A drive to Wisconsin through Amish land

My daughter Jill had asked me some time ago if I could come to Wisconsin to babysit (I should say "kidsit" since they aren't babies).  She and Adam wanted to go to Door county to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

Al hasn't retired yet, and who knows, could be years until he does.  So, I often do these trips alone.   I left on a Saturday as he was preparing to mow.

I took first street out of town.  It is so much more relaxing than highway 50.  That highway is purportedly one of the most dangerous highways in Kansas!  I wanted something more relaxing to start out my journey.

A pickup here and there, and a few bicyclists too.  

I could hear the melodic songs of meadowlarks 𝅘𝅥𝅱𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

The meadowlark is the state bird of Kansas.

This was taken from the look-out at the Flint Hills.

Look at the haze.  The news said that it was dust from the Sahara Desert!  Evidently it happens annually and lasts 3-5 days.

First stop was in Lawrence, home of the Jayhawks.  We lived there for several years while Al was in college and I worked on campus.

Now Al's sister lives there, so we stop when we can!  We went to eat at Torchy's Taco's.  That was a new restaurant for me.

"Try to keep the sunshine all around you, that the people may catch some of it and carry it home."  Wanamaker, 1917

Julie always brings me sunshine!  I believe she does to everyone she meets!

Would like to know this guy's story.

Hard to be "sun-shiny" about this!  GAG!

I had looked at the atlas (yes, the paper map) the night before to try to figure out what road to take that I'd never been on before.  I saw this on FB and laughed.

I highlight the roads we take in yellow.  This way I know which roads we still need to go on.  I decided to turn east at Osceola. (marked in yellow now)

Summer bugs on windshield

Having grown up on a farm, Allen enjoys looking at farm land as we travel.  These next few pictures are for him.

Smiley faces

I wondered what this plane is here for.  Pierce's Pumpkin Patch in Chariton, Iowa.  I decided to look them up and ended up calling the guy.

He told me that this twin-engine airplane was built in Wichita (close to us!) by Beechcraft in '41.  The Army had it first, then the Navy.  After the war, it was donated to the community college near this place.  Later, the school decided to sell it for scrap and in the end, this guy bought it.  He told me he has quite a collection of WWII things.  They have a festival the 2nd week of October and let people go through the plane!  He says at age 80, he has a hard time getting into it, but the kids love to explore it!

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Impressive post office!

I would have loved to go inside this church!

Around the corner from this church, I passed a home with a big sign out front:

HONK!  Bob's 60!!  

Of course I had to do that!!   Beep, beep, beep!!   Just think, when you just travel on big highways, you miss these things!

GPS even took me on a dirt road and through some iddy, biddy towns like Keswick.  And What Cheer!

Here is where I stayed in Kalona, Iowa.

I walked to the store next door.

Downtown Kalona.

There had been festivities all day with a parade.  It was Kalona Days, but I didn't know!  Had I known, I think I would have come a day earlier and spent 2 nights!  I will come back again when I can do more exploring around the countryside!

Summer days so far

This summer we decided to recarpet our upstairs.  After 17 years in our home, the carpet was definitely needing replaced!  I love the new carpet!

They got our dining, hearth and living rooms done.  But the guys both ended up with Covid and so the job is on hold until they are well enough.

We painted our den and guest bathroom.

We found out that the rest of our family was busy with projects too!

Adam's family painted Claire and Sophia's bedrooms.  

Sophie gave the loft bed to Claire and Sophie went to a twin.

Josh was staining his deck.

Tenley was "painting" her face.  

We've had 2 funerals also so far this summer.  My friend Amanda's mother passed away.  It was a sweet funeral.  Shirley's husband would sing "Surely mercy and goodness will follow me" to her and we sang it at the funeral at church and also at the graveside.

I first came to know Amanda at church back in the 80's when she was a young girl.  Her daughter now looks just like her!!  Allen also knew her dad from the hospital.

Our friend and relative (he was a 2nd cousin to my dad), Jim, also passed away.  How we will miss him!   I've known Jim and Shirley for years and years, from when I was a little girl.  They have made a huge impact on my life.  

Allen and I helped host the visitation the night before the funeral.  Shirley is in my Bible study and the ladies from our group baked lots of cookies for it.

At the end of the funeral, Shirley and her neighbors who regularly would meet Sunday evening to sing from their driveway (started during covid lockdowns), got up and sang the "Hymn of Promise".

In the bulb there is a flower;
In the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise:
Butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
There’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season,
Something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence,
Seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness,
Bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
What it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season,
Something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning;
In our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing;
In our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection;
At the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season,
Something God alone can see.

Jim, who grew up in the small town of Pretty Prairie, wrote a biography of his life; he lived a very full life all over the world!!!  It can be ordered on-line.  

"God's Word is not a textbook of doctrine.  Yes, we learn many crucial things doctrinally and about Christian character.  We gain wisdom and knowledge.  It is a book of stories of men and women who walked with God.  Not a manual but filled with testimonies of God's people."  

I believe in heaven we will hear testimonies of people like Shirley and Jim as they tell us stories of their journey with the Saviour.  We have eternity to hear them!  Believers who ran for their lives from those seeking their lives.  Grandmothers who prayed for their families.  The pilot who lost his job because of his faith.  On and on....those who kept their eyes on Jesus!

"He sees the eternally existant me.  He knows the me after this earth.  Jesus can ask that I give my life for Him and tell me that I am safe, and both are true at the same time." - Voice of the Martyr

I've enjoyed good times with friends this summer.  My Community Life friends (small group from church) met this day at Norms, without our husbands.

My friend Jennifer and I went to Prairie Pines Chamber Music.  It is to be their last concert.  I am so sad about that.  

We began in the garden seating, but we decided we'd like to go inside the barn.  Although it was a sold out concert, they did have room for us!

A friend hosted a painting night.  We all did various things.  So much fun!

 

Also, we made some new friends!  I had heard of Shige and Luann, 

but this was the first time I met them face to face.  

They are missionaries in Japan.  We have many connections!

Our town celebrated their 150th party downtown.  I really am so grateful to live in my  size town.

I don't even mind waiting on the trains that come through.  I always throw in a book I'm reading or my memory verses to review while waiting.

I've lived in the biggest city in the world (Tokyo) and a small one of 500 people (Pretty Prairie).  My town is just right for me right now.  But who knows where the Lord will one day lead me?

Our granddaughter had her first birthday, but we'll celebrate later, as she had her birthday party in Hawaii!  Her daddy had a bank meeting there.  

Tenley's first airplane ride.

She did great!

I have been reading this book.

It has been soooo good!

"Get into the Word and grow in your commitment to Him.  And then submit to His Word whether you feel like it or not.  Our feelings must be the caboose, not the engine."  Tony Evans

"Catastrophe is the time to run into God's arms, not away from them."

This summer is full!  A couple of months to go!