Lyttle Creeks, California

I'm back!  Had a great trip to Minnesota.  More about that later.  Jerry has been in the San Bernardino mountains at the Mountain Lakes RV Resort since September 29.  We've been to this Resort before and like it.  Jerry said that it was very quiet for the whole week that I was gone. But, this is a holiday weekend (Columbus Day on Monday), and the park is fairly full with campers right now.

There are a few of these ponds in this park.

I was able to spend quality time with my brothers and sisters in Cold Spring, Minnesota, for a whole week.  On Saturday (October 1), I accompanied my brother, Dan, and his wife, Kasi, to the Hidden Valley Apple Orchard.

Red and yellow apples everywhere.

The University of Minnesota Agriculture Department experiments with breeding apples for flavor and crispness.  I ate the Honeycrisp apple, which was very flavorful, but did not get to taste its follow-up breed, the SweeTango.  At the orchard farm, I saw that the SweeTango were selling for $45 for 3 pounds.

Horse and buggy rides were provided around the orchard.

Kasi and Dan enjoying the apple treats served at the orchard.  Would you believe Dan had stem cell replacement in July for multiple myeloma?  He looked good and his spirits were up.

Later, we took a drive out to St. John's University area to check out the changing colors of the trees.

Stopped at the St. John's Cemetery for deceased priests.  

We found my uncle's grave site (Father Benjamin).

The road we traveled.

A lake near St. John's.  Loved the fall golden leaves against the blue water.

Then, on Sunday, my sister, Dorothy, my brother, Tim and his wife, Janet, and I took a tour of the Quarry Park & Nature Preserve in Waite Park, Minnesota.  We walked two miles by the time it was over, but there was more to see.

 Entrance sign to the Quarry Park.

Granite, water and colorful trees.

Lots of water pools all over the place.  A good breeding ground for 

gnats -- and there were lots of them.

The scenery was beautiful.

We climbed to the top of the lookout patio -- Me, Dorothy, Jan and Tim.

The other reason I flew to Minnesota was to attend my 50-year class reunion from the Sisters of St. Joseph's School of Nursing.  The reunion was held at the Mystic Lake Casino near Minneapolis.  Over half of the 50 graduates attended the reunion.

Let me give you just a little back ground, first.  After high school, I entered this nursing program in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  I lived, ate, slept, studied, worked and had fun with my fellow nursing students for three years (no summers off).  I look back on those years with fond memories of fun, fun and more fun.  That was a time before we were married, had children or any obligations other than learning how to become a nurse.  For me especially, it was a time of freedom before I had to get serious about life.

I've reconnected with many of my former friends and will be calling on them as we travel with our motorhome to their places all over the USA.  Here are some pictures of the attendees.

The group.

My new prime camera lens was not able to capture the ones standing on each side.  So, here are a few more pictures:

Jeannie and Sharie

Mary Jane and Marlene

Judy, Alice and Mary Ann at breakfast in the hotel.

Now, I just have to do this.  Here are a few pictures from back then that I was able to take with my camera from Mary Ann's photos that she brought to the reunion.

A bit blurry -- but the mood comes through.

What can I say?  We were young.

And, just so you can see the uniforms we wore, here is one more.

Myrna, Alice and Mary Ann

Jerry and I (and Chanti) will be here at Lyttle Creek until Thursday, when we will slowly make our way back to Cambria.