At the end of every year I think about my favorite places that I have been in the year. Are there places to which I am eager to return? What are the best memories and are they tied to the people or the place? This year I have six favorite places I want to highlight. …
From December 2022
Best Books of 2022
Making a best books list is very personal. What appeals to me as a reader may not appeal to anyone else. I am, however, an eclectic reader. Over the last 12 months I have read a huge variety of books. Memoirs, autobiographies, thrillers, LOTS of mysteries, romance, history, non-fiction, religious, devotional, classics, historical fiction, self-help, …
Annual Christmas Cookie Post 2022
It is time for the annual wrap-ups, lists and looking back over the past year. All the posts this week will be posts that I write every year, with the appropriate updates. First up, the annual Christmas Cookie post. I was very disciplined and restrained last year as I tried to get used to having …
Away in a Manger, A Way in a Manger
“Away in a Manger” is one of my favorite hymns (songs). I sing it all year, not just at Christmas time. The words are simple and yet I feel them in my heart every time I sing them. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet …
North Country National Scenic Trail
While we were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we realized that we were spending a lot of time hiking the North Country National Scenic Trail. As I saw the signs over and over, I realized that there must be a Passport stamp for that! And so our quest began: to find the passport stamp …
Huffman Prairie Flying Field in Dayton, Ohio
The last National Park site we visited on our September trip was Huffman Prairie Flying Field in Dayton, Ohio. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park has five sites: the Wright brothers’ printing office, the bicycle shop, Wright mansion, Paul Laurence Dunbar’s home, and Huffman Prairie Flying Field. Each site requires driving to reach it, and …
Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs through Devils Lake State Park. When Tom and I went to the Devils Lake Visitor Center, I was able to stamp my Passport Book with the Ice Age Trail stamp. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail meanders 1,200 miles across the state of Wisconsin. The trail traces the …
Devils Lake State Park: Grand Canyon of Wisconsin
Is Devils Lake State Park the Grand Canyon of Wisconsin? Unlike many other states, Wisconsin doesn’t have a place that is commonly referred to as “the Grand Canyon of Wisconsin.” There is an excellent website that talks about 11 canyons in Wisconsin, no canyon is singled out as being grander than the others. As I …
Oakdale KOA in Oakdale, Wisconsin
After our hike with Laurie and Adam, we had to make tracks to get to Oakdale KOA before dark. Visiting with them was a priority, but September was winding down. Most campgrounds in Wisconsin close at the end of the September and some close right after Labor Day. Fortunately the Oakdale KOA was still open. …
Namekagon District of the St Croix Riverway
As Tom and I headed south from the Apostle Islands, we stopped at the Namekagon District of the St Croix National Scenic Riverway. We visited St Croix National Scenic Riverway last year when we were in Minnesota. I got my Passport stamp at that point. This year we stopped at the Namekagon District in order …