We're back!

First off, I have to share this photo of my sister's furkids, Rose and Annie. Aren't they adorable! You don't know how difficult it was to get this shot. They are constantly in motion. My BIL is in the background on pooper scooper duty.

My sister has a lovely lake front home. DS9 loved swimming and DS12 caught a nice bass, right off the dock. We enjoyed a tasty dinner of fried Walleye from Canadian waters. YUM! We can't get good Canadian lake fish here in southern Wisconsin.

At my parent's home, we saw Blue jays, various woodpeckers and deer eating at Grandpa's apple tree. Half of their home is made up of two story windows so the view into the woods is beautiful. I also sat outside in the screen tent, listening to the wind rustle the leaves all day while DS12 was on Cloud 9 firing Grandpa's pellet gun. He has great aim, and he honored my request to shoot pop cans not squirrels or birds!

My one wildlife complaint is not actually about the mosquitoes. I had DEET to defend me. The real insect villain of the north are Deer Flies!!! Within seconds of exiting our car one flew up my shorts and bit the back of my leg. It felt like a bee sting and the pain wouldn't go away. I soaked in the cool waters of the lake and it felt a little better, but later the itch was insane. They also got my toe, (which now feels like it should be amputated) and my ankles, which are scratched raw. Deer Flies are another reason why I live in southern Wisconsin farmland and not the northern woods.

We had our share of leeches hitching a nutritious ride, but they aren't that bad. I'd take them over Deer Flies any day! They were small, not like Amazon jungle leeches or Humphrey Bogart leeches in the movie African Queen. Little lake leeches are harmless. You just have to check between your toes once you are done swimming! They make good bait too!

We spent a little time at the county fair. Personally, I see and smell enough Holsteins right here in Heavensville, but we did get to see furry chickens. I swear their white feathers looked just like fur. They resembled kittens more so than chickens. The "Dress a Goat" contest was fun and the boys climbed the fire tower with DH. (I can't make it past the tops of the trees before my fear of heights kicks in.)

My mom fattened me up with the best chocolaty brownies I've ever eaten, Swedish chocolate cookies, hash brown cheesy potato casserole, fresh made Belgian waffles every morning and ice cream cake. As I said goodbye this morning she handed me a chocolate bar for the road, I kid you not!  I won't tell you about the fry bread at the fair and my dad treating us to more fried Walleye at the bar down the road. I can't live there. Tomorrow morning its back to reality.

We saw Dragon Boat races, shopped sidewalk sales, watched Boomerang, climbed a fake giant boulder at the park, picked buckets of raspberries, saw the Mummy movie and taught Mormor how to blog on Multiply- HI MOM!

I'm ready for bed!