When on vacation we like to relax and unwind and during those moments of reflection we can “see” things we otherwise would not notice. “Do” things we don’t normally do. Wonder about the sights in the areas we travel.
Both the Hubby and I spent our careers busy with work and now it is nice to actually relax and enjoy the moments and all the things at make us go Hummm… this vacation to the United States from The Netherlands was filled with such moments.
Like yesterday as we were enjoying a meal at a restaurant in Moose Lake, MN and sat watching a guy clean the parking lot, by hand, one five gallon bucket at a time.


We did wonder if he was financing this work by the coins he might have found while cleaning up. We actually found that looking at those gravel piles issued us some coin rewards during our trip. A small but entertaining vacation activity.
Then we have the entertainment of what we find at parking lots here in the US. Hummm…


Then we seemed to have a doggie vacation.


While visiting my son in St Louis, MO I had a visit from Finn. Finn is a international famous dog blogger and his “Human Mom, Ann” lives in the neighborhood. Ann even wrote a blog about meeting me for a walk on one of the days I was visiting. You can read about her experience.
https://muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com/2023/04/30/small-world/
I have followed Ann and Finn’s blog for years and was inspired to visit the animal shelter where she volunteered on one of my visits to the St. Louis area. I had no idea where Ann lived in St Louis until just recently when my son and daughter in law purchased their first actual house. When I emailed her a picture of the house she said she lived in the neighborhood.
Hummm… I wondered, is that by European or American distance standards? I never asked. When she stopped by while I was there and she showed me where she lived, it was very close! I thought that the universe was joking! We couldn’t even plan a house purchase in her neighborhood and here she lives just down the street. Hummm… a wonderful karma experience for both bloggers and the new neighbors who now have a trusted resource close by. Thanks Ann!!



The artist… Hummm… Hanging Horn Resort’s youngest manager…

I spent a wonderful afternoon with the youngest resort manager I have ever known learning about how we “are not to talk to the customers, what we needed to clean up, and items that needed to be added to the supervisor’s To Do List.” In her spare time she is an artist. If this is the future generation I don’t think any of us have to worry.

Maybe it is because we visited my son and daughter in law. We spent time fixing a “free” grill, a bad gate, and trenching the lawn to solve some water issues. Hummm… team building event? Possible.

Vacation is also a time of appreciating what you have at home. So when we returned today I was greeted with a garden of beautiful tulips.



Wishing each of you to “see” the Hummm… in your lives and enjoy each day as if it were vacation. Carpe diem!
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