Illinois Relatives

 My parents are in their mid 80's and have always been active and independent ranchers.  

My mother (top, far right) still grows a garden and keeps a large raspberry patch 

and makes a lot of quilts.

She still cooks three meals a day.

My dad (far right, below) has ranched all his life and he still calves out his herd of cattle every spring.

He feeds hay every day in the winter, does his own branding and still rides his horse.

However, they recently relented to allow my husband and I drive them to Illinois to visit with my mother's cousins who are also aging and are not well enough to travel.

My mother's sister Ellene (far left, top) drove with her daughter from Pennsylvania to meet up.

Here I am sitting in the chair used by my great grandfather Tilt Ishmael.