Just Fine June 2015

Happily expanded Henkel family

June is the month of weddings, reunions, roses and gatherings.  Mark and Hilde had a wonderfully full schedule and some leisure time to enjoy, so this June was especially great.

Rowan and Rhiainnon snuggling at the wedding

The month started with Joel and Lisa Henkel’s wedding in Rice Lake, a happy gathering anytime, but this was first time since Thanksgiving that the Rudolph family was assembled in one place and first since the addition of Caleb.  Rhiannon and Rowan were good as gold at the church, loved the reception and managed to both dance with Daddy, with Alana and Justin and with Uncle John and Aunt Evie.  Mark and Hilde just enjoyed having all the loved ones assembled as the family expands again.

Day old chicks are so neat

June was also the month that Mark switched to working half-days for the summer….and he is liking it a lot, since there are many things around the place he has been itching to work on.  He has gotten the garden into very good shape, despite the relentless rains and soggy conditions, and tackled another big project:  planning and constructing a radon removal system for the lower level.  He spent a lot of time on it, but enjoyed the new hammer drill for cutting the concrete floor and the brick wall, and the system seems to be working.  Between that work, Mark constructed and installed a new door for the hen house, a screen door for the entrance to the workout room and cleared away another FULL pickup load of stuff to the dump.  Hilde mowed grass, weeded and mowed more grass. 

John, Evie, Genghis and Kubla came to visit mid-month when Evie tested for her third dan black belt.  Mark and Hilde were very proud of her speed break and sparring (and her instructor).   John and Evie did a demo form together in very nice synchronization and elegance…great to have John out there leading testing once more.  Evie’s folks, aunt, brother and friend stopped by to see her, so we got to see them too.  Life is so busy that visits with or from friends and family make for a special treat.  Hilde had the ladies from crafts out…all long time friends she enjoys so much.  It was fun attending the office picnic in Stevens Point, too.

Evie's speed hook break

June is a fruitful time, also.  Rudolph has a fine pick-your-own strawberry farm just 2 miles from the Henkel hilltop and Mark and Hilde went over two mornings to fill up on the great fruit.  The cherries ripened a week early this year and despite a strange malady of cherry trees, Mark and Hilde picked plenty of cherries for jam, soup and cherry crisp.  Hilde had several days of jam-making, leading to rows of beautiful jam jars in the cellar.  Both Mark and Hilde spent time ‘clucking’ over the new chicks, happy to have chickens after nearly a year.

The only downside for the month (besides the too frequent rains) involved some nastiness at the county level for Hilde.  Why do people complain about the federal level politicians and then try to be just that nasty at the local level?  However, two staff vacancies have been filled, so planning and interviewing for that is out of the way.  Ever the optimist, Hilde expects things to smooth out eventually.

Mark atop the ladder picking cherries

The month concluded with Mark’s 45^th reunion at Ripon College.  They had a great time visiting campus---Ripon is a beautiful college and town---and seeing folks, including his 3^rd cousin Larry and Larry’s new grandson.  In between the scheduled activities, there was time for lovely leisurely time various places on Green Lake.  While Mark and Hilde did get booked into a ‘vintage’ (meaning shabby retro!) room, they still had a fun time.

So June was just fine,  with family, friends, food and fun.  Just the way summer should be.

Ripon College Harwood Union