Surviving Winter

This is a post I meant to put up last week during gun deer hunting season in Wisconsin. It's definitely not my thing to kill a deer. I don't presume to tell people who need meat for their families not to shoot a deer, but for me personally, I'd rather have peanut butter on toast and let the deer run free in our woods. Yes, I do know that the herd needs to be thinned, as they say, but I'd let someone else do the thinning. And I definitely can't think of hunting as sport.

***

The above photos were taken November 23, 2013, but it's that time of year again when the hunters, including our son, are out trying to get that elusive venison. Fortunately, this year the temps aren't quite so cruel as they were that day. We're in the thirties, so that makes everyone a little happier. Still, we're sliding into that cold, dark time of year. Mr. C. always reminds me that in another month the days will be getting longer and that the coldest day is usually mid January. I'm not sure why he always tells me that. It's not like I don't know, and it's not like I'm suddenly going to become fond of winter.

Instead, it's the time of year that I have beautiful music playing on Pandora or Spotify, and start thinking about travel.

I realize that England isn't exactly a tropical paradise, but these photos of the ephemera I gathered and later used in journals take me out of the snow and cold, at least for a while.

I talked with a friend today and we agreed that the worst of winter in Wisconsin is from mid January through the end of March. At least in April we can hope that spring weather is just around the corner. So we wait, read, sit by the fire, and check airfare. Or maybe just stay in Wisconsin and watch kittens.

Do you have winter travel plans?

 Tom Kitten & Smokey

No, Tom's not supposed to be on the table.

He managed to throw aside the table runner 

and is playing hide'n'seek with Smokey.

Did you find Smokey?

***

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How to Pack Light, Travel Better, Take Less, Enjoy More

 Stop thinking, 'Look how much stuff I can cram into this thing!

In March of 2015, before leaving for England, I followed the Rick Steves packing guidelines and fit everything into the standard 21x14x9 carry-on.  For some odd reason, I stuffed as much as I could get into that thing before leaving home, simply because I could! Result? I got so sick of dragging that carry on around the airport, down cobblestone streets, through train stations...that I decided NEVER AGAIN.

You can almost see my bag in there!
There is no allowing for an extra, like a purse, either.
You get ONE carry-on, unless you want to pay extra.

But, in March of this year, when I made airline reservations on Spirit Airlines (MSP-DFW) because the tickets were so much cheaper, I did it knowing that space would be limited and that I refused to check a bag. (I hate wasting time standing in line). Spirit only allows a small school-type backpack. We have two of those, and we were determined to make this work. You can see in the photo above that my bag fit easily into the 'included' part of the test box.

So here's what I wore on the plane (because you're dying to know):

Blue jeans, t-shirt, unmentionables, Dansko shoes (slip on and off easily and always look nice), and a black kinda dressy coat.

This is everything that went into my bag.

Here's my packing list for 8 days:

1 pr. black dress slacks and dressy top (for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, as our daughter informed us that they had tickets for us! That's also why I wore the nice black dress/rain type coat)
1 pr. black denim jeans
4 shirts (and I notice that most of them are prints, making me a liar for what I told you in the Hodgepodge a couple weeks ago! I guess the prints were bought most recently. I hadn't realized that I've been moving over to prints!) You'll also notice that everything goes with blue or black.

(Important: When you're taking very few items especially, everything needs to go with everything else.)

pajamas
pretty knit socks to wear as slippers (provided by Nancy at TiredTeacher blog!!) Thank you again, Nancy. I love them.
4 pr. black socks

Did I mention the unmentionables?
black rain hat (crushable)
flat iron (no hairdryer because my daughter has one)
hairbrush
camera (It does fit, it's just that I was holding it to take the photo) Actually, at the last minute, I didn't take my bigger camera, but used the camera on my phone for this trip. Other places, I might actually take my camera or get a smaller, good camera to use - or a better phone.
Kindle
phone
tiny flashlight
money/cards case
phone charger
extra camera battery
extra SD card
camera battery charger
cosmetic case with all the little odds and ends, including vitamins
quart ziploc bag with any liquid things, such as wee shampoo, toothpaste, soap

Total weight of backpack, loaded? 11.5 pounds.

I did decide to do a small load of laundry once while at our daughter's. For traveling abroad, I'd stay at a B&B or hotel, make sure they had a hairdryer, and I'd buy laundry detergent once there and wash out the unmentionables in the sink. I've done that a number of times. Most places don't notice and don't care. The places that do care probably charge more money than we want to pay anyway.  :-)
What's important to me re. accommodations is: CLEAN, SAFE, CHEAP, LOCATION

Spirit Airlines plane and UFOs at MSP

Waiting - comfy blue jeans.
Did I tell you the cane is part of our vaudeville act?

We plan to pack this way the next time we travel abroad also, if there is a next time.  I know, it seems a little crazy, but it's so much nicer not to be waiting in lines or hauling huge suitcases here and there. From what I understand, even if we get desperate, they actually do sell clothes and laundry detergent in other countries. Wouldn't it be fun to come home with a shirt made in China  Italy? or somewhere else?

