June-Rushed, Wet and Fun

This June started tense and rushed as Mark was cramming three years of another attorney's trial prep and depositions to start a month-long trial in Idaho! Since Hilde was going with him, lots of planning went into care of animals, gardens, meetings and things for such a long stretch. But, after enduring flight and car arrangements with three separate delays, they arrived in Twin Falls and settled in...for two days! The Shoshone Falls were beautiful but a month would have been a very long time. The case settled even as the jury selection proceeded and we packed up and gratefully came home again to enjoy June in Wisconsin.

The return was in time to have both Mark and Hilde attend the world premiere of Grandmaster Robert Stevens' seminar for high-ranking black belts on taekwondo mastery and leadership. We also got to practice weapons defense, leading to this Henkel tangle, since John joined us for the seminar and stayed over to Sunday.
The entire month of June set records for rain and challenged everyone to keep up with rapidly sprouting weeds and lawns in the brief drier moments. Hilde spent a lot of time mowing, but the flowers and gardens are extremely green and lush from the rain.

Mid-month was a little tense when Jim called to tell us Kayme had a car accident totaling their car. Thank God she and the baby were protected (the two cars hit the passenger side), and the 'eastern Henkels' have acquired another car, bruises faded and all okay. That same week a long-time friend, Dale Termunde, died in Illinois. Mark and Hilde struggled to get to the Saturday morning funeral but drove partway Friday night, watched all the storm warnings for Chicago, then arrived after things subsided and most of the power back on.

With the time freed up from the Idaho case, Mark decided to take vacation, domestic vacation, and took off the final week of the month. The weather settled down after one final blow and 2 more inches of rain on the 25th, so it has been fine and delightful for working in the garden, picking luscious raspberries, and, for Mark, enjoying fine propagation and time on his radio. Attending Mark's 40th Ripon college reunion was really special this year as Hilde and Mark visited the park where they first met, the Little Corporal for breakfast and happily walked all over Ripon. After the main dinner, they drove to Green Lake and watched fireworks out over the water just before a golden full moon slid over the horizon...blissful!
And, to finish off the month, we finally had our yucca blossom. We have loved those things since our stay at Ft. Hood in 1972, now we have one here in Rudolph!