Fort Totten

One of our side-trips from our campsite at Graham's Island Campground was to Fort Totten on the south shore of Devils Lake. This place is impeccably restored and continues to be a work in progress. We were having a downpour of rain so it was really nice to be able to tour a landmark like this under cover.



The docent at the fort gave us a detailed history lesson and it felt like we were there back when the west was being settled.

The museum was right up Karen's alley too! So much old stuff! She would have done well to live in "the old days" as she loved collecting history and old stuff. Just ask me....I am still dealing with all her stuff.

Enjoying Devils Lake

I am adding a couple of new posts to the Devils Lake camping trip that Karen and I took in August of 2008. That was our last camping trip together so I want to chronicle the time we had. I mentioned in the previous post that the road to the town of Devils Lake was approaching the flood stage. As we speak now in the spring of 2010, the road (Highway 19) did get completely under water. Many more thousands of acres of farm land also was flooded.

Whenever we left the campground for a side trip, the deer of the area were always there to meet us upon our return.



The week that we were there, the Cabela's Walley Tournament was just starting. I have always fancied myself as being in such a tournament, but after seeing all the crowds and politics involved, I will be satisfied to take my little aluminum boat out by myself.

As the water rises on Devils Lake, it claims more and more trees along the shore line. Here, my beautiful wife waits for the water to rise. Now, she has risen to heights far above any flood stage.

Our Last Camping Trip - Aug 2008

As I mention earlier, I will be jumping around, forth and back, instead of trying to keep everything in chronological order with regard to this journal of the adventures Karen and I were having here in the Northern Plains.
As I prepare for my trip to the west coast this month, I was thinking back to the last camping trip that Karen and I went on in August of 2008. That was the summer we were doing repairs on the outside of our house. We were scheduled to replace the shingles on our house at the end of August so we thought we better get away one more time before winter set in. Our pastor and family were planning a camping trip to Grahams Island State Park at Devils Lake so we decided to arrive there early and wait for them.


Devils Lake has grown to be huge body of water over the last decade. There is no outlet for the lake and with all the snow, rain, and run-off for all these years, it has claimed hundreds, nay, thousands of acres of farmland, roads, and even towns. Minnewaukan has had to move many of its houses away and the water is right at the doorstep of the school and many businesses.
This photo is the far west end of the lake which, just a few years ago, was farmland. Now boats are harvesting an abundance of Walleye, Pike, Perch and White Bass among the drowned trees. It won't be long and this road will be under water too.

Arriving at the State Park is welcome sight of lush growth and many trees.

We had reserved our campsite and found it to be much more than we expected. As with so many campgrounds in North Dakota, there is ample room and much privacy. We parked and got the trailer set up, relaxed a little and went out to explore for a while. We always enjoyed seeing all these new sights and experiences. Just by looking around a little we knew we would be having a nice relaxing time here.
Whenever we would go camping, we always looked for a walking trail. Karen just loved to get off the beaten path and explore. She should have been a botanist as she had such a vast knowledge of herbs, wild flowers and flora in general. I think it was the solitude and quietness that she enjoyed. I'm sure she felt a closeness to God in places like this. Is she walking down quiet paths right now?

Hair today, Gone tomorrow---part I

My grandson Steven, who is approaching his teenage years, decided to start letting his hair grow several years ago. I'm not sure if it was to attract girls or not, but I have my suspicions. Now, for most of his life he always wore a buzz cut as did his Dad. I too had taken to buzzing my head for several year as did Matt.

The day after Karen's funeral, we were sitting in the living room talking when all of a sudden Uncle Matt says, "Hey Steven, I'll give you five bucks if you'll cut your hair off". Without even looking up Steven says, "NO WAY, I'm not cutting my hair!" So all of a sudden Dad says, "I'll throw in five bucks too". (No response from Steven yet.) So I pipe up with my five bucks into the kitty. "NO!", says Steven. "I'm not cutting my hair." With nothing to loose now, Uncle Matt ups the pot to a ten spot. (I think I am starting to see Steven stir now.) Then Dad raises his to ten. The frenzy is starting now so now I am up to ten. Now a smile comes on Steven's face and he says, "Thirty dollars???" Now, Mom is starting to encourage him. But he still says no. "OK", says Matt, "I'll go to 15." Dad is next with his 15 and before Steven has any more time to think, I go up to 15 as well. Now, I not only hear his wheels turning inside his head but I hear his internal calculator clicking away too. And there is a big smile on his face too. Will our persistence work? Mom is right there encouraging him to take it before it goes away. Sister and brother are also saying, "Do it Steven, do it". So what's the next thing out of Steven's mouth? "I'll do it......IF you'll make it twenty each." The three of us couldn't reach for our billfolds fast enough. Dad jumps up and runs to the camper to get his clipper and the rest of us run to the driveway for the big event.

This is Steven before. Mom is taking one last picture of her son with hair.

None of us can really believe that this is really happening but Steven still has a big smile on his face. Dad starts the process by going for the top. As soon as the top is off, I shout out, "STOP, STOP. That's good enough. We are a matching pair now!!" I tried to encourage him that having hair missing on the top only, is a good thing. He disagreed with me so Dad fired up the clipper again and went for the sides.

