqYw3URWxIQG_b10IFQpC0MvqHfw1ULhEQakC4A5T1XkBRKoUO8mUzq7tEC9fJrZK2zD_V5w7NxHJLvz_Op82dCW6QfhABSoREJWkvHx3RnZouKFaA4zP87BiEuO2n1NZBp0LBUb12GKHQb6-PBpBgD_saEEx5We5wtNpbG_xc_8kVST2HCKS3i4o/w300-h400/IMG_20231102_092235.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTep_zoD40aMNjS72J6wOuuaNE4DlPiCI4mG0v82klPrwX6p84YJjGtWQDKd7n3Ufxh4klTsNK7_8ULpcherbxscDjlPFdabf59NuXMNfIFvn5ETPBB4CXVx3V7T0Bh-kaenh49CDFlM1aftuu31KBdyFa9eo3BqRqjonD8MSJO5Je84Sfgw9wDNBOYqg/s4608/IMG_20231102_100204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTep_zoD40aMNjS72J6wOuuaNE4DlPiCI4mG0v82klPrwX6p84YJjGtWQDKd7n3Ufxh4klTsNK7_8ULpcherbxscDjlPFdabf59NuXMNfIFvn5ETPBB4CXVx3V7T0Bh-kaenh49CDFlM1aftuu31KBdyFa9eo3BqRqjonD8MSJO5Je84Sfgw9wDNBOYqg/w300-h400/IMG_20231102_100204.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thursday's pour was adjacent to Wednesday's and a little smaller.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The big news of the week is that my sister Carol arrived for a visit! She did not make it out last year, so we were excited to have her and show her everything that we have done since our last visit. She enjoys reading and visiting. The weather warmed up enough that she could sit out in the gazebo for a few hours in the afternoon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did get out for one adventure so far when we crossed one more peak off our Quest for 100. Carol is not a hiker, so we selected one of the two remaining "drive up" peaks when we went to Bear Mountain outside Custer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzXCfnh2g3S0lMsCoWtD4p8u3EMriKRjpBKNNCWrTeQsa_WbYvMrZg-sJuupZGO_U1B_P0DU95zp2U0QkaMhHru2gHOy-9UhioWO7EZRcHQRF4RT8w81z0T7sir-13xJ_6-zbsQKJu0F3PZrwPFiqJz0FXI8GQ5VsFWVSs2Exr5K3UeMt_uqDuq892jQ/s4608/IMG_20231103_105805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzXCfnh2g3S0lMsCoWtD4p8u3EMriKRjpBKNNCWrTeQsa_WbYvMrZg-sJuupZGO_U1B_P0DU95zp2U0QkaMhHru2gHOy-9UhioWO7EZRcHQRF4RT8w81z0T7sir-13xJ_6-zbsQKJu0F3PZrwPFiqJz0FXI8GQ5VsFWVSs2Exr5K3UeMt_uqDuq892jQ/w400-h300/IMG_20231103_105805.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-00Z1QE9JfM_1hJQUfxFP7C9D3wbE6Zm__lQBYNFnOxxWMIpPVn-baaN3PDAohWUMshCUwrTOeS1yztW2uN02rVouRNyR7VL-VZ2QNj-aV4KFa8qTCaW5kIYqCCXqghYs7JuDTeY5yM0tA9rj8mO_T5zQnBzSsz0Bb11CIEFJctdKtAZ-l7hB6q8D9c/s4608/IMG_20231103_105938.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-00Z1QE9JfM_1hJQUfxFP7C9D3wbE6Zm__lQBYNFnOxxWMIpPVn-baaN3PDAohWUMshCUwrTOeS1yztW2uN02rVouRNyR7VL-VZ2QNj-aV4KFa8qTCaW5kIYqCCXqghYs7JuDTeY5yM0tA9rj8mO_T5zQnBzSsz0Bb11CIEFJctdKtAZ-l7hB6q8D9c/w300-h400/IMG_20231103_105938.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW3NWo3pX9g5FMQl9ZLgWYPp8Nk6lwBGFnY4wpGhX_ghvflqIgQnicUai_6i40TACK8_LJluElt4qHkNeu17pDY7Xmo9S9e02CJp92D0DTIj4fnMJvSoj5x64OIgGRTE68PZXo76u4MhMfOYrptA2lyfNQYzac4kYBJxVX_ThATNpD2DqGSSkk-PQ3Ds/s4608/IMG_20231103_110127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW3NWo3pX9g5FMQl9ZLgWYPp8Nk6lwBGFnY4wpGhX_ghvflqIgQnicUai_6i40TACK8_LJluElt4qHkNeu17pDY7Xmo9S9e02CJp92D0DTIj4fnMJvSoj5x64OIgGRTE68PZXo76u4MhMfOYrptA2lyfNQYzac4kYBJxVX_ThATNpD2DqGSSkk-PQ3Ds/w300-h400/IMG_20231103_110127.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At 7,166' it is the 4th highest peak in the Black Hills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNUs4g3DDY8YV51tNTT7tW2Vs8mn8ccDfjoRmVORvIOlKCcHAlfHEqscALyOOtO6nont-7pzD0aXWm9vBhDP3TnJ7QXWauatXY0fByfVZDl59j-UeQ5Kz-SouvY_pSDYl7afkWQGWV1CGUpHbFymz2B4rv0vM3_8iY_L2jjWWyOaqOr38uGXP-lre4YI/s4608/IMG_20231103_110102a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNUs4g3DDY8YV51tNTT7tW2Vs8mn8ccDfjoRmVORvIOlKCcHAlfHEqscALyOOtO6nont-7pzD0aXWm9vBhDP3TnJ7QXWauatXY0fByfVZDl59j-UeQ5Kz-SouvY_pSDYl7afkWQGWV1CGUpHbFymz2B4rv0vM3_8iY_L2jjWWyOaqOr38uGXP-lre4YI/w300-h400/IMG_20231103_110102a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">We finished the afternoon with lunch at the Alpine Inn in Hill City. Carol is not good at letting me take pictures of her, but I did sneak this one while she was looking at the menu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUlM1nXSHMhWoOZxEsZmn-16wG9KI3IO3ClxTcfG68q1Gw2cW_4gkIHlmttAE1okPQ7N1xScDijx7uSVyqutmp0d39dW43hOI9CnQefxQzlv900zqU6N3Ocu8utuCGFhdJGTUi12rprlyTcN-x7y16TYpTPDY_pFrcKEV1olYhEvBtaG9IB_sMQIZc4w/s4608/IMG_20231103_120749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUlM1nXSHMhWoOZxEsZmn-16wG9KI3IO3ClxTcfG68q1Gw2cW_4gkIHlmttAE1okPQ7N1xScDijx7uSVyqutmp0d39dW43hOI9CnQefxQzlv900zqU6N3Ocu8utuCGFhdJGTUi12rprlyTcN-x7y16TYpTPDY_pFrcKEV1olYhEvBtaG9IB_sMQIZc4w/w300-h400/IMG_20231103_120749.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">She will be here through the weekend, so we are hoping to get out and about a bit to do some more adventuring!</span></div></div><p></p></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-7393912648747953732023-10-26T09:22:00.001-07:002023-10-26T09:31:39.493-07:00Brrrrr!<p> I completely forgot to write about some visitors we had last weekend (now two weekends ago). Good thing I have the pictures in my phone to remind me of what we did in a given week!</p><p>My niece Alana and husband Ryan came over for a puppy play date! They of course brought Sophie, their little Frenchie, but they also have a new addition to their family. Loki, their black lab. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSPhodlzBuYhie4LHVk-MF1sPThnyy3KWd17IxqBbeH7NuW5XjDOCs3b648-EKOSe87kIFtEL2i5n8k2cH3rcMrzMI1Z1WYYZCYB8ywM0p0zhGkIvbCyFHVh_GLFLW42w9FZwUXGsvlH98JcR4vdvHxa4-T1LF2C-F19FkbL_krP1uNOL1zpzkwkMYDU/s4608/IMG_20231015_112334.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSPhodlzBuYhie4LHVk-MF1sPThnyy3KWd17IxqBbeH7NuW5XjDOCs3b648-EKOSe87kIFtEL2i5n8k2cH3rcMrzMI1Z1WYYZCYB8ywM0p0zhGkIvbCyFHVh_GLFLW42w9FZwUXGsvlH98JcR4vdvHxa4-T1LF2C-F19FkbL_krP1uNOL1zpzkwkMYDU/w400-h300/IMG_20231015_112334.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Zoey, Sophie and Loki ran and ran and ran. That is until Loki found herself stuck in the fence. She stood here almost a full minute before her puppy brain figured out how to get out of this makeshift prison. Dakota on the other hand, just watched Loki and shook her head, trying to ignore all the chaos going on around her.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzb1Nb23H97KYzzN8i-YXBIupP1wXcXxvdrp3IEIFhjaJzbvfBJuFeK10xvDl44dSsdgqj19oArpoWpOBC4yLTgmgxyPsujYA9OgF6uXIT8iHCC2cHInLvJG6mVdissbGlImC7ujjL0KNPhb_YqAFIK9XLjjHfyObpCXS9Hamg8tVWsWK-yc_AUazBRc8/s4608/IMG_20231015_130913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzb1Nb23H97KYzzN8i-YXBIupP1wXcXxvdrp3IEIFhjaJzbvfBJuFeK10xvDl44dSsdgqj19oArpoWpOBC4yLTgmgxyPsujYA9OgF6uXIT8iHCC2cHInLvJG6mVdissbGlImC7ujjL0KNPhb_YqAFIK9XLjjHfyObpCXS9Hamg8tVWsWK-yc_AUazBRc8/w300-h400/IMG_20231015_130913.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdLOkziBOvvG40RlXmEeJKEiycucdLEq5fWF-wvBkNxb60fNnbCNrNrAzhXzQ4CVURVoTc4Ll8PHmfsv4pFZ8TCUsyDYvQIsqnwLENH0Ssb0BGrnO50i_IVlK0xqERJNdkN-R5eYUSY3kHloBXZ0A60ceKOxofev6T1G7Kz5H3JL0e71gSRTgdPVw5Ec/s4608/IMG_20231015_130431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdLOkziBOvvG40RlXmEeJKEiycucdLEq5fWF-wvBkNxb60fNnbCNrNrAzhXzQ4CVURVoTc4Ll8PHmfsv4pFZ8TCUsyDYvQIsqnwLENH0Ssb0BGrnO50i_IVlK0xqERJNdkN-R5eYUSY3kHloBXZ0A60ceKOxofev6T1G7Kz5H3JL0e71gSRTgdPVw5Ec/w300-h400/IMG_20231015_130431.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We had a great afternoon, and as a bonus, the Vikings actually won a game!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Zoey has even gotten used to the turkeys visiting and does not try to attack them anymore. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_ErF1UBidXiO0o45lFU-AViM_FhRupL7i8HXvG3Z2xpV6Y_nPBP_XOA78VgRArI_13PqX-SBIaPD9RQ-wjkkF27_oCS_OIuWcRrX7oNVAa-df-XPuAddyZPNyeCf7XoZagrcTQhStOK1xhvZ4vsQlfe9d4MTN8wN2khCC0t8yxI_TFdz9Ia8aD5tLl8/s4608/IMG_20231015_151623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_ErF1UBidXiO0o45lFU-AViM_FhRupL7i8HXvG3Z2xpV6Y_nPBP_XOA78VgRArI_13PqX-SBIaPD9RQ-wjkkF27_oCS_OIuWcRrX7oNVAa-df-XPuAddyZPNyeCf7XoZagrcTQhStOK1xhvZ4vsQlfe9d4MTN8wN2khCC0t8yxI_TFdz9Ia8aD5tLl8/w300-h400/IMG_20231015_151623.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">On the project front, Barb and I have been working on putting walls up in the loft. This is the "before" picture. I figured I better put up some kind of barrier before one of us falls over the edge. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhbbasFHo5DQlpHJ_s3qgRr71BrPqHz4LwTPXRDMYrxcf67Qd_byBa7J_AsDDC3BoLCzDygAAdFpm5lhgMS7jVumTlp7sf7RLhthkPyXUlixWX_S0FO2JlEaifUpsmoaQOXtL_7M95FRbfWE_ZFywqMXBLFo1mjYAZ6lWQlpV8po6WXVNA_2CPlN9q7w/s2592/IMG_20231014_154259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhbbasFHo5DQlpHJ_s3qgRr71BrPqHz4LwTPXRDMYrxcf67Qd_byBa7J_AsDDC3BoLCzDygAAdFpm5lhgMS7jVumTlp7sf7RLhthkPyXUlixWX_S0FO2JlEaifUpsmoaQOXtL_7M95FRbfWE_ZFywqMXBLFo1mjYAZ6lWQlpV8po6WXVNA_2CPlN9q7w/w400-h300/IMG_20231014_154259.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>So, off we went to Menards to pick up some 2x4's and OSB. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz071c_BsIE7gecBtp63R_YZ3k5hYaN7JtiDXdOXra0GHHqMITdW_OjXIQQKGwEetppCUz4em0KdQmj3KgFCACES7IUn-m6pIzzkTpLzcc7jDHag6XabNE8otKv6sAdtpY1qIjLmYugtt0bLFavoESVK0_XLfHE1IePElFUFKVdkNFmyE0MvKY2x9l-Xw/s2592/IMG_20231014_154232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz071c_BsIE7gecBtp63R_YZ3k5hYaN7JtiDXdOXra0GHHqMITdW_OjXIQQKGwEetppCUz4em0KdQmj3KgFCACES7IUn-m6pIzzkTpLzcc7jDHag6XabNE8otKv6sAdtpY1qIjLmYugtt0bLFavoESVK0_XLfHE1IePElFUFKVdkNFmyE0MvKY2x9l-Xw/w400-h300/IMG_20231014_154232.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">A couple days later, we have more wall space and a barrier to keep us safe and sound. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1_j7PdQyRAd7-8egto27IzhweyhXyyh4MtHpY5Nekj9BktbV09M7hQBQG5iFZzOp_Znj0Ad-SEzJIOuZuuJpssgXk6FtnSNDeztemSi3WRcI0qZtvxetnNJJmVOaz3nKEk5choSHLz5NXPsEXflJV5eDtq30_3Ba5G6vS4zJGS77XiK2ijXxbJX20EU/s2592/IMG_20231023_102616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1_j7PdQyRAd7-8egto27IzhweyhXyyh4MtHpY5Nekj9BktbV09M7hQBQG5iFZzOp_Znj0Ad-SEzJIOuZuuJpssgXk6FtnSNDeztemSi3WRcI0qZtvxetnNJJmVOaz3nKEk5choSHLz5NXPsEXflJV5eDtq30_3Ba5G6vS4zJGS77XiK2ijXxbJX20EU/w400-h300/IMG_20231023_102616.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUostaxSwCgrs6nZTFYtYigBRV_l_H7OvkgxtxW8r6xDxTKcKCqXN943NTXPXxOtwogDrOLkGi_ov9QxRtYqYAUrr5xdKDvd1spIKoeXjLOtzSqj-QXDyVfpECmTE-iK2lbl20QkC6t5nnBec9qV4x8fHCluLWcaMjBEfD_iIRTIyfapRra84TPO-9lF4/s2592/IMG_20231023_104714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUostaxSwCgrs6nZTFYtYigBRV_l_H7OvkgxtxW8r6xDxTKcKCqXN943NTXPXxOtwogDrOLkGi_ov9QxRtYqYAUrr5xdKDvd1spIKoeXjLOtzSqj-QXDyVfpECmTE-iK2lbl20QkC6t5nnBec9qV4x8fHCluLWcaMjBEfD_iIRTIyfapRra84TPO-9lF4/w400-h300/IMG_20231023_104714.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>I still need to install handrails on the stairs. Some people are just not comfortable going up and down them without handrails. Case in point; here is Alana coming down the stairs. I think they call this the Boot Scoot'in Boogie!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDcYZoAqY4PatUPVX_FYOc9dcavyJG8JFvBUQYCaD5IKAxMUS_VyckaEtIBCyW3cDR_LKP9mZsVlLC6JVQ5rh9wGddI3E1Begh61RlPvlL00NJA6hnQtIXLZnH34mAPfVvrxDri58NTnwIxQrJMlFgETpkyTeuLigJ56euyO0svDGRbmDl_-ClluB_MQ/s1600/IMG_20231023_081142_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDcYZoAqY4PatUPVX_FYOc9dcavyJG8JFvBUQYCaD5IKAxMUS_VyckaEtIBCyW3cDR_LKP9mZsVlLC6JVQ5rh9wGddI3E1Begh61RlPvlL00NJA6hnQtIXLZnH34mAPfVvrxDri58NTnwIxQrJMlFgETpkyTeuLigJ56euyO0svDGRbmDl_-ClluB_MQ/w300-h400/IMG_20231023_081142_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Next up on this project will be to install board and batten siding. It will cover the gap between those two sections of OSB. I used my scrap pieces to do this side of the wall knowing that gap would eventually be covered. </p><p>What other projects have we been up to? I helped Kevin at one of his jobs for a couple of days prepping and pouring concrete. This is a garage addition. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMBmzsTxd3Nnd6d9kCISfF5tPZYmdlxhU-aM_foVtF9s4NWEg-B5Dt6VqCPhIspCvtVlcvUcYWayDooaMIig4bd1SUFpWz30FD-7PX4Jv0I-4wkf3ggMlNapph_4iUO0e9iHgE4EWWp0-_wlWmYvJIUFK9thyYrxnDk4_UlWGg829RBYSSSyQGkNhRAA/s4608/IMG_20231020_095555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMBmzsTxd3Nnd6d9kCISfF5tPZYmdlxhU-aM_foVtF9s4NWEg-B5Dt6VqCPhIspCvtVlcvUcYWayDooaMIig4bd1SUFpWz30FD-7PX4Jv0I-4wkf3ggMlNapph_4iUO0e9iHgE4EWWp0-_wlWmYvJIUFK9thyYrxnDk4_UlWGg829RBYSSSyQGkNhRAA/w300-h400/IMG_20231020_095555.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwh6G63rGrJLmY2UrWZSWLaja9nFbVu2mtM1X7E5KlyP67hL_8_F2VSnQExfaT8idS9HfTOSZQQHxgMNUE7NCjZ2zL7lQtyhsUx_W1uxRf8AvlCjIgu-vC5C9L-ByhQtmuRoX7xbjp0Qy3LWCyRGVN6zwHrW7MlzIEXZvUkWttvMnJh-ZdTzVsOSODeQ/s2592/IMG_20231020_114724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwh6G63rGrJLmY2UrWZSWLaja9nFbVu2mtM1X7E5KlyP67hL_8_F2VSnQExfaT8idS9HfTOSZQQHxgMNUE7NCjZ2zL7lQtyhsUx_W1uxRf8AvlCjIgu-vC5C9L-ByhQtmuRoX7xbjp0Qy3LWCyRGVN6zwHrW7MlzIEXZvUkWttvMnJh-ZdTzVsOSODeQ/w300-h400/IMG_20231020_114724.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Weather permitting, we have two more pours at this same location next week for an outdoor kitchen on the other side of the garage. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Barb, on the other hand, was on a mission to clean windows. When she asked me to bring in the 16' ladder, I knew she was serious! When I asked her why she did not just fly up there on her broom, she said it was in for its pre-Halloween servicing. </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-1XMq_BuVCXQ0ct9iK2yhrYud5bd7R5wxnkii1qmVNJ3VpkFsPoYDiyZ7V4SwRI0lOu5ljgVt5dubdV566_TzRaIGIpBjXM3MJROmwxvZhPeh-TvEBV8gb90Z-d2Upx1hU52YO-90ujEmSWHzsbswjweyBi23FKeUdxit2KW72Ic8wFTOwMp4Mgk9W0/s4608/IMG_20231025_093743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-1XMq_BuVCXQ0ct9iK2yhrYud5bd7R5wxnkii1qmVNJ3VpkFsPoYDiyZ7V4SwRI0lOu5ljgVt5dubdV566_TzRaIGIpBjXM3MJROmwxvZhPeh-TvEBV8gb90Z-d2Upx1hU52YO-90ujEmSWHzsbswjweyBi23FKeUdxit2KW72Ic8wFTOwMp4Mgk9W0/w300-h400/IMG_20231025_093743.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnWzszMUky5bhjnt02_XL-o64DKcouBeHfZKh_Bea-aF9wOfIKQl34dosOpxvuoDf0a5QE-v6ECld4K5GvXwarqQibsYgiI18vE3cK_PGoBWh4sarJ_El4Yy16xtz8apCK9dKHlfNJ1-c4AtO6BzL1xDAhzFFST6tjyotwI7ufP5Nx80dgm6wo8rYYes/s4608/IMG_20231025_094935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnWzszMUky5bhjnt02_XL-o64DKcouBeHfZKh_Bea-aF9wOfIKQl34dosOpxvuoDf0a5QE-v6ECld4K5GvXwarqQibsYgiI18vE3cK_PGoBWh4sarJ_El4Yy16xtz8apCK9dKHlfNJ1-c4AtO6BzL1xDAhzFFST6tjyotwI7ufP5Nx80dgm6wo8rYYes/w300-h400/IMG_20231025_094935.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">When she was done and back down on solid ground, she said "That's the last time I do that!"