Showing posts with label Tommy and Smokey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tommy and Smokey. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Road Trip Medley


NATIONAL ROAD TRIP DAY – Friday Before Memorial Day

 The road trip we took with our son and grandson, from Wisconsin to Sierra Vista in December of 2017 is the only fun road trip I can remember.

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National Road Trip Day - Friday Before Memorial Day

NATIONAL ROAD TRIP DAY

The Friday before Memorial Day is declared National Road Trip Day and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season. With two-thirds of leisure travelers (64 percent)* planning to take vacations this summer, it’s clear that the open road calls when long weekends and Fridays roll around. We pack up, fuel up, stock up and then crank up the tunes. In fact, 63 percent** of road trippers say that having good music, audiobooks and/or podcasts to listen to are the most important parts of a successful road trip. Additionally, three in five road trippers (59 percent) say that having good snacks and drinks for the road, finding great places to eat on the way and finding clean bathrooms to use while traveling are their most important parts of a successful road trip.
How do you travel? There are two kinds of people who take road trips. If you’re going together, you might want to discuss a compromise before hitting the road! The tourist takes their time getting there and doesn’t mind taking backroads to see long-forgotten ghost towns. On the other hand, the pilot enjoys seeing the country from the car, sets a course and frowns upon unscheduled stops or side trips.

Well, that explains it. I would be the 'tourist' traveler, wanting to take backroads and stop for interesting photo ops. You-know-who likes to stick to the freeway and get to the destination asap. Ugh! How boring!
I decided to skip ahead to Friday for today's Medley.  It IS a holiday weekend for us in the USA and lots of folks do take road trips on long weekends.  Let's see where we can go with this one!!
1.  Have you ever done a spur-of-the-moment road trip?  Where did it take you?

Yes! And it took us to the land of never-ending snow. It was the unexpected road trip in April of 2018 when we had flown to Arizona and had intended to make that a round-trip flight, when suddenly the airline notified us that there was a BLIZZARD in Minnesota and our flight was canceled. I think MSP got a good foot of snow and because that flight was canceled and other flights had to stay on schedule as much as possible, they couldn't fit us in anywhere. So Mr. C. spent hours (literally) on the phone, trying to talk to Customer Service and get something arranged. No luck. So we rented a car and drove back to Minnesota and Wisconsin, driving straight through (I didn't do the driving; I did the whining) And this was April 19). It was definitely a must-get-there-as-fast-as-possible trip.

 Somewhere in Yorkshire
2.  If time and money wasn't an issue, what roads would you choose to travel and how long would you be gone?

Taking time and money out of the picture, I would choose to travel all the little roads in England. I would be gone for a few years, but all of my family would have accompanied me, so maybe even five years! I mean, this is a fantasy, right? That would be mine. And every day at 5 PM I would make sure that I'm at one of the great cathedrals for Evensong service.


Deer, on our walk. They came out of the woods long enough to cross the road and get a drink of water.

3.  When you go on a long road trip, what snacks and beverages do you take?  Do you pack a picnic? Does the back seat turn into a nest?

We used to travel between Wisconsin and Lancaster County Pennsylvania a lot. I don't remember the beverages, but I took along a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and lots of ziploc bags full of carrots, peppers, olives, cheese. These days I would also take sparkling water. Although I didn't pack it as a picnic, we actually did eat it as a picnic in a few places - like on Highway 30 just outside the laundromat in Lancaster, PA., as well as in the van.
4.  Please tell us about something interesting or strange you have seen on the side of the road.

 This little rascal climbed out of the pen (under the bottom barbed wire) and was exploring the ditch when we returned from our walk last night. As you know, that barn is just across the road from our place.

 SHE did not approve!

