Blizzard

Today we had a blizzard in Davenport, IA. We got about an inch an hour, which isn't bad. It was so pretty. Nothing like big white flakes of snow pouring out of the sky. The tracker is rear wheel drive, so it's fun to take it out in the parking lot and see how many times it will spin around in a circle. Today, though, the snow was too deep.

Northern Michigan Tradition

No Christmas in Northern Michigan would be complete without a trip to Jay's Sporting Goods for a case of pigeons and several boxes of 12gage shotgun shells. Everyone lines up on the hill and dad throws them out. Each shooter claims the kill, but we have to admit, Jaymin is a really good shot. We always laugh that on Christmas Eve, northerns are out buying bullets.....

Genetic Rip off

Some how my sisters and their children managed to steal all the family genes for tallness. Believe it or not, these are Jenica's cousins and they are all standing flat on the floor. Now that both my sisters are older than me, maybe they will all start shrinking and I will end up the tallest after all. We forgive Colter for wearing a Packer jersey.

Weezer the Sailor

Weezer enlisted in the navy over the holidays. She was rejected because of height issues, but she refused to give back the hat. She said it was the least they could do after all she had gone through.

Ice Storm

As the sun was coming up after an ice storm the other day, it was so pretty. The branches sparkled like little christmas lights as the pink sky reflected in them. Of course the roads were horrid and I could hardly walk across the driveway, but it seems to me that there is always something good with the bad.

Christmas 07

Christmas time is always so much fun when the family is all home and we can hang out together. Some say Dr. Pepper is the Elixir of Life - can you guess who that might be?

Weezer Diary 03

I swear there was something big up that tree, maybe it was a bear or a gorillia....No really, it was big. It was a squirrel? Well, actually I'm just out hear posing for a poster for the Odawa Indian tribe, they needed a wolf picture so I said I would pose in the night sky. Yes, I am trying to be humble about it, but it's huge. My ancestors were awesome, roaming about with the Odawa, what can I say, gorgeousness is in my genes. I also have that wild streak, so if you disagree, I'd keep it to yourself!!!

Weezer Diary 02

I don't know about you, but I think the dog looks so much better with it's ears ripped off. That is exactly why I did it. I'm into fashion cuz I watch Animal Planet and to be honest - some of those dogs look bad with ears and without ears. If I had a cat, I rip off it's ears and then I'd go ahead and rip the head off too. You know how it is.....

Weezer Diary - 01

Wow! 5:00 a.m. is really early. Like some one you I want to get up and spend some time with God but sometimes I am so tired. Maybe I had one too many greenies last night, or maybe I got up on the wrong side of the cage, either way, it might be a rough day. Or not! It's amazing how energized a little time with God can make a hound dog feel. Like the Psalmist said, "I am like a beast before you, nevertheless I am always with you." I love the "neverthelesses" in the Bible.

Weezer, the Spoiled

Hi, My name is Weezer and I love to get into everything. If you bring a grocery bag in from the car, I just know that you brought me a surprise. You didn't? Why not? What were you thinking? Yes, you did.... You've got to be kidding. How could you forget!?!

Weezer, the Seeker

Hi, I'm Weezer
I'll close my eyes and you go hide, but if I can't find you in 10 seconds or less, I swear I will scream like a girl and chatter like a squirrel. I hate it when I can't find you. I have to be with you, don't you understand? Yes, I am co-dependent, it's in my fur.

Weezer, the Geek

Yes, I am Weezer.
Would you stop bothering me, please!!!!
I'm watching doggie videos on You Tube and I am also chatting with Jenica, my Jenica.
There, now I have to restart the video, you made me miss the best part where the dumb hound slams into the parked car. Whatever!

Weezer, the Killer

Hi, I'm Weezer. Code name: The Weeze.

Just look into my eyes and know that I can extract the intestinal fluff from a creature in less time than it takes you to tie your shoes or brush your teeth. My friend Peggy got me a new "pet" the other day and I had it down and gutted in less than 2 minutes. Yes, you heard that right.

I do hire out, so if any of you med students need help in cadaver lab, I'd be happy to lend a tooth.

