҈ A Perfect Snack for Fireworks ҈

The Fourth of July is almost here. Are you getting excited for  family, friends, picnics and FIREWORKS!!   ҈

 I am going to share a fun snack to serve at your Fourth of July party. 

Chex Muddy Buddies

9 cups Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex or Chocolate Chex or a combination 

1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Into a large bowl, measure cereal and set aside

On the stove top, place your pot full of butter on medium heat

melt butter

once your butter is melted add the chocolate chips and peanut butter

stir and melt all together

 take pot of burner and add your vanilla

 pour the chocolate, peanut butter mixture into the bowl full of cereal.

Add powdered sugar to the mixture of chocolate, peanut butter and cereal.

Some people like to place the mixture into a bag and toss the powder sugar in and toss it around.

 After well coated you can place on waxed paper to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

 

Do you have a special snack you like to eat during the fireworks?

 

On The Road Friday ~ Red Cedar State Trail, Menomonie, Wisconsin

 Welcome!

Each Friday, I try to take you on a little trip of someplace we have traveled. 

Today, we will ride our bikes on the Red Cedar State Trail.

 During the first weekend of June, Wisconsin State Parks host a free weekend. You are able to fish, visit state parks and trails for free. We have a state park sticker, but we do not have a bike sticker. We took the opportunity to ride one of the many beautiful bike trails in Wisconsin on June 8th during the free weekend.

 

 I am in the lead. My boys are coming along side me. Will they take me from down low or up high? We enjoyed our day. The weather was lovely. It was beautiful, full of green, flowers, sun and bugs. Yes, it was kind of funny, we rode our bikes into a swarm of bugs. Some type of  glasses are a good idea. 

Check out more about the fees and other information regarding the trail 

 Red Cedar State Trail

  

Trail passes can be purchased from inside the Visitor Center. 

The Visitor Center is also very nice and is worth going into. They have many fun displays of animals and stories. It is also kid friendly.

 The Red Cedar River is lapping along side much of the trail. We slowed down several times and enjoyed the river.

 The Red Cedar Trail is a four-season trail. It rests on the bed of the historic Red Cedar Junction railway. This railway serviced the Knapp-Stout &Co., the world's largest lumber producing company in the late 1800's. Over time these tracks were abandoned, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources converted it into one of its showcase recreational trails.

Enjoy your weekend!

 Thank you for coming along today!

Lactarius ~ What On Earth is She Talking About???

Lactarius

That is the name of this mushroom.

 With  all the rain we have been receiving we are starting to grow a nice crop of different fungi in our yard. 

I like how the cap becomes a funnel. This is the first time we  had the Lactarius grow in our yard. We have six of them growing under our big pine tree in the front yard. Our son Sam is in charge of mowing our lawn. He is keeping the mushrooms safe and is excited to see how big they grow.

I am not sure if this fungi is edible. 

I have a Golden Guide of Non - Flowering Plants and it states the following about the Lactarius...some are edible, many acrid, others poisonous.

Do you know your mushrooms?

Do you eat mushrooms from the wild?

Garden Update

Rain, Rain, Rain!

We have been blessed with rain. We have gotten a lot of rain. When I asked my friend Barry how many inches he has recorded so far for May and June, he said," FEET, Carla. We are talking about measuring in feet."

We all are happy for the rain, because we have struggled with drought in years past.

But if you are a farmer trying to make hay, well it has not been so easy.

 

As for working in the garden...that has not been easy.

Saturday was a beautiful day. We had several things we wanted to get done, because it was not raining. So I told me sweet husband, lets get up at 6am and head to the garden. We can get it all done right away in the morning. 

"Okay, that sounds good" my sweet husband agreed.

We headed out right away. We woke up, got dressed, grabbed a couple canteens of water and headed for the gardens.

We were working for about an hour or so and I started to get hungry for breakfast.

I told Jeremy that I start to think of my first cup of coffee and try to work faster and harder.

