Back in time

Today we went to an old fashioned threshing show in NowThen, MN. Our square dance friends put on a demo for entertainment and to entice new people to try learning to square dance. The event features many old diesel engines, large and small. They have permanent buildings on the site and vendors come to set up their tents to sell all kinds of things too. We like reenactments of pioneer days, so this place held a lot of interest for us. We enjoyed the rope maker, blacksmiths, and basket weaver. Oh-oh! We didn't get a picture of the square dancers! It was a beautiful day for this outside event.

Busy Weekend - Family Gatherings

Wilson/Lee Weekend - Friday we packed up the camping van and drove to Princeton, MN to the Mille Lacs County Fair. We joined other square dancers to dance to Abe Maier's calling and promote square dancing. The sun was out but the temperature was in the 70's and the breeze provided wonderful conditions to dance up a storm and not get overheated.
We headed further north after the demo to arrive at Jody Wilson Lee and husband, Dave's cabin. Jody and her four brothers take this weekend to reconnect their families. Larry and I are the 'designated old people' and get the benefit of reconnecting with our niece and nephews and their families.
We enjoyed the beautiful evening and a delicious breakfast and then headed to Round Lake near Brainerd for the Mayo Family Camp at Judy and Steve Sundquist's cabins. Almost 40 of us gathered for a pot luck picnic.



Pat and the four boys came and so did Leslie and her three kids. We saw Bob Freer, Neal and Paula. All of Manny's girls were there and some of their families too. We were so happy to have Sandy and Bob (Lit's daughter). Next year the picnic will be in Monticello, MN. Larry and I are getting ideas together now. So Wilson's are inviting all the Mayo Cousins to save August 17th 2013 for the next Mayo Cousin Camp.

Dreams do come true

Larry has had his dad's aluminum boat in our yard for many years. This past year he has been redoing the wood trim. Thanks to a friend, he has a boat trailer and recently purchased a motor. Last week he got the license renewed. It is still in his dad's name. He was ready to put it in the water. So this week, he invited Mark, Matt and Luke to come and camp with him. They took the boat to a little spit of land at the end of Lake Pulaski and set up a tent. It has cooled down so they headed home instead of sleeping in wet clothes at the lake. In the morning they decided to bring the canoe to the lake too. It has been a great time for all of them.

Camping at home

Our family gathered last Sunday to celebrate Rajah's 10th birthday. Spencer turned 14 and Mark 18 earlier this month. Pat's family were camping or working so missed the party. The rest of us enjoyed the day. Paul brought a new game, Fireproof. It was a board game of cooperation where we worked together to put out fires and rescue victims. It should be in Target later this year. In checking schedules, we decided to camp with Rajah and Genevieve this week or we'd lose the opportunity for the summer. How quickly summer will end.
So Rajah and Genevieve came on Tuesday and stayed two nights. We 'camped' by sleeping in the camper in our yard. Gramma cooked in the house. We ate outside. The girls played in the house, in the yard, in the playhouse and the camper. We also went to the beach Wednesday afternoon. Rajah was into sewing. She brought her own material. We finished a velveteen skirt. She wanted a 'working' dress. We took measurements and created a pattern. It is about half way finished. Grandma didn't get back to it. We did get Vivi's dress made. It took one seam and ribbon straps. That is really quick. Now I'll have to get back to sewing and finish up these projects.
We should also mention that Skyler and Spencer have been out to our house with Paul to do car work. Grandpa also had them try out an extension pole fire torch. We had a nest of bugs in the tree in front of our house. Skyler made short work of burning it up.