The Gumdrop Kids

* New Trailer at Sandy Pines

2011-08-02T15:57:00.004-04:00

This summer has been busy at our Sandy Pines lake home. We decided to update the trailer and porch for our summer place. Since May we have been working to have all looking new and fresh. We thought you might like to see how the park model trailers are taken out and new ones put in. The following Smilebox shows some of what took three days to accomplish.

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Spring Beach Trip 2011

2011-05-12T14:25:00.000-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2011
In late March, after a 'long' winter, we set off to spend time on the beaches of Georgia and South Carolina. Norene was ready for the sun and heat. During the trip we visit three of our kids and the grandkids. We had quite an exciting time during the two months. Everything from quiet beaches to large storms. As you can see Mike is packed, loaded and walking off into the ocean. Where does he think he is going?

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* Sisters on the Fly

2011-04-04T22:55:00.001-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2011
While camping at River's End campground on Tybee Island, GA we had the pleasure of spending a week with many members of the Sisters on the Fly camping group. These ladies travel in vintage trailers which are decorated. Enjoy the pictures.

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Our 2010 Fall Trip West

2010-11-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
This fall we decided to take the T@B west for the first time. We will visit Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before we head back home.

During our first week out we experienced some wild storms in Nebraska and Kansas. So much so Norene thought we needed to get a little black dog and some ruby red slippers to make sure we could get home. On this trip we will be attending the Winfield Flat Picking Festival & Championships in Winfield, KS; the first New Mexico Dulcimer festival in Albuquerque, NM; the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, then visiting family and friends in Arizona.

Watch this Smilebox to see how our first week went.

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* Some Views of New Mexico

2010-11-02T23:19:00.001-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
While in New Mexico we saw things that we would like to share with you. Enjoy the Albuquerque house tour, the Sandia Mountain, and plants of the desert. The night view (last in this Smilebox) of the Albuquerque valley with a rising moon is one of our favorites.

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* Arizona Sights 2010

2010-11-01T11:50:00.002-04:00

2010 Fall Balloon & Music Trip

Exploring Arizona we found a few places to share with you. These range from the historic town of Tombstone, to the only campground in the U.S.A. with its own observatory, and a few other interesting views thrown in. Perhaps you will enjoy these also.

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* Oklahoma & Texas Parks

2010-10-27T17:36:00.002-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip

On our way to and from the southwest we stayed in Oklahoma and Texas at two most interesting and beautiful parks. Foass State Park in Western Oklahoma was the most restful place to stay with thousands of acres of prairie and water. We needed the calm after the two big storms we were in during our stays in Nebraska and Kansas.
In western Texas we found a large area of sand dunes just like those on Lake Michigan. We knew west Texas had oil but never knew they had sand dunes. This was a great place to camp in October. I don't think we would stay there in August.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/parkguide/rgn_bb_001.phtml

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* Taliesin West - Frank Lloyd Wright

2010-10-19T19:09:00.003-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music trip
While in Phoenix Norene had to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, Taliesin West. We have visited several FLW homes during the past years. Norene had a great time at Taliesin West and she hopes you will enjoy her pictures in the following Smilebox.

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* Walnut Canyon AZ 2010

2010-10-09T10:24:00.002-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip Just east of Flagstaff Arizona is Walnut Canyon National Monument where cliff-dwellers lived around 1200 A.D. Visiting this site is a wonderful way to learn about history and get a feeling for what it would have been like to live in this canyon. The following Smilebox gives you a peek into this national treasure. (click title * to visit web site)

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* Painted Desert & Petrified Forest

2010-10-08T18:39:00.007-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
On a warm and windy day we explored the painted desert. Upon entering the park we met a fellow T@Ber. It is unusual for us to meet another T@B trailer on the road. The petrified forest national park is in the same area so we spent a day exploring this wonder also. Mike liked the petrified wood the most and took so many pictures of all the rocks. Thank goodness he didn't use all of the pictures here.
Enjoy our view of these two historic national parks.

* International Balloon Fiesta

2010-10-03T01:48:00.007-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
Attending the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with the Good Sams camping tour was a week of non-stop fun and amazement. In addition to camping by the balloon field and seeing the balloon launches, the tour guides took us on several trips to visit the sights of the area. The tour directors were great. The balloons amazing, the people friendly and the excitement all day long. We made new friends and enjoyed many new activities. The following Smileboxes show a few of our adventures. The balloon fiesta Smilebox is large with several videos so it will take a while to load. If you like hot air balloons it is worth the wait.

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* Santa Fe NM 2010

2010-09-30T23:36:00.004-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
Santa Fe is one city everyone should experience. History, culture, art, and shopping waits for the visitor in Santa Fe. We enjoyed a day exploring the town.

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* Sky City New Mexico 2010

2010-09-28T13:04:00.001-04:00

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
While in New Mexico we visited Sky City, Acoma Pueblo to learn more about how life and tradition has continued here for over 1000 years.

