May 24th 2014 Wisconsin and back

So I have returned...12,000 miles in just over a week is too much! I have a major case of jet lag which is why this update is late and I blame all grammatical errors in this post on that!
The trip itself went smoothly though and for that I'm grateful... I really do hate flying!   The memorial service for my brother was nice with one of the finest military honors, put on by the local VFW, that I have ever seen. I was able to see several long lost relatives that I haven't seen in many years and also some Aunts and Uncles. It was especially nice to see my Dad's brother, it was like listening to Dad when he talked and joked around! Two of my brothers arrived earlier in the week and went to work on Mom's house, straightening her very crooked deck and then along with some of my nieces and nephews they stripped and painted it as well.
                                                          They did a great job!

 They also took care of several other fixer uppers that Mom needed doing.  There were eight or nine of us in Mom's little house, we were sleeping in the guest room, living room, garage and a tent. I slept with Mom so I was spared the camping out! During the evenings, a fire was lit and we would sit around and talk.  
                                                                       

                                                               
Wisconsin doesn't generally have the drought problems that are common out West so bonfires are very popular ... that and we're hicks ... it's what we like to do! lol
Sometimes we were civilized though and would gather around the table in the house; sitting on my great-grandmother's chairs that have held several generations around tables.
                                                                 

During the day I liked to walk in the woods in the park near my Mom's house.  

                                    If you look closely, you can see Mama swan sitting on her nest!

                                               Papa swan came to see what I was up to!

All was fun and games until Mom and I ran into some very fresh BEAR poop! (of course I stopped to take a picture before we evacuated the area)

 It was a very long hard winter and the bears are out in force. Just after I left, Mom called to tell me that a Mama bear and her three cubs were spotted in her neighborhood, and that her garbage can that was set out for the collectors was ransacked. A well armed police officer came out to check on her and he kindly collected up the mess. Mom said she almost went to pick the strewn garbage up herself and then thought of the bear!

I spent several evenings at my sisters house, eating delicious venison brat wursts and other goodies. We also sat around a fire there (I tell you it's what my family does) and also enjoying the view from her back yard. Her property is up against the Chequamegon National Forest so it's very rural and nice. She has a funny dog that spends all day long running in the fields off in the distance. I only saw it up close a couple of times as it was always a blur running around in the field! I renamed it Forrest. "Run Forrest Run!"
                                                                 

Having hogged up all of the interior decorating genes in the family, her front porch looks like a Pinterest dream!

            Before my brothers and their children headed back out West we got some family photos taken.
                                                Here I am with two of my brothers.
                                                                             

                                                                 The Clan (only a few of us)

While I was gone Gary had the church's sign installed, it looks great!

That's it for today, you probably know more about my family and stuff than you ever wanted to by now, but that's what my last week was like! Gary laughs at what a hick I become (or return to being actually) when I visit my home state. I have all sorts of animal and wild life stories, he thinks it's funny. But hey,  if the truth be told, I'm just a country mouse living in the big cities!

That's all for now! Until next time!