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

 ♥ enjoying the garden

grasses

morning glories

and more

morning glories

 

♥ apples and pears

a dear friend let us pick apples and pears at her brothers orchard

 

 ♥ making crab apple jelly 

 

 

 ♥ dehydrating pears

 

 

♥ another fun flower year

closing the Flower Shack for the season

 

 

♥ a few more bouquets from the season

 

♥ wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile ♥

♥

Carla 

It is Planting Season

 

Garlic Harvest

Planting Garlic

Hello Friends, today I am sharing the article I wrote for the September issue of the Cameron Chronicle, our village newspaper.. the little paper with personality.

 

It is Planting Season

By Carla TePaske of Cameron WI ~ The Little Garden That Could

It is planting season. That is right, it is time to plant garlic, spring bulbs and vegetables.

Garlic is easy and a lot of fun to plant.

There are two varieties of garlic, softneck garlic and hardneck garlic. You will want to plant hardneck garlic. Hardneck garlic is a good choice for very cold winters.

How to Plant Garlic

1. Plan to plant garlic in Autumn about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes.

2. Garlic grows best in loose, well-drained soil.

3. Just prior to planting, break up the garlic heads into individual cloves, leaving as much of the papery covering on each clove intact as possible.

4. Plant cloves 3" to 4" deep, place them so the pointy ends face up.

5. Water gently to settle the soil, and then cover the bed with a 4" to 6" layer of straw. Even as air temperatures drop, the soil will stay warm enough for the newly planted cloves to establish roots before the ground freezes. Sometimes you'll see some green shoots form in Autumn it is fine and won't harm the garlic. They'll begin growing very quick in Spring.

Spring Bulbs

Tulips, daffodils, allium and crocus are just a few spring bulbs to plant this month.

Microgreens

Do not forget to start your microgreens indoors on your windowsill. This is a fun way to garden and eat tasty greens during all seasons.

Until next time, happy gardening!

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don't care if I never get back, and it is the Hodgepodge!

 

Hello Friends.. It is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge!

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 1. Did you watch any coverage of the 9/11 services on Monday? Yes, I did and I also read a few articles. How do you feel on this day some 22 years after the events occurred? I am sad. Our nation is so divided it just breaks my heart. Share more if you want to share more. 

I do know America is not perfect.. but the United States of America is a true miracle. I pray it will always be a beacon of freedom. 

 2. September 13th is National Peanut Day...do you like peanuts? I do! Your favorite dish that contains peanuts? My favorite way to eat peanuts are at a baseball game.

 

 

A blast from the past... our boys having their baseballs signed.

 I enjoy sea salt roasted peanuts.

3. Something you're currently 'nuts' about? 

Good Earth Sweet and Spicy Tea

4. Your favorite Peanuts character? There are several quizzes online if you're curious...I took two and got the same character for both so I'm sure it's accurate lol. (Click here for the link)

I took the quiz. And I am  Charlie Brown.

You are Charlie Brown, an ambivert.

As an ambivert, you're both introverted and extroverted, depending on your mood or the situation. You're gentle and lovable, determined and hopeful. You mean well and care deeply about your friends. When it comes to failure, you stay optimistic, press on, and cheer for your friends to keep on going!

 

My favorite Peanuts character is Snoopy.

 

 5. Tell us about a job you worked 'for peanuts'? 

 

I worked/volunteered for Barron County Aging and Disability for the nutrition program. I worked two weeks on.. two weeks off for about 4 1/2 hours a day. I made $7.25 an hour. I was well aware of the pay 'peanuts'.  I did it because it was fun for me to serve our local community. I have good memories and lots of fun stories from my time making 'peanuts'.

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

Happy Read a Book Day and it is the Hodgepodge!

 

Hello Friends, it is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun!

 1. It's National Read A Book Day...whatcha' reading? What's a book you want to read? 

Three Sisters by Heather Morris is what I am currently reading. I plan to read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, also by Heather Morris.

2. Which is better...having high expectations or low expectations? Explain why.  

I live by low expectations. That way I can be pleasantly surprised, instead of disappointed.

3. Serenity is________________________.  

 When I am busy in the garden. My garden does not feel like work to me, it brings me joy. Even when I am at war with Japaneses Beetles.

