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Hiking at Colfax Day Date #22

Hello Friends,

Well, I just am not going to keep up with sharing my 52 day dates with you. I do not want to feel stressed about it. I will share the real fun ones. Ha!  We are doing something fun each week. It might just be a movie night, it is something I am documenting for my photo book I plan to make for Jeremy. I take a photo of each of our dates. 

Our current Day Date story is here 

 

Going back to Day Date #22  we went to Colfax. We went hiking. It was a beautiful day.

We ate at the Blind Tiger.

It was a fun place sharing the history of the speakeasy.

 A "blind tiger" is slang for an illegal establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, commonly known as a speakeasy. The term originated in the 19th-century United States from venues that charged admission to see a "blind tiger" as a front, but actually provided customers with an illegal drink to evade liquor laws.

 

 Several of our day dates are going for walks.  

 

On the one trail we like to hike we see these three deer often.

Can you spy the turtle?

We always love this view as it changes with the seasons.

A baby turtle.

We should have put something down in the photo to show how small it was, but let me tell you this was a wee little turtle.

 We went thrifting for one of our day dates #19. This was Dell's Architectural Antiques and it was very unique. 

Day Date #23 we watched the "new" Sabrina with Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinner. 

Day Date #25 we had another movie night. We watched the "old" Sabrina.

We both decided we like the "new" Sabrina over the "old". 

 

Walking, cooking together, movie nights and some adventures too. That is just some of our Day Dates. We celebrated day date #29 last week Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 

On to #30!! We are doing it. We can make it to #52!!

 

 ♥

Carla

 

Knock - Knock

 

Hello Friends,

Thursday of last week there was a knock at the front door. It was our local police. Hmmm, I wondered what was going on. I opened the door and he asked if I called in a complaint about our backyard neighbor. 

No, I did not. 

He went on to share that someone called in a complaint about all the garbage, vehicles and stuff that is piled everywhere, but did not leave their name. 

 Hmmm, I shared with him, our backyard is fenced in, but I can see through the fence and yes I do see the "collection of items".  But we did not call. 

He shared that they were asked to clean up the yard last summer by the leadership of the village. 

Hmmm, the memo must of gotten lost in the mail, because instead of cleaning up they added to the collection.  

He asked me who might have called in? 

I said most of us have put fence up so we do not need to see the disaster that has taken several years to make.  And that most of our neighbors that do have a relationship with each other have decided it no longer pays to call to complain because nothing gets done about it anyway. And we do not want to get on the bad side of this neighbor, because he already had some words with a different neighbor across the street. 

I think this surprised him, because he said, we are here to help.

I know you are I said. 

He was a young police officer, reminded me of our military son, eager to help.

He told me he hopes the village will enforce the ordinance.  

And he left. 

Hmmm,  I closed the door. Will the village enforce the ordinance?   

To Be Continued...

 

Note: I usually do not share the ugly stuff around my neck of the woods. Our neighborhood is fairly nice, we do have neighbors who help us without even asking.

I usually am an optimistic person, but with this matter I am rather discouraged.  How do you get someone to move piles of trash? Two campers, six cars, washing machines, freezers and refrigerators. This collection has been on going for several years. And earlier complaints go on deaf ears.

Does your community have a way to deal with such things, or do they pretend not to see and hear? 

 

 

 

Two Ladies

 

Above is the pooped out Ernie after our walk. Ernie and I walk everyday. Our morning walk is the same route everyday. Our evening walk changes daily.

On our morning walk we have our neighbors who like to wave at us or stop us for a quick visit.  We walk past a 8 plex and 4 plex that are next door to each other. In both are ladies that like to wave to me and Ernie. This week we happen to talk to both of the ladies. 

We were just coming to the 8 plex, when the one lady was pulling out of the driveway. She stopped as she got close to me and Ernie. She yelled out her car window, "Hi Sweetie, what a lovely day." Another car was pulling out of the 4 plex. The lady talking to me said, "Oh that is Marlene, I better get going and get out of her way." Off she went.

Then that car slows down and yells out to me and Ernie, "Hi, do you know that lady?"

I reply,"not really, we just chat and wave when I for my walk, nothing personal."

"Well, I am friends with her, I live in the 8 plex, she lives in the 4 plex. I just want to warn you, you gotta watch what you tell her, she will blab."

I thanked her for the advice. She asked my name and my dogs name. She told me she was Marlene and off she went on her way.

I carried on with our walk, chuckling about the two ladies.

 

Sharing a Story

 

My mom shared the following story with me and I want to share it with you.

 

A 2 week old olive egger chick named Olive is the star of Maple Hill Feed and Farm located in Maple, Wisconsin. She is the star thanks to her ability to hide, according to the Superior Telegram. Olive arrived at Maple feed store with about 499 other chicks for the annual Chick Day sale.

