Family Time
From Mammoth Cave, KY, we went to Fishers, IN to visit with Matthew (our son), Tasha and family and from there we spent one night in Michigan City, IN before going on to Racine WI to visit with Andrew (our other son), Erin, and family.
We had great visits with both the Indiana Burgoynes and the Wisconsin Burgoynes and the combined eight grandkids that wore us out! Below are just a few pictures of our family. But first…
Indian State Flower
Okay, so what is the Indiana State flower??? The dreaded "Orange Road Work Barrel" and its offspring the "Orange Traffic Cone." The highways in and around Indianapolis were littered with these dreaded weeds, nothing but miles and miles of the beasts. Now, it wouldn't be as bad if there were actually people working in these areas and they were up for only a brief time. But, I am sure some of these have been growing in exactly the same spot as when we went through three years ago. We did occasionally spot a worker or two and maybe a piece of machinery, but this was like finding the last of an endangered species.
It appears that these flowers have fully migrated to Illinois and Wisconsin as well. On our drive through Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin we saw all manor and style of these flowers. The roads in these areas are very bad and rough so I guess they warrant the flowers. I didn't take any pictures of them because I was too busy white-knuckled driving with my hands on the steering wheel trying to figure out which path and detour I was supposed to be taking. I guess I could have followed the permanent roadway signs or even the GPS but then I would have been completely lost or worse, heading into oncoming traffic as all the lanes are diverted or closed and the temporary signs are often conflicting with each other.
I found that most of the drivers in the Indianapolis area must be from California, cars speeding by, weaving in and out of traffic, and generally darting around. I think the Indiana Department of Transportation only puts up those white signs that declare a speed limit as an optimistic suggestion which no one follows.
Well, I really shouldn't complain (but I do). I am sure all of these cones and barrels have improved our economy. With the sheer number of them, the time it takes to plan where to place them, and the labor to actually deploy them, a large number of jobs have been created and people put to work. Now, if they would just put some people to work fixing the roads, it might make it worthwhile. I am sure that all of these Indiana State flowers are actually made in the USA and therefore creating additional USA jobs.
Maybe this is why Mike Pence left Indiana to become Vice President behind President Trump and live in Washington DC. Could be?
Indiana Burgoynes
 From left to right (all Burgoynes) - Tom, Asher, Becky, Timothy, Matthew, Tasha, and Everly |
 Becky and Tasha out front watching the kids play and ride bikes |
 The gang relaxing after walking to and through the Fishers Farmers Market |
 Asher, Timothy, and Everly at the splash |
 Everly, Asher, Timothy at the Hot Wheels exhibit in the Children's Museum of Indianapolis |
 Timothy made it to the top! At the Children's Museum |
 The gang clowning around |
Wisconsin Burgoynes
 From left to right (all Burgoynes) - Tom, Noah, Harmony, Andrew, Silas, Becky, Micah, Erin, and Ezra |
 The gang at The Civil War Museum in Kenosha, WI |
 The gang at the park |
 Ezra climbing through the tunnel |
 The boys playing Frisbee |
 Dinner at Culver's |