4. What's  the most interesting thing in your purse or pocket right now?  

 I have a deck of playing cards in my purse. We have been known to get a good ol card game going if we have a long wait.

 5. What helps you calm down? 

A long walk.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

 

Hello September 2023

 

Sunflower Power

Hello Friends, Happy September

I am sharing with you some of the bouquets I designed this summer season.

 

The Power of Pink

The garden season was challenging for me this season as we were on the edge of being declared in an extreme drought. Challenges that I faced were short flower stems, irregular shaped flowers and slow growth. Another challenge was a Japaneses Beetle infestation. Earwigs use to be my least favorite insect, but the Japanese Beetle has taken the Earwigs place. In fact I have come to like Earwigs after dealing with Japanese Beetles.  I hate Japanese Beetles, hate, hate, hate them. They ate my dahlias and African marigolds before I could use many of them. Because of the beetles I will be looking at growing other variety of flowers that I hope they do not like.

 

Strawflowers a new favorite

I was able to keep up with my flower subscriptions and have the Flower Shack open once or twice a week.

I was not able to offer Special Occasion bouquets to the public, but I was able to fill  requests from friends and past customers.

 

Delivering Smiles

 

I am already planning what I will do different for the 2024 garden season. I will be trying a few new variety of flowers and I will stop growing a few others due to the beetle problems I mentioned above. 

Happy September 

♥

Carla

 

Foxglove beauties

Daughtered Off

 

 

 

 The Two Sisters

The May 24th, 2023 Hodgepodge questions had the theme about brothers. I am sharing the link to the post below.

Hodgepodge May 24,2023

The first question asked if you had any brothers. I went on to share that no I did not and that I came from a family of girls. 

 1. May 24th is National Brother's Day. Do you have a brother? No Older or younger? Did you raise brothers? Yes Tell us something about your brother or tell us something about your own children who are brothers.

We are blessed that our two boys are also best friends. I grew up with all girls. Everyone in my extended family had girls. When my husband and I had children, we broke the cycle on my side of the family, as the first to have boys. 

My blog friend Dewena shared with me the following comment..

 I didn't have a brother either, Carla, I had 3 younger sisters and out of a dozen cousins on my father's side only 2 were boys. And since neither of them had sons, my father's family name "daughtered off." Have you ever heard of that old term? Maybe it was known as that only in the South. 

 

I answered Dewena that this has happened to our family. My father's family name has been "daughtered off." I did not know this old term, and maybe it is only known in the South. 

I have a few questions for my dear friends out there.. here we go.

1. Have you heard of that old term "daughtered off"?

2. Has this happened to your father's family name?

3. Have you heard of ways to keep your  maiden name

.. the surname that a married woman used from birth, prior to its being legally changed at marriage.

Yes, I do know that you can choose not to change your name. I am thinking of other creative ways to keep your maiden name within the family if you know that it will be daughtered off. 

My one friend shared that she knew of a family who added the family name to the middle name of the first born child. 

My maiden name has been daughtered off and come to think of it, I have never asked my dad how he feels about that. I will have to do just that next time we visit and I will share what he says. 

In the meantime I am excited to hear your thoughts and stories about daughtered off.

 

♥

Carla

 

The Glut

 

Stuffed Round Zucchini

Hello Friends, today I am going to share my article for the August issue of the Cameron Chronicle, our local village newspaper... the little paper with personality.

 

The Glut

By Carla TePaske of Cameron WI ~ The Little Garden That Could

It is that time, harvest time. Many times we can have a glut of a vegetable or herb and wonder, what more can I do with all this garden goodness.

This season I am making herb cubes. I am harvesting mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena and more and making herb cubes. It is easy. Pick and clean your herbs. Place three to five leaves in an ice tray, fill with water, freeze and enjoy. When frozen pop them out and store in quart freezer bags. Make sure to label your bags. Tip: I use silicone ice cube trays and they work great. I am making a few bags of herb cubes of each herb to have on hand in the winter months. You can add your herb cubes to water, tea or a mixed drink.