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* New Mexico Dulcimer Festival

2010-09-27T19:48:00.003-04:00

Fall 2010 balloon & music Trip
For our first time camping in New Mexico we were lucky to attend the 1st New Mexico Mountain Dulcimer Festival. We have been to dulcimer festivals in many states and this was one of the best we have attended. The people were wonderful. Norene and I leared many new tunes and tips. We may just have to come back next year.
Enjoy the sights and sounds of the dulcimers.

* Palo Duro Canyon Amarillo, TX

2010-09-21T21:51:00.004-04:00

Fall 2010 balloon & music trip
While on our trip west we stopped in Amarillo, TX for a few days. While over powered by the flat land and strong winds we did enjoy good weather and no big storms. As we explored the area we came upon the Palo Duro Canyon which was such a contast to the surrounding land. The following Smilebox will give you a little glimps of the beauty there. They have nice campgrounds on the canyon floor.

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* Walnut Valley Music Festival, Winfield KS

2010-09-18T12:23:00.007-04:00

Fall 2010 balloon & music trip

This was our first time attending the national flat picking championships. Being mountain, and hammered, dulcimer players we have met several champions at dulcimer festivals around the country. This year we were lucky enough to see the contests. It was an exciting few days, not to mention very hot and humid.

To our surprise we knew the top three mountain dulcimer winners from other festivals during the past few years. Deciding who to root for was not an easy task. Another surprise was that the 2010 hammered dulcimer winner was from northern Indiana. That doesn't happen often. He was from North Webster and is the second person to have won this contest three different years. I guess we picked the right year to attend. We came away with one conclusion, BOY we need to practice!

The following Smilebox has a few pictures of the contest, winners, and some music groups at the Walnut Valley Festival.

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* Garrison Keillor's "A Summer Love Tour"

2010-08-17T18:20:00.004-04:00

As long time fans of "Prairie Home Companion" we had the chance to see Garrison Keillor and the "Summer Love Tour" live at Conner Prairie Indiana. Camping at Mounds State Park we learned the history of the mounds and enjoyed hiking the trails. Conner Prairie has an interactive prairie village where history comes alive at every building. The weather was HOT...HOT, yet we had fun and may have even lost a pound or two.

Enjoy the Smilebox pictures and listen to a part of "Frankie & Johnny". The video is over two minutes long so the video may load slowly.

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* Visiting With Friends in Middleton, MA 2010

2010-07-13T10:45:00.002-04:00

After leaving Cape Cod we joined Tom & Vickie at Janet and Earl's house in Middleton, MA for time with friends. Spending time at Earl's cottage, and seeing the sites of the area, was a great way to relax and end our trip. The weather was wonderful for sight seeing. We enjoyed the time with our T@B friends.

* Enjoying Cape Cod Again 2010

2010-07-11T10:09:00.003-04:00

In July we returned to Cape Cod to attend the T@B Rally. While there we enjoyed the beaches, visited Nantucket, and rode through the dunes of the National Sea Shore. Sharing all this with our T@B trailer friends made this trip outstanding. Enjoy the pictures.

* T@B Cape Cod Rally 2010

2010-07-09T19:44:00.003-04:00

In early July Norene and Mike returned to Cape Cod for the second time in 2010. We enjoy the area and the beaches, but visiting our New England friends is the biggest joy. We attended the T@B trailer rally and also spent time visiting the special places on the cape with our friends.
Enjoy the pictures.

* Fallingwater House 2010

2010-07-05T22:27:00.005-04:00

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house has always been high on Norene's list of places to visit. July 5th she got to spend the day at this famous Pennsylvania home. Mike is not a big Frank Lloyd Wright fan but he really liked this home and setting. As an extra bonus we were able to tour Wright's Kentuck Knob house. It was a fun July 4th weekend for us.

Kentuck Knob is another Frank Lloyd Wright house in the Ohiopyle, PA area. We toured this house also. This is a private home owned by an British Lord so pictures were not allowed inside the home. It was much different type of house than Fallingwater, but an interesting house. Mike decided he would be happy living there too. The grounds have many pieces of art and a garden dedicated to large pieces of art.

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* Ohiopyle, PA 2010

2010-07-04T23:44:00.003-04:00

On our way to the Cape Cod T@B Rally we spent time in Ohiopyle, PA. It was July 4th weekend and the crowds of people were enjoying all the charms of this Laural Mountain town. They have the best bike trails, exciting rafting & kayaking, and playing in the river rapids. If you are in the area stop in and enjoy the fun.

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Mike's Dulcimer Concert

2010-07-02T10:40:00.001-04:00

On our way to the Cape Cod T@B Rally we stopped at the Alton RV park where Mike performed his first outdoor dulcimer concert. Norene and Mike enjoyed meeting new campers and providing a little fun during the July 4th weekend.