</div><p></p><p>The other thing I have been waiting to show you are my trail cam pictures. Well, a couple of them are our neighbors as he is sharing with me what he is seeing as well. Lots of turkeys, lots of does and small bucks, a couple nice bucks, elk and even a mountain lion to get me motivated to get out hunting!</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKQQ8vVPC370DJJM-J3rnNu1t8DB63XDePc8s_ajxwed7VImM0tGviEklkE2w9df0W7xXM7h1VRVXMPWkKP5_Jf9x9Pdja2iDWkxaYCmi6vA6gt5xZjweKmXVkuVv2_zEwq6eERXRCpsNkEbCB2YcuJa6dVTMERrSu0KsZE3MiED1h27wofephbfUP1Q/s1920/10030064.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKQQ8vVPC370DJJM-J3rnNu1t8DB63XDePc8s_ajxwed7VImM0tGviEklkE2w9df0W7xXM7h1VRVXMPWkKP5_Jf9x9Pdja2iDWkxaYCmi6vA6gt5xZjweKmXVkuVv2_zEwq6eERXRCpsNkEbCB2YcuJa6dVTMERrSu0KsZE3MiED1h27wofephbfUP1Q/w400-h300/10030064.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E3DG1oNoLd_x_Rx9xepvk9DcHcdOilKwuuQCQhyphenhyphenWmXfLjVRT2fTJfacoMmxuhxgq3BY4cSsyNcwuTjaqMcJ1CpzWyldsVlW3YB5i18xGgRY9wIvAzZyGYVg7IGnJiGw0Xoyo0T9p7jylJLcg0xNq31pEXW7Eqjmfj1S61HB5Um-QAovIRhOEldGE4TE/s1920/10140096.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E3DG1oNoLd_x_Rx9xepvk9DcHcdOilKwuuQCQhyphenhyphenWmXfLjVRT2fTJfacoMmxuhxgq3BY4cSsyNcwuTjaqMcJ1CpzWyldsVlW3YB5i18xGgRY9wIvAzZyGYVg7IGnJiGw0Xoyo0T9p7jylJLcg0xNq31pEXW7Eqjmfj1S61HB5Um-QAovIRhOEldGE4TE/w400-h300/10140096.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9dE_TILC8OFyLwXFQ2pAhT3Q99nh6-4VkL-bdpgfKf91rX_FGGE_5sna4ev_LLZYfd05tlnAy9PWcYLjqXr3eCk4_WSG2Ne45I81ZeFXRNXiyQKVMhME518Py2Bzq8dF_GfSlbOqICdu6dnf-5DfUDVB8uuRfObofy6oDsqrIRpk0CyA2uCysLIIjsc/s5152/DSC00428.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="5152" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9dE_TILC8OFyLwXFQ2pAhT3Q99nh6-4VkL-bdpgfKf91rX_FGGE_5sna4ev_LLZYfd05tlnAy9PWcYLjqXr3eCk4_WSG2Ne45I81ZeFXRNXiyQKVMhME518Py2Bzq8dF_GfSlbOqICdu6dnf-5DfUDVB8uuRfObofy6oDsqrIRpk0CyA2uCysLIIjsc/w400-h225/DSC00428.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaw0b9LWeGlpNGJUsmnP_y547BO9zgIYEockw3Y8fc7Li403uogNDBIaLd3CHE4Lzzl19TZa1ofQzzIzzGQ04VMCERv7-AOpupMUXfEm0ZQZHVUVpgsf06E0_LD2NbxJ-J0W2Ozbe3G5fdn8hPzrr89IF1qYL-9Xoy8m-FFwIId9fWqciDNV8tMAG2xkw/s2560/IMG_20230922_182124_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaw0b9LWeGlpNGJUsmnP_y547BO9zgIYEockw3Y8fc7Li403uogNDBIaLd3CHE4Lzzl19TZa1ofQzzIzzGQ04VMCERv7-AOpupMUXfEm0ZQZHVUVpgsf06E0_LD2NbxJ-J0W2Ozbe3G5fdn8hPzrr89IF1qYL-9Xoy8m-FFwIId9fWqciDNV8tMAG2xkw/w400-h225/IMG_20230922_182124_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP91NClVpObvywww1sjH8eDHhoWouD_A7GljLXJw4AO1jou-k8QNH6iH8ZabNZgwjOiQCv0ntkextqPwa8DBIOn_j7Nmmj7l2qyCiwIOUiSzhrB-NPZ8TNKWUJqXiOBFryDd4cq32V3XEJIYhqC38RYsQIdylV4bqImuQVr4U0WsNwAO6X0wVXa8-llg/s403/382231890_346937077903104_1557621438685329704_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="380" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP91NClVpObvywww1sjH8eDHhoWouD_A7GljLXJw4AO1jou-k8QNH6iH8ZabNZgwjOiQCv0ntkextqPwa8DBIOn_j7Nmmj7l2qyCiwIOUiSzhrB-NPZ8TNKWUJqXiOBFryDd4cq32V3XEJIYhqC38RYsQIdylV4bqImuQVr4U0WsNwAO6X0wVXa8-llg/w378-h400/382231890_346937077903104_1557621438685329704_n.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In preparation for the deer season, Barb and I have been busy getting a couple of stands set up. I bought two ladder stands; they are a little safer than the tree stands I have been using. I figure at 60, maybe it is time I start being a little safer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6u1BQCFkgM3dpHK62ihJaJJb6V_dZhu0rE7rVyPCbSZSK4dgMfvnsZKqcnfpkjSJNKjwn9OtddZJ4prnmVQ4Zo177Od0EM8LxVBHlM88DXTJrMwCrICDPMxLiTt1TmQsgZ8HkOu5TlQdVTXsgSK2nNMTZYoO8Uq4B2smkcIgEnvuAdoY2g1h3HkR8e8/s4608/IMG_20231009_114348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6u1BQCFkgM3dpHK62ihJaJJb6V_dZhu0rE7rVyPCbSZSK4dgMfvnsZKqcnfpkjSJNKjwn9OtddZJ4prnmVQ4Zo177Od0EM8LxVBHlM88DXTJrMwCrICDPMxLiTt1TmQsgZ8HkOu5TlQdVTXsgSK2nNMTZYoO8Uq4B2smkcIgEnvuAdoY2g1h3HkR8e8/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_114348.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OjMOW972tCe1TN4mjZsVKh3rvNAR9-nbXlRZ6bl3qi4tGYQdk7SaJNG4tokAgu-DJ6W6Rww67cAVApSOySwJsJOpmAlNfJv18NZk-gtTamBKB6sCjyqDdW1skQ4m4XJY-njAyz7WbqNOWD0jKDa4tHlfD6T-Bhr8w0xWa9GlX-9DZV9b8kwt7g6mNFs/s4608/IMG_20231009_140113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OjMOW972tCe1TN4mjZsVKh3rvNAR9-nbXlRZ6bl3qi4tGYQdk7SaJNG4tokAgu-DJ6W6Rww67cAVApSOySwJsJOpmAlNfJv18NZk-gtTamBKB6sCjyqDdW1skQ4m4XJY-njAyz7WbqNOWD0jKDa4tHlfD6T-Bhr8w0xWa9GlX-9DZV9b8kwt7g6mNFs/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_140113.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In this week's installment of Find the Frenchie, I bring you a picture of our love seat. Zoey is in this picture somewhere. Can you see her? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHeYUgTSco7bI1boqPdCMUIM40pOf43u6o97syb8a5OEfwCSJO4M63AQa57Ic2CJmgTA5ELnj5vt9s6Mkw9U0SBQYcWrl4vsdKagMBZhFS4n4_UUTIN2mnclc49VcWPv04VV4kpF2LxGb49Eh_EDbDdQFgenNsa6yoJjepRoG6peu-KJb82RPEiB3Mqs/s2592/IMG_20231022_120920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHeYUgTSco7bI1boqPdCMUIM40pOf43u6o97syb8a5OEfwCSJO4M63AQa57Ic2CJmgTA5ELnj5vt9s6Mkw9U0SBQYcWrl4vsdKagMBZhFS4n4_UUTIN2mnclc49VcWPv04VV4kpF2LxGb49Eh_EDbDdQFgenNsa6yoJjepRoG6peu-KJb82RPEiB3Mqs/w400-h300/IMG_20231022_120920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even if I zoom in, I have a hard time seeing her, but the ears give her away. If you did not spot her, you can scroll to the end of the post to see exactly here she is. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The weather this week has been beautiful. That was until today when the bottom fell out of the temps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiz5QCfnfPRV5kjUj9m0sxYtx4lvTFK1AgSLg-3-GXz26T3s54PZdfxFHzyUeznSLCkheAqzvki-jz89UpaNUY5HAHRvN3OPWOUIccsm12-4TTMQt0w008q_A4oFzo_nyd22OZCofVVREqIh9B5cWhbXPbulwvENhD-prRqiTdyIx5u7jQxGqm3aE7CSI/s567/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20085109.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="567" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiz5QCfnfPRV5kjUj9m0sxYtx4lvTFK1AgSLg-3-GXz26T3s54PZdfxFHzyUeznSLCkheAqzvki-jz89UpaNUY5HAHRvN3OPWOUIccsm12-4TTMQt0w008q_A4oFzo_nyd22OZCofVVREqIh9B5cWhbXPbulwvENhD-prRqiTdyIx5u7jQxGqm3aE7CSI/w640-h206/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20085109.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brrr, she's a bit chilly out there! The perfect weather to get out there and do some hunting! But first, here is the hidden Frenchie.....</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDrGujz2Pd6NmDAt8bhCZsHLCYPwWxhga_Ozi9ySFnYQNwuFjH4yG7HFhVk8D804MpBuA8B5nib1FIYRKWqmANOblkJQPJ-vbAniM2PVIu0WNaWUjh7xJPfZkf9kCLt3-OHVbgiFbAFQaE1OEqgbgAvWHSEZMUMq9XU6tIMN4dKy4oc5_KGmw6UL1cM/s4608/IMG_20231022_120909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDrGujz2Pd6NmDAt8bhCZsHLCYPwWxhga_Ozi9ySFnYQNwuFjH4yG7HFhVk8D804MpBuA8B5nib1FIYRKWqmANOblkJQPJ-vbAniM2PVIu0WNaWUjh7xJPfZkf9kCLt3-OHVbgiFbAFQaE1OEqgbgAvWHSEZMUMq9XU6tIMN4dKy4oc5_KGmw6UL1cM/w400-h300/IMG_20231022_120909.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-44943835131505749192023-10-21T05:50:00.001-07:002023-10-21T06:29:49.293-07:00Being Tourists in The Black Hills<p> Why is it the closer you live to something the less likely you are to visit it? This seems to have been the case most of our life. We lived on a Class A musky lake, but we rarely fished it. We lived within an hour of one of the country's best state fairs, but rarely went. And now, we live within an hour of many of the country's best attractions, but we never go. </p><p>Well, we set out of change some of that this week when we became tourists at the towns of Deadwood and Lead. One of the reasons we avoid these towns is that they are so crowded during the summer months that is just no fun to go, but in mid-October, it is quite pleasant. There are still people, but dozens, not hundreds. </p><p>We started in historic Main Street in Deadwood. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxitVmNYMg0WkOyEpN8gYWREmx8Av_MSnNY72OQd-jFpAX1wcb45wi_H8A7HzPATQ-2debSHd915uAIKXfkDAG76_Cz26hHE0ahthKIAZjt1aReHOIKtW3CBYmYTKdlOFlbJ_rWB7Rf3uqsrgDfeg4rDuFCNG6IVZeGxl83bsP1D6l3u-xjtSHzP11HbE/s4608/IMG_20231017_131042%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxitVmNYMg0WkOyEpN8gYWREmx8Av_MSnNY72OQd-jFpAX1wcb45wi_H8A7HzPATQ-2debSHd915uAIKXfkDAG76_Cz26hHE0ahthKIAZjt1aReHOIKtW3CBYmYTKdlOFlbJ_rWB7Rf3uqsrgDfeg4rDuFCNG6IVZeGxl83bsP1D6l3u-xjtSHzP11HbE/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_131042%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioypuwnt1IICmZu6gNcuEhRHpzkGzJI6NhmP6vdQa9PNi3QnrbUJviI96m816dqgwFNIGfMLUUVuySu-3myeYy3rd1FpkuLg8Cojf7B12GEEEYlDb_jOQ_fqW2gqKjiTIMnouxyrhAZGL7lkOhKma1yBuxWBGNgc1tbMHWcyXa59Gxj-0m2-wQcwj5av8/s4608/IMG_20231017_131046%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioypuwnt1IICmZu6gNcuEhRHpzkGzJI6NhmP6vdQa9PNi3QnrbUJviI96m816dqgwFNIGfMLUUVuySu-3myeYy3rd1FpkuLg8Cojf7B12GEEEYlDb_jOQ_fqW2gqKjiTIMnouxyrhAZGL7lkOhKma1yBuxWBGNgc1tbMHWcyXa59Gxj-0m2-wQcwj5av8/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_131046%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As you can see, it was pretty quiet. It had been years since we have been to historic Main Street and not much has changed. Mostly bars, restaurants, casinos and tourist type shops selling T-shirts and trinkets. We were looking for a good place for lunch and just could not find anything that looked good. We ended up at Guadalajara's Mexican restaurant inside Cadillac Jacks casino. Both our meals were very good!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On our way out Barb asked for a dollar, I handed her a 5-dollar bill and she said "I just want a dollar" so, I took that back and handed her a dollar bill. She has this thing where she walks around the casino until she finds a machine that "speaks to her". She stopped in front of a penny machine named Piggly Wiggly, inserted her dollar, pushed the button. It beeped and the display went through a series of screens before it finally stopped. These things are so complicated that you never know if you win. Then the credits started going up, finally ending on 1,940. She won $19.40 on a .60 bet!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">From there we went to the Days of '76 Museum. I thought it was about the timeframe of 1876 when Deadwood was founded but it was mostly about the history of the Day's of '76 rodeo and parade that takes place every year. The also had a huge display of historical guns and wagons. It was interesting but not quite what I thought it was. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTp9UnWPg3QFLAKNOUcxbP8xnSIhp4TJh4o7qyRy3CzxQPCCCiJ9-pxgyJTY91AsiHkf7myRkrcQOeLcwCfVSVrSvm4aXGnQEy4hhWkZTeemtec8M9DiNDFHqzZwudYiRJ3o0TNU-g0mDykevh255pkOrAN-FYIw6OB_KE68sf5xuOf4w6m0YxfntaQg/s2592/IMG_20231017_114946.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTp9UnWPg3QFLAKNOUcxbP8xnSIhp4TJh4o7qyRy3CzxQPCCCiJ9-pxgyJTY91AsiHkf7myRkrcQOeLcwCfVSVrSvm4aXGnQEy4hhWkZTeemtec8M9DiNDFHqzZwudYiRJ3o0TNU-g0mDykevh255pkOrAN-FYIw6OB_KE68sf5xuOf4w6m0YxfntaQg/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_114946.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3BS3XR9bd_T_MRxnznv1zzWCfwtLLq0aNr1j9Sau4UsDiIrHVK4zQk17up6cSYmEJgWrcH4yhk7zLfegjGYTk0kAXS4l0BWFuvf9KQQHnKErbJd0Wuet_y-RgvlpTFiVOcFtX8vM0-2aGrtO4bHC4w9i76RPn68RWDoJql0I18q80f8wt028nvg2TCo/s4608/IMG_20231017_120856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3BS3XR9bd_T_MRxnznv1zzWCfwtLLq0aNr1j9Sau4UsDiIrHVK4zQk17up6cSYmEJgWrcH4yhk7zLfegjGYTk0kAXS4l0BWFuvf9KQQHnKErbJd0Wuet_y-RgvlpTFiVOcFtX8vM0-2aGrtO4bHC4w9i76RPn68RWDoJql0I18q80f8wt028nvg2TCo/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_120856.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then it was up to Boot Hill where Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane were buried. Now, this was interesting! Old cemeteries are interesting all by themselves but add the element of a couple of famous people and it gets even more interesting!!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkazx-hYKvLiFMWjldvRayA-kLuLxKXMAGvicZ4btQ3m5JmLVZo2DKH_7E6DU8rJaYYu9eavv8d41IkagzfrRU3QP1TZC-G_Vlm_RCF1XHRoV9STRClePXuSfQSYpJ3vC3PDpxtr_XyB1j4bhkcoHQMzCHoHNfuF17GmhhDsVsIvBPo0HNarHZLAyZeo/s1724/IMG_20231017_123146a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1724" data-original-width="1278" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkazx-hYKvLiFMWjldvRayA-kLuLxKXMAGvicZ4btQ3m5JmLVZo2DKH_7E6DU8rJaYYu9eavv8d41IkagzfrRU3QP1TZC-G_Vlm_RCF1XHRoV9STRClePXuSfQSYpJ3vC3PDpxtr_XyB1j4bhkcoHQMzCHoHNfuF17GmhhDsVsIvBPo0HNarHZLAyZeo/w296-h400/IMG_20231017_123146a.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnY5bCAYAScr6lbjXEASejnLvzOsRWiIWcFEtRxwNJ-u5rAwn3EibDHRcrytVn8IS7n1nY0qQdTL146RApOUbGGxMazEELCgxM7AuNyoAWimdRMcqIpKKLT1auTX27u3PYYAISVoTaJY0e0mkpAeU6Y-DQapHLeDjrec-m9HFR57famey-GX252RfSDI/s2592/IMG_20231017_123513%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnY5bCAYAScr6lbjXEASejnLvzOsRWiIWcFEtRxwNJ-u5rAwn3EibDHRcrytVn8IS7n1nY0qQdTL146RApOUbGGxMazEELCgxM7AuNyoAWimdRMcqIpKKLT1auTX27u3PYYAISVoTaJY0e0mkpAeU6Y-DQapHLeDjrec-m9HFR57famey-GX252RfSDI/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_123513%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiormRcd_Uf_7FG3zfnDawWTyoisiiL5LZTyYNAb2Gt5B9m3x9ytT476fDvkcIsB1pnvfSX8ehJmUBKv1AazXwKQtnQMO9UZpPfMyNO3SWz7mZLZRfboVKG7GsroOyjVQ_gUtUBOVK_0n4TWyHVOo5V2yGvZDrZbeQu6SaWFRVtnZXR7H98BAACzZUWHrM/s2592/IMG_20231017_123218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiormRcd_Uf_7FG3zfnDawWTyoisiiL5LZTyYNAb2Gt5B9m3x9ytT476fDvkcIsB1pnvfSX8ehJmUBKv1AazXwKQtnQMO9UZpPfMyNO3SWz7mZLZRfboVKG7GsroOyjVQ_gUtUBOVK_0n4TWyHVOo5V2yGvZDrZbeQu6SaWFRVtnZXR7H98BAACzZUWHrM/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_123218.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">They are buried side by side. Many people have left coins and trinkets at each of their grave sites. As interesting as these two sites were, there were other sites that were thought provoking. Like this one with a large monument. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSYnIkPhnOFVA5nGLg__LPT-xhyphenhyphens0FCwJWHBe2fjgUkioDXovqrEx1aekvS-FGkrGMGYWiyhX3yP-BEvfxieUMCqQ6-_T4H41TzHOFfzB1_o85CJROHC2Cc2-ynCmBkDHsLjjixsmMtL9nT9KxaZ6UFZ6JHjmju8BZY_KRLNLCu593BOurzt_3N8iWTc/s4608/IMG_20231017_124252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSYnIkPhnOFVA5nGLg__LPT-xhyphenhyphens0FCwJWHBe2fjgUkioDXovqrEx1aekvS-FGkrGMGYWiyhX3yP-BEvfxieUMCqQ6-_T4H41TzHOFfzB1_o85CJROHC2Cc2-ynCmBkDHsLjjixsmMtL9nT9KxaZ6UFZ6JHjmju8BZY_KRLNLCu593BOurzt_3N8iWTc/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_124252.