I am afraid that I am long overdue for an update. With the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, the old blog has been lost in the shuffle of life. I have a whole bunch of pictures to post too but I need to only post half now and the other half will have to be posted....someday!
It's hard to tell by looking at this, but that is a sleepy bat hanging upside down from one of the lights in our garage. I was too jumpy to get closer, but I liked the timing of this little guy! After all, Halloween is quickly approaching!
My brother-in-law, Greg, is the head football coach at West High School in Madison and one of their games was aired on television a few weeks ago, so I took pictures of Greg busy coaching his team. Unfortunately, they ended up losing this particular game, but they have won their past 2 games! Go Regents!
Our loving cats continue to brawl EVERY DAY.
Fanny decided to make herself comfortable in a large canning pot.
Very comfortable.
Mingo was very sad when I had to go back to school. He liked our daily morning jaunts.
My first day of school for the 2010-2011 school year.
When I do the next posting, I will be showing pictures from my cousin's beautiful wedding in Wausau. To finish this blog, I will post other pics from that weekend. Here, a gorgeous shot from a newer trail on my parents' property (taken 2 weeks ago. Dad informed me a couple days ago that most of the trees have now lost the majority of their leaves).
There were heavy rains in the northern and central parts of Wisconsin, causing flooding in some areas, including our very own creek on Timber Lane.
Oscar "hopping" with excitement.
Goofballs Lisa and Jojo hammin' in up in Rhinelander.
John, Mom, and Lisa
Mom walking from the house.
The color was at its peak that weekend...and it's just breathtaking being there.
Lisa
Jojo surveying the high, fast-flowing water next to the river by the papermill.
Those little specks at the end of the driveway are turkeys that were foraging for food.
Mom's red jacket perfectly matched the dramatic red maple leaf she found on the ground.
We were all quite taken with the plethora of mushrooms growing in and around the trails by my parents' house. It was like they were making their own bold statements in the face of nature and the impending cold....
Pine needles that had fallen from the trees above had actually pierced the top of the larger mushroom.
Mom and John
HOPEFULLY ANOTHER BLOG WILL BE DONE SOON! HOPE ALL IS WELL!
On a warm and sunny autumn day in September, my cousin Josh married his love, Hilary. The two had an absolutely beautiful ceremony and reception outside of Wausau, in the "foothills" of Rib Mountain. In this picture, Josh awaits his bride.
Josh is the son and youngest child of my Uncle Dave and Aunt Mary Pat. Uncle Dave, who is my mom's brother, is wearing the red tie in this great picture. My other uncle, Donnie, is standing on the opposite side with Mom in the middle. It was great to see my mom so happy with her kid brothers!
John and Lisa flank Aunt Mary Pat. Aunt Mary Pat was the best when we were growing up, because she loved to go to the beach at Crystal Lake (the one just outside of Arbor Vitae) and we all LOVED going with her!
Dave and Mary Pat's oldest child, Jenny, holds her youngest, Claire, in this photo with my mom. It was really, really nice seeing both her and Josh--I'm afraid the last time we saw each other was about 10 or 12 years ago!
Hilary and Josh saying their vows.
Lisa, John, Mom and Dad
A proud Uncle Dave congratulates his son.
This picture certainly doesn't do the view that we had justice--the colors were almost at their peak at this point in the season.
It was also really, really great to see my cousin, Mitch and his wife, Mary. Mitch is the son of my Uncle Jimmy, who passed away several years ago. Mitch is standing facing the camera and Mary is behind him in the blue.
Cake!
Jenny's baby, Claire
Lisa can't resist holding a baby!
Mitch and Mary
Uncle Donnie and Mom. I'd like to add that Uncle Donnie is also my...
...godfather! 
Bobby missed the ceremony, but arrived to celebrate with the family for the reception. He saved the day by temporarily fixing a loose headlight in Lisa's car.
Another very important event of this extremely busy weekend north was going to visit Ingrid, Craig and Soren in Homestead. This visit was actually the starting point of the weekend for me, as I drove there first on a very windy Friday afternoon. This picture was taken right outside of Lac du Flambeau...and is one of many breathtaking views on the drive from Ingrid's to Rhinelander.
Ingrid and Craig grew birdhouse squash this summer and have harvested and hung them in their barn for drying.
Soren showed me a new addition to Lil' Bavaria....
egg-laying chickens!
Thanks for having me over!
