Great Autumn Weekend

Just a lot of fun activities, getting some needed things done and Autumn weather on Saturday for enjoyment!... that's what this weekend was like.

Started off Friday with "Good things for Good Girls".... roses! So great to have beautiful flowers waiting for Peggy when she gets off a long day of work. We went for a walk around the neighborhood and enjoyed the brisk air. It seemed the town was a bit quiet with a lot of people gone for deer hunting.









Saturday was a HOOT!... My buddy came over and we loaded up the ATVs and went out on the trail near Ft. Ripley. A couple of hours of roaring around on the trail, made for ATVs. The Sun was out, it was warm, and the machines appreciated getting out and running. Some low areas with standing water, but mostly the trails were in very good shape.






This crazy bird, a grouse I think, didn't mind us at all. I almost could have reached and grabbed it as it walked by us, pecking the ground like a chicken. So pretty, we wondered why it was not shy or afraid of us. Lots of great scenery on our ride.








Yesterday we went over and worked at the "old house". Packing up some stuff, arranging and taking pictures of a few items we'll sell. The sky got funny and we hadn't seen clouds like these since about June when storms would blow in. Almost like the clouds seen just before the sirens blow for the possibility of a funnel. They didn't last long and it just barely started to drizzle.

We came home and went for a nice long walk with the dogs in the fine mist. Great way to spend a late Sunday afternoon, Scooter and Charlie really liked getting out with us too.

We had grocery shopped and got some real nice NY steaks. I fired up the Weber got some potatoes frying. MMMMmmmmm, real Minnesota folks last night. Grilled steaks, fried potatoes and a big salad made a perfect Autumn Sunday night dinner. We cozied in and just talked with the TV on.... very nice.

Today, back to work. I'll be in receiving this morning.... lots of holiday merchandise coming in. This will be a fun, busy week with work and getting things organized.... dance lessons Wednesday night for extra fun. Oh Yeah!

Life and Love just keep getting better!

Peace!

Sunshine and Cozy Times

Clear skies for star and Moon gazing, some sunshine and a bit warmer the last couple days. Very nice for getting a few things done outside, finally. Thursday afternoon, Peggy wanted to go bicycling after work. We bundled up with underlayers and went out for a good ride. There is a bike path running through Brainerd, so we headed up and back on it... not a real long ride, but it was great to get some fresh air and have fun. Too soon it got dark and we headed back for supper. I had made a delicious Mexican stew with lentils, that warmed us up real good. I bought new pedals for my bike without clips so I can more easily just hop on for a ride without wearing just my bike shoes with cleats and clamps. Cool!

Yesterday I slow roasted a pork shoulder and we had big pulled pork sandwiches and a salad for supper.... the house smelled fantastic as the roast cooked, onions, garlic and a bit of spice... it was great coming back into the house each time after being out doing things. I've got rye bread going this morning with oatmeal and cornmeal in it, making it hearty.

Some outside stuff today, arranging and clearing out things, sunshine making everything cheery. The dogs were so glad to have the warmer weather, they were out a lot yesterday, playing and running around. Next week I'm back on the schedule for work, lots of receiving department hours... just in time for Holidays and other "special events". We're looking forward to our next dance lesson Wednesday night too.

Tanners and Mr. Kitty cozied in this morning, such good buddies. Jezzie is roaming around too and I'll get pictures of all 3 cats and the dogs to post soon.

Autumn activities, great things happening in Life and Love!

Peace!

ONE-TWO, one-two...ONE-TWO, one-two

Oh, for fun! Last night was our first dance lesson. We began learning the "2 step". Man leads with his left foot, the gal with her right. Seems simple, but for a guy that "don't know how to dance", it was a lot of fun. We'll have 6 Wednesday nights of lessons at the Eagles Club. We practiced turns and heard about "dance etiquette". One more fun thing to do together, we had a blast, even with the Country Music. Oh Yeah!

We got a new kitchen table and 2 stools yesterday... really nice. Small and kind of tall, in a cafe` sort of way, the padded stools are backless, and very comfy. Makes the kitchen seem a little bigger, just right for cozy mealtime enjoyment.