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTv749FLt5-BHBcPKF966IIYy6EUcOSrq48wuujoq6A8f0ybkW4O84CKuPL7qCoZ2ft3_h-t1R6_RrqLFz28-SkMAJYdoXk5FjRvgVW9TJ7wEiBeZJOBQwOgjCUelu2HjtX7jDzL8gg-3nFzHbvirXGF6mAojgu0PeJv_7hWfLDkxZQrdrB6Ew8bdf2Q/s1182/IMG_20231017_124252%5B860%5Da.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="766" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTv749FLt5-BHBcPKF966IIYy6EUcOSrq48wuujoq6A8f0ybkW4O84CKuPL7qCoZ2ft3_h-t1R6_RrqLFz28-SkMAJYdoXk5FjRvgVW9TJ7wEiBeZJOBQwOgjCUelu2HjtX7jDzL8gg-3nFzHbvirXGF6mAojgu0PeJv_7hWfLDkxZQrdrB6Ew8bdf2Q/w259-h400/IMG_20231017_124252%5B860%5Da.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What was interesting about the site of this woman (Eugenie), is that the engraving highlighted who her husband was rather than who she was. There were many sites like this. I can already picture Barb's headstone; "Jim Nelson was a great man, who accomplished many things, here lies his wife, Barb".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Or this one of poor Alice (foreground), born in 1862, and who lost all her children at a young age. Baby Alvin, (back middle) who died as a baby, Alta, (back right) who died in 1908 at the age of 14 and Charles (back left), who died at the age of 18 in 1913. You can only imagine what poor Alice has been through and what she has seen in her life. Especially since she has no death date and is alive and well at the ripe old age of 161 years old!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbvU_ETq0t_VmeptX9JDY8pHEQIQE6vgi9Q4g-4BbWMPP9e0snL7Ay4MZKFucQwK9jDoSZyyhXSMdNWufLaq3SwnoZ44Ku9qXukZbYulbYtPfTaX72Vch8gyLvumHYuEY282_ER7O49Bvoa9o3r0MJaVo1uxhtMwzw9UYaAyMx8A8mN0C8bwLI1Srtlc/s3235/IMG_20231017_124413a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3235" data-original-width="2424" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbvU_ETq0t_VmeptX9JDY8pHEQIQE6vgi9Q4g-4BbWMPP9e0snL7Ay4MZKFucQwK9jDoSZyyhXSMdNWufLaq3SwnoZ44Ku9qXukZbYulbYtPfTaX72Vch8gyLvumHYuEY282_ER7O49Bvoa9o3r0MJaVo1uxhtMwzw9UYaAyMx8A8mN0C8bwLI1Srtlc/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_124413a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is interesting (and maybe a bit morbid?) to walk through cemeteries like this and wonder what these people's lives were like.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And no visit to Deadwood is complete without a stop at The Chubby Chipmunk. Their hand-dipped chocolates are to die for!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-X9LrEM7fCABo6TSKQe0tGGHnNHpXzMYvF6__CKMYKSd5qEKFzCycXj8e___cTdckGHcPs48aJ1EvtrYxeu5zHUWPKu-VZhIPfrY00joVyFQjFSjfoA5lUJD1fMqbcrcgQPHYGfuvhR24_cIqwKz5IJg2eCTAY5mHrVaahAITuW3aFXm9esAHFbq2vc/s4608/IMG_20231017_110329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-X9LrEM7fCABo6TSKQe0tGGHnNHpXzMYvF6__CKMYKSd5qEKFzCycXj8e___cTdckGHcPs48aJ1EvtrYxeu5zHUWPKu-VZhIPfrY00joVyFQjFSjfoA5lUJD1fMqbcrcgQPHYGfuvhR24_cIqwKz5IJg2eCTAY5mHrVaahAITuW3aFXm9esAHFbq2vc/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_110329.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also visited the town of Lead, just a few miles away. This town too is filled with history but more of a mining history. It is most well-known for the open pit, Homestake Mine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC74ijQDpLWoRm1c3kMVDClITdiaJwckEBQS2dPSfDU8A2VddmSoY8_jgzvCEiP9tWYX4Rm6SNZnvHtzaNPpIVt5PDuEubs0ZBwUdXxVhd3XU9j7tMHOFY3RD1kKmzF4jE0fp3o3kVc_5lQ00mWE8Q_mqr7v8cH7jZfurutWwPFo_IDKxGvVFIAJdObzo/s2592/IMG_20231017_103241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC74ijQDpLWoRm1c3kMVDClITdiaJwckEBQS2dPSfDU8A2VddmSoY8_jgzvCEiP9tWYX4Rm6SNZnvHtzaNPpIVt5PDuEubs0ZBwUdXxVhd3XU9j7tMHOFY3RD1kKmzF4jE0fp3o3kVc_5lQ00mWE8Q_mqr7v8cH7jZfurutWwPFo_IDKxGvVFIAJdObzo/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_103241.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This gold mine operated for over 120 years before it closed in 2002. There is an even bigger open pit still in operation just a few miles away. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We spent a night at a campground in Spearfish Canyon. The Rod & Gun Campground is operated by the US Forest Service. We have tried to stay here in the past but our rig was always too big. Not this time with the truck and camper!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The scenery was beaufitul but what we should have brought was our flyrods, there were trout everywhere in the stream!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_aEuQiPAlnvnnJAHWNMwI5FV8Ns2Q15URzfW7itJO2IKAr_T3Egb3pPY-9MrY01altPyeJb5xxrDz3yodv4G570zgMuf6LjZPhe6Zsqh-OFF-qJ-TyvUFQXNrcWCPimMMa6teycc_4h0X4oO7tFNNNt-jp0EZSf4PZKtf4Btp6N2UWWbfg71FV111Xc/s4608/IMG_20231016_161654.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_aEuQiPAlnvnnJAHWNMwI5FV8Ns2Q15URzfW7itJO2IKAr_T3Egb3pPY-9MrY01altPyeJb5xxrDz3yodv4G570zgMuf6LjZPhe6Zsqh-OFF-qJ-TyvUFQXNrcWCPimMMa6teycc_4h0X4oO7tFNNNt-jp0EZSf4PZKtf4Btp6N2UWWbfg71FV111Xc/w300-h400/IMG_20231016_161654.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6B-ztaTDTHY4C92FpwchJLtxNMuZ-STrWUSGj8D_sn46KEi4edlF2-sjJ8S5gb6NH8CKfDcj3G4Sk8aDW-QFyp9qx8xySHqgQsAEx1zzjilQVwO7UkZbPOvbkxg5G8sBD8OoruaOb0mh-t08rIgkKq3xXnqZiwDnQs_JEj7bDBhbhlO2bkg8B2LSR2w/s4608/IMG_20231017_080823_BURST001_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6B-ztaTDTHY4C92FpwchJLtxNMuZ-STrWUSGj8D_sn46KEi4edlF2-sjJ8S5gb6NH8CKfDcj3G4Sk8aDW-QFyp9qx8xySHqgQsAEx1zzjilQVwO7UkZbPOvbkxg5G8sBD8OoruaOb0mh-t08rIgkKq3xXnqZiwDnQs_JEj7bDBhbhlO2bkg8B2LSR2w/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_080823_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The leaves were past their peak but it was still beautiful in the canyon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0LRAGpfeTA98zs2SGrCicT05b4DCE-wPqyst-bLlL6ZkY0kvX588WtgrbmGfjLy0cgsLwQ7obpCZcFBPpkkB_P7cSgjLY1ufa20fB7mZxXUezOcJPBvD9YVC_Nty4yjYPEAV4hlLq-lzTKpc86Kzh0XqdpV76J-cXFFxxwhSanTZUvcLq8BH3hFr_Nk/s4000/P1190471.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0LRAGpfeTA98zs2SGrCicT05b4DCE-wPqyst-bLlL6ZkY0kvX588WtgrbmGfjLy0cgsLwQ7obpCZcFBPpkkB_P7cSgjLY1ufa20fB7mZxXUezOcJPBvD9YVC_Nty4yjYPEAV4hlLq-lzTKpc86Kzh0XqdpV76J-cXFFxxwhSanTZUvcLq8BH3hFr_Nk/w300-h400/P1190471.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYivpmBjIpnMxKvWeZffkWFJ1ywMWgpi44C1kp7A5cqK7ebM-9h1GRCOsPAcCjO7SBMQPTu_JvatuNS7Ny9IqKwID0R-qcOtO1FM29TN5LZHieSen5YD3VVb_N-oo9mIPBsVok2abNYWPp91_QVVNbgH_tyYCr_qXPxqsME2tXaDiayMu-YD8OD1Iz7A/s4000/P1190469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYivpmBjIpnMxKvWeZffkWFJ1ywMWgpi44C1kp7A5cqK7ebM-9h1GRCOsPAcCjO7SBMQPTu_JvatuNS7Ny9IqKwID0R-qcOtO1FM29TN5LZHieSen5YD3VVb_N-oo9mIPBsVok2abNYWPp91_QVVNbgH_tyYCr_qXPxqsME2tXaDiayMu-YD8OD1Iz7A/w300-h400/P1190469.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnvocMl6Yd7a3KipyUKqdrQOHP26PKYu-LgAo5RTOVz2ZUDHwnDw2qgOgDksWiPnWp0BUote5-M_LMHb72bKYoIld6EHqxCO6mfcCDf69PaEX_t5pt8DtXGgt5Z_SosaLIcg8waGQOWyYhG7oQJa9a3Mgzhel1NxmzQCG2c0UmToVibqsXwVyk4N_D5E/s4608/IMG_20231017_080929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnvocMl6Yd7a3KipyUKqdrQOHP26PKYu-LgAo5RTOVz2ZUDHwnDw2qgOgDksWiPnWp0BUote5-M_LMHb72bKYoIld6EHqxCO6mfcCDf69PaEX_t5pt8DtXGgt5Z_SosaLIcg8waGQOWyYhG7oQJa9a3Mgzhel1NxmzQCG2c0UmToVibqsXwVyk4N_D5E/w300-h400/IMG_20231017_080929.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also made progress on our goal of ascending the 100 tallest peaks in the hills. Two were driving and right next to each other and two were hiking. Terry Peak and Deer Mountain are just outside of Lead. Terry Peak is most well known for its ski resort and at 7,064' is the 7th highest peak in the hills. You can drive right up to the top via a rough gravel road. averaging 6-8% grade on the road. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once you get to the top, there is a walkway up to a lookout area. The views are great but obscured by the towers at the top. Even Dakota climbed the stairs to see the view!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp_QmaGiuhDOvnV3gBukZHP8tUGLwyNfDB2q-0c5KRNZGOmmWhM2rLRLuwViBczVGPKKRHkm8j1rP7spNQ-Mu4r-QfHbn0HwBfe-hNBYIVpMb6WKlTjmKI6aF5oOWYfiqm8DM-EdbMDMThcIKv9ZWcE4tIkI3JqwRdxgyLAm1M9fg2ByWUQPAATDtArI/s4000/P1190478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp_QmaGiuhDOvnV3gBukZHP8tUGLwyNfDB2q-0c5KRNZGOmmWhM2rLRLuwViBczVGPKKRHkm8j1rP7spNQ-Mu4r-QfHbn0HwBfe-hNBYIVpMb6WKlTjmKI6aF5oOWYfiqm8DM-EdbMDMThcIKv9ZWcE4tIkI3JqwRdxgyLAm1M9fg2ByWUQPAATDtArI/w300-h400/P1190478.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEl6M1j2a0Tf66JG_esEjnZUPaZlEBW9o1uFz9EDZfEze3bTp4_gTDQbCUpddQKkghHIerIPl3s2sBOGC5Md5roCHTFqY4TO75sUSQ7_mK4p8reFBPjC-GHXPfTdS0huobgyPL1dBvLwQRqsu00cPZ4Mt8xtoatEXqxzz8G90nkOrIRImvReryCp1RPw/s4000/P1190479.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEl6M1j2a0Tf66JG_esEjnZUPaZlEBW9o1uFz9EDZfEze3bTp4_gTDQbCUpddQKkghHIerIPl3s2sBOGC5Md5roCHTFqY4TO75sUSQ7_mK4p8reFBPjC-GHXPfTdS0huobgyPL1dBvLwQRqsu00cPZ4Mt8xtoatEXqxzz8G90nkOrIRImvReryCp1RPw/w300-h400/P1190479.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It is said that you can see all 100 peaks from this viewing area!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVKtiF0qGWU5-B5T-ztNYQO2uprLh8dqiL3V46Ei4zXMeoUBDfhlI6hCY7oNKewk9pJq0TvIzqEWzFSxxpUq5NtqTv38TpnntHWs5f-txKPvSSPXvY5vpfzzEkz8_M2lRJKfa7XqmAndbqUkbXC9IjFzuWla7gv6tNHsxkyp4VtoKdT8K6UnKZyBP-n4/s4000/P1190483.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVKtiF0qGWU5-B5T-ztNYQO2uprLh8dqiL3V46Ei4zXMeoUBDfhlI6hCY7oNKewk9pJq0TvIzqEWzFSxxpUq5NtqTv38TpnntHWs5f-txKPvSSPXvY5vpfzzEkz8_M2lRJKfa7XqmAndbqUkbXC9IjFzuWla7gv6tNHsxkyp4VtoKdT8K6UnKZyBP-n4/w400-h300/P1190483.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVNEq5ise3BBs52MEDkEhZ_3UrABy371uy0D6Dn3zKw1WbDUzFgrdjXCtto0zUvQnUrh2eOT_ZtzeLN6jUCGUjtn1xKK6OsoNp6TfIjfysj1X2XdWBuNj4XcofHQTVc1DUqgsi73kELWgObvwa1ptoS-Is8ryUVdPDvgIEH2C3iPVwvw0ld7u7-nVOfY/s4000/P1190481.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVNEq5ise3BBs52MEDkEhZ_3UrABy371uy0D6Dn3zKw1WbDUzFgrdjXCtto0zUvQnUrh2eOT_ZtzeLN6jUCGUjtn1xKK6OsoNp6TfIjfysj1X2XdWBuNj4XcofHQTVc1DUqgsi73kELWgObvwa1ptoS-Is8ryUVdPDvgIEH2C3iPVwvw0ld7u7-nVOfY/w400-h300/P1190481.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmdyJnIIp-SE8sENspPG_6tg-L01g-mOjktEYhubICh7a0ICbkwRJgKpxawybvC-VL93SCK0rROOgcmU8B2WnHyfi4_d7yCflUtVlBWdI6RPgE1XNhz8jrrxM0K-wlKGso60Fxc928cNvrWpBLefbX7XHEhpQPEsaXgNE1cHEP1PjPYVO7GjGo0TJzQw/s4000/P1190482.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmdyJnIIp-SE8sENspPG_6tg-L01g-mOjktEYhubICh7a0ICbkwRJgKpxawybvC-VL93SCK0rROOgcmU8B2WnHyfi4_d7yCflUtVlBWdI6RPgE1XNhz8jrrxM0K-wlKGso60Fxc928cNvrWpBLefbX7XHEhpQPEsaXgNE1cHEP1PjPYVO7GjGo0TJzQw/w400-h300/P1190482.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fMBfQhCevr9q3u3DzI4tUivmjTt5Z9UXHJWZggMQ_mFKvv99ZgxrJ_8Xt0niHVCwI3s7g0eimWnjVZCPsHHKwSDO4ypMaDcGemmEYP5kVeXcipl80IGk6mr-PNQfgC0STJJGRegJUjVR4IMew6KdgeNfLBSXJJxaFhBYtxcwbv5ywjzotxslZuy4sko/s4000/P1190484.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fMBfQhCevr9q3u3DzI4tUivmjTt5Z9UXHJWZggMQ_mFKvv99ZgxrJ_8Xt0niHVCwI3s7g0eimWnjVZCPsHHKwSDO4ypMaDcGemmEYP5kVeXcipl80IGk6mr-PNQfgC0STJJGRegJUjVR4IMew6KdgeNfLBSXJJxaFhBYtxcwbv5ywjzotxslZuy4sko/w400-h300/P1190484.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7zBjWJ9DGuIRFeBEAkn47B6Zw_sVqhsFM7OoY7uuL7jNiq5XDfeIbVW1v5RwRqpk8SX-aj4B-vxcT0u7-xqhk0QIbg86LyhD7Yco1iaQJdU9JXHc9p2_wT1lZKhGFJHqsOdCutdqeGWwGHsPwfbZwjSLec-nu-okT9rGqpI0Mmp8AysnG9pkhrvBb38/s4000/P1190486.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7zBjWJ9DGuIRFeBEAkn47B6Zw_sVqhsFM7OoY7uuL7jNiq5XDfeIbVW1v5RwRqpk8SX-aj4B-vxcT0u7-xqhk0QIbg86LyhD7Yco1iaQJdU9JXHc9p2_wT1lZKhGFJHqsOdCutdqeGWwGHsPwfbZwjSLec-nu-okT9rGqpI0Mmp8AysnG9pkhrvBb38/w400-h300/P1190486.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">You pass Deer Peak on your way up to Terry. It too had a ski resort, but it has been sold and being developed into housing. Not nearly as picture-worthy. At 6,652', it is the 33rd high peak in the hills. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other two hikes were a little more adventurous. Peak 6701, the 29th highest. It is one of the most remote of the top 100 peaks and is in the middle of nowhere, the closest town being Rochford. Most of the snow from last Thursday's storm had melted, with only pockets of the white stuff remaining in the shaded areas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaUJkQ2hyQ5xJiYdmwTjMmrTJUyT8W5_tgSU46rq2vZSnrhra-giV6oHaz1fkqP4njSeeLs0OaaCmLnd0kbU7V_b0RRUnnJRhmUqcd6ivn2Y2X3THt-PaUTdDa3EgzA1CVLFobfKf1sb-590uzIkD6qSGe4sKOLIwIdcvsqzHsfMWRRrQ6rm-5BnK6DQ/s3494/P1190433.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2084" data-original-width="3494" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaUJkQ2hyQ5xJiYdmwTjMmrTJUyT8W5_tgSU46rq2vZSnrhra-giV6oHaz1fkqP4njSeeLs0OaaCmLnd0kbU7V_b0RRUnnJRhmUqcd6ivn2Y2X3THt-PaUTdDa3EgzA1CVLFobfKf1sb-590uzIkD6qSGe4sKOLIwIdcvsqzHsfMWRRrQ6rm-5BnK6DQ/w400-h239/P1190433.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With no established trail, we had to bushwhack our way up to the peak. It was fairly open, so we were able to take the girls and weave our way though some deadfalls. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHakIWPKniNybm4CGx7FhiOYn7YW7-YtMIplY3G5GfkdxW3U2MbkrXaZA6y9Q731G9M4d2GpnnPNKrtjP3k6RGtKAqsNaCnLB3R4W05Xnc1pI6_-hc1JWYLugrP5f6QPxVOkdyvXH_fZzMBlZjZNe1IyLWh6-lBlTQ28GCLfpFzqKVin-l4Z4gn2MFws/s4000/P1190435.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHakIWPKniNybm4CGx7FhiOYn7YW7-YtMIplY3G5GfkdxW3U2MbkrXaZA6y9Q731G9M4d2GpnnPNKrtjP3k6RGtKAqsNaCnLB3R4W05Xnc1pI6_-hc1JWYLugrP5f6QPxVOkdyvXH_fZzMBlZjZNe1IyLWh6-lBlTQ28GCLfpFzqKVin-l4Z4gn2MFws/w300-h400/P1190435.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1NNL8KuuzV8TYpfIjVeR70w4DK6ITnU0tv7gYpfIaOuVmdOpA5fRPudaDcwlTtbPAVBqtOH1PIdDo-T-uldstAxJMBxepUYHPE5eI2mke8rWV8aaLNORyOJYXf314-A9MsOzFqYbi9OENJaxN2S2eoDYB96ABq1URg1Uxt-7mSKMGSXoMPVuixhOX4k/s4000/P1190440.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1NNL8KuuzV8TYpfIjVeR70w4DK6ITnU0tv7gYpfIaOuVmdOpA5fRPudaDcwlTtbPAVBqtOH1PIdDo-T-uldstAxJMBxepUYHPE5eI2mke8rWV8aaLNORyOJYXf314-A9MsOzFqYbi9OENJaxN2S2eoDYB96ABq1URg1Uxt-7mSKMGSXoMPVuixhOX4k/w300-h400/P1190440.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv9nzlWm0euaO5wXf1oJI490jCGWP7U_l_WX_iJ9GMaPXJlxo-dvK5F3QvsMhw7AKMnQBTJfHVicTexQ6poGUqxfeuPxCOt1waHk7DMqV1uRhEvYEio6pu4OOt3V01UOwo_1ZWpnotZZfo6CxwUldrmY4TIff7h33h0pOJpwWR9ujEDM7XDDRi3OKR_c/s4000/P1190453.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv9nzlWm0euaO5wXf1oJI490jCGWP7U_l_WX_iJ9GMaPXJlxo-dvK5F3QvsMhw7AKMnQBTJfHVicTexQ6poGUqxfeuPxCOt1waHk7DMqV1uRhEvYEio6pu4OOt3V01UOwo_1ZWpnotZZfo6CxwUldrmY4TIff7h33h0pOJpwWR9ujEDM7XDDRi3OKR_c/w400-h300/P1190453.