Tag Archives: Friends

Westward Ho!

September 1, 2025 steph Leave a comment

The journey continues – next up was Wilmar, Minnesota. We were stopping to see some long-time (and long-time since we’d seen them) SOWER friends, Bill & Carole. They graciously opened their guest cottage (aka their motor home) for us and we enjoyedÂ two nights of good conversation and rest! Those catch-our-breath days were so needed! In fact, there were very few pictures taken between a fuzzy picture of the Minnesota state sign when we crossed the border

and then a quick selfie as we bid a fond farewell!

But they did take us on a lovely drive through their corner of the world, which combined farmland and beautiful lakes, but you’ll just have to take my word on that.
There was this one sign that caught my eye when we were entering a busy limited access highway –

I’m used to seeing those buggy signs (and buggies) on two lane roads in many different areas of the country, but I must confess I was a bit alarmed that I’m being cautioned to watch for buggies on a four-lane highway!!
Oh my – wouldn’t that be a sight!

(picture courtesy of ChatGPT!)

Our Minnesota sojourn was quiet but quite lovely!! I do wish I’d taken more pictures, but my heart still remembers fondly our time there!

Next up – the missing hole in our travel map!
Till next time!

Family and Friends, Pictures of the Adventure, The Adventure

On to Michigan

August 18, 2025 steph 2 Comments

Michigan was great! Not only were we able to connect with friends we’ve met during our travels, but we were also able to visit with and help out my niece with a house project. So let’s start at the beginning.

We started our Michigan sojourn in Holland – reconnecting with friends we’d met down in the Florida Keys.

Though short, it was still great to see these guys! And it was a sweet start to our time in Michigan.
Next up with the renovation project at my niece’s home in Muskegon. It presented a little bit of a conundrum because their home was small, and there were no beds available for us. I’m happy to report that SOWERs came to the rescue! We contacted SOWER friends who lived nearby(ish) and asked if we could stay with them while we worked in Muskegon. Yes, they said – come!! So while our days were full of dry wall and little boys, our evenings were full of feet-up, kickback conversation. It was a great combo!
But about that renovation! The object was to take this room (which already had its dividing wall removed)

and get it closer to being the home office that they needed!
It was a big job, but with lots of help – it moved right along!

(Start ’em young!)
Our SOWER host even came one day to help out with the ceiling – and what a help that was!

With Bethany at work, and the guys busy with power tools, my job was to keep the younguns’ busy! That job included (but was not limited to) Skipbo, Phase 10, Rummicub, Crazy Uno, a jigsaw puzzle, the local (fabulous) library, and long walks around the neighborhood.

By the end of the week, it wasn’t quite ready for furniture, but it was ready for trim and paint!

To celebrate the progress – we took a lovely walk to the Muskegon Lake waterfront

so the boys could get in a bit of fishing!

It was a great week, helping out this precious family,

but also spending time with some of our SOWER family. Aside from spending time with Tim & Ginger

we also joined another 12 SOWER couples for a “Bring Your Own Picnic” picnic one day –

and had dinner out with others in our SOWER family before we left town!

Western Michigan was grand! It was filled with friends and family, some good work, and lots of good play! I think we might need to do it again sometime! =)
Next up is the Upper Peninsula – still Michigan, but in a class (and post) of its own!
Thanks for stopping by!

PS – Here is a link to more of the Muskegon Project if you’d like!

Family and Friends, On the Road, Pictures of the Adventure, The Adventure

The Journey Continues

August 12, 2025 steph 1 Comment

(We’re still hanging out in SD, but in an effort to continue chronologically from this post …)

After our wonderful time at the Cabin, we turned our truck north – to beautiful upstate NY, not far from the St. Lawrence River. Joe & Kim are dear friends whom we met through SOWERs, and it’s always sweet to spend time with them at their little cabin in the woods.

We were just there for a couple of days, but it was a treat to be able to catch up with them!

It wasn’t long, though, before we were once again on our way –

this time, headed to the NW corner of New York and a day trip into Toronto to see our Canadian family.
Since we knew that crossing into Canada with our trailer would be a hassle, we checked with a SOWER project in the area to see about accommodations and being able to leave our trailer there for the day.

Thankfully, it all worked out, and soon we were on our way to Toronto.
First – Niagara-

then on to Toronto!

We love these guys (my Dad’s second wife and her family), but I must confess I’m not a big fan of navigating Toronto!

But we’re so glad we were able to make the trip. Jo turns 94 at the end of this year, so each visit is more precious than the one before!

Back in the states by the end of the day, and early the next morning we were on our way west – Destination: Michigan!

And so the journey continues…

Family and Friends, On the Road, Pictures of the Adventure, The Adventure

Resting

August 11, 2025 steph 3 Comments

Hello! Since I last updated this corner of the internet, we’ve been in upstate NY, Toronto, Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and now South Dakota! That’s about 3500 miles, and included family, friends, building projects, bucket lists, and 13 different beds. Phew!