 Even his pal wanted him back inside

Since our neighbor and his wife, who own these cattle, are in Mexico at the moment, Mr. C. decided that we could put this little guy back in the pen. "Just stand there and wave your arms." Oh good grief, I was immediately transported back to childhood where I was in a similar situation, calves or heifers getting out, and I was supposed to "just stand there and wave your arms." Sometimes I could do it and sometimes, if they came running at me, I'd beat it out of there! I told Mr. C., "I'm not very good at this."  But he coaxed him and I did manage to stay ahead of him until he came to the spot where he had crawled out. Then Mr. C. found some wire and rigged up a fifth strand of barbed wire. When our neighbor returns from Mexico, he will be surprised to see that fifth strand. And yes, there is another neighbor who checks on them daily. Right now they're on lovely pasture that has a creek running through it.


5.  Who does the driving when you head out in the car?  Do you stop in the rest areas along our Interstate highways when you have to use the facilities, or do you choose a fast-food restaurant or gas station instead?  Not TMI... inquiring minds want to know!

Mr. C. does the driving. Both of us are more relaxed that way. Wisconsin has pretty nice and clean rest stops, but we usually stop at Kwik Trip stations because it's just part of the upper Midwest life. LOL. Kwik Trip has almost anything anyone could want, onions, eggs, and coffee being three of the most important.
6.  Please share something with us about your week so far.

 This was actually last weekend. While Mr. C. and our son worked on carpenter-type stuff around the house, this grandson and I played SEVEN games. He's a smart little cookie, and so sweet. But I'll tell you, it's not easy to play seven games in a row with a four year old. This one is 'Busy Town.' And evidently it's perfect for a four year old, because he totally got into the excitement of the game. That was so much fun to see.


Spot it
Tic Tac Toe
Pass the Pig
Camper
Memory matching game
Counting Campers
Busy Town

I knew I should have bought 'Guess Who?'  That's a cute one too. 

Got any other ideas for cute games for kids that age? I've seen some really incredibly disgusting games, but the ones I listed are all good ones. I'd love to hear other suggestions.

c. 1927 F.A. Whitney baby carriage

 And after I brought it back indoors...

These two!

One of the things I'm eager to get done in prepping our house for the market is to rip out the horrid old carpet in the rooms upstairs and replace it with carpet or hardwood. But I'm not wanting to do either until Tommy and Smokey are in their new home. It would be so disruptive to these poor kitties, and it will be disruptive enough when the time comes for them to go to a new home. Elizabeth, three hours away from us, is interested in them and is scheduled to visit here the second weekend of June. Please pray about this. I know there are lots of big things to be praying about, but since there are no big or little things to God, I feel okay about asking. And we are called to be good stewards of His good creation.

THANK YOU for the Medley, Terri!

I will be closing both of my shops on June 1. They will remain closed for most of the summer, or perhaps longer. We've got so much to do around here to get our place ready to sell.


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Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone!
Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

Judy

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Siblings on Wednesday Medley

 

  SIBLINGS
Tommy & Smokey
See all 170+ photos on Instagram.
#tommyandsmokey 
@cranberrymorning


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April of 2013
at our house
That's Wisconsin for ya.
3 grand siblings

NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY

National Siblings Day (also referred to as Sibling Day) is observed on April 10.  It is a day created to honor our brothers and our sisters.  
Siblings. They are sometimes our best friends or our worst enemies. At times, siblings will provide us with our biggest competition, strongest encouragement and remind us of our most embarrassing moments.
Struggling to keep up
more grand siblings
1.  Stealing the questions from above:  How many siblings do you have? I have three siblings. Two older brothers and one younger sister. Are you rivals or do you support each other in all you do? Neither of the above. We seldom see one another. One brother is in Colorado, one in Texas, and my sister is in Florida.
 The golden days of siblinghood
Before the little brother gets big enough for a good fight


2.  Have you heard of the Birth Order Book?  What are your thoughts on the premise that your birth order affects everything you do in life? I have heard of it, have not read it, but definitely think birth order affects so much. First children are often strong-willed, self-motivated, responsible; middle children the pastors and counselors, non-confrontational, youngest children often party animals. That is an exaggeration and merely an opinion. My sister does not fall into line with that, but I have seen it a lot in other families. I'll be interested in hearing how other bloggers answer that. And I think that all of the above can be altered by the number of years between children. For example, our younger daughter was the baby of the family until she was five years old and we adopted two little boys. She was suddenly the oldest of that group of three, with 10 1/2 years between her and her older sister.