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New home in Sandy Pines Resort 2010

2010-07-01T08:52:00.002-04:00

Retirement fever has hit us again. On Mike's birthday we became the proud owners of a place at Sandy Pines Resort in Hopkins, Michigan. Hopkins is south east of Holland and south of Grand Rapids. It is not like we need another lake property, but the resort has many activities that we enjoy. One of our kids has a place there which means we will get to more 'grandparent' time. Check out the Sandy Pines web page: www.sandypines.com

Spring Beach Trip 2010

2010-05-14T23:15:00.017-04:00

Each spring we like to shake the winter blues by spending time on the southern beaches. Usually we hit the beaches about spring break time. As former teachers we enjoy seeing the kids and young people too. This year our spring beach trip took us to Tybee Island, GA and Huntington Beach, SC. It is amazing how fast a month at the beach goes. In addition to enjoying the sun we joined the T@B Blue Ridge Rally in Marion, NC, attended the Central Ohio Folk Music Festival in Columbus Ohio and visited four grand kids.

Following are Smileboxes showing many of our experiences during the fifty-two day trip. If you would like pictures from any Smilebox E-mail Mike at the address in the "About Us" section.

Central Ohio Folk Festival 2010

2010-05-07T16:50:00.008-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
Columbus, OH May 7 - 9 we spent at the Central Ohio Folk Festival. This was the first time we had attended this festival. In fact the first time we attended any folk or dulcimer festival in Ohio. Except for the weather this was a fun festival held in a fantastic Columbus Metro Park. Besides workshops for dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, songwriting, spoons, fiddle, penny whistle there were performances on two stages every hour of the festival. The evening concert performers were outstanding. As we all huddled together in the big tent trying to keep warm the sounds of
The Smokin' Fez Monkeys http://www.smokinfezmonkeys.com/
The Yellow Room Gang http://yellowroomgang.com/
James Keelaghan http://web.me.com/jameskeelo/Keeloweb/KEELOWEB.html warmed the crowd. We had never seen any of these performers. Boy! What we have been missing. Norene and I learned many new tips and tunes during our classes.

T@B Blue Ridge Rally 2010

2010-04-30T09:47:00.000-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
This was our second Blue Ridge Rally with the T@B trailer group. The weather was good, the people wonderful, and RV park beautiful. This year we went with a few other campers to see Chimney Rock Park which was quite impressive. Marion North Carolina is an area we have passed by for years. It was nice to stay and enjoy the area.

Huntington Beach SP 2010

2010-04-20T12:26:00.003-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
One of our favorite beach spots to camp. The campground is large and well kept. The beach is next to the campground. There are so many things to do with miles of large pristine beach, daily nature activities, and many wildlife habits to observe. In addition there is the Brookgreen Gardens across from the park which has acres of gardens and sculptures. Miles of off road bike trails take you to the towns of Pauleys Island and Murrels Inlet. Share our experience by watching the Smileboxes. You can also see last year's trip by selecting 2009 in the left margin of the main bolg page and clicking MAY 09.

Brookgreen Gardens 2010

2010-04-19T16:30:00.002-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010

One wonderful thing about camping at Huntington Beach is that you can visit the Brookgreen Gardens several days for one low price. This is the most relaxing and beautiful place to walk anywhere. It is so much different than the beach environment. There you will find old rice plantation history, hundreds of works of art, a zoo, butterfly house, boat rides, flowers, and trams to take you around if you choose not to walk. Like Norene would ever let us ride! This year's Smilebox pictures are different from last year's. Enjoy. . .

Tybee Island GA 2010

2010-04-10T11:11:00.000-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
Norene was so very happy to return to the warm beaches. We walked every foot of the miles of beach on Tybee Island. In addition to all the beach & ocean activities our favorite city, Savannah, was just fifteen minutes away. We both love to walk the neighborhoods of Savannah. There is always something fun happening there. For some reason Mike decided to start his career of bird photographer. Who knew he even liked birds? All the pictures and videos in the following Smilebox were taken by Mike and Norene. The second half of the Smilebox contains many unusual, so Mike says, pictures of Tybee Island birds. Be aware some of the videos were taken during very high wind conditions and you can hear the wind sounds. We hope the sounds of the birds and surf make you feel like you were with us.

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Fort Pulaski National Monument 2010

2010-04-08T17:34:00.001-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
Fort Pulaski is in the salt marsh lands between Tybee Island and Savannah. Built between 1829 and 1847 it was the crown jewel in the US third system of coastal fortifications. Then 2nd Lt. Robert E. Lee helped build this fort. Thought at the time to be unbreachable. Ten experimental rifled cannons used by Union Colonel Gillmore took the fort in thirty hours. A first in history and the end of the era for smooth bore artillery. This is a wonderful place to visit. With wildlife, bike, or walking, trails and beautiful grounds. Never pass up a chance to spend a few days here traveling back into history.

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Jonesborough, TN 2010

2010-03-25T18:13:00.001-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010
Jonesborough is the storytelling capital and a wonderful little city to visit. Many activities to do and stores to shop in. Click the Smilebox below to see the town.

Renfro Valley, KY 2010

2010-03-22T10:59:00.002-04:00

Spring Beach Trip 2010

We started this trip the end of March. Our first stop was at Renfro Valley, KY. For years we had passed the signs for this place and never stopped. This is the place to camp if you like music. There is a cute entertainment village, music show barns, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame at the campground. The artist town of Berea, KY is a short drive away. Many places to shop and things to see. It was early in the season for the music shows so not many people there.

