Hodgepodging Labor Pains

Harvest labor
 

 

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1. Something you've done in recent days or months that might be described as a labor of love?

 

I only dare post this photo because it doesn't show the face of this little girl I journal with. Actually, I'd love to show you the photos I took of their first day of virtual school (online) with both her (6 years old) and her brother (10 years old) hard at it. Grandpa and I supervise/assist/get lunch and snacks for these two while their mama's at work. It's definitely a labor of love - and doesn't feel like 'labor' at all!

2. Last time you 'worked your fingers to the bone'?

 

Okay, I did not work my fingers to the bone, and the honest answer to that would have been that I happen to be one of those rare birds who love making pie crust - although this one was gluten-free and that's not as satisfying to roll out as a gluten crust is, but still the challenge was fun and it turned out great. I'm hoping I won't make another for quite a while for I seem to have no willpower when it comes to fresh homemade apple pie. And vanilla ice cream. I know.

 

 

Wausau natives

3. According to a recent survey people named the following ten jobs as the hardest-nurse, doctor, paramedic, police officer, firefighter, surgeon, healthcare worker, bomb squad, farmer, and prison warden. Of the jobs listed which would you say is the hardest? The one you'd most like to do? Least like to do? What's one job you would add to the list?

 

Probably farming is the hardest, at least the job that never ends, not like a 9-5. I think a healthcare worker is the most appealing of those listed above. The least would be bomb squad! Bomb squad?  Right now I'd say that being a police officer is the least appealing, and with all the political grief surrounding that right now, I'm surprised and grateful that we have any police willing to stay on the job. God bless them.

 

4. A recipe you make that is labor intensive, but worth it?

 

 

The answer to that would be lasagna. It's not difficult, just so putzy and time consuming! That's why the photo is from July of 2017. And it's gluten free. Pretty delicious, really. Maybe I'll put it on the menu next week - or the week after - or maybe the week after that.

5. Last job you did or task you completed that required teamwork?

 

 

 

 

 

That would be all the work done on the farmhouse and the Wausau house in the past year and a half. The hardest part was finding someone who was reliable, amazing at construction and tireless - oh yes, that would be Mr. C. So for teamwork, I'd say that I did a hefty 2% and he did a meager 98%. I may have been generous with the estimation of my part, however.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

 Mr. C.'s Instagram post:

 

Someone ordered a new step-stool. "Some assembly required."  😲

This cute retro Cosco stepstool!

Same red as my KitchenAid mixer.

The old neighborhood

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

 

Join me on Instagram. @cranberrymorning2020  (I've added this new account until Instagram lets me out of Instagram prison and makes my other account - @cranberrymorning -  operational again.) Two people suggested that adding 2020 to my Instagram name might not have been the smartest, considering.

Judy

 

 

 

.

Driftless Wisconsin, Visiting Grandkids and a Parchment Medley

Last week we had a visit from two of our grandchildren from New Ulm, Minnesota. Since they were going to be with us for the week, we spent a day in Wausau, leaving here at 7:30 in the morning for the 2 1/2 hour drive there, so they could see the Wausau house, spend a little time in Wausau, and of course have time with their cousins. It's always fun seeing the cousins enjoying each other's company. And it's always great to spend time with our daughter.

The river water level has been lowered deliberately, 

so that work can be done on the bridges.

More photos and text sprinkled throughout today's Medley, which is brought to you by Terri, our host, who blogs at Your Friend From Florida. She writes the questions, we write the answers. Plug them into your own blog and join up at her blog!

Terri's questions are in black, my responses are in blue.

Can you believe it?

It's

National Parchment Day,

Last Wednesday in June

1.  Who knew there was a day to celebrate parchment paper?!  Do you ever use parchment when you bake or cook? Tell us about your favorite way to use it, please.

 I rarely use parchment in baking unless my recipe says I must. 

 Toe and ankle dipping in the Wisconsin River

Toe dipping in the Red Cedar River

2.  When Terri thinks of parchment paper, she usually thinks about special writing or artist papers. She loves using specialty papers for creating cards or other art projects. Tell us about a creative way you have used parchment paper other than to bake with!

I don't think I've ever used parchment in any creative way whatsoever. I'm sorry, Terri. My creativity extends only to soapmaking and journaling, I'm afraid.