It is another cold 24 degree morning, but the sky is clear and the Moon was beautiful when I let the dogs outside. Today will be fun, a list of things to do... a new small shelf up in the kitchen, and a few other cool things to do, more arranging and re-arranging, getting it real nice.

A few Christmas ads are showing up on TV..... too early for us. Still lots of time to enjoy Autumn activities, Thanksgiving plans and hopefully some good weather for outdoor fun is coming.

Life and Love keep getting better and better!

Peace!

20's is cold for October

It's a cold 22 this morning... let the dogs out and brrrrrrr. Big difference between 20's and 40's for going outside this time of year. The clear sky last night and this morning sure made the full Moon beautiful though.... we were driving home last night and a few clouds were blowing across the Moon and it was an awesome show. We spent the day moving stuff around, arranging and having fun. We bought some suet to hang in the feeders outside for the birds, they'll be hungry for that now with the colder temperatures for sure. For some reason, the robins have reappeared, singing and gathering in groups, must be getting ready to head south. Nice to hear them again. We stopped for treats at Christmas Point Wild Rice Company and had wonderful lattes and shared a delicious tiramisu. Rich but light, it is some of the best tiramisu I've had.



Sunday was a hoot... Peggy's Dad's 80th birthday party. There were 2 magicians performing card tricks, an escape from thumb-cuff trick and other illusions. Great food, cake and visiting made it a very special day. Nice drive there and back too, some Fall colors still to be enjoyed and not much traffic.

I've got hearty bread baking, the house smells fantastic, and will do some more moving and arranging today. Big shelf unit and hanging racks going into the garage. Time to put the Sta-bil into the gas tanks of mowers, motorcycle and other gas today. Nice to feel like we're catching up on some Fall chores now that we've got a break from the freezing rain and snow.

We'll see what else we get into this afternoon and evening.... it will be fun no matter what we decide. Soup or chili sounds good for supper tonight!

Peace!

It was a Grand Halloween!

Halloween day was great in many ways... the Sun even came out for a while, warming and bright, while we did some packing up of stuff and other things outdoors. We decided to get to the grocery store and get some big steaks for a reward and Halloween dinner... we were surprised to find that both big grocery stores and Wal-mart were sold out completely of pumpkins!... (we did luck out on a couple beauties of steaks though).

We came home and decorated for the evening of goblins best we could, and it turned out great... Pumpkin lights, a ghost in the window and a few well placed candles made the house look inviting for Trick-or-treaters. Scooters eyes glowed real good after dark as he looked out the window for kids.




Nice effects after dark.













It was so nice out, we decided to grill the big steaks on the Weber.... Peggy is watching as the propane tank for starting coals gets changed... whallah! fire!










Steaks on the grill, rubbed with a bit of olive oil, Kosher salt and pepper. The yard smelled fantastic as they cooked and smoked. Peggy was inside making some gooey peanut butter cereal bars with melted chocolate chip topping.... a yummy dessert treat for after the steaks.








Fit for a King... or 2 Halloween Goblins, done to perfection with fresh beets for supper.













Peggy outdid herself with these loaf pans of gooey peanut butter bars... so soft and delicious, we split one, eating it out of the pan with a spoon while we watched a movie. We answered the door to hand out treats to kids, the dogs both enjoyed the surprising company, great Halloween Night!

Today is a road trip to celebrate a big birthday, should be nice weather and scenery for that... good times indeed.

Peace!

50 degrees feels balmy?

Geesh, this unseasonably cold Autumn has reset our internal thermostats! I got up and let the doggies out and it actually felt WARM. I checked the temp and it was 50... just a tiny bit of mist in the air. This has been the wettest, coldest October that I can remember. Seems like just a week ago, we were gathering tomatoes and garden stuff, and it has blown, rained, snowed and been very cold ever since. Peggy and I really miss getting out on the water kayaking, exploring and getting out on
the tennis court... we are due for a hike at the Arboretum as soon as weather permits too.

