Hodgepodging Orange and All Saints Day

When we took some scaffolding out to our son last weekend, we also took a drive north of New Ulm (where he and his family live) to the town of Sleepy Eye, MN. The photos above are of an old abandoned schoolhouse we found along the way. The tile spout drained water from the concrete floor. There was one on either side of the steps - back in the day.

 

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we write the answers.

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1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)...pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately. 

 

It would have to be 'Boo!' because our grandkids have been hiding a really big, ugly, gray plastic rat for me to find when I'm least expecting it. This morning it was between the cushions of the sofa, just inches from where I sit to have my breakfast coffee. I'm not going to take a picture of it because, like I said, it is UGLY!

 

Another barn between New Ulm and Sleepy Eye.

 

2. Do you like the color orange? Would we find this color in your home? Your wardrobe? Peach-pumpkin-tangeringe...your favorite shade of the three listed? 

 

I do like the color orange - sometimes. It's so cheery. In my home, the color orange would be on an orange peel. I like to eat an orange in the evening to avoid eating a gazillion other things that could be worse. And of course, there are evenings that those other things get eaten anyway, kind of like a dessert after the main course.  Peach-pumpkin-tangerine. My favorite would be peach or tangerine. There is none of those colors in my wardrobe. I do have one longsleeved t-shirt that is rust colored. And why not more orange in our home? I think becaue I vividly remember the '70s.

In Sleepy Eye

3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What's the last chocolate something you tasted? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it? 

 

The last chocolate I tasted was this morning, and it was Lindt Dark Chili Chocolate.. One square. It would a 10 for deliciousness. Even better than Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut, which