Across The Lake

Above: Dean and Eileen watching wild turkeys in the back of the property, deer in Pam's "backyard," Dean, Eileen, Pam, & Fritz, sunset reflecting off a Milwaukee building, Pam's backyard with the deer appearing as just a tiny speck near the center of the picture, and Pam with the trees her family planted.

It is beautiful in Wisconsin. We made the trip to be with family when Uncle Art passed away, so it was a sad occasion. But being with family helps, and cousin Pam was very good at making us feel comfortable and welcome, even though she had a memorial service and committal to attend to while we were there. Aunt Eileen and Uncle Dean were just as confident and knowledgeable about what to do as they always are, so that really helped.

Fritz had asked to see some of the places he visited in his youth. Delavan and Hebron were just over the border in Illinois, so one day we took a jaunt over there. Uncle Dean's car, with its onboard GPS, made for some interesting adventures and extra sightseeing. You might not know where you are, but you can't get lost! We saw Aunt Chloe's farm, which was really beautiful. Many children either grew up there or visited there, including Fritz, who once fell into some pig offal with a cousin in a famous incident that is still talked about. We visited the place where there are many Spencers buried, including Fritz's Mom. Delavan was beautiful, too, a picture perfect small town American slice of real life, with a red brick road downtown that is carefully preserved. This is where Eileen and Annabelle lived as children. They had a pleasant house on a shaded street not too far from where they attended elementary school.

The farms we passed were so inviting, older but well-kept houses, landscaped yards kept in perfect order, old barns still standing strong, and fields with many different grasses, not too many orchards. Wildlife areas were lush and green, and we saw lakes, marshes, creeks, and a river. We skirted an area well-known for being overrun with tourists, Lake Geneva. Back in Wisconsin, we went by the Univerisity of Wisconsin, Whitewater, where the Spencer girls attended college. Whitewater was awesome, a neat town, and to raise money, they had suspended wooden chairs from the lamp-posts downtown. Each one was painted artistically, imaginatively, colorfully, and delightfully! It was like a drive-through art gallery. I regret I forgot to take my camera on this tour, because words can't describe the beauty of the countryside.
And now a few words about the Houghton's where we stayed. Perched on a hilltop that gives a broad and beautiful view of the whole countryside in every direction, the home is like an eagle's nest. In front there isa a sweeping lawn, and in back pine and cottonwood (?) trees. During the day, out back, where you can see for miles, we saw wild turkeys feeding in the fields and once a deer. In front there were always birds or rabbits to watch, and at night, hundreds of fireflies. Early one morning a bird got caught in the window of the room we were sleeping in, and Fritz had to open the window to let it go.

One afternoon, after a rain, Eileen and Pam and I walked over to the farm next door, where Pam had grown up, before they built a house on the hill when her dad retired from farming. We saw the tall pines Pam and her family had planted. As the picture shows, they are very tall now! We also saw wheat the present owner planted, (Tony), he is an organic farmer with several steers on the premises that gave us the eye as we walked by. In spite of the sadness of the occasion, it was good company and an enjoyable visit. And by the way, the restaurants were nothing like here. The food was very good and quite a surprising variety. The service was cheerful and attentive. The roads were all in good repair, no road rebuilding needed everywhere like it is here. And there were help wanted and now hiring signs in several places. So I would say they are faring better in farm/cheese/beer country than we are here in auto/tourist country. But it is good to be back home, where children and grandchildren and sibs are. And the cat.