Waves, Sharks, and Sun

The waves were so pretty, the sunlight was shining through the curl part. It was cool. A guy was fishing not far from me once and began backing up as fast as he could while his pole

was bent over. I began running in the other direction against the rip tide, thinking I saw a shadow and didn't want to get caught in the line. He lost the fish and then came over to me and said, "Did you see that fin?" I went and laid in the sun for a while. Really.

Beach to ourself

It's amazing that if you go to the beach before the sun comes up, you pretty much have the beach all to yourself. And if it is raining, there is even more solitude. For the first time in my life I laid in the sun tanning while it was raining. It was kind of weird. At least the rain would only pour down for a few minutes, and I was covered with salt and sand anyway, and who cared about hair, so I just kept singing - "I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain...."

Standing in the Sun

To stand in the rising sun is an inspiring thing to do. It gradually rises, letting your eyes adjust to it's brilliance. Then it is almost overwhelming, but not quite. It's enough to sooth the savage beast in any one who will look. It reminds me of standing in the Son, the same effects can happen spiritually that happy physically, only it's so much better and can happen where ever you are, you don't even have to be standing on the shores. Just turn and look, and the Son is already there.

Wild Waves

The waves were in a whirl, going in every directions. It was awesome. I caught a few and flew towards shore on their power. A couple of them caught me and hurled me to the sandy bottom. I left my sunglasses down there somewhere. I bet one of those beach combers will find them, maybe next year.

Bob on the Beach

We had fun just strolling along the beach in the sunrise. It was so pretty to see the reflection on the water and the sand. There is something so relaxing about the sound of the waves and the sound of the bubbles when the wave is receding. The rip tide warning were out, so I made sure I had my boogie board before I went out too far. Having almost drowned in Lake Superior, I didn't want to take chances in the Atlantic.

Awwww!

We were in Florida recently for a conference in Orlando. We took a day before to enjoy the ocean and laugh, laugh a lot.

Cocoa Beach 2007

On the beautiful shores of the Atlantic at Cocoa Beach. Weather forecast for the week: Rain! Someone said there is a draught, but it has not been happening where I go.

Old Shep

Bob had Robert listen to Old Shep. Have you every heard it? Did he cry? What is done in boundary waters, stays in boundary waters! NOT.

Boundary Waters

Three men, three women = 3 couples.
Destination = Boundary Waters
Mode of transportation = Canoe, legs for portages
Food = mostly freeze dried
Weather = Mostly rain, cold, drizzly, pouring, colder, sleeting, wet
Goal = catch fish, see the sights
Lures = classified
Exact lakes = classified
Fish caught = bass, pike, walleye (1)
Excitement = gale force winds, rowing in gale force winds, standing in gale force winds, sleeping in gale force winds
Comedy = Bob and Ed singing, Robert eating "tear in my suit", Ed calling the elk, Peggy and her fires, morning hair, Kathy's gourmet food, Bob's redneck jokes.

Friends who are crazy

Some fisherman came along and asked the guys, "how did you ever find three girlfriends who were willing to come out here? What island did you find them on?" Ed said, "We found them and married them."
Where do you find friends who are willing to sit in the cold rain for 7 days in the middle of no where? Climb through snow and ice with no trail? Eat protein bars and dried food for days on end? Share purified river water with stamina in it? Who will share loads, go the extra mile, keep smiling no matter what, and be willing to go on another adventure or misadventure next time around? Where do you find people who find joy in hiking in temps over 100, sleep in temps below freezing, on the ground; take baths with sani-wipes for days, drive hundreds of miles to begin a trip, and share a rock pillow while watching the stars?
It's a mystery how God puts people together. A blessed mystery.

What to do under a tarp

We spent a LOT of time sitting under the shelter we built, or huddled around a fire. The temps were in the 40's and 50's and it rained a lot. When people are stuck under a tarp for several days in the rain, it does something to them. They begin to sing old tv theme songs, they sing in high pitched voices, they play games, tell stories, laugh a lot. Did I mention it was raining? They say "Uffda" every once in a while and laugh. Best of all, they pull out all their bags of food, pick out one thing from each person's stash, and create a new and wonderful back country food. We were able to create a mexican feast, an italian dinner of pesto and noodles, and a one of a kind minestrone soup. Want the recipe? We do too.