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJZgfbFKbxtRqGvlOpTqv3tXB_sT9gR235WAavA3-fW-tbFEeltd0CgdWu1OSuzQxqy05igVtb7CuU9hZ2BGCuCp8FoYbHeZzaKVOUGZcEJmo7K9F_243CU7QQRinsUdhVPyhJ5Dc5iojcP3bLYfBUNbPiaJ-41C_RrQ7eOn2cbothqP0FN3YvCLbR_8/s4000/P1190451.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJZgfbFKbxtRqGvlOpTqv3tXB_sT9gR235WAavA3-fW-tbFEeltd0CgdWu1OSuzQxqy05igVtb7CuU9hZ2BGCuCp8FoYbHeZzaKVOUGZcEJmo7K9F_243CU7QQRinsUdhVPyhJ5Dc5iojcP3bLYfBUNbPiaJ-41C_RrQ7eOn2cbothqP0FN3YvCLbR_8/w300-h400/P1190451.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">It got thicker near the top. We did not have an exact location, so we picked this highest rock outcropping in the area and called it good. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLFU8x6XPqqyZKRkCK-x4V75SemBBgaMFad7KYGL91UUByOfjY_lJwjFSsnuQ6QhiNVD0ji-qeuELW4RMdvJspD9NBdoAYJkMVCL7Hs_l4GC4IybSVvaU1RX1gS-_aKE5CQ8zyjXRdu6wih6J8hTYqQKFdbxFgd1M3cjsPevEwiCpkPZI-HCzvF0fTbo/s2270/P1190441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="2001" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLFU8x6XPqqyZKRkCK-x4V75SemBBgaMFad7KYGL91UUByOfjY_lJwjFSsnuQ6QhiNVD0ji-qeuELW4RMdvJspD9NBdoAYJkMVCL7Hs_l4GC4IybSVvaU1RX1gS-_aKE5CQ8zyjXRdu6wih6J8hTYqQKFdbxFgd1M3cjsPevEwiCpkPZI-HCzvF0fTbo/w353-h400/P1190441.JPG" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnbmb5mLv1Gtk9ztr_zAgYs54lhpeSgKY2c4AHOofoweqsQqVZh74N00GWgME_AAsNwZpJ6lvBI3xCpvXbRLVBUt1Mdv4cWfml0ZiuI9W5fNcYWgJi_VsJCOK4d8GrXxFIpTjgN-mk7K0DWV-_WNiCdK3jffr_0QGlu5SjcfoXgL2ED0sAKf2JnDojVQ/s4000/P1190445.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnbmb5mLv1Gtk9ztr_zAgYs54lhpeSgKY2c4AHOofoweqsQqVZh74N00GWgME_AAsNwZpJ6lvBI3xCpvXbRLVBUt1Mdv4cWfml0ZiuI9W5fNcYWgJi_VsJCOK4d8GrXxFIpTjgN-mk7K0DWV-_WNiCdK3jffr_0QGlu5SjcfoXgL2ED0sAKf2JnDojVQ/w300-h400/P1190445.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW5Kr0w_7Iqf5OsEiGZQq8J0yZnMAxj_Q1dxVwbHj-elrfSr0kQ1DKTOJtzMyBS2xg0EdiRDlJKAQslESZYH3ZMo1Z8tIbx4_H46MzSlysWS95fptZVlsvG9gdGSWQmGd048aQ9E7CLNWxksfbkTeT1TEshurAq_O3PQQ7cGAQiwFQqovHlqaIPTM6ts/s4000/P1190446.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW5Kr0w_7Iqf5OsEiGZQq8J0yZnMAxj_Q1dxVwbHj-elrfSr0kQ1DKTOJtzMyBS2xg0EdiRDlJKAQslESZYH3ZMo1Z8tIbx4_H46MzSlysWS95fptZVlsvG9gdGSWQmGd048aQ9E7CLNWxksfbkTeT1TEshurAq_O3PQQ7cGAQiwFQqovHlqaIPTM6ts/w300-h400/P1190446.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way down, I took this picture of Barb. That is her and the girls circled in the bottom left and the truck is circled in the middle right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYf1yQ2JODpZHE4yD9Qd4_p4XxOp0Bq59Y7LNBYNga-jogoG86Uwz-RfXXqiUC-5mLRWb0YTXyf7eQ1AnbHmyG8vpMngTjYT56qJbd33uJ-DjJikc22UWFxcE7UnmdeP9rd3lQElLuY8BQb91O__TBaexfBWUfAWnp4dxLI-yUZJ7v3u-eVYMmHcS7cA/s4000/P1190450.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYf1yQ2JODpZHE4yD9Qd4_p4XxOp0Bq59Y7LNBYNga-jogoG86Uwz-RfXXqiUC-5mLRWb0YTXyf7eQ1AnbHmyG8vpMngTjYT56qJbd33uJ-DjJikc22UWFxcE7UnmdeP9rd3lQElLuY8BQb91O__TBaexfBWUfAWnp4dxLI-yUZJ7v3u-eVYMmHcS7cA/w300-h400/P1190450.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Afterword we stopped for lunch in the infamous Moonshine Gulch bar in Rochford. It had been over 20 years since we had been there during one of our Sturgis adventures back in the day. Although not nearly as busy as it is during the rally, the atmosphere and the food was just as good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8bD3GNoYP49yn14bCJIQw4PFLPvm44C9pI5O2kR86-td01kalQSeYv4Vd7V3tpXvw_GVS16WUMQno7DwuQm1uL2jy5QZUU5mQyJM84UdR6DvMNxV1m1vKef_giktB7jjACgLNqhSjZQdGGGu_uwKeJmO5nLj3vSYNrR6YS-ZJCC6tjKGNjITt2xXwQI/s4608/IMG_20231016_124511.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8bD3GNoYP49yn14bCJIQw4PFLPvm44C9pI5O2kR86-td01kalQSeYv4Vd7V3tpXvw_GVS16WUMQno7DwuQm1uL2jy5QZUU5mQyJM84UdR6DvMNxV1m1vKef_giktB7jjACgLNqhSjZQdGGGu_uwKeJmO5nLj3vSYNrR6YS-ZJCC6tjKGNjITt2xXwQI/w400-h300/IMG_20231016_124511.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvfrbno_if-4PoeJzJVCfv6vwgy4nY5NQ7MeDq7y8MAo5V5-nPcl6MKiZq7BjOp32a-U66bOIawL8HWyzYwFV8xLF_FFOWIMRGqTA-j0jGOyt_aBBUEMXjkJWVVs6HXqTgamm6JO_fLReey6RvYYSwtezNt5tFhjYjjeiACpH3ecSCCSzl72QSWhF1gc/s4608/IMG_20231016_121813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvfrbno_if-4PoeJzJVCfv6vwgy4nY5NQ7MeDq7y8MAo5V5-nPcl6MKiZq7BjOp32a-U66bOIawL8HWyzYwFV8xLF_FFOWIMRGqTA-j0jGOyt_aBBUEMXjkJWVVs6HXqTgamm6JO_fLReey6RvYYSwtezNt5tFhjYjjeiACpH3ecSCCSzl72QSWhF1gc/w300-h400/IMG_20231016_121813.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next hike was a bite longer and a bit more strenuous. You would think Custer Peak would be outside the town of Custer, but instead, it is halfway between Hill City and Deadwood on Hwy 385. This hike is best suited for a jeep or ATV/UTV but we took our truck and camper to the base of the hill, which was an adventure in itself. The views on the way out, however, were incredible!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosJsHDnW31t8uGRo-NKdyVCl0-EqRt7aex7g8kGgJy3dUDxFhVbrxvjkJpLhfk-3gto3n4pzW7oAlxm8Zib8eHN_K906sHLMIDKHa-RQQQG9uNVkxQCaXkWBuxQl1idbeXKXgmGdCyWANtSr5oF8qACcBv2cjQRYR_kp9_SZjddOOspkuguUC16HHhIk/s4608/IMG_20231016_133224.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosJsHDnW31t8uGRo-NKdyVCl0-EqRt7aex7g8kGgJy3dUDxFhVbrxvjkJpLhfk-3gto3n4pzW7oAlxm8Zib8eHN_K906sHLMIDKHa-RQQQG9uNVkxQCaXkWBuxQl1idbeXKXgmGdCyWANtSr5oF8qACcBv2cjQRYR_kp9_SZjddOOspkuguUC16HHhIk/w300-h400/IMG_20231016_133224.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once we got to the base of the hill, we parked at the bottom, got the girls out, and walked up the very rough road switchback road to the top. You can see the fire tower above Barb as we walk up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr7sljkioQQm-tZm7Xorz-qB4Lz38Mo20x9Osz-zBGpBrNHcAMYodbcsAjPe1USMGOyaPhk_qdOndc8nILdtIIRq-2PyFn_t9oCvaM5ijy379mMflcmjxds50iFr8RjUt2vJqaxwvU8hWzjFuV6OzGDet-w6EKw4tJNRZa96dGwBr7JNY0SduSzxOSZc/s4000/P1190455.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr7sljkioQQm-tZm7Xorz-qB4Lz38Mo20x9Osz-zBGpBrNHcAMYodbcsAjPe1USMGOyaPhk_qdOndc8nILdtIIRq-2PyFn_t9oCvaM5ijy379mMflcmjxds50iFr8RjUt2vJqaxwvU8hWzjFuV6OzGDet-w6EKw4tJNRZa96dGwBr7JNY0SduSzxOSZc/w300-h400/P1190455.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni9TaodxvWGUDtmHpDYdu8nrODG3EDvExUPe-MgNhtVF1OVNqiN-W65OTuWFv-UgVH1glLX_z64PVpnwOa898dLoSHHO0O2CVD0alHYs1KIsQBQN__wbtRb43fewGeUcH2-VjiMPnDtZxcl2A5LXdvhGvG7ELxiawjNqHYESrstzVAVtNeWl7q_dvVP0/s4000/P1190475.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni9TaodxvWGUDtmHpDYdu8nrODG3EDvExUPe-MgNhtVF1OVNqiN-W65OTuWFv-UgVH1glLX_z64PVpnwOa898dLoSHHO0O2CVD0alHYs1KIsQBQN__wbtRb43fewGeUcH2-VjiMPnDtZxcl2A5LXdvhGvG7ELxiawjNqHYESrstzVAVtNeWl7q_dvVP0/w300-h400/P1190475.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is a fire tower at the top that gives you a 360° view of the surrounding hills. At 6,804' Custer Peak is the 22nd highest peak in the hills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uny6KkEifYoTVoFG6Jsg-7Eae2e-xzswWSgLYt2CdnZHlOXVKdcQilmCzto4mCnb-0FtRz-cRWA7gyyLRgqhf9iPuxSQRriHDoq1qq8pbtBbXSs5CjKEJZaZUJyJHaxa2YycTqN-kRYTJzCW7ReyuH64xGa6ikMXZQi4Sczc9en8eiGGEEmzb7_DJp4/s4608/IMG_20231016_142802.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uny6KkEifYoTVoFG6Jsg-7Eae2e-xzswWSgLYt2CdnZHlOXVKdcQilmCzto4mCnb-0FtRz-cRWA7gyyLRgqhf9iPuxSQRriHDoq1qq8pbtBbXSs5CjKEJZaZUJyJHaxa2YycTqN-kRYTJzCW7ReyuH64xGa6ikMXZQi4Sczc9en8eiGGEEmzb7_DJp4/w300-h400/IMG_20231016_142802.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp6LzowtxkQcPRzxs3o1nhKt8tzQm96xDilBHX3RiUFrRjrTarN_lEsJ9p96euvGUjQ3ffMDrtsJtUj5ODIIbUguXOcjIXLA5QoZ9bOaSES1vFgTsKJWXNlH9j177i2MDJvg4kZl7MpcYarFabJU6f9o3RUhif-OhKYOaz3KK2Arzy5MWElxZKPu7CkY/s4608/IMG_20231016_142901a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp6LzowtxkQcPRzxs3o1nhKt8tzQm96xDilBHX3RiUFrRjrTarN_lEsJ9p96euvGUjQ3ffMDrtsJtUj5ODIIbUguXOcjIXLA5QoZ9bOaSES1vFgTsKJWXNlH9j177i2MDJvg4kZl7MpcYarFabJU6f9o3RUhif-OhKYOaz3KK2Arzy5MWElxZKPu7CkY/w300-h400/IMG_20231016_142901a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA-IzcYJLfTpY7oWj0Q4etcNQsrEa3JntZHHvpuJPQCHItCh2aY60eDD1-p36K_UZFSEdxR9_0Hk43Zxd63kx4Ofs7QTbrUf1v35Qh0567eJKlrKY_TH-l6w1GFL7tKGfxKzYEIr-VqPRHhkZs2ISyVgr6ZbQ6VjCwMaqMRr3aUIwqvN2UFNlprrVg00/s3847/P1190460.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3847" data-original-width="2681" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA-IzcYJLfTpY7oWj0Q4etcNQsrEa3JntZHHvpuJPQCHItCh2aY60eDD1-p36K_UZFSEdxR9_0Hk43Zxd63kx4Ofs7QTbrUf1v35Qh0567eJKlrKY_TH-l6w1GFL7tKGfxKzYEIr-VqPRHhkZs2ISyVgr6ZbQ6VjCwMaqMRr3aUIwqvN2UFNlprrVg00/w279-h400/P1190460.JPG" width="279" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmCHahlvuhe9r7VpebjEctfKQi7W1YUmEtqg_5Wx7iWMSFjtELCRUKH0YbW46b12uHZO8RIQdmC3PFBm3AL6fVSf3_vYOmVrrel0tIfz0rEGc03kRguThmWkQfi3ZNLA9L_RNDCgr2VOKwdgTWsINUscq7utJFPox9HZs2sbVIjgqlk1H_-Es_87NaxQ/s4000/P1190461.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmCHahlvuhe9r7VpebjEctfKQi7W1YUmEtqg_5Wx7iWMSFjtELCRUKH0YbW46b12uHZO8RIQdmC3PFBm3AL6fVSf3_vYOmVrrel0tIfz0rEGc03kRguThmWkQfi3ZNLA9L_RNDCgr2VOKwdgTWsINUscq7utJFPox9HZs2sbVIjgqlk1H_-Es_87NaxQ/w300-h400/P1190461.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYKNMQe1vXquDcH28CFYPOUnjYsV74jUzpP7hUrbPuX_kkh8JjLyy36zJt7T1JLMm5gijWzrx8a2XYp54FkmnGyweIn1gG03auzVc0WitgyMhEkrD4a4-zhoXr3dP4qCVZ9NGOVsyfiz7Ae3LFcjzfNIpcuc5PlGfI1Z5hA4ZuEJXt3SO1H4lcvy9SeY/s4000/P1190465.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYKNMQe1vXquDcH28CFYPOUnjYsV74jUzpP7hUrbPuX_kkh8JjLyy36zJt7T1JLMm5gijWzrx8a2XYp54FkmnGyweIn1gG03auzVc0WitgyMhEkrD4a4-zhoXr3dP4qCVZ9NGOVsyfiz7Ae3LFcjzfNIpcuc5PlGfI1Z5hA4ZuEJXt3SO1H4lcvy9SeY/w400-h300/P1190465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQa54LFp_R-ARht17WoHvy1aqfaNfgJmOlwNiAFY9tAY_PdiKQvycWoYfYf-KUDMra93X6AVjjgsKsloz-0iwy_qMhXBwJIKgOk0aKEVQ54R0VsUMq11wEOYNuMXTCwTvOy19J7Xr0h2kkZftkcy5EourritmJ18kmGm4O_W3V2V8dU6ZOAqqcBRnHlx4/s4000/P1190467.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQa54LFp_R-ARht17WoHvy1aqfaNfgJmOlwNiAFY9tAY_PdiKQvycWoYfYf-KUDMra93X6AVjjgsKsloz-0iwy_qMhXBwJIKgOk0aKEVQ54R0VsUMq11wEOYNuMXTCwTvOy19J7Xr0h2kkZftkcy5EourritmJ18kmGm4O_W3V2V8dU6ZOAqqcBRnHlx4/w300-h400/P1190467.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskB7hGWzrW8VSq5NCawjp97JAAMyfzjJ1UP9USycHPTWG_Lx13kr1hM2KgX8U8QxNJYvqivUqtIlzcQKYk_i1bWBLoEcigJpih1plWb-jewnqBVcxzJIC100L5qstt27Ci8VTMN4LqA0MoWccwzMBJXqnuCm0f6V3OgiCEeFM7-NzE-DlgSMLNSHoMiI/s4000/P1190457.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskB7hGWzrW8VSq5NCawjp97JAAMyfzjJ1UP9USycHPTWG_Lx13kr1hM2KgX8U8QxNJYvqivUqtIlzcQKYk_i1bWBLoEcigJpih1plWb-jewnqBVcxzJIC100L5qstt27Ci8VTMN4LqA0MoWccwzMBJXqnuCm0f6V3OgiCEeFM7-NzE-DlgSMLNSHoMiI/w400-h300/P1190457.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">This makes our 6th peak, only 94 to go!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had received a text from our friend Chad saying that he would be stopping by our house on his way home from a Wyoming hunting trip so we headed home to find him, Cavin and Carmyn already there drinking our beer (Chad) out in the gazebo. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflIbiQgU_Z79zkkNL42_V4O3qBimOEyraBPl6eVFJWMYhSy1lfmPfb4yVHfaichmMQLSWvHr4PF7AGf9dsM0x7fj5zvEnGBOALw1DJg37GAGO4cedt7ilmfOEPVXX6tnKmE6bihIzR0ojgD42b5BKnYEMwHYbTimQ3a912cXv3l7f7lE1sJU2fmsyqwM/s4608/IMG_20231017_171329%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflIbiQgU_Z79zkkNL42_V4O3qBimOEyraBPl6eVFJWMYhSy1lfmPfb4yVHfaichmMQLSWvHr4PF7AGf9dsM0x7fj5zvEnGBOALw1DJg37GAGO4cedt7ilmfOEPVXX6tnKmE6bihIzR0ojgD42b5BKnYEMwHYbTimQ3a912cXv3l7f7lE1sJU2fmsyqwM/w400-h300/IMG_20231017_171329%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barb made an outstanding taco bar and the 5 of us hung around talking and watching a bit of football while Carmyn played with Zoey. They left about 3am the next morning to make the 12-hour trek back to their home in Wisconsin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And with that, we end this week's installment of Adventures with Jim and Barb. Stay tuned next week, as we have more adventures planned!</div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-31194758094936004592023-10-11T15:30:00.000-07:002023-10-11T15:30:55.027-07:00Finally Back Home!<p>Here are a few facts that you might be interested in when it comes to hunting in North Dakota. A North Dakota non-resident waterfowl license costs $149. You get to hunt two-seven-day periods and are allowed to shoot 6 birds each day. But not just any ducks. You are limited to certain species and within that species you are often having to identify males and females. </p><p> The regulations read like this:</p><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The daily bag limit on ducks (including mergansers) is 6 with species and sex restrictions as follows: 5 mallards of which only 2 may be hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 scaup, 1 pintail. Note: An additional 2 blue-winged teal may be taken September 23 through October 8 only. The possession limit on these restricted ducks is three times the daily limit.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span>S<span style="font-family: inherit;">o, you have to know how to identify birds on the fly, many times as they are flying by at 40-60mph.</span></span></span></p><p>Friday<span style="background-color: white;"> w<span style="font-family: inherit;">as the last day of my seven-day period. It found me standing by myself on the edge of a slough. Bob was standing at an</span>other slough with his friend Warren who had arrived from Minnesota the day before. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmA2s3a9tQIdKtjl7EodHWUP4AExa-kERwttO-s-63O1fqhnD47u1yyGJYlsSkg_xqdqoZcLyUcHyJRCU78PqRUB4svCCbjNtKVBIbOu7U7z4rbjIrlS7zdb63bfF76JAxgAoQIHemVfU7Y4LsC9cuGp1gGqdfKZPzU-J9giA5FTUSXrCK220WVgjo2Yw/s4608/IMG_20231006_080554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmA2s3a9tQIdKtjl7EodHWUP4AExa-kERwttO-s-63O1fqhnD47u1yyGJYlsSkg_xqdqoZcLyUcHyJRCU78PqRUB4svCCbjNtKVBIbOu7U7z4rbjIrlS7zdb63bfF76JAxgAoQIHemVfU7Y4LsC9cuGp1gGqdfKZPzU-J9giA5FTUSXrCK220WVgjo2Yw/w400-h300/IMG_20231006_080554.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">It was cold! 30F with 30 mph winds. The birds were flying fast in that wind, but we managed to drop a few despite the fact that I could not feel my fingers. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag72V7N03p72FR2UcXxr8HqHDCo3XJVAwejEgrSqi5FmkYXwS94PEZCBPGnpmEEZWMK0TYmOVkgwhC6orV_IqUXkD03hQY6z5sdcrDQAPQbOYwCp8V4hzoCByKnHN4vdCWj7zf1ohcHuYxXlyCsOTQQdoQZuMJE0LK0sxxYvbGXXs4RDkEYXs95zN1I4/s4608/IMG_20231006_082149_BURST001_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag72V7N03p72FR2UcXxr8HqHDCo3XJVAwejEgrSqi5FmkYXwS94PEZCBPGnpmEEZWMK0TYmOVkgwhC6orV_IqUXkD03hQY6z5sdcrDQAPQbOYwCp8V4hzoCByKnHN4vdCWj7zf1ohcHuYxXlyCsOTQQdoQZuMJE0LK0sxxYvbGXXs4RDkEYXs95zN1I4/w300-h400/IMG_20231006_082149_BURST001_COVER.