So we are sitting still for just a bit, enjoying the hospitality of our good friends Don & Jenny in Howard, SD. It’s especially quiet here at the moment since they are currently in “the cities” (Minneapolis/St. Paul) for a couple of days and we’re essentially home alone. We’re in charge of tending to the cats – both inside –

(she’s welcome all the way inside, but she’s a little leery of these new folks (us!). I was lucky she wasn’t hiding!)
and outside –

(These two are a little easier to locate!)
keeping the jelly station full for the Orioles

and the sunflower seeds in ready supply for the goldfinches and other visiting birds!

With all of the busyness of the last month, these quiet watching-the-birds type of days are just what we need. Gary is keeping busy with some wood projects

and today he broke out the mower!

(if you can zoom in, you might be able to see Gary at the very end of the runway. Yes, it’s an actual grass runway for their 49 Stinson plane you might’ve spotted in the first mower picture!)
Aside from my mini-livestock chores, I’ve managed to get the checkbook balanced, checked my credit card statements along with other life chores, and now (finally) doing some blog catch-up! This is our last official stop on our Sofa Surfing Summer before we head home to Texas (where it is still blazing hot), and our departure date is TBD. In the meantime, we’re taking each day as it comes – breathing deep and enjoying these quiet moments. And praising God for the wonderful connections we’ve made throughout the summer while looking forward to what He has ahead for us!
Thanks for stopping by –

Family and Friends, On the Road, The Adventure

Let’s see…

May 29, 2025 steph Leave a comment

Just where were we when I last updated here? Hmmm…May 16th. It’s been almost two weeks – and almost 2300 miles, so I must have some catching up to do! I’d better get started, eh?

Cabin Time
I finished off my last post with “We so love this place in May!” , and this year was no exception!

(Let’s be real – I love this place ANY time. But being able to see its ‘bones’ more clearly is always a delight!)
Gary got the water up and flowing, and of course did the first mowing –

I checked out the pond

and aside from the lack of frogs (maybe it was too early?), all seemed well with our little fishing/swimming hole!

I did my best to beat back the cobwebs and multitudes of Asian beetles (some still moving, most not), along with accomplishing some basic “First-up” chores on the inside of theCabin!
We played lots of our favorite Cabin game (Rummicub), took in a local high school’s performance of Annie (great job, kids!),

managed to meet up with the brother and his wife for lunch (always wonderful)

and of course managed to do some necessary Ice Cream Research (someone has to do it!).

It was a great two weeks! The weather was very spring-like – sunny and in the 70’s the first week, rainy and (maybe) up to 50 on the second! But chores got done, naps were taken, books read, and friends and family connected with.
From the first leaf

to the summer green

we love our ‘first-up’ time at the Cabin!

Seeing Old Friends –
We spent Memorial Day weekend with our friend Lynne in Ludlow. What a sweet time we had with this dear old (as in we’ve been friends a long time!) friend. We were able to help out with some chores –
like cleaning and organizing the work shop –

but mostly we just enjoyed hanging out, letting Gary beat us at Rummicub

and feeling oh-so-thankful for the blessing of a long enduring friendship!

It’s always good to spend time with Lynne!
From Lynne’s we began our trek back to Ohio. But first there was an overnight stop at another “old” friend’s home in Wellsboro, PA. Sally and I go back to pre-baby days,

and although our lives have taken us in many different directions, including divorce, job changes, church changes, moves (not to mention 20 years of us being who-knows-where), the Lord has kept us ever so beautifully connected!

We both had our first babies in 1976 (our bicentennial babies), shared all those new momma moments together! Here are our two girls (with another little one from church) in their (totally unscripted) yellow Easter finery!

And here is Lara’s daughter wearing the same yellow coat and hat!

It was such a good visit! A bit too short, but we had a wonderful time of sharing how God has worked in our lives through the years – whatever our circumstances, He was and is Faithful!
As an added bonus, we made a quick drive out to see the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon –

More of His Handiwork!!
We drove in the rain the next day (aka yesterday),

and aside from some frustrating traffic along the way, it was an OK trip. The trip brightened significantly when we were able to snag our recent college graduate (who has a teaching position lined up for the fall! Yay!) for lunch in Kent.

The sandwich was great – but the company was better!
Today was new tires for the truck, and then getting organized for our trip that starts tomorrow! It’s Alex’s turn for her big Grams & Pops Adventure! We have a cabin reserved in Pigeon Forge, TN, and I’m pretty sure we’ll find enough fun to keep us busy for the next week! The computer is staying in Ohio – so I’ll work on catching up again when we get back!
Have a great weekend, friends!