FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN WISCONSIN

Steve and his family were with us for 9 days. We had an opportunity to visit Marlene's brothers, some of the cousins, and family friends of ours.

At Harlan's farm they got to check out an old go cart that was built for Harlan's son, Karl, when he was 5 years old. Hence, the number 5 on a car that is now more than 40 years old.





Casey got to try out an antique Massey Harris tractor.

Another night on the Dopp farm we sat around a fire ring and were serenaded by second cousins and friends from high school who play in the jazz band.

Spring farm work has to continue when the sun shines, so the boys got to participate in preparing a field for soy bean planting. Each boy got to ride in the big tractor for a full turn around the field.

Marlene's brother Don has a highly productive dairy operation. Ryder got to meet a heifer close up and personal.

Don took us for a ride in an old manure spreader which he converted to a passenger wagon by strategically placing some hay bales for us to sit on. He took us around to the old places that Marlene remembered having lived on this farm from when she was in grade school through high school.

Another day we went to Tomah, Wisconsin, to join the second cousins in celebration of a ninth birthday. It's not hard to tell that these kids are all related. Our three grandsons are separated by my brother's grandson and granddaughter.

Bath time on the farm is pretty easy when the sun is shining and it's warm.

After the bath, Marlene and I took the boys for an adventure to visit the swinging bridge in Galesville. The fun here was picking up maple seeds and dropping them over the railing and watching them spin down to the water 30 feet below.

Forty years ago, Steve had a birthday party here on the farm. Since Casey and Phelan's birthday celebration would be in June and by then we would be back in Oregon, we decided to celebrate early. Home made ice cream was the special treat of the day.

The birthday boys got first opportunity to lick the paddle.

The cake was decorated with toy trucks just like it had been for Steve in 1970.

An evening dinner with our friends the Chalsma's in Taylor, Wisconsin, included an ATV tour of the farm. Half way through the ride, I offered Ryder the chance to drive. He handled the machine totally on his own.

The last day of their visit to the farm included the discovery of the "Red Ryder" bee bee gun. (be careful or you will shoot your eye out). All three boys had a chance to learn how to aim and shoot the gun. The target was a plastic Pepsi bottle.

This was our good bye picture. It was wonderful to be together and parting brought some tears of sadness, but we know the separation is only temporary and in a few months we should be back together again. The Blue Daisey is headed to Canada and to the East Coast. We will be heading west to Oregon.