Sunday, August 25, 2019

Summer Time in Indiana

Darryl and I have been thoroughly enjoying summer in Indiana. We are living in the Mishawaka and Granger area and it's so lovely and green here in the Hoosier farm country. 
Our weekdays are busy working of course, but on Saturdays Darryl likes to go to Garage and Estate Sales, and we will go for bike rides to the parks or around town. 

The flowers and river bridge in South Bend's Central Park.




About 30 miles to the east in the community of Middlebury is the Farm where Darryl's Grandmother, Beulah Pauline Stahley Yoder was born and raised and where his mother Peggy spent many, many summers.


Darryl remembers coming up to visit the farm in the mid 1960s a few times and he has great memories of summer days spent there.

It took some research at the county courthouse and Historical Society, and also talking to the locals, but he finally found the farm. The huge barns, outbuildings and summer kitchen are gone, but the house is still there.

About a  mile down the road just east from the house is a little cemetery where Darryl's Grandma and Grandpa Yoder and their son Billy are buried. Billy died of appendicitis when he was 14.

Also buried in this cemetery is Minerva Stahly. Grandma Yoder's mother died in 1916 and her father remarried Minerva a year later.

This is the grave of Darryl's Great-Grandparents.


And his Great-Great-Grandparents.


More family graves.


One Saturday afternoon we went to Linton's Enchanted Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana. What a pleasant place to spend the afternoon.


We loved all of the small houses and buildings.








This is Darryl's birthday picture. On August 4th he turned 65 years young.

Oh how I love this man! How blessed I am.

On another bright note -Our granddaughter Adrianna went to her first Comic-Con. She designed her costume and her mother made it out of leather and other fabrics and she won an award for her portrayal of a Steam Punk Captain Marval.

On Friday August 9,2019, while I was working at the South Bend site I had company come by.

The Goodyear Blimp flew directly over my head. It was quite close and circled around me several times.


I believe this is the closest I have ever been to a dirigible. 

One of the parks Darryl and I like to bicycle to is the Shiojiri Japanese Garden in Mishawaka. What a peaceful place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

This beautiful little garden is about 6.5 miles from our house, so it makes for a good ride.

August 11, 2019

I've been working on my yoga just about every day, along with walking every morning. Actually, I walk with Gideon. 

Yes, I know Gideon is in Phoenix, but I call him up at 5:15 in the morning and we put on our shoes and go out for a walk while we talk on the phone. I really love my morning walks with my boy.

I've been averaging around 12 - 15 miles a week and Darryl has started running again, so we signed up for our first 5k of the year. The St. Patrick's County Park Running Wild 5k Tail Run / Walk. It was our first ever trail race.

And believe it or not, we both placed in our age groups. 

 Since I am not supposed to run anymore I walked the race in 49:05, averaging a 15:49 mile pace. Darryl ran the race in 34:25, an 11:05 pace. Pretty good considering he's only run about 5 times this entire year.

I did love our awards though, painted pine cones and small Indiana Pure Maple Syrups. 

The next few weeks are going to bring loads of fun as we get ready for the Eppert Family Reunion over Labor Day weekend. So until then - Have a great week!

Monday, August 5, 2019

Delaware State Fair

 I had never been to the state of Delaware before, so when I drove to the 1st State on July 17th, it was a first for me. I thought that since Delaware was a small coastal state it would be different than what I found. I didn't expect it to look just like Indiana with it's fields of corn and beans and forests of hardwood trees, but it did and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Why was I in Delaware you ask? 
This is why -
To visit my grandchildren and help Cody and Apryll watch the kids while the Redhead Express played at the 100th Annual Delaware State Fair.
Ross on his new tricycle - A gift from Grandpa Darryl.
10 days of Fair food, Circus fun, Midway chaos, Music, Livestock shows, 4-H competitions and Exhibits!

This is the best petting zoo I have ever been to!


Yep, I definitely want a giraffe. 


Cody and the Alpaca had a staring contest. - The Alpaca won!

Rachel loved the goats.

This little industrial tricycle can haul quite a load!

Every night after the big Grandstand event finished they had a fireworks show.

I fell ill with an infection during the fair and had to spend a few of the 100+ degree days in the air-conditioned "Green Room" trailer. One day miss Rachel came to entertain me. I said "Smile for me Rachel". This is what followed.





Oh what a cutie!




She cracks me up!

A few days on antibiotics and I was on the mend. We went to see the livestock shows, Horsemanship competitions, Goat Shows, pig, cows, sheep and the Budweiser Clydesdales.  

It took an entire morning just to get through the 4-H exhibits. I took this picture of the cupcakes so I could copy them. 

We also visited the open exhibit buildings and just about every vendor and other display they had.
The Air boat Rescue display was set up right by our trailer in the "Hands on" Big Trucks Exhibit.
Of coarse we had to try it out.

Trying to tell Rachel how to steer the boat with that handle.


Rachel also got to try out one of the rescue trucks.

Mr. Ross loves his grandma. He told me so.



So this is how I spent my time in the middle of the Delaware farmland. Lovin' on some kiddos.


And... The Redhead Express did a fabulous job playing and entertaining the crowd.

Just a couple close-ups on our girl Alisa. She sure loves the music!




And the crowds loved them!


I drove through some beautiful country too, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. Oh we live in such a beautiful land!

When I drove home to Granger, Indiana I took I-70 and made a quick, overnight stop in Brazil and Center Point to see Michelle and pick up a few things. When I left Sunday morning I was gifted this beautiful sunrise to start my day.

Home again!
Now on to more adventures!