Albin and I had some alone time at the Sow's Ear yesterday. Look at that roving--isn't it gorgeous? He fished for lobster on Runescape, we played three hands of rummy, and I started (knitting) a new scarf, with my Fish Creek yarn. He is turning into such a nice young man, we like spending time with him : ).

Elise started drawing more outfits with her fashion design, but spent much of yesterday playing games and having a suzuki lesson with Greta. That's how I got alone time with Albin, and after I took him to a Magic-playing birthday party, went to the gym for a bit. I haven't been to the gym on a regular basis in a loooong time, so it was good to have time for that.

I started sewing Elise's pioneer dress when I got home (by hand, as my machine is not working). I was planning to take apart the muslin bodice for my pioneer dress to use as the pattern, but I couldn't find the seam ripper. I think it's in this drawer, so now I have something else to organize!

more hometown quest pictures

Hometown Quest

We participated in the Hometown Quest 2009 this year. Starting out at the Senior Center, we received a package of information with clues. We had three hours to solve various puzzles with that information and end up at the correct location. Each puzzle we solved would get us a stamp, and putting the stamps together revealed the location of the key. (We were supposed to find a 'key to the city,' and the first team back with it would win the prize.)

The people who made this up really did a good job--lots of clever puzzles. Albin figured out a map where x marked the spot. It was in a school volleyball court, and Elise found the clue in the sand. Elise and I worked out a puzzle of finding words, and the only ones left spelled out the name of a park. At that park, we had to come up with a way to keep an egg safe being dropped from six feet to get our clue. (We wrapped it up in lots of loose newspaper and taped the top of the bag shut. It worked.) Elise had to play blackjack and win 21 chips to get a stamp--she did. We had to listen for clues in songs that helped us find answers at the library for the location of another stamp. We had to total items at the grocery store and do some math to figure out a license plate--the clue we didn't get! We went to a self-storage facility, found the right locker, and opened a box with a stamp. We had to throw water balloons with a big slingshot and hit a board at a golf course. The kids did a good job. We had ten balloons, and they were getting really close. Elise finally nicked the corner of the board with our ninth balloon. The golf course gave us a map where a stamp was hidden on the bike path, which the kids ran down and found. Hmmmm, is that all? There were eight puzzles and we found the stamps to seven of them in three hours. It was a great time, perfect weather!, and we look forward to doing it again next year.

I went antique browsing while Elise was at Old World WI today. I guess there is a reason my family doesn't often want me near antiques! I love old things, and it's hard to walk away without some treasure coming with me. This time it was Happy Hollister books, more Tom Swift for Albin, a surprise for his birthday, a cake breaker, and best of all, this bowl...if you can call it a bowl. Elise thought it was a boat. The tag said it was an antique dough bowl, and though I found one more similar to it posted on ebay, I'd like to know more. I don't think it was finished, and therefore usable, as the wood is furry. I wonder if I have enough yarn to fill it...

Elise had a great time at camp. They made cornbread, corncob dolls, worked in the garden, etc. She said they rode the tram instead of walking. I don't think Laura would've done that!

Albin had a good time at home again. He is playing Runescape like mad these days. Well, Karl is, too, so at least he has good company!

one room schoolhouse

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Elise finally attended 'formal' school today, for the first time in her life. I wondered what she would think of it, and she liked recess the best. She thought it was all fun, actually, and loved dressing up for the 1906 school. They did recitation, math, sang 'My Country Tis of Thee,' even had a spelling bee. At recess, they played graces, tag, and rolled hoops. I happened to be waiting at the tram stop right outside the schoolhouse, so I got a few pictures of her. She is in the red gingham dress and blue bonnet. The other pictures I can email if you ask, but I don't want to post pictures of other people's children without their permission.

The other pictures I took while walking around Old World Wisconsin. The flowers are in full bloom and just beautiful, especially when set against old houses and rustic fences.

She has one more camp yet this summer, and I also signed us up for: Wood Stove Cooking for Kids and Their Favorite Grown-up. How fun will that be?? That's in the late fall, so we'll probably welcome the heat by then.

