Continuing on back roads to Wisconsin

We left Marysville, KS and continued north on 77.  Here is the path we took, going toward highway 20.  You might notice the word "oops" I wrote in at the top.  We took a wrong turn and had to figure a way back so we could get on Highway 20.

When we hit Beatrice, I told Al that this was where my parents had done some deputation.  A young girl from there, a Jan Pankratz, had decided that she would be a pen pal to me, a missionary kid from Japan.  I had 2 pen pals, the other one being from Pandora, Ohio.  I really enjoyed having these American friends who filled me in on what it was like growing up in America and I told them about my life in Japan.  I would encourage any family to have their kids pick a missionary kid to be a pen pal with!

Christmas tree farm - some of the trees were colored blue, purple or red (wierd)

When we hit Lincoln, we took highway 80 across town.  There was a bit of traffic, but not bad.  Then we kept going on 77 north.

 There really is a town called Wahoo! Population about 4,500.

"Al, I smell stinky feet!"

"That's silage on the field."

But it really did smell like stinky feet!

 Pretty farm country!

 I found it enjoyable going through small towns.  Look at this old building, built in 1881.  That was before my ancestors on my Dad's side even immigrated to America.  My mother's side immigrated in the early 1800's.

A poster, not a real girl.

 1882     

 And this is supposed to be the busiest travel day, remember?  But taking back roads, you just miss all that hectic traffic!  Love it and the scenery can't be beat!

 We should fill up here!  No charge!

 We didn't stop, but did look it up on-line.  Interesting stuff.

When we passed over I-35, I knew we had made the right

 decision to take back roads!  That highway was bumper to bumper!

Lone tree

 It reminded me about a book called "The Lone Tree" by James D. Yoder
To keep their faith, Lusanna Becker, her family, and entire congregation leave Polish-Russia in 1874. When they arrive in Hutchinson, Kansas, they are met with rejection and must travel by boxcar to Florence, Kansas, in fourteen below zero temperature. Over 600 are shoved into a warehouse where smallpox breaks out. Facing the deaths of hundreds, Lusanna remembers that a Christian is like a tree planted by the rivers of water. She sacrifices herself by nursing the sick. When spring arrives, she marries Carl Jantz and settles on land near Canton, Kansas. Here she discovers a gigantic cottonwood tree, which reminds her of her homeland and her Christian faith. Today, The Lone Tree Church, stands nearby.

 It was getting dark around 4:15!  This is on Highway 20, much less busy than Highway 80.  On that highway, people think 80 is the speed limit, not the name of the highway.

We met many police officers along the way.  I'm sure trying to slow traffic down.  Once we hit Dubuque, the roads were very heavy with traffic.  From Dubuque on, we were on our main road we travel on 151 to see the kids!   We were getting excited about getting there!!

We saw 3 cars pulled over.  They were going to have an unthankful Thanksgiving.












The kids were at church when we arrived in town.  We didn't make it in time for that and anyway, we were pretty bedraggled after almost 14 hours in the car.  Evidently, Adam had an open mic time when people could share what they were thankful to the Lord for.  And he said it was for anyone, children or grownups.  Claire went right up and said:

I'm thankful for my Nana and Papa and my baba (blanket)"

We are thankful for her too!

The older kids went up also and were thankful for new friends.  We are so thankful that God is blessing them in their new spot, although we are sad it is so far away.  But it makes for lots of wonderful drives through the country!

Churches and houses on the road

On our trip to Wisconsin, via off roads, we drove past many churches.

All different kinds of churches, all different kinds of people.  I remember one Sunday morning thinking what it might look like to see from outer space each and every person going to church all over the world, praising and worshiping Christ the Lord!  What a sight that would be!  

                       Let heaven and earth praise Him;

                                 let saints and angels praise Him.

                            Let God's church throughout all the world praise Him!

                       Let all the tongues and tribes of the earth praise Him!

This is a courthouse.  I think it is amazing!  I'm so sad that our city tore down our old historic courthouse. 

And some pretty spiffy (that's an old-school word) houses!  When I was a kid, I wanted to be an architect when I grew up.  I used to spend hours designing houses.  And I did design our house, but I never did go to architecture school.  I have no inclination to do it now.  But I sure enjoy watching HGTV!

The house in the picture below is actually on the Rand McNally Road Atlas.
It is called the Dow House and is off Highway 30 by Dow City, Iowa.

The Simon E. Dow House is a historic house located in Dow City, Iowa. The two-story, 13-room, red brick house was built in 1872 by Simon E. Dow, who in 1869 co-founded Dow City and later became one of its leading businessmen. 

 I LOVE this!!

Quilted barns

I love barns and I photographed lots of them on this trip to Wisconsin.

old ones

this one looks like it has wings

 

 new ones

the old with the new

 We drove past many barns that had quilt paintings on them.

A swirly one















 this one turned out fuzzy but you can see the design

and on sheds too

 

Why were people painting quilts on barns?  I had to google it and I found the answer!  Find the history to this idea here.

 And finally, a patriotic barn