Coffee tastes extra good this morning, good toast going, dogs snuggled into their comforter. I'm going to dig beets this morning to have for supper tonight. We're both in the mood for them, and it will be nice to have something, anything, fresh from our gardens. We had leftover lentil stew for supper last night, delicious with toasted buns and cheese.... certainly soup weather. We had done a little running around, shopping and just getting out and about, and had quite an appetite. The Brainerd downtown is looking good with the new sidewalks and curbs, streetlights and decorations.... real inviting. Little stores are somehow surviving along with a few coffee shops. Very nice.

Tonight will be an evening of kicking back and relaxing. Maybe I'll get to a Red Box and rent a comedy or something exciting to watch... The leaves are falling off the trees like rain, deep in some yards, robins are gathering to head on south, and it will be nice to just get cozy.

Everything just keeps getting better.... Guided and Blessed!

Peace!

A Little More Like It!

Nice sunshine this morning.. finally! Breezy and a cool 48, but compared with what we've had to get used to, this is fabulous. The shed looks good, and today I'm going to get a steel shelve unit for organizing stuff in it. The backyard looks good in the Sun too, leaves blowing around and lots of birds flitting and singing.

I baked a loaf of bread with lots of cornmeal and oatmeal for toasty nutrition, and tonight I'm going to make some fried onions and apples to have with pork loin. Real Autumn food.


It's great to have some time off work to get things done, Scooter and Charlie, along with the cats, are sure enjoying me being around more too.

We've got another road trip coming up this weekend for birthday fun, and I'm hoping the sunshine will return for that, there still should be some excellent colors and scenery.

Good things happening in Life and Love, now with more seasonal weather too!

Peace!

That's Entertainment!

What a hoot!.... we had the best seats in the house at the Franklin Arts Center. I had called and reserved tickets a couple weeks ago for the "Geritol Frolics". The average age of chorus members was over 75 years old! There was singing, dance lines, tap dancing and humor. Over 2 hours of familiar music from the 50's and 60's with some unbelievably great vocals. We had a ball and saw people we knew from church and work in the audience... we will definitely be looking forward to next years performance.

It is a warmer 44 this morning, but drizzlin' rain some. After church, we went and got groceries and treats for dinner and the Vikings game. I have a spicy pork stew going with French lentils and carrots, and a pork roast in the oven for sandwiches later this week. Got to stay well and nourished as the weather cools down and we are so active. The new garden shed looks fantastic and we are slowly filling it with seasonal items and storage.

Maybe it will warm some and the Sun will come out for a nice hike with the dogs this afternoon.

Lots of good things going on in Life and Love....

New Old Light Fixtures up with a Stained Glass Panel

Beautiful, that's how it turned out. I removed the stained glass ceiling lights that my Father made from the old house and we installed them yesterday in the living room and bedroom. They really add a warm, homey touch to everything. I had an old window panel that my Father had redone and we hung it with brass chains in the front window. It looks like it it belongs there.

We called Home Depot because we were having a bit of a problem putting the last roof panel on the garden shed. They sent out a man to help, and within an hour, the shed was finished. The last screws and retaining clips were put in and now
we can put cluttering garden tools and stuff in it. Nice to have more room in the garage now.

It is a chilly 32 this morning, at least no new snow or rain coming down... this has been a remarkable October for weather so far... I'm holding onto the hope that it will warm up and we'll still be able to enjoy some sunshine for outdoor fun. We're in the mood for a picnic, and a few road trips in Autumn air!

Today will be putzing around the house, de-cluttering and fun. Tomorrow night will be the "Geritol Frolics".. a vaudeville type stage show with a variety of acts at the Franklin Arts Center here in Brainerd. We're looking forward to singing, dancing and lots of laughs. Oh Yeah!

Life and Love are great!.... blessings continue as the seasons change a bit too quickly here in Brainerd.

Peace!