On our walk along the Wisconsin River, we encountered a pipes and fiddle duo who serenaded us. Fortunately, our granddaughter had the presence of mind to record them (see video below). Thanks, Elisabeth.  I was so mesmerized by their sound and skill that I only managed to think to take a couple photos. They were incredible, and it was such a fun mini concert. 

 Uilleann Pipes

Video courtesy of @elysadans

3.  Terri used to be in the cake business and has piped many borders and roses and leaves and letters, etc., etc.  You can make a pastry bag from parchment paper!  Have you ever tried decorating a cake with a pastry bag and specialty tips?  Do you have a picture to share?  Don't be shy, now!

I'm afraid I'm batting zero here. But I would highly recommend reading Terri's blog, for I bet she's had lots of experience working with parchment.

Happy kids hanging out at The Blue Goose

 Later in the week we drove to 'The Motherland,' as Mr. C. calls it, the Driftless area of Wisconsin in the SW part of the state. 

No fear of putting the cart before the horse here.

After stopping to visit an Amish friend we'd not seen since last summer, we went to '24 Valley Road' as he directed us, for ice cream and an interesting barn he knew we'd like.

Not this barn. This is The Blue Goose

with the most fabulous ice cream!

 Sunshine and shadows at The Blue Goose,

where all four of us got huge helpings of ice cream

for under $10 total. Mine was blueberry waffle cone.
I'm sure that I ordered a small dish, but no kidding, it was a veritable mountain.
So I ate only a few bites and threw the rest away.
(Yeah, right. LOLOLOLOL)

It's a good thing I don't have that kind of ice cream or any ice cream sitting in my freezer.

I know it wouldn't be there for long.

Here's that barn Sam said was a must-see.

Definitely close to the road!

 

4.  Tell us about something you baked or cooked in the past week or so that turned out great, parchment or no parchment.  Will you share the recipe?

 Blueberry scones. This one is cranberry, but the recipe made last week was made with fresh blueberries. Delicious!

The most recent thing which might have called for parchment paper, but which I baked on a sil-pat lined baking sheet was blueberry/lemon scones. They were delicious. I still have a few in the freezer which I'll pull out at some point in the near future and heat up in a 200 degree oven just to thaw and then crisp up the exterior.  I'm pretty sure the silicone sheets I have were ordered from Amazon. Click HERE to see them. I use them for scones and cookies.

HERE is the recipe for the blueberry scones in the blueberry/lavender version.

 I had to zoom in on this scene through the windshield as we were approaching one another, and have removed the heads (ouch!) to protect the privacy of the Amish. I know, it's not like they're going to be reading this blog or anything, but I've been told by a few Amish friends that they don't mind photos at all as long as their faces are not showing. So, there you are. But it was such a delightful scene! A team of beautiful horses and a wagonload of fresh hay topped by a young Amish boy, probably about 8-10 years old.

I think that meeting our friend Sam completely dispelled any preconceived notions our grandkids might have had (or that many people have) about the Amish. They are good businessmen and women, intelligent, skilled, and have a great sense of humor. They're hardworking and very community-minded people. By the way, our friend Sam is a skilled cabinet maker and makes cabinets for huge condos in Chicago and (multi-) million-dollar 'cabins' on lakes up north. When I asked Mr. C. about having Sam make book shelves for us for the Wausau house, he responded, 'We can't afford Sam.'  Oh.  Oh well. Sam does incredible work and is in high demand. And a really great guy. I would show you a picture of him, but...

5.  The last Wednesday in June!!  How can that be? Has your June flown by or have you been able to enjoy each day and make it slow down for you?

June has definitely flown by, and it's been a pretty chilly one, so I'm looking forward to July. 

 Two of the grandkids,

standing under the most famous street sign in Westby. :-)

 Visiting the ancestors

 Country Coon Prairie Lutheran Church

6.  Tell us something about your week so far, if you will.

So far this week, the weather seems to be trending toward warmish and I've been cleaning out and packing and donating (while listening to interesting YouTube interviews and lectures). Sound familiar? I also spent an afternoon working on my journal, although I have noticed that I'm not doing nearly as nice a job on journalling as I usually do. I think it comes from a sense of guilt - like that I should be cleaning out and packing and donating. Sigh.

