Family Time

Earlier this week I was feeling a desire to blog about our trip to Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, but I think a virus has taken residence in my body and all my desire has flown out the window.  

We did have a very nice time at the Gathering of the Green looking at the the displays and the parts and merchandise for sale. Jim attended several workshops that were about the kind of restoration he plans to do and I attended a craft workshop and a brain energy workshop and spent the rest of the time sitting in the ladies hospitality room knitting and talking to women in there, wandering around  buying things and taking pictures.  

We had a very nice time visiting Jim's sisters and seeing some people we haven't seen for a very long time.  It's rather a pain to have to worry about what I eat, to the extent that people ask what I can and can't eat.  I can really eat most anything except very dry and spicy foods.  Food that has acid doesn't work either.  It does make it easier when people do that for me, but I can eat most normal sort of food that people cook.  

This weekend we went to my folks because it has become a tradition for me to celebrate my birthday with them.  It isn't very often close to the day but we get together in March sometime to eat corned beef and cabbage, and strawberry pie for my birthday meal.  This year on my birthday I was in Minnesota and Dad was in San Diego, so we got together the next weekend.  

I love big old houses--Davenport Iowa.

View in Wisconsin. We've had way too many cloudy days in March. 

Birthday present from Jim.   

Second stop.

Stone wall in Wisconsin. 

I refuse to be cold. I think since I am over 50 I can indulge myself with comfort. 

For my coffee loving friends.  There is tea in there. 

52 years old, this day.  

Como Conservatory in St. Paul. 

The Sunken Garden 

Bonsai.

Whereas in the USA, displays are groups in threes, Japan prefers two, and a great difference in size. 

There is a zoo there, too.  This horrible thing is rather like a legless salamander.

And lavender. Ick.

We came home by way of Mankato.  The author of the 'Betsy-Tacy' books, lived in the yellow house.  Her books are highly fictionalized stories of her life, but the setting is the one she grew up in.  The white house is where 'Tacy' lived.  It was a real thrill to see that the geography of the place matched her description. 

March 24th.  Snow and tulips.  

Resolutions? What resolutions?