back and forth

We had a free afternoon and decided to take a road trip to see if we could conjure up and maybe capture some old memories. We checked out the familiar Maki Road. The old homestead was beckoning, but we were too chicken to venture up the driveway, and besides we had an ultimate destination. As we drove across the highway and into Karen's driveway we were shocked at the sorry state the property was in. (It's no wonder I developed a headache later that afternoon.)The only thing I could bring myself to photograph was the tiny playhouse, where we spent so many carefree hours.

The next item on our scavenger hunt was no easy task...even with a map. We drove right past the rode we were looking for, to Kettle River and there, was given updated directions, doubled back several miles and arrived at our intended destination....Uncle Dicks'.

McGregor was next on out list. We checked out Dad's old lot, and again, were too chicken to get out and rummage around. We drove to the corner where the foundation of his one-room school house is still, remarkably, in tact. An electric fence kept us, unfortunately, at bay.

More than a little ashamed that I didn't know where Gramma and Grammpa were buried, I was bound and determined to find the cemetery. After, fruitlessly, driving around asking passersby for help, we pulled up to the American Legion and encountered an older patron who actually knew the town and told us how to get to the graveyard. We drove back and forth a few more times, but ultimately made the right turn.

The afternoon was bittersweet...I think we'll do it again next year.