Surprise!

Hello,

Many of you know, my grandma died in January.

Our family helped with the cleaning of her apartment.

This was not much fun. It bought back a lot of memories and made me feel so sad inside. Yet, God had a surprise for me.

I gave her this pattern as a gift for her birthday in late August.

As we cleaned her sewing area, there is was on top, all done and waiting for me to see. My grandma loved to embroider. She was very talented at it.

It was a special surprise.

"Of course, countless numbers of things can be bought in stores, but somehow, store bought presents do not always convey the warmth we hope will accompany the gifts. When people take the time and care to make the presents they give, they put into the gifts not only the materials needed, but also a part of themselves."

Tasha Tudor

 

On the Road Friday ~ A Trip to Kadinger's Salvage and Recycling

We are on the road today, to Barron, Wisconsin.

We will be visiting Kadinger's Salvage and Recycling.

Kadinger's 

September of 2013 we toured Kadinger's for a school field trip.

I learned so much. I was so surprised how much recycling is done with cars and trucks.

Tires in good shape are priced and sold to motorists.

Other tires are retreaded...reducing waste.

Waste oil, drained from vehicles, is re-refined and reused as commercial lubricant or heating oil...saving energy.

Good batteries are sold. While damaged batteries are taken to a battery recycler.

Reuseable parts are cleaned and readied for sale. For example radio, engine, automatic transmission, rotor, windshield, suspension, door, radiator....

What remains of the vehicle is processed to recover valuable metals: iron, steel, aluminum, saving our natural resources.

 This machine has a huge magnet on it.

It was so fun to watch it work.

The boys could not wait for this part.

E-Z CRUSHER

Can you hear my boys yelling "Cool"

  

Already to be recycled.

 As we were walking out from watching the E-Z CRUSHER, my husband spotted this ol' ambulance.

He thought it would make a fun car to do a road trip in.

If you missed my post Wednesday  check out my dream car.

Have a great weekend.

Thank you for coming along today.

Dream Car

 Do you have a dream car?

Is the Chevrolet  Camaro your style?

What color?

Black, Red, Yellow

 Convertible?

Do you like to drive with the top down?

Or maybe the Dodge Challenger?

 My son Atticus, getting excited to drive off in this Red Ford Mustang.

 

 And me sitting in my dream car.

A Ford Mustang has been my dream car.

I love the color black for vehicles. 

A black Ford Mustang for me.

How about you? Do you have a favorite color for a vehicle?

 And what is your dream car?

Book Reveiw ~ The Land I Lost

The Land I Lost

Author

 Huynh Quang Nhuong

Adventures of a boy in Vietnam

The land I love was lost to me forever.

These stories are my memories...

We enjoyed the adventures Huynh took us on. Action packed with encounters with tigers, wild hogs, deadly snakes and monkeys.

The boys enjoyed the stories about Tank, the authors pet water buffalo.

SPOILER ALERT:

Tank does die. It is very sad on how this happens. We all cried reading about Tank, how he protected Huynh and later passed away.

A great book. A story for all ages and does a great job to open your eyes to other cultures.

 

God Will Be With Me in the Hard Times

I am the Ground

 I am the ground.

The plow cuts deep, again and again and again!

It cuts away my roots, my desires to be altogether,

my desires to look good.

It turns me over, inside out, till I am a mess of crumbly soil.

The rains come; seed are planted.

I miss the lovely pasture I used to be,

with calves frolicking in the sunshine,

butting heads, coming to me for nourishment.

Here I lie, useless and alone - except for this farmer who constantly runs over me with his tractor, seeding, cultivating. 

I am changing.

I finally recognize the farmer.

Lord, do with me as you choose, for I belong to you.

Plant the seeds, cultivate out the weeds, 

send the sunshine and rain.

Oh Lord of the harvest, may I yield abundantly for you

whatever crop you choose.

Amen

By Judith Vander Wege

 

Poppyseed Bread

 Poppyseed Bread

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons almond

1 1/2 cups milk

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 Tablespoons poppyseed

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Mix all ingredients together for two minutes and bake for one hour and twenty five minutes at 350 degrees.

Top with glaze

Glaze

2 teaspoons melted butter

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons almond

Heat butter and sugar until melted, stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook for four minutes and then pour over bread in pans. Remove bread from pans after glaze has set.

 

Poppyseed is one of my very favorites and our family loves this recipe.

Enjoy!

What to do with Frozen Grapefruit

 Our friend Marv travels to Texas for the winter. For the past three years he comes back the first week of March. He always has his truck full of goodies. He stays in Rockport, Texas and likes to travel to the Citrus Farms during is stay. He usually calls us while he is sitting on the beach, enjoying a fresh grapefruit and 80 degrees.

On his way home this year, he got stranded in Cameron, Missouri. 

He has a enclosed truck topper and even brought along an electric heater to keep the fruit warm. Sadly, it got so cold all of the grapefruit he brought back to Cameron, Wisconsin froze.

He called while stranded in Cameron, Missouri. We had a little chuckle about that. He said "I am in Cameron." I said " You are home, YAY!" 

"Nope, I am in Cameron, Missouri."

I told him never fear, I have an idea on how to save the grapefruit. I juiced it. I juiced 2 huge bags of grapefruit. 

YUMMY!

I placed the juice in wide mouth quart canning jars and froze it. 

Just the other day I pulled one out to thaw to serve for breakfast.

DELICIOUS!

Marv was so happy I was able to use the grapefruit.

For more stories about Marv, click here 

Have you ever saved a food that you thought you would have to toss?

Do you like grapefruit?

 

Let's Hike

 I am getting excited for our first Spring hike. 

Mushrooms, wildflowers, green plants and new life in the woods.

 One of my very favorites, the Trillium.

