Part of our journey's purpose has been to spend time with those we love, reconnect with friends and family and to explore our roots in this great land. We have seen those we have been missing and reunited with family that we have not been with for many years.
We had a wonderful visit with my Dad's brother, Uncle Russ and his wife, Joanne. Cousin Jodi and I spent the day browsing shops near St. Louis. That evening we were joined for dinner by her family including beautiful twin daughters, Amanda and Erin and granddaughter, Nora. They brought their charming and handsome men with them with the exception of Tim and Jodi's son, Tom, who had class that night.
Shari, Doug's daughter and her husband, Ryan moved to Indianapolis last February. Shari knows that to keep her Dad around it is a good idea to have projects. She did an excellent job and now has a remodeled bathroom and new brake pads on her car and they had a wonderful time working together. Shari so resembles Doug in so many ways!
Our very best go to Deanna and Ron Larson and their son Tim and his wife Mary. The family owns a publishing company and Ron has long been a text book author of college and k-12 math books. We spend a lovely evening enjoying their hospitality in Erie the night of the 21st. We were all saddened to hear that Ron's Mother, Harriet Larson passed away in the night. I often think of her Christmas letter last year and all that I have heard about her. What a remarkable woman! I can only hope to ride my last camel in Eqypt at 95 and to be spoken of so lovingly as is Harriet. Sorry for no pictures.
I have long heard of Doug's cousin, Steve, who is an artist now living in upstate New York formerly from New York City. We contacted his mother, Betty, to obtain an address for him. She told us that he owned a wall paper company and that some of his wall paper was in the White House. But I did not imagine that Steve's company was selected to produce the wall paper used in the restoration of the Lincoln Bedroom. He produces original wall paper for museum quality restoration. Not only is he artistic, he is an excellent chef. It was fun to go through the business and see the house they built.
During our travels we went to Bishop Hill, IL where Jan's Swedish ancestors came to exercise religious freedom in the winter of 1847-48. The Bishop Hill Colony was one of several religious communities in that area including the Amana Colonies (German), the Mormon Colony at Navoo and several Mennonite Communities. The Bishop Hill Colony included many notable historical members not the least of whom were Carl Sandburg's sister (who taught school) and Olaf Kranz, the well known primitive artist. Olaf Kranz painted life at Bishop Hill including portraits of notable First Settlers. Jan's Great-great-great-great Grandather, Han's Dahlgren, was among those and his portrait hangs today in the Bishop Hill Museum. If you knew Jan's father, John, you can probably see the resemblence.
As a note, we met a man who knew Jan's Great-great-great Uncle Hans who was the son of aforementioned Hans and who died in 1949. The man told us a story about Hans and commented that Hans was both a good farmer, a good neighbor and a character. As the story goes, Han's came to the bank to purchase the Root farm which was located south of Bishop Hill. He placed a bag on the counter. When the banker counted the money, he told Hans that there was too much cash. For a moment Han's looked puzzled and then he replied, " I must have picked up the wrong bag."
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