Leaving for home...

We did some last minute shopping before leaving Texas...

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge...

We both visited Aransas National Wildlife Refuge today...Betsy by Boat and David by Car. It's a long story. The Whooping Cranes are there. Betsy saw them. David did not see them. David saved 40 dollars...You would think I would have pictures, wouldn't you

Kamala Teaching Grandpa How to Hold His Breath...

Kamala tried her best to show Grandpa how to hold his breath underwater...the hard way...

Christmas Eve in Austin...

We sang and ate chocolate fondue tonight after a day of power shopping. Kamala sings powerfully after lots of chocolate. We pretty much closed down Best Buy and Target before supper. The stores stay open later every year it seems. I remember a few years ago they kicked me out just after lunch. I guess they need more money these days...

We Found Zapata...

We got up today and watched the sun rise over the gulf...
Betsy walked a few miles on the beach. I soaked my feet in the salty water.
Then we drove up The Rio Grande to Zapata. It is some place. Actually it is under the Rio Grande and Falcon Reservoir. A gift shop owner told us the story.
Yes, I have pictures.

On Our Way to Zapata...Our Trip Journal...

Way departed The Farm at sundown yesterday on our way to Zapata. We are just about to depart the La Quinta (Mexican) Airport Inn in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. for the Airport. It is 8:00 A.M....
More later in the day from Zapata (or nearby).
It's 10 P.M. and we are on South Padre Island on the way to Zapata. Another La Quinta Inn. The waves are breaking on the beach outside our window. It was 85 today but has cooled down to 70.
I got some pictures from the air coming down the gulf coast over Port Aransas and Padre Islands. It is impressive...long, long sand beaches and barrier islands. South Padre is impressive for it's high-rise hotels...a scourge on the wild landscape...but only $53 a night this time of year.
I will get some pictures up. I'm too tired to download tonight. Buenas noches.

On Our Way to Zapata...

Betsy and I fly to Harlingen, Texas Thursday. I prefer to say we are going to Zapata, Texas on the Rio Grande Mexican border. That excites me more. We will stay there the first night. It's one of the warmest and sunniest places in The United States and there are birds. Birds excite me too...especially birds around Zapata on the Rio Grande at the Mexican border. Actually we are going to visit Shawn and Mark and Kamala in Austin, and Sheri and Jeremy in Port Aransas on the gulf coast. I am going to post often with a little trip log...I swear... Speaking of trip logs, the dear man we know as Lyle Girard is on a journey around the world. He is doing a trip log too.

Musa is Home From Sudan

We saw our friend Musa this weekend and he and his brother are home from a trip to Sudan. Some great pictures.

Another Weekend at Home

It's great to just be able to stay home on a weekend.
Friday night we went to the play Annie at the Grand Marais Playhouse. The kids were great. They're so little...how can they think?
Satrday we worked around the house as we did the annual Grand Marais bird count. We had chickadees, pine grosbeaks, grey jays, bluejays, and ravens.
Saturday night we went to dinner with Randy who just returned from the south and ended up staying till 11 P.M. listiening to Mark Darling's band from up the gunflint. Bob and Kay, Carol D., and others were there. We're so social sometimes.
Today was sunny and chilly. Betsy went to Aurora;s dance gig in town. I stacked wood and chased birds around the county with my camera.

A Real Winter on The North Shore

We've been home from New Mexical for a month.
If I am going to keep these journal entries up I am going to have to forego photograhps most of the time. So no sphotographs here...yet.
Yes, we are experiencing a real winter this year so far. Twenty inches of snow and lots of below zero weather. That's good. That's Minnesota.
Wish there was a picture here...

In New Mexico

We are in New Mexico. The cottonwoods are in full color and it's 75 degrees and sunny. I'll get some pictures up...connections are slow here. Everything is slow here. I like it...

Fall Colors in New Mexico

We are in New Mexico. The cottonwood trees are in full colors. I'll get some pictures up soon..I bet...

Happy Birthday Shawn!...

September Mail Boxes on Upper Good Harbor Hill

A sure sign of autumn when the mail boxes are covered with yellow and red leaves...

Happy Birthday Phil!

New House in The Neighborhood

Greg and Jeanne and Olya are putting up a timber frame they made at North House Folk School. The crane helps I bet...

Grandma and Grandpa Grinstead's Anniversary

William Grinstead married Mary Beck on September 19, 1926. There were 8 kids including David. They would have been married 81 years. Here they are at 415 Quince Street in 1960.

A Day in Duluth

We got up at 4:30 A.M. and motored to Duluth. At Two Harbors we met Sara and Anna and Ben and pursued Eric who was skating down Highway 61 to Canal Park in Duluth.

