Sunday Drive to Jeff Busby Park and Choctaw Lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today

I went out on the back porch this morning and liked the way the early sunlight looked shining through the trees.

I saw a little movement through the lens and thought it might be a squirrel, but it was a small doe deer!

When the deer heard the door open as I went in to get a longer lens, it bounded away.

A new looking Gulf Fritillary and an old one enjoying the butterfly bush.

I guess they must sense that these flowers will soon be gone.

Here I captured five of them!

 

We have had several squirrels scampering around the yard and even coming to the bird feeder lately.

Light Fixture???

When we were visiting Jennifer near Chicago we went to an Apple Fest at Long Grove, where she played a gig.  I stepped into the gift shop next door and happen to look up.  I was shocked to see this HUGE fixture!



I couldn't measure it, but I'm sure it was at least 16 feet across!  

I would like to have seen how this massive fixture was attached to the ceiling.

 

It appeared to be in a metallic frame structure.  Whatever, it was very impressive!

A radio personality long ago used to sign off by saying "Keep looking up, you'll see more!"

I'm glad I looked up:-)

Field of Dreams

The Field of Dreams is a baseball field and pop-culture tourist attraction built originally for the movie of the same name. It is in Dubuque County, Iowa, near Dyersville.

The studio built the baseball diamond on two farms, a few miles outside Dyersville. When production completed, the baseball diamond created for the movie was left behind. Most of the baseball field, including the diamond and the adjacent house, was on one farm owned by the Lansing family, but the left and center field were on an adjacent property owned by the Ameskamp family. The field was built on the two properties because the producers wanted the field in a location where sunset shots would be uninhibited. 

After filming was completed, the Lansing family kept their portion of the field intact, and added a small hut where visitors could buy souvenirs. The Ameskamp family returned their land to farming for a year, but then restored the remainder of the field and opened up their own souvenir stand. The two owners had operated separate tourist facilities, and had also been at odds regarding commercialization of the site.

Keith Rahe, a neighboring farmer, put together a baseball team dubbed the "Ghost Players" to entertain the visitors at the field. The team's presence at the field on Sunday afternoons once a month attracted thousands of additional fans to the field. In 1991 and 1992 the Upper Deck Company sponsored a celebrity game at the Field. Executive Producer Tony Loiacono, who later received the key to the city, brought Hall of Famers like Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson and Bob Feller to take on Hollywood Stars like Kelsey Grammer and Meatloaf in a charity game. The two games raised over $100,000 for local charities.

In August 2007, Rita Ameskamp sold the land containing her portion of the baseball field to Don and Becky Lansing - the owners of the remainder of the field. As a result the movie site is now entirely owned by the Lansing family.  

On May 13, 2010, the Lansings announced they were putting the farm used for the movie up for sale.    (all of the previous text is from Wikipedia).   

Contrary to what has been reported in the press, the Field has not yet been sold.  It is only "under contract" and not anticipated to change ownership until late fall of 2012.  Once the Field has actually been sold, everything will remain the same with little to no interruption to our tourists and daily schedule.  The actual movie site is not in any way being altered.  Quite to the contrary, it will be preserved for generations to come.  (this is from  Field of Dreams website)

In the surrounding fields we will be developing "AllStar Ballpark Heaven", a 24-field premier tournament facility with year-round indoor training dome.  This will be one of only a few facilities of its kind anywhere in the country and will boast the additional excitement of softball tournament fields as well.
 ((click here to read more)

Jeep and I enjoyed this stop because we liked the movie so much.

We met the couple below (from California) and they made our picture.

We get to meet some of the nicest people at most every tourist attraction!

 

If you build it, they will come.
Dreams really DO come true!

In Wisconsin

I like barns, and we got to see lots of them in Wisconsin.

The foliage was about at its peak when we were in Wisconsin.  (Oct. 8th)

We saw lots of these big trees with bright yellow leaves.  Does anyone know what they are???

Jeep and I finally got to meet our friend, Radio Personality Ron in person!!!  We first 'met' Ron on Weather Underground, where we post pictures, and then on Face Book.  Ron gives the most generous and glowing comments of anybody in the world!   Thanks so much for everything!!!

Beauty everywhere!

Jeep and Ron

I love his charming house!

It was a joy to get to meet this special friend who is such an encourager of so many people!!!

I like this double dormer in the attic.

Bees were all over this flower.

In the back yard the birds were having a few tasty seeds for brunch!

We even got a tour of the inside of the house! The dining area is so inviting with the table sitting in the bay window curtained in lace!

I like all the chickens over the sink and the sign that says he's looking for a dishwasher;-)

 What a nice place to have breakfast or enjoy a spot of tea in this cosy corner with a view.

An old fashioned radio/record player that still works!

Pretending to ring up the operator.  I'm sure he's on a party line!

The most impressive feature of this darling house is the floors!  They are so sparkly clean you could eat right off them!

 

Thanks so much, Ron, for your gracious  hospitality and the tour of your home.  

May God bless you!