Trip North - Sunday & Monday July 31 & Aug 1, 2016

Having said our farewells the night before, Sunday morning we again hit the road, this time heading for Mt Gilead, Ohio, to visit with Bob's sister, Gwen, his niece Julie, and her husband, Tony.  We had to travel on I-75 through Detroit and Toledo, but it wasn't too bad since it was Sunday morning.  Once we were past Toledo, we were able to take state and US highways through the farmlands.

Bob and  Gwen.  Gwen sold her home in Cocoa, Florida, last September, and moved to Mt. Gilead, where her daughter Julie lives.  Gwen bought a 3 bedroom mobile and lives in it on the 10 acre homestead that Julie and Tony, own.  

Julie & Tony graciously let us hook up to their water and power and camp on their land.

Tony and his and Julie's home in the background.  Tony is a long distance trucker who comes home on the weekends.  Julie is a nurse at the emergency and trauma center in Columbus.  She was on one of her 12  hour shifts when we got there.

Bob picking blackberries along the side of Gwen's house

Julie and Tony love 4 wheeling, and it is a great way to get around the property.  Bob went on one and Gwen and I rode on another.  It was the first time I rode on one.  It was fun.

Julie and Gwen's vegetable garden.  Gwen picked several green tomatoes, pickling cukes, green peppers, yellow squash and zucchini for us to take home.  I wanted the green tomatoes for pickling, and gave her a recipe for the pickling brine.

Tony and his mom, Jody, who lives on a five acre track next door.

Gwen's runt puppy, Princess, and her sister, Sofie, Jody's dog, chilling after a long day of play. 

The next day, Gwen, Bob & I went to some Amish general stores.  At one was a mare and her foal in a nearby field.

 On the way to another, there were cattle cooling off in a creek

I didn't know how beautiful Ohio was

 

We stopped back at Julie's to say so-long and thank her before she had to leave for her next shift.

Later, we drove over to see her dad, "Spud".  Bob and Spud met at Marine boot camp back in 1961.  Spud saw a picture of Gwen Bob had and started writing to her.  A few years later, they met and married, but later divorced.   Bob and Spud had not seen each other for at least 40 years, but it was as though no time had passed at all.