Monday, August 27, 2007

Groundhog Day!

I cannot include my grainy, out of focus groundhog photo, so you'll have to take my word for it: I really, really did see a furry, brown, mammal and it was either a groundhog or a woodchuck or are they one and the same?

I love Wisconsin! Our flight was scary bumpy quick and Minneapolis was great (a little too great... I hate to think I would live there, since that was an experiment that we attempted once before.) We had a wonderful dinner at a friend's house, and then we made the sort of long and always scenic drive to Madison. Oh joy. It is so delightful to be surrounded by green and quiet and lovely, and family, beauty and quaintness and tamale pie...

We have done very little in terms of sight-seeing, which I think is wonderful. We have been walking in town and down to the rain swollen creek, which is a short walk, since the water reaches the shed. We missed the parched summer and we missed the flooding rains, and we came in time for mosquitos. Too bad about mosquitos, but everything else is grand, like watching Maria and her cousin Jordan play restaurant together, and seeing another of Grandma Nancy's amazing Impressionist quilts in progress. Everyone is well and treating us to homecooked meals and family news, history too. Do you know what a hair wreath is? I am going to invite Phil or Carol to submit a guest post on Chickenblog about John Brown and the Secret 6!

A new storm is blowing in. The sky is dark and I hear thunder. I know everyone here has had their fill of rainstorms, but for us a storm would be a treat. Thunder and lightning are so rare where we come from... (except for our furry animals, I hardly remember Garage Mahal... we should just buy the house down the street and send for our stuff.)

How frazzled was I when we left? Well, I hope you haven't tried calling us, here or at home. I packed our house phone!! And I left my cell phone charger in California. Great, big, huge DUH. Vacation came just in time, but I am afraid it will end too soon. We hope we can picnic today, after the storm, and we want to go to Madison, maybe Mineral Point. We may see Sophie play in the band at Friday's high school football game.

ooooh... more thunder! closer! I love the way it makes me shudder.

Time to go out to the porch and watch the rain. Then we are off to the Piggly Wiggly, maybe to The Quilt Shop...

6 comments:

nikkipolani said...

Your post reminds me of a visit some years ago to Wisconsin (Knapp) and how the lightning flashed and flashed and no one missed a beat when a "storm watch" was announced. My friend's grandma had made a peach pie and everyone had it with a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream as we watched the storm in the distance.

Tracy said...

You sounds so happy, Natalie! So glad you all are having a wonderful time! I must say though, I don't miss those thunder & lightening-filled storms of summer from back home there...yikes! Happy Days ((HUGS)) :o)

Gretchen said...

How wonderful! I'd love to hear thunder, see lightning, and watch rain from the porch.

Tami @ Lemon Tree Tales said...

Yes thunder and a little storm are certainly novelties to those of us who hail from Cali. :-) Sounds like you're having a blast! And to celebrate your adventure I've given you a Nice Matters Award today. Enjoy!

Anna Banana said...

Hi there,
Nice to see your post! So funny about your phone (sorry). Can you email me the VA address of our friends? I've been carrying around a card for a week, meaning to hand deliver it and now it's too late. SYLA.

Tarie said...

Sounds like you guys had a lovely time, in a lovely place, and with lovely people. :) Well, lovely families deserve lovely times. :) I am happy for you!