Field Trip Friday – Eagles, Water, Trees, and Family

Last week’s Field Trip Friday took us about 18 eagles away from home.  We took a long drive to a national forest in northeastern Wisconsin.  Gr8 and my brother were with us, or rather, we were with them . . .

Rather than count miles, I counted eagles.  That makes the trip much more interesting and relaxing.

One over head, two catching a breeze, three diving into a cornfield, etc.  Oops!  Do you see the sheep?  How many are there? OMG there’s a goat climbing on top of that sign.  It’s a real goat! 

I was driving so I couldn’t shoot pix.

That’s how the drive went.  Finally we arrived here: dense, fragrant, beautiful!

 

My brother had business nearby and we kept him company for the journey.   Why not, eh?  The forest is beautiful, with little towns tucked in under the trees.   Not kidding really.  In the town we were closest to, we could drive down a tree-laden street and it would just end because of forest.  The forest is thick there!  I giggled down every street.

It rained part of the time we were there so of course GN and I spent much of our time at the forest water hole:

That worked out well anyway because my brother needed the car during the day for his business.   Let it rain!  We all brought books to read by the pool.  I had knitting along too.  GN brought cards and we all played King’s Corner and became one with our swimsuits. 

Here’s where Gr8, GN and I played cards:

Later in the evening, the rain let up and we went out to eat and then to a street dance in town.

 

Goodnight hugged a bear.

 

We found the city park and walked lazily by the river that flows through the forest.

 

It was a lovely and relaxing getaway.  Fun to do it with family.  I’m a Smalltownville girl and smalltownville in the forest is very enticing! 

On our way back home, we came near the little hamlet where my mother was born.  She actually doesn’t remember it because after she was born, her family moved to another location.  But we zipped off the road to see if the barn was still standing.  The house where Gr8 was born has been gone for a long time, but the barn was still there.  It’s had a face lift in parts, but on the right side – it shows its age.

 

I’m glad we drove by the barn for Gr8 to see again.  Who knows . . . eh?  She nearly didn’t make it the day she was born.  The cord was wrapped around her neck and someone had to run for the doctor.  Those were the days of house calls by wagon or on foot.  We’re all glad the doctor made it!

This week Field Trip Friday will find us closer to home at a family water park.  We stopped at oour local grocery store last night and Checkout Angel was working.  Goodnight told her what we were doing and CA invited herself along.  Why not?  She’s a peach and I have room in my car.

 

So, the old Gram, the college aged checkout girl and the granddaughter will catch some little waves and rays here tomorrow:

 

In the meantime, however, I have to check off another chore on my summer Grammy-Do list or I don’t get to play . . . .  Could someone burst that reality bubble please?  

Okay, wash the windows it is . . . .

Technology Tuesday – GN’s Assignment

I absolutely love seeing the world through Goodnight’s eyes and the best way to do that is to give her the opportunity.  I am almost always surprised, but I come away feeling younger too.

Case in point:

Our Grammy Summer School continues this week after her V-ball camp last week. (and field trip that took us further away from home)

Tuesday is our technology day and I am giving Goodnight some computer assignments that will help her take full advantage of software and use it creatively in combination with other softwares.  I hope she has fun in the process, though.

Now I am not a guru by any means, but I can do a few things that she can’t so I want her to see potential, that’s all, I guess.

So for this week, Goodnight’s assignment was to create a PowerPoint presentation for me.  It was to have four slides and it was supposed to resemble a four-frame cartoon.  She was also to use the Paint program somehow, save the file and then use it in the ppt. show.  I even got up early in the morning to do my Grammy teacher prep and I prepared an example for her, but told her she had a lot of latitude with the assignment.

Much giggling ensued as I showed her my four slide show and she must have already had her cogs churning.

She took over the computer and I left her to her own devices.

She laughed, giggled, snorted, and had a great time doing her deed and I must say that I enjoyed her from afar just for the sound effects!

She asked me for our recent the county fair photo file and kept working.

In less than a half hour, she was finished and ready to show me.  I loved it!  And understood completely where all the giggling came from.  It was cute.

She inserted thought bubbles and everything!

Frame 1:

Frame 2:

Frame 3:

Frame 4:

 

I thought it was hilarious – my fire-breathing, corn dog burning Goodnight!  I probably shouldn’t have turned the Mt. Rushmore faces into a milk commercial as my example . . . milk mustaches for all – even the Gram and a much younger Goodnight standing in front of them in the pouring rain.  Oh well, no one will see my cartoon.