I'm also missing Tommy & Smokey, and have heard nothing more about them. Poor little waif kitties. I pray that their new 'mommy' is treating them in the manner to which they had become accustomed. xo 

 One of the beautiful white and purple bearded iris

that originally came from my great grandmother's garden.

I will be moving some of these to the Wausau house.

I expect my HomemadeSoapnSuch shops
to be closed for the summer.
Lots of back-and-forth between
Dallas and Wausau.

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The shops will be reopened when we're move into the Wausau house.

Thanks for the Medley, Terri, as poor as my responses were!
I'll try to do better next week. :-)

PS. Thank you, Lord, for letting me live in Wisconsin in the summertime and please forgive me for the complaining that I do all February and March.

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

The Good Samaritan, Iceman, and a Darling Baby

If you don't know the story behind this birth announcement, it could be quite puzzling. SO, this cute idea (our daughter-in-law has a ton of cute ideas in the graphics department!) came about because when they were pregnant, they presumably asked their four year old (our grandson) what he thought the baby should be named.  He came up with the perfectly sensible suggestion, "Toolbox!" (His daddy is a carpenter - named Joseph. Isn't that cool?) ANYway, I digress. So hence the toolbox birth announcement. And yes, he was born on February 28 and yes I've already told you about that, but who could resist one more cute picture when given a good excuse??

 Oliver does love his baby brother,
but I thought it was smart that his mama and daddy gave him a toolbox too!


SO,
Join Terri and the Gang
for

  Plug in the questions on your own blog

and

Link up at Terri's blog.

Here is a medley of questions you may choose to answer on your Wednesday blog.  I always start with the National Day and base questions from there. No rules and there is no obligation. Link up if you want to.  I'm doing this to fill my Wednesday and if you are interested, then I invite you to join in!!  It might be fun!!

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NATIONAL GOOD SAMARITAN DAY – March 13

NATIONAL GOOD SAMARITAN DAY

National Good Samaritan Day is observed on March 13th.  This day is also known as Good Samaritan Involvement Day. This is a day for unselfish actions to help those in need and to celebrate kindness.

The term “good Samaritan” comes from the Bible parable where a Samaritan helped a stranger who had been robbed and beaten and left to die by the side of the road.  The Samaritan not only cleaned the man’s wounds and clothed him, but took him to an inn where he paid for the man’s care.

The term is used today to describe those who perform acts of kindness for those in need, especially those who are strangers.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make an effort to help someone who is struggling or having a problem. Use #GoodSamaritanDay to post on social media.

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 I did not shoot UP to get this photo of the huge snowbank at our house. Wisconsin had virtually no snow until February and now has broken records for snowfall amount. Hopefully it will start to melt soon, although then there's the issue of flooding. We're on a hilltop, but lots of people will be in flood range. Please pray for them.

1.  When did someone come to your rescue and can you tell us about it?

 I have no idea. God, for sure, and always. 

I realize this isn't totally related, but yes it is, and so I happened upon this picture, 'Agony in the Garden,' 1898 Frans Schwartz. Two things: It really shows the humanity of Jesus and the fear he faced as he knew what was soon going to happen (the crucifixion and all the torture and suffering leading up to it).  Another thing: It reminds me of my cousin David (it even looks like David) who spent all the years of his life suffering, from the time he served in Viet Nam until he died at a fairly young age. He came to know Jesus in the year or two before he died and is now with his Lord. And that reminds me that we never know the suffering that people are going through. So much is hidden, internal, and the surface that we see can be alcoholism, drug abuse, despair, or cynicism or indifference. Understanding, kindness, and prayer are needed in this world, rather than judgement, harshness, and self-righteous condemnation.

2.  When did you help someone out of a jam and can you tell us about it?

I have no idea and I cannot tell you about it. But I do pray for many people daily, so maybe... 

 Another beautiful morning as viewed from our front porch

There is a deck on the house in Wausau that has beautiful views also. Not like this, but still so much more than we had hoped or deserve.

3.  What are your thoughts on being a good Samaritan?  Some states (like Florida) have even passed Good Samaritan laws so you don't get into trouble with the law for trying to help someone.