All in a days work

We caught these fish in a couple hours out in the boat. Some didn't catch any fish this day. We won't mention names. Those who caught fish are in picture. Other days it was reversed, but most days everyone who fished caught something. Bob caught a cold. Bob and Ed wanted to buy scull caps but we said they would scare the fish.

Big Bad Bass

This is the big bass I caught. It rained every day so we had to stay geared up in rain gear. No one could get Bob to fish. He just doesn't have a heart for killing. When Robert put fish on the stringer, Bob would tease him by telling the fish, "I'll be back later to set you free, little buddies." Everyone was jealous of me though, cuz I had my own private fishing guide who rowed the canoe while I fished. Peggy wanted Bob in her canoe, so did everyone else. But he was all mine.

Robert to the rescue

A typical scene was Robert baiting the line, untangling the line, retrieving a snag, taking the lure out of the fishes mouth with fliers, retying the line, exchanging poles, and saying, "Cast near the grass in the deep water but not in the grass." I caught a lot of grass. We all caught a lot of fish too. This is one of the many pike I caught. Robert caught 5 bass 21+ inches right in a row. I can't tell you where we were, it's a fisherman's secret. I guess it's like mushroom picking.

Picking Rice

Near Vermillion Falls we were privileged to be able to pick some wild rice. It was just beginning to ripen and it came off the stalks by the handfuls. It was so fun. My Indian blood came to life. The Ojibway and the Odawa (my tribe) used to survive on the rice, and even pop it. Kathy filled her fleece with it and then had a hard time getting the husks out of the fleece. We had no idea how to husk it or how to parch it.........but thankfully there is google.

What are friends for?

We spent a day or two exploring the water falls along the shores of Lake Superior between Duluth and Grand Marais. The water levels were kind of low, but the falls were so pretty. You'll notice that Kathy is trying to snuff me out and that I had to use my elbow for balance (that's all, just balance).

Indian Bob

Thanks to Jenica, Bob is sporting a Tilley hat. They have a reputation of turning the average man into a super hero. Tilley hats have supposedly been eaten by elephants and lived to tell about it. They make you a better fisherman, hunter, explorer, lover, etc. etc. Robert was so upset that Bob had a Tilley, that he went out and got one for the trip too. We met another Voyageur that also was a Tilley man. He was older and said he always had his tilley with him. We were glad Bob had the Tilley cuz he shaved his head before we left. Kathy said he was taking his "Make-a-Wish Dream Trip" before he died. I'd post a picture of his bald head, but he'd kill me and then no one would be able to post to my blog.

Voyageur Mania

Ed started to get a little stir crazy after eating at the Voyageur restaurant. We were at the beginnings of Voyageur national park. So Kathy decided Ed should experience what gear feels like inside a dry bag. No, it's not a giant summer squash with legs, it's just Ed. After trying to take a few awkward steps, he begged to be free. He was getting way too hot in the dry bag, so Kathy set him free. Bob the Photo man, took his picture.

Ely Stores

We terrorized the stores of Ely, Minnesota. Kathy bought the game, Farkle (and it's a good thing, it might have saved our sanity). Ed put purses on his head thinking they were hats, which made us laugh. We ate at the Chocolate Moose, a great place to eat if you are ever way up north. We stocked up on fry bread and few essentials for our wilderness adventure. There had been a drought there for several weeks. We cured that by going on vacation. We hit dairy queen because Ed says, Red sky at night, dairy queen in the morning. Red Sky at morning, dairy queen at night. Cloudy skies now, dairy queen later. Sunny skies ....you get the picture.

By the shores of Gitchigumi

We arrived at the shores of the beautiful Lake Superior. It is like coming home for me to be on it's banks. It was here that I first met God and heard Him speak to me. It was here that my heart was changed, my life improved, and my outlook renewed. Every visit restores my soul.
The weather was so nice over Labor Day weekend. Our plan was to hang out at Superior and then go to the boundary waters on Tuesday.

