July 2, 2014

To avoid the Holiday traffic we decided to leave for WI on the 1^st.. going first to Hermantown to visit with the builder for Wisconsin Homes and then staying overnight with Lynn.

The builder was very informative, he has been with Wisconsin Homes for 20 yrs..I was very impressed with him and would like to work with him… he had some models there so we took a tour on our way out.

I loved the kitchen in the one and the design…it was a bit too large for what we want and would have to be flipped to fit our purpose… and of course we would have to cut some of the upgrades …but really liked the large kitchen island with storage. 

We enjoyed our time with Lynn…good conversation, great barbeque and of course the “up and down the River” card game… the trophy stayed with Lynn!

We stopped at Cub on our way out of Duluth to use the last $25 Cub Gift Card Steve got from General Mills… of course I spent an additional 30… like Steve says …”just what they expect everyone to do”..

It is a beautiful day …70’s light breeze…not much traffic…a perfect drive.

We got to our land at noon… got everything unloaded and put away..

I went and got the game cam… I knew in what area it was but took a bit to find it…no matter how many times I have gone into the tree line to the Ravine and enter the trail I am in awe how peaceful and serene it is in there… just like a secret passage..

I found the camera and brought it all in…I bought new batteries for it..  there was a very large Racoon on there and also a deer and of course Murphy.  I put the batteries in and decided to take it back out there later.

I put the hammock up and tried it out…so peaceful… 

Steve went and got the mower and I read and then took a short nap,  when I got up I put on  shorts and tank top and went out to mow some…then  Steve finished up and I walked down the drive way.

 the farmer hadn’t hayed our land yet but hopefully soon…the grass was waist high…

The wild flowers were spectacular this was at the edge of the driveway.

 the apple trees have lots of baby apples on them… looks like it will be a good apple year…this is my favorite apple pie apples… didn’t get much from it last year!

I put out the lawn chairs and table and sat outside and read…I heard a car coming up the drive and it was Beth and she had Josie along… she wasn’t sure if she would stop today it depended on how tired she was from work… I guess she was feeling good…Josie was practically jumping out the window.

They got out and Josie came running  to me making this squeaky excited sound … she is over the jumping which is good…she used to jump right into our laps!  Beth said she acts this way only with me…and that she does it when we aren’t here, too… we must have bonded when she stayed with me as a puppy… pretty special to have a bond like that.

I got out the ball tosser and we threw it for the dogs…it was fun seeing who could find it first in the tall grass!  Josie is quite the good retriever!

We visited awhile and Beth asked if we should get the corn hole game out…Steve didn’t like the idea…but I got the key to the shed and we hiked over there… on the way back we took the route Steve took with the mower… that grass is really a challenge being so tall…

We set it up and played 2 games…I won both…which was very unusual…it was good practice.

Beth left soon after we were finished…she will stop tomorrow afternoon and we made plans to run on Friday morning, too.

We will run her favorite route… can’t wait…it is along the Cranberry River and is 5 miles but we will run/walk it!

I put the hammock in the van…just in case it rains..

We came in and I fixed a couple of the Smartones I had picked up at Cub….steve had pot roast and I had the chicken Sante Fe… his was very good…mine I think will taste great over a salad… I do that with one of their other ones and it great..

Steve went to bed and I continued reading my book… Lisa Jackson/Robin Boone another good book…I love how much I read up hear with no TV… makes me wonder if we need a tv…

I hit the hay at 10pm…going to be in the 40’s tonight so Steve closed up the windows…except over our heads…I like fresh air but had to cover my head.

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