Fall Vacation

Vacation can be as busy as a work day!  Going here, going there, meeting family, meeting friends, stopping by the old home place, hiking in the park!  So many things to fit into a day.  Of course, we are now on the vacation schedule - get up late, stay up late!  I write this overdue posting at 11:30pm after an amazing meal at Gary and Diana's.  Rain falls outside the window. Steady, cool, and very midwest-sounding.

Here are some quick pictures, for those of you who have been patiently waiting.  There are so many more!  I'll have to do a slide show or something.

We started our trip after landing in O'Hare, making the jaunt to Mother's house in Mattoon, Illinois, about a 3 hour drive south of the Windy City.  We arrived to join sister Sandy and husband Mark and dear George for a delicious Thanksgiving meal prepared by Mom.  Laughter, cards, and reunion made the night most memorable!  A family picture the next day, to have and to treasure.

After Mark and Sandy's Sunday departure, the four of us went for a walk in a pretty piece of property preserved by a sage woman and named in her honor: Douglas-Hare Preserve.  Learn more about this very nice place at Douglas-Hart

Yesterday, on a calm, cool temperatured afternoon, Mike and I explored the Upper Dells of Matthiessen State Park.  Walking down wooden stairs into the water-carved narrow canyon, we listened to water trickle along, ever grinding slowly through the rock as we balanced atop rocks, limbs and concrete rounds travering from pool to pool.  How did I miss this place of beauty and wonder?  Good grief.  It took many years and many miles for me to re-discover this neat little place.

Today we spent some time with a neat young man.  Meet Aiden, my kind of shy and very happy young nephew. Shown here with his "Na-Na", Grandma Linda.  He will be branching out into the big world next year - kindergarten!  He is a neat kid! 

The camera battery ran out of juice before I was able to download a picture of our very pretty and delicious meal shared with Gary and Di tonight.  I'll have to save for the next post!