After shopping and eating we picked up Kimberly and Stasha at the airport and went home. The details are too large to fit here. All went well.

Kamala in New Mexico

A slide show of Kamala I made last winter...

Sara's Birthday.

Betsy was in The Cities on Sara's Birthday.
There are a lot of Birthdays in September: Misha, Janis, Bob, Kay, Sara, and on and on...

Armstrong or Bust...

We had three days to do what we wanted. We had always seen Armstrong, Ontario, Canada, North America on the map. Despite warnings we went. It was wonderful...big big big country... but you have to know what you're doing. We were lucky. Luxury and friendly people were to be found at Wild Waters bed and breakfast on Mattice Lake where we based.

David in Idaho and Betsy in New Mexico...

Betsy flew to New Mexico Friday the 24th of August and David just got back from Idaho Saturday the 25th of August. We will see if they can survive without each other for two weeks...

Weekend in The Cities...

Lots has gone on. We spent last weekend in Minneapolis. Betsy did a puppet show. It was hot. We went swimming with puppeteers in a wonderful little lake right in town. Anna and Ben and the neighbor kids are growing bigger. More later...maybe even pictures.

David Visited Kamala at Montessori School...and Mark at The Crossings...

Shawn took me on a tour of Austin daily family activities...school and work. More to come...

Dinner in Austin, Texas...Meat...

We ate meat and listened to Jazz. Kamala tipped the piano player big.

Some ate Beef...some ate Turkey. Good food. Good music.

Betsy flew to Colorado to a memorial for Dan.

House Concert at Michael and Deb's Log House...

We went to a house concert at Michael and Deb's last night. Never sounded so good. Very special. We jammed till one in the morning.

Hovland Art Fair...

We went to the second annual Hovland Arts Fair. I bet there hasn't been this many people on the streets of Hovland since 1905.

Going Away Party for Joyce...

It was party night at the Playhouse on Sunday May 20. Joyce's art and friends and music. This is Joyce's cake before it got eaten.

Uganda Dance Performance

This is a video I took in Kampala Uganda of The Unduga Family Culture Association Cultural Troupe.

Leaving Uganda Tommorrow...

Home tommorrow...
Blogger has been difficult...look at pictures here.

To Lake Mburo National Park to See Zebras...

We followed a paved road southwest around Lake Victoria to find the zebras and impala.

Flying Home Tommorrow...

We have remained healthy and happy in Uganda. Here is a picture from last week at Murcheson Falls National Park just to prove we really are in Africa. It's been slow getting pictures and posts up.

Flying Home Tommorrow...

We have remained healthy and happy in Uganda. Here is a picture from last week at Murcheson Falls National Park just to prove we really are in Africa. It's been slow getting pictures and posts up.

Touring Kampala's Outskirts...

Today we went to Port Bell on Lake Victoria. It's curious that Phil was born on the shores of the largest (by surface) freshwater lake on planet earth and he now lives near the shores of the second largest freshwater lake on planet earth.
I have tons of pictures for each entry day. I'll get them up. It takes time. We are in Africa.

Touring the City and Birdwatching...

Phil drove us around Kampala to visit markets and shop for essentials like cheerios and such. It is impossibe to drive around the city and survive for five minutes but thousands of people do it. How can this be? Phil says it's like playing a video game. I am amazed. I've seen less accidents than in Minneapolis, and I myself remain unharmed. At first I thought people were in a hurry, and then it occurred to me that they were just being cooperative with each other in their journey from place to place, and the flow had to continue at a good pace. No one shows anger to each other. They are the best drivers I have ever seen. I wouldn't drive here for a million dollars, even if they drove on the right side of the road.

At the Headquaters of Minnesota International Health Volunteers

We are at the headquarters. It is also the home of Phil and Paige. It's actually great bird and monkey habitat even though it is well within the city of Kampala, Uganda. It also serves as a luxury hotel that parents can afford.

We Make it to Africa...

I'm not sure what day it is or anything like that, but we are at Phil and Paige's in Kampala Uganda. I will get pictures and more info up when I figure out what time it is. This picture is the sunset over Sudan, Africa from 38,000 feet. It was taken on Sunday...I think...

We're Off to Uganda...

We left the Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.A. airport this afternoon on our way to Uganda via Detroit and Amsterdam. I always have a camera ready to stick out the window. Yes, they're very hard to open. It was cloudy over the entire Atlantic until we reached The British Isles. The landing in
Amsterdam was clear. The airport is expensive. My artist companion led me to the airpot art museum. Even I was impressed by the old beauties. There were paintings done in the seventeenth century of rowdies drinking beer. Many of them looked like our friends in Grand Marais, Minnesota, U.S.A. Sunday morning and about 12 hours from departing Duluth we were on our way to Uganda.

