Turning For Home...

This is the view from our camper at our overnight stop.

We pulled into D & W Lake RV Park in Champaign, IL our first night moving

south. Although it's not far off Interstate 57, it's very quiet and peaceful. We stayed

here previously, and it's such a nice place that we looked forward to returning.

When we make single-night stops, we keep the truck and Flying Cloud hooked up.

Because most of Illinois (at least around the Interstate) is flat, this plan works well.

As Handsome made camp for us, I took Tag for a little walk along the lake.

The wind rustled through the cattails and the sun shone like a warm welcome.

We walked in clover and thanked God (and Handsome) for another safe day of driving.

Tag is the greatest "traveling dog", but I think he was happy to

be out of the truck, snuffling in the grass...and getting his dinner!

Hump Day, and we should make it more than half way home today.

It's so much fun traveling in our comfy home-away-from-home, but

Handsome, Tag and I will be happy to sleep in our "big" bed soon.

There's no rush, so we may yet take a little side trip. We'll decide 

along the way, and I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Thanks, as always, for traveling with us. We enjoy having the company!

Tuesdays With Tag - In Search of The Faeries of Breezy Hill...

 Hi, Everybody!!!

I'm so excited. I finally get to tell you about my biggest adventure 

 since comin' to the Wisconsin campground. There's magic afoot here!

 

 You might remember that I've been spendin' as much time as I can with

these two young ladies. (They're my our granddaughters.) When last I

saw them, The Little Redhead said, "Did you know that I adore you?"

 Me? Can you believe that she adores me???

You do know that I'll take all the adoration I can get. Non-stop.

Well, these adorin' grandchildren shared a book with me recently.

 It's called "How To Find Flower Fairies".

(I prefer the Ancient Corgish spelling, "Faeries" myself.)

 Inside its pages are lots of pop-ups and flaps...and so much information

that children should know about locatin' Faeries. They could be Treetop or

Forest Faeries or Meadow Faeries, or Faeries from many other places. 

They're actually all around us, if we just take the time to look for them.

Now, while youngsters might need special teachin', this is a talent 

that has always come naturally to their magical Faerie steeds, the Corgis.

I suggested that Mom bring along her camera for a day in the campground

because I had noticed that there were very unique Faerie formations here.

 This is the first location that caught my attention. I had to check it out. It's

 actually in the tree that has our number marker for our campsight, and I

 seem to remember ancient lore regarding Faerie affinity for locations with

 ready-made addresses. (That way they can send Faerie dust to each other.)

 You'll notice that there are hidden spaces behind this front facade. I think

it's a doorway. I could smell that there had been Faeries here recently. 

Maybe this is where Faeries gather for their weekly or monthly 

councils to plan rabbit trainin' schedules or perhaps who will be feedin' 

the birds for the upcoming moon cycles? It's been a long while since any 

Corgi has attended any such meetin' so I can only imagine these things.

 I did notice a gnome rootin' around the base of one of the trees. He seemed like a friendly enough sort, but he was all tight-lipped when  I approached him on the subject of local Faeries. He just smiled and sent me on my way. (Gnomes are just harmless troublemakers anyhow.)

 I happened upon a baby rabbit, too. Man, I wanted to chase him somethin'
fierce, but I kept my cool and turned my thoughts to more pressin' matters.
I did make a note of his whereabouts for future reference, though.

 Sometimes, you just have to get real quiet and move into "stealth mode".
(Can you see me? Right. I didn't think so.)

Faeries have very sensitive hearin', but so do Corgis. We don't miss
much, unless it's on purpose, of course. Then we can be deaf as
doornails! (It's called "selective hearing" in some circles.)

 Heh, heh. Here I am. No time to goof off. Gotta keep my nose
down because I'm gettin' all itchy. My "Faerie sense" is kickin' in.

 Oh, boy! Look what I found.
A tiny warren of enchanted baby bunnies!!! They froze up when they saw 
me and didn't move a muscle. Obviously, they weren't any help either.

 What's this?
"Hey, Mom. Check this out. I think we just missed 'em."

 I found evidence of a Faerie, obviously a hard worker, too.

This one has been collectin' acorns and clover blossoms.

Did you know that if you pull apart a clover blossom and suck on the ends
 of the flower closest to the bud, it's sweet and syrupy? Yup. I'm not kiddin'.
Mom used to do it when she was a kid. She knew Faerie secrets way back then!

I just bet this Faerie is collectin' clovers to make a natural sweetener for
 their chicory or dandelion teas. They might even drink lemon grass tea! I
wonder what he or she is gonna put in that empty bucket. What do you think?

One thing I was sure of though...we're gettin' real close to findin' a Faerie.