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Hailey's 2nd Birthday

2010-03-20T23:57:00.002-04:00

Birthday Time

Granddaughter Hailey is now two years old. See some of the fun in this Smilebox.

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Time with Miss Hailey

2009-10-30T10:25:00.003-04:00

A Grandparent's Dream
What a pleasure to have the chance to watch Hailey for a few days. She was so much fun. Abby had her puppies and we had many new experiences.

Olde Philly - Liberty Hall

2009-09-28T12:12:00.000-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
Our last stop before heading home was outside Northeast,MD at Elk Neck State Park. This is a great park at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. While there we decided to go see Liberty Hall, The Liberty Bell and other historic sites in the building of our country. After exploring Boston we needed to see Liberty Hall. The following Smilebox shows many of the historic locations, as well as our travels through the Pennsylvania Wilds.

New York City

2009-09-23T14:07:00.003-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
We joined a Good Sam's tour for a wild week of exploring New York City. Fifteen hours a day of excitement and enjoyment. We experienced famous restaurants daily, toured iconic landmarks, took harbor boat rides, and walked through the different parts of Manhattan learning many interesting facts about the history of the city. Three of the nights we saw Broadway shows. It is a wonder we survived all that. The weather was warm and sunny. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect week or more friendly people with whom to share all the fun.

With so many pictures to share we made a part I and a part II Smileboxes. Part I has about one hundred pictures & videos. It is large so it will load slowly. Yet, the slideshow goes quite fast. Remember you can pause the pictures and view at your own pace.

New York City part II
Liberty Island, Ellis Island, Greenwich Village, Wall Street, Battery Park, and Chinatown.

Mystic, CT Seaport

2009-09-20T12:00:00.003-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
Take a trip back into the history of the sea by visiting the Mystic Seaport in Old Mystic, CT. Many activities were happening when we were there including a weekend of rowing competition, festivals, ship restoration and visiting village attractions. The weather was perfect for stepping back into the era of the sailing ships. If you are ever in New England make a point to visit Mystic. This is the first Smilebox where Mike plays the music on his dulcimer. The recording isn't great, but it is a start.

Massachusetts

2009-09-17T20:58:00.009-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
Gloucester & Rockport

While in Massachusetts we visited with our new T@B friends Earl and Janet. They were kind enough to show us some of the famous local towns. Gloucester and Rockport were such historic and picturesque towns. In fact, if you have seen the new movie, "The Proposal" you will recognize many of the following pictures as scenes in the movie. Earl and Janet took us to their cottage to enjoy the quiet beauty of their lake. After being in our little T@B trailer for a month this was just what we needed. If you see the movie, "Grown Ups", coming in late June 2010, you will recognize this view from Earl's cottage deck as a setting in the movie.

Visiting Salem

Exploring Cape Cod
One could spend a lifetime exploring Cape Cod. Different landscapes, ocean views, dunes, small quaint villages, large expansive homes, and yes light houses. We spent a day in, and around Provincetown and on the Cape Cod National Seashore. The landscapes were breathtaking. Sure Norene had to see one lighthouse and get in the ocean. We hope to return to Cape Cod next summer to spend more time exploring the other areas.

Plimoth Plymouth as we know it
A stop by Plymouth Rock is a must if you are in Massachusetts. It was a cool and windy day when we arrived at Plymouth Harbor. The Mayflower II was there to greet us. Watch the Smilebox and share the sights.

Boston Freedom Trail

2009-09-16T23:11:00.003-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009

Boston is one of Norene's favorite places. For years she has wanted to walk the city again sharing the excitement of history with Mike. The weather was perfect, the tour guide entertaining, and our energy was high. This was our 'big walking' day with over seven straight hours walking or standing as we walked the Freedom Trail, and many parts of the city. On the way back to our campground in Salisbury, MA we viewed Boston at night before entering the 'big dig'. Mike loved it and is ready to return.

Vermont

2009-09-06T15:03:00.001-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
After leaving Maine we moved on to southern Vermont and the Green Mountains. Staying at the Winhall Brook park at Ball Mountain gave us the chance to roam through the mountains, walk through the forests, play in the streams, and visit the ski areas of this part of Vermont. The trees had not yet turned with color, the only regret Norene had about visiting this area when we did. View the Smilebox to see some of the sights.

Southern Maine Coast

2009-09-06T12:54:00.000-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
From New Hampshire we moved on for several days along the southern Maine coast. Staying in Freeport in time for the L.L. Bean music festival. In a matter of two months we attended the Lands End Blues festival and the L.L. Bean music Festival. Are there any other major outdoor catalog festivals we missed?

In Maine we stayed in the desert, yes, just like the dunes of Lake Michigan, visited harbor towns, went whale watching on the Atlantic, and admired lighthouses. The weather was outstanding the people were friendly, and the exploring exciting. Norene even got to have her Maine blueberries. You can't get better than that. Watch the pictures in the Smilebox. It will take some time for it to load. Lots of videos and pictures. Remember to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

New Hampshire

2009-09-01T18:07:00.003-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009

After leaving the Lake George T@B rally we crossed Vermont to the eastern side of New Hampshire staying in Epsom, NH. During our stay we visited the White Mountains, several lakes, and beaches of Hampton, NH. We actually visited Hampton Beach a few weeks later in our trip while we were staying in northern Massachusetts. The drive north from Hampton along the coast was fantastic with large beautiful homes, ocean surfers, and the bluffs of southern New Hamphsire. We walked trails, climbed bolders, and looked for the fall color. Norene found her first tree color in New Hampshire.