I started to tell him how excited I was to have breakfast, eggs, hash-browns, toast with my homemade grape jelly and COFFEE.

He kindly asked me to be quite. Or he would have to head home.

"Talking about what you are going to have when you get home does not help you work harder and faster?" I asked.

"No, it just makes me hungry!" he answered.

Me, working harder and faster to get home to coffee and breakfast.

We  got home at 9:30am and made a wonderful breakfast.

I was very thankful for Jeremy's help. We got the garden all cleaned up for another few days. The plants are doing okay. I have a few potatoes that rotted. And some of my plants are really slow growing. The beans are doing the best of all.

Guess what? It is raining again as I write this.

How is the weather at your house?

Happy Monday!

Painted Turtle

Painted Turtle

 

The peaceful painted turtles

Basking in the sun,

You'll see them perching piggyback 

Or lined up one by one.

 

But if they sense you near them,

They will drop and dive from sight,

But soon they will reappear again

To soak up warmth and light.

 

Named for its BRIGHT colors.

 

Turtles Sunbathe

To warm their bodies,

To absorb Vitamin D,

To rid their shells of pests.

 

Painted Turtles eat water plants and some water insects, snails and fish.

 

Painted Turtles gather on rocks and fallen logs in quiet ponds and streams.

 

I hope you can bask in the sun, soak up some warmth and enjoy the first weekend of summer.

 

Happy Summer!

      Enjoy the weekend!

How to Make Colored Fire

During our recent camp trip to Wildcat Mountain State Park, Wisconsin, we were introduced to a colored fire.

Our friend Lori has a very creative landlady. She wanted to share her old Girl Scout camping day trick with us on how to make a colored fire.

She gave us copper tubes and we needed to place rubber garden hose inside. Then we placed the copper tube into the fire.

And look at this!!

 Amazing color!

 Watching the color was a lot of fun.

The boys loved it and thought it was so cool!

 Do you add anything fun to your fires?

Or know of any other fun camping tips we could share with our boys?

Hello Robin

 I was busy working in the yard barn and looked up to see we had a new neighbor.

"Hello Robin"

 We continued to monitor her success and we all got very excited when her eggs hatched.

And when I say we all got excited! I mean all!

Little B's thoughts "Fledglings....I am waiting to catch you"

We only had to rescue one.

Thankfully they made, we think?

 O Robin, robin, singing in the rain, 

While black clouds lower 

Above you bower!

Nora Perry

 

On the Road Friday ~ Wildcat Mountain State Park, Ontario, Wisconsin

Today we are heading to a Wisconsin State Park, Wildcat Mountain.

Wildcat Mountain is located in the Southwest part of Wisconsin. 

It is beautiful! 

I will be posting a few blog posts about Wildcat Mountain.

Today I am going to give you a tour of the history and some of the beautiful  old buildings.

And one more note. As you drive up the driveway to Wildcat Mountain, you go up, up, up! It was a bit exciting as we pulled out Pop-Up Camper up, up and up! 

 Why the name Wildcat Mountain?

In the 1800's, local farmers were upset because a bobcat, also called a wildcat, had killed several sheep. The farmers formed a hunting party and tracked and killed the animal to prevent further loss of livestock. The cat was shot near what is now the main overlook of the park.

Thereafter, area residents called this spot "wildcat hill," later changed to Wildcat Mountain.

Now, the park has no wildcats, but plenty of other creatures make Wildcat their home, such as raccoons, skunks, fox, coyotes, wild turkey and deer.

 

 WILDCAT!

 As soon as we walked to the nature center, I noticed this house. I said to my fellow campers,"Hey guys, look at that chimney! It is so beautiful" I went over and took the following photos. 

Later, I found out a fun secret about this beautiful chimney.

 The secret I found out...a rock from each of the lower 48 Untied States are on this chimney!

Wildcat Mountain originally was a farm. The house and barn are still located on the  park property. A beautiful Wisconsin barn.