These are some of my treasures from Door County - beautiful, local hand-dyed yarn, two old books, plate, linen napkin and a funky kitchen utensil. What did people do with that big strainer?

Elise is in bed early tonight as we have to leave at 6:30 am for her One Room Schoolhouse camp at Old World Wisconsin tomorrow. Uffda for us! We were going to make Albin go with us on Friday (for her other daycamp there, Live Like Laura), but he was so full of despair that we took pity on him. What do you mean, you don't want to spend six hours at a living history site you've already seen and are terribly bored by, and get to drive two hours each way to do it? Hmmmm. He was agreed to spend an afternoon at another reenactment with us in two weeks, instead (that one's only an hour away). I should think of some other work for him to do while we are gone... Karl will be working from home, though, and can probably keep him busy.

Our gutters are coming right along. The boards in front also need to be replaced. Elise and I ran a few errands today, finally getting our second rain barrel and two diverter kits. We looked at new kitchen sinks at a showroom and had tremendous sticker shock. (An average of $1000 for just the sink?? And another several hundred for the faucet??). I called Deconstruction this afternoon, and not only do they have a large selection of kitchen sinks, they are aobut $120, and currently 75% off that price until Saturday! I think Karl won't mind porcelein or cast iron for that price, and it will be the right age for our house, too. I'll have a chance to go look at them on Thursday.

Door County, the last evening and going home

We did indeed go out for ice cream on our last night (and found Josiah for a bike ride down there!). It was actually too cold to eat ice cream, so Elise ordered potato soup. She ate a little bit before deciding it was too spicy. There were lots of kids at the ice cream store's playground, and we stayed for at least half an hour. She played tag for a long time with rowdy boys.

We left Fish Creek before 10:00 this morning, and after three hours, made it to the Wade House. We were in time for the next guided tour, and after seeing the stagecoach inn, blacksmith shop and sawmill, we toodled over to the carriage house. The last two pictures are from that building. Mom, I thought you would like the photo of the turkeys pulling the carriage--it was our favorite.

We listened to more Brian Jacques stories on the way home, and also stopped at some antique stores in Beaver Dam, half an hour before they closed. We found Tom Swift!! I've been looking for more of those books for two years. Woohoo! I also bought a beautiful brass bucket that I have already put some yarn and projects in. I set that up before I unpacked my suitcase.

All in all, it was a lovely vacation with my girl, and we look forward to another one like it someday. I hear the boys had a quiet time at home, which is just their style. Good times for everyone, I think.

Door County Day Four

Door County Day Three - evening

After our snacks, we wanted to go downtown again, as the bee store was closed the first time we were there, and we wanted to see it. We heard the bell of Peninsula Pedicabs on the way, and decided that would be fun way to travel. Josiah gave us a ride to the bee store, where we bought beeswax candlesticks. (The small of beeswax reminds me of being a kid at Grandma Palmquist's house.) There was a demonstration hive at the store, and Elise watched a 'baby' bee being born by chewing her way through the cell cap and crawling out.

We waited for the Pedicab again, and he gave us a ride to Sunset Park, where we were just in time to see the sun go down by the edge of the lake. And, of course, what kid can resist throwing rocks into the water? Oh, we also saw a big beetle on the shore, similar to the one at the beach yesterday, and it was a water beetle. Yesterday Elise didn't think it was because it's legs were so skinny, not right for paddling in water. Nature is surprising.

We found Josiah of Peninsula Pedicabs on the way home, and got a ride to the actual creek of Fish Creek, then back to our b&b. What a fun way to travel--we'll look for one more tour of the town tomorrow night, perhaps ending at an ice cream store...

Door County Day Three

Here is the main building of the school where Elise is taking her art class. We walked today, and it took about 25 minutes, so that's not too bad. I asked at the office where we could buy colored pencils, and there is an art gallery/supply store just a few miles up the road. I walked back for the car, and listened to NPR a bit while I waited for class to end. (I miss NPR!)

We zipped up the road after class and found exactly the right pencils, a set of prismacolor artist quality. We also bought another set of artist quality markers, a set of six shades of gray. There were no good-sized sketchbooks (the supply truck was on the way), but we had typing paper along, so it will have to do.