We are all at home...

Betsy is home from the birthday party, art fair, and her trip to Florida.
It's GPS (global positioning system)time for David at Portage - no snow, no leaves, no bugs. There are lots of trails and 1905 survey brass caps to be mapped.
Our April 28 Uganda flight is getting closer. Over on the right of this page are two listings for information on Uganda. Phil and Paige site is of course the best source.

John Kim Peter and Ben Party at North House...

There was a wonderful going away party for John and Kim Wood and their boys Peter and Ben on Saturday night. They are moving to Duluth to be on a more functional and predictable work schedule for family. One thing I will always remember is John's rusty old pickup at the Hosptital on my way to work and then it is there 14 hours later when I pass by in the evening. I'll put a picture from the party here soon (and a picture of the pickup if I can catch it before it moves).

Betsy Tanning in Sarasota...

Betsy flew to Sarasota, Florida Thursday to get a suntan. Just kidding. Actually she went overnight for a surprise 90th birthday party for her dear friend of many years Mary.
Betsy flies back to The Cities today and does the 50 on 50th Art Show on Saturday.
Meanwhile I eat at Super America...

Kamala in new school...

Kamala started attending a Montessori School in Austin, Texas. Mark, Shawn, and Kamala are in their new house. The school is near their new house. Grandma Debbie is visiting from Arkansas. Mark is loving his new job at The Crossings. Sounds like a very wonderful place. We can't wait to visit them in the near future. I'm looking forward to getting familiar with the hill country of Texas where they have chosen to live. My Dad's family has some hill country history from way back.

Betsy is Off to Benjamin's Birthday Party...

Betsy left for the big city today to get to Benjamin's Birthday Party on Tuesday, April 10. We'll get a report up here after the party. Hopefully no one will get arrested, or anything like that.
Betsy will also be doing presentations at Anna's school. Most of you probably don't know that Anna started a school...just kidding.

Easter 2007

It's Easter 2007. That would be our 60th Easter. Aurora came over to see what the Easter Bunny left for her to find. She found 12 eggs painted by very talented bunnies. Speaking of bunnies, Bob at North House Folk School asked me “how much the bunnie helpers get for making baskets?” I replied that I didn't know. He informed me "they get two points just like anyone else." That's Bob looking out the window of a tiny log cabin in a picture above.
Last night we ate pizza and played some music at the Old Playhhouse. I guess that's why it’s called the playhouse. Betsy, Kay, Myra, Bob, myself and guests had much fun. It's a delight to listen to Kay's singing and Myra's fiddle. The rest of us were the rhythm section.
Joyce got back from Arizona late last night. She has to decide by Monday the Ninth whether she wants the Flagstaff job. We’re pretty sure she will take it. She would start in June are July.

Our Fifth Anniversary...

Here's a picture from our Fifth Anniversary party last night. We'll...actually it was Sterling's fourth Birthday party. We didn't know it was our Anniversary party until we listened to Maryl's phone message at home this morning celebrating our anniversary that was yesterday. Betsy and I then congratulated each other and apologized for forgetting.
The picture above from the party is titled "Four-year-old Wonder Kid eats Pez in midst of swordfight with enraged adult at birthday party"

Snowstorm is Welcome...

It snowed all night. This made for a slow trip to work and will make it more difficult to locate Easter eggs on Sunday.
It made for pretty pictures though.

Cabin 2 Getting Spruceup...

Jim is helping Betsy spruce up cabin 2.

We Lost a Friend...

Our freind Whitey Carlson died Saturday. Here's a picture of Betsy, Whitey, and Gayle showing off our new quilt at the Blueberry Arts Festival in 2002.

Betsy in The Color of White...

Friday night was the opening of a show at The Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais titled The Color of White. Betsy has some life-sized birches. I[ll get some pictures up soon. Saturday night we went to a presentation by Lonnie Dupre at North House Folk School in Grand Marais.

Our Pet Ladybug...

We acquired a pet Ladybug. It's so much easier to take care of than a dog or a pig. Here are some snapshots of her washing her face and then sunbathing on the tea box on the upstairs bedroom window sill.

Canada is Like Being in a Foreign Country...

We went to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada to get our travel shots today. The clinic and the service was impressive...and cheaper than U.S.A. Afterwards we went shopping and had lunch in a little mall on West Arthur Street... Great hot dogs! Betsy just had hot tea. It was like being in a foreign country...in a very good way.

Sunday in Grand Marais...

We attended a radio benefit at Betsy's studio for a new girls effort on WTIP. Great music and fun.
In the evening we played old time and digeridoo music with Roger the spring-pole lathe bowl-maker.
Annie got the bowl.

