Merry Christmas from the Mousels!
For Eric, 2010 began with a 3-week trip to South Africa through his involvement with the South Dakota Agricultural & Rural Leadership (SDARL) program. This is a two-year leadership development course that culminates in an international trip.
During the trip, the SDARL class toured an alligator farm - here's some of the gators!
They also went on several game preserves and safaris. This is a sable (bull), which is quite rare to see.
Here's a lion cub Eric spotted while on one of the game tours.
Eric had the opportunity to go on a guided safari hunt, where he shot this blesbok after an *exaggerated* 20-mile hike. Here's a recount of the hunting adventure: Eric was using .375 magnum rifle, provided by the guide (next time, he'll bring his own). Eric shot the blesbok through a strand of trees and wounded him, and the blesbok ran off into the brush. The professional tracker was able to find the animal by late afternoon, picking up its hoof prints through numerous other wildlife sign.
The guide, tracker, Eric and two other SDARL classmates were driving down the road and they spotted a blesbok at about 200 yards in a bush/tree thicket. So Eric took a shot, and they heard the shot hit, but the blesbok turned off and ran into the brush. So the tracker picked up his trail and followed it through several sets of different tracks, but no blood. They followed the tracker for a mile, and the professional hunter split off from the tracker (Eric stuck with the tracker, giving his gun to the professional hunter), and they came across the blesbok after another mile (but Eric was without his gun). They had to backtrack two miles to find the professional hunter, get the gun, and by that time the blesbok had run off again. After it was all said and done, it was probably a 20-mile adventure in 110-degree heat.
In February, Eric graduated from his SDARL program.
In May we took a trip to Oregon, visiting family and celebrating our first anniversary. We traveled to Portland, OR in May, with Eric's mom, Susie.
Susie and Eric at the Columbia Gorge River Valley, just east of Portland.
The "Dam" Dam on the Columbia River Gorge. There's a hilarious Mousel-family story about this dam, so of course we had to see it for ourselves.
During our trip, we visited the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. There were many, many airplanes, including the Spruce Goose!
One thing we really liked about Oregon were the vast forests and numerous waterfalls. This photo was snapped in Silver Falls State Park, near Willamette Valley.
We even spent a day on the coast; our only "sun-filled" day of the 5-day trip. Well worth it.
And we ended our day with a classic lighthouse experience - sunset at Yaquina Head near Newport, OR.
Our last full-day in Oregon we toured the International Rose Test Gardens in Portland - here we are getting out of the rain.
And the Portland Japanese Garden was very tranquil and immaculate.
Alaina just liked the peacefulness of the Japanese Garden.
Our Oregon photos end here... let's take a look at what else has kept us busy this year.
Woodworking - Eric
Eric finished our master bedroom set with this custom-designed King sized bed and end tables. Though the set had been built for a while, we were missing the cowhide-covered panels that insert into the bed. After two cowhides from Tandy Leather, the bed is complete. (Note, the Double-Wedding Ring quilt made by Alaina was Eric's wedding gift).
Since we like to spend much of our summer outside, Eric constructed this garden swing for our evening enjoyment. It's tucked between two trees and faces West. Nearby is a pond/waterfall we built (constructed after our Oregon experience). Unfortunately the mosquitoes this year were astronomical (due to ample amounts of rainfall) that we didn't get to enjoy it very much.
Something that kept us busy (or Eric, anyway), was dismantling an old barn near Elkton, SD, for the barnwood. Eric has the roof just about completely destructed. With the nice barnwood from the endeavor, he's been making furniture and gifts. Here he is with a pantry for our kitchen.
Another barnwood project was this gift Eric built for Justin and Abbey Namken's wedding gift - complete with 4 coat hangers.
Quilting - Alaina
Purses have been Alaina's forte this year. Here's a cute example she made for Anna in Kansas.
This Day-and-Night quilt was a wedding gift for Amanda & Tyler Radke. To see more of Alaina's quilt projects, visit her blog: http://alaina-mamabearquilts.blogspot.com/
Friends, Family and Highlights Throughout the Year
Friends, Becky Detusch and Karie "KP" Geyer visited - here we're welcoming soon-to-be-born Mahree Geyer. In July, KP and Alaina walked the 5K Beef'N'Eggs in 54 minutes!
In early August, our backyard was home to a migration of Monarch Butterflies. They weathered a South Dakota Thunderstorm in the protection of our maple trees. Though wet (here, early morning), they were swirling and twirling on their way by mid-day.
In August, Alaina traveled to Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Ag Media Summit, where the opening night welcoming party theme was, "Dress Like A Minnesotan." Alaina chose to dress as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, since the title character, Judy Garland, was born in Grand Rapids, MN - the same place Alaina was born.
Alaina even made her own ruby red slipper for the part. For her efforts, Alaina was third place at the event!
On Aug. 28, Susie Mousel, Eric's mom, celebrated her 65th birthday! All of the Mousel siblings converged in Ayr, NE to celebrate with her. Alaina made a Star Sampler quilt in reproduction fabric for her.
Nick Mousel, Stacy Hilton, Susie, Stephanie and Eric Mousel
Over Labor Day weekend, the Burt family was exhibiting cattle at the MN State Fair Open Show. Here's the crew with their "Burt Jacobson" T-Shirts: Jack Burt (Alaina's dad), Carter "CJ" Burt (Alaina's nephew), Jason and Mandy Burt (Alaina's brother and sister-in-law), and Alaina. Eric is taking the photo. :)
The Burt family also visited us in Brookings for the South Dakota Pheasant Openor weekend. Here Mary (Alaina's mom), Jason, Jack and Eric stand in the backyard.
Alaina and Mary enjoying the swing Eric built (note - no mosquitoes). Mary wants a swing just like this...
For Halloween, Eric dressed as Paul Bunyan.
And we hosted a pumpkin carving party Oct. 30 where 25-plus pumpkins were carved. Eric, of course, had ulterior motives, as he wanted ALL of the pumpkin seeds roasted.
Some of the pumpkins that were carved at our house.
Paul Bunyan and Babe, the blue ox. (Originally, Alaina dressed as sock monkey, but thought this might be more fitting for Eric's fantastic costume).
Eric and Alaina participated in the Minnesota Deer Hunting Openor. Eric shot his first MN deer, a 4x4 (or for you Minnesotans, an 8-point buck), that weighed 146-lb. (dressed out). Alaina also shot a 126-lb. doe. Cousins Graig, Justin and Evan also shot two deer. It was a great weekend for MN deer hunting.
We spent our Thanksgiving in the Twin Cities area. Here, nephew Carter Burt enjoys one of Alaina's Turkey Cookies. For Christmas we're heading south to Nebraska for time with Eric's family.
