When we were little, this meant going to the farm to see Granny & Grandpa.
We always enjoyed these summer visits, playing in the crick (which once had little white leaches in it and on us! that was not the fun time) We enjoyed climbing on the hay bales in the barn, collecting eggs in the hen house, riding around on the tractor and being kids- teasing the pigs. In the later years they sold the farm and moved to town- a town of 260 folks.
My grandparents have gone on to heaven now, but the extended family is still there.
Every August, the Family Reunion is held at the local Community Center in town.
My Aunt D always opens her home and hosts the families that come to visit. She has a new (10 yrs) home with a hugh kitchen and living room upstairs and 2 spare bedrooms and full bath and big den downstairs. Sleeps lots of folks.
Plenty of room for family. This year I was able to make it out and it just happened that Mimi was not working so she was going and Logan, Brandy & Kaleb were able to make it. My Daddy & sister Nanda with her husband Bill came up from Texas, and my sister Howdy & her husband were passing through so they stayed for the reunion.
This was my Daddy's first chance to meet Kaleb, and they made sure they enjoyed it.
Aunt D has a beautiful yard and a great garden, mmm her tomatoes were great
the side yard has plenty of space for a tent... so Mimi & I slept outside in the tent. It only rained the first night- lots of lightning but only for a few hours- then nice and really cool. We had WONDERFUL weather for this visit- especially for Kansas in August.... We had some help from Kaleb putting up the tent-
he really is stronger than he looks.
He liked the fort it made...
With his cousin Aubrey checking out the tent.
We went out to the cemetery where family is buried to pay our respects. Kaleb found some peonies planted on a grave that gave him shelter from the sun- so he sat there.
We went to the park, which has been around since Nov 1935. I have fond memories of playing in this park as a kid. We put Kaleb on some rides,
like this little digger toy
Logan had to try his hand at it. I bet he builds one of these at home for his boys. Oh yes- Brandy is due with another boy in Nov....
with Mimi helping him play on the merry go round.
and Kaleb just hung out for a while.
His favorite was this little car that bounced.
And he tried out his driving skills in the safety of the yard- a big yard...
and helped his cousin enjoy a ride.
He enjoyed playing basketball- he really loves being outside.
with the help of his Aunt Mimi.
The grown-ups had a good visit. Mainly visiting and in the evenings playing cards... major card games, no betting- at one time we had 3 tables going...
All in all it was a great visit and a wonderful time with family. I love this place, it is quiet, there is not alot of houses so you see corn fields and open spaces. The night skies are clear and I watched the meteor showers from the tent window. It is just beautiful here... nice and easy.
The family reunion was good, lots of extended family I am not familiar with, but there was good eats!!! I LOVE pot luck dinners. Lots of kids, so the family is assured to continue on... It was good to have my immediate family together - we are not promised next year, so this visit was good.
Logan & family along with Mimi and I left right after the reunion was over on sunday. On our way home, just about 40 miles from home we came upon a motorcyclist that was in need of help. Leslie had ridden all the way from San Diego and was 10 miles from home and needed to adjust her luggage. When she pulled onto a gravel driveway she didn't see the mud hole and it caused her Ninja motorcycle to tip over- pinning her foot. Logan helped lift the bike off her. She wasn't hurt- just a little rattled, many cars just passed her by and she was thankful we stopped. She was no worse for wear so we said goodbye and headed on down the road. By then the cops & medic had arrived and she was explaining what had happened. Our good dead for the day!
The next day Mimi and I picked up the rental car to head home to NJ and start our next adventure. Like I said- I've been busy!
Stay tuned for the Gypsy Tour...
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