Visiting 3

On Saturday morning we decided to be tourists for the day. Our first stop was at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market just west of downtown Minneapolis. This is a big and very interesting market with fabulous vegetables and so much more.

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

Our second stop was a Nicollet Island to look at the Mpls skyline. Next was a shopping stop at Surdyk's where we stocked up with cheese, pate and wine for our journey through the west. Then it was on to check out the University of Minnesota campus (both Mary and I are alums). From there we got another view of the Mpls skyline.

Minneapolis from Nicolett Island

Minneapolis from the U of M

After dropping our shopping off at the Winnebago we headed south to Savage for a visit with Ryan and Tara Boyd and meet their five month old daughter Alena. Ryan is the youngest son of our friends Neil and Leah Boyd from Forest City. 

Ryan & Tara with Alena

We concluded the day with preparations to leave on our journey westward. Sunday morning we will head south to Faribualt and then Forest City before turning west.

Visiting 2

Wednesday morning we pointed the CRV East and headed to Stillwater for lunch with Bob & Diane Reid, friends from our St Peter days. We enjoyed a great lunch and an afternoon of reminising and visiting.

Back at the motorhome we found ourselves alone for one evening and enjoyed some relaxing.

Thursday morning we drove to Buffalo and Maple Lake so Mary could check out the family manse and visit her families graves at the Maple Lake Cemetery. We also drove to Maple Lake to view the Butler family home (Mary's mother's family). On our way back to the Winnebago we stopped in Albertville for an excellent pizza lunch at Andy's Hometowne Pizza.

Where Mary Grew Up

Then we returned to the Winnebago to prepare for our dinner guests, Becky Kopka and her neice Gabriella. We were surprised by a visit from nephew Keith Kantola who brought us a selection of beers from the Surly brewing company. When Becky and Gabby arrived we roasted hot dogs on the fire and had a great visit.

Becky & Gabby

We had lunch at Dangerfield's in Shakope with St Peter friends Russ & Bev Swenson. Russ was a life long employee of Alumacraft Boat Company where I worked in the mid 1970s. His dad was the original designer of the Alumacraft fishing boats. We also got to see their son Mike and meet his two boys Jack & Nick.

Mike, Russ, Bev, Nick, Jack & Mary

After lunch we did a little shopping at Haskell's in Excelsior and then went to nephew Kevin and Kari's home for dinner. Kevin's brother Keith  and his wife Adrianne were also there. My poweress as a wine consultant was proven once again as both Kevin & Kieth came up with bottles of Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon for dinner. I recommended this winery to them years ago.

It was fun seeing how much Kevin & Kari's children, Chloe, Cooper & Silvi, have grown and to hear them talk about their active lives. In fact I was so engaged I forgot all about taking photos of them.

Visiting 1

We arrived at the Minneapolis NW KOA at just after 3:30 PM, got settled and then relaxed for the evening.

Monday was an errand day with several shopping stops to replenish supplies and buy a wifi signal booster at Best Buy.  It works!

Monday evening long time friend Rodger Loberg and his lady Linda came for dinner. We enjoyed old stories and new, catching up on family and getting to know Linda. I tried out my new veggie grilling basket (works great) and barbecued some salmon. After dinner we sat around the fire, made some s'mores and talked.

Tuesday we drove to Cottage Grove (about 50 miles) to have lunch with Ted and Diane Fredrickson old friends from our Winnebago days. We had a delicious lunch and visit along with a tour of Diane's gardens. She is a pro with growing things and their yard looks great.

Mary & Diane Checking out the Flowers

Mary with Ted & Diane

The House

Then it was back to the Winnebago to prepare for dinner with Roger & Audrey Dietsch. I used the grilling basket again. This time for shrimp marinated in a special sauce made by Mary. We all declared them very tasty. Then I grilled a pork tenderloin that had Squeal rub on it for 24 hours. Then more grilled veggies. Roger shared an outstanding bottle of 2006 Unti Sangiovese. 

The evening ended with more time around the campfire and more conversation.

Heading South

On Sunday morning we enjoyed our last breakfast with the Don Kantola family, packed up the Winnebago and headed for Maple Grove, MN. The Minneapolis Northwest KOA in Maple Grove will be our home for the next week as we connect with friends and family in the area.

It wasn't easy leaving our beautiful spot at Don and Bobbi's home but life must go on.

Don & Bobbi's Place

The drive south was uneventful other than the usual issues associated with finding a gas station that will accommodate our combined length of 55 feet. We had lunch on the shores of Lake Mille Lacs then continued to the KOA.

Birthday Fun

Saturday, 10 August, was Don's birthday. There was something wrong with this picture, Don made us a fantastic breakfast of waffles and bacon and then the ladies left us with Max, Connor and the dogs. Undaunted we left the dogs the run of the house, loaded the boys into Don's new pickup truck and headed to Blackberry to visit the antique tractor show. I was transported back to memories of my youth growing up in Floodwood (my home town). The old tractors, the binders, the threshing machines and the old saw mill all brought back memories of the work I did as I was growing up.

McCormick Thresher

Binder

Case Thresher

Hart Parr Tractor

John Deere Planer

Even the steam tractor brought back memories of firing up the one at my friend Ken's farm back in the 1950s. 

 Avery Steam Tractor

Avery Steam Tractor

Avery Steam Tractor

Max and Connor enjoyed sitting on the old tractors.

Connor & Max with Deere

Max & Connor on Tractor

Max on Tractor

Connor on Tractor with Don

I got to drive Nate's new ATV, but only on the road. No chance to head for the woods. Connor also got a ride with Nate on the ATV.

Connor & Nate on ATV

Cocktail hour turned into a comedy with all of us donning fake moustaches and candy cigarettes provided by Rachel. I was definitely the scariest and Max the most debonair.

Jack w Moustache

Max with Moustache

We had one last sundown cruise on the lake, Farkel game and sauna before our departure on Sunday morning.

Playing Farkel

Smokin'

Friday was a day to catch up on chores. By three PM my chores were done and I was ready to smoke. Tri-Tip beef that is. I came home to find Chef Nate ready to go complete with a beer can bandoleer.

Chef Nate

The Adirondack chairs were completed and moved into place today and Don also made new arms for the chairs for the patio table.

Adirondack Chairs

Table with New Chairs

The hickory smoked Tri-Tip tasted great along with Mary's home made potato salad and doctored beans. 

Back to Twin Lakes

On Wednesday morning, after a delicious breakfast, we loaded up the CRV and headed north. We made a shopping stop in Grand Rapids and then went to Pasties Plus for lunch. Just have to get our fill of pasties while we are here.

Mary at Pasties Plus

During lunch we noticed evidence of a past visit to Pasties Plus with Mary Francis Kantola in 2010.

Mary's Graffiti

On Thursday we had lunch with Cousin Dick Jurvelin and his wife Fern at Forest Lake Restaurant in Grand Rapids. We had a great lunch and a wonderful visit.

Mary, Fern, Dick, Bobbi and Don at Lunch

After lunch we drove to Deer River to say hello to Dick & Fern's son Steve at the Jurvelin Hardware Store. He gave me some good family history information for the Jurvelin side of the family.