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you tell which way the wind blows here?</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="background-color: white;">We had a great shoot, filling out the rest of my possession limit to take home. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvbE9fJr9MOdHfBGQHCWWY33rQGa0rqiv_rZakKatD4EU1ZE3HLitfPZ6OMAso3aoppedPtxol7_LtYAwaNYSpUpCuLSPgp446kfYvc_fxeEgBwISIdy-6IeX_TIhxU3YIkqJiBc04OrZmeFXl9ShoJQxjoQBLahJL0B8pGsPO9H9qiFJ1Th5wEeTKnU/s1280/IMG_20231008_063955_01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvbE9fJr9MOdHfBGQHCWWY33rQGa0rqiv_rZakKatD4EU1ZE3HLitfPZ6OMAso3aoppedPtxol7_LtYAwaNYSpUpCuLSPgp446kfYvc_fxeEgBwISIdy-6IeX_TIhxU3YIkqJiBc04OrZmeFXl9ShoJQxjoQBLahJL0B8pGsPO9H9qiFJ1Th5wEeTKnU/w300-h400/IMG_20231008_063955_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Ember and Warren. Can you tell it is a bit chilly?</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">As many of you know, birds have very unique and complex coloring on their feathers. Here are a couple of close ups of a Gadwall. Just look at the intricate detail nature created.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVCHbpSfJG9ag6hdDfcijJXbZ_kcr2NXAarHnv210psnA6xb2qVunfF7lLHDLu8QmDMFiKa0fqhoBdwTJmmRyXIuJLsjNrN0dIqXlQiln1bo_-CCQ4mWL2wTrRSrU6HyMX4WkZ5L5UQP1IeqqG5i4obA7sDJZexaFJnVRdTnW8at0zDcrh3pQckKxXZw/s4608/IMG_20231006_105352.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVCHbpSfJG9ag6hdDfcijJXbZ_kcr2NXAarHnv210psnA6xb2qVunfF7lLHDLu8QmDMFiKa0fqhoBdwTJmmRyXIuJLsjNrN0dIqXlQiln1bo_-CCQ4mWL2wTrRSrU6HyMX4WkZ5L5UQP1IeqqG5i4obA7sDJZexaFJnVRdTnW8at0zDcrh3pQckKxXZw/w300-h400/IMG_20231006_105352.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCILzwDkCnsZhyik6C9NdNk9q4fssyhKRTMVExY126NdUzFswtZY4pMGrXCpssrMWILUfQZlIyMuyMRjwBp29NQteDOvTiyw-e_pLpubINH9yipt7d3SU_a2D0EEngTU1r8Djy77Se88QVoEXorGySjKiMCcttKOukjXRebTxx5oDX7cxZ_b10MeBjB8/s4608/IMG_20231006_105414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCILzwDkCnsZhyik6C9NdNk9q4fssyhKRTMVExY126NdUzFswtZY4pMGrXCpssrMWILUfQZlIyMuyMRjwBp29NQteDOvTiyw-e_pLpubINH9yipt7d3SU_a2D0EEngTU1r8Djy77Se88QVoEXorGySjKiMCcttKOukjXRebTxx5oDX7cxZ_b10MeBjB8/w300-h400/IMG_20231006_105414.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: left;">We returned to the shop to find the cat had taken up residence in a tote on a wool hunting jacket. So cozy!</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSjPIuotjNrr6WutcRS6NM-1A0Tzl0tmQP5OZOBRwAz-RG_m6HvCRH0Megsfui-4cw52oE8gKN3kKQr_FC-T2YtXWF39eBIz-JS6apLm5UClUAtKRL_V_nXhIj8fsBVSI2q4b9jQHOMj5PDizGkvFhY0LMwzn8UTfBYhNVgAFxPxi959_t-SRUgDEfIw/s4608/IMG_20231006_063557.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSjPIuotjNrr6WutcRS6NM-1A0Tzl0tmQP5OZOBRwAz-RG_m6HvCRH0Megsfui-4cw52oE8gKN3kKQr_FC-T2YtXWF39eBIz-JS6apLm5UClUAtKRL_V_nXhIj8fsBVSI2q4b9jQHOMj5PDizGkvFhY0LMwzn8UTfBYhNVgAFxPxi959_t-SRUgDEfIw/w300-h400/IMG_20231006_063557.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>That night, Chris's friend Seth came over for pizza and poker. Oh man, what a night. We finally shut down the night at 2am knowing we had to get up in a few hours for the pheasant opener. <div>Here is a picture that Holly took. I forget what is going on here. Seth was either smelling me, or itching his nose, I forget. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSul3dbxc6oMeZUARs-mBVR3q_f0oMpdHk-Z9oYbnZ7kc376SsUhI7LHIBunm-AWwvGnb5sFhHSmNwmP8Y1UtV-a-HNc11omdJDldJ8bGKnI3D6ZBmBp-1AxeCJUyPHLwI8UNU6_EbjVeJKPsDB3RbAzB_HwUZFFaFAIJENdajjYjWWEVvrIy-GilNqY/s1280/IMG_20231008_063452_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSul3dbxc6oMeZUARs-mBVR3q_f0oMpdHk-Z9oYbnZ7kc376SsUhI7LHIBunm-AWwvGnb5sFhHSmNwmP8Y1UtV-a-HNc11omdJDldJ8bGKnI3D6ZBmBp-1AxeCJUyPHLwI8UNU6_EbjVeJKPsDB3RbAzB_HwUZFFaFAIJENdajjYjWWEVvrIy-GilNqY/s320/IMG_20231008_063452_01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We played Texas Hold'em with a $5 buy in. Once you lost all your chips, you could quit or buy back in for another $5. The caveat being that you had to take a shot of Fireball to buy back in. I bought back in 4 times, Warren and Bob 5-6 times each. Chris and Seth did not buy back in at all. Seth ended up being the big winner taking home $80. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwi-33_0R-0vC9nbHVznni9bkvSyKduTYT0u4l_8k9WnToJE2mRD-txEw57HTDENei6Q-mUJkp63VhSEu6aFP5IHiAcpSgvqkSoXoOFeNmQFVDRHBmjp1dw5lAVUAMDX3EwPtfRAeF1iCCBOo8zVXuxrcGu3JYKs3WBdTu8vxiMIIIkIFgmhZzPeNevHY/s1280/IMG_20231008_063509_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwi-33_0R-0vC9nbHVznni9bkvSyKduTYT0u4l_8k9WnToJE2mRD-txEw57HTDENei6Q-mUJkp63VhSEu6aFP5IHiAcpSgvqkSoXoOFeNmQFVDRHBmjp1dw5lAVUAMDX3EwPtfRAeF1iCCBOo8zVXuxrcGu3JYKs3WBdTu8vxiMIIIkIFgmhZzPeNevHY/s320/IMG_20231008_063509_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The next morning came way too soon! We were all pretty quiet, working out our grogginess during our first field but after an hour we were all awake and ready to walk the rest of the day. By the way, a pheasant is not covered in your waterfowl license. They require another $100 license giving you two seven-day periods to hunt them. The limit is 3 birds per hunter per day, roosters only.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-6LG5CY6P68JlIyO2AWtulq-cKj1K3Jpha4rvnDdmERyGFtuCMnzy5Isf0_teibkvnRnWIoDb4QSU9yxnpeOaqjwdzSPDfihjy0WX9ZevN101IxHscDPSLv9ftD6FPyqC02XxX9QXznsptlFm8l5siX92mF7PRWbBpX2TL_0QwcuuYQpw0vEYz3TetA/s4138/IMG_20231007_094710a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="4138" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-6LG5CY6P68JlIyO2AWtulq-cKj1K3Jpha4rvnDdmERyGFtuCMnzy5Isf0_teibkvnRnWIoDb4QSU9yxnpeOaqjwdzSPDfihjy0WX9ZevN101IxHscDPSLv9ftD6FPyqC02XxX9QXznsptlFm8l5siX92mF7PRWbBpX2TL_0QwcuuYQpw0vEYz3TetA/w400-h220/IMG_20231007_094710a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Young Gavin joined us proclaiming he was going to hunt with us all day! By the end of the second field, he was ready to go home. Although it was in the 30's the dogs worked hard and took breaks whenever they found a water hole or mud puddle. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d1vgIToFcnYlqV3F4Kw2m-ye0OXI16h1WsdZJj5aJqDtrKEERCJfnfHlH1C4uZ-Z0_Emf8GbXewF0LXHI3u_T1U6pIqbscYS2qOjA_TgBwbBJ3l4LbRtnXKUe7DmBRzGE-sV5dgdecYiBqLSleF3emqa-tj5ijtMCJfLa7IRVVqE7RTkpxSW58ywSPs/s2608/IMG_20231007_101825~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2424" data-original-width="2608" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d1vgIToFcnYlqV3F4Kw2m-ye0OXI16h1WsdZJj5aJqDtrKEERCJfnfHlH1C4uZ-Z0_Emf8GbXewF0LXHI3u_T1U6pIqbscYS2qOjA_TgBwbBJ3l4LbRtnXKUe7DmBRzGE-sV5dgdecYiBqLSleF3emqa-tj5ijtMCJfLa7IRVVqE7RTkpxSW58ywSPs/w640-h594/IMG_20231007_101825~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ember taking a break as Gavin and Bob look on.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>We ended up with 11 pheasants and 3 Hungarian partridge on Saturday. I swear, pheasants are the most beautiful birds in the world. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJSZgpP949JN7se5FsS9i3gjEbbCcDzQYZzpJYfKlg1gMQyJaKDVDc8kt1rHX8Aw6XvYcup737zJ6zOdw_4-NKhly5H_xDd45LGvsoegRep2xMLMSspe6yVsVzfCfFgteERWKguFe9u285yHdVc9a-YBpMNPxv4nrtK0UupkWdyEfZyGf3DwqedkUMW0/s1600/IMG_20231008_063330_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJSZgpP949JN7se5FsS9i3gjEbbCcDzQYZzpJYfKlg1gMQyJaKDVDc8kt1rHX8Aw6XvYcup737zJ6zOdw_4-NKhly5H_xDd45LGvsoegRep2xMLMSspe6yVsVzfCfFgteERWKguFe9u285yHdVc9a-YBpMNPxv4nrtK0UupkWdyEfZyGf3DwqedkUMW0/w300-h400/IMG_20231008_063330_01.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyOpoXq3Xux8zw6spcMUnA5ZzvvkP-s4Ts6KKGYVoGezuoOa0flpgEklwpADCCke368oA-3bRhan8B2gV3YyLtqgDfTJp2tglFllNBIPTwWthwYmLqvkILN_5ohwYxRnWPAK8qUbR9918UeubAflGdrRjZL3mmyB4PB6CtDIhecE1eDISnv2V12d7BwU/s4608/IMG_20231007_134309.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyOpoXq3Xux8zw6spcMUnA5ZzvvkP-s4Ts6KKGYVoGezuoOa0flpgEklwpADCCke368oA-3bRhan8B2gV3YyLtqgDfTJp2tglFllNBIPTwWthwYmLqvkILN_5ohwYxRnWPAK8qUbR9918UeubAflGdrRjZL3mmyB4PB6CtDIhecE1eDISnv2V12d7BwU/w300-h400/IMG_20231007_134309.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had enough for 4 pheasants each, enough to keep us fed for a while. So, with my freezer full of birds, I decided to head home a day early. I sent Barb this picture as I passed through Douglas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7LKeidiZeDfX_zcNqRgtkjoraeGyF9eb-td6OcIDN0a7HB-bqBaCyGV0F-QhCe79yCyY73NYdvgDpvxmd-E-W4O-BdDP0FVaoZfBu7Er9CkfMOKUAV6OodLRUhT9QPnxG86fhPenl7Hn2uGAiidhxCEks6FwRpcYT7gHju-4byUyQdeiQwPuFFGBvvM/s4608/IMG_20231008_141330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7LKeidiZeDfX_zcNqRgtkjoraeGyF9eb-td6OcIDN0a7HB-bqBaCyGV0F-QhCe79yCyY73NYdvgDpvxmd-E-W4O-BdDP0FVaoZfBu7Er9CkfMOKUAV6OodLRUhT9QPnxG86fhPenl7Hn2uGAiidhxCEks6FwRpcYT7gHju-4byUyQdeiQwPuFFGBvvM/w400-h300/IMG_20231008_141330.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew she would recognize two things in this picture. The elevator in Douglas and the hedgehog on our dash. That little guy has ridden from coast to coast for over 10 years in two different trucks. I did not hit the road until after 2:00pm, meaning I would not get home until 10:00pm or so. I listened to the Vikings lose and the Twins win as I headed south. This guy kept following me most of the day until he faded away as the sun set. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIj2vgsxaAkuLpFeBN40id4xwvT15nIqfgLeDr4k__mYi252stMRb3Q_qCdStcwhuk0RvpOeAbWfCQ95X1kiZeWnTwSS3dPvP9m1-TphratT5O_wtwtgaVn4e9wQmz86rOwUXzXw1vMtwLwoFWVqXoOv6uZFj30pWajVcxyQF8vZIYxnO1g05FI06sx8/s4608/IMG_20231008_175659.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIj2vgsxaAkuLpFeBN40id4xwvT15nIqfgLeDr4k__mYi252stMRb3Q_qCdStcwhuk0RvpOeAbWfCQ95X1kiZeWnTwSS3dPvP9m1-TphratT5O_wtwtgaVn4e9wQmz86rOwUXzXw1vMtwLwoFWVqXoOv6uZFj30pWajVcxyQF8vZIYxnO1g05FI06sx8/w400-h300/IMG_20231008_175659.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After driving for a few hours, I officially declared an accident/getting stuck/breaking something free visit to the farm! It is a rare event and does need celebrating! I did have two incidents; one leaving the auger open and on while carting resulting in me shooting 60-100 bushels of wheat on the ground (we were able to salvage most of it) and I overfilled a grain bin. Luckily that only resulted in a broken shear bolt and no spilled grain. Although avoidable, both were relatively minor inconveniences rather than major incidents. That said, there, is always the possibility that I will be blamed for something after I am long gone!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The same cannot be said for Farmer Bob who sent this to me just two days after I arrived home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonQoytuu2ORvp3izWnkI_oNyYg5MPcYdYjOzn78YADS7CmBwkgpsTaUs86zfbFYqS5n1C5UhFuhYVUvr-rMD3vJ_HHrBSpF4FW3uCBEoW52f8C99948wiU3UWJ0dPN-zvMBypFPJ0d6s3dFF9_zkntiJSjvVfVYnrnwkZpLvyHya4YBTeKVsBIBiF7Fk/s1600/IMG_20231011_155810_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonQoytuu2ORvp3izWnkI_oNyYg5MPcYdYjOzn78YADS7CmBwkgpsTaUs86zfbFYqS5n1C5UhFuhYVUvr-rMD3vJ_HHrBSpF4FW3uCBEoW52f8C99948wiU3UWJ0dPN-zvMBypFPJ0d6s3dFF9_zkntiJSjvVfVYnrnwkZpLvyHya4YBTeKVsBIBiF7Fk/w400-h300/IMG_20231011_155810_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Apparently, this is what happens when you hay ditches that are a little steeper than initially thought! I am sure somehow this was my fault, even though I was hundreds of miles away. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once I got home, Barb and I talked for a bit, but I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. So good to sleep in my own bed! When I awoke the next morning, Barb was excited to show me her purchases and projects. That's what she does when I leave, work on things and buy something for the house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Her main project for the past few weeks was filling the woodshed for the winter. Cutting down trees, cutting them into fireplace sized pieces, splitting them and stacking them in the woodshed. At first glance, that might not seem like a lot of wood, but when you consider that it is 5 rows deep, that is a lot of wood! Did I marry a good woman or what?!?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1xpb_kxkDfmCOXan34r2NQ6_G1OHmLrAcpd1HiX8hmwCtQ8UrYLFSPsZOfEM8_ZSgQczGi7b8kGRmOj2kraA0s3oeibgz_5K_syE-404HLc7iKCWdZHlAWl2SsYN2I9fdvcNK5EtQn4GvVg5agzn_D3SOnMwlYOSrtnF9apFlOHWdeB8BhI61nbX-ZI/s2592/IMG_20231009_112905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1xpb_kxkDfmCOXan34r2NQ6_G1OHmLrAcpd1HiX8hmwCtQ8UrYLFSPsZOfEM8_ZSgQczGi7b8kGRmOj2kraA0s3oeibgz_5K_syE-404HLc7iKCWdZHlAWl2SsYN2I9fdvcNK5EtQn4GvVg5agzn_D3SOnMwlYOSrtnF9apFlOHWdeB8BhI61nbX-ZI/w400-h300/IMG_20231009_112905.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She also bought two wardrobe cabinets for the loft in the garage. Up until now, we kept all of our seasonal clothes in totes which worked fine but you always had to search through multiple totes to find what you are looking for. Now she has everything organized in the wardrobe cabinets! These things weighed over 75lbs each, so she had to take each piece out of the box and bring it up the loft stairs before she put them together. Did I marry a good woman or what!?!?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7qeizasHcl6JZW1DRHTyIihq2YzcKTkh3o-OhytOozEUB4PU4JM2ylw9GOqNcEZx7PiKioHXz6kPVJwFgqhyphenhyphenOMOM1j6fWwWjj7D9RFusaepdSBKa-KcPJMtPBQ7-ZfXFuORkm-x34yz5vUrBfOpsxZbKlBDICyYZr_ZSFifAJ3bZWmaNPnrL9GRblzA/s4608/IMG_20231011_123611~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7qeizasHcl6JZW1DRHTyIihq2YzcKTkh3o-OhytOozEUB4PU4JM2ylw9GOqNcEZx7PiKioHXz6kPVJwFgqhyphenhyphenOMOM1j6fWwWjj7D9RFusaepdSBKa-KcPJMtPBQ7-ZfXFuORkm-x34yz5vUrBfOpsxZbKlBDICyYZr_ZSFifAJ3bZWmaNPnrL9GRblzA/w300-h400/IMG_20231011_123611~2.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_AZ_KDIbOamcUL1ovbF1gN9H94rZ4Fc30Q400ttPNqiVpS6U29N0-y590_gBCOFRfLnI_1_oflVMuRvr8rqQSeT0ZD5tNbB5q0hbwqHZk830tRuEqiAG-RkLGwxBbcaLK56L75FhKljhmSRnBKciDZk1ey9n9CkTjMOvYOc417591gM2CWGLMZGpWcY/s4608/IMG_20231010_160529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_AZ_KDIbOamcUL1ovbF1gN9H94rZ4Fc30Q400ttPNqiVpS6U29N0-y590_gBCOFRfLnI_1_oflVMuRvr8rqQSeT0ZD5tNbB5q0hbwqHZk830tRuEqiAG-RkLGwxBbcaLK56L75FhKljhmSRnBKciDZk1ey9n9CkTjMOvYOc417591gM2CWGLMZGpWcY/w300-h400/IMG_20231010_160529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up was the garage. I have a shelving until that is kind of a catch-all for tools and nuts, bolts and screws. She went through and organized the whole thing separating the nuts, bolts and screws into separate containers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then she took me up into the loft in the house where she showed me all the auction items we won. I knew about these but had not seen them yet. My next project is to build a bookcase in our bedroom, and I wanted to fill it with some good books. Well, she found an online auction with lots them! One of my favorite outdoor author is Gene Hill. Whenever we go to an antique store, we always look for his books. They are very hard to find and if you do, they are $20 or more. This auction had 10 of them in one lot! I did not care how much she had to pay, I wanted them! As far as I can tell, that is all the outdoor books he wrote. She had to fight for them, and they went for more than any other book lots, but they are now ours! She ended up winning them for $12.50 each.