Dutch Items and Stars for Dutch Star

I looked for things to make our RV homey while in Iowa. Since it is a Dutch star and I am of Dutch descent, I like to use Dutch items and stars as a theme. I found this quilt in the Worn and Mellow Antique Store in Knoxville, Iowa. The trivet, from Pella, depicts Dutchmen planting trees and flowers. It reads “De Hovenier.” My maiden name is Hoven. The name means landscaper or gardener.

While I was in Iowa, the second and third week of August, autumn came to Alaska. (At the end of May, spring came in one week with the buds on trees opening in one week.) Now the fireweed flowers are gone, the temperatures are cool, the green grasses and leaves are turning yellow/brown, and the tops of the mountains have fresh snow. I don’t know how many weeks before we will have to turn south to stay ahead of the snow on the highways.

We plan to drive south via Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. When we reach the USA, we will go south on Highway 15 all the way to the Arizona border. We hope to get south before the ice and snow make it dangerous for the RV. Terry cannot use the exhaust brake to slow down in those conditions. The back end comes around to the front. This happened coming up to Alaska on the Cassiar gravel road. This route will take the quickest, shortest route which goes to Edmonton, AB, Great Falls, MT, Las Vegas, NV and then Highway 95 to Lake Havasu, AZ.