Tomatoes are easy to freeze. Harvest, wash and toss into a freezer bag. During the winter months bring out your tomatoes and use them in your chili and other soups.

Peppers are just as easy to freeze. I harvest, wash, and dice my green peppers and freeze them. In the winter months use your peppers for omelets, homemade pizza and soup.

Enjoy the season of the glut. I know I am going to be munching on as many cucumbers as I can.

Until next time, happy gardening!

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

 ♥ my husband enjoys growing tomatoes.. he cares for them like they are his children.. hee hee

weighed before enjoyed in a BLT and several tomato salads

 

♥ the variety of this tomato is Brandywine

♥ spending the last two weekends with our boys

♥ catching up visiting family and friends

♥ summer bugs chirping in the evenings

♥ suntea

♥ blueberry cobbler

♥ sunflowers

♥ sweetcorn eaten on the cob

♥ grilled bbq chicken

♥ evening bike rides

♥ soaking in summer

 

wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile

♥

Carla

Kitty, Kitty, Kitty and it is the Hodgepodge!

 

Meet Penelope

My friend Deb gifted me some shells from the beach walks she took during a visit to Florida. Penelope loved them just as much as me.

It is Wednesday that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 

 1. August 8th is National Cat Day. Do you own a cat? Are you a 'cat person'? Your favorite 'famous' cat?

We do own a cat. 

A story about our cat Penelope... aka "That Cat" !!!

We purchased a new rug and she made sure it was Penelope approved. The rug set for 24 hours before placing our dining table and chairs on it.

 

  Yes, I am a cat person. 

My favorite famous cat is, Catbert.

 Catbert is a red fictional cat, and the "evil director of human resources" in the Dilbert comic strip. He was supposed to be a one-time character but resonated with readers so well that Adams brought him back as the HR director.

 2. Cat nap-copycat-scaredy cat-curiosity killed the cat-cat got your tongue-like herding cats...which cat phrase applies to your life in some way currently? Explain. 

Cat nap ... Friday  I had a very busy morning and early afternoon. At 3:00 PM I laid down and enjoyed a fantastic Cat nap.

 3. What's your favorite or most- often-made one pot meal?  

Cowboy Beans

  4. What do you wish you'd placed in a time capsule fifteen years ago? 

A vax for common sense... where has it gone?

5. Your favorite hour of the day? Tell us why.   

I love my mornings in the garden. It is peaceful, me, the birds, plants and bugs.

6. Insert your own random thought here.    

 

 For today's random I have to share the above photo of the little fellas being held by daddy.

My post about the Welcome Home Ceremony for the 157th can be found by 

Clicking here!

Thank you again for all the love, support and prayers during the 157th's deployment.

 

 

Welcome Home Ceremony for the 157th MEB

 Hello Friends, 

Thank you again for all the support, love and prayers during the deployment of the 157th and our son Samuel.

Today I will share some of the photos and highlights of the welcome home for the 157th.

 

We are waiting for the plane to land! Here we are at the Hangar 406.

 

Everyone is looking up at the sky. 

Several fun signs.. Outta My Way!!! I get MY Daddy back today!

 

 

The plane has landed!

 

 

Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin's adjutant general, and other senior Wisconsin National Guard leaders were the first to welcome home the members of the 157th MEB.

 

 

The crowd goes wild with cheers as the Soldiers start to descend down the stairs.

 

 

Here they come!!!! 

 

And we find our Soldier!

My sister was able to join us for the welcome home ceremony.

 

Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley, commanding general at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti had the following comments to make to the 157th as they prepared to transfer their duty on to the 218th MEB, South Carolina National Guard.

"157th, you have my deepest thanks and it's been an honor to serve with you." 

During the 157th MEB's deployment, they supported several missions. They played an integral part in the evacuation of American personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan.

 I had to share this sweetness I witnessed..  Daddy holding his two boys as we listen to the remarks from Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp.

"You embark on a journey that takes you away from your family and friends for months to serve your nation, to show the country and the world what it means to be a member of the Wisconsin National Guard."

 

For me watching my two boys, best of friends, start right off where they left off. Nonstop talking all the way to the vehicle and during the ride home.

 

 

Thank you again for all the prayers, love and support for all our military.

♥

Carla