When the business opened at 8 a.m. May 3, the line of buyers stretched out the door. The chicks sold out by 9:30 a.m. or so owner Dawn Massier thought. 

That night, the store's motion camera's captured a video of a tiny chick following one of the five shop cats. The next morning Olive was at the store, alive and peeping, after spending the night alone with the cats. The owners posted about Olive's antics on their Facebook page, and people have offered to buy her. But the Massiers decided to keep the plucky chick around as shop mascot.

 

♥  

Carla

 

 

It is a Lavender, Vanilla and Cinnamon Hodgepodge

 

My parents gifted me this little planter. Woof!

 

Hello Friends, it is Wednesday. It is time for the Hodgepodge. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 

 1. What's your favorite room in your house and why? 

I love our kitchen. We did the remodel  of our kitchen ourselves. It was a huge project and we were very happy with how it turned out. 

I also enjoy cooking, baking and many times it seems we all gather and visit in the kitchen.

 

 2. What's something that will instantly annoy you? 

The word F*** .... it gets right under my skin. It is used in everyday speech around my area ... way too much. 

Call me old fashioned, I do not like cuss words.

 

 3. May 28th is National Hamburger Day...will you celebrate? How do you like yours? If you're not cooking at home is there a favorite place you like to go for a burger? Did you ever work in a fast food  restaurant? 

I do like hamburgers. My husband has a lot of fun making our burgers. He likes to play around with different toppings. I love a good mushroom and swiss burger.

We enjoy going to Gronk's in Superior, Wisconsin ... they make a great burger.

I never worked in fast food. 

4. What are three scents you like? 

Lavender

Vanilla

Cinnamon 

 

 5. What do you miss most about being a kid? 

 My sister and I would play Cat School. We would collect all our barn cats in the feed room of the barn and hold school for our little kittens. We would teach them how to watch out for cars, trucks and tractors. 

Our one big white cat named Fred, we would dress him up. He did not care what we did with him. He just wanted to be held. We would see how long we could hold Fred while doing our barn chores.

Below is a photo of our cat Penelope. She has not graduated from Cat School, Ha Ha, she is still in training.

  

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I am loving this mint. I add it to my ice tea, it has a great flavor.

 

 

The One

 

 

Hello Friends,

I am sharing some photos from a recent hike at Irvine Park, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

I am going to start something new here at The River. Every now and then I plan to ask a question or two for us to answer. Remember, it is just for fun.

 

 

 

Question #1

If you are married, when and how did you know you'd found "the one"?

If you are not married, how do you think you'll know when you've found "the one"?

 

This is not "the one"!

My husband and I met at work.  I was working part-time as a dishwasher at his parents lodge. I was drawn to his work ethic. He helped his parents run their restaurant, bar, cabin rental and canoe shuttle business.  

We started to go out on adventures. He made me laugh. We had a great deal in common. He was not afraid to try new things, he was strong, yet a gentleman. 

At the time, I was working in accounts payable at Marquip in my hometown full-time. And another fella at work that I enjoyed talking with, we would have lunch together with other co-workers. He did ask me out a few times, but the energy was not the same as it was with my husband. I knew Jeremy was the one. And he is!

Now it is your turn..

 

 ♥

Carla

Conversation

 

Hello Friends, 

Pull up a chair, I have a few questions.

Coffee or tea with a slice of lemon poppy seed bread?

 

Red Light Therapy

Have you tried it? 

Do you have your own light? If so, what did you purchase and how does it work.

 

Dry Needling 

Have you tried it?

Any side effects?  

Did you notice a difference after your sessions?

 

Thank you dear friends, it is fun to get others insight if they have tried or researched something, that is one thing I love about blogging, you can get a bunch of insight from all over the country and world. 

♥

Carla

 

 

 

 

A December Hike

 

 

On one of our December hikes we walked along our favorite bridge and we noticed several more locks added to the bridge. The day was very grey, with a little bit of snow on the ground. I thought it made the locks looks extra special.

 

Typically the sweethearts' names or initials, and perhaps the date, are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away (often into a nearby river) to symbolize unbreakable love.

 

 

The tradition may have originated in Hungary after World War I, when a woman fixed padlocks on the bridges where she and her lover used to meet. It became popular in other parts of the world, including Paris, in the 2000s.

 

A wreath was placed on the bridge too.

Sitting at the Bank

 

Hello Friends, today I am going to share a little story that happened to me a few weeks ago. I will set the stage first. My husband is the treasurer for our local Sportsmen's Club. He recently designed the website for the club Check it out! During one of our days of errands he needed to do a deposit for the Club. He went into the bank, I sat outside in the car with the window down enjoying the summer breeze blowing on me. I was busy people watching and enjoying the summer breeze when a man came up to my open car window.