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-osOB8Swv95_RuVjILI_69WkN7DVjxSiRZAEIRnkOIEJkPTxNoAPfDdCZ0b5aIU1qdAryVMXFu7gzJe9CVIV0hiGHAAX6wqOwkLVZPSQrRSoQwuXU3FNLTzrIkugIs41FEEHL_3SN3JQ8JHABMpqKXDPJUy8ZkyhJcRk9n_PYskKVWMZDt3Nh-kUilMI/s4530/IMG_20231009_173412a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2920" data-original-width="4530" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-osOB8Swv95_RuVjILI_69WkN7DVjxSiRZAEIRnkOIEJkPTxNoAPfDdCZ0b5aIU1qdAryVMXFu7gzJe9CVIV0hiGHAAX6wqOwkLVZPSQrRSoQwuXU3FNLTzrIkugIs41FEEHL_3SN3JQ8JHABMpqKXDPJUy8ZkyhJcRk9n_PYskKVWMZDt3Nh-kUilMI/w400-h258/IMG_20231009_173412a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next book I wanted was Hunting Trips on the Prairie by Theodore Roosevelt. This book was published in 1885 and is in great shape. Online, it goes anywhere from $100-$300, she got this one for $70. Some might call me crazy, but I wanted this book!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started reading it already. I have to program my mind to read late 1800's writing. Very different from the writing of today. Here is the first page just to give you an idea how things were written back in the day....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWQ7DIftj9FqsJBgGOdBzLOyJaz9CfsJsQMc-3e8DLwUNojkwERioqP8JxnjNCjisUmVYHS7Ppj_8eGicS4iFvRgSm_yZXWxOMf-UE3tGiQa3RnbYqKIV6lsXr8_klkH8GAbqKrrQVnwS2BAiI-qR6PxiRguJdZFc4kxMGoJ2HAi3zm_C5ssHpIhyphenhypheniek/s4608/IMG_20231009_173131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWQ7DIftj9FqsJBgGOdBzLOyJaz9CfsJsQMc-3e8DLwUNojkwERioqP8JxnjNCjisUmVYHS7Ppj_8eGicS4iFvRgSm_yZXWxOMf-UE3tGiQa3RnbYqKIV6lsXr8_klkH8GAbqKrrQVnwS2BAiI-qR6PxiRguJdZFc4kxMGoJ2HAi3zm_C5ssHpIhyphenhypheniek/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_173131.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs53nGGU3gHctOg-iobTVGgtK-hd6H3djnSQ7zO-j4ylFVLnK9GO0ScpUSku3_LeNt8_oC0zXjT5JGF-lEEaqs5UtWIWxkkGyTyckYBFIniFLK2w0AoY4i-BQP8c1nklu0xJw0ME6JNBwwnSDRGjXfoeGCHetwkM4Df6DIlOXbYmh58HL_aqTlAIhLdg/s4608/IMG_20231009_173149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs53nGGU3gHctOg-iobTVGgtK-hd6H3djnSQ7zO-j4ylFVLnK9GO0ScpUSku3_LeNt8_oC0zXjT5JGF-lEEaqs5UtWIWxkkGyTyckYBFIniFLK2w0AoY4i-BQP8c1nklu0xJw0ME6JNBwwnSDRGjXfoeGCHetwkM4Df6DIlOXbYmh58HL_aqTlAIhLdg/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_173149.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">She also won two decoys, adding to our collection. We like the old working decoys, not the prettiest but they have a lot of history and character. They are the goose and canvasback on the right side. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR0zNtgwuvT8COR21OJHtZDaLuJ8uA2a9Icimnuy_zTc_08jpwDXh784syEbHPpv-UIFGgeUdQWLnKJXYy09ShDNlcDyM2S84mDOuyfLumvqXHYkSAVUTXzFD0kOUHMvg7eMK4ra-A4IO18euMOwmOjizouaJWwqCNrnxNz8Hfg8uHDxRxtpfE3-6mJ8/s4608/IMG_20231009_173442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR0zNtgwuvT8COR21OJHtZDaLuJ8uA2a9Icimnuy_zTc_08jpwDXh784syEbHPpv-UIFGgeUdQWLnKJXYy09ShDNlcDyM2S84mDOuyfLumvqXHYkSAVUTXzFD0kOUHMvg7eMK4ra-A4IO18euMOwmOjizouaJWwqCNrnxNz8Hfg8uHDxRxtpfE3-6mJ8/w400-h300/IMG_20231009_173442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Last but not least is the gazebo. She installed lights around the outside, installed fencing to keep Zoey in, and bought two very cool liquor storage units made from old whiskey barrel and refinished an old Buffalo Trace whiskey barrel top into a wall hanging. They are the perfect addition to the gazebo. She also got Dakota a raised bed for when she is out there, so she does not have to lay directly on the concrete. Did I marry a good woman or what!?!?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpni56StEcE2LVbwEu-YU9OiW0NupOlJ_GTSC3LglCqzgOpxgwYw0wQX7jDNu3bEsVDZ5Gi1GVXQBZ5hHEyeNXHyjkdZ4axZPSlL9KeR_gDcB_OtQgU5usHcfbIYceYkc57dEb_9SiA0LXWiD5KmijnfYGD7OQw2mDCYnbABiq7ftnyT8YT1k9rltqPm8/s4608/IMG_20231011_142844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpni56StEcE2LVbwEu-YU9OiW0NupOlJ_GTSC3LglCqzgOpxgwYw0wQX7jDNu3bEsVDZ5Gi1GVXQBZ5hHEyeNXHyjkdZ4axZPSlL9KeR_gDcB_OtQgU5usHcfbIYceYkc57dEb_9SiA0LXWiD5KmijnfYGD7OQw2mDCYnbABiq7ftnyT8YT1k9rltqPm8/w640-h480/IMG_20231011_142844.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7EqoRUDbIuSSkHFBS183G2vukHf3JoYi60akSeXPLmFwNxJFlMu3PL2b9GGFI2aK6kAn5Kcfclg8xdNmt7wX8Nxz1qryEzFJ_uu8FxCOGN7uOgq2FjZkmdkOTmOioUMjZnLpyE5zQ2WRJfTCRnp06q3YrkWlOtkC4fdZSEgPgf4H-WzHGFPIvu_PCqw/s4608/IMG_20231011_145431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7EqoRUDbIuSSkHFBS183G2vukHf3JoYi60akSeXPLmFwNxJFlMu3PL2b9GGFI2aK6kAn5Kcfclg8xdNmt7wX8Nxz1qryEzFJ_uu8FxCOGN7uOgq2FjZkmdkOTmOioUMjZnLpyE5zQ2WRJfTCRnp06q3YrkWlOtkC4fdZSEgPgf4H-WzHGFPIvu_PCqw/w300-h400/IMG_20231011_145431.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQIsgilI09Bcd6Ol0egrqJmFq7uwSMJ5VGtqKfcnJIWaK2HTrONCvhpamv-TyE4fqD3v0wdQRZ7-KMtUSh6s5-UIOkB9lbLYUV_mI_FLZ9IsR5oPqKXqgngdA7Av5TJkbsfHN3tjueXCi8aMaiwEwL0yUIlXLYbNiaXUQOiJ183AE947-CnLUXdWadYA/s4608/IMG_20231011_145444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQIsgilI09Bcd6Ol0egrqJmFq7uwSMJ5VGtqKfcnJIWaK2HTrONCvhpamv-TyE4fqD3v0wdQRZ7-KMtUSh6s5-UIOkB9lbLYUV_mI_FLZ9IsR5oPqKXqgngdA7Av5TJkbsfHN3tjueXCi8aMaiwEwL0yUIlXLYbNiaXUQOiJ183AE947-CnLUXdWadYA/w300-h400/IMG_20231011_145444.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There were also fall decorations scattered around the house, this one was my favorite....</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazKYKFjE7uT0e__jSMiWQQxbGWJtmJZ3WJ5NaASf3fUSn-2Zwok8v2YOYxD8tqiEoIOMRP1qQsj928tnm2CQY6MXdEXUSZbfBi1r7fDCSMp5GzchysM2qiEscr9GqKHjvn4FkOzJSIWsWyGfqb44ZOcLtIJ5yWCIhBkkkkPbyiGdhFO4y1nTPb2vyz7Y/s2592/IMG_20231009_113009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazKYKFjE7uT0e__jSMiWQQxbGWJtmJZ3WJ5NaASf3fUSn-2Zwok8v2YOYxD8tqiEoIOMRP1qQsj928tnm2CQY6MXdEXUSZbfBi1r7fDCSMp5GzchysM2qiEscr9GqKHjvn4FkOzJSIWsWyGfqb44ZOcLtIJ5yWCIhBkkkkPbyiGdhFO4y1nTPb2vyz7Y/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_113009.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4B3V5eZIl9qWHVjYbBWI2pEAAkJw8A8q71fcHrwaiEbA0LkgkyKMX0FrXRyDj184YfX2aBDzSrhYGOe2hD3VS88sdidKeBrJVeq3ZWXAWDniw4ZaAV7fgsk8TkSFDzvQuntauq8r_KOsvQ53pznGbMTYgX6DHyYVbsjNy-ntwXenBT1P-MaGHKjBQsk/s2592/IMG_20231011_123459~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4B3V5eZIl9qWHVjYbBWI2pEAAkJw8A8q71fcHrwaiEbA0LkgkyKMX0FrXRyDj184YfX2aBDzSrhYGOe2hD3VS88sdidKeBrJVeq3ZWXAWDniw4ZaAV7fgsk8TkSFDzvQuntauq8r_KOsvQ53pznGbMTYgX6DHyYVbsjNy-ntwXenBT1P-MaGHKjBQsk/w300-h400/IMG_20231011_123459~2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is so good to be home. The first order of business was to clean the camper. I apologized to Barb before she even set foot into it. My intension was to clean it before I came home, but leaving a day early changed that. She set foot into the camper and immediately started opening windows saying it smelled like a man has been living in it for the past 6 weeks. Funny, I did not smell anything. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few hours later, it was clean with a candle burning in it, I am sure she will give it a deep cleaning before our next adventure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, I was not even home an hour before Zoey found her spot on my legs as I sit on the couch. I think I will just sit here for a few days, relax, soak in the scenery and just enjoy being home. Life is good!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixibMQzlrDogoyso5in3Rmri_bs1sazCsDSytsatebLtt2Kd-RTvtrc9lPXGbi7TNCvDFuJzGK70b0jL0PCTSthMN27yeFz5PRmotY2N-LExfaQ94AMKhGKQpF44-3P9TQlp1iaJIf2QScmwKRU3QyJhEiTQ8-NEKxvIWPF50rgrDfLPNWl1awGRr8kLQ/s4608/IMG_20231009_082813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixibMQzlrDogoyso5in3Rmri_bs1sazCsDSytsatebLtt2Kd-RTvtrc9lPXGbi7TNCvDFuJzGK70b0jL0PCTSthMN27yeFz5PRmotY2N-LExfaQ94AMKhGKQpF44-3P9TQlp1iaJIf2QScmwKRU3QyJhEiTQ8-NEKxvIWPF50rgrDfLPNWl1awGRr8kLQ/w300-h400/IMG_20231009_082813.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p></div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-79012237374087531512023-10-06T04:15:00.001-07:002023-10-06T06:17:41.317-07:00Finishing Harvest and Moving onto Fun!<p> Cool, wet and foggy. Just the way it should be while hunting waterfowl in North Dakota. Each morning I awoke well before sunrise in eager anticipation of what the day might bring. I silently thank the Lord for gracing me with yet another season as I sit in the slough waiting for the sun to hit the horizon and the ducks to fly overhead on the first day of the season. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqGY5XwHUgjVL1uoaUtg0ME3c9sR5xiAPEhlzZQZ-QD1I3Td2EmYbVGc3eVQQ2J4g8oxyskIDtd1TzY2nQeU9vK3jF3OLM5XMwUW2zxy-3l9u48ClKcKZuxaHnbzjUhCn_qOrrwkTIqGWGNysP084zvs9LJOFscI2MObveyFdv0s2ob919m0Q26hYlxA/s4608/IMG_20231002_072634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqGY5XwHUgjVL1uoaUtg0ME3c9sR5xiAPEhlzZQZ-QD1I3Td2EmYbVGc3eVQQ2J4g8oxyskIDtd1TzY2nQeU9vK3jF3OLM5XMwUW2zxy-3l9u48ClKcKZuxaHnbzjUhCn_qOrrwkTIqGWGNysP084zvs9LJOFscI2MObveyFdv0s2ob919m0Q26hYlxA/w400-h300/IMG_20231002_072634.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>I did not grow up in a hunting family. Well, my dad did go pheasant hunting once a year down in Iowa taking my sister Becky and brother Bob with him. I do not know how old I was when I was finally allowed to go, but I still remember those trips like it was yesterday. I had a great-aunt who lived outside of Buffalo Center, Iowa who we would go and visit. Aunt Effie. What I remember about her the most was her ill-fitting wigs and her TV. I feel like she had the Lawrence Welk show on 24/7. I remember driving around with my dad looking for pheasants. I remember a motel in Forest City, Iowa we used to stay at, and I remember a nameless restaurant that had the best burgers in the world. I looked forward to that trip every year. Soon, my sister went to college, my brother too and it was just dad and me. Then Effie died and we never went back. But that was the beginning of the hunting bug for me. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX45m1KHgoFfVK3puNbPK6ITT72bWbs7aK9tzaMgN_u_ZMUFWCMueEAHDj7DxyBuopTO9Pko7vrnltOglcRl6X-4oKOl_ICgHCti0nTr-gd_w4cWNOS27QZh5Q5EJq7fd5tydU7R7qHxRbiGUU7NtoliAjTzA5B6bK0YxHQOuioIyQRtOprejW2WPxt8/s4000/P1190427.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX45m1KHgoFfVK3puNbPK6ITT72bWbs7aK9tzaMgN_u_ZMUFWCMueEAHDj7DxyBuopTO9Pko7vrnltOglcRl6X-4oKOl_ICgHCti0nTr-gd_w4cWNOS27QZh5Q5EJq7fd5tydU7R7qHxRbiGUU7NtoliAjTzA5B6bK0YxHQOuioIyQRtOprejW2WPxt8/w400-h300/P1190427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening morning</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It was not until high school when Bob S and I met that I really got into duck hunting. Now 43 years later, I cannot remember a duck season that we have not hunted together. I am sure there is one, but I cannot think of it. This year was no different as we awaited sunrise a few yards apart along with Bob's lab Ember. As the sun rose the ducks flew. We missed some easy shots, made some difficult ones but overall, just enjoyed being out, watching the birds, watching Ember doing what she was bred to do. Retrieve birds. </p><p>Each morning and each evening we went out to see the sun rise and set. It did not matter how many birds we got; what matters is that we were out there. Most of our hunts were on sloughs or lakes. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoe_yDfstjzWgr9KEWPgqp03V1ha8JMrrU0wJ-KKz_q1i7y8uqxGTG0ewYzPdpXQjSv5ZulSn9GS6Un2bKGEC8XJerL2RjpnUYg1l1G-_Ns5mDmhjd3fKLeq-y9nt7iTs5GFm2UyP1AcsPb_jXqzpJHYDxo5OP08emMKjbRfxrlpSx3Mf69tmABxPbSs/s4608/IMG_20231004_071108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoe_yDfstjzWgr9KEWPgqp03V1ha8JMrrU0wJ-KKz_q1i7y8uqxGTG0ewYzPdpXQjSv5ZulSn9GS6Un2bKGEC8XJerL2RjpnUYg1l1G-_Ns5mDmhjd3fKLeq-y9nt7iTs5GFm2UyP1AcsPb_jXqzpJHYDxo5OP08emMKjbRfxrlpSx3Mf69tmABxPbSs/w640-h480/IMG_20231004_071108.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpnj9_fbKCyMn5X-jDo1_m_T44Ue-8EcZ0c4StdkAX8N9zcssl9qsByCoyREHUzhj5pKb3Yva2408HY0hucE6961ejdWar-fi1M_EFwYYfdxfCzAN7_-DlBT1PqHNmq-iclHSS2s7qfiI0IBtaIGwQUt-Nti69tmGiFGIWj2IX5qyTisf2JKsEjoZdGQ/s4608/IMG_20231003_175300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpnj9_fbKCyMn5X-jDo1_m_T44Ue-8EcZ0c4StdkAX8N9zcssl9qsByCoyREHUzhj5pKb3Yva2408HY0hucE6961ejdWar-fi1M_EFwYYfdxfCzAN7_-DlBT1PqHNmq-iclHSS2s7qfiI0IBtaIGwQUt-Nti69tmGiFGIWj2IX5qyTisf2JKsEjoZdGQ/w400-h300/IMG_20231003_175300.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNkKPxw66kLQwAiZfQtLo7jgoum2jCF2Bpkxgiyu1_iVTN6Gi_h9FtORf6HwKiYjbytDP_Kp2z29kTSFmrEb77L3kBLKNLQF9ZcJIRYe-dInWuvCfcjgLoLcwuOeRPzwt-oHafpuOMsSwK3qgcxbUN_S2d4uPSIxNHhCjxjyOFI9QgvKuqkr-ESpRI6c/s4608/IMG_20231003_175308.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNkKPxw66kLQwAiZfQtLo7jgoum2jCF2Bpkxgiyu1_iVTN6Gi_h9FtORf6HwKiYjbytDP_Kp2z29kTSFmrEb77L3kBLKNLQF9ZcJIRYe-dInWuvCfcjgLoLcwuOeRPzwt-oHafpuOMsSwK3qgcxbUN_S2d4uPSIxNHhCjxjyOFI9QgvKuqkr-ESpRI6c/w400-h300/IMG_20231003_175308.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">One morning we hunted in a harvested wheat field. You have to drive out well before sunrise to set up the decoys and blind by the lights of the truck. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T3gKM_m9lV0MzbBnzuqyUgp2vNLa48jZgpO12L0WaDQibnozhKYwYVfwdDtNtDpmjLkBtcebl8cfJxMts8-NRlCAOlo9sBV3iJzhySMKEaE6OlSm5hl1YSIwc9MKpG8Kc_4z1hDm8DSLjtWmALvGLQVd4vLZqBjczfVGDlaHKZd9iwKudKceM5zMA6o/s4608/IMG_20231001_061258.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2T3gKM_m9lV0MzbBnzuqyUgp2vNLa48jZgpO12L0WaDQibnozhKYwYVfwdDtNtDpmjLkBtcebl8cfJxMts8-NRlCAOlo9sBV3iJzhySMKEaE6OlSm5hl1YSIwc9MKpG8Kc_4z1hDm8DSLjtWmALvGLQVd4vLZqBjczfVGDlaHKZd9iwKudKceM5zMA6o/w400-h300/IMG_20231001_061258.