Couple Time at Door County's Fall Fest

Milt and I have been married for 20 years now, but all it takes is a weekend away - just the two of us - for us to remember why we love being together.

This past Friday, we escaped to our favorite spot - Door County, WI - for a little r&r and uninterrupted conversations. No commuting to Chicago, no helping my daughter with Geometry homework that I can no longer remember how to do, no letting the dog out and in, no deciphering shopping lists from my mother-in-law... It was just the two of us - just the way it all started.

I love the fall - and it is definitely fall in Wisconsin - pumpkins everywhere. I loved the opalescent pink pumpkins outside a little boutique. Plus, these little animal ones were adorable.

Friday boasted crisp beautiful weather, so we roamed through the orchards and gift shops, snagged some fudge, and even took in a classic Wisconsin fish boil. Here, we did a little self-portrait as we watched the sunset. Ahhh...the romance is still alive :-).

Saturday and Sunday brought rain, rain, and more rain which put a bit of a damper on the annual Sister Bay Fest. Milt's favorite part - the car show - had only two lonely cars that survived the deluge. But that didn't stop people like this older gentleman. He comes every year and let Milt try on his special "Fest Celebration" hat. He just added an orange rain poncho, and he was good to go.

During Sister Bay's three-day festival, they close down the highway and celebrate with an art show, good food, and Wisconsin party bands. We huddled in a tent, rain streaming down the cement under our feet, and ate fried cheese curds while watching Wisconsin girls in coats, mittens, and hats dancing...

After the rainy fest, we enjoyed escaping to Pete D'Amico's Pasta Vino - he moved his great pasta restaurant to the old Hillside Inn in Ellison Bay - a beautiful building with a mid-century retro look! What a nice way to end our weekend escape.

Comments

Mary McLeod Bethune: She Has Given Her Best

I first heard about Mary McLeod Bethune when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute. She was an early graduate of my college - and an African American woman. I knew she had gone on to become one of the greatest women in our country. She was so well known that she earned the status of being featured on our postage stamps. But I didn't really know much about her. As I researched Mary McLeod Bethune for my book, When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up . I learned a bit more about her remarkable life: She was the 15th of 17 children, born to former slaves. From an early age, she hungered for education. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a desire for missionary service to Africa - an opportunity she was denied because of her race. Undeterred, she started a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, Florida, that went on to become Bethune Cookman University. She was asked to work with Franklin D. Roosevelt and led many ...

Pacific Garden Mission: A Bed, A Meal and the Bright Light of Hope

In 1877, a woman named Sarah Dunn Clarke and her newly-wedded husband George started a rescue mission on Chicago’s south side. They were wealthy, but their hearts were broken by the men and women who struggled to survive on the city’s streets. The Pacific Garden Mission is the 2 nd oldest operating rescue mission in the United States. Now located on 14 th St and Canal – just south of Chicago’s loop – they offer shelter to as many as a thousand men and women on any given night. As part of my book research to understand how the work of Sarah Clarke continues today, I visited the mission with my friend Dawn Pulgine. Entering through the side, we felt a bit out of our element. Men, black and white, old and young, clustered near the doorway. Some carried bags of personal belongings. Others were working the desk and security. It was mid-day at the Mission. We were given a tour by one of the “program men” – residents who choose to stay a...

My Life as a Cosplay Mom

Cosplay?! What's that? When I tell people that my teenage daughter loves to cosplay, they often have no idea what I'm talking about. About five years ago, my daughter created her first costume to attend a cosplay convention. What I quickly learned is that her love for "cosplay" (defined as costume play) would definitely involve her mom! Together, we have made countless trips to the fabric and craft store as I learned to sew, trace, and glue, create patterns from scratch, and apply stage make-up. In the photo to the left, you can see my husband and I, with our daughter, in full Pokemon cosplay. Attending ACEN (Anime Central) at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, two mild-mannered parents were instantly transformed into Team Magma. Our daughter had full design control, helping me create our group costume. Apparently we did it right, because the moment we entered the conference center, we were stopped for photos. Milt and I had to fake i...

Jamie Janosz

Search This Blog