7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton

In late October, we stopped at the 7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton, Iowa for a family dinner after setting up for the train show.  The restaurant had a pleasant environment, and the waitresses were very nice and provided excellent service.

I ordered grilled chicken, which came with a potato and a choice of soup or salad with a roll.  If I recall correctly, you could also choose from a variety of ways to have your potato fixed.  I chose mashed potatoes with gravy, and salad.  I would have preferred a slightly larger portion size, but the whole meal only cost $6.95.  Everything was very good.  Afterward, I tried their pecan pie with ice cream ($3.25).

Cedar Valley Botanical Gardens

Another place Yai and I visited in August is the Cedar Valley Botanical Gardens in Waterloo.  Admission was only $3 per person.  There were all sorts of gardens, goldfish ponds, and little waterfalls, and there was even a section for children. Everything seemed well-maintained.  

“My prayer for today is that we will feel God’s loving arms wrapped around us,
and we will know in our hearts that He will never forsake us as we trust in Him.” --Billy Graham

Winter's Gale

Winter's gale is icy and chill.
For summer's sun I do so yearn,

Interview with Grandma Siripon Schunk (ยาย)

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, my maternal grandma, Siripon Schunk, visited this summer.  She and I had a delightful time as travelling companions visiting neat places throughout the state.  She lives in Nevada, and I hadn't seen her since she last visited when I was 16.  So, we had a bit of catching up to do.

I call her Yai (ยาย), which is the Thai version of Grandma.  My late grandfather, Raymond Garrison, was a merchant marine and construction worker.  Shortly before she left in late August, I asked Yai if she'd be willing to do a quick interview to share about her very interesting life with my readers.

A Few of My Favorite Bloggers

One of my favorite parts of blogging is the wonderful people I've met while blogging.  So, today I'm taking a moment to share about my recent meetup with long-time blogging friend Cryslyn, her husband Andy, and baby Emilia, my meetup with Kathleen and her husband Gordon, and an awesome giveaway I won from Carrie!  I'm also going to answer a few questions from Paige.

Meetup with Kathleen and Gordon Franck

I met Kathleen indirectly through blogging, as she was at many of the same campaign events as I when I did my series on the presidential candidates.  I later interviewed her here.  She's also shared a recipe for Coffee Time Cake, which I posted on my blog.

St. Luke's Methodist Church in Dubuque

In Dubuque, we visited St. Luke's Methodist Church, known for its Tiffany windows. This building was built 1895-1897, and with the windows and altar furniture included, cost over $100,000 to construct.

The church features Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and is built from Indiana Bedford limestone.  Each stone is hand-cut, and some have embedded fossils.

Grandma's Seven-Layer Salad

Here's another family favorite Grandma graciously showed me how to make.  It's on the complicated side for a salad (at least for someone who usually just sticks with plain-old lettuce), but it sure is good!

Grandma's 7-layer Salad