October 2023

Fall has fell... and it was a mild, colorful fall. The pumpkin crop was lean, but our garden did produce three pumpkins. 

Alice is not crazy about being cradled like a baby, but she lets Emily do it. If anyone else tries she'll bite your face off.

We got front row seats at a Rough Riders game! It's fun when players get body checked right up against the glass. Makes ya feel like you're part of the action. And we ducked every time a puck came flying our way. Reminds me of when me and my friends used to go to hockey games in high school.

Fall colors! We hiked around Palisades one morning as the sun was coming up, right at the peak of the bright foliage.

There were three eagles circling near us and I managed to get a shot of one.

"The warm October wind gusted strongly and great shades of light and shadow seemed to pass across the world."

Carving pumpkins!

Cynthia finished carving her pumpkin first. This was the only pumpkin from our garden that got carved.

My pumpkin:

Are they too old to be trick-or-treating?? 

You don't mess with Rick Grimes. CORAL!

It was a cold, windy Halloween and we only got 2 trick-or-treaters. Later that evening we burned our pumpkins as is our tradition at the end of Halloween.

And then the glass table they were on broke, but I had already put my camera away and missed it. Guess we'll be burning them on the patio next year!

Great Grandma Nodland

My great grandma, Anna Marie Nodland, lived to be 107 years old! She passed away in July 1999, having outlived everyone she grew up with. My great uncle Archie never married and he took over the farm after my great grandpa passed away. Archie cared for her and worked on the farm, expanding it over the years. I always looked forward to visiting them and Archie used to take me and my brother for rides on his tractors. He also used to let me drive his pickup by myself on the gravel driveway, which was a risky move on his part! I never hit anything, although, I did accidentally gun it too hard and spray gravel all over once.

Great Grandma Nodland cooked meals, baked pies, and always made us kringla. She insisted that everyone have seconds and seemed disappointed if we didn't eat everything on the table. Every time we visited it seemed she was always working and had to be convinced to sit down and take a break. Her mind was sharp and she rarely used a cane or walker until she was about 100. She passed away in her room in the home where she grew up.

Backyard Family Snapshot

This gem was likely taken in the spring of 1988, possibly on Easter. No idea who took this picture, but I like that we all had to face the sun and squint/shield our eyes/see spots for the rest of the day. The off-kilter camera angle is a trip, too. And look! The neighbors are building a deck.

Lego!

A Lego creation built to carry my Stomper on intergalactic missions. Circa 1985.

Moving to Schererville

This picture was snapped in my grandparent's driveway the first week of October 1986 when we moved to Schererville. We visited my Grandpa and Grandma Nodland in Ankeny that week. My grandparents took this picture early in the morning as we loaded into the car to go to our new house. Dave was almost 2 years old and Abby wasn't born yet. I still remember that entire day like it was yesterday. And I'm still not a morning person.