For lunch, we tried the hamburger stand a block from our b&b. We shared a hamburger, lake walleye sandwich, and fries. She likes the fish sandwich! Afterward, we walked down to browse at the local bookstore. I almost bought the first two foxfire books, but at the last minute decided to wait. Elise found a book on fossils and we bought it together. I also stopped at the store next door for a present for Karl--no details on that til after he's seen it!

We went back to the b&b after that and I had a nap. Elise played Runescape for awhile. For supper, I ran down to the local grocery market, and found lemonade, cheese spread, crackers, a small bread roll, yogurt and pasta salad. Aaaah, simple food! Elise didn't care for the pasta salad, but she's eating everything else.

So we didn't do anything exciting today, but it was nice to just relax. She's trying to sharpen her pencils with our cheap sharpener (they break!), and drawing. She is full of art ideas!

Tomorrow afternoon we plan to go the Orchard Winery, which is close by. They are having a cherry festival, and lots of special things planned, like a cherry pit spitting contest, and face painting. There are trolley tours starting from there. In fact, one just stopped here in front of the b&b and talked for about five minutes. Here's a picture of that trolley--maybe we'll be on it tomorrow!

Elise made a Van Gogh cracker with her cheese spread. She says, "In general, food is fun."

Door County Day Two

Elise woke up early today, before I did and the cell phone alarm (so we don't know how well that works). We had lovely muffins for breakfast with our innkeeper, and decided to drive to class today. It was exactly one mile. We'll see if the weather is okay enough to walk that another day. We didn't bring an umbrella.

I found a neat book at the b&b. It's 110 years old. It calls the War of 1812 'The War for Commercial Independence.' Very interesting!

Elise liked her class, and has a good start to a painting. I had plenty to do with me, so I sat outside and sewed on a shirt for Avery, instead of going back to town. (It helped that there was coffee available at the school!) I'll post pictures of her art at the end of her class.

For lunch, Elise was in the mood for noodles, and we found a restaurant with fetticune alfredo on the menu. We shared a plate, with pink lemonade and lovely garlic toast! We had to ask for more toast, it was so good.

After lunch, we looked around in some shops that we remembered from visiting here last year. We particularly remember some art supplies in a shop, but things have changed, and there are no more here in town. Oh well. Elise got a strawberry ice cream cone, then had to sit outside at four different stores while I poked my nose in them (just in case there were art supplies hiding somewhere else!). No luck there, but we did find a moccasin store that sells bags of leather scrap for $3.50. Yay! We'll have to go back when we aren't eating ice cream.

We were going to walk further down Main Street and look for a bookstore to browse in, but we passed the town beach. It was such a lovely warm day, that we put on swimsuits and spent hours there, instead. Elise made friend, of course, and we had a great time. Now we need to find supper...

Oh, and we canceled our kayaking tour for Saturday. I think it's going to be too cold. We'll find something else fun to do!

Door County Day One

Elise and I left this afternoon for our first 'girl-alone-time' vacation. It took us four and a half hours to drive to Door County, which wasn't too bad, really. We listened to Mariel of Redwall all the way, and are close to the end of the story.

We had a hard time finding our b&b, and finally called when we drove through town twice. It's a few blocks off the main road, but close to shops and restaurants. Elise was hungry after we had brought all our things to our room, so we walked downtown to find food. There was a restaurant that has fish boils every night. We can hardly come to Door County without having a fish boil, so we signed ourselves up. The fish was really good, and the potatoes drenched in butter. Ummmm, butter! I couldn't eat my cherry pie, but Elise had some ice cream for dessert. They packed the pie for me, and I'll share it with Elise for a snack after class tomorrow.

Her painting class starts at 9:30. She is game to walk (almost a mile), so we'll start out early enough. I have sewing and knitting projects packed, I just hope there is a place for me to sit and work. I could come back to work on the lovely porch here. If I walk back and forth twice from the b&b everyday, guess I don't have to worry so much about missing time at the gym!

War of 1812 reenactment photos