Cousins, Uncles, Nephews and Maid Rites!

Visiting the town were Marlin spent his formative youth brings out the strong nostalgic feelings he usually keeps to himself.  When he was 14 his family moved to California, but many of the extended family remain in the area around Moline, Illinois.  This visit, for a cousin's wedding, included visits with many who returned from other locations in the country, as well as many still in this area.

Our first day in Moline we already had double booked!  The Smelcers, friends from Wisconsin, were passing through and wanted to meet us for lunch at the same time Mike Cook was arriving at the airport.  That was resolved by meeting Terry and Ken for breakfast, then picking up Uncle Bill and arriving at the airport by 10:30 to pick up Mike.

Uncle Bill Sackett is Marlin's mother's youngest (age 84) brother.

Mike Cook, Marlin's nephew, lives in Tacoma Washington.  As soon as we picked him up we were headed directly to the closest Maid Rite restaurant.  Maid Rite is a "variation on a theme". It starts with hamburger that is spiced, then steamed till it is completely crumbled.  They serve it on a bun with mustard, onion, and pickle.  There is an art to eating this local delight, usually with a spoon to finish up all that escaped from the roll.

The first of many this week.













Next stop was at Candy's house.  Candy Tolmie is a cousin on the Cook side of the family.  Her house is usually where the Cook clan gathers.  She is also the mother of the groom in the wedding we are here to attend.  This branch of Cook's are children of Marlin's Uncle Zip.

Candy's older brother, Jim Cook, a 20 year Air Force retiree, is visiting from the Detroit area.  He and his wife Mary, came here by way of month long trip to California and Nevada. Lots of catching up there.

Sister Maggie Cook Butterfield

Brother Joe Cook.  One more brother, Kenny, will be at the wedding.

Candy's grandchildren, Isabelle and Sean

Another day we squeezed in a visit to cousins on the Sackett side, even though they are McNalleys!

Bill and Carolyn McNalley and brother Don were pals of Marlin many years ago.  We always try to see them when we are in town.


Friday night we had dinner with Uncle Bob, Uncle Bill, and Bill's daughters, husbands, and grandchildren.

Marlin, Uncle Bob Sackett, and Uncle Bill Sackett.

Bill's daughters, Lisa and Amy

Lisa and Keith

 Adam, Emily, Amy and Blake Warren

Great Visit.  More relatives will be seen before we head out of town, that is for sure.  Enough for now!

Fall travels

Unusual for us to leave Maine in the summer or fall but the Illinois wedding invitation got Marlin's traveling shoes rattling in the closet, so we are off.


Our first stop was in Alfred, Maine, where we returned Lola home from a visit with us in Dixmont.  In the five days there, she taught me all the finer points of shopping in addition to being a great help with projects.

A poster for the Historical Society needed some artistic touches to brighten up the theme

 
She volunteered to mow the lawn for the last time this year.  Great job.


Adding a couple of extra travel days gave us a chance to visit with Jed, James, and Shellie.
Jed's cabin is coming along.  He just installed a major carrying timber, which will let him floor in the loft and finish the upper walls.

The 24 foot carrying timber

Major accomplishment.


Cabin fever has spread to Jed's son, Jacob.  He is building himself a tiny cabin at the top of the hill. Guess carpentry is just in the Cook boys genes.

Jacob helping at Jed's cabin





His own place! Didn't get to see Jacob this trip.  He was at Football camp all week.



Wednesday was a time for lots of talking, catching up, and making plans.  Great night at Sebago Brewing in Portland with these three.

Headed out of Maine on Thursday morning, with the first stop west of Albany, New York.  Looking forward to some new experiences.  The wedding is on the 26th in Moline, IL, then, because it is so close to Illinois, on to Colorado for some fishing before we head to New Mexico for Pueblo ruins at Chaco Canyon and Canyon de Chelly.

Moving On

The past seven weeks have been spent in Bradenton and Brooksville, Florida.  Our very close friend Chuck Burwell had serious fall, causing a fractured skull, which kept him in the hospital for seven weeks.  We wanted to stay in the area to assist in any way we could.  We are glad to report he is out of the hospital, and on his way to a miraculous recovery, so we are beginning to travel toward home.

While we were in this part of central Florida, we were camped at a State Forrest adjacent to  Silver Lake on the Withlacoochee River   This is one of our favorite campsites, partly because of the hiking trails, the easy access to the  50+ mile paved (flat) bike trail, and the low camper density.

Breakfast in the sun

Many trips on the long, flat, bike path.

Silver Lake, with access from the campground

Beautiful trails

even when the water is high

We have seen this trail when there is high water.  Not this year.

Marlin got a great shot of this black vulture.  He was not about to move off the trail since it was dusk and almost time to roost for the night.

Did some birding.

Caught this immature red shouldered eating a mouse.

This beautiful adult red shouldered hawk posed on this sign post for at least 10 minutes.

American white pelicans in a pond near our campsite

Sand hill cranes were plentiful throughout the area near the campground. We often saw them beside the bike path.

A local attraction in Brooksville is the Chinsegut Hill estate.  It is the oldest house in Hernando county, built in 1840 by Bird Pearson.  Purchased in 1905 by Raymond Robins and  his sister Elizabeth. The siblings named the property Chinsegut , meaning "a place where lost things are found".  Elizabeth was a well known actress, writer and suffragette.  After the Great Depression, the Robins family donated the estate to Federal Government.  It is currently owned by the University of South Florida and used as a conference and reception center.  A beautiful place to have a wedding or other event.

We spent the afternoon roaming the grounds and having a tour of the house.

A day trip took us to Cedar Key and the Suwannee River Wild Life Refuge.
Cedar Key is a  small, eclectic village that specializes in oysters and clams.

Main Street along the water front.

The welcome center where the docent recommended Tony's Restaurant. Tony's serves "Award Winning" clam chowder.  The designation came from winning the Newport, Rhode Island chowder competition three years in a row.  She was right, the chowder was fantastic.  We even took two cans home.

Local street Art

What to do with a dead tree!

This cement pot was in a large community garden.

The gardens were all on these raised bed platforms.  Great on the back!

Ever present brown pelicans.

Unfortunately we spent so much time on Cedar Key, by the time we got to the Suwannee River WLR the visitors center was closed.  We drove several of the roads overlooking marsh land and inland ponds,  but did not get to experience all the Refuge had to offer.  Next time.

Pleasant boardwalks and viewing platforms

Miles of quiet marsh land

Little Blue heron was seen on our last stop in the Refuge.