More Autumn Fun

Still unseasonably cold and rainy... 40's this morning and drizzlin'.... drizzled all day yesterday after about 2 pm. Good weather for baking though and Peggy made an awesome Pumpkin Pie night before last... we ate it hot, right out of the oven with whipped cream... goood!

Last weeks "Girl's Night Out" was a great success. A very large turn-out for the promotions. The grilled chicken and sausage was perfect for the cool evening. We got lots of comments about how delicious the "Purple Passion Cabbage" was too. I'm holding up the Pumpkin Bread Pudding that was served for
dessert. They turn out incredible baked in the Jenn-Air convection oven.

All in all, about 200 visitors came through to tour the store, sample foods prepared in their wonderful kitchen, and talk food!

The weekend road trip was fun... we headed out after the GNO event and slept well when we got there. A couple days of helping with household chores, floor replacement in the kitchen and visiting was a good way to get away from the wet conditions in Brainerd.

This week is more condensing, gathering and simplifying. I baked hearty bread last night, it made the house smell fantastic. Lot's going on, hopefully the weather will cooperate for finishing our "garden storage shed". We're keeping our finger's crossed for a "Late Summer" weather period for more recreational activities, but in the meantime, Life and Love continue to grow in Brainerd.

Peace!

A Fun Week of Adventure

Last Sunday Peggy and I braved the cool temperatures and tackled the shed assembly. After getting the area prepped and fairly level, we read the instructions and began putting this baby together. We snapped and screwed the floor together first. Then the walls went up and locked into place...... pretty easy so far.







Driving the floor screws into place.


Now to put up the gables that hold the roof pieces in position.










Tah-Dah!... looking good. We put on the sky light assemblies and began "raising the roof".

We need to switch a couple of roof pieces around so the clippy things align better, but it is up now and looking real good. It will be great for storing Summer stuff, lawn mower and boxes to clear out the garage. The back fence is up too, now Scooter and Charlie can run free back here.

Tonight I cook for "Girl's Night Out". A "Harvest of Flavor" is the theme. Grilled sausage and chicken, black bean and grilled corn confit, garlic toast, purple passion cabbage, and a pumpkin bread pudding will be prepared and served to women making the rounds to area business', entering contests and sampling. So much fun!

This weekend is a road trip. Heading south to have fun and help out with some work. Good things indeed.

Keeping busy, having fun as Life and Love continue to blossom in the crisp Fall Air.

Peace!

Too Early for this stuff!

Woke up this morning to a surprise, it had snowed a bit overnight. Only October 10th and snow?.. way too early for us! We are glad that all the fence work got finished yesterday though. Now the backyard is completely fenced in for Scooter and Charlie. I think they were a little confused this morning by the cold white stuff as they went out to do their business. Chasing each other around, sniffing everywhere, then ready to come in, it was a little humorous for sure. The Sun is out bright and it is 25, hopefully this will all melt and we will be in for more warm weather soon.

This will be a fun weekend, a nice combination of getting a few things done and relaxing. The area for the garden shed is about prepped, just have to use a long straight board to level the ground for the floor and we will be ready to begin assembly... should be kind of like putting together a big plastic toy. We were a little lazy last night after work and ordered a pizza and some spaghetti for supper... nice way to spend a cozy Friday night in Brainerd.

We'll see what mischief we get into tomorrow, hopefully the weather will cooperate for fun outdoor stuff, we had actually talked about taking the dogs for a picnic... such optimists!

Chilly outside, warm so many ways inside.... Life and Love are Fabulous!
Peace!

Away She Goes

Tidbit the cat went to a good home yesterday. After placing a free ad for a "give away cat", I got a good response from a nice gal looking for a cat just like Tidbit. After a few good-byes, she left to begin her new life in a new home.

Yesterday was fun. We set all the terminal (corner) posts for the new backyard fence, plumb level and in concrete. Today we will set all the line posts in position in concrete and get ready to string the 48 inch fencing and gates. It will be so nice to have the backyard ready for Scooter and Charlie. We were moving some old branches and long sticks around to make room for our new yard storage shed, wondering what to do with them all, and a nice little miracle happened. Several neighborhood boys came over and asked if we had any long sticks or branches they could have for the "fort" they were building. We dragged the nice ones out of the pile and away they went to some grateful kids. They brought us some wild plums they had found for us to taste. Pretty cool.