He gave me the above artwork. He shared with me that God gifted him with the talent to draw and he likes to give his artwork away, along with the important message of The Good News. 

I thanked him and he got in his car and off he went. 

My husband came out of the bank, got in the car, and looked down on my lap. 

"Where did you get that?"

I shared the story above with him.. and he said "You just never know what might happen to you when you are sitting waiting at the bank."

We both were touched because this happened shortly after our son returned home from deployment. The American Eagle is a favorite in our family. 

♥

Carla

 

This and That

 Hello Friends,

A little of this and that today.

 

We recently visited my sister and her husband. My sister knows I love to visit thrift shops. We stopped at Pancakes in Heaven Thrift in Eagle River, Wisconsin.  I found a few treasures.

A little pheasant to sit under my homemade pine trees that our friend Charles made. 

 

 

I also found a ruffed grouse. 

 

 

I love blue. I found this blue candle holder.

 

 

 The T-shirt quilt is coming along. I will start to put it together.

 

 

 I decorated for Easter. One of my treasured decorations are these eggs. My friend Judy had our family over to her home, her daughter Lori's family and we dyed eggs using onion skins and nylon stockings. Our boys were young, I actually do not remember the year we did this together. I still have the eggs and I smile each year bringing them out for Easter, reminiscing our young family days.

 

 

 My friend Deb likes to share funnies with me. How many times has this happened to you?

Last week I went to have my haircut, while trimming my bangs a Bon Jovi song came on the radio and the salon broke out into song. Ha! And the next morning, I still had Livin' on a Prayer stuck in my head. 

 

♥

Carla

A Story from the Flower Shack

 

Hello Friends, today I am going to share a story with you. As you know, I have a fresh cut flower business, May through September. We call the little building I sell my bouquets out of, the Flower Shack. I started my small business in 2012.

I have many stories, from happy deliveries, to theft, to sweet customers and surprises.

In the month of April I came home to find a big box of vases on my door step. No note, no sign of who gave them to me. This happened again in May, June, July and August. Then in September I happen to be working in my garden when I heard footsteps, I peeked and there she was, the lady who has been surprising me. 

She looked at me and smiled. I said,"Thank You, I appreciate the vases." She said, " I did not want you to see me. I like surprising you, now you have caught me.  I enjoy looking for unique vases and I love your Flower Shack. I love how it is a bright spot in our community."

This past Wednesday I found another box on my door step and the above note. 

 ♥

My word for 2022 is Sunshine. This is the first time I have played along with choosing a word for the year. I can say to this little surprise that I found each month on my doorstep, it filled me with sunshine.

 ♥ a source of cheer or happiness 

 ♥

Carla

 

 

A Monster of the Deep

 Hello Friends,

Each garden season I enjoy creating my water feature/my pond. I use a large galvanized bucket and a whiskey barrel to create my little area. I have a back garden of hosta, rocks and other decoration. Around the whiskey barrel I have rocks, clam shells, snail shells and other items I have found during my hikes.

This season I have a large pot of white impatiens and a castor bean in a pot.

Last season I winter overed the water plants that I have in my little whiskey barrel. Both water plants are native to Florida and I purchased the water plants at one of our local Pet Stores when I purchased our fish last season. I shared the story here at The River. If you missed it, I will quickly sum it up. I usually buy the 'feeder fish' or 'comets' to place in my pond. They only cost about 0.20 cents. I enjoy having a few fish swimming in the pond.

Last season when I purchased my fish, the young man helping me asked what the fish were for. When I shared that they would be used in a pond, he said "Oh, I will pick out some fun colored fish. Most of the time the fish are used to feed turtles and piranhas." I went on to share my story that we have one of our original pond fish, she will be going on three years old as of last year.

All of the fish I bought last year died by the end of the season.

 We still had our original old fish and the water plants. I wintered over the plants. And our old fish continues to swim on, as I type this little story.

And so this season, I set up the whiskey barrel and went to the Pet Store to purchase 12 new fish for the pond. This season the fish cost 0.20 cents. I had a young lady help me. She selected 12 fish to come live happily in our pond. And once again I shared how we still have one of our original pond fish. I shared that the old fish is going on four years old and has grown. At this, the young lady shared with me "these feeder fish will live for a long time if taken care of."

Once I returned home all 12 fish were dumped into the pond. Each morning I found a few belly up. One morning I found several belly up. I began to fear that I would have to visit the Pet Store again and have to tell the young lady who helped me, things were not going well in the fish department. 

Fear Not..

I am happy to report that no more fish went belly up and I am the proud owner of five new fish and my one old fish.