T@B Lake George Rally

2009-08-26T17:08:00.000-04:00

Our New England Tour 2009
August 21st we left for our last trip of 2009, a tour of New England states. Our first event was the T@B Lake George Rally. We saw many friends from past rallies and met many new T@Bbers from the east coast and Canada. We had a great time exploring the Lake George area, taking a boat ride, swimming in the pool, and catching up with the T@B news. This could be a trip of 'firsts'. This was the first time I have seen Norene swimming in 65 degree weather. She liked it!

Spring Green, WI July 09

2009-07-29T00:19:00.002-04:00

So many wonderful things to see in the Spring Green area of Wisconsin. On our way to Wisconsin we stopped at Sugar bottom campground in the Coralville, IA corps of engineers park. We saw hot air balloons to boating to visiting the University of Iowa while we were there. So many nice people in one of the best parks we have stayed in.

From Coralville we moved on to Spring Green, WI where we visited the House on the Rock and all the amazing collections from ships to circus wagons. The house was built on rock outcroppings at the top of the hill which gave it a surreal view. The infinity room, jutting out from the house into the sky above the valley, is a place we both would have liked to stayed for days to experience the changes in the view. The Smilebox will show you some sights, but this place has to be experienced in person over several days.

For Norene's birthday we went to Frank Lloyd Wright's home. She is a fan of his buildings and there are several in the Spring Green area. It was a stormy day, but we did get to experience the outside and inside of the house.

Madison is the state capitol and the home of the University of Wisconsin. On a perfect summer day we toured the capitol and State street while exploring into the university. Such a perfect day.

Before heading home we stopped in Dodgeville, WI for the Blues Festival spending a sunny day listening to bands and watching the people. Watch the Smilebox for a few examples of what fun we had.

This is a large Smilebox so it will take a little while to load. Just wait and it will have all the pictures and video ready for you. You can enlarge the pictures by clicking when you see the + sign while moving the cursor over the picture.

T@B 3rd International Rally

2009-07-17T11:37:00.001-04:00

In July Mike and Norene traveled to the Quad Cities to enjoy the T@B trailer experience with other T@B owners from all parts of the country. What a sight so many T@Bs, and one T@DA, made in the campground. We were able to visit with friends while making new friends. All types of entertainment, meals, and seminars kept us busy all week.

Back to Our Teens

2009-06-07T15:31:00.004-04:00

As if retirement wasn't enough to deal with, we decided to learn, or relearn, something new - riding bikes. After finding bikes we could carry in the little T@B trailer we are now in our practice phase. And I thought keeping financial stability was difficult. Staying on these little bikes is much more difficult.

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Huntington Beach State Park SC

2009-05-27T15:05:00.004-04:00

In May 2009 we treated ourselves to a week at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet South Carolina. The sun was hot, the beach cool with breezes, and so many fun things to do at this wonderful park. Murrells Inlet is located south of Myrtle Beach and we happened to arrive just at the start of 'Bike Week'. The beaches and bars were rocking and rolling with all the motorcycles and bikers. So we had the roar of the waves and the cycles through the warm evenings.

We spent lots of time on the beach, and doctoring our sunburns, yet we had time to watch the wildlife. Alligators were all over and fun to watch. We had a chance to kayak through the salt marsh at high tide. Later Mike saw an alligator in the salt marsh. Good thing that was after kayaking or Norene would not have gone. A thunderstorm developed as we were out on the salt marsh so we had a new kayaking experience... paddling in a downpour for half an hour. This was the first time Norene had gotten wet kayaking. However, Mike did get thrown over last May.

The Brookgreen Sculpture Garden is a fantastic place to visit. We spent two days enjoying the flowers, grounds, the art, rice plantation, and the history of the area. As you view the Smilebox you can enjoy some of these sights.

Hailey is walking

2009-05-21T22:24:00.001-04:00

Upon our return from our Carolina trip we discovered Hailey was walking. The following Smilebox shows us seeing her walking for the first time. There are pictures and a video where Hailey picks out her favorite outfit from some new clothes.

Enjoy watching her walk.

Blue Ridge T@B Rally 09

2009-05-02T18:04:00.003-04:00

Sharon & Becky hosted a great rally at the Creekside Farm RV Park in Waynesville, NC April 29 through May 3, 2009. We met many new T@B friends and learned a great deal about fixing our T@B. It was fun seeing all the custom changes different people had made to personalize their trailers. The weather was a little rainy at times but the sun did shine, the days warm, and the activities enjoyable.

Ashlyn & Zach - May 09

2009-05-01T00:31:00.002-04:00

Grandma LuLu loves to visit her grandbabies. We enjoyed several days in Charlotte with Laura, Lee and the kids. You never get enough time with the kids. Watch the Smilebox to see some of the fun things grandma did with Ashlyn and Zach.