Myself? I like him like this

Mom still can't believe that this is happening and she is busy filling up her card with photos.

The finished product..... And no, that smile is not because his hair is gone, it is because all he can see and think about is green. Why do I say that? Because the first thing out of his mouth when it was over was, "OK, PAY UP!!!"

So now I really need to know.... "Steven, are you going to go back to buzz cuts or are you going to let your hair grow again?" "I'm going to let it grow again, of course." Then he says, "Hey Papa, why don't you let your hair grow too?" "Steven, Steven, Steven" as I rub the top of my head, "it doesn't grow up here anymore!" "Well you can let your beard grow again." So the challenge is on. Stay tuned for part II sometime in the future.

Forth and Back

When Karen and I first started this blog we intended it to be our diary, or journal of the adventure we were having here in the Northern Plains. I wanted to keep it in a chronological order as well. But, that didn't exactly happen and thus I got a little lax in doing any new posts. My desire now is to get back to blogging regardless of whether it is in order or not. I will be jumping around, forth and back, until I finally get caught up (if that ever happens). I invite you to follow my blog if you wish. If you don't, well that will not offend me in the least. For those who wish to follow it I have suggested that you take my link and save it to your favourites or bookmarks or your desktop, whatever works for you. Then check in every once in a while to see what is happening up here. I thank all of you for your support and care.

Campground changes

The PAPA/NANA Campground of Butte, North Dakota has undergone a change. With the trimming of a few branches, removal of a bush and the relocation of the fire pit, the campground can now accommodate three, maybe four campers. (Family reunion, anyone?)

In the photos, I have my camper parked next to the "guest" camper (AKA camper for the grandchildren) and another one can be parked on the other side of the flagpole where my pick-up is. Another one can be placed in front so as to "circle the fire pit" and with a little maneuvering, another camper can be worked in.

Water is available and coming soon, 30A electric hookups will be available. So far, sewer is not available but a dump station is two blocks away. Also, bathroom facilities are available in the house. And best of all, THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

The invitation is always open...just call ahead to see if I will be around. If not, the campground is still available and a key to the house is not far away.

A monumental day

Today (September 2009) was a "monumental" day for me. (See, I am getting my sense of humour back. And Karen would be proud of me for my play on words. We always tried to out-do each other in that respect.) Today the monument co. called and said they had it ready and would I like to be there while they placed it? So even though I had a ton of stuff to do I went out on the prairie to the Butte cemetery to watch it being set. I hope you guys approve of it as I put a lot of thought and prayer into it. As it turned out, the monument co. had this stone in stock and since blue and grey are our colours, I just knew that it would fit us perfectly. And I wanted to honour our grandchildren as well with the names by which we so dearly love to be called. Even though it kind of "creeps me out" to see my name on it, I guess it just makes me look more forward to the day I see her again in glory. But more importantly, I look forward to the day that I can sit with her at the feet of our sovereign God and worship Him forever. So why Hebrews 4:9? "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." First of all it is the scripture verse engraved on the headstone of my great-grandfather, Lorentz Petersen. He was the first person to be buried in the Bethel Cemetery by Powers Lake, ND in 1904. Secondly: I use, as my daily devotion, Charles H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening". I feel that his commentary on that verse (January 18th, AM) not only fits the believer of God in his eternal hope but is SO appropriate for the way Karen lived her life and the example that she set for ALL that came in contact with her. This commentary gives me so much assurance that Karen is now resting in her labours and those labours are now perfect. I thank God for this assurance and I look to the day that I too will take part in God's perfection. Here is Spurgeon's commentary:... "How different will be the state of the believer in heaven from what it is here! Here he is born to toil and suffer weariness, but in the land of the immortal, fatigue is never known. Anxious to serve his Master, he finds his strength unequal to his zeal: his constant cry is, "Help me to serve Thee, O my God." If he be thoroughly active, he will have much labour; not too much for his will, but more than enough for his power, so that he will cry out, "I am not wearied of the labour, but I am wearied in it." Ah! Christian, the hot day of weariness lasts not for ever; the sun is nearing the horizon; it shall rise again with a brighter day than thou hast ever seen upon a land where they serve God day and night, and yet rest from their labours. Here, rest is but partial, there, it is perfect. Here, the Christian is always unsettled; he feels that he has not yet attained. There, all are at rest; they have attained the summit of the mountain; they have ascended to the bosom of their God. Higher they cannot go. Ah, toil-worn labourer, only think when thou shalt rest for ever! Canst thou conceive it? It is a rest eternal; a rest that "remaineth." Here, my best joys bear "mortal" on their brow; my fair flowers fade; my dainty cups are drained to dregs; my sweetest birds fall before Death's arrows; my most pleasant days are shadowed into nights; and the flood-tides of my bliss subside into ebbs of sorrow; but there, everything is immortal; the harp abides unrusted, the crown unwithered, the eye undimmed, the voice unfaltering, the heart unwavering, and the immortal being is wholly absorbed in infinite delight. Happy day! happy! when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and the Eternal Sabbath shall begin." I have since place a 'shepard's hook' next to our head stone from which I can hang a boquet of flowers. I vist her grave often and feel so blessed that the Butte Cemetary is within walking distance of our house.