Some things that have been keeping me busy

They'll all be donated somewhere, except the hooded cape for an American Girl doll. I found that half done, probably by my granddaughter, and finished it as I assumed it should be. I'll need to find out which great-granddaughter it should go to.

Family Reunion

I could have sworn that I posted once in July, but I guess I was preparing for the family reunion.

Some of my cousins did a fantastic job planning this event.

There was tubing on the Crow Wing River:

I didn't go on this one.

A golf scramble:

I don't golf.

Watching and participating in farm chores:

Orren is the farmer.

Mattie helped milk.

The kids all enjoyed feeding the calves.

And riding in the big tractor.


They also enjoyed the rope swing in the hay mow.

As well as just sitting up high.

There was square dancing one evening.

A few people even had the right clothes.

After the dancing, there was fireworks.

One afternoon, there was a large slip 'n' slide.

The family farm has been recognized as a 'MN Century Farm.' My grandparents bought it in 1913, and it has been owned and worked by family members since then.

The center part of the barn is 100 years old. It now has this sign on it.

Of course, as with any family reunion, there was food (several times)

and plenty of just sitting around, talking.

Then there were the 'official' pictures, done by a professional photographer.

This is the 'Ethel' branch. We have lavender shirts, because that was Mother's favorite color.
Front row: my niece Autumn's sons, Aidan and Liam, and my great-granddaughter Alexis.
Middle row: Autumn, my sisters, Renee (Autumn's mother) and Pauline, and me.
Back row: Autumn's husband Matt, Renee's husband Michael, Pauline's daughter Debra, and my daughter Carmen.

And here is the whole group. I think the photographer's idea of having us on the large piece of playground equipment was a good one.