Christmas at the Fargo Mansion

It’s been about a year since I last stayed at the Fargo Mansion Inn in Lake Mills, Wisconsin but the many fond memories of that visit still remain. Many folks in that small, picturesque village showed me so many kindnesses. And two of the kindest, most sincere...

Who is Addie to Me?

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is, “How are you related to Addie?” When I gave my talk in Lake Mills on September 4th, I explained that I didn’t even know I had an Aunt Addie until my father died in June 2011. While I was...

Homer and His Daughters

In the 1880 Federal Census, my great, great grandfather (Homer Hoyt) is listed as “Homah Hoyt.” Homer was from Vermont (and living in Lake Mills, WI at the time) and I can just hear the long-time New Englander telling the census taker, “Ah said, mah...