Sun, September 7

Lee waved "good-bye" to us from the townhouse in Sycamore as we headed off to visit Aunt Anna in Marion, Indiana.

At one point we got caught at a railroad crossing.  Turning off the engine of the car, we waited for the train to pass--all 142 cars of it!  We estimated the train was about 2/3 of a mile long.

Everywhere we went, the towns each had their own water tower.  Lee had explained to us that the water towers not only hold water, but they provide the pressure to get the water to the town.  And we thought they were simply landmarks!

We crossed over into Indiana, the ninth state on our trip.

As we drove across Highway 26, we saw field after field after field of corn.  The farmers here pretty much grow either corn, soy, or alfalfa.  The latter is rolled into bales of hay which is used to feed the animals.

The lush green lanes were beautiful to drive through.  

We finally arrived in Gas City just in time for dinner at the Cracker Barrel Store.  We were joined by Pastor Ray Kughen, his lovely wife Robin, and Aunt Anna's friend Beulah.  Come to find out, the Kughens homeschooled their children, too.  

Back at her house, Anna showed us her small garden which included a tomato plant from which Liz and Shannon enjoyed ripe samples.  Liz offered one to David, the photographer.

Liz and Aunt Anna in the garden.

That evening, David played the guitar and sang songs with the family for Aunt Anna and Cousin Caroline, who happens to live down the lane and who joined us for the evening.

Caroline Burbank and Liz

After a long day, we left Anna's house to find our hotel in Gas City.  On the way, we stopped the car on one of the country lanes, rolled down the windows, smelled the corn in the fields and just listened to the crickets.  Liz was filled with fun memories of being at Grandma's house in the summer time.