Resau Cousins Remember....

I often think that life holds many once in a lifetime events.   When we were cousins...did we know how precious the visits at Christmas time or the gatherings in June for Granny's birthday party.  Did we even care?  No we just lived the day and now remember.  So knowing this...we embarked on a vacation with son John, his lovely and very talented photographer wife and three perfect grandchildren to visit great grandparents (my parents) in Pennsylvania.  I knew it would be a trip of a lifetime for many reasons...and well while we were doing this why not go to DC, see brother Chip and his adorable wife Jo Ann...and their now grown children Kaci and Jason.  How about a side trip to Gettysburg...and a side trip to Fallingwater...and well the trip evolved....slowly but surely and surely until we decided we had crammed enough into one trip...including when we managed to secure on line tickets to the White House Easter Egg Roll. 

A word about the Easter Egg roll.  It's a mid-atlantic state thing to celebrate Easter for kids the Monday after the Sunday....who knows who developed rolling the Easter Egg...similar to who decided you should hide Easter eggs...but nevertheless growing up this was the premier event of the holiday that I never ...well let's say "got to do"...so why shouldn't 3 boys from Hibbing MN go to the White House for this...why not?  Here are some collage 4 x 6 cards I did for the lads.  I see I didn't do one of Antietam...I will have to get that done.   Here is a link if you want to see all the photos...Washington DC Photos

And yes cousin Liz made it to DC....brought us lunch in "The" Wegman's bag along with Berger cookies.  While the boys were on the "lawn" Jim, Barry, Liz and I toured the Smithsonian butterfly exhibit (a marvelous experience) and we toured Postal Pavilion for some great views of DC.  Thank goodness Barry was there...then we knew what we were looking at! 

Now at this point I came down with strep and to be honest I don't remember much more about the trip!  I do know Jim and Emily drove us home, through the night. 

I do remember Moker coming out to meet us at the farm...he went with us to Fallingwater then he went on his way.  He has found a great road out of Wheeling...Route 40!  Some day a Route 40 trip is in my future.....

Sometimes people wonder what I do besides work. I wonder this myself.  Perhaps the greatest find for me was MN State Parks.  We try and go in the off season...often when the crowds are less and I need nature more.  Just give me a trail...sure to find something interesting.  Best yet...a good feeling of being grounded when I'm headed home.   This is the St Croix River, north of where we live...late April 2009...just beginning to find spring here.  Wild River State Park Photos

It was Saturday.  Jim and I were in Hibbing for a day with the lads...while John and Emily were helping another couple "save the memories"....and so off we headed to the Forest History Center in Grand Rapids MN.  About an hour from Hibbing...past a lot of small towns I need to visit.  Anyhow Jim tried the logging simulator and is "above average" his first try.  So who knows..maybe a new job skill set....

We went here last year...sure to go again and hopefully next time climb the tower...tour the wanigan...and see some logging done the 1900s way.  Thanks to all the MN History Center people for spending time with us, explaining things in detail...and an especially BIG thanks for the blacksmith who made all the boys nails for their fort.

For more photos of the day....Forest History Center