Headin' South

                                             
                   Nicki and I soaking our feet by the shore

Picture from surfing museum in New Smyrna Beach of my first win at a surfing meet





 

                         Cherish and baby enjoying the ocean

This is the house I grew up in.  The large oak tree in the middle was where we hung a long rope swing and would swing over the lake and jump in.  Pretty thrilling.

  Lake Sylvan where I grew up.  We used to swim across the lake and back.

House where I grew up in Winter Park, Florida.  Used to be lots of orange and grapefruit trees and a bigger yard where we played ball every day.

 Genius Drive was a dirt road through pretty trees where peacocks lived.  We could hear them from our house.                                           

Park Ave. in downtown Winter Park is very unique with brick streets and fancy stores and restaurants.

 Knowles chapel at Rollins College in Winter Park where John and I got married.  It has a huge pipe organ.

Dinky Dock where I rented canoes for a summer job after high school.  Tough job.  ;)

Cranes that liked to hang around Nicki's front lawn on the lake in Florida

     Nicki on her first ride in her new kayak.  She's quite a sport.

With winter hanging on here at camp, Joanna and I were eager to head south to the states for some warm weather, spring flowers, green grass and lots of visits with family and friends.  We really criss crossed the nation to take in all we could in a month's time.  John was left home to manage the home front as usual.  Someday we hope he can join us in our southern adventures.

We first drove to Chisholm, MN to stay with and visit Joanna's four cousins and their children for two days.  All three of our children used to spend lots of time with their cousins growing up and are very close to them, so we relish every opportunity to see them.  Then, we headed over to Ely to stay with our daughter Cherish and her husband Patrick over Easter weekend.  Cherish is 6 months pregnant with their first child who we just found out is a boy.  They are overjoyed.

Next, we drove down to Minneapolis, MN to spend the night and fly out the next day to Asheville, NC to see my Dad and sister and brother.  It was a bit rainy, but everything was blooming from apple trees, dogwood trees to all kinds of flowers.  They desperately needed the rain as they had some terrible fires rip through the area last fall.  What a sight for sore eyes to see all the green grass and trees.  Dad was in great spirits and has even learned to play the harmonica.  He's on oxygen, so he has to play in spurts to get his breath.  He just loves music so it's wonderful he found a means to express it.

With great excitement, Joanna and I then flew down to Orlando, Florida and headed over to New Smyrna Beach to stay a week with my older sister and two brothers.  We also met up with our two adopted brothers Hamilton Fish and Fred Baker.  There's no place like the beach to rejuvenate this ole' Florida girl.  The salty ocean, blue green water, warm sand through my toes, walks on the beach, basking in the warmth of the sun, boogie boarding, eating out, shopping.... it's all so wonderfully fun and relaxing.  And it's over too soon.  Maybe in our retirement years we can spend a month there.  :)

After the week at the beach and another three days in Casselberry, Florida with my sister, we flew back to Minneapolis, MN, picked up our car and drove six hours to Omaha, NE to visit our son Jonathan, wife Reseth and two darling grandsons, Aaron and Titus.  A new baby girl is about to pop out of the oven near May 18th.  Her name is Evemarie.  The boys have been loving her and kissing her from the outside the whole time.  They are so eager to welcome her into this world.  What fun it will be for them to dote over a sister.

So, we are mightily excited to be having a new baby boy and baby girl coming into our family soon.  There's no greater blessing this side of heaven.  We arrived home safely May 9th and are in high gear to prepare for opening fishing.  We are looking forward to greeting our guests for another summer of fishing.

                         Joanna and I preparing to leave Florida

                           Sister Nicki, Fred who we met surfing, Daryl                    

                              Daryl , brother Rick and Joanna

                     South New Smyrna Beach.  Used to surf here.

 Intracoastal waterway.  I recall Rick telling us to stand next to the snakes in the palmettos for a picture

                                  South New Smyrna Beach

                                   Sunrise at New Smyrna Beach

Day with family at New Smyrna Beach.  Left to right..brother Ron, sister Nicki, adopted brother Fred, wife Marilyn, adopted brother Hamilton, brother Rick, daughter Joanna, daughter Cherish, Daryl

                    Grandma having heavenly moment with Titus

                      Reseth with boys surrounding baby Evemarie

              Capt. Jonathan on his birthday with Aaron and Titus