Peepaw and I may be old, but we took our Indy grandgirls to see some fossils much older than us! We took the girls on a short road trip to the Devonian Fossil Gorge near Iowa City. But before we trekked through that incredible glimpse of truly ANCIENT history, we started with a picnic lunch from […]
Grandgirls and Birds…The Iowa Raptor Project
When our Indy grandgirls decided to spend a week with us this summer, Peepaw and I began to make a list of nearby places to go and things to see during their “GrandCamp” visit. One of the first places I thought of was the Iowa Raptor Project near Solon, formerly known as the Mcbride Raptor […]
Breakfast With Denise…And Family We Never Met!
Before we left on Meemaw’s Road Trip Adventure…I got an unexpected message from our niece, Denise. She lives with her family about five hours from McMinnville, and she asked if they could meet us for breakfast during our Oregon visit. We were absolutely elated!!! It’s been YEARS since we’ve set eyes on Denise. In fact, […]
Family, Food, and Fun – Portland, Oregon
Our overnight in Portland was a chance to reconnect with family…namely Peepaw’s brother Steve and his wife Lucy. They met us with hugs, and a glass of wine to be consumed in the breathtaking beauty of their back yard. What a serene, peaceful place to collect our thoughts and reconnect with people we love. Sis-in-law Lucy made […]
McCall, Idaho…And A Priceless Visit With Cousins
It’s not easy to get to McCall, Idaho unless you’re a bird. Or you own a plane. That winding, narrow mountain road from Boise to McCall can be a white knuckle trip along the beautiful whitewater rapids of the Payette River. But let me assure you, that trip to McCall was worth the effort for […]
Cooking At The Lake…Snacks and Sips
When Peepaw and I pay a visit to Patricia and Robert’s Michigan lake home, I can’t wait to raid the pantry and start cooking! Some people like to cook for guests…but I like to BE the guest…and COOK! SO on our recent visit, I whipped up these dishes to share with our hosts and with […]
A Michigan Lake House Gem
A summer trip to Michigan wouldn’t be complete without spending a few days with Peepaw’s sister (Also named Patricia!) and her husband, Robert. The couple built a beautiful waterfront home that has a lake house vibe we feel as soon as we pull into the driveway. And do you want to know a secret? Even […]
Baseball Family…A Home Run
Our Iowa son’s family is a baseball family. Let me rephrase that. They are a BALL family. There is no question about it. Those three boys and one girl have been playing ball, ANY kind of ball, since before they could walk. And these two photos I ran across today, taken in 2007, should prove […]
Grocery Store Memories
While thumbing through a box of old photos I came across this one of my Aunt Carol and Uncle Lloyd in their grocery store, circa 1947…taken three years before I was born! This photo speaks volumes to me…in many ways. Aunt Carol and Uncle Lloyd owned this grocery store, located on the first floor of […]
The Great Pastry Fork Mystery
I’ve already shared some stories about my Mom. She loved to travel, and she loved to entertain. And “company” meals around our dining table were much anticipated culinary events. Mom was a “city girl” (if you can call Kalona, Iowa, a city) when she married my Dad. And even though we lived on a farm, […]