We treat ourselves to breakfast at the Hueston Woods Lodge, built in 1964. There are life-size paintings of Shawnee Indian tribal games and warriors.
It is a gorgeous day. We hike to Cedar Falls. The fallen leaves in Cedar Creek resemble an Andrew Goldsworthy sculpture - glued by water in perfect patterns on the rocks.
Corinne is photographing Fall flowers when she suddenly sees something moving in her viewfinder. OMG - it's a grey snake with yellow stripes, tongue flicking a mile-a-minute. Unfortunately he scoots away before she can get a good picture of him. Good think I'm not scared of snakes.
In the evening we have a mini Itkoff Family Reunion with as many relatives as we can gather at a Chinese Buffet halfway between Cincinnati, where they all live, and Hamilton, where Harriet and Nancy live. We get representative cousins who are children and grandchildren of 3 of my Dad's 8 siblings. Pretty good turnout.
As we are driving home, we hear the crunch of hickory nuts, osage oranges, and black walnuts under the wheels of the car.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Day 109- Tuesday, 10/6/09, SETTLED
Harriet and Nancy have to go to work. We have heard that the rain that is predicted will not start until the afternoon, so we arrange for a horseback ride in Hueston Woods State Park.
There is a scary-looking flock of turkey buzzards perched in a scraggly naked tree at the edge of the corral. Definitely sets a mood of doom.
Unfortunately, the rain begins as soon as we get on our horses. The first horse assigned to me has something wrong with his eyes. One is very red and the other will barely stay open. He is very listless compared to the other horse. I tell the young man who is leading us that I don't feel right about riding a horse that might possibly be ill. He keeps saying "He'll be all right" and I keep insisting that as a nurse, even a nurse of humans, I know he's not "all right". Finally he gives in and gets me another horse. I ask him to promise that he will tell his boss about this horse being ill. He agrees. I hope he follows up.
I think to myself that it does not bode well for the horse with the eye problem that those buzzards are hanging around. I wonder what we will find when we return from our hour's ride.
None of us is wearing rain gear. The young man has his sleeves rolled up. Bob has a baseball cap and I put up the hood on my fleece and put on the leather gloves that I am so glad I stuck in my pocket. It is about 45 degrees out, and very windy.
My new horse, Lee, is very gentle, but very hungry. He stops way too often to eat, and I have to reign him in. When he nibbles, he falls behind and then has to trot to catch up with the leader. I'm not so good at bouncing with the saddle, and I can feel that my bottom will be sore tomorrow.
In addition, for some strange reason I keep sliding to the right in my saddle and I must constantly pull on the horn of the saddle to straighten myself out. So my right hand is getting very tired.
Bob doesn't seem to have any problems. The woods are beautiful and still, except for the raindrops plopping off the leaves, and the slupp, slupp of our horses' hooves in the mud. The colors are vibrant, even in the mist.
When we return to Hamilton, we treat Harriet to dinner at The Texas Roadhouse, which used to be one of my Mom's favorite restaurants when we'd take her out on pass from the nursing home where she was in assisted living.
After Harriet goes home to get ready for work the next day, we see a bad Bruce Willis movie called "Surrogates", about cloned humans in the future.
On the way "home" we see what we think might be a white mink (or an albino skunk?!) running into the woods from the roadside near the campground.
There is a scary-looking flock of turkey buzzards perched in a scraggly naked tree at the edge of the corral. Definitely sets a mood of doom.
Unfortunately, the rain begins as soon as we get on our horses. The first horse assigned to me has something wrong with his eyes. One is very red and the other will barely stay open. He is very listless compared to the other horse. I tell the young man who is leading us that I don't feel right about riding a horse that might possibly be ill. He keeps saying "He'll be all right" and I keep insisting that as a nurse, even a nurse of humans, I know he's not "all right". Finally he gives in and gets me another horse. I ask him to promise that he will tell his boss about this horse being ill. He agrees. I hope he follows up.