This morning, after a hearty breakfast, I work a short shift in receiving, come home to work on the fence project, then go back in to work the floor until closing. It should be a fun active day.

Last night Peggy and I went for a long walk around the neighborhood just as the Sun was setting, nice and crisp out, the air smelled so fresh. Came home and made awesome California style burgers with baked beans for supper. Still using fresh tomatoes.... it will be sad when they are all gone. Nice relaxing night.

Lots of fun stuff going on, Fall is here, and change is in the air. Life and Love are magnificent!

Peace!

Geesh for drizzle!

Chilly and sprinkles.... that's what it is and what it's been like for a few days here. Tomorrow it should clear some and we'll see some Sunshine!

Great road trip last weekend... lots of visiting and food. The colors would have been more beautiful if the Sun had been out, but it was still a very scenic drive. Nice to have a few days off and do things around our home. The "fence crew" could not work this morning because of the weather, but will come tomorrow morning to dig in the posts.... very cool, especially for Scooter and Charlie. Tidbit will probably have a new home tomorrow also, I posted a free ad in the paper for a "giveaway cat" and I got a couple responses. A gal is coming in the morning to pick her up, it seems Tidbit is just what she is looking for, good for them both!

Doing more clearing out, putting up a smoke detector and some other fun stuff today after a shift in receiving this a.m. So much excitement.

Nothing to post for pictures really, the garden is done except for a few lingering peppers, and with the rain, we've not gone on any fun adventures since our hike in the Arboretum. Last night I made braised pork steak with a ratatouille of sorts with zucchini, onions, butter beans, red potatoes, and tomatoes.... it was fabulous. We ate it as we watched the Vikings kick some Green Bay butt! A very nice evening.

Lots of fun going on here in Brainerd.... Life and Love are so good!

Peace!

Wonderful Wednesday for Autumn Fun

Yesterday was more like it!... Sunny and just a bit of a chill in the air, the colors were magnificent. We went to the courts and played tennis with a strong breeze, laughing as we adjusted to the "curve" the balls were taking with each volley. Lots of fun. Not wanting to waste any of the beautiful day, we got the dogs, dressed warm, and went to the Arboretum. We were about the only ones there for some reason, and hiked way back into the trails. There were still lots of flowers blossoming, and the maple trees were bright with many colors. The dogs enjoyed the long walk, and got excited by the deer wandering around in there. Fresh air, sunshine and some good
exercise got our appetites rolling.

We had some leftover tomato stew, alfredo with roast beef and spice for supper, and it really hit the spot. Cappuccino Chip Ice Cream for dessert too!

Today should be exciting as we await the delivery of our new garden shed. We decided on a Rubbermaid Big Max. 8x10 plastic shed (some assembly required) hee hee. It has a cool hard plastic floor and will be nice to put yard and garden equipment in, along with other storage. A fencing project is in the works also, and all the
parts for that should be delivered at the same time. 2 bids for help with the installation, and Whallah!.... Scooter and Charlie will have a new backyard for play. Awesome.

It is chilly and sprinkling this morning, typical October weather already, hoping it clears and warms up some for this afternoon. Good hot coffee tastes great.

Lots of good things happening this Fall. Life and Love are Blessed!

Peace!

Great Times in Autumn and the end of an era

It's been a while since I've posted. So much activity here in Brainerd, that blogging has taken a back seat.

The weather has cooled down considerably and yesterday was very windy... very windy!

We did can our salsa!.. it came out so good, loaded with cumin and jalapenos, 3 quarts and 7 pints of fabulous salsa to enjoy through the coming season.

We've been cleaning our garages, packing up stuff and getting rid of a lot of junk. Fun to do the
"purge". Consolidating, dropping lots of things off at Goodwill, Fall cleaning and of course plenty of time for relaxing and good eats.

