Christmas 2012

Nancy, Sarah, Scott, and Bruce            June 14, 2012

  

Sarah and Erica June 14, 2012

Dear family and friends,

We are all well and hope you are, too.

The highlight of our year was the wedding of our daughter, Sarah, to Scott Reilly on Thursday, June 14, 2012. The wedding was a week-long event that took place in our backyard, with family and friends totally involved in organizing and setting up for the big event. The weather was beautiful with bright blue and sunny skies, right up until the day of the wedding. On June 14, we woke up to gray, cloudy skies that got grayer and cloudier as the day went on. After weeks of no rain in sight, it poured and poured. The outdoor wedding that was planned to be held in front of the horse barn in the field was moved to the tent in our backyard. The musicians were accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain on the roof and as the minister spoke of the sunny and rainy days in all marriages, Sarah and Scott joyfully spoke their vows before an equally joyful group of family and friends.

In September, my brother, Bob, lost his three year battle with cancer. He left us on September 9, 2012. Bob’s wife, Jeanette, our mom, my sister and I, along with our families, miss him everyday.

We wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. Be sure to give your loved ones a hug along the way!

Bob Brandt 
1960-2012
 

      

Rothenburg--Day 1--July 12, 2009

We started our Germany adventure in the ancientcity of Rothenberg ob der Tauber. Our group met in the famed Market Square and proceeded to take a tour of the town.



The old town clock, dating back to 1683, is housed in the Ratsherrntrinkstube (City Councillors' Tavern). It features the "master draft" scene, the town mayor chugging three litres of Franconian wine to save the town from destruction in 1631.



Rothenburg is a walled city. The wall protected the city from invaders. We took a walk along part of the wall.



From the wall, we looked down upon one of the prettiest houses in the city...and the most photographed as well!



After dinner, we accompanied the Night Watchman on his rounds as he related the history of the town.




The gate to the city was shut each night so intruder couldn't get in and attack the city. Anyone who didn't make it in on time would knock on the gate and the night watchman would open the "eye of the needle" or the gate to see who was there. If the person was a resident, he could come in but only after paying a fee.

Summer 2009 crop of deer

This summer we have two bucks and a doe grazing in our field.


There is a young buck...


and an older one with a scar. Is it strange for these two to be together?
We've seen the three of them together more than once. Maybe it makes more of a difference during breeding season.



The End.

More Bear Alert

Bear Alert!

Bears have been frequent visitors to our yard (and the whole neighborhood) this summer. We glanced out the window late this afternoon and this is what we saw. This is our three legged bear.

We've Gone to the Dogs!!

Yes, we have! And it is all Sarah's fault. She called to wish me a Happy Birthday and she might have a dog for me. I politely declined, but the next thing we knew we have a Wrangler. Well, to be fair, Erica has taken him and we have ended up with another "grand dog."



He is a Labradoodle, half chocolate lab and half poodle. It's a little hard to wrap our mouths around the name Wrangler. Somehow, Chewbacca or Harry seems to be more suitable.

A Frequent Visitor to Our Yard

This little guy has been a frequent visitor to our yard this past week. We first noticed him/her last Sunday. It had been in our yard a couple of times before, but never more than one day at a time. But I think it has been back everyday this past week. It has provided us with ample opportunity to photograph it. Here are a few samples of the pictures we have taken. According one of the professors Sarah knows at UW-Stevens Point, it is an albino.