Easter in Chagrin Falls

2009-04-14T23:20:00.002-04:00

We went to Brian and Melinda's for Easter. Grandma got to do all the fun things with the boys. We even went to a ball game in the COOOOL weather. What a fun weekend we had.

2009 Southern Ducimer Tour

2009-02-04T13:36:00.019-05:00

We departed South Bend on January 20th bound for Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana dulcimer festivals. During the next sixty-three days we hope to find some sunshine, see new sights and play music.

Upon digging out the T@B we hit the road for Kentucky. Our first night was spent outside Louisville, and the temperature dropped to ten degrees. It was so cold all the moisture in the T@B froze around the window and door seals. We stayed warm, but we had to thaw the ice on the door to get out. That was the coldest night we have spent in the trailer.

The next night in Birmingham, AL was warmer. A whopping twenty-two degrees! The third night in Colquitt, GA was fifty degrees. We were so happy. So happy in fact we forgot to check the propane level and when the temperature went down to forty degrees the second night in Colquitt we about froze when the propane ran out. Needless to say we filled the tank there.

The fourth night we spent in Tallahassee, FL. Most of the people were cold in the sixty degree weather, be we were very happy. On January 25th we rolled into St. Joseph Peninsula for our first week of sun, fun, and relaxation.

Norene’s sister Patti and husband Ken stay at this park during the winter. That week was a great time for the two sisters to spend time together. We enjoyed the beach, the people and the wildlife. The weather was great and we soaked up the sun by day and enjoyed the fires at night. We had a great campsite just off the beach. The sand dunes and Gulf were just what we needed after the -19 degree weather in South Bend.

By Sunday, January 31st the cold weather had caught up to us and we were moving to our next stop, the Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, FL. The sun was shining again, and we were anticipating exploring this northern Florida state park. Enroute to the park we passed an ominous sign. Perhaps this was foretelling what our next two months was to be like. Norene thought all expeditions with Mike might be classified by this sign. Someday we have to return to take one of these kayak trips.

The first day at Stephen Foster was cold and rainy. Not what we were trying to find. The next day the sun came out, but that nasty cold front which had been chasing us since November arrived again. Night time temperatures in the twenty’s and hard freezes. Again the little T@B kept us warm. Again we were dressed much like we were at home. Again we were looking for that nice ‘Florida’ weather. Where is it?

This park is dedicated to Stephen Foster and his music. It is a wonderful park where Stephen Foster music floats from the bell tower several times a day. Arts and crafts were demonstrated in the folk village. We enjoyed the trails and the music. This was the perfect place for Mike to learn many songs on the dulcimer.

After Mike recuperated from his case of the hives all was fun. I guess Mike was ‘itching’ to explore during our week at the Stephen Foster State Park. Now how can we find warmer weather?

The warmer weather returned as we rolled into Mount Dora, FL. on the Sunday of the Daytona 500 time trials. Going through Daytona was interesting and SLOW with all the race traffic. We stayed at the Weikiva RV Park on the Weikiva River. A wonderful park with much to do at the river and surrounding areas. The dulcimer festival was held in the town of Mount Dora, Florida's 'mountain'. A towering 184 feet. This is a very friendly and quaint town. We have decided to return in the future and stay longer.

The dulcimer festival was great. Norene and Mike enjoyed psalty lessons as well as mountain and hammered dulcimer lessons. We made many new friends and got many new 'tricks' to use in our playing.

On our way to Hattiesburg, MS we decided to see some of Florida's state parks. The first stop was Manatee Springs where Norene saw manatees, deer, and lots of Turkey vultures. It was the first time we were NOT the smallest trailer in the park. A 'Tiny Trailer' chapter had a rally just before we arrived and one was still there. Surprisingly the people were from Indianapolis. We enjoyed a night of talking and exploring 'little trailers'. Our next stop along the gulf coast was St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach. There was much to see and enjoy. We moved on to Big Lagoon State Park in Pensacola. We visited the Naval Air Museum and enjoyed the nature. Then to Hattiesburg to participate in the dulcimer festival. What a great group of people! We had the most fun at this event. Not to mention Norene getting to see her first rodeo. The weather was warmer but again the cold found us in Mississippi. One day was 83 the next was 40. Oh MY!!! What a shock!

After leaving Hattiesburg we spent some days resting along the Mississippi coast. We explored Biloxi and Gulfport for a week seeing what the hurricanes had done to the area. Then we moved on to BatonRouge, LA to visit with Andy and Kirstin and attend the Port Allen dulcimer festival. We had a great time with Andy and Kirstin as they showed us their town and took us to see New Orleans. At last we had to come home. We had found the warm weather at last. Norene was sure warm weather would be at home by this time. NO SO. After a week home it snowed again. Next year we will stay in the south longer.

We did get to spend a few days watching grandbaby Hailey when we got home. That was wonderful. You can see all the fun in the following

The tree sculptures created after the Katrina storm along the gulf coast are in this Smilebox.

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Christmas 2008

2009-01-06T14:32:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2008 was made special with Hailey. We always enjoy getting together with the family and seeing the kids. Watch the Smilebox and share our family fun.

