I miss you Dad…

 I took a drive the other day without you dad. 

It would’ve been the drive to hang out together as we did so often. 

This Father’s Day the seat next to me was empty, but I felt your presence regardless.

I made the trek down to what you called “God‘s country“ its where you grew up on the family farm

 and went to school in the country schools! 

The Amish were in the fields, you would have got a kick out of this!

I found the farm your dad bought, the last one before he and grandma moved to the city in Cresco Ia! 

All of the original buildings are gone. There’s an old, rusty, windmill, hard to see in this picture, 

but I bet it’s the original windmill from the old farm.

I wish I would’ve done a better job of “pinning“ all of the places we used to go!

 The stories will stick with me and just driving on the country roads bring back good memories

 of time spent with you.

One of my favorite places we always visited was Grandpa Andrews farm near Canton! 

Many times we drove down this path, that led out to what used to be the farm!

All that’s left of it now is the windmill that Grandpa Andrew’s built. 

You and I would always get out of the car and checked the corn to see how it was coming along, 

so I did that...

It felt weird not having you there in person, but I felt your presence as I stood on the land, once farmed by my maternal great grandfather

I love this photo I took of you a few years back!

I’m guessing this was in the fall 

after the corn had been harvested, 

Oh, and Just a little update for your dad the corn looks like it’s doing well this spring,

 I think the farmers are going to have a good year 

I miss our drives Dad! 

This 1st one without you was hard but I will continue our country road trips and remember the stories you shared with me! I'll smell that country air, walk on my ansestors land, visit the gravesites of family and make sure to notice how the crops are doing.

Happy 1st Fathers Day in Heaven

Miss you and Love you

Big skies and green pastures....

I have always loved "country"

Cows in the pature,

gravel roads,

big Skys, and green pastures.

I grew up in the country!

When I was a kid living at home, I used to walk across our back yard, 

cross-over  County Rd 11 and lay in the ditch to watch the cows.

We didn't live on a farm but the cows were practically in my backyard.

Both Mom and Dad grew up on farms, we visited grandma's farm often as a kid.

Today mom and I took a little drive down the gravel roads in Amish country near Utica, Mn

 Where the chickens roam free....

 Where the Amish buggies line the buildings

Where Horse lead buggies cross paths on the gravel roads

Can you see them....pretty little! 

 We visited the "Yoder Farm/ country greenhouse.

 Amish plants are inexpensive and always healthy.

 I had mom pick our a hanging plant for Mother's Day :)

I may post that photo hear in a few days.

A day with dad

This week has been a fun week spent with family....

Tuesday my sister came down from the cities to spend the day with me and dad.

We wanted to go with dad to see the places of his childhood. We saw many old homesteads, (or what's left of them), we visited the house he and his twin brother were born in. We visited many churches and cemeteries to see family plots from the past. We learned some history from the years gone by and found it facinating to hear dad's stories of his "growing up years"

~~~

We started in Rushford MN

Its where my great great grandfather Eric Madson

started working when he came over from Norway.

The old wagon factory.

Eric's son, Anton (my Great-gradfather) also worked here. He changed his name to Anton "Eric"son, because he was eric's son....I guess that was common practice. So thats where my maiden name came from.... ERICKSON

While in Rushford we stopped in at the lefse factory to watch the production.

I've made lefse at home and it don't get it done quite this fast & perfect.

Speaking of perfect.....

"not only am I PERFECT.... I'm Norwegian too".

Jodi and I are 1/2 Norwegian, dad's full-blooded

~~~

Next stop....Henry town cemetery

My Grandpa & Grandma Erickson

Great-grandparents

Thought this was one of the cooest headstones....ever (no relation)

~~~

Ever heard of a state farm or poor house,

well this was one of them

It's A farm that houses, supports, and employs the poor at public expense.

...and when those folks died....

they were buried here with only a #number on a tiny stone.

~

Then we came to this old amish farm...The people who live here all know my dad

The old amish lady sitting at the kitchen table points over to a near corner and says...

"the twins were born right over there"

the twins were my dad and his brother.

~~~

This little one lives here now. I wonder if she was born in this house too.

~~~

Next stop...Sheie Church... the church my dad grew up in

it's a beautiful church

with REAL wooden pews....remember those ?

***

The road to my grandpa's old farmstead...

..or what's left of it. My grandpa actually built this windmill

Looking across the field from the farm to this little country school,

Dad only attended here a few years.

The old creamery that my dad hauled milk cans into after milking their cows.

***

The southfork church, my sister and I remembered being here when we were little...

we had a picnic here...I remember :)

***

Favorite picture,

it was fun visiting with the amish family, they are very hospitable and seemed to enjoy having visitors.

It was a great day to spend with dad, he had many great stories to share.

He even showed us the l-o-n-g downhill 2 1/2 mile road he had to walk to school each morning, he really did have to walk 2 1/2 miles....that's not just a story