Summer Trip With My Sister

My sister and I took a driving trip this summer from Kentucky through Iowa and South Dakota and into Wyoming.  We were on the road for 17 days, and we had a blast!  She and I lived in South Dakota as girls, and it was great to go back to see some of the places we live, some relatives and we were also able to attend a school reunion for the last school we attended in South Dakota before moving to California.

Heading out on our adventure

My picture with Frank Fritz from American Pickers - supper nice man.

We visited Antique Archaeology from the American Pickers TV show in Le Claire, Iowa

We visited places where both our ancestors and our family once lived, and went to an all school reunion for Sinai, SD that was held in Brookings, SD.  It was great to see classmates from so many years ago!

Chruch where our parents married in Woonsocket, SD - We swan in this lake with our cousins many times as kids.

Falls Park - Big Sioux River and falls in Sioux Falls, SD where we both were born.

Rainbow after storm passed in the Badlands, South Dakota

We had a wonderful time at Mount Rushmore - spectacular!

My sister at dinner in Wyoming town.

There is a 1.3 mile trail that circles Devils Tower in Wyoming - easy hike.

In Kentucky for the Summer

We have been back a week, and since the cottage sits empty seven months, there is always a lot of cleanup.

I amended soil in three beds, planted Zinnia seeds in one, perennials in one and my annual herb garden in another. The herbs seem to like their new home.

I touched up the paint on the back porch, we added the furniture and cushions, and hung an old window for interest. Ready for evening back porch sitting. 

Beauty Close to Home

We were going to take a trip down to Anza Borrego to see the wildflowers, but that trip fell through.  Instead, we decided to go on a hike at Diamond Valley Lake right in our own "backyard".  My sister, Jodi, and I ended up being the only two who went on the hike, but it was a beautiful day and we had a great time.

We were a couple weeks late to see the California Poppies at their peak, but they were beautiful non the less.

We picked up a brochure at the Visitor Center that had pictures of all the different wildflowers with their description.

The lake is actually a water reservoir that was built several years ago.  Boating is allowed, but swimming is not allowed.

Happy Valentine's Day

I made Valentine's cards using vintage lace & fabric scraps, blank cards, card stock and a heart stamp with gold ink.  I sent them to my three sisters and my niece.

Visiting My Sister in Hollywood

I visited my sister in Hollywood over the MLK weekend.  We had planned to go to the Griffith Observatory, but there wasn't any parking even remotely close so we ended up going to the movies. We saw "Hidden Figures", and it was a great movie.  We shopped the local shops in Los Feliz, and had lunch at Fred's 62.

Sunday afternoon we went to Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House in Hollywood for a nice tour. We had been a few years ago, but since then there has been remodeling to take it back to the original 1920's state.  Photographs were not allowed inside, but it was beautiful.  Afterward, we drove over to Glendale to the Americana and had lunch in a cute bakery/restaurant.

Pallas

Pam

On the drive over to Glendale, I noticed this cute shop in a truck, parked and open for business.