Do you believe in leprechauns?

Missouri is as good as Ireland, we have little people at Twin Lake. If you leave your sand pails unattended and full of water, the little people use them for swimming pools.

III is just a memory

Erica, asked, will we blog from III again . . . and we won't. Sad, ain't it?

Seems like I was using Nana's View for Creston things, family, children and for grandchildren's stories and photos. I had taken to writing on III when I had something to say about Missouri . . . I was using III for stories about the outdoors, nature, wildlife and most things Missouri.

Now that III, the place, is gone, I changed the name of the blog to "Too at Twin Lake". This is where you will tune in to find out what is going on in Missouri and to see if Himself has had anything to say -- which as we all have noticed, he seems to be tongue-tied since he turned 60. But check in every now and again, he might just get the urge to write. He might surprise us.

It really is a bit of a relief, to have just one place to go. Don't get me wrong, I loved III. I loved the timber, the trees, the wildlife, the cabin and I especially liked the fact that I had room to grow. I had a place where I could try new things, practice new skills, make a mess, muck about and just, basically, act like a carefree kid. With no one to make fun of me and no one to criticize (well, hardly ever). The rule at III was "Do what you want, when you want" . . . as long as no one got hurt!

It will be nice not to have to worry about getting our work done at Too so we can get to III to mow. It will be nice that we can down-size the fleet of mowers. It will be nice that we don't have possessions scattered over two states and three counties because we are finding that our memories are not what they used to be and we were starting to keep lists, and inventories. Diaries and journals -- just so we would know where something was! And it will be great when we get a little house up at Too with basement and laundry and a furnace, maybe. Shower? Okay, Okay, I'll consider a shower for all your sakes!

Meanwhile, III is not completely gone. We have left all the blog entries and photos from Shagbark III right here in this site. It will be handy for me and Himself to wander back in time, dust off the photos, browse and nudge amongst the memories and be able to relive our good ol' days at III.

Meanwhile, (clink), I propose a toast to the future good days at "Two at Twin Lake"! Cheers!

Door to the past

"beasties" . . . a Bee Story

Craig and Traci, I have a story to tell about your little ones.

I have to preface it by saying that I have absolutely no fear, dread, anxiety or revulsion of bees, wasps, hornets, et al. Don't know why, just don't. Also, I'm admitting (hesitantly to be sure) that I don't understand that in other people, even other LITTLE people. Since I don't understand, I don't have too much patience. Wish it were different and I am working on it!

At Too, the last time with Gabby and Joey, we were unloading the car or doing some chore when two little dears set up a howl, crying, and in a panic. A wasp had flown around or by them.

Nana thought to nip this in the bud because you all are aware that in rural Missouri we are going to be dealing with bees, wasps, hornets, et al about every 28 minutes. Nana stopped in her tracks. Gabby! Joey! When you see a wasp, react! Don't just stand and cry! If you are outside, go in! If you are inside, go out! Soldiers react! Move. Walk. Go. Don't just cry!


The rest of the day, off and on, we talked about "reacting", being proactive, doing something to make things better. We talked about soldiers (okay, "army men"). Moving. Doing. Changing one's position.

Don't know if it made an impression or not . . . but I heard a few good stories about Daddy and insects, anyway . . . and we didn't have any more tears over wasps.

Moral of the story, tho, if the little ones talk mean about Nanny once in awhile, I deserve it!

Last time

This big baby took little ones along this weekend . . . so I'd have to be brave for a final visit.

I stood in the clearing and cried last time

but didn't this time:


I have had fun.

I have learned a bunch!

I had a good time with Himself.

I enjoyed nature.

I discovered things!

I made muscle.

I made good memories.

I built campfires.

I built a drogue.

I split a tree!

I stood naked in the privacy of the trees and showered.

I built a bed.

I persevered.

I did what had to be done.

I come from Pioneer Stock.


PS: I wish Himself was more interested in photos.
There would have been a bunch!

SHAGBARK III- THE FINAL CHAPTER

This will be hard to explain, as fast as I am(was) and as hard as I tried, I cannot outrun the thoughts of getting old. It hit hard when I turned 60, worse at 61, and now 62 is looming. 5 years ago when we purchased III, I had no thoughts of age. We jumped in with both feet a runnin, and had a blast. But as family duties allowed for less and less time to be at III, and II also, it becamed apparent that something had to give. And, as we had more ties to II, as herself's parents built it, we, me in particular was ready to abandon III. But, we will always have the memories we made, in writings, and pictures. The greatest of times were at III, as we plowed into the unknown, and made things happen. That will never be taken away from us. Now we will concentrate on II, make it better, and the story will continue on from there.
III has been sold!!! The ads came out on the internet on Wed., August 5, 2009, and the deal was finalized on Sat, August 8. We never imagined this could happen so quickly. A young couple from K.C. and their children will take over for us. They seemed very excited and wanted to know everything about the property. They will do fine.
Boi(himself)

Chocolate Lake

I like the name Audri invented for our little ol' pond. She jumped out of the Jeep, took one look and talked to PaPa about the Chocolate Lake. All I had ever thought to call it was muddy . . . so was glad to be around when a little one imagined it as "chocolate".

The pond has been named.