We had to put Mouse the Cat down yesterday. After over 21 years of a good life, he was failing, not able to find the litter box, and had difficulty eating. He was asleep with his face in the food dish the other morning, and was beginning to walk a bit "sideways". After considering his long life and not wanting to wait until he was really sick and miserable, we drove him to the Vet clinic for the end. I traced an "M" on his forehead for Mouse, gave him a kiss goodbye and told him he would be happy in "Kitty Heaven". Truly the end of an era.

I've got good hearty bread started and we've got some fun things planned for today. The Sun is out bright and it is much calmer. Peggy picked the last tomatoes and some peppers, and with a chopped onion, we made really good tomato stew last night for supper. Cornbread crackers and sharp cheddar cheese made an excellent Fall supper. It was brisk in the evening and we took the dogs for a long walk as the Sun was just beginning to set.... beautiful!

Life and Love are so good as the season changes, blessings happening more and more.

Peace!

Kitchen Fun Producing with Produce

Oh what a night! Our gardens are putting out vegies and it is time to make Salsa. We had picked lots of tomatoes, and went to our garden to gather jalapenos. Lots of jalapenos. This should be the State Pepper of Minnesota the way they thrive here. We got a big pot of water boiling to blanch the skins off the tomatoes, and Peggy peeled while I chopped. Then we cleaned the seeds and membranes from the peppers and got it simmering. The aroma was almost overpowering! So fresh and delicious. Now to add some spice and lots of chopped onions to finish the Salsa before canning... oh boy!

We went to a good meeting last night, so good to see old friends and new faces. It was a very special night and I had a nice surprise there too!
Thanks Peggy! A wonderful way to live. We ordered another great pizza from Giovanni's for a late supper, we had to have it with a splash of hot sauce, keeping in the theme of salsa making.

Today is a road trip day, we've both got the day off. A mixture of fun and business will fill the afternoon and we'll be back this evening. Then a night of relaxing to finish the day. The weather is awesome.

It is mid 50's this morning, not a cloud in the sky. I mowed our front lawn yesterday afternoon and the Sun felt great. A lot of late Summer weather coming to enjoy!

It is fun to watch Scooter and Charlie running around in the fresh morning dew, wrestling and chasing each other. Then in for treats before going out and starting it all over again.

Miracles are happening every day as our Lives and Love grow. So much to be grateful for as the Season changes with many other wonderful things on the horizon.

Peace!

Great Weekend and the start of another week

Oh Yeah, another good weekend. From tennis Saturday morning, to hiking and a picnic on Sunday, we got good recreation in with some good work. Church Sunday morning was fabulous with gospel music and a good message about relationships. We went to Crossroads Cafe downtown Sunday night for a concert and great iced coffees too. The changing colors at the State Park made our hike spectacular, and the picnic treats all tasted extra good. We had some Cortland apples and they were bright white, crispy and delicious with our Italian wraps, a great lunch. Mowed Peggy's back yard and it looks so nice! Lots of tomatoes and peppers coming out of our gardens still, and we have them with about every meal. Tonight I'm making venison fajitas with banana peppers, onions and cheese, yummy. Hearty whole wheat bread is going in the bread machine now, starting to smell real good.

I worked the floor today and with the big sale and freight coming in to stock, it was a busy day and time went quickly. Came home for lots of back yard frolics with Scooter and Charlie. It is cooler and clouding up with sprinkles now, it will be a good night for just relaxing.

Lots of changes coming with the new season, Life and Love are growing in many directions here in Brainerd!

Peace!

What A Week!

Friday morning is here in Brainerd.... beautiful, calm and almost 60 degrees. There is a cardinal tweeting in the back yard.

This has been an amazing week of fun, getting things done and good times. Tuesday, we kayaked on Rice Lake and up the Mississippi River. It was glass like calm on the water, colors are changing on the tree lined shores, and we saw wood ducks, geese, herons, kingfishers and fish.... it was so beautiful that we paddled until sunset. We then went to Famous Dave's for their BBQ nachos... awesome!