For all who seek the true places.

 I have been crossing my fingers that the COLD winter we experienced will have killed the wood-tick population. 

I know it is bad to want something to go extinct...but oh, do I hate wood-ticks.

I pull up my socks and hit the trail anyway. 

God has created so much for us to enjoy.

I guess wood-ticks too.

 It is not down in any map; true places never are.

Herman Melville ~ Moby Dick

 This is what I take along on my hikes.

My walking stick.

Camera.

A snack or two.

Water.

A field guide of some kind.

For my spring hikes I pack along my 

Wildflowers of Wisconsin

Field Guide

by Stan Tekiela

It is Discovery

Not Distance 

That Matters

 

 My walking stick was made for me by my two boys.

They added a few love notes on it for me.

On top you will see a spider. Yes, I do not like spiders or wood-ticks.

MOM ~ for me.

Ukraine ~ I traveled to Ukraine in 2006 for mission work. They both know how special that trip was to me.

A bird...because I love birds.

One of our best finds. 

 A Pink Lady's Slipper.

I was so excited to find this Spring flower.

Are you getting excited to go for a hike after the long winter?

Do you like to search for wildflowers, mushrooms or birds?

Wishing you a great start to your week.

 

 

Sweets

 Sweets

Here 

Is a list

Of likely

Words

To taste:

Peppermint

Cinnamon,

Strawberry,

Licorice,

Lime:

Strange 

How they manage

To flavor

The paper

Page.

By Valerie Worth

 

On the Road Friday ~ Irvine Park, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

We are on the road today to Irvine Park, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Irvine Park has been featured on The River before, it is one of our all time favorite parks to visit in all seasons. This winter we skied at Irvine Park. The trail system is a lot of fun with many hills.

Irvine is a 300 acre park that includes a band shell, preserved schoolhouse and log cabin. A zoo, a petting zoo and Glen Loch Dam overlook.

Enjoy the Christmas Village with lights and displays.

 Click here to see some of the Christmas Village

And a few photos of Summer at Irvine.

 Bison

 Black Bear

 Tigers

 Mountain Lion

Tortoise

And a lot more.
If you are heading this direction, Irvine is a great place to stop for a picnic. 
So many fun things to do in the summer months.
And winter too.

Enjoy your weekend.

Create Your Own Herb and Spice Shakers

Create Your Own Herb and Spice Shakers

I am going to share with you a few simple recipes to create your own herb and spice shakers. 

  Homemade Italian Seasoning

All ingredients are in dried form

2 T basil leaf

2 T marjoram leaf

2 T oregano leaf

2 T cut and sifted rosemary leaf

1 T thyme leaf

1 1/2 garlic powder (optional, especially if you cook with fresh garlic)

Combine all the ingredients in jar and shake well. Store in airtight container. Makes about 1/2 cup. Be sure to label and date.

Ranch Dressing Dip Mix

1/4 cup dried parsley

1 T dried dill weed/leaf

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion flakes or onion powder

1/2 t dried basil leaf

1/2 t ground black pepper

(salt as added at the time you make the dressing or dip)

Combine all ingredients and store in airtight container. Be sure to label and date.

For Dressing:  Use 1Tablespoon of mix with 1/3 cup mayonnaise (Greek Yogurt) and 1/4 cup milk. Salt to taste.

For Dip:   Use 1 Tablespoon of mix with 1 1/2 cups sour cream. Salt to taste.

Homemade Poultry Seasoning

1 T + t. ground or rubbed sage

2 T. ground thyme

2 t. ground marjoram

1 1/2 t. ground rosemary

1 t. ground nutmeg

1t. finely ground black pepper

Mix well and store in airtight container. Be sure to label and date.

 

Fairy Garden

How many of you have a fairy garden?

I think they look like so much fun.

I made up a small garden for my mom last year for Mother's Day  .

 Where do you find your Fairy Garden goodies?

What kind of plants do you put into your Fairy Garden?

I am dreaming of Spring!

And I am thinking I will start a Fairy Garden this year.

 

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

Margaret Atwood

 

Funny on Sunday

 The best way to eat seeds is upside down!

 The best way to steal seeds is like this. 

"Shhhh, do not let Carla know I am stealing seeds."

 Yummy! So good on a winter's day.

Happy Sunday!

After the Storm

 After the Storm!

 Our snow pile! Our two boys are in charge of shoveling our driveway. "Mom, we are running out of room to put the snow!"

They would climb the pile and push it into  our neighbors lawn. They could easily jump the fence.  I loved watching them out the kitchen window. They would stand up on the bank and knock each other down.

  Lilac bushes are hanging over, full of snow and ice.

 Another snow bank!

Over the winter glaciers

I see the summer glow

And through the wild - piled snowdrifts

The warm rose-buds below.

 

This is my path to feed the birds.

Piped a tiny voice hard by,

Gay and Polite, a cheerful cry -

Chic-chicadeedee! saucy note

Out of sound heart and merry throat,

As if it said, "Good - day, good sir! 

Fine afternoon, old passenger!

Happy to meet you in these places

Where January brings few faces."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat-
You must have walked-
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?

Emily Dickinson

March is a play actor, an Indian giver.

March is a warm soft spring day.

March is a sudden blizzard.

March is a balmy breeze from the South.

March is an icy blast from the North.

We watch the sky.

We watch for the first robin, the first honk of geese.

Under the snow there buried seeds, hidden roots, the wakening of buds.

So much to look forward to!

Daffodils

Tulips

Crocus

"Sing a song of Spring" cried the pleasant April rain

With a thousand sparkling tones upon the window pane,

And the flowers hidden in the ground woke dreamily and stirred,

From root to root, from seed to seed, crept swiftly the happy word.

Celia Thaxter