And we'll be traveling lighter and cheaper than Rick Steves you-know-who. We always do. Just sayin.'

 This was just before he tickled my knee, hard! and I slugged him.

(In a totally non-abusive, loving sort of warning way) 

You'll be glad to know I did something about that hair!

We might have to renew our passport photos before next time.

Doesn't he look like he's up to something?

Some things never change.

***

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Pack light. You won't ever wish you'd had more to haul around!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. The expression 'mad as a March hare' originated with a fictional character who is distracted and frantic. When were you last 'mad as a March hare' and what was it that made you that way?
  
If I'm thinking I'm going to be late to something (anything), I border on frantic. I can't think of anything that brings out frantic in me as much as the thought of being late. If I'm driving on icy roads (which is rare) I'm very focused.  On the other hand, my husband often accuses me of having ADOLAS (Attention Deficit, Oh Look! A Squirrel!!)  Maybe that's just when we're in the car together - because anything like an old barn, a cow, a beautiful tree or a sunset or a flower can divert my attention and totally derail our conversation.

2. Mardi Gras this year falls on Tuesday, March 4th. Have you ever been to Mardi Gras, and if so what did you think? If not, do you have any interest in going?  Purple, green, and gold are the colors of Mardi Gras. Which one is most prevalent in your wardrobe? How about in your home?

I have never been to Mardi Gras and have no desire to attend. However, I would like to go to the old part of New Orleans to see where General Longstreet's office was after the War (Civil War, that is).  Purple and gold are royal colors, making me think of kingly robes and golden crowns, but green is my favorite. Most of my wardrobe (besides the blue of bluejeans) is green of some sort, or brown.  Even a couple of our living room walls are a sage green. But my favorite green is the green that's lying under the 3 feet of snow in our backyard. You won't be able to pry me away from Wisconsin when May arrives. It's GREEN and alive and gorgeous.

General Longstreet

1872 New Orleans

National Archives

3. Are you old fashioned?

I think that depends upon who you ask. If you were to ask anyone older than I am, they'd probably think that I'm not old fashioned. If you asked my grandkids, they'd say YES, I'm old fashioned. That's probably how it is with any generational difference. I love my laptop and blogging and my smartphone and text messaging and reading my Kindle - all newfangled things. But I HATE what's on TV, so we almost never watch it. I like old fashioned mysteries like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey or Campion - where you usually came in after-the-fact and tried to solve a mystery - NOT where you see murder and mayhem on the television screen. Also, I like to hear 'please' and 'thank you' and to see a gentleman pull out a chair for a lady (assuming he's not pulling it out from under her as she's sitting down.) Cooking and gardening and canning are things I enjoy, so I suppose in that sense I'm old fashioned. According to the number of people who were buying dinner at the deli the other day, I'd say that cooking must be an ancient, nearly-lost art. But I still love it.

Did you want these answers to be short?? 

ITV

4. Do you carefully plan your vacations, or do you prefer the days to be more spontaneous?

I plan vacations nearly to the minute, even including where we'll eat each meal. That said, I like to reserve the right to do something entirely off-schedule, should the opportunity for something better arise out of nowhere. But planning forces one to research, making sure you're not going to miss something you'd later regret. Also it means there's no time wasted, where people sit in a hotel room wondering 'what should we do today?'   That would drive me crazy. So I'd say plan, plan, plan, but be flexible. And don't overschedule, trying to cover too much in one day.

5.  March is National Sauce Month...what's your favorite sauce, and what do you most often top with this sauce?

The only sauce I ever eat is something I've made myself. Sauces at restaurants or on the grocery store shelves are notorious for containing headache-inducing ingredients.  I actually prefer things without a sauce, unless it might be a lemon or blueberry sauce.


6.  What's something that easily brings a tear to your eye?

I'm not really much of a crier. Until about 5 years ago, I think I probably cried at only a handful of movies - ever.  That was before Downton Abbey. Good grief, I've cried over that stupid show more in one season than in all the other movies put together in my life!  Why?  Because of scenes like this, between Lord Grantham and Matthew as they're walking the grounds of the estate (back in season one):

Lord Grantham: You do not love the place yet.

Matthew Crawley: Well, obviously, it's...

Lord Grantham: No, you don't love it. You see a million bricks that may crumble, a thousand gutters and pipes that may block and leak, and stone that will crack in the frost.

Matthew Crawley: But you don't?

Lord Grantham: I see my life's work.

or this one, after Matthew is talking about dismissing the 'superfluous' valet, Mr. Moseley, who didn't fit his lifestyle:

Lord Grantham: “We all have different parts to play Matthew, and we must all be allowed to play them.”

