Wonderful Visit with Family

On July 5th, we met Keva, Mitch, and the girls in the Wisconsin Dells to pick up the girls.  We met for dinner and then drove back with the girls for a few days while Kev and Mitch vacationed throughout Wisconsin before arriving at the Cold Comfort Farm on July 10. 

I thought I'd share, in photos (Mitch's and Keva's) and videos, some of the time we spent together:

Our first evening we went to dinner at a restaurant where the food and drinks arrive on miniature trains; we highly suggest it if you vacation in the Dells.  The kids LOVED it!  If there were no drinks or food to be delivered, toys are loaded on the trains....Mark picked up a toy for the kids to play with and Sophie (the child who strives not to get in trouble) told Popi to, "Put it back, or he would get into trouble!" 

Mark taking toys off the serving train

We had a grand time and then went next door to play in the arcade.

Food train that delivers food and drink and the track is installed all around the restaurant

The first morning the girls were here, we took photos and texted them to Kev and Mitch saying, "GOOD MORNING MOM and DAD!" 





The kids had a blast running around the farm yard, (free range kids but using walkie-talkies), playing with the rabbits (see the video below) and cats (photo below), and just playing free and easy in the beautiful sunshine and light breeze.

The cats were either sitting in the window watching the kids or resting and being loved, petted, or chased (Claira) by the girls

Claira in Rory's old summer hat chilling in the car...

...or being a fashion diva while watching cartoons...

...or riding on Popi's shoulders!

That's me on the belt - in the top window

Keva and Mitch arrived right as we were assisting our neighbors, Steve and Melissa, hayed one of their large fields.  Mark's job was unloading the hay bales from the wagon and loading them onto the conveyor belt.  Mine was to stand in the barn loading window and guide the bales as they came off the belt and make sure they transitioned onto another belt, which carried the bales deep into the barn loft.  We unloaded 1,034 bales and tossed them into the barn loft to age. That is only a portion of the hay that we will process.

Rory saw her first "real live deer" during this visit. She was surprised that her dad hunted these animals, even though she told him that she wanted to go deer hunting with him. She is not used to animals other than cats, but is getting a taste of farm animals from her visit here. She helped me feed the rabbits, clean their cages, and she fell in love with Cream, our mother rabbit...and Cream fell for her too. She asked me to take a picture of her and place it in Cream's cage so that Cream will not forget her and know her when she comes back. I told her that some animals have a smell memory and she may know her from her smell when she comes again.

                                                                                During Kev and Mitch's visit, we visited local areas, Marquette, and Copper Harbor.  Below are Keva's photos, not mine, of some of the local scenery.  Kev and Mitch both are much better photographers than I am

 

The sound of the water pounding and retreating on this beach actually sounded like water over bamboo - it was the oddest but most beautiful sound...I could have sat and listened all day!

Lake Superior shore

Sophie - our little sand angel

Marquette's Who Tree

Kev, Mitch, and the kids left this morning and even though we are tired, it's a great tired.  We enjoyed their visit very much and I hope they enjoyed the farm.  

My sister, Diane, and her grandson arrive next week, so we'll have some time to rest before we have another child to entertain.