Devil's Tower

It was hot but we hiked all the way around devil's tower. From a distant the grooves look small, but they are actually huge. Some climbers were making there way up just one of the grooves and they looked really tiny compared to how big it was, let alone next to the whole tower. I personally do not believe that a bear slid down, digging in it's claws to make the grooves. There are no bears that big and we found no bear scat either. It must have been something bigger, ya think?

Beans

For some reason we had this idea that if we were traveling west along the old trails, that we should eat beans. So here is a picture of Jen eating beans along the Rogue River. We also had a chance to walk on the Pacific Crest Trail, which I plan on through hiking before I die or sooner.

San Francisco

After talking to my sister Denise, we had decided not to visit Fisherman's Warf and Alcatraz. I really wanted to see Alcatraz, but we had all Jen's valuables in the car and we weren't too excited about leaving the car in the middle of SF. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, we were just going to stay on the highway and do a drive by. The bridge was covered in a cloud, and we took a wrong turn and ended up driving up and down and back and forth through SF. After some tense moments between us, we decided to call our own personal On Star - we have 3 of them - Bob, Paul, and Jaymin. This time Bob was the lucky one and he managed to direct us out and back onto the highway.

Soddy

The best thing about South Dakota was the sod house. We did the Corn Palace, but it does not warrant a posting (sorry June). The sod house was cool, no really. It was so much cooler inside than outside. There was also a sod chicken coup, a sod cellar, and a sod barn. The news papers that they used to plaster the walls were dated 1911.
It was fun. The people who run it have to charge to see it cuz there is not another thing for them to do in South Dakota but see the soddy. I felt like I should have given them some food too. They don't even have neighbors for like 75 miles. I could have even given them my water bottle. Water was scarce too. I felt the same way in Mexico where people lined the streets begging. I wanted to empty my purse in their lap, but all the contents wouldn't have even bought them lunch.

Inside a Volcano

Have you ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? I never did. But I did get to find out and go inside of one. It was creepy. How do they know if it is going to erupt again or not? What if it coughed up it's cookies while we were in there? It was kind of unnerving, even for me. Were there warning signs? I don't know.

the beach

We have decided that being professional site seers would be a great profession. We are trying to get sponsors, but so far Bob and Terry have both turned us down. So if any of you rich people out there need a place to throw some money, we could use it. We will send pictures to you for free.

Pelicans Smelicans

We took a little walk along the bay and there were more pelicans there than we had ever seen in our whole lives. They were having a fit. About 6 sea otters were trying to rest in the kelp, and the pelicans kept dive bombing as near to them as they could get. It was funny. Otters just seemed to ignore them.

Weird Grass

We found this really soft grass along the shore. It was like silk. The fibers were strong too, it seems like it would make good cord or rope.

Elephant Seals

We were driving down highway 1 and we saw a bunch of elephant seals just lounging on the the shore. Of course, Jenica had to go see the baby seals. They were really cute and we were able to video two big males fighting. It didn't look like much of a fight, more like a yelling match, but the outcome was the same. One of them went sulking away. The other looked all arrogant. We saw whales and sea otters too as we drove along highway 1. If you get car sick with hills and curves, then highway one is not for you. We spent 6 hours just doing "S" curves.

Jen's Room

This is the beginnings of fixing up Jen's room. It looks better now, but I'm too lazy to take another picture of it. We found out that she can hang pictures on the wall, so that will warm it up. She is talking to Paul.

A Picture

This is a picture.

Jen at Morro Bay

We spent a day recouping from so much driving at Morro Bay. We didn't thing we were tired, but we ended up sleeping most of the day, part of it on the beach. The waves were so pretty and there weren't very many people there. We ended up spending two nights there. We like that little town. We had been there before.

Lava Tube

At Craters of the Moon I climbed into a lava tube. It was much cooler in side. The temp at ground level was 130. It felt nice inside. If you ever get a chance to go there, you should. It is really strange. It would make a great place for a science fiction movie. We hiked some but we couldn't hike much because of Jen's computer being locked in the car in the heat. We were afraid all her stuff would melt. I wanted to climb into Angel lava tunnel. It seems like I would belong there.