 6, 4, 2

 Our two youngest

 Our two oldest
They were great pals growing up
 More grand siblings
I can't remember what they're singing here,
but it could be 'Sisters.' 
My favorite part in an old movie is when Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye
perform 'Sisters' in 'White Christmas.'

3.  Is there something that you still do that drives your siblings crazy? I don't think we see each other often enough for that.



4.  Are you closer to your siblings now than you were when you were younger? No, I don't think so. We're all at least four years apart, and that makes a lot of difference in whether or not there are close relationships, I think.

Brother far left and far right.

5.  Would you dare to tell us an embarrassing story about a sibling? I'm sorry, but I don't have any embarrassing stories about my siblings. And I know I've told you all about the times when my brothers scared me half to death or pulled pranks on me. I still don't like sleeping in the pitch dark.

 My cute little sister and serious (or grumpy) me
back when the earth was young
(My hair is still hard to control!)

6.  Tell us something random about your week.
We visited our daughter and her children in Wausau last weekend. Below is the birthday girl with her mom.
 Cinderella with her new GOLD slippers
Ruby is so yesterday.
(Thanks Pam, for the idea!)
They were a real hit!
Our middle child (she's still just as cute, but now she has teeth)  :-)
and her daughter 

 One of the pretty red barns in the Wausau area

Almost all of our snow is gone, just in time for a snow 'event' that is supposed to arrive here Wednesday evening with lots of snow and high winds. One of our grandkids is going to be staying with us while his parents attend a homeschool conference in Minnesota. He'll be with us for four days and four nights. I sure hope he doesn't get homesick! Unless the snow prevents us, we'll take him to visit some cousins. That should help. And he'll go to church with us on Sunday.


Thank you, Terri, for the Wednesday Medley questions!

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Judy

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Five Cookie Recipes and a Word About Tommy and Smokey - Wednesday Medley


 This fell off my vehicle and now I'm the proud owner

of a '95  ep.



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we write the answers.
Plug them into your own blog post
and join in at Your Friend From Florida




NATIONAL OREO COOKIE DAY – March 6

Scroll down to find FIVE cookie recipes.

NATIONAL OREO COOKIE DAY

Be ready to observe by having your glass of milk handy as it is National Oreo Cookie Day.  This day is recognized across the nation each year on March 6th.
The Oreo sandwich cookie is made up of two chocolate disks containing a sweet cream filling and is loved by millions.  Since it’s introduction, the Oreo cookie has become the best-selling cookie in the United States.
The National Biscuit Company (today known as Nabisco) first developed and produced the “Oreo Biscuit” in 1912 at its Chelsea factory in New York City. Today, the block on which the factory was located is known as “Oreo Way”.
  • The name “Oreo” was first trademarked on March 14, 1912.
  • The first Oreo cookies in the United States sold for 25 cents a pound in clear glass topped novelty cans.
  • In 1912, the Oreo Biscuit was renamed to “Oreo Sandwich”.
  • In 1948, the Oreo Sandwich was renamed to “Oreo Creme Sandwich”.
  • William A. Turnier developed the modern-day Oreo design in 1952 to include the Nabisco logo.
  • Nabisco’s principal food scientist, Sam Porcello, developed the modern Oreo cookie filling.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Grab a glass of milk and a handful of Oreos to enjoy and use #NationalOreoCookieDay to post on social media.
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 Our screen porch has about a foot of snow in it right now.
But when it warms up, it's a great place for coffee and cookies.
and to view that eagle from Monday's post! 
and for the eagle to view, but not reach, 
Tommy and Smokey.

