[The trip home from the wilds of Eastern Wisconsin was an arduous trek taking many hours . . .]

[And we were delighted to ultimately make it home to the friendly shorelines of beautiful Lake Darling.]

OK, we’re not done yet with our reporting from camp, possibly to some chagrin.  But we’re getting way behind in our local coverage.  So (who just wrote about beginning sentences with “so”?), we’ll “break up camp” to settle multiple affairs here in Vacationland USA.  Plus we have special reports (well, a few photos) from Brother Cam and East coast travel reporter Roooggggg as they tour the Minnesota North country.  And for the sake of my personal safety, the supervisor, on more than one occasion, commanded that photographs be taken of her flower gardens.  So (again?) away we go!

[The supervisor and Shelly dazzled at the après-play party at Theatre L’Homme Dieu on Tuesday.  The cast of Sunset Boulevard joined patrons in the lodge after opening night’s performance, per custom.  Thanks to Shelly, and Linda and Tom, for sponsoring the show.]

[Mingling abounded but few injuries were reported.]

[Yes, it was a dress-up night.  I modeled un-holey Bermudas with 20-year old Sperry topsiders.  Reporters are not known for any sense of fashion sense.]

[Now that’s hilarious!]

[The cast posed, we snapped.  Thanks go to them!  😉  They are from the Minneapolis Musical Theatre.]

[We posed for the theatre’s executive director, Joanna Hoch, as she posed for us.]

[Beryl regaling her fan club with more tales of Ole and Lena.]

[Some who dressed . . . quite lovely, actually.]

[The tall blond in the red dress is Sarah Gibson, who did a splendiferous job as the protagonist, Norma Desmond.]

[Ultimately, of course, the party wound down . . .]

[Fortunately, so did the storm, ending about the time the play began.]

[Wednesday, we golfed.  I captured that rarity of finding all four balls in the fairway after our drives on No. 1?]

[I wasn’t able to golf while at camp but did get in a little practice putting.]

[And was delighted to find a young lady with a Victoria Heights heritage “manning” the golf club’s beverage cart.  Kiley Gorham’s dad, Scott, was a native Heighter.  🙂  ]

[Sophomore-to-be, Lauren Niska, an outstanding defenseman, and her family once lived in what initially was the Gorham house in the Heights.]

[Yes, the famous Alexandria skyline.  We’re on the courthouse lawn on Thursday for the Red Willow Art Coalition’s weekly concert.]

[Fiddlin’ Sami Steidl was there as a member of Cimarron.]

[Her arthritic wrist is doing better under massage therapy, thank you very much!  🙂 ]

[Bass player Arlen would subsequently also play with Finestra at SAWA later that evening.]

[Your host.]

[A band member captures the gathering throng on another beautiful evening in Vacationland USA.]

[Chuck Wencl comes out to tell us about stuff.]

[With Sami in her signature bare feet.]

[Seriously, if you hold your hand like this it won’t hurt as much.]

[A customer crashes the viewing area.]

[OK, people, listen up.  Please take your trash with you when you leave!]

[And away we go!]

[Ahhh, this is the life.]

[Our vantage point.  Thank goodness for telephoto lenses!  😉 ]

[The flag wafts gently as the sun sets.]

[See y’all at SAWA shortly!]

[Friday, neighbor Dangerous Dan took us for a boat ride around beautiful Lake Darling.  It was a real treat for all.  Dan has not been home much for the past several months, dealing with various health issues, but he seems to be doing OK for now.  We had not been out on the lake all summer in the absence of the Moby Obie.  That is our place up top.]

[Dan, a lifelong resident of Lake Darling, took us to parts of the lake we’d never seen before?]

[Dangerous Dan’s]

[This house is available.  Great view from the deck.  You could be our neighbors!]

[Crossing into Little Darling.]

[Looking south from Little Darling into Big Darling.]

[The SW shore of Little Darling.]

[The channel into Lake Carlos.  The flotation device area in the foreground is where “they” are conducting a Zebra mussel study.]

[Back home after a lovely half-hour boat ride – ready to photograph the supervisor’s flowers.]

[These are the one surrounding her patio.]

[These are the ones in a pot.]

[Orange ones.]

[Yellow one.]

[White ones.]

[Another yellow one.]

[A bunch of yellow ones.]

[Can you spot Dangerous Dan’s boat?]

[Out to the front yard.]

[Purple flowers, top and bottom.]

[Pink?]

[A hose.]

[Front mound, top and bottom.]

[The neighbors across the street.]

[At Carlos Creek Winery that afternoon, we were greeted at the door by the girls’ basketball coaches, Wendy Kohler and Julie Hatlestad.  They asked if we were there for the 21st birthday party?  Well, it was Sam’s (4th from left), there with younger sister Lauren (2nd from left, with mom Val in between), two All-State basketball players from three years ago, for a little wine tasting!  Lauren was designated as the designated driver.]

[We were there for Josie Nelson.  It was a windy day for her, as usual.  So (yup!) I shot the videos from the side this time where I could use my wide body as a wind block.  Produced the best audio yet, I believe.  🙂  I always said Josie was 13 going on 42 . . . she turned 14 on Tuesday (going into 9th grade) and is thus 14 going on 42.]

When she sang “I Wonder About Her,” the previously somewhat raucous crowd settled down to listen:

“I Wonder About Her”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO-H5k5H8GY

“Temporary Love”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVPgg7l7YXo

“Waiting For You”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5OW6LV3QSA

[“Weakie” and Viv were with us.  “Weakie’s” working on Viv’s new iPhone, just purchased on the way to the winery.]

[Ain’t we got fun?]

[From the new iPhone, above and below.]

[Marquette for us, Sauvignon Blanc for Viv and “Weakie.”]

[Then it was on to the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum to catch the Pistol Whipping Party Penguins in the Maritime Gardens.]

[We sat behind a couple of Gopher fans of local note.]

[And it’s always lovely as the sun begins to set over the stage!  🙂 ]

[Yesterday we got an e-mail from Brother Cam.  He was here, the Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, with Rooooggggg.  We did not even know Rooooggggg was “in town”?  They said they were on the way to International Falls.]

[Rooogggg next to an Alexandria Cardinal jersey.  From the girls’ 2008 state champion team.  Nobody wore No. 39.]

[Roooggg attempts a slapshot.  He is from Virginia.  Unfortunately, it’s the State of Virginia!  😉 ]

[They did make it to International Falls.]

[Mr. Nagurski!]

[The sky above International Falls.  Well, OK, not this picture.]

[Today they made it to Blackduck.  The most popular bumper sticker during my college years was: Where The Hell Is Blackduck?]

[All-in-all, it’s good to be back home . . .]

[And to our own yard!  😉 ]

The Salty Dogs are at the winery today . . . but we may have to go back “to camp” again for the next posting.