The porch of the farm house.

  

Another view of the chimney.

 I love the windows in this old Wisconsin barn.

 A letter from a person who helped with building the chimney. And worked on the farm.

 

 One of the old out buildings serves as the Nature Center. It might look like it needs a coat of paint on the outside, but the inside is well done.

A lot of hands on items for the kids to do. 

Thank you for coming along today.

Have a great weekend.

♥

Red Winged Blackbird

 The Red-Winged Blackbird is one of my favorite birds.

♪ ♫ I love his song," O-ka-lee." ♪ ♫

 When we are out on the water canoeing we are presented with a show. Yes, I do think the Red-Winged Blackbird knows he is very pretty. He flies along and blances himself on a cattail and quickly lets out his "O-ka-lee" 

 ♪♫ ♪♫ ♪♫

 

The female looks as though she belongs to quite a different species. Most of us never recognize her unless we see her with her spouse.  She is well camouflaged for nesting in swamps and marshes. She is speckled with brown, black, white and orange. The male is a wonderful protector of his lady and nest. While canoeing we have gotten close to Red-Winged Blackbird  nests and he is very quick to tell us to be on our way!

Lemon Meringue Pie

My mom treated me with making me my favorite pie.

Lemon Meringue Pie

My photo does not show just how amazing she was able to do with her meringue. She did her very best! Can you guess how many egg whites she  used?

What is your favorite kind of pie?

Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink, that is the finest of supper, I think.

When I am grown up and can have what I please, I think I shall always insist upon these.

Christopher Morley

 

On the Road Friday ~ Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, Superior, Wisconsin

We are on the road today. We are heading to the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, Superior, Wisconsin. 

The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is a testament to the courage of a man and a nation. From the moment you walk through its doors, you will travel back to times when ordinary people became extraordinary heroes. 

Lean about the service and sacrifices both on the battlefront and on the home front and above all, immerse yourself in the life of America's Ace of Aces' Dick Bong.

 

 "Marge", Fully Restored P-38 Lightning

On December 17th, 1944, Bong shot down his 40th enemy plane, at which point General George C. Kenney immediately sent him home. 

Bong's record still stands.

December 29th, 1944 : Came home after flying in 200 combat missions.

 One of the few surviving P-38s, this plane bears the markings of Richard Bong's famous "Marge" and serves as the centerpiece of exhibits.

 Winds of War

Feeling like you are right in the  South Pacific.

 Medal of Honor

 Model of the Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star

 Bong's family was not notified before the information was released  publicly, so Marge and members of his family learned of this death over the radio.

" Marge"

Marjorie Vattendahl and Major Richard Bong married on February 10th, 1945.

On August 6th, 1945, at age 24, Bong was killed in Burbank, California, when the P-80 he was testing crashed. 

Thank you for coming along today.

And may we all remember those who fought and died, worked and waited...

to maintain our freedoms.

My New Adventure

My New Adventure 

Last year I tossed around getting a plot at our Church Community Garden. I already have a back yard garden. But I am never able to fit all I want to plant in my back yard. And I wanted to plant potatoes. So guess what my new adventure is?

 If you guessed, another garden, you are right on!

 My new adventure is another garden.

My blessing is, I will be receiving garden lessons from my dear friend Marv. If you have not read my posts about Marv, please check out the following.

Marv

Blessed with a friendship

 My helpers.

 Nothing like a little bit of goofing off!

 We are garden D-3 and D-4.

Yes, I went over board and got two plots.

D-3 is planted in flowers. I have always wanted to have a full garden of Sunflowers, Asters, Cosmos, Zinnias, Marigolds, Gladiolas....

  

Marv, my 86 year old teacher.

When I shared with him that I took on two plots, he laughed and asked "Are you asking for punishment?"

 And my new adventure begins.

I am excited to show you photos as plants start to grow. 

And I hope to dazzle you with my flower garden.

 ♥