Summer Vacation: Short Report #1

First leg of our Summer Vacation is now History.
 
We took farewell with grandson Sebastian at Oslo Airport – around 11 AM CET.
 
And here is Anna waiting for the Flight from Copenhagen
 
This is how it looked just after we entered our Hotel  Suite in Chicago. We arrived around 7 PM CT (2AM CET)
 
And this is Chicago, Ohio Street
 
Here is Chicago River in the evening.
 
Chicago downtown. The high building in the background was only projected when we was in Chicago 2006.

Much more to be posted, so stay tuned for the weeks to come…

PS. I’m not sure I can comment any but they who comment to my Vacation reports – hope you understand and respect we are on Vacation.....

Papa was invited to Farmers Market - on a Sunday

My dear readers do know, last weekend papa stayed in Suzann's home in St Paul.
OK OK - Both of us are respectful people. We just kissed, when I had to leave for my Plane over the Pond from O'Hare to Europe. At 6:15 AM. My luggage is still in Bruxelles, due to a Strike.
So, this is a report, more or less Wordless on a Wednesday: Farmers Market down town Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Every Saturday and Sunday the Farmers Market is down Town Saint Paul.
Just look at the photos, and you'll understand what a blast for me it was. OK?

Suzann, my beautiful hostess and blogger friend

Corns, carrots, cabbages and a corny photo
- Can a market be better than all fresh and organic fruits and Vegetables?

Choose your own favourites. I went allmost crazy

Tomatoe Season. First weekend with local, organic grown Tomatoes in St Paul area - 2008.

Organic Cucumbers. Make your own Pickles. Suzann's pickles were out of this world fantastic.

Farmers Market also have lots of beautiful Flowers

Joan bought these Flowers to Suzann

And Onions and yeah much more, see for your self. Click to enlarge and you'll see Suzann, Joan and Steve. Wonderful people.

A veggie Brunch, as only Suzann can make it.

wow, so many variations. Home made, organic Marmelades.

End of the Day - Cleaning up at the Farmers Market


More to come.... so stay tuned

8-8-08 The Ultimate Lucky Day - for Chinese and .....

...... Read at the bottom to find out who else:

I left Bob and Amy this morning and headed North for St. Paul. Do you see Amy's stick?

From a very special blogger friend I was told that on my way North I would pass the most knowledged College in USA - at least for Norwegians: St Olav College. The Arcitecture and the whole Campus is a blessing for the Eye.

Here is the oldest building

Here from the Church

What at mess, for the second Day in a row, I had to take pictures of my own on the Road Lunch. No assistance. Is this America?

I went further up I 35, then I 35 E, then I 494, then Minnesota 10 to Burns Avenue and turned right. Why?

Blogger friend Suzann and Tor. Go to Suzann's post.

And her Cat + Steve's legs are Lense Louses

And her friends from Florida - Here is Steve watching Suzann preparing the Saumon

Here is Suzann and friend since the 60'ies, Joan.

We had Yukon King Salmon for Dinner. That was a blast of a meal.

More to come... so hang on.

Papa goes west of Missisippe, meet Family and joining a Big Band Concert

This TORsday was a Day on the Road.

From the state of Illinois, via Wisconsin to Minnesota.
I'm West of Missisippi. Up North in USA. Where so many Norwegians did emigrate 100 years plus ago.
Norse Homeland, with other words.

I had a rest. Lunch. Fruits and Water only. Nobody to take a picture of me. But you see my Table. I did need that half an hour rest from the Interstate.

This is only a fraction of todays experiences. Have me excused for that (or, thanks God, he is not going to write a loooooong post)
- but more from today will be posted later - Scream.

At last, on the west side of Missisippi . Here you see the Locks at La Crosse.

I ended up in the Town of Faribault, which have the first Cathedral built west of Missisippi (too dark to take a picture today).

Why?
Family of course, what else?

Here is cousin Bob and his Wife Amy. She is born and grown up in Faribault. An hour our so by Car south of the Twin cities ( St. Paul - Minneapolis). We have not met since August 2006. First time I met Bob was in -95. In Portland, OR.

Amy's brother Roger is a famous landscape Architect. His garden are visited by gardening lovers from all over US. About 1500 hundred during the short summer season. Amy - Bob - Roger (from left to right) - Both Bob and Roger played Trumpet when younger.

This is only a glimpse - more to come for Garden lovers.

Then we went to a Public Big Band Concert in the Town's Main Park:

Here they are. Old friends and even cousin Bob. Who played Trumpet in Glen Millers Orchestra in the 1940'ies. More to come about that. Amy's brotherplayed with Benny Goodman, also Trumpet. See the point?

Even the Dogs did enjoy. It's Amy's brother's back you see here. And the three Puddles.

The Big Band concert was great. Here you see the the Saxophone groupe at the Finale. They went down to the audience. Great.
Excellent concert - given to the public by local sponsors

More to come, so stay tuned....
PS. I have to rush, to remember all the wonderful experiences.

2008 Summer Music Festival

August 2, 2008: Simply Sinatra at Lions Pavilion Park, New Buffalo, Michigan, USA

The Park is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Michigan State only one mile north of Indiana.

Lori's Mother called the other evening and invited us to an Outdoor Concert. She is a Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Volonteer and we had free entrence to the Consert.

The evenings program was "Simply Sinatra" with Guest Artist Steve Lippia. His voice "happens" to be very alike Frank Sinatra's. And he performed very well. Interesting about him, is that he did not start a professional song carreer until well established with several other businesses. But during a spare time performance with a big band (Jazz) in Florida, he was "discovered", and that's it.

He is now established among USA's finest interpreters of "Standards" and traditional pop music.
The Program opened with: The Lady Is A Tramp. Very well performed. Nineteen songs all in all.

Some of them with the Brassband section of the Orchestra only. Excellent performed and extremely swinging. The Orchestra's Music Director, Robin Fountain, is here seen to the left.

The Sound Mixer.

Audience.

More Audience

Lori and Mats enjoying the Concert

During the second part of the program Steve Lippia asked the audience to watch the Sunset. We did.

The last song was "New York, New York" - and people danced on the Lawn.

It was a great event on a beautiful summer evening - we agreed upon on our way home.

Thanks to Gail that invited us. She also offered me Pop Corn and a large glass of White Wine and a Chair to sit on.

More to come...

Todays Gardening: Palm Sunday here

Saturday Report from a Busy Day in USA

My dear readers recall I'm on Vacation in USA. For the Moment I stay with my Son and DIL in SW Michigan.
They Both have BD's in the Spring, have bought a new home with a Garden and a large Platform. I promised them Flowers/Plants as a BD - gift this year.
This Saturday was the day to realize my promise.
Saturday Part 1 - Shopping for the Garden - A Birthday Gift
But what to buy? And where to have them? Large, small, tiny, need Sun, need Shadow - it's all kinds from all parts of the world to buy these days.

I got an Idea *giggles*.

Something is missing here, I thought. (I did not promise them a Hammock. LOL.

So we went to Lowe's.

Mats was not allowed to see what I would propose. But I gave him a clue.

Here is what would be installed at the Platform in two Groupes: Two Groupes with 3 different kinds.

One high, that brings a little Shadow to the next in size which in turn gives even more Shadow to the shortest ones.

Like in the Nature from where they originates.

More to come about the result.....

While you wait, you are very wellcome to enjoy our Luncheon on two different, well recomended, by me, places. Do you join?