It's quite incredible that a state has to pass laws so that you DON'T get in trouble for being a Good Samaritan. Good grief!

4.  Thursday is National Pi Day.  It's a fun play on the date 3.14.  Will you have some pie to celebrate?

If I could have a piece of my mom's lemon meringue (after scraping off the meringue), I would definitely eat it on Thursday. But because she is no longer with us and no other pie tempts me as much, I most likely will not be eating pie. I love any berry pie and lemon meringue, pecan, mincemeat, and apple. I really do try to avoid pie. I love it going down, but I get a headache afterwards from all the sugar. 

 The beginnings of my lemon meringue pie, just like Mom's

You'll have to take my word for it.

5.  Did you know that Pi is the most studied number in mathematics?  Are you good with numbers?

I'm pretty good with numbers as in remembering sequences of numbers. Other than that, even thought I'm fairly good at figuring out math problems, Mr. C. has them all figured out in his head in a matter of seconds, which is utterly annoying.

 But he's a wonderful grandpa. And yes, I should be, and am, grateful that he can whip up those math answers in barely an instant.

Photo taken a couple years ago. We'll get to see those kids too, in April! Can't wait!

6.  Tell us something random about your week.

As you read this, we will be moving our daughter and kids out of an apartment and into the house that we will all be sharing come the end of the summer. They will move in first and be much closer to the school the kids attend (as in less than a half mile) and we will be doing updates, repairs, etc. to this farmhouse and downsizing. Once I get going on it, I can really make progress. The issue is mostly getting started. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

I dropped off posters for Tommy and Smokey at the two local vets' offices on Monday and they were enthusiastic about helping find a wonderful home for the two of them.

  
I would happily email you the .jpg file if you want to help get the word out on your Facebook page or Instagram. Of course people in Wisconsin or Minnesota would be the most likely to be interested. But who could resist such cute and sweet kitties, right???!!!

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Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone. Thanks for the Medley, Terri! xo

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

Hodgepodging The Riverfront

Daughter, picking wildflowers along the riverfront
If she had been selling seashells by the seashore, I could have had a better caption.

Join Joyce and the Gang
for

 She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own blog post

and join in!

1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

When it comes to the USA, 'security or freedom' is like the song that never ends. But I would say that I'd rather live with more freedom than less, even if there's less security in doing so.

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?

The Mississippi River. Because it's huge and awesome. And not far away.

 A barge along the Mississippi River

 Ducks at Wabasha, MN
I took this a few years ago in October.
We were at that very spot yesterday, but no ducks.
We'll have to return in October. 

3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

Not really applicable to this question, but I'll go with 'free trip,' because I spent last week with my daughter's family. Great to be with her, to be entertained by the antics of the grandkids, take walks along the Wisconsin River, and viewing the same 20 minutes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone over and over...

 Think it would help to hold my phone the other direction?

River walk companions, always fun!

4. Something in your frig that's red? Gouda cheese (wrapper). Something in your house that's white?  My kitchen sink and my library shelves. Something in your view that's blue? Pencil box.

5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State? If so where did you go? I went to the edge of the river to pick the wild blackberries that no one else seemed to want. Are there diners where you live?  I think there's one in Rice Lake, but I don't go there. Actually, I rarely go to even a restaurant.  Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll? I have no idea what it is. Do you like to play Monopoly? Yes, if I could find someone who likes to play it. Salt water taffy-yay or nay? Nay. How do you feel about shopping at the mall?  I hate shopping, period. Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one. I'll risk security for freedom here and say 'none of the above,' but if there's a gun to my head, I'll say Bing Crosby. :-) If there's no gun, you'll find me listening to John Rutter.

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day. These all originated in New Jersey - or on the Boardwalk??

 Aww. I came across this when looking for the library shelves photo.

This was a year and a half ago. Sleepy kitties!
They definitely didn't originate in New Jersey.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 I'm forcing myself to let go of some of my books.

This is my effort to downsize, at least for this rainy day.

(photo online) 
But now I'm distracted with blog writing, a good stalling tactic.

***

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Buy any 5 or more, Get 1 FREE

Thyme & Lavender

Natural Vegan Soap


...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at
 
HomemadeSoapNSuch


and at


Our ETSY Shop


***

Have a great Wednesday!

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning