I talked to my sister Ann yesterday. As Wisconsin is soaring in COVID cases, in Peru they're getting ready to re-open.

Huh.

Long story, short… they won't be coming for Christmas.

We're hopeful for summer… and maybe Auntie Camp will actually involve CAMPING!! Haha.

Anyway, she'd asked me for some Thanksgiving photos… something she needed for school. I'm actually pretty awful at photographing holidays, and have never been the one to jump up and take a photo of the table with all assembled.

But I looked.

And, while I looked, I ran across a couple of other interesting photos…

That's my siblings and me (in red) surrounding my Grandpa Blum on what looks likely to be his birthday (April), and possibly an early celebration because Easter. Not Thanksgiving, but oh, this photo! It looks like Annie is getting her napkin all tucked in, waiting for a slice of that cake!! I'm guessing 1968 or '69, Grandpa would be approaching 60 (b. 1910).

This one kind of floored me. I don't remember seeing it before, though surely I must have because I chose to send it in and get it scanned. Anyway, TOBOGANNING! (It doesn't look like a lot of snow at the top of the hill, but the saucer shows evidence.) My siblings and I, again! I'm second-from-left, leaning on my Uncle Jim. Our dad is the other guy. This had to be mid-70s… '73 or '74, I'd guess.

Anyway, a blast from the past on this Sunday! I hope you're having a great weekend!

Someone posted a while back on FB about this blanket* that's in the Sundance catalog and I have no business thinking about another blanket…

…yet here we are. Maybe if I just post the picture, I'll get it out of my system.

But couldn't that possibly be a most divine way to use a nice selection of, um, let's say 30 spooky mini-skeins?

*It's $425, which is a lot, but I know we can all appreciate the "hand-spun, hand-dyed, hand-crocheted" aspects, since we all do one or more of those things (or related handwork), and know that it's actually worth all that and more.

I'd like to introduce you to Electa Quinney. She is recognized as Wisconsin's first public school teacher, opening a school near Grande Kawkawlin (where I live) almost 200 years ago. 

This new statue — and the newly revitalized park over which she presides — was dedicated last month. I was unable to attend the celebration, but that's okay… most days, I drive or walk by this park at least once. I think of her often! The cul de sac seen behind her is at the end of the street that bears her name, and one of the schools that my kids attended is also named for her.

She's a big deal around here — a Native American, a woman, an educator — and I think it's just lovely that she's been memorialized again in such a way.

The park had been in a pretty bad state for years, and was nothing short of an eyesore all of last winter and much of the spring. Work had just begun when we had some early stormy weather, then winter suddenly arrived, and it sat — mud, orange plastic "safety" fencing, everything torn apart but nothing put back together.

The re-do was led by our high school's Civic Engagement students, who raised money for the renovation that includes a new amphitheater (which I hope we'll be able to utilize before long). Funding was also provided by a local family foundation. It was a complete overhaul! Initially, they'd  hoped to save some mature trees in the (small) park, but they were too damaged in the storm, so new "real" trees of a couple varieties join a bunch of LED trees. Unfortunately, there is nothing picturesque about this location… except at night (when those trees light up).

She's facing a bank in the photo above, but many years ago it was the location of South Kaukauna Dairy, founded by Hubert Fassbender, inventor of Kaukauna Klub Cheese! The park is named for him and there's another little monument there that I will share another time.

I love the detail on her shawl, and I can relate to that hair…

…though mine is still too stubborn to stay braided for long.

I'm thinking that Ms. Quinney might be willing to model the next shawl I make!