And now to get to the title of this post. Out of the five new fish, four are bright orange and one is deep black. I feed the fish every morning. Each morning I am blessed with a  chuckle. That black fish, is a true monster of the deep. The goldfish will be swimming on top of the water. I sprinkle the fish food on the surface of the water and they will begin to eat. Then from the deep, the little black fish will come swimming up and make a splash as he eats a flake of fish food. He will swim deep down and again come up for a flake, making a big show of it. He does this everyday.

I shared with my husband about our monster of the deep. One afternoon I decided to see if our little monster would perform. I was a little worried as my little monster is fed in the mornings. I was not sure he would give my husband an afternoon performance.

My little monster of the deep did not disappoint, he splashed, he dove, he splashed again. My husband laughed, I laughed and I think our little monster of the deep was pleased.

During the next few weeks I will have friends over to enjoy a stroll in the garden. I will also surprise them with a, monster of the deep.

Blessed are the happiness makers!

Henry Ward Beecher 

 

 

Thrift to Gift

 Hello Friends, during one of our thrift store stops, we found the following pins. Barron is a small city about 4 miles from our village of Cameron. When we saw the pins, my husband said he wanted the Cameron Centennial pin and he thought of our friend Lori when spying the Farm'n Feather Fest pin. But who wears pins these days? So we decided to make the pins into magnets.  

If you have been a long time reader of The River, you will know we are not native to Barron County or Cameron. And the above friend I mentioned helped us learn so much of the "need to know.. to look like you belong here"  Ha Ha!

In all honesty, we did have a lot to learn. One was the name of roads that do not appear on the signage of the road and street. So when someone told us to go down Poor Farm Road .. we had no idea where Poor Farm Road was, because it is not on the map and is not named Poor Farm Road on the sign for the road.

 Lori helped us learn where Poor Farm Road was, Airport Road and Museum Road. She made sure we knew who was related to who.. in case we got carried away talking about people. And thank goodness she did share that wee bit of information with us, because the person we purchased our home from ended up not being so nice. At the same time his sister attended the church we attended, but we did not know he was her brother. 

We are thankful to Lori to have shared some of the inside, need to know, to get around this neck of the woods when we first stared out in these parts.

We were excited to gift Lori with a pin.. now a magnet.. to give her memories of her hometown.. because she has now moved away. I hope she finds a kind neighbor and makes a new friend to help her "fit in" to her new town.

Pins.. made into magnets.

We have lived here for 25 years.. but even with 25 years under our belt, we will never really be natives. Just recently while delivering Meals on Wheels I had a conversation with the participant, it went like this...

Me.. Hello, Meals on Wheels.

Participant.. Thank You. What is your name?

Me.. Carla TePaske

Participant.. Oh goodness, that is not a Cumberland name! (Cumberland is a small city about 30 miles from where I live, that is where I helped deliver Meals on Wheels.)

Me.. No, it is not, and it is even worse, it is not even a Barron County name. I am originally from Phillips, located in Price County.  

Participant.. Alright.. she eyed me suspiciously.

Me.. I have lived here in Barron County going on 25 years. (hoping this would give me a pass.)

Participant.. Alright, you have pretty eyes, so that will do.

  ♥

Carla 

An Overdo Visit

 Hello Friends,

During Christmas week my husband and I visited my aunt Marcy. It had been awhile since I saw her in person. We do not live close to each other and there are family issues that make the entire thing a mess. It became a visit of memories. I do not know a lot about this side of my family. My aunt was willing to share, perhaps from old age or just the fact it is time to let go. She shared what she knew with me, what she did not know, she tried to help me solve.

None the less, I still do not have all my questions answered, but know more than I did before. I did take photos of photos, and photos of notes of some family history.

I will share some of what I found with you.

My grandpa Roy, who I never met. 

I did not know his birthday or date of passing. I just knew he died from an accident.

A dear friend and distant relative of my grandma's did some family history on some of the family. I took photos of the entries that interested me.

The Family Tree ~ my grandma Martha's dad ~ William 1891

My aunt Marcy's first rosary.

The home my dad was born and raised in. I later lived in this house too. My dad took over the farm after my grandpa was killed. My dad took over the farm when he was 15 years old. He met my mom, married her on July 14th, 1973 and started his own little family.

We did not always live in the old farm house. I actually started my life in a trailer home across the driveway of this big farm house. But that trailer house tipped over in a big storm, with my family in it. The story goes, during the rocking and rolling of the storm.. I laughed the entire time. I was only two years old.

Some of the photos, I took photos of.

My aunt Marcy above riding her horse.

My aunt Marcy below.

More photos of photos that I took.

My grandpa Roy.

 Me and my aunt Marcy, Christmas week of 2021.

♥

Carla