 Then, I turned around to the next tree and look what I found. Tucked into a soft bed of moss and grasses - and hidden in the shade of flowerin' air plants -  I sneaked upon the sweetest, teeny, tiny sleepin' face. I nearly missed it! Shhhhhhh. Be very quiet.  We don't want to disturb this little one. It's a Faerie baby!

 The baby was restin' on a pillow of clovers with a headboard of weathered 

oak leaves. The Faeries left a Lady Bug to guard the little one while they work.

Lady Bugs are very vigilant and, in case of danger, they fly away to alert the

 Faeries to return quickly. I bet you didn't know they make the best of nannies.

She knew that I would neither wake the child, nor harm it, so we were able

to sit and admire her precious charge for a little while and then quietly leave.

 So, there you have my very special story this week of my adventures in search of the "Faeries of Breezy Hill". If you keep your eyes open, you  can see their little lanterns twinkle in the moonlight just like lightning bugs!   We'll return again next year to continue our search. I'm sure the Lady Bug  will tell the Faeries that I was gentle and respectful this year. Perhaps the  next time I'm here, they'll come out to visit with me. I'm sure hopin' so.    Maybe, I''ll even be allowed to act as their trusted steed one full, moonlit night, just like the Corgis of ancient days. That would be an honor, indeed.   We're leavin' Wisconsin tomorrow to start back home. Next week, I'll tell you how our trip went and then settle back into my regular routine. I know. Lyin' around, swimmin' and chasin' lizards isn't exactly glamorous, but it's the life I love and I'm anxious to get back to it. 'til next week... "Wag Like Ya Mean It!"

A Last Wisconsin Weekend...

Me with my BFF Lee

This past weekend was a whirlwind of family gatherings. It seems that as we

near the end of our time here, our dance cards fill more quickly. So it was on

Saturday and Sunday. My weekend began with coffee and conversation with
my BFF Lee. We never really get enough time together on these trips. Ever.

Precious moments with our granddaughters

Then, I was off to a lunch date with our younger daughter-in-love and our two
fun and beautiful granddaughters. We ate at one of their favorite local restaurants
and then walked around town a bit to find a few things I needed to get as gifts.

I always enjoy talking with our girls and getting caught up on their lives...
and listening to their storytelling is always enlightening and amusing.

Adults: L-r: Josh, Johanna, Eli, me, Nathaniel, Chelsea, Aaron and Amanda (and the kidlets)

Saturday ended with a drive to Beaver Dam, WI to meet my Aunt Eli, her

three grown children and their families. My cousins are just the best, and 

all of us laughed over an Italian dinner and Eli's special touch for my cousin,

Nate's Birthday celebration. (That's him peeking over my shoulder.)

Nate with the kidlets wearing famous masks

She made face masks of famous people who share his Birthdate...and then
his nieces and nephews held them up to surprise him. (For this party, there
were Kevin Spacey, Sandra Bullock and Mick Jagger masks. Oh, boy!)

Goodness, I remember how much fun it was to be thirty one, and now he'll

have a year to enjoy it for himself. It was hard to end the evening to head home.

Me with my niece, Keeley

  Sunday began with lunch with my niece, Keeley and her grandma Sally.   Sally was kind and generous enough to offer one of her cars to me to use the entire time we were in Wisconsin. Aunty Margaret followed me over to Sally's so that I could return her car today. We visited over a lovely Waldorf salad lunch, and, after hugs and goodbyes, Aunty Margaret brought me back to the Flying  Cloud to find Handsome had returned from making circus music the wilds of  Nebraska. (He attended the summer Windjammers Convention all last week.)

Son #1, our lovely daughter-in-love and grandson - and me with Handsome (being serious) :D

Handsome and I spent a few hours catching up on the events of the week, and then we jumped back in our chariot to meet Son #1 and his family for dinner.   I've gotten really good at asking complete and total strangers to take my camera   and (after a quick lesson in its operation) getting them to snap really great memories for our album. Of course, there is usually silliness involved and this one was no exception. After hugs and kisses and promises to see each other again soon, we parted company and headed to our own homes for another good night's sleep.   Today, we'll be packing and preparing to leave Wisconsin. I've loved every  new memory we created with our friends and loved ones we saw on this trip.    Still, there never seems to be quite enough time. I can think of more than a few people we had hoped to see before we leave again, but missed. They'll be at the top of our list for the next time we're here. And, they're always welcome to travel south when the weather gets too cold for them. Until next year, loved ones...   We'll leave early tomorrow morning and turn for Florida. I have lots to do today, though before we're ready...starting with laundry. (I'll be trying my new homemade laundry soap!) I'd better get after it!