I'm on vacation!!! I'm on Vacation!!!

Well I am on vacation this week. Spent the weekend with family. My sister and her family came up from Houston. Linda flew up and Kevin and the kids drove. Linda flew because she could only be here for the weekend. They all came into town for our family reunion on Saturday. We had alow turn out because of the wonderful weather we had. It rained all day long, but we still managed to have good time. Here are a couple of pics of the reunion.

Here are 4 of my Dad's sisters. Aunts Helen, Dorothy, Mary Jane and Francis.

Here is our clan. Sean, Jimmy, Debbie, Denise, Kate and Sara.

My Cousin Frank's little one was having a great time playing in the rain.

Here is a pic of all of our nieces and nephews. It is a very occasion that we are all together in the same place at the same time.

From L to R; Sean, Kate, Sara, Jimmy, Michelle, Shandra and of course Our Cleo had to be in the picture as well.

Linda has already arrived back home and Kevin and the girls are driving back home tomorrow. Sean is staying a few exrta days. So we are taking him and Jimmy up to the cabin for a few days of fishing. I am really looking forward to it. The truck is packed and we are just waiting for the morning to come. It is going to be a very nice time.

We will talk to everyone when we get back next week. I leave you with a couple of pics of our angel dog Kaiser.

Kiaser eating his first ice cream treat from Stroh's.

"I am so innocent, I don't know anything about that trash basket being tipped over Dad".

4th of July, party at Trout Lake

The flower arrangement that my Mom made from flowers in her yard.

From the paddle boat parade.

Our neighbor girls from the paddle boat parade. Their theme: All American Christmas. This years theme had to start with the letter A.

Our neighbors enjoying the paddle boat parade.

A is for Amish and our wild and crazy neighbors across the lake. They were the winners!

Kaiser's favorite places to nap

Well our little man is getting big. We went for his first vet visit today. He is 16.9 lbs. He was 9.13 lbs when we got him. He is into everything! He did really well at the vet, he never cried or even flinched when he got his shots. Dr. Dan says he is doing fine.

Here are some pics.

Nothing better than lying in the big boy bed at the foot of Mom and Dad's bed at the cabin.

We went back checked on him later and all that was left were a couple of legs, oh my!

Of course taking a nap in a chair outside in the cool north air is unbeatable.

And nothing is better than a nap after you been "Lei-ed". ( I know, typical man).

Of course sleeping on Mom and Dad's down comforter is the best. Shh!! Don't tell anyone I'm up here.

And just so you don't think that all he does is sleep. Here is pic of him doing his favorite thing, attacking Cleo.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by. Hope everyone had good 4th. Talk to you all soon.

Fishing weekend, Kaiser and 4th of July

Well Denise is on vacation at the cabin. She has the hounds with her. I will be joining her for the weekend right after work on Friday.

Last weekend I was at my friends Tom's house fishing with the guys. On Saturday I had the best day ever fishing. I caught 4 northern pikes and one 18 inch largemouth. I kept two of the pike and we cleaned them up for Grandma. She always complains that I catch pike but never bring her any fillets. Well Grandma the pike is on the way.

The two keepers for Grandma

The biggest Bass I have ever caught.

So we all know fisherman lie, but I have to tell you about the one that got away. I had the largest pike I have ever seen much less fight, all the way to the boat when the leader broke and he swam away. Had we landed this fish it would have definitely gone on the wall. We guessed it was 45 to 50 inches long. It bent my 8 foot heavy rod in two. It put up a great fight.

The difference between catching a fish of a lifetime and just being able to tell the story about the one that got away.

Kaiser is doing just great. He is everywhere and him and Cleo have bonded. He follows her everywhere. When she gets tried of him she lets him know. Here are so pics of our boy.

Chewing on his canvas dummy that I put pheasant scent on.

Running away with the bird. I think it is bigger than he is.

We will be at the cabin to celebrate our Great Countries 233rd birthday. I am thankful everyday that I live in the USA.

Please take time to remember all of our men and women in uniform and all those who have given their lives in service to our country. Without them we would not enjoy the freedoms that we do.

Denise and I wish everyone a very Happy and Safe 4th of July.

More pics of Kaiser

Well Denise is back from the cabin so here are some more pics of Kaiser. So here they are.

It did not take long for him to find his way up on the couch in the sunroom.

After a hard day of playing it is time for nap.

Her Highness Cleopatra keeping watch in the yard for illegal alien rabbits.

Cleo and Kaiser playing in the back yard. Cleo however is still not sure what to do with Kaiser.

Here Kaiser is giving us tree trimming suggestions. He is playing tug of war with a low branch on our Sargentina Crabapple tree in the front yard. I think he is trying to tell us that we need to trim the tree a little.

Aren't I handsome?

Puppy food $16.00

A variety of chew toys 25.00

Finding the perfect place to lay your head down.....

PRICELESS!!!

Our New Addition

We have a new addition to our family. We have brought a new puppy home. He is about 6 weeks old and oh so cute. His name is Kaiser, he is a German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP). Below are some pics.

I won't be able to hold him like this for long.

Kaiser and his brother and sisters.

He looks harmless, except for those sharp teeth and claws.

I had more pics but somehow I lost them somewhere in the computer.

Denise is at the cabin with the hounds. Kaisers first trip up there. The girls next door have been coming over everyday to play with Kaiser. By the time they leave he collapses and sleeps all night.

Our other GSP Cleo doesn't quite know what to do with this new puppy. We are confident that she will get used to him and they will be running together in no time.

We were talking about what to name him and I thought we should find a German name. Denise found a website that had German pet names. As we went down the list Kaiser stuck out because it means Caesar, which was our first GSP's name.

Anyway if I find the lost pics I will post them.

Take care

Bill

Pics from the cabin

We have been at the cabin the last three weekends which is very unusual for me. I only get up there about once a month. We have been spending time with Denise's family.

I thought I would share some pics we have taken at the cabin over the last three weekends.

Here is Uncle Don helping his grandson Nathan fish off our dock with a Sponge Bob fishing pole.

Nate caught quite a few nice blue gills. Nice Fish Nate!!!!

Denise and her Mom brought some garden art at a crafts fair in Houghton Lake.

This is Denise's skating bird.

This is Mom's garden monster.

These garden art statues are made from scrap metal parts. Nice way to recycle.

While visting at Uncle Don's Nate got tired of fishing, so Don took over the Sponge Bob pole and landed this nice bass. Don out fished us all with that pole. I think I need to put one in my arsenal.

A pic of a flying squirrel enjoying some sunflower seeds.

Cleo's two nemisis the black squirrel and the chipmunk. Nose prints all over the front window when these characters show up.

A male Pileated Woodpecker, one of my favorite birds visits the suet tree.

Denise's Red Headed Woodpecker visits us often.

I was out back of the cabin when I heard the call of the loon. I first I thought it was Denise, (get it loon, Denise) just kidding honey!! I love you!!! Anyway the Loon came into do some fishing.

A pic of the looking down our front shore line. Please notice the woodduck house I just put in. This is the one we won at Kirtland's Warbler festival.

A close up of the Wood Duck house. It it hard to see but that is very noisy Red Winged Blackbird on top of the house.

And finally the spring pic of the our piece of heaven framed by our favorite snag and trees.

Take care everyone.