Awesome October 2016

What an awesome October everyone in Wisconsin has enjoyed!  The fall colors were fabulous, the weather warm (for October) and just all-over fine.  Mark and Hilde enjoyed frequent trips to various lovely spots, like Lake Emily, Lake Sherwood, Horicon Wildlife Refuge, Hartman Creek, and a conservancy area by West Bend.  Wisconsin put on quite a show this year, not the most brilliant colors, but a slow segue from one highlight to another.

The garden is finally finished in Rudolph, with squashes and pumpkins gathered in and the last of the peppers and eggplants enjoyed.  All the fencing has been pulled out (this is major exercise), rolled up and the posts extracted from the heavy clay.  It has been fun sharing the squash and pumpkins with family and friends, plus baking up some of the special pumpkin recipes.  Harvest time is a wonderful time.  The only thing NOT so enjoyable is butchering chickens, but Mark and Hilde managed that on a chilly morning and now the freezers are packed with goodness.  The fall raspberries continued to yield sweetness through October, with no hard freeze!

With the fine weather, traveling was a pleasure and having people come to Rudolph was great.  Alana and Justin brought little Thomas to meet us, John and Evie came for a weekend and Mark and Hilde stuffed in a short visit to Sussex to see Jim, Kayme and their lively brood.  Rhiannon played Jesus Loves Me…she is doing so well at music and reading.  John and Evie’s visit surrounded the celebration of life for Evie’s grandfather, John Webb, who truly had a life to celebrate.  The memorial services were filled with musical talent from his descendants.

 

While Hilde was canning, jamming and baking up all the goodies, Mark was dealing with a different sort of harvest.  The First Law Group building was sold as of the end of October and the six partners met, discussed and finally decided their practices would work best in a new set-up.  The exact format, location and other details are still being worked on.   All Hilde asks is that last year’s lawsuit, which has gone up on appeal, does NOT result in another December in rural Iowa!

There was another happy addition to the clan as Hilde’s niece Rachel had a sweet little daughter named Elliana Rae.  Jim and Kayme’s Rowan turned FOUR in October---she is the most cuddly sweetheart, with a big smile.  Hope that your fall has been this much fun!