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Homemade Ice Cream

Thursday evening Bob decided it was time for homemade ice cream for dessert.  Notice his clever way of turning a nonelectric ice cream freeze into an electric one!

Anyone who knows Bob will not be surprised that he turned a half-inch drill into something to power the freezer.

Before starting the ice cream they decided to invite Harvey and Loris Westrom.  They arrived before the ice cream was ready, so he used this wooden spoon to to keep the freezer turning so…

 …he could sit down and visit Harvey’s with the rest of us!  Bob has installed cabinets and done a lot of carpentry work for the Westrom’s.  He also has a deer stand at their property on Moose Lake.

 The ice cream was delicious.

The Family

Friday evening we all went to Bemidji for supper at a restaurant.  We were pleased that new parents, Jon and Jen (foreground) were able to join us.  Three-day-old Alisha slept the whole time. 

Saturday evening everyone was at Japheth and Aimee’s for supper, including Jesse, a family friend.

Following the Saturday evening meal we enjoyed visiting and singing.

Bees

Bees are Bob’s newest hobby.

He has had one hive for several years, and acquired three others last fall.  Bees for two of them arrived a few days before us.  Bees for the other two will arrive shortly.

Since the temperature is warmer the past two days, it is fun watching the activity at the hives.  Bob was watching them with binoculars and was amused to see some so full of pollen that they missed their landing on the hive and had to settle for the ground, catch their breath, and try again.

It has been so interesting watching the bees gather pollen from the Nanking Bush Cherry blossoms.

I

Notice the orange pollen in the sack of this bee’s leg.

Eagles

It is a real treat to see eagles soaring overhead – a sight we rarely see in Pennsylvania.

Squirrels

They are just like everywhere else – they take over the birdfeeders.

Doris opens the window at the sink to chase them down…

…they climb the tree and jump to the feeder…

… we chase them down – they climb the tree…

…and jump to the feeder again!  They will repeat this as long as we will.

Thursday, May 4

Today I will give you a view of some of the landscape around the Stauffer “Homestead” on the lake where we are staying for the week.  Thursday was a cold (mid-forties) and cloudy day. 

The dogs will most assuredly be your welcome committee, no matter which house you are entering or exiting.

A view of both houses from lakeside.  The closest house is Bob & Doris’ (Cerwin’s sister).  The next building is Japheth and Aimee’s (our nephew and his wife), and the most distant building is Bob’s woodshop.

The roadside view:  On the left is Bob’s shop and on the right is Japheth and Aimee’s house.  

The view of Bob & Doris’s house if you enter by vehicle.

My step-mother and Cerwin’s mom walking around the property.

Wednesday, May 3

A cool (high 40’s) cloudy day in north central Minnesota.

This is the view of Japheth and Aimee’s house (where we are sleeping) from the entrance door of Bob & Doris’ house.  Our schedule is to have a 7:30 AM breakfast with Bob and Doris (where our mothers are staying), then Bob and Cerwin are off on their duties for the day.  Bob is a master cabinetmaker.  Cerwin loves working alongside him and learning new tips for his work in building TFC chapels.  At 9:00 AM I go back to Japheth and Aimee’s to have “school” with the older children.

My path from Bob and Doris’ house to Japheth and Aimee’s. 

Yesterday I gave Jeremiah (age 3) and Japheth (age 4) magazines and a list of items to find.  Each list was different. 

After that we had “art” class, then took a field trip to see the new chicks. 

There are seventy-five.

Loraine (age 2) wasn’t comfortable coming to our room for “school” but was excited to go on our field trip.  We also looked for interesting things on the ground as we walked around a bit.  We found a worm, a dead frog, a piece of scrap plastic, and birch bark.

I went back to Bob and Doris’ for lunch and a relaxing afternoon.  Juanita (above) is a good artist, and I enjoyed watching her design a palm tree for a scrapbook of Haiti that she was finishing.

I enjoy watching the birds that come to the feeder on this dead tree, just outside their window.  There are lots of red-winged black birds, and just as I was focusing on this one, he spread his wing as if he was posing!

Praise the Lord

For a Safe Trip From Harrisburg, PA, to Bemidji, MN

Cerwin’s mother, me, and my step-mother enjoyed lunch at the Itasca Grille in the Minneapolis Airport.  Cerwin also had lunch!  He was behind the camera.

Our brother-in-law was our escort home from the airport, so we enjoyed a few interesting stops along the way – drop off countertops, pick up baby chicks, and visit a friend.  I know you will feel sorry for us, knowing the above scenery is what we have to look at for the next week, each time we sit down to eat with Bob and Doris (Cerwin’s sister) and their daughters Juanita and Judi!  I took this picture from their living room window.

After supper, Juanita asked if I was into walking.  Into walking?  I am always into walking!  We hadn’t gone very far until we met our nephew’s family coming toward us.  Japheth, Aimee, and their five children live next to Bob and Doris. (I know, you can only see four children, but the fifth one is tucked in a carrier sling under Amiee’s jacket. That is why she looks a bit lop-sided!)  Cerwin and I are sleeping at their house for the next week.  I am sitting on our bed – in their basement – as I make this entry.  How neat is that.  There is a phone jack next to the bed.  So you poor people will have to put up with my daily entries – even when I am away from home!

Now for the Real Highlight of the Day!

The Birth of Alisha Rose Stauffer

We had barely gotten off the plane in Bemidji when we were told Alisha was probably going to make her entrance that afternoon or evening – and the real reason Juanita and I were going for a two-mile walk.

Mamma Jen was so pleased to show us her beautiful little girl.

Alisha (sounds like A-lee-sha) was born at 5:20 PM, weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz. and is 20″ long.  A neat sideline is that she was born on her grandma Doris Stauffer’s birthday.  I took these pictures at 7:45 PM, so she is just over two hours old.  

The whole family – Jen, Alisha, and Jonathan.  Jonathan is our nephew and a brother to Juanita, Japheth, and Judi.

Pray for Us Today

As We Travel to

Bemidji, Minnesota!

 Cerwin and I are looking forward to spending the next week with his sister, her husband, and family.  Hopefully I will be able to post some pretty pictures from a new area.

We are traveling with Cerwin’s mother and my step mother, who enjoy this vacation with us about every two years.

I am not sure how often I will be able to have access to the Internet but will keep you updated as often as I can.

Excel in 

Faith

Speech

Knowledge

Earnestness

Love

And

In

Giving

2 Corinthians 8:7