Our November Music Tour

2008-12-12T19:27:00.006-05:00

During November Norene and Mike traveled in the 'Gumdrop' through nine states, over 3200 miles to attend two music festivals and visit with two of our kids and grandkids.

Our first stop was Eureka Springs, AR for their folk festival. The weather when we left was unusually warm and plesant. It wasn't long before the weather turned cool to cold to down right really nasty snow. Even with all the weather problems we had a fun time.

Eureka Springs is a fun special town as you will see in the following SmileBox.

Next stop was Townsend, TN where we attended another dulcimer festival. This time we took lessons. The people were friendly and the instructors were great. We learned many new things to play on our dulcimers. As time passes I am sure Mike will forget most of what he learned. The evenings were filled with concerts.

Townsend is at the edge of the Great Smokey Mountain park with beautiful fall scenes as you can see in the following Smilebox.

Hailey's Game Day

2008-12-12T16:57:00.002-05:00

One fine football Saturday grandpa Mike was called upon to watch Hailey as Angie and Joe went to tailgate at the ND game. Hailey came in her ND cheerleader outfit. Grandpa being an IU man was not that impressed with the ND outfit, but he is always impressed with Hailey. We never know if grandpa is teaching Hailey new tricks or Hailey is teaching grandpa. Enjoy the pictures of our day together.

Hailey Moving On 12/5/08

2008-12-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

In December grandpa Mike had the pleasure of spending time with Hailey. She was ready to move and kept grandpa on his toes the entire time. You can see Mike loved every moment.

November Visit With Grandbabies

2008-11-08T15:46:00.000-05:00

In November we set out to visit with Laura & Lee and Brian & Melinda and play with the four grandbabies. Norene Had not seen Zach or Soloman since their birth in August. Mike had never seen the new babies. We make our 'grand tour' going from home to Charlotte to Chagrin Falls and back home. As usual Grandma Norene had lots of special things to bring to Ashlyn, Zech, Saturn, and Solomon.

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Hailey's Halloween Visit

2008-11-01T16:37:00.000-04:00

It was Halloween evening and came a knock at the door. "Trick or Treat" or something like that came from the front porch. There stood Hailey in her first Halloween costume. Angie and Hailey gave us a wonderful treat as we played with the 'little dragon'.

Metamora Dulcimer Festival 9/9/08

2008-09-09T17:47:00.001-04:00

On Labor Day weekend we traveled to Metamora, IN to enjoy the dulcimers and the special town of Metamora. During the week we visited with Lynn Kennedy, Mike's college roommate, took a train ride and kayaked the river. A great week!

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Florida 08 and Hurricane Ike

2008-09-08T15:24:00.000-04:00

In August we headed south to meet Andy & Kirstin and Angie & Joe for a special week on the beach at Panama City Beach, Florida. The plan was to visit Andy & Kirstin in Baton Rouge on our trip south. The hurricanes had a different plan. Gus hit Baton Rouge and we were unable to get into Baton Rouge so we headed for Panama City for the week with the kids. However, hurricane Ike came. It wasn't near Panama City but the winds and sea surge was. Our trip was short but we did get to see somethings we really don't want to see again.

Grandma's Baby Tour

2008-08-19T17:07:00.000-04:00

August 2008 was a very busy time for Norene. Laura and Melinda were both expecting babies at about the same time. Norene was working for Everyday Math and had teacher trainings to do during the 'baby period'. She took off on a wild tour which took her to Cleveland then to Charlotte back to Cleveland and then to Detroit. What a month for her! Enjoy the pictures of the proud grandma and the new baby boys.

T@B Factory Rally

2008-08-17T17:21:00.001-04:00

In August 2008 we attended our second T@B rally. We went all the way to Bristol, IN to the Eby Pine's Campground to visit with other T@B owners. We took a tour of the Dutchman T@B factory. It was interesting seeing how our trailer was built. During the weekend we met many new people and enjoyed evening fires.

Lowe's Track Classic Car Show

2008-08-04T19:48:00.001-04:00

The 'Gumdrop' was parked at the Fleetwood Campground next to the Lowe's Race track during the first weeks of April. During that time the Classic Car Show was held at Lowe's Race track. Norene and I spent a day revisiting our past when the classic cars were roaming the roads of our youth.

During our stay we visted with a group of campers who converted old motor coaches to motor homes, the 'Bus Nuts'. What a contrast between these motor coach and the tiny 'Gumdrop'! We had a facinating time learning how these motor coaches were revived and put back on the road.

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Evart Dulcimer Festival

2008-08-03T23:49:00.004-04:00

July 2008 - Enjoying Dulcimers at the Evart Dulcimer Festival.

We parked the Gumdrop (T@B trailer) at River Country campground in Evart, Michigan and enjoyed four days of music at the fair grounds.

Norene worked with the hammered dulcimer and Mike worked with the mountain dulcimer. We attended many classes, saw the shows, and caught up on what has been happening in the dulcimer world.

As with all our other trips there were storms. This seems to happen every time we take the 'Gumdrop' out. Yet even storms and bugs didn't stop us from having a great time.

