Tuesdays with Gramma: On Vacation in Northern Minnesota

People have been asking where we've been. Have we been on vacation? Well, is it vacation or just spending our days in another location? I think that being on vacation is what we're going to be doing in Tennessee beginning next week. So here are some highlights from spending our days in another location.

We started out in Prinsburg and stayed at some friends that are in the park with us in Tucson. They have a large area by their home that's cemented and a perfect place to park the motorhome. Only problem was it was RIGHT next to the road that is very busy with large trucks all day and all night until about midnight. Well, it didn't bother us one bit - we can sleep through almost anything.

We didn't get there until the middle of the afternoon and then had to set up and visit and all that. Went to dinner Tuesday night with our good friends, Cal & Delores in Montevideo, MN. Never been there so it was a new place to see. Had planned to leave on Wednesday to go to the DeRuyter's but Cal said he had our whole day planned for us. In the morning, we went to some gardens that a fella does in his spare time - they were very nice. I especially liked the vine at the beginning of the blog. It was feathery with little red flowers on it. I plan to write and ask him what it is. Wouldn't it be cute growing up some ropes to form a little tepee in the back yard.

Here are some additional pictures of the gardens.

This is a place near Foley, MN. The fella has a small replica of an old Standard gas station that he has built. We've often talked about stopping on our way to Aunt Jennie's - well this time we did. The guy said he quit smoking 26 years ago and started collecting. He has small tractors, cars, lots of oil cans and gas pumps. Dad really liked the gas pumps. The guy said that he's considered quitting his collecting but he said that both he and his wife really enjoy it so why quit?

Here's the gang - I should have put last year's picture in here too so you could see if we'd changed. On Friday dad and Gary put up a railing by Marv & Judy's trailer. It is very difficult for Marv to go up and down steps - he has a super bad hip. Then we went out to dinner - in fact the place was so good that we went there on Thursday night with just Marv & Judy and then Friday night with the Wood's and DeRuyter's. We had such a good time, other than all the bites I got on my feet. They're pretty well healed now or I would have taken a picture for you all.

From the DeRuyter's, we went to Little Falls to the Charles Lindbergh State Park - didn't take any pictures though. We had hoped to tour his boyhood home and museum but they were only open on weekends. The park was OK. Had a good time in Little Falls at the area antique store though.

Then took a VERY windy ride up to Itasca State Park - awesome. We had a great time. Very relaxing. Dad took a long bike ride while I read my book the first day.

Here's the headwaters of the mightly Mississippi River. We were here long ago when you guys were young -do you remember it?

I have pictures somewhere so when I find them, I'll post them next to these.

Had to get back home for the weekend because Gail & Irv were coming to visit. We go to church with them in Tucson. They arrived on Saturday noon and left Monday morning - had a GREAT visit. Here's a picture of their motorhome. The motorhome with the trailer measures 63 feet - too long for us unless it's parked. They will be gone from home about 5 months and are just traveling around the country visiting people this trip. They're doing some sightseeing also but have a huge list of people they're visiting.