We took a long walk on the bridge across the Mississippi onto Latsch Island, a wildlife sanctuary, and into Wisconsin. The house boats lining the banks were picturesque, but how do they deal with the mosquitoes?

A three and a half day drive across six states got us to Winona, Minnesota, on the banks of the mighty Mississippi river, to visit with family. In true midwest form, the weather was hot and muggy with thunderstorms and tornadoes threatening. Over the weekend we did some sightseeing across the river in Wisconsin. On Saturday night we had a great walleye dinner at the Hillside Fish House near Fountain City and some fantastic bloody marys at The Golden Frog Tavern in the heart of Fountain City on Sunday morning. In between the two we stopped at the abandoned farm house that once belonged to my maternal great grandparents. They ran a ‘truck’ farm and provided fresh produce year round by means of a big greenhouse they heated with a woodstove. The farm is gone as is the greenhouse, but the house and an old barn still stand. (If you click on ‘The Golden Frog’ above you will see a view of the tavern when perhaps my great grandfather, emigrant from Germany, frequented the establishment!)

A view of Winona with the bump of Sugarloaf, the only registered mountain in Minnesota, to the left and the Winona County Courthouse on the right.

We attended the world famous Fleet of Flowers Ceremony in Depoe Bay on Memorial Day. It was drizzly with a cold wind, but we braved it (except for Louie, the puppy) until it was obvious the Coast Guard helicopter wasn’t going to arrive to drop the first wreath into the circle of flower bedecked boats. The ceremony and pageantry were sobering and we at least got to see the boats motor out to sea under the Highway 101 bridge.

We referred to this one as the Popeye Boat!

You can see faintly on the horizon the boats forming up into a circle into which the helicopter was supposed to fly. Due to weather or an emergency it was needed at, it never showed up.

Sea Lions in Yaquina Bay near Newports Bayfront

Looking out to sea under the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Oregon.

Robert found some driftwood on the beach.

Over the Memorial Day weekend we went to the coast with Mark & Sue for a little work and play. Robert and Mark went crabbing in Yaquina Bay.

They caught a few small crabs, and the mink carcass bait caught a stick too!

Captain Bob motoring the crabbing vessel.

Since the bait wasn’t catching crabs, might as well feed the gulls!

Beware of The Birds!