Wild Rice Pancakes...

We had wild rice pancakes for breakfast. We are blessed...Thank You.
And I am blessed with Betsy's gift for coming up with this stuff.
Marko harvested the rice from Cramer and Cabin Lakes last fall. It's the best!
Michael and Aurora just showed up hiking on this sunny March day.
Talked to Randy in New Mexico this morning. Deb and Brian from Hovland stayed in our house in TorC last night.
Baby Olive Rose Moon was delivered to Natasha and Ray last week. Life is good.

Family Singing...

Anna and Ben led our singing and clapping session when we visited in February...Clap Your Hands!

Ben and Anna and Eric Visit Home...

Ben and Anna kept watch on the horses at the farm from their perch as Dad prepared for a presentation on his Iraq phot0 journalism effort.

The Grosbeak is Grateful

I think this grosbeak is very grateful for the seeds. What do you think?

Breakfast and Trout Derby Painters...

Sunday we had breakfast with friends at Trail Center and then continued up the Gunflint Trail to Gunflint Lodge on Gunflint Lake. Betsy, Tom, and Neil painted while the Trout Derby carried on nearby.

The Storm is Over and The Sun is Shining

We woke up to a wonderful sun. I documented the events from the warmth of the house with the photographs above of Betsy reveling in the sun while the horse just stands there,and Betsy shoveling out the truck as I just stand there.

Finally Got Our Snow...

In the middle of the night it finally started snowing. We got about six inches. Everywhere else in Minnesota got two feet. So it goes....David had to head for work at Portage, and Betsy worked in her art shack at home...

Preparing for Africa

We are preparing for a trip to Africa in May to visit Phil and Paige. I understand there may be animals I will want to take pictures of too...ha. It is a great opportunity and we are blessed.

We're going to get a bunch of shots in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I guess Canadians go to yellow fever places too.

Dog Sledding from Devil Track to Trail Center, Gunflint Trail...

Sunday Betsy, Kay, and David followed the dog sleds up the Gunflint Trail. It was the perfect winter day with snow and mild temperatures...and no wind...

It's Snowing...

Four inches so far and it's supposed to keep up for two days...let's hope...

check out www.naturalplaces.smugmug.com

Dinner by Ben and Anna

When we were at the Sara and Eric house Ben and Anna made sushi for us...Mom and Grandma were their assistants....

Visiting Kids in The Cities

It was 21 below in Grand Marais so we headed south to Minneapolis where it was warmer...only 18 below.
Anna and Benjamin braved the cold to go get a fish for their new fish bowl. It's name is yet to be determined but will likely be Nemo like every other fish in a bowl.

Aurora's Birthday Party and Cast Off...

We went to Aurora's birthday party on Tuesday January 30 in their new house...what fun....lots of Pizza and ice cream...and Aurora and friends.

On Wednesday Betsy got her cast off. She likes it that way.

We've Been Playing Music...

Had a little jam last night at the Playhouse. I guess that's why they call it the playhouse.

We will be posting our MP3 files somewhere else. Can't do it here. We'll keep you posted.

David

Casita Progresses with One Arm

Betsy gets her cast off in two or three weeks. Yes, she slipped on the ice a month or so ago and broke a wrist. She managed to get a lot done on the casita regardless, as you can see in the photo to come....

Africa Trip on Horizon

I guess we are going to Africa...
Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to East Africa.
Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to
determine which vaccines you will need.
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can
occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to
contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or
from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that
were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for
example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local
population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is
now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did
not receive the series as infants.
Malaria: your risk of malaria may be high in all countries in East Africa,
including cities. See your health care provider for a prescription
antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications,
see Malaria Information for Travelers to East Africa.
Meningococcal (meningitis) if you plan to visit countries in this region
that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through
June, (see see Map 4-9 on the Meningoccocal Disease page).
Rabies, pre-exposure vaccination, if you might have extensive unprotected
outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking,
or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.
Typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated
drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have
been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often
related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street
vendors
Yellow fever, a viral disease that occurs primarily in sub-Saharan Africa
and tropical South America, is transmitted to humans through the bite of
infected mosquitoes. The virus is also present in Panama and Trinidad and
Tobago. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to endemic
areas and may be required to cross certain international borders (For
country specific requirements, see Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and
Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country.). Vaccination
should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is
on-going risk.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time
dose of polio vaccine for adults.
Required Vaccinations
A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into
certain countries in East Africa. For detailed information, see Yellow Fever
Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by
Country. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.

Back from the Chihuahuan Desert

We just got back from New Mexico...we like the sunshine. Betsy had a Birthday party and I will have one soon.