Going back to our anniversary trip last fall, we left the U.P. and headed back into Wisconsin. 

We stopped at a beautiful waterfall. 

It was a beautiful cool day for a hike to the falls, and the colors were simply awesome!

Here are some photos of the once up and running open pit iron ore mine.  This mine is where my great grandfather worked up until it closed and just prior to it closing up fully he and my great grandmother along with their children moved to Illinois.  

The very sad thing is that my great grandmother Anna passed away shortly after moving down to Illinois. Unfortunately my two great aunts my grandfathers sisters talked my great grandfather into transporting her back up to Republic Michigan to be buried, but when my great grandfather passed away no one could afford to have his body transported to Republic so he is buried in Illinois. At least that is the story I recall hearing as to why he wasn’t buried next to his wife and young son. 

Family history is so fascinating to me and I never tire hearing stories about my ancestors. 

Finally after a few years of wanting to get here, I made it.  We had no idea where to begin looking for the gravesite. Jim went one way and I went another. I headed towards what I thought was an older section, eventually Jim ended up in the section I was searching and the next thing I knew he was yelling for me to come, he had found it.

I was quite surprised to see that my grandfathers brother who had passed away as a young child had a headstone.  My grandfathers mother Anna whose grave we were at had passed away 11 years after her young son had passed.  I’m not sure I had ever heard how he died or maybe I didn’t hear because no one knew or just didn’t talk about it.  Not sure if this was intended to be a family plot area, as my grandfathers sister and her husband are buried there as well.  Anna’s husband my great-grandfather is buried down in Illinois.

We noticed the writing on the stones was hard to read so I took my toothbrush and scrubbed them. Had to get a new tooth brush at our next stop. 

Some random shots of South Republic.

This museum unfortunately was not open when we stopped, guess we’ll have to go back.

This area has fascinated me for a long time, as I had a grandfather who worked in a copper mine in Hancock Michigan and my great grandfather who was married to my great grandmother whose grave we went to see worked in the iron ore mine here in Republic Michigan. 

This was by far for me the highlight of the trip, and more on the open pit mine later, I still have a lot more of this trip to share. 

After leaving Eagle River we were on our way to Republic Michigan where my great grandmother is buried. 

It was a rainy dreary day as we left Wisconsin and entered Michigan.

The colors were not totally at their peak yet, but pretty all the same.

We found Republic Michigan, but the wrong Republic, we found South Rebublic, which apparently is the “new” Republic because they moved the town, only we could do that especially when I was telling him where to go...duh!  A post on South Republic will be next.

Anyway, this was the Republic we wanted, where the cemetery is.  It definitely is not the biggest of towns, but we had to ask someone where the cemetery was.

Not much was happening in Republic Michigan this day.  There was a nice campground here in town and maybe someday Jim and I will be back and camp there. 

Jim and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary at the end of September, so we decided to take a road trip.  I had been wanting to go and see my great grandmother’s grave which is about 6 hours away in Upper Michigan, so we decided to add it as a stop on our trip.  We headed to Northern Wisconsin and made a loop from there and ended up in Door County Wisconsin to end our trip.   

Our first stop was Eagle River, Wisconsin. We stayed in a cute lodge style hotel, which was very quiet as it was off season in Eagle River for any tourists visiting, and it was on a lake and Jim wanted to do some musky fishing so he just had to only cast his line off one of the docks there.

Jim went one morning with a guide to do some musky fishing on a boat, and while he was off fishing I took a drive and found this cute yarn shop.  I ended up talking to the owner and another customer who was actually there knitting for quite awhile.  It was a good thing hubby wasn’t waiting in the car while I shopped.  I did end up buying some yarn and a pattern, which I can’t wait to start.

I stopped on my on my way back to the hotel at the cutest restaurant and had a cup of chili and a sandwich.  

Our first stop was so much fun and the rest of the trip was just as fun. 

Wow, I've been MIA for a long time.  It's been so busy crazy here and it's not going to let up anytime soon.  So, I'll try to catch you all up here and I hope I don't overload you with too many photos.

Before the girls came, Mr left to go to Illinois to go see the Cubs play down in Wrigley Field.  I stayed home to get ready for the girls.  I had found a book awhile back 101 fabulous Small Quilts at JoAnn fabrics and have been itching to make something from it.

After finishing up my cleaning I went down to the sewing room and made this small mat which is reversible.

The mat was made from the scraps leftover from my first bargello ever.

We recently celebrated our anniversary and spent the afternoon in Dubuque Iowa, and the drive on the way out there was beautiful.  We visited the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium and had a wonderful dinner afterwards.

The colors have been just beautiful this fall. 

Our neighbor invited us on their annual 4 wheeling/ATV trip.  The weather was awesome.

Fall/Autumn in the Ocooch mountains has been just wonderful this year.

Too much to show you and too busy to post.

I married the most wonderful amazing man who....

ate whatever I put on the table at suppertime,

 I never really had to ask to change a diaper when the kids were little, all he had to do was just smell :)

made sure we always had food and clothing,

never thought doing "woman's" work was not beneath him,

has the same/similar hopes and dreams as I do,

put up with a crazy me,

loved his family and accepts us for who we are,

 is definitely not the same man I married 35 years ago...he's better!!!

I love you Mr!

Happy Anniversary!

Wow, we had a wonderful anniversary.  It started out with me making pancakes, served with local bacon and our maple syrup.

We took a drive down to Galena Illinois.

We window shopped, went into shops, tho I had nothing in mind to buy so I didn't.  We visited a museum, which I will post about later.  I'll give you a hint in the photo below.

We had a delicious lunch in a cute cafe.  It was a busy weekend there and so many people were on motorcycles.

Thanks for the anniversary wishes.  We are so blessed!

Today my husband and I celebrate another year of marriage.  So much has happened since that day we said "I do".  The memories are much like this reflection of the colorful mountain.  They are there, like this reflection, you can see them, but there are so many that they tend to blend together.  I don't mean that in a bad way, I mean that in a good way.  So many memories, so many good times, as well as bad times, and making new ones everyday.  Happy Anniversary!