Autumn Getaway

The front porch of our sweet cabin.

 An Autumn Getaway to Lake Superior

for a boy and a girl

and a little canoe

staying in a sweet little cabin

sharing time outdoors

canoeing 

hiking 

evening campfires

revisiting goals and making new goals

talking about growing boys and a soon to be empty nest

this little getaway was perfect 

and 

just what we needed!

 

The below photos are of our sweet little cabin.

It was just perfect for the two of us. 

The kitchen was red. A red fridge, microwave, toaster and coffee maker. 

Soft lamps and candles making it cozy.

 We had a fantastic time canoeing, hiking, touring apple orchards, antiquing and enjoying campfires in the evening. It was just what we both needed. Sometimes you don't even realize you need a break from the day to day. Oh my, was this good for us as a couple. We had lots to talk about as our lives are changing as our boys are growing up and moving on. Sharing goals of where we want to be in the next five years. It was a fantastic getaway.

I will share photos of our hikes, canoeing and more.

Have a great weekend!

 ♥

Carla

 

Joy List Monday

Joy List Monday

 ♥ a weekly ritual ♥

a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life

 magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day

 ♥ continuing to enjoy fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers from the garden

♥ taking a walk with my son Sam at dusk and watching the moon come up

♥ trying a new cookie recipe

♥ visiting one of my favorite Farm Stores

 ♥ the start of cozy nights .. as it is getting dark here by 8:00 pm

♥

I will be heading off on an Autumn Getaway this week. 

I will be back soon.

 ♥

Carla

 

 

Garden Angel

More about Marv

Hello Friends,

The photo above was taken in 2014. Goodness, can that  photo really be from 2014? Has that much time gone by? If you have been a long time reader of The River, you know about my garden mentor Marv. I met Marv back in 2010. We became fast friends and once he found out I enjoyed gardening, and I found out that he enjoyed gardening, well that was that, plant people!

Over the years Marv has shared his garden knowledge with me. We gardened together at the Community Gardens. I learned so much from him during those years.

He also played a few jokes on us.

He hung an orange on our tomato plant.

Read more about Marv's garden tricks here. 

Marv hanging HUGE plastic bugs in our tomato patch.

Marv travels to Texas each November. He usually calls us after we get a big snowstorm just to rub in how he is sitting on the beach soaking in the sun.

So we made our own jokes up. We gave him these grapefuit snowballs when he returned one April. We did not want him to miss out on Wisconsin snow.

We rolled snowballs and colored them with food coloring and placed them in the freezer until our dear friend came back to Wisconsin.

Hurricane Harvey washed away his cabin, he was not able to return to Texas the winter of 2017. 

November of 2018 repairs were complete on Marv's cabin and at age 90 he drove down to Rockport, Texas and enjoyed the winter.  We had a winter to remember in 2019 with negative temperatures dipping down to -50 degrees. We would receive those phone calls asking how we were surviving the winter as he was sitting on the beach eating a fresh grapefruit.

Click here to read more about saving snowballs for Marv's return 

The years continue to fly by. Marv saw Sam graduate and head into the Wisconsin National Guard. Marv is a Korean veteran. When Sam returned from training this May, Marv enjoyed sharing Army stories with Sam. 

During the summer Marv got very sick. He lost 17 pounds and it took him several weeks to gain back his strength. This past week he called me and asked if he could pop over to chat.

"I want to give you my garden angel, Carla. My garden days are coming to an end and this garden angel has been good to me and I want to pass this angel on to you."

♥

Sam and I went to visit Marv this week. After our visit Sam shared with me, "Mom, I am worried about Marv, he just seems to have really declined this summer. I know you shared with me that you felt he was starting to decline, but I did not believe you until today, today I see it."

Marv taught me tips and tricks about gardening. He also taught me life lessons. He saw terrible stuff in Korea. He stood by both of his wives as they each got ill and passed away. He once shared with me that at one time he was so sad he was not sure if he could go on. Then he thought of his other family and fought back that sadness and continued on.

Take time to say "I Love You" to your family and friends today.

 ♥

Carla

 

 

A differnt kind of Garden Tour

 Some of you may remember that we hosted Daybreak at our Little Garden That Could last summer, below is the post I shared about our first garden tour.

Click here to read.

Well, earlier this year Daybreak asked if they could come again for a tour in 2019. They had so much fun last year, they wanted to come back.

I said "yes"!

Well, wouldn't you know the day we planned to have the tour, our weather was not the best. 

We contacted our local Cameron Community Center and asked if we could bring Daybreak and The Little Garden that Could to the Center.

They said "yes"!

We set up tables and chairs. We shared our flowers and vegetables. 

 And we made bouquets for each participant to take home.

 

Plan B worked. We thank the Cameron Community Center for allowing us to bring the garden inside for Daybreak to enjoy.

Also a big Thank You to our friends Charles and Kathy who donated flowers for the bouquets.

 

I started in June ...

I wanted to share with you all about my new part  time job.

Many of you know for the past 2 1/2 years I delivered Meals on Wheels part time. I enjoyed this and I shared many of the inspiring people  I met here at The River.

In May, I saw that our Barron County Daybreak program had a part time position available. 

I did enjoy delivering meals. I did not enjoy driving in the winter. I had a rural route, my route was 90 miles a day. I was feeling like I wanted to make a change.

 I was excited to see the job posting for Daybreak. I do enjoy working with elderly people. 

Daybreak is an adult day program for those 60 or better with cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

I applied for the position.   I was called in for an interview and I got the position.  

I began working part time for Daybreak in June.

The day is structured like a school day. The participants arrive at 9:00 in the morning. We have a morning snack and coffee. Each day we have a speaker and a show and tell. We have music and exercise. We enjoy a lunch together and an afternoon game of bingo, trivia or other. The participants head for home at 2:00 in the afternoon.

We also go on field trips. 

We visited Irving Zoo and Park. Attended the County Fair and a trip to the Museum. 

I have enjoyed working for Daybreak the past few months. I enjoy older people and all that they have to share. You get attached to the participants quickly. I have come to understand each ones likes and dislikes.  It also is heartbreaking to watch a disease take memories away. When they want to share but just can not. Or get frustrated because they are so confused. My goal is to make them smile each day I work and know that someone cares for them.

"Your compassion for others shines through every time you become aware of another person's need and respond in some way. Of course you can not take care of the whole world, but do take the "love your neighbor" command seriously and you help everyone you possibly can.

Someone needs you today."

Anonymous

 

 

Moon Flower

 A new plant for me this year has caused some discussion.

My friend Kris at Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies

gifted me some seeds a couple years ago. This spring I planted some of the seeds, I did not have a spot in the garden in years past.

Moon Flower

Moon Flower bloom in the evening. 

So what is all the discussion about?

It ends up the Moon Flower is highly poisonous.

Read the below article.

Officials warn against moonflowers

I warned my family about the Moon Flower. I really did not have to worry because our family is not real big on eating flowers or greens with out asking if it is safe to do so. At this time I will give out the big shout out "Moon Flowers are poisonous!" In fact they have a nick name the devil's trumpet. So do read up on the moon flower before deciding to plant in your garden.

I like the moon flower and I have plans to plant it again in the 2020 season in a new place in the garden so we can enjoy the beauty even more in the evenings.

My neighbor purchased a purple moon flower at Winter Greenhouse

Purple Moon Flower

How about you? Have you heard about the moon flower?