7. If you could own any sports team, which one would it be and why?

First of all, I don't even know what sports teams are out there. But I'd find someone who could tell me which is the most lucrative - and I'd want to own that one - so that I could sell it and travel, as well as own a home next to each of our children. Ha!  Just kidding! (in case any one of them is reading this.) And then of course, there's that little stone cottage in Yorkshire...

But I'd love to see this more often!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

This should be easy, because I have a lot of random thoughts. But the one that springs to mind today is this:  Why is it that after poring over seed catalogs with photos like this:

my order finally arrives and it looks like this (below)

What a disappointment!

***

Thanks for The Hodgepodge, Joyce! Be sure to stop in and visit her at 'From This Side of the Pond.'

***

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Travel

I'm not sure what it is I like about this wagon. It was about 1 PM so it was in bright light and hard to get a decent photo. Maybe I'm starting to like rust, like Sandra does. :-) I was going to say that rust is really growing on me, but that might be too close to the truth for comfort.

By train

My cousin is visiting from Montana. We don't get to see her very often, and it's a special treat that I get to spend time with her this week.  The map above shows, roughly, the route from her house to ours, in Wisconsin. It is 1048 miles, taking about 17 hours by car and approximately 20 hours by train. I have taken exactly one train trip ever, and that was from Minneapolis to Great Falls, MT. The train is far more comfortable than a plane (unless one is traveling first class, I suppose), but you also have the opportunity to look out the window and see the amazing scenery of the United States. Well, that is, unless you're traveling across the upper Plains, in which case it's mostly flat land with an occasional elk. So it's not particularly great for sight-seeing, but it's incredible for raising crops! And actually, the beauty of the vast cropland near harvest time is an awesome thing.

We have friends in England who took a train(s) tour of the United States. Like all of us, prior to traveling it, they had no idea of he enormity of this country.  For some of you who may not be aware of this fact, England (not to be confused with the UK) would fit inside Wisconsin.


I look at that map and wonder what's the greatest distance any of my blogging friends have traveled by train.

How about you?

***

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Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter

Bourton-on-the-Water

'The Venice of the Cotswolds'

Staying at a B&B in Cirencester, it wasn't very far to drive to Bourton-on-the-Water and the Slaughters (Upper and Lower). The hostess at our B&B pronounced Bourton-on-the-Water in the prettiest, lilting manner. I'll never forget it. I'm sure I once saw her in a Miss Marple movie!

Another postcard-perfect Cotswold village

Bourton-on-the-Water, like all the Cotswold villages, glows with the beauty of golden limestone buildings. The river Windrush flows through the village and can be crossed by beautiful limestone bridges. (Even newly-contructed buildings are made with the same type of limestone and will soon look like they've been there for years.) Even in March, the village was busy, but nothing compared to the crowds we would have encountered later in the spring or summer.

ducks on the river

Just beyond the bridge was a little bakery.
I think I'll always prefer a Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut bar to any pastry.

Mrs. Mallard

It was near Bourton-on-the-Water where we missed our second sign post (the one that would have kept us on the public footpath) and ended up in a pasture that was not part of the walk.

Just up the road at Lower Slaughter

 The mill at Lower Slaughter

(the name referring to a slough, or wet land, not violence)

My summer home in Lower Slaughter
Just beyond that gate are the German Shepherds.

;-)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Helmsley Castle, North Yorkshire

Helmsley Castle, overlooking the market town of Helmsley

Map Key:

Yellow: Helmsley

White: Rievaulx Abbey

Aqua: Kilburn White Horse

Green: Bolton Castle

Blue: Ripon Cathedral

Light Pink: Fountains Abbey

Dark Pink: Kirkham Priory

Purple: Skipton Castle

Red: York

York, Part II 

York, Part III

Click on the links for previous blog posts on the above Yorkshire locations.

This week I'll rely upon the old saying, 'A picture's worth a thousand words,' for I've been busy enjoying the company of our [darling little] nearly-four-years grandson...when I can catch up to him! :-) 

'The most impressive features of Helmsley castle are its large earthworks with two deep ditches that are cut down through the outcrop of rock on which the castle stands. This ringwork formed part of the original earth and timber castle built in the early 12th century by Walter Espec.' (Remember him?  See my post on Kirkham Priory.)  The above quotation and more about Helmsley Castle can be found at CastleXplorer.

Think 'volleyball' size, not 'marbles' 

Ammunition from England's 17th century Civil War

A village garden nearby

I think those were Brussels sprouts.

I know. I'm easily distracted.

'William de Roos inherited the castle in 1285 and made substantial changes to the property. He added another storey to the east tower, creating new accommodation, and he strengthened the south barbican. He added a new hall that abutted the west tower which he had converted into comfortable private apartments. The castle remained little changed until the 1560's when the west tower and hall were converted into a fine Tudor house for Edward Manners.' - CastleXplorer

So long, everyone. Have a great weekend!
It's beautiful here right now - partly sunny (or as the grandson says, 'Gwamma, it's shiny!') and 67 degrees, my favorite kind of weather!