Bicycle Tour - "Northern Woods and Lakes"

We were in the farthest northern part of Wisconsin - Land o' Lakes, Eagle River, St. Germain, etc.

Loved it all!  Beautiful, fragrant forests; lakes, fun people, good food. Beautiful scenery. Bicycling on nice trails.  Sunshine.

         We met some lovely new friends.

By coincidence, it turned out that both of these women are physicians.  

This was farther south, in Madison, Wisconsin, on August 18.

On the way home, we visited New Glarus (also called Little Switzerland) and some other really fun places, including Galena, Ill.  Lots of history there.

And, since we were not all too far away, and we really didn't want to go home yet, we stopped off in one other place, and camped in 'our' campground.
It's becoming a summer tradition.

          Taking my bike for a leisurely ride around peaceful Old Nauvoo. What could be more fun.


       In addition, someone special had an important birthday, and it was a very happy day  /  week -

The actual birthday was on August 18 in Wisconsin, and I baked the cake later when we were back  home.   

           

Here I Am

 In Provo. Everything has worked out wonderfully, even better than I hoped it would.

                                                                                                                                                                   photo: angie

                 As their mama says - "strawberry, chocolate, vanilla".  All equally sweet

                                                We visited Anatevka, up at Sundance

and the Swissies celebrated Swiss National Day with their Provo cousins. Could they all be any cuter?

They're grand

Counting the hours until these two show up! They're arriving for their two-week Sommerfrische at Oma and Opa's.

the three of us, last year at our house

Each of our grandchildren truly is grand!  We love and miss them so much. They live too far away, and only the ones in N. Carolina live within driving distance. Skype does help a lot.
But I'll be seeing many of them this summer.  So happy about that.

Oh beautiful, for spacious skies

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, AMERICA!   I like you, and I'm impressed.   Visiting Abe Lincoln's this week has made me think, once again  -  about your history and your ideals.

Fifty-six granite steps (one for each year of his life) lead up to the memorial

Inside the memorial is a replica of the humble log cabin where he was born, on this land, the Sinking Spring Farm

When little Abraham was about three years old, the family moved a few miles down the road to this spot on Knob Creek.  The land has not been developed or changed , so it would have looked much like this when he played in these fields.

Knob Creek is quite dry right now.

                 To quote some of the words from a favorite song:

                          America! America!
                          God mend thine every flaw,
                          Confirm thy soul in self-control,
                          Thy liberty in law.

                   from:  "America the Beautiful"




                      

Happy Mother's Day To Our Daughters-in-law!

Today I'd like to pay tribute to each of our truly amazing daughters-in-law. The four who are moms are really wonderful mothers.
And the newest Ms. Charles will also be an outstanding mother when the time comes.

We appreciate each of you so much!  Thank you for being YOU.

Something I saved

         in Eichberg, probably 1986, when Steven was almost 12.

Finlandia!

Unfortunately the photo cut off some of the people at the left, including 1st violinist and our conductor and his wife.

Our little community orchestra gave a concert at the old Episcopalian church downtown. Sunlight streamed in through the stained glass.

It was so fun. Making music together in a group is a real joy.

In the middle of the night before, I woke up, suddenly realizing I was in over my head, had bitten off more than I could chew, and might well embarrass myself and the entire group. I wish  weren't sitting right up front! But I managed, with encouragement, and everyone else did so well!  We sounded great! Better than in the rehearsals.
The music was festive European music from the Classic / Romantic period. Started with 'Pomp and Circumstance', then two Elegical Melodies by Grieg, ('The Wounded Heart' and 'Last Spring'); then 'Peer Gynt Suite', and at the end, 'Finlandia' (which is one of John's favorites).

Celina had a wonderful time. She loves orchestra.

Special thanks to our conductor, Shawn Robinson, and his wife Stephanie. She sang 'Last Spring' in her beautiful mezzo-soprano. I confess I got tears a few times in rehearsal, it sounded so gorgeous.
Thanks also to John and to friends Jean B, and Jim and Alayne, and Pat and Rich for coming!

The Art of Letter Writing

The art of letter writing has not died out in the Charles clan. I'm so glad.

And evidently, neither have aerogrammes! (Are they still called that? The letters that are one sheet of paper, folded, with the address on the outside.) These two below arrived in the last few months.

After our family emigrated to Canada in the '50's, my mother sent aerogrammes to her sister back in Austria

Our Dad was a great letter - writer.  This is the oldest letter of his that we have, and it's from the early 1930's.  He's a university student, and he has just arrived in his rented room in Graz.  He's been on a walking vacation in Dalmatia, Albania, etc. and he writes twelve enthusiastic pages to his parents about his adventures.

Why do I like letters so much? Lots of reasons. Most of them sentimental.  Letters connect us.

           Growing up, family life was colorful, a little complicated, a little dramatic, with many interesting
twists and turns. Old letters to trusted relatives offer clues and happy memories and sometimes a totally new perspective; thanks to to those who cherished the letters enough to save them.  Franz's letter above was saved first by his parents, then by his sister, Tante Trude, and then by TT's daughter, our cousin, who recently gave it to us.  This particular one causes us to wonder, though:  Dad studied in the southern city of Graz? When? We always thought he went directly to Innsbruck to study medicine. Hmm... A new mystery for us siblings and cousins to discuss and try to solve....

Two Birthday Boys

Jean and LC, in Jean's room, to which he is pretty much confined at the moment due to some small strokes lately

We are celebrating two special birthdays today, on April 9, 2014!  For one, the age is 12. The other, 99.

Jean had a happy birthday. He received many phone calls from family, a visit from his physical therapist, and a visit from his and our friend, Roy, who sang a new country song he had composed just for this occasion, honoring and admiring Malcolm Jean Charles and his long life. It was the best part.  A joy.

In the evening, we had a party for LC at the very cute, old-fashioned roller skating place in the nearby town of Bloomfield. It's the Old Bloomfield Meeting House. The children and youth from the branch came, and it was a great time. Lots of fun.

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,  GRANDPA JEAN, AND LC!

May this new year of your lives be a happy, healthy and blessed one for you both, and your families.

              

Little brothers and baby sister were on roller skates, too

Skaters' Waltz

   D sent this pretty scene today from guess which European city?

       Hint:  I wouldn't be surprised if a waltz was playing over the loudspeaker (something like Donauwalzer
        or Wienerblut ) .