Day 9 -- IN

Had such an incredible day.

Todd's uncle, Mike, showed us around Parke County, IN, and we saw the last 150 years first hand.

There was the gristmill that was hand-hewn out of sandstone by Sugar Creek (the Lusk Mill -- it's on Wikipedia). Here's me and Uncle Mike sitting by the mill, talking about how having kids seems like the most frightening thing in the world.

We decided that fear beats desire, and to feel lucky that we even have a choice in the matter.

There was the Staley cabin, a log cabin from 1847 that Uncle Mike (UM) owned at one point.

Here's UM and Todd. This is the usual scene when these two get together.


There was the old Staley tractors from the 1800 on the property, and the trailer from the 1940s. We tried to take some pics like the old pioneers -- all serious and life is hell and whatnot.



There was an ancient Amish barn. Here's me and UM by the entrance to the barn.

I climbed up this ladder -- there was a buzzard up there that didn't take kindly to me.

You can't tell that it's Amish by just looking at it, but boy, when you do look at it, you see perfect craftmanship. PERFECT. These people know how make things.

There were covered bridges. There was an old building that we need to buy and restore.

There was the lonely small graveyard with stones dating back to 1858.


There was Todd's mom's hometown, Marshall.

I'm overwhelmed with today.

Creatures seen:

Fireflies
Toads
Fish
Black Snake
Mouse
Chicken
Hummingbird
Buzzard
Fox(!)
Goat
Cows
Deer (Fawn and Buck)
Horses
MYSTERY CREATURE!!!

Todd and I were driving down the road, and Todd miraculously spotted a Buck lying down in a soybean field. We had just had a discussion with UM about Bucks, about how they pretty much stay out of clearings, and stick to the woods. Todd spots this Buck lying down and we are elated! A Buck! There he goes, he gets up, saunters off to the Fawn munching nearby. Now, the Buck hadn't been eating, just sitting on the edge of the field, quite near the road, originally. We were so excited! So by the time we get the camera and we get the car turned so that the lights are facing the field, the Buck is about 250 ft away, and we are looking at him take his leave. UM rolls down the window in the backseat, to smoke. I see something moving in to the right, in the field -- I instantly think of a skunk, or a fox. But this is big. This is black, with some gery and brown mixed in. This is furry. This is BIG. This, this, THING, moves in front of our car, in the headlights, across the field, about 70ft away from us. I ask, what is THAT. We watch, amazed, as it lopes by. It looked like a bear, no a dog, no a wolf, no an anteater, no a wolf...and so on for half an hour. We turned it into any and everything. It was a chupacabra. It was a werewolf. It was a gorilla. I never did see a face on it. It was a ULO, Unidentified Loping Object. I swear, I get it about the country at night. Creepy, crawley, dangerous, having an agenda. The wild. I actually got sick to my stomach after seeing this thing. I know! Wimp! You don't want me on your team, your team for photographing and tracking this beast. It made me ill.

Todd and UM laughing at me freaking out. Notice how UM is nonchalantly OUTSIDE THE CAR!


We're off to Newark tomorrow. I'm going to see my baby nephew for the first time! Hooray!