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is our blind in the upper right corner</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHfttN5eE2KYNPNVH6dwTpBqaJpH8LdI6UuIMKINgeV0Cx5Y14Crs_Gkj9VG-4oJ8fsbz0zHEP4Ofk0-od__phKUIgLBRepjagCuWz_FxPb_geKtJQZqA0Z6BL70dVTfdk-HxOLQZrIsAyEG7ZqcASY-KQXk7cL_MlLeIRG8Ez76lJ2o69t7H5KSp3qY/s4608/IMG_20231001_075805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHfttN5eE2KYNPNVH6dwTpBqaJpH8LdI6UuIMKINgeV0Cx5Y14Crs_Gkj9VG-4oJ8fsbz0zHEP4Ofk0-od__phKUIgLBRepjagCuWz_FxPb_geKtJQZqA0Z6BL70dVTfdk-HxOLQZrIsAyEG7ZqcASY-KQXk7cL_MlLeIRG8Ez76lJ2o69t7H5KSp3qY/w400-h300/IMG_20231001_075805.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another foggy morning</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNW26RKlzn48CrNiexrRxcBjoylUSAzRBLMT_i_taxIpLy7M7Yy6LJUml1_LkpA7IBpp2x0lbtDWqi0u9viJ3L0i2VzAMdNRRTsuug0f_Gx_L3fDqukmp_thgivW-t3CQQAncqjMYeiwA_GZCuvPesgTyBPhn4EQPSfIJAwQV-zwjqGpwMSmzHHJI94k/s4608/IMG_20231004_083459.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNW26RKlzn48CrNiexrRxcBjoylUSAzRBLMT_i_taxIpLy7M7Yy6LJUml1_LkpA7IBpp2x0lbtDWqi0u9viJ3L0i2VzAMdNRRTsuug0f_Gx_L3fDqukmp_thgivW-t3CQQAncqjMYeiwA_GZCuvPesgTyBPhn4EQPSfIJAwQV-zwjqGpwMSmzHHJI94k/w300-h400/IMG_20231004_083459.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Pintail and a Redhead</td></tr></tbody></table><p>On another hunt, Bob and I brought three-legged stools to sit on. Shooting from a sitting position is typically not a problem but on one occasion a bird was flying directly overhead as we both shot at it. After we were done shooting, the duck continued on its merry way, and I looked over at Bob who was on his back in the mud. Apparently, you should not lean back while shooting overhead on a three-legged stool!</p><p>On yet another hunt we were setting out decoys, the water was a little deeper than anticipated and we did not bring our waders. No fear, Bob just took off his pants and waded right in!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTr9u3NLAIKSPgerfL_UgxQqRUcANrTmjxPgakFXjUgMLoVardz6AjHbGHE71U2R7kG9sF6glp0q5XkYCCSHFAPKdZq7ovt8ey9LA1yG-B5KEk264A_c0zcmQ-a16MqhdqOtdr_KdMLACX_XpeHr16ar184ksrxsHfp_zOdefjPRON2C1i8CfZH1A8MPY/s4608/IMG_20231004_114120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTr9u3NLAIKSPgerfL_UgxQqRUcANrTmjxPgakFXjUgMLoVardz6AjHbGHE71U2R7kG9sF6glp0q5XkYCCSHFAPKdZq7ovt8ey9LA1yG-B5KEk264A_c0zcmQ-a16MqhdqOtdr_KdMLACX_XpeHr16ar184ksrxsHfp_zOdefjPRON2C1i8CfZH1A8MPY/w400-h300/IMG_20231004_114120.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzRsEaG4PBkxQ9eEXrEgTyWfSLn5OeBETqNNrU_HA25yVORPg_KGABVg3xgmYcVWXybXyDil9MlXYvW0DgwU_cAmpnFnjYa2DzqgoXgZau81c5SJKrKjE77u7S7HDg8VqkbjQHyJjuQEYiS5lOAgm24nYOvILLkrzdxlqf1k_AB9SGVZ26iySDKhaQc4/s4608/IMG_20231004_114234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzRsEaG4PBkxQ9eEXrEgTyWfSLn5OeBETqNNrU_HA25yVORPg_KGABVg3xgmYcVWXybXyDil9MlXYvW0DgwU_cAmpnFnjYa2DzqgoXgZau81c5SJKrKjE77u7S7HDg8VqkbjQHyJjuQEYiS5lOAgm24nYOvILLkrzdxlqf1k_AB9SGVZ26iySDKhaQc4/w300-h400/IMG_20231004_114234.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">But the real star of the week was Ember. Watching the joy in her eyes and actions is worth getting up early and sitting in the wetness. She would often see the birds before us as her eyes follow them across the sky. On a couple of occasions, I swear she was looking at us in disgust when we missed an easy shot. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58yGUNJFvKasWcIeQl9kS9fqG_-BBy-gDS_MUdavoDIoGyE7Ge6d3BmSZLOq8jVRd-MSE0s6gackBD_SiSRvXMiUFLUXQ-Zq5KCtdbTsV3gcIE9iNpCWQS43GXKtaY26vGcnuNl9XzUaK1JdA7ibHRnWHSCHMJfMDR9GlgAchxTRO2JbBo_Fr9xHz7OM/s1280/IMG_20231002_114049_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58yGUNJFvKasWcIeQl9kS9fqG_-BBy-gDS_MUdavoDIoGyE7Ge6d3BmSZLOq8jVRd-MSE0s6gackBD_SiSRvXMiUFLUXQ-Zq5KCtdbTsV3gcIE9iNpCWQS43GXKtaY26vGcnuNl9XzUaK1JdA7ibHRnWHSCHMJfMDR9GlgAchxTRO2JbBo_Fr9xHz7OM/w300-h400/IMG_20231002_114049_01.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0_bN9efVlQAXSyPV0exPdrttY2Jpzy0Tld3199g2bUNJIBeYCB4KHuIJrpegoKgbuwcWIHwUtSSIqenXINeqQ0chPtx7-PwdPLgjU0xhVdCX6YRYLk10asQ7JusuTPrDLFlwi9RdZh8HTqNn1dHVH4WCflSsCt4wf4VSsvPPy-uDZIR5IrdGA5c3tLM/s2592/IMG_20231001_101034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0_bN9efVlQAXSyPV0exPdrttY2Jpzy0Tld3199g2bUNJIBeYCB4KHuIJrpegoKgbuwcWIHwUtSSIqenXINeqQ0chPtx7-PwdPLgjU0xhVdCX6YRYLk10asQ7JusuTPrDLFlwi9RdZh8HTqNn1dHVH4WCflSsCt4wf4VSsvPPy-uDZIR5IrdGA5c3tLM/w300-h400/IMG_20231001_101034.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0XNOKjnUqelEqalxBhFhsEY4iIJAybb9O3S-4a3_M0W8IZuZuDby9KHXP_Yh9i0gLx-vCAIt57TwYYfF0_7t_T2OcucuAkXpsK2zsVB2klzdBCUaMpkhdHVhkGJc7UKINi3IO1UaESyKlKbton63B_KS3QDf-vjY9H_gbKNr0tuTtdxR9dGhGq-Zizk/s2592/IMG_20231001_103524.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0XNOKjnUqelEqalxBhFhsEY4iIJAybb9O3S-4a3_M0W8IZuZuDby9KHXP_Yh9i0gLx-vCAIt57TwYYfF0_7t_T2OcucuAkXpsK2zsVB2klzdBCUaMpkhdHVhkGJc7UKINi3IO1UaESyKlKbton63B_KS3QDf-vjY9H_gbKNr0tuTtdxR9dGhGq-Zizk/w400-h300/IMG_20231001_103524.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBamgrWmFPDrUmrNI4twlnjLLiNOsfCjQa5LQ8pZqrCNpspEwrr0Fh8KxLkUc1_Bd4KLuTdiUN_YvenC2IvwSjduWu1qQCFANmOXKORnvnutiLBjTftmB6LzNJNYiItldyW0wwUlwG7TuaVoKLJwaMP1PLW0DvKH7dTNSpu8E_rIMK1wAWX-khiCKc40Y/s4608/IMG_20231005_074811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBamgrWmFPDrUmrNI4twlnjLLiNOsfCjQa5LQ8pZqrCNpspEwrr0Fh8KxLkUc1_Bd4KLuTdiUN_YvenC2IvwSjduWu1qQCFANmOXKORnvnutiLBjTftmB6LzNJNYiItldyW0wwUlwG7TuaVoKLJwaMP1PLW0DvKH7dTNSpu8E_rIMK1wAWX-khiCKc40Y/w640-h480/IMG_20231005_074811.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4RqaMmCU-Sj1WLMQUZ-Dbar4luLSo2k6CnmIQM4Rexisv6MWgt1crV4jvk9LUBdpFsppi4BTisGzCfZUt27ScdOTkSYP5JCTeLGusDP1JliLrBGED7UriChgfnGf-RcBOApYn2Vc3Q1bg78ueaGC1MAGhYYcxGtzif3Qq-J-RaWMd5aeMqNAUgX-W4c/s842/IMG_20231005_100857_01~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="657" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4RqaMmCU-Sj1WLMQUZ-Dbar4luLSo2k6CnmIQM4Rexisv6MWgt1crV4jvk9LUBdpFsppi4BTisGzCfZUt27ScdOTkSYP5JCTeLGusDP1JliLrBGED7UriChgfnGf-RcBOApYn2Vc3Q1bg78ueaGC1MAGhYYcxGtzif3Qq-J-RaWMd5aeMqNAUgX-W4c/w313-h400/IMG_20231005_100857_01~2.jpg" width="313" /></a></p><p>The week was not all hunting however, we still had crops to get in! We got back into the field on Friday finishing the one field we were on. Then we moved to another field later on Friday and half the day Saturday after our morning hunt. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nFP3kCCmaih-7yosgw88JuI_XhMqFrV1gXC2XzwB0SQFJJ2FI0jIfzlXmww5751Dt0qeO7W6rmRLThsIGJP9zJOcoNhHsayd4ZPskcCf9Db0iLClj12OKJeHYUzUsduQfSmcqMvOK7tPoHGSGEWh-lMR2BhRp1NEODODFcYW9OWyODW3dONFUZstgo4/s4608/IMG_20230929_182842.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nFP3kCCmaih-7yosgw88JuI_XhMqFrV1gXC2XzwB0SQFJJ2FI0jIfzlXmww5751Dt0qeO7W6rmRLThsIGJP9zJOcoNhHsayd4ZPskcCf9Db0iLClj12OKJeHYUzUsduQfSmcqMvOK7tPoHGSGEWh-lMR2BhRp1NEODODFcYW9OWyODW3dONFUZstgo4/w400-h300/IMG_20230929_182842.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, back in my chariot!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Holly was nice enough to bring us supper a couple of days. Everything tastes good when you are out in the field, but her homemade pizza is to die for!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG4L-bCeMEQH_ihjqwVLQhCatsGO4XgH9acIRLGvPePFA8TsKalEHA_ehVloOvCzMPDDWowR7iQ9yqFJEunfOT6S2Ksm1HDnM7shIRnE6p1Ps7HklktM7I6kumt2I8fSTdkejKx8WMGWfbQ_pzznuLbYKx8hAXoJCRlZck_8v2aceVoF-psR5qilRdAY/s4608/IMG_20230929_183154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG4L-bCeMEQH_ihjqwVLQhCatsGO4XgH9acIRLGvPePFA8TsKalEHA_ehVloOvCzMPDDWowR7iQ9yqFJEunfOT6S2Ksm1HDnM7shIRnE6p1Ps7HklktM7I6kumt2I8fSTdkejKx8WMGWfbQ_pzznuLbYKx8hAXoJCRlZck_8v2aceVoF-psR5qilRdAY/w300-h400/IMG_20230929_183154.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The moon was absolutely huge last week. I took a picture of this harvest moon from the tractor while actually harvesting!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRdEt0LaYIYGg7jQpgCKQKVuXJRbqQONnBVUY4knrOs28pp5RUiGjAjfH0ulBgzqPoCZBuI5jwFKS2z8zVcaY9xIvnMkSYtdv6iNqg2j_6xWUXaEF56RRHSQ9hpHVp9dd3KaGwDgqgI5Sz5AWE1UOvEgU4IH09sRqwqKKJh6JG12ZCIo464qHcFcVjy0/s4000/P1190415.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRdEt0LaYIYGg7jQpgCKQKVuXJRbqQONnBVUY4knrOs28pp5RUiGjAjfH0ulBgzqPoCZBuI5jwFKS2z8zVcaY9xIvnMkSYtdv6iNqg2j_6xWUXaEF56RRHSQ9hpHVp9dd3KaGwDgqgI5Sz5AWE1UOvEgU4IH09sRqwqKKJh6JG12ZCIo464qHcFcVjy0/w400-h300/P1190415.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cJZKh32Ri5X4aVP8S-jZfLtYB6aPve4_o6CG7-XPIeBRwgvBcGhO-T5ZwTqY088WRftJLkI3Jjoq-8Vxi8obRpC_Ab8CifkzWpYvN7ddvU-spueTqrEs-z6JePqLWzH_xENthZXEBge7QBMZu1LHKUvk1LalOiZsldWbl3qbu3Ojt6TjjP12Q147XI/s4000/P1190419.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cJZKh32Ri5X4aVP8S-jZfLtYB6aPve4_o6CG7-XPIeBRwgvBcGhO-T5ZwTqY088WRftJLkI3Jjoq-8Vxi8obRpC_Ab8CifkzWpYvN7ddvU-spueTqrEs-z6JePqLWzH_xENthZXEBge7QBMZu1LHKUvk1LalOiZsldWbl3qbu3Ojt6TjjP12Q147XI/w400-h300/P1190419.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNlYgRjHu1qpI2ISTJFzCRU9BEl2F0mP2jLM3YbBzp5nyxDNy7nYiku5qnhzflD2qL4UQlCT29koRjT6IkmzGX_WPFuRRNUL9oZkIbIenfVsa2FivBFfeKZyE1MunmYeINCkcsHW1A2BbPr7eSdAgNBULDrgGujDyP-cmYlfqzDsuGSYZoLKYEoXAju8/s4000/P1190429.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNlYgRjHu1qpI2ISTJFzCRU9BEl2F0mP2jLM3YbBzp5nyxDNy7nYiku5qnhzflD2qL4UQlCT29koRjT6IkmzGX_WPFuRRNUL9oZkIbIenfVsa2FivBFfeKZyE1MunmYeINCkcsHW1A2BbPr7eSdAgNBULDrgGujDyP-cmYlfqzDsuGSYZoLKYEoXAju8/w400-h300/P1190429.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p>Sunday afternoon found us finishing the last of the soybeans, getting done just as the sun was setting. The 2023 harvest is a wrap!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87_8nd5gc3si1YwszdnrEDCrsHmWAm1mEn6XGObePUG3g15y4gxNpzuBg8mv901gYJBxFRMyLqCuSjhsvLSUbQ7uEpK9HyPeDMEf0J95RT4cg9tANW5tyP8gTD1dv4U7f0-BNtNZzgWW2hOeSaDe3rgp2Q1BU98H1YgmRtNLEOHrsWEjExci3zLntCMk/s4608/IMG_20230930_120253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87_8nd5gc3si1YwszdnrEDCrsHmWAm1mEn6XGObePUG3g15y4gxNpzuBg8mv901gYJBxFRMyLqCuSjhsvLSUbQ7uEpK9HyPeDMEf0J95RT4cg9tANW5tyP8gTD1dv4U7f0-BNtNZzgWW2hOeSaDe3rgp2Q1BU98H1YgmRtNLEOHrsWEjExci3zLntCMk/w300-h400/IMG_20230930_120253.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Here are a couple of pictures I took in the shop. This picture gives you an idea of how big the sprayer is. I think you could drive DeAnne's bug right under it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEBV9ev8YdJTgoWstIrJKbgSbp8COai5CrxyBkiooP9LGx8FzuhUQpkILqF9ikJBKJzSKJh_HvnYRy6p9DSl6lyx7r7B2Ep1z5kxubkwa8Yi9Xn9qtwXD6hSWI78rl36fHX6OSZ3Xq8EeIjv6lPiCUOU18q4O5CX7EUhe-FPGYROJ4sqxcHRcjixtGs4/s4608/IMG_20230929_083724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEBV9ev8YdJTgoWstIrJKbgSbp8COai5CrxyBkiooP9LGx8FzuhUQpkILqF9ikJBKJzSKJh_HvnYRy6p9DSl6lyx7r7B2Ep1z5kxubkwa8Yi9Xn9qtwXD6hSWI78rl36fHX6OSZ3Xq8EeIjv6lPiCUOU18q4O5CX7EUhe-FPGYROJ4sqxcHRcjixtGs4/w300-h400/IMG_20230929_083724.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of DeAnne, she and her sister Peggy stopped by and spent the night with Barb on their way back from Denver. No one got any pictures however. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This next shot is of Farmer Bob's newest toy that he picked up on Wednesday. A 1931 Ford Model A Roadster! This little beauty is going to be his new parade vehicle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTTZQSleuC1G6z9em2RIXlcGDG1UMpvLtUFbTodO_QtfJiiDHqibFfWAUVJuSkLaVTKLp00wSxVeQKZgbapSfSTfNGd4kAYg5RyprCtokE1N1YnMUc5niKgWW3XY0q4NJBm-fT_ONShV1laquEFzBT-LCnYzAS4lV5nyva8Ya_bIRhmsQArQ7EgBDs1U/s4608/IMG_20231005_143841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTTZQSleuC1G6z9em2RIXlcGDG1UMpvLtUFbTodO_QtfJiiDHqibFfWAUVJuSkLaVTKLp00wSxVeQKZgbapSfSTfNGd4kAYg5RyprCtokE1N1YnMUc5niKgWW3XY0q4NJBm-fT_ONShV1laquEFzBT-LCnYzAS4lV5nyva8Ya_bIRhmsQArQ7EgBDs1U/w400-h300/IMG_20231005_143841.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYVc383OJOWkkpp-a5ajJ08dq5o1w1NGKoaunAbA-EN3WXV-88PNW6tshGJo5ZCN_OWDFzhsx06k-7EIMV9pu9SEHxPrVnNfDCIQ3E8qMnszPONPhdYI2o_I79V1bkXEBtxk-Ast3_50L8GacBcmggkBR0TzHtSXDNp843_W1vrEn-4uI9Z6V55aIJUk/s2592/IMG_20231004_211800.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYVc383OJOWkkpp-a5ajJ08dq5o1w1NGKoaunAbA-EN3WXV-88PNW6tshGJo5ZCN_OWDFzhsx06k-7EIMV9pu9SEHxPrVnNfDCIQ3E8qMnszPONPhdYI2o_I79V1bkXEBtxk-Ast3_50L8GacBcmggkBR0TzHtSXDNp843_W1vrEn-4uI9Z6V55aIJUk/w400-h300/IMG_20231004_211800.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Nellie is continuing to improve. She can walk on her own but is still confined to her crate when she is not outside going to the bathroom. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9HgtHy-mp_7oNu0L0UWAj5kYz8z6hpwNAUqBNzN9ujUeY9cvr67Zq6Rqrp7YhvicVnUppdkUKYINaCTMNSVxvQr5oix38hjgt-1P56SoMZDATzfoagJXtHbgo40z8cgp8W6ai_mvs0404bTfV9awBQMREA1auCxCQMO7aAbt9BiumfwaewsG7k5xe2Q/s4608/IMG_20231003_155034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9HgtHy-mp_7oNu0L0UWAj5kYz8z6hpwNAUqBNzN9ujUeY9cvr67Zq6Rqrp7YhvicVnUppdkUKYINaCTMNSVxvQr5oix38hjgt-1P56SoMZDATzfoagJXtHbgo40z8cgp8W6ai_mvs0404bTfV9awBQMREA1auCxCQMO7aAbt9BiumfwaewsG7k5xe2Q/w300-h400/IMG_20231003_155034.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Back home in South Dakota, Kevin is not fairing as well. Last Saturday he and Barb were going on a trail ride organized by our friends Elizabeth and Alan. Kevin was to ride his horse Waylon while Barb was riding his other horse, Willie. Just as everyone was getting ready to head off on the ride, Waylon decided to pitch a fit, throwing Kevin. When Barb secured the horses and went to him, it was apparent that he had taken a pretty hard hit on his head. Those that know him may not be concerned as he is very hardheaded. But not as hard as we thought, he did not know where he was or how he got there. Barb would tell him, but he would immediately ask again and again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Since they were at a remote location, Barb played ambulance driver and got him to the ER in Custer where they performed x-rays and a CT scan. They were able to answer a question that many of us have wondered. Kevin does indeed have a brain. Barb says she thinks he may have had a brain transplant at some point as she heard the nurse mention something about having an Abby Normal brain, whoever she is. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoeO2hiiVzhSfwpJHkqPJJjHHvXwGp9Tx6Y1vnmeic7uqpH3vaiOCocdIwuXI-W9WW8weVorcnrlNkjq_Bi5HUt1KpZ9emZP7yny-fshRdHTSeeTh_sCqHmOgPhskGy1Q1Tsj9blJtUpz-tzYaaQVrfO592hofKfbVZroSLB7B2W0vAjta_j_soxlGyM/s4624/20230930_130044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="2084" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoeO2hiiVzhSfwpJHkqPJJjHHvXwGp9Tx6Y1vnmeic7uqpH3vaiOCocdIwuXI-W9WW8weVorcnrlNkjq_Bi5HUt1KpZ9emZP7yny-fshRdHTSeeTh_sCqHmOgPhskGy1Q1Tsj9blJtUpz-tzYaaQVrfO592hofKfbVZroSLB7B2W0vAjta_j_soxlGyM/w180-h400/20230930_130044.