Sunday, April 13, 2008

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad

The Mars clan converged this weekend in Columbus to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th wedding aniversary. Dinner was a selection of memory foods - "Love" sandwiches (Mom's old specialty), organic salad, sweet corn (remember shucking corn as kids?), carrot cake, Great-Grandma McKay's cinnamon applesauce. The 'cafe Mars' had super-delux table service provided by the grandkids, and a continuous stream of live entertainment.

Primary Colors


Amaya has a miles-wide artistic streak, and this often is manifest in her wardrobe selections. Here she is dressed in primary colors: blue, red, and yellow.

Spring Vacation

For spring vacation, we dropped in on Paul and Lydia. Here are some photos...


Ida has started her own businesses. In winter she makes baskets, which she sells from the roadside. In summer she does herbs. While we were there, some folks brought by a bunch of sick seedlings, for her to nurse back to health. So she's grown a reputation as a herb 'vet' of sorts. I believe her baskets are made of strips of white oak (that Paul logs). She stains and dyes the strips, and builds the baskets. Each is signed and numbered. So far, she's made about 300.



























Emery has started a harness shop. He builds the equipment that folks need to hitch up their horses to their buggies.








Ida and Anna showing off their sisterly love.




Here is a picture of everyone (Ida, Emery, Lydia, Paul, Abigail, Anna) except Emmanuel. Emmanuel is taking up carpentry, and lives on his own down the road about a mile.


The day we visited was Joe's birthday, and to celebrate, we made homemade ice cream. Paul has a super-delux ice-cream maker. It makes two gallons. The mechanism is so good that Lydi spent about 10 minutes cranking the ice cream!















We stayed in a great hotel in downtown Linden. Although Linden is a very small town, the hotel is really first-class.

Invasion from the Planet Zorgon

Amaya and Joe acted in a production of the subject play. Grandpa and Grandma and Ben came to see the play. This was Amaya's first play. Joe is an old pro at this, of course. Amaya was hilarious as 'Calamity Josephine', and Joe did a great 'Sheriff'.

Last Blast of Winter




On 26 Feb, we got the year's last good dump of snow. Kids were off of school, and Will took the day off. The best part was going to The Hill and getting some sled time. Now I'm ready for spring.

Puzzled?

Kids doing a puzzle on a Sunday afternoon.