I think to myself that it does not bode well for the horse with the eye problem that those buzzards are hanging around. I wonder what we will find when we return from our hour's ride.
None of us is wearing rain gear. The young man has his sleeves rolled up. Bob has a baseball cap and I put up the hood on my fleece and put on the leather gloves that I am so glad I stuck in my pocket. It is about 45 degrees out, and very windy.
My new horse, Lee, is very gentle, but very hungry. He stops way too often to eat, and I have to reign him in. When he nibbles, he falls behind and then has to trot to catch up with the leader. I'm not so good at bouncing with the saddle, and I can feel that my bottom will be sore tomorrow.
In addition, for some strange reason I keep sliding to the right in my saddle and I must constantly pull on the horn of the saddle to straighten myself out. So my right hand is getting very tired.
Bob doesn't seem to have any problems. The woods are beautiful and still, except for the raindrops plopping off the leaves, and the slupp, slupp of our horses' hooves in the mud. The colors are vibrant, even in the mist.
When we return to Hamilton, we treat Harriet to dinner at The Texas Roadhouse, which used to be one of my Mom's favorite restaurants when we'd take her out on pass from the nursing home where she was in assisted living.
After Harriet goes home to get ready for work the next day, we see a bad Bruce Willis movie called "Surrogates", about cloned humans in the future.
On the way "home" we see what we think might be a white mink (or an albino skunk?!) running into the woods from the roadside near the campground.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Day 108- Monday, 10/5/09, SETTLED
We help Harriet and her partner Nancy clean out their garage. Nancy's Mom has recently passed away and they are cleaning out and rearranging things in preparation for settling the estate.
For dinner we get Skyline Chili takeout, 4-way. When I was growing up in Cincinnati, I led such a sheltered life that I didn't even know that Cincinnati was famous for their chili! It wasn't until my Mom was ill and I came here every 2 months to assist in her care that I found that out. I love chili with spaghetti, beans, meat and cheese. 5-way would add onions.
After dinner, Harriet follows us back to our campground for a campfire and s'mores. It's a beautiful moonlit night with lots of stars out.
For dinner we get Skyline Chili takeout, 4-way. When I was growing up in Cincinnati, I led such a sheltered life that I didn't even know that Cincinnati was famous for their chili! It wasn't until my Mom was ill and I came here every 2 months to assist in her care that I found that out. I love chili with spaghetti, beans, meat and cheese. 5-way would add onions.
After dinner, Harriet follows us back to our campground for a campfire and s'mores. It's a beautiful moonlit night with lots of stars out.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 107- Sunday, 10/4/09, ON THE ROAD
Corinne likes waking up in the morning to see what's going on in our campground "village". Most people are leaving. Their activities are all very similar - washing down their camper, packing up the rugs and outdoor gear, shaking out inside mats, sweeping the stairs, hosing out their pipes.
Camping is very much of a playing field leveler. No matter who we are in real life, we are all pioneers here, charting new territories, packing up the wagons, hitching up the mules, and off we go to our next destination.
No matter our income, our sexual preferences, our age, our politics, our occupation, our gender, our family status, our ethnicity, our national origins, our home state, our religion. We all wave in friendship and we are equal in our enjoyment of our freedom and the outdoors.
There is one difference: This pioneer woman likes to have heat and hot water when she can.
BOB'S PROFOUND SAYINGS: The sun is bright.
The full moon is round.
On our arrival in Hamilton, my sister Harriet cooks us quesadillas with turkey and cheese. Yum.
Camping is very much of a playing field leveler. No matter who we are in real life, we are all pioneers here, charting new territories, packing up the wagons, hitching up the mules, and off we go to our next destination.
No matter our income, our sexual preferences, our age, our politics, our occupation, our gender, our family status, our ethnicity, our national origins, our home state, our religion. We all wave in friendship and we are equal in our enjoyment of our freedom and the outdoors.
