Stillwell Store

My Northern adventures continued after Michigan. I flew out of the little town of Muskegon, MI, on the coast of Lake Michigan. When I landed in Duluth, Minnesota, there to greet me were Dene and Sally Halvorson, my official hosts for the long weekend, as well as other Minnesota friends, Bob and Gale Herr. Bob and Gale have become Stillwell regulars along with Dene and Sally.

I spent all my time with the four of them as they entertained me in the wilds of northern Minnesota. Dene and Sally have a lovely home out in the woods about 45 minutes from Lake Superior. We enjoyed several meals on their screened-in porch. The food and the company was great!

What a gorgeous area they live in! One day we went out on a pontoon boat owned by their friends, Steve and Linda Hadley. We had a lovely time out on the lake behind the Hadley’s home. We were joined that day by Dan Lewis and Kim Hambrick, and Kim’s daughter, Nicole.

Another day we took a boat ride out on Lake Superior. It was a real treat to be surrounded by so much water! They told me you can take a glass and drink right out of Lake Superior, it’s so pure. I didn’t test that theory, though, and I don’t know if I ever will. But it sure is beautiful!

Dene and Sally had a party on Saturday night to celebrate the completion of their new barn. The party included lots of good food, good people, good music, and dancing. Dene and Sally taught everyone how to do the Texas Two-Step.

I enjoyed a few days with Sally’s parents, Charlotte and Bob Barina. I worked with Charlotte splitting the homemade hot dog buns for the party. I met Dene’s mother, Dorothy Halvorson. Marty, Dene and Sally’s son, was also there, home for a visit after finishing college last spring. He’s headed for grad school this fall.

One special guest at the party was Princess Pearl-E-Gates. (The Princess’s real name is Patti Anderson.) She was dressed in a hula skirt and carried her magic wand (which on Earth would be known as a sprinkler wand). As part of the festivities, many of us paid for the privilege of dancing with the Princess, with our donations going to a fund to create a Memory Garden at their church.

Patty’s husband, Dean, was at the party, too. He was gracious enough to help with the hay ride by driving one of the wagons for us to ride on. The kids really enjoyed the hay ride…and the adults did too!

I met so many wonderful people while I was in Minnesota, I can’t remember all their names!

Tour of Leelenau Peninsula with Ed, MaryLou, Uhl, Nancy, Mary, Nan, Eldon, Ann

Nan and Mary chat over food

From Glenn and Carol Dix at party

The stories keep coming

I headed back for Texas with new understanding of the places my Midwest/Northern friends call home when they are not here at Stillwell’s.

In Michigan, I had a great time with The Whitfords.  At a party in my honor, various folks from Michigan and elsewhere showed up for a visit.  From the Reed City/Hersey, Michigan area were Larry and Suzi Neiderhyde, Phil and Wendy Noder, Chuck and Barb Schneider, and Terry and Jan Teesdale, all of whom have stayed at the Stillwells Ranch and RV Park.   Other Stillwell regulars who came to the party were Ed and MaryLou Rothgarber from Suttons Bay, Bonny Everett and Dutch Zonderman also from Suttons Bay, Carol and Glen Dunn from Lansing, Josh and Abby Whitford and Heather Imhoff from Wyoming, MI, and Mary Meyer from Indiana.  Uhl and Nancy Donovan from South Dakota surprised everyone when they drove in during the party.

I stayed at The Whitfords for several days. They took me around Michigan quite a bit.  I got to see Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Traverse City/Suttons Bay areas, and the Leelenau Peninsula, all thanks to Ed and MaryLou, who live in Suttons Bay.  Eldon and Ann took me to the “flat-land” farming area of central Michigan, where I met Eldon’s parents, Gene & Dorothy Whitford, and Ann’s mom, Mary Sievert.  I also got to the Grand Rapids area, where I flew in, and visited Josh and Heather.  I also met the Reed City McDonald’s morning coffee group…who filled me in on a lot of local gossip and tall tales, including the Dogman of Luther.  I met Abby’s mom, Elyse Ermatinger, too.

Michigan is beautiful, green, and wet!  The green and wet part doesn’t happen often at Stillwells!!

After Michigan, I’ll continue on to Minnesota for a long weekend near Duluth, including the barn-warming party hosted by Dene and Sally Halvorsen, long-time Stillwell campers.