Ken's unusual pastime was revealed to us on the very first day he moved in across the street. We looked out the window and saw the most bizarre-looking contraption parked on a trailer in front of his house. It turned out to be a gyroplane. It differs from a helicopter in that the rotors on top are not powered, they just turn as the wind blows through them. Power comes from the propeller on the back. This summer, Ken invited us to a "Fly-In" meeting of the Minnesota Rotorcraft Club. It felt like taking a step back in time: small aircraft, small airfield, amateur pilots repairing their own planes. They were a friendly and welcoming group of people.

Another of our neighbors, Heidi, participates in Dog Obedience Trials with her Shetland Sheep Dogs. Her back yard is an obstacle course, and we've seen her having earnest chats with Libby and Tinkerbelle as they "heel", "sit" and "stay" during their walks around the neighborhood. The pictures below show Heidi putting Libby through her paces (or is it the other way around?)