Trip to Door

October's almost over, so I'd better post some pictures of the trip to Door County that I made in the middle of the month. I flew to Chicago this time, and met up with my sister Ann coming from Stockholm. We spent what was left of the afternoon driving out to St. Charles and seeing what's changed and what was still the same. We stopped at Potowatami Park, where we spent many, many hours learning to swim, practicing with the swim team, and eventually teaching and lifeguarding. The stone building, built during the Depression by the WPA, looked the same, but the pools had been modernized and added to, with water slides and basketball hoops.

We also drove through Geneva. The Gift Box had this display in the front window, honoring Lennart Jonsson who passed away in August. I worked at the Gift Box for a couple of years while going to school, but our family's association went beyond that. I remember Dad buying a Swedish tent from Lennart when we were kids, a big orange job that the whole family slept in on car camping trips through the west. And after I moved on, both Mom and Dad worked occasionally at the Gift Box during their retirement years, especially during the busy Christmas season.

After spending the night in St. Charles, we drove out to the Turner farm in Lily Lake and visited with our aunt Doris and cousin Dan. It was great to see them. Then we had the long drive north to Wisconsin and Sister Bay. The weather was beautiful, about 70 degrees and sunny. It felt more like summer than fall, but the leaves were starting to turn. Jill and Bob drove up from Iowa the next day and we had a nice few days together. We had lunch at the Chef's Hat one day, and went to a performance of Victory Farm at the American Folklore Theater on Saturday. Monday we went to Al Johnson's for lunch. 

A country road in Door County. Ann picked bittersweet.

I distributed the remaining 2013 family quilts, for Ann, William, Martin and Mom.