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor Kevin</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">They released him a few hours later and Barb stayed with him until Cheryl drove 8 hours from Minnesota to take over nurse duties. Now, 6 days later, he is still recovering. Better, but not entirely recovered. He still has headaches, nausea and his body feeling like it was, well, bucked off a horse. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Barb has been busy with other projects as well. She has been looking for a picture or wall covering to cover a service panel in the laundry room. She could not find anything the right size that she liked, so what did she do? She made something! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcigq2cpizQ51cK2GCpm6Zf6fIn4AWhREVWndjhGXl2lUV_GxW3J8wlcNWximWAMAkkrRIjz92y66pY9kpkqaUlRycychkfHap-iLZb8m89A6v8EmgBJXqyMXac-D-QO7O-_SCQz7vPQej2cIlPAsovY6ZMOm20n2Y9pZFNr_TgwxoZenG9pq7l_MDGo/s981/IMG_20231005_121316_01~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="527" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcigq2cpizQ51cK2GCpm6Zf6fIn4AWhREVWndjhGXl2lUV_GxW3J8wlcNWximWAMAkkrRIjz92y66pY9kpkqaUlRycychkfHap-iLZb8m89A6v8EmgBJXqyMXac-D-QO7O-_SCQz7vPQej2cIlPAsovY6ZMOm20n2Y9pZFNr_TgwxoZenG9pq7l_MDGo/w215-h400/IMG_20231005_121316_01~2.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>Using some scrap wood and different color stains she made a cover that is not only the perfect size, but it also looks great. She has been up to a few other projects, but this is the only one she will share with me. Makes me more than a little nervous wondering what else she has been up to. <div><br /></div><div>I will find out in 4 days, as after 6 weeks of hard labor at Pen-Finken I am finally getting released to go home! But first, tomorrow is the opener of pheasant season. I hope to add a few of these tasty birds to our stories to help us through the winter!</div>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82618797339149088.post-7178184671534646052023-09-29T07:04:00.001-07:002023-09-29T07:10:16.688-07:00A Slow but Traumatic Week at the Farm<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;">The first of the rain arrived on September 19th forcing us from the fields. The following 7 days brought more rain. Not enough to prepare the soils for next year but enough to keep us out of the fields and make it miserable. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been 10 days and we have yet to be back in the fields to carry on with the beans. Had I known it was going to be that long I might have snuck home for a few days. But then again, once I got home, I probably would not have come back!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, we worked around the shop. We replaced a tarp on one of the semi-trailers. A somewhat tedious job as it gave us some troubles. We used the grinder, impact and finally the torch to get some pins out but it is done now. Other than that, it has been a lot of cleaning and organizing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUUC8qL0pBm79McsvIQXR1pWInjTqkwxCM6zhmjQe6h12z4qt_q5Rv-5l0guz_gZ0xPSn4Zk5RPE7UO7VFwj2TEGFhzGLpND01KVzyY5AIuBKz0iLuWnqO8lVrGhpBDLO9ojTOSgSBGWU_7f-Vja6SvD_gByK1v3RcHUvYFVo0vdhXwWqtoT_S_7qeyY/s4608/IMG_20230925_100149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUUC8qL0pBm79McsvIQXR1pWInjTqkwxCM6zhmjQe6h12z4qt_q5Rv-5l0guz_gZ0xPSn4Zk5RPE7UO7VFwj2TEGFhzGLpND01KVzyY5AIuBKz0iLuWnqO8lVrGhpBDLO9ojTOSgSBGWU_7f-Vja6SvD_gByK1v3RcHUvYFVo0vdhXwWqtoT_S_7qeyY/w300-h400/IMG_20230925_100149.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, it was a slow week. I did get out to take some pictures around the yard. It is amazing what is right before your very eyes that you see every day but really don't see. These pictures were taken within 50 yards of my camper. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY240Zc5QtKOE1ueO_W3Aip-Ba3jqo5hsKeGxZpPLH7gsrrSCQM___gZkdZ3XjcwFPR0UCt74hVRV1ybVfkxtaPyy5-uLBUk_bMGO8hXvsqa_MLHrbB9Uuq4iPOSRF_KiAA-jvfjKuwUH01mExVYlwamE5sTqI7uRxZwe5p2UZMuK8uPuw2yPBiNanYg/s4000/P1190394.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY240Zc5QtKOE1ueO_W3Aip-Ba3jqo5hsKeGxZpPLH7gsrrSCQM___gZkdZ3XjcwFPR0UCt74hVRV1ybVfkxtaPyy5-uLBUk_bMGO8hXvsqa_MLHrbB9Uuq4iPOSRF_KiAA-jvfjKuwUH01mExVYlwamE5sTqI7uRxZwe5p2UZMuK8uPuw2yPBiNanYg/w400-h300/P1190394.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sparrows on a shake roof</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitelputfVXyUW_YNHdep9MjrypuEJC6o_kg1xE_SLj8UW68XOhJg_AnEikJyJhFSWkhuup_B9soyDRZiyWqAFkXDVv7OZDmMoSXXs22U_Ka037w_puRSYY-Grkrifk2I72BMlocWuImo9aYGvU88o7u4VZNiw6PlbzNWqzCcej76C32ESM5631p1J89PI/s4000/P1190402.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitelputfVXyUW_YNHdep9MjrypuEJC6o_kg1xE_SLj8UW68XOhJg_AnEikJyJhFSWkhuup_B9soyDRZiyWqAFkXDVv7OZDmMoSXXs22U_Ka037w_puRSYY-Grkrifk2I72BMlocWuImo9aYGvU88o7u4VZNiw6PlbzNWqzCcej76C32ESM5631p1J89PI/w300-h400/P1190402.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom in the tree grove </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2MZWt6nyiSj4-uhKTkGKQrVCaXBKm8cFMnYmZ45yQnGytolWKExWbg-SDNpZ0VHqB3oUWTrupV99z__8PBdsFotA-7DP9FwFKatUz95naWuHMY9-rz7bsI5yN43ettFofjwS1yxTIxw8nqR_HIeGoZpS4d6BUH8NP-KB-5c28Ym7vvHwsl-oxsTaGeA/s3164/P1190408.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3164" data-original-width="2640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2MZWt6nyiSj4-uhKTkGKQrVCaXBKm8cFMnYmZ45yQnGytolWKExWbg-SDNpZ0VHqB3oUWTrupV99z__8PBdsFotA-7DP9FwFKatUz95naWuHMY9-rz7bsI5yN43ettFofjwS1yxTIxw8nqR_HIeGoZpS4d6BUH8NP-KB-5c28Ym7vvHwsl-oxsTaGeA/w334-h400/P1190408.JPG" width="334" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fox squirrel checking out why this guy is walking by his home</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFIsZSpKgK1I42Q1JtdU9YrPZ21sduOKHab7teQD_-WCVu8iiyt3T2b-J_KfRpCvV156BkCiogsXZMeO6TPMLIs2_GQTceF7W2SOxEZqphB2TLRo-4n3uEqygWBiC0ezy4wDxBoXCoJFhtTIePIdUgFbMyZCpOt6QnXUH6VVuPbxhgYhOC5VsY8CkPlE/s4000/P1190412.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFIsZSpKgK1I42Q1JtdU9YrPZ21sduOKHab7teQD_-WCVu8iiyt3T2b-J_KfRpCvV156BkCiogsXZMeO6TPMLIs2_GQTceF7W2SOxEZqphB2TLRo-4n3uEqygWBiC0ezy4wDxBoXCoJFhtTIePIdUgFbMyZCpOt6QnXUH6VVuPbxhgYhOC5VsY8CkPlE/w400-h300/P1190412.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old wood hub wagon </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRxUE-UXrVMin2dp2sJpuHiNf37ZioNVd3_Py0BwIWrXBTjfdEPYEnigb7-IbT55QRNq4coanaZgk4Ugl725PJWkm1lTkpjHMEx86sx5oEQ0YpUprpbAsR69fQCU2Od2_-rlTMdXZoWkehbGaAwdhMK1IKD1zO6oICC7kZTL05TXVPeZxMzsZqhdrUZI/s4000/P1190400.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRxUE-UXrVMin2dp2sJpuHiNf37ZioNVd3_Py0BwIWrXBTjfdEPYEnigb7-IbT55QRNq4coanaZgk4Ugl725PJWkm1lTkpjHMEx86sx5oEQ0YpUprpbAsR69fQCU2Od2_-rlTMdXZoWkehbGaAwdhMK1IKD1zO6oICC7kZTL05TXVPeZxMzsZqhdrUZI/w300-h400/P1190400.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Potato Harvester</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUnM413G1fo5AuczntLAsswGTTgvWZQNyoylz5xcg3SNojzwyLZilHM-Vrg6cU_WEsUr_5S8_2pwTW6xINsZoGdAcdT3bXnmiJfEosIIvsiU-rwoeqO3fo2KtfkTqdW1wHTgkQ-u7DuH6iz8djLNbZ9HTGqxG-dOhUWLctorlrXI9C9Z-Wmuev6dcp48/s2757/P1190399.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="2757" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUnM413G1fo5AuczntLAsswGTTgvWZQNyoylz5xcg3SNojzwyLZilHM-Vrg6cU_WEsUr_5S8_2pwTW6xINsZoGdAcdT3bXnmiJfEosIIvsiU-rwoeqO3fo2KtfkTqdW1wHTgkQ-u7DuH6iz8djLNbZ9HTGqxG-dOhUWLctorlrXI9C9Z-Wmuev6dcp48/w400-h308/P1190399.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage equipment along a tree grove</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa3UsYot6PRNd6W2PGnP2N9qThVAR6UJ4ZeKKAmNV5hKqVWdS6sspH7BaMVfxkCImJIwdv8CS3etnBlGyD9OMb3x12A4Ede4DgO_HgjV4lhFrCNs6nWzqNvPjmXcR7yK-6adLv52_TT-D_SZPC2Y44p9sNFlAqAcjAgtW2pwJNFh1TOo3IMYVTp1iU2A/s4000/P1190396.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa3UsYot6PRNd6W2PGnP2N9qThVAR6UJ4ZeKKAmNV5hKqVWdS6sspH7BaMVfxkCImJIwdv8CS3etnBlGyD9OMb3x12A4Ede4DgO_HgjV4lhFrCNs6nWzqNvPjmXcR7yK-6adLv52_TT-D_SZPC2Y44p9sNFlAqAcjAgtW2pwJNFh1TOo3IMYVTp1iU2A/w300-h400/P1190396.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ash trees are ready to drop their seeds.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As I was walking along, I noticed bugs. Thousands of them on the ground, on the trees and on this stump. Box Elder Bugs. Gross. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFQQvZ2fUTe8ZSsvEJu8g-gm36eDsPORL0b_2xpN2kOI_vvHUqiM1_yJLIMVSilsSC46P6bZyt7yMWZgzY031ssq_HAEY0_lnuJ8fTwB2PvibrMseeAdY6t8en5dYh2rSb2FIeikLa4FzdcWZxsIEF5ma-zSMrFKR_AreMHJGY7jZKlo3I_NqZF2CwiA/s4608/IMG_20230925_120920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFQQvZ2fUTe8ZSsvEJu8g-gm36eDsPORL0b_2xpN2kOI_vvHUqiM1_yJLIMVSilsSC46P6bZyt7yMWZgzY031ssq_HAEY0_lnuJ8fTwB2PvibrMseeAdY6t8en5dYh2rSb2FIeikLa4FzdcWZxsIEF5ma-zSMrFKR_AreMHJGY7jZKlo3I_NqZF2CwiA/w300-h400/IMG_20230925_120920.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecGpm6gzawIwzyIrKJ5Bzt0-smEYssZEyrR1ZTldEA6cqyP4_gbpvcBu9b3F62dNvAwqnlJv3Vu-cBwxghHibjLCWkL3W3zmEQjo7u08tFa4n3Z7B5RRKHCDOS-2q_jDvGXopvIWzv-JUXZxtqlSgr--VJ1VDGpvuppGRpaV7DKVEYBS3ux69MQ8bA6A/s4608/IMG_20230925_120930.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecGpm6gzawIwzyIrKJ5Bzt0-smEYssZEyrR1ZTldEA6cqyP4_gbpvcBu9b3F62dNvAwqnlJv3Vu-cBwxghHibjLCWkL3W3zmEQjo7u08tFa4n3Z7B5RRKHCDOS-2q_jDvGXopvIWzv-JUXZxtqlSgr--VJ1VDGpvuppGRpaV7DKVEYBS3ux69MQ8bA6A/w300-h400/IMG_20230925_120930.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The week took a turn for the worse when Nellie got hit by a truck. Chris and Dylan rushed her to the vet to find out she had fractured her pelvis in several places. The vet was able to give her something for the pain but not perform the surgery. Dylan called all the vets in the area to see if anyone could do the surgery. He called Minot (30 minutes away), Bismark (2 hours away), Fargo (4 hours away), no luck. Bismark said they could do it on Friday (3 days away). That just was not an option. Dylan kept calling further and further out until he finally found a place in Rapid City (8 hours away), who could do the surgery the next day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Dylan spent the rest of the day and that night with her in the back seat of the truck. We eventually moved her to the office using a large towel as a gurney. The next morning at 5am CST, Dylan and Farmer Bob were off on their 8-hour trek to Rapid City. They finally made it to the vet around noon MST and dropped her off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlkUUJEfKgC9OkiHCKk6NnV8zqL1HUjpVq4jpzQJ3TnSutKDOZ_wTJV5XZ-zU3SkhAV0EYm92n0UG4QM1iNd5mR3cXD7vMI8B3tZkZ8YBkCIo6FhZqrwyyvzalI7b4iF6Bs96MWMuTiXsfqORXYDWLGG1ui-f-iIQ1w9nfCkiBCYgjJLQRDAI75PrABM/s1008/IMG_20230929_083505_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlkUUJEfKgC9OkiHCKk6NnV8zqL1HUjpVq4jpzQJ3TnSutKDOZ_wTJV5XZ-zU3SkhAV0EYm92n0UG4QM1iNd5mR3cXD7vMI8B3tZkZ8YBkCIo6FhZqrwyyvzalI7b4iF6Bs96MWMuTiXsfqORXYDWLGG1ui-f-iIQ1w9nfCkiBCYgjJLQRDAI75PrABM/w300-h400/IMG_20230929_083505_01.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzIYlgZST4JoYaWgQRmllfSx-PSwY9ZLMwIhL1DN7dQtDjG52T3r2hc9FoAJMBreSDkqS_P4TyaDflrWKBItprhcQFOc5MaJihMiBdmNjz4xkcPk47nljXvyzM1-ESu6QxN1OYOyzLv8H8vF8tpLU7N5wlGZcnynxPcCj2INYqF6R2rdg4TgccQF8MT8/s1080/IMG_20230929_083511_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzIYlgZST4JoYaWgQRmllfSx-PSwY9ZLMwIhL1DN7dQtDjG52T3r2hc9FoAJMBreSDkqS_P4TyaDflrWKBItprhcQFOc5MaJihMiBdmNjz4xkcPk47nljXvyzM1-ESu6QxN1OYOyzLv8H8vF8tpLU7N5wlGZcnynxPcCj2INYqF6R2rdg4TgccQF8MT8/w180-h400/IMG_20230929_083511_01.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Knowing she was now in good hands; they made the most of their trip by driving down to our house and visited Barb! Since it was Wednesday night, they met Dan, Bonnie, Earl and Sharon at the Pringle bar for burger night. Of course, they had to send me a picture of them having fun without me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUzpN3brdnH8qXD9LJb04eBKBX4YpNeBkqR7c4hyTGqkPs6K9GQ1kqnmgJAKlOdgZvqKMYZp6t9umnvxbbp-ZOdvOpfVFIKZSyB_hrSeLVYKiCQqsE6XiAwjc1EIeor9q_WC8Gfs3Q_FyaT1m0VEDYhpwAKKKznQyLj7cc4XR19llo2Q_y8zoeXU2pTY/s1400/IMG_20230928_080808_01~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1400" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUzpN3brdnH8qXD9LJb04eBKBX4YpNeBkqR7c4hyTGqkPs6K9GQ1kqnmgJAKlOdgZvqKMYZp6t9umnvxbbp-ZOdvOpfVFIKZSyB_hrSeLVYKiCQqsE6XiAwjc1EIeor9q_WC8Gfs3Q_FyaT1m0VEDYhpwAKKKznQyLj7cc4XR19llo2Q_y8zoeXU2pTY/w400-h279/IMG_20230928_080808_01~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Dylan finally got a call around 7pm that the surgery went well, everything lined up, got pinned and Nellie was doing well. They also told him that Nellie did not appear to be pregnant which may be a blessing in disguise as she needs all her energy to recover. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1GY3z8HJvWIQIYQyJRxO_j-wNiZFrPaSL6Uz9uv-CJ3tUUlHRvWHpHR4GFJX5AiMxEZUeTds1b5GH7yqjCDoxSSRhpN4Lyw3Ax2Z5ZSfDHeuA71kjqwzGtaC9BBRzswURG5Fpmorj9mzkPjNER7O1BiR_3lVd_IN4cXhiMRwXf5ldxHdCH5Ha0FjhHU/s1440/IMG_20230929_083516_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1GY3z8HJvWIQIYQyJRxO_j-wNiZFrPaSL6Uz9uv-CJ3tUUlHRvWHpHR4GFJX5AiMxEZUeTds1b5GH7yqjCDoxSSRhpN4Lyw3Ax2Z5ZSfDHeuA71kjqwzGtaC9BBRzswURG5Fpmorj9mzkPjNER7O1BiR_3lVd_IN4cXhiMRwXf5ldxHdCH5Ha0FjhHU/w300-h400/IMG_20230929_083516_01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">They spent that night at our house taking off the following morning to pick up Nellie and start home. They arrived just after 6pm. Nellie is still in some pain but is now on kennel rest for the next two weeks before she can put weight on it. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjRL-Gh_0XFDfT36_mzPWpybzTxhXj1-fUcs-vJQSlzgswdJdyUSyQhCTYfZEg3mxDWN9elzOsUBdkVDXIEwYjuV7WWLkYgieImkgAKwH2UvElnW_R-w9Gl9oVERwAUTSdsghAGCQROJ-E8WFd9OwA95Gt6Y6CHb7WCERWZs10cYW0rk1EeZY94H6hX0/s4608/IMG_20230928_173037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjRL-Gh_0XFDfT36_mzPWpybzTxhXj1-fUcs-vJQSlzgswdJdyUSyQhCTYfZEg3mxDWN9elzOsUBdkVDXIEwYjuV7WWLkYgieImkgAKwH2UvElnW_R-w9Gl9oVERwAUTSdsghAGCQROJ-E8WFd9OwA95Gt6Y6CHb7WCERWZs10cYW0rk1EeZY94H6hX0/w300-h400/IMG_20230928_173037.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nellie's home for the next two weeks</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But the week is about to turn around as tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year. The 2023 North Dakota Waterfowl Opener! I am like a kid on Christmas Eve, I will probably not sleep all night, as I will be peeking at the clock every half hour awaiting sunrise! </div><p></p>Jim and Barb's Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13552315333349717925noreply@blogger.com50