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Hailey's Roll Over

2008-07-29T17:37:00.001-04:00

Little Hailey is learning to move. She now is rollong over. Grandpa tried to get pictures of her rolling over, but ... Watch and see what happened.

July 4th Camping Trip

2008-07-05T15:08:00.000-04:00

We celebrated the 4th with a week of fun on the beaches of Lake Michigan. We visited Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Zeeland, and Coopersville. Our days were packed with seeing shows, The Capitol Steps, visiting the beaches, fireworks, train robbery, and browsing the shops. We found the best 'ice cream' shop in Saugatuck. Might have to drive up there every once in a while. We parked the 'Gumdrop' at a great campground in Zeeland. Again the trip started with big storms and ended with rain.

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Chagrin Falls Ohio 08

2008-06-11T18:27:00.000-04:00

Brian, Melinda, and Saturn moved to Chagrin Falls, OH. We visited to see the new home. Melinda is close to 'baby time' as you will see in the pictures.

A Visit With Hailey

2008-06-08T19:10:00.000-04:00

Grandpa Mike and grandma Norene got a nice visit with Hailey. Share our joy as we play with Hailey.

Sandy Pines Family Trip

2008-05-18T19:23:00.001-04:00

In May 2008 Andy & Kirstin, Angie & Joe with Hailey, Mike & Norene all met at Sandy Pines for a weekend of family camping and fun. Moose enjoys a golf cart ride, the kids play music video games, and we all enjoy nightly fires, walks, and remembering old times.

Midwest Spring T@B Rally

2008-04-29T16:56:00.003-04:00

In April 2008 on our way home from Charlotte we stopped at Turkey Run State Park, Indiana to attend our first T@B rally. What fun we had! Great people and fun times. So many little T@Bs in one place. Each T@B with unique touches.

Ashlyn at Two

2008-04-17T18:34:00.000-04:00

Ashlyn turns two and grandma is there to enjoy. Watch the pictures and enjoy Ashlyn.

Angie & Joe's New Girl

2008-03-15T17:50:00.000-04:00

On March 15, 2008 Hailey was born. The cutest little girl. She had lots of black hair and was as healthy as can be. Mommy Angie and proud father Joe were doing fine and very happy.

Angie Baby Shower

2008-02-07T17:55:00.000-05:00

It is getting close to BABY time! Family and friends gather to celebrate Angie and the new baby.

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Christmas 2007

2007-12-29T19:55:00.000-05:00

Ho... Ho... Ho...
Come along and enjoy our family Christmas. See Saturn and Ashlyn playing and experiencing Christmas traditions.

Saturn Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T18:59:00.002-05:00

Share our Thanksgiving with Saturn, Brian, and Melinda. See the fun and the swans who dropped in for a visit. Watch Saturn help grandma Norene decorate the Christmas tree. Catch the view of the first snow of the season.

Our new 'bundle of joy'

2007-11-08T16:40:00.000-05:00

After seeing al the new trailers and motor homes we decided upon the right RV for us. Check out our new home on the road. I bet you haven't seen many like this before.

Sand Sculpture Contest

2007-09-15T19:43:00.001-04:00

While walking on the beach in Panama City we came across an interesting art contest. We were amazed at the detail and scope of the sculptures. Look at the pictures and see if it reminds you of warm sumer days.

Panama City Beach

2007-09-15T18:04:00.000-04:00

In September 2007 we vatationed with Lee, Laura, and Ashlyn at Panama City Beach, Florida. During the week we all explored the beach, visited local attractions and enjoyed Ashlyn.

Getting Ready for Retirement

2007-08-19T12:15:00.003-04:00

The days of working are getting shorter and Norene and Mike are looking for retirement toys. Thinking that there sould be a more fun way to travel we visit the RV shows to pick out our dream retirement home.

Memorial Day 2007

2007-06-02T14:50:00.001-04:00

We joined Julius and Sue on a trip to Charlevoix, Michigan. The weather was cool and windy, yet we had a great time seeing the sights. We enjoy traveling with Julius and Sue. This was the first Memorial Day parade we have seen in a long time. Sue gave us a tour of her home town. Norene always likes exploring beaches.

Savannah - The last spring break trip. 4/07

2007-04-07T11:26:00.001-04:00

Spring break has always been our reward for making it through the rough winter months of teaching. During our teaching years we always traveled to special places at spring break. So many fun filled trips with great memories. This trip to Savannah was our last spring break trip. We were moving from working teachers to happy retired teachers. From this time forward every week will be "Spring Break' for us.

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Norene enjoys the snow

2007-02-07T21:59:00.002-05:00

This is our first Smilebox.

We all know how much Norene likes snow. I was lucky to get these pictures. Enjoy what she has to say. See what grand babies Saturn and Ashlyn have to say about it.

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Andy's Niles Concert

2006-06-01T17:21:00.000-04:00

In June 2006 Andy played a concert at the Riverfront Cafe in Niles, Michigan as a special gift to his sister. He entertained Joe and Angie, family members and friends from the Niles area at a pre wedding party. Listen to the music and see the smiles.

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