Du Bois, Illinois

While at Wittington Woods Campground we made a day trip to a small country town called Du Bois with a population of about 150 to meet up with Elaine Wiles from Twin Waters back home in Australia. We play cards most Saturday nights with Elaine and her husband Norm and we had arranged to meet up with her in her home town so that she could show us around her childhood neighbourhood.

What an interesting day, we started by meeting Elaine at her mum's old home where Eleane spent most of her youth.

Eleane's family home surrounded by the corn crop outside of the small community of Du Bois, this is rural America at it's best.

Behind the rental car stands Eleane Wiles and in the background the garage.

From there Elaine took us on a tour of the local small towns which were her haunts in her youth followed by lunch at a Mexican restaurant which is rare in this part of the world. After lunch we went to meet up with Elaine's mom who lives in a seniors care facility.

Left to right

Eleane's mom, Eleane and Betty

After visiting Elaines mom we went to tour Elaine's old haunts around town and then onto her niece and neighbour Laurie and Michael in their considerably improved and expanded home which is surrounded by sheds full of John Deer farm equipment. Given the amount of John Deer and Micheal's passion for them I think he must have shares in the company.

Eleane and I sitting out watching the corn grow while Betty takes the photo.

Betty and Laurie in front of one of the John Deer tractors and this was by no means the biggest of them all. Pity there was no work under way as I would have loved to have a drive of one of them.