Peggy got prints made from her camera of our trip to Father Hennepin State Park, and I took a picture of one print to show the Albino Deer we saw. What a creature! It sure looks well fed, so pretty and it had red eyes too.

I mowed and trimmed up my yard, and it looks great for this time of year. We've been eating a lot of tomatoes, peppers and green beans this week too. I made a stir fry of beans, bacon, crab legs and water chestnuts one night and it really hit the spot. We took it easy one night and watched a new movie "What just happened?" with Robert DeNiro and other big name stars, a surreal look at the movie industry. Good times.

Peggy got her hair cut too... part of the "Spa Package" from her birthday present. Beautiful and cute. We played backgammon while supper cooked and had a really good lemon-garlic pork roast with potatoes last night. Mouse, who goes back and forth from sleeping and seeming to be on his last legs, to perky, got bright eyes and visited us last night at the table. Peggy wanted to get a picture of him looking so good.... how much longer can this guy last?.... he is pushing 22 years old!

We played tennis yesterday morning, perfect cool and calm day, to get everything rolling. Our volleys are getting longer as we laugh and have fun on the courts. Great start to the day.

Today, after a good breakfast, I work in receiving, more Autumn and Winter stuff coming in.... sigh.... then we'll see what else the day brings. Lots of fun things to do this weekend as the season slowly changes here. So many wonderful changes... Life and Love are Fantastic!

Peace!

A Wonderful Late Summer Weekend

It is a beautiful morning, the Sun is rising with the Moon high in the sky... calm with birds twittering as the day begins, acorns falling and clunking on neighbors roofs.

Almost too many fun times this weekend to remember them all.... late Summer fun and relaxation with good things done.

Friday night we played tennis in the evening, cool and no bugs, we laughed and had a few long volleys. Great to loosen up, stretch a bit running around and hitting balls, just what we needed to start our weekend. We worked up a good
appetite, so went to a Chinese buffet for some good noodles and vegies. Nice Friday night indeed.

Saturday was a good day to catch up on some household stuff, I mowed Peggy's yard and got that looking real nice. For supper we made awesome Sloppy Joes with the chili sauce we had made for a sweet savory taste in the sandwiches. Then we went to a good campfire. Sitting around a big fire in a circle, talking and sharing experiences was a great way to spend the night. Not wanting the night to end, we went to Famous Dave's and shared a bread pudding with ice
cream. Good times.

Sunday was special at church... it was the Rally Day for the beginning of Sunday School, and Mission Day. A lot of the children were dressed like clowns, and there was a puppet show in the service with pie and ice cream after as we signed up for fun service work. We then went to another church service to listen to the gospel music... what a way to start a day!

Wanting to just take a day off, hike and have fun, we drove to Father Hennepin State Park on Lake Mille Lacs. We packed a good picnic, the dogs
and good coffee and headed off. I told Peggy that this park had some albino deer roaming around, and as we drove deep into the park, there was one standing near the road in the woods, munching grass. We got a few pictures of it on her camera, and hopefully I'll be able to download them onto my computer and post them soon. Amazing, it was like it was there for us to see, they are rare, and it was just standing, meant to be!

We ate a fine lunch and then hiked to Pope's Point with the dogs, the lighting was funny for taking pictures of us with the islands in the back, but it was beautiful. We walked the sandy shore
back to the picnic area, and then hiked the other direction a ways, just enjoying the peace and beauty. We stopped to sit at a small lodge and take a few more pictures before heading back.

On the way back, we stopped quickly in the casino to visit their candy shop... we got some yummy chocolates and caramel nut candy for treats this week... oh yeah!

We picked tomatoes, peppers and cooked them up with a zucchini for a pasta dinner and watched some of the tribute movie about George Harrison and listened to the music with Eric Clapton and many other stars playing his music. Fantastic Sunday night.

Now it is the start of another week here in Brainerd, feeling a little bit like Autumn. So many things coming this Fall.... Blessings happening and wonderful changes in our lives!

Peace!