On July 21, 2001, while participating in a sea kayak rescue practice off Dana Point, CA, I saved a guy's life.

In 1999, Stan & I rode on horseback w/another couple to Thousand Island Lake in the Sierras, where we camped for 5 days with black bears!

For each of 5 consecutive summers from 1996-2000, Stan & I attended a 7-day intense whitewater kayaking school in far remote northern CA.

In late 1991, Stan & I visited Papua New Guinea. This was our 2nd favorite touring adventure - parts were like going back to the Stone Age.

In 1991, Stan and I traveled to Papua New Guinea. On the way, we snorkeled at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef off Australia.

We were face-to-face with a humongous 550-pound male Silverback gorilla who was charging directly at us and roaring as he came!

In 1979 on Okinawa, I was suited up to "fly" in the SR-71 – the fastest, highest, air-breathing plane ever built.

Forty-six years ago in 1975, my friend Marlene & I joined 2 guys on a bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

In 1974, 4 sr. engrs. from Hughes go on a men's-only bike ride through Napa/Sonoma. One guy invites Marlene and me to 'crash' the ride.

From May to July 0f 1974, I scuba dived from the shore off Redondo Beach to ocean dives off Catalina Island and Anacapa Island.

In August 1973, I sailed across the Pacific from Hawaii to L.A. on a 63' sloop. The crossing itself took 21 days without sight of land.

In April 1973, between my sky diving & scuba diving endeavors, I bought a 26' sloop with 3 guys, which we berthed in Redondo Beach.

In 1972, Suzanne telephones me. “Hey Barbara, I am going skydiving! Do you want to come?” If she can skydive, then I certainly can too!

From 1971 to 2009, Stan and I enjoyed 39 years of whitewater adventures on eight rivers in California, Arizona and Wyoming.

The most climatic experience that I remember from my years on the farm was the day the tornado struck in June 1956 when I was 15.

I recently found my diary from when I was 12-14 years old, written in 1954 - 1955. It show me to be boy crazy & the hard work on the farm.

Here are transcribed contents my daily diary entries in 1954-55 when I was 12-14. I find it fascinating to read-maybe because I wrote it.

♥️ Growing Up Playing Cards ♠️ Back on the farm near Traverse City, Michigan where I grew up, we always played card games like Euchre, Oh...

My name is Barbara, and I have led a wondrous life. To organize my life stories, I have divided my life into five segments.

My last remaining maternal aunts wrote down their memories of when they were growing up on a farm in Michigan in the early 1900's. (2 of 2)