Saturday, November 25, 2017

Thanksgiving Weekend - 2017

The legacy thanks and the current thanks....it's all been good.  We had two of the girls home, Hanna was home a few short weeks ago and just knowing that Ben is back from Kuwait and now in Texas is good enough for us.  So many things, so many of them good with nothing that we have to or will complain about and more than that, a holiday to remind us to take none of it for granted.

Black Friday....my holiday shopping expenditures for the day; 1.8 gallons of gas, biscuits/gravy in Nelson, 2 cups of coffee and a Pulled Pork sandwich from the Blue Coconut BBQ vendor.

120 very pleasant miles.

 
Lost Creek Road.....


Elberg Hill Road...the Mississippi River in the furthest valley.


Hunter On The Cliff....quite the deer stand. His orange stood out a lot more yesterday than in this photo.


One of 5 water crossings on one of my favorite Wisconsin Rustic Roads.  To the guy on the bagger that I met at my last/your first crossing.....you are a manly man!!  The water had been higher and every water run had patches of ice on the entry and exit.


I regularly listen to the farm reports and this week heard, "....95% of the MN corn crop harvested...".  That might be true statewide but definitely not true in our area.  The season got late and crops have been slow to mature; grain dryers are steaming everywhere getting the corn down to the mid-teens in moisture percentage.   There is a LOT still standing.


A fabulous day for all, an amazing day for riding and I was far from alone on the bike.  As lovely as the day had been, the sky almost cloudless, I honestly enjoyed the late afternoon dark and November-like grey more.  The sun gone, still 61 degrees.



 No sun and much more appropriate for this time of year. ;)


It DID rain, somewhat threatening our evening plans for Red Wing's Holiday Stroll, but it happened and very successfully.  Peg not feeling well and Lauren working, I started the evening on my own.  It was still lightly raining when I got out of the car at 4:45 though the skies were clearing and the radar definitely looking hopeful.


The sky brighter to the west....


Just in time, a peek of sunshine illuminated the very top of Barn Bluff.




Lined up at the Sheldon Theater to get a photo with Santa....


Some lambs in the Cornerstone Community Church.








This is a very good place to spend time, any time, in November.  I passed it dozens of times all evening and not once did I enter, that for one and only one reason....the line only got longer.  Speaking of dozens.....







 Santa was busy on the Sheldon stage....











Divas Through The Decades...











I waved at mom.....




 After the parade as everyone was Strolling back to their cars and homes....








Today (Saturday) we harvested this year's centerpiece....


I very sincerely hope that your holiday weekend was grand.