1.  Are you able to pass by a plate of cookies and not take one or are you a bit of a 'Cookie Monster'?
I'll admit that cookies are the one thing that is hard for me to ignore. I make them seldom, and when I do, I put them in the freezer right away. It helps. For some reason, having to actually open the freezer and take them out is a sort of deterrent. I know, it's weird. 
the ones with cream of tartar 
not as much sugar these days

My favorite.
2.  Tell us about your favorite cookie. Have your tastes changed since you were a kid?
First of all, I'll tell you that I do NOT like raisins or carob in a cookie. I like a crisp cookie, not a soft cookie. My gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with walnuts is probably my favorite, although (and this goes against the soft cookie statement I just made), I once ate a lemon drop cookie with lemon cream cheese frosting, I think it was. That was delicious. But I could eat way too many of those too fast, so I'll stick with my chocolate chip ones. And yes, my tastes have changed. I now cut any cookie recipe's sugar in half. Everything tastes way too sweet to me. (except for Mike n Ike, but that's another story  - of addiction, which is why I cannot have them around and should never be allowed to go to a movie theater.)
3.  Enquiring minds want to know if you are a dunker and, if so, do you dunk in milk, coffee, or tea?
 Definitely not a dunker, unless I'm eating a biscotti, because it wrecks the milk or coffee. I do not want cookie crumbs in my coffee. Tea is already wrecked without a cookie, so that's a moot point. (Sorry, tea lovers, but really. There's a reason the colonists threw the stuff overboard. ;-) 
 These days I wouldn't drizzle that frosting on top
4.  It is that time of year and they are selling them on every corner and in front of every store!  Do you buy Girl Scout cookies and if you do, which is your favorite?
My favorite Girl Scout cookie, and I rarely but sometimes purchase them, is the thin mint. I don't know why they don't just stick with thin mint and throw the other recipes away. I mean really, doesn't everyone love the thin mint?? 
 My favorite kitchen utensil
KitchenAid mixer


 One of my favorite cookie eaters,
a few years ago
5.  Raw cookie dough.  Yay or Nay?
I can't help eating a little raw cookie dough when making cookies, mostly chocolate chip/walnut cookies, but I try not to let Mr. C. see me. He inherited this myth (among others) that cookie dough will give you worms. If I have worms, they're all happy and love it when I send down additional cookie dough to feed them.
Oh was that stuff good!
6.  Please tell us something random about your week!!
Well, the GOOD NEWS at my house is that we will be putting the house (and barn)  and 10-12 acres of our farm on the market this summer and moving to Wausau. It's very exciting. Our daughter and her two kids will be living with us for the time being. The  house we're purchasing is in the school district where the kids are currently attending, so that is wonderful for them as well.

 Helping Grandpa make salsa
The BAD NEWS is that the grandkids (see pic above) have allergies, and are very allergic to cats, which means we will not be able to take Tommy and Smokey with us. This breaks my heart. As you know, I love these two.  They are such sweet kitties. We are looking for someone who will take both of them because we do not want them separated. As you can see from the many photos I've posted here and on Instagram ( #tommyandsmokey to see all the photos there) they are almost always snuggled together. They must also remain indoor cats. Smokey is a spayed female and Tommy is a neutered male. Tommy is very sociable and Smokey is a little reserved. Tommy loves to eat. Smokey is a dainty lady with a small appetite. They are two years old (remember when their mother appeared at the top of our driveway and gave issue? Story HERE).  Tommy and Smokey are current on their shots. I am looking for someone who will love them and not get them declawed, but will give them a nice home and life. Expensive cat food and chair beside the fire is optional. :-) So please, friends, help me get the word out. These kitties should continue to have a wonderful, loving home.
Yes, these two. 


Tommy and Smokey


***


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Have a great Wednesday, friends,
Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

And I appreciate your efforts in helping me find a loving home for Tommy and Smokey.


Judy

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