There is one difference: This pioneer woman likes to have heat and hot water when she can.
BOB'S PROFOUND SAYINGS: The sun is bright.
The full moon is round.
On our arrival in Hamilton, my sister Harriet cooks us quesadillas with turkey and cheese. Yum.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Day 106- Saturday, 10/3/09, ON THE ROAD
Moving on to Illinois. Winding down. We're really starting to feel like our honeymoon is coming to an end. Bittersweet.
We are fortunate to have gotten a space at this campground. We get the last slot.
When we arrive, it is raining and we have no Wi-Fi. Fortunately the campground office is renting DVD's for $3. We watch a Cuba Gooding thriller called "A Murder of Crows" on our portable DVD player. Not your typical Cuba Gooding comedy, but compelling drama.
We are fortunate to have gotten a space at this campground. We get the last slot.
When we arrive, it is raining and we have no Wi-Fi. Fortunately the campground office is renting DVD's for $3. We watch a Cuba Gooding thriller called "A Murder of Crows" on our portable DVD player. Not your typical Cuba Gooding comedy, but compelling drama.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Day 105- Friday, 10/2/09, SETTLED
Today we have a nice lunch with Nate's parents Nels and Julie Agen, with indefatiguable Grandpa Jerry, the mechanical wizard.
Tonight is Game Night, for demos of Nate and Beth's All Games for Fun business of family games. We spend 2 1/2 hours loading up and setting up at a local nursing home. While we are waiting for people to come, we play a very complicated game involving sheep. It takes us 1 1/2 hrs. to take everything apart and deliver it to Nate and Beth's house at the end of the evening. Whew! Kezi is very helpful but at age 9, exhausted by the end of the whole thing.
On our way back to the campground, we see more roads that make us puzzle about how the WI roads are named with those letters. There is a DDD, and then a CG. We thought before now that they only went up to ZZ and that all the letters had to be dupicates. Now we're really confused. I don't think I'd be able to figure this system out if I lived here.
When we return to our campground, the normally quiet place with just a few RV's is now packed with vehicles fully decorated for Halloween. Kids are running everywhere, lights are on, campfires are lit. The owners told us this would be a big weekend, but we had no idea that so many people would show up. Apparently it is a very popular local event.
Tonight is Game Night, for demos of Nate and Beth's All Games for Fun business of family games. We spend 2 1/2 hours loading up and setting up at a local nursing home. While we are waiting for people to come, we play a very complicated game involving sheep. It takes us 1 1/2 hrs. to take everything apart and deliver it to Nate and Beth's house at the end of the evening. Whew! Kezi is very helpful but at age 9, exhausted by the end of the whole thing.
On our way back to the campground, we see more roads that make us puzzle about how the WI roads are named with those letters. There is a DDD, and then a CG. We thought before now that they only went up to ZZ and that all the letters had to be dupicates. Now we're really confused. I don't think I'd be able to figure this system out if I lived here.
When we return to our campground, the normally quiet place with just a few RV's is now packed with vehicles fully decorated for Halloween. Kids are running everywhere, lights are on, campfires are lit. The owners told us this would be a big weekend, but we had no idea that so many people would show up. Apparently it is a very popular local event.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Day 104- Thursday, 10/1/09, SETTLED
Beth and Nate go to work today. We take Kezi out for hot chocolate at the neighborhood cafe' while we have breakfast. Then we buy a few groceries and take a walk around the neighborhood.
While Kezi goes to her Grandma's for more home-schooling in the afternoon, we work on this blog. Finally we are caught up. Photos and more details will be added next.
We bring Subway sandwiches in for dinner and then take everyone to our campground for a bonfire and s'mores for dessert.
While Kezi goes to her Grandma's for more home-schooling in the afternoon, we work on this blog. Finally we are caught up. Photos and more details will be added next.
We bring Subway sandwiches in for dinner and then take everyone to our campground for a bonfire and s'mores for dessert.
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