Summer is coming to an end

 We left Minnesota for a month long trip to Oregon for the Monaco International Motorhome Rally  in Coos Bay, OR and then on to the FMCA Rally in Redmond, OR. We left on the day that summer finally came to MN and spent the next four weeks in 66 degree high wind weather. But the time was well spent and we had a great time. This picture is of the Coquill Indian tribe custom of smoking salmon in a large pit on the coast of Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. We actually got to eat this salmon along with locally grown wild rice with dried cranberries and toasted hazelnuts and huckleberry cobbler for dessert.

Back in Minnesota it was rainy and cold, but it brought out all the mushrooms and we had a great time doing some forest foraging.

We got to spend some good time with Addy and Macy this summer. We'll miss them when we head south for the winter.

April

Happy Birthday, Rylan! I guess a four year old can drive a boat!

March

We celebrated Caryn's birthday at the "lake house" with a special Peking Duck Chinese dinner and a weekend of wake boarding on the lake.

February

Jo, Bob, Lynette, Bob, and we had a great time celebrating Valentine's Day at Steak 954. What a great time and the food was fantastic!

January 2014

I spent 10 days during the coldest part of the coldest winter in Minnesota watching the girls--but it didn't bother them!







We took a short cruise when I got back looking for some warmth--found some and a gorgeous full moon evening on the ocean.

The rest of December

 We baked Christmas cookies with the Smiths. One of our traditional cookies is Mom Mitchell's Norwegian kringla.

 We celebrated Christmas with Jason's Florida family at Caryn and Jason's house.












The boys spent time with us since school was closed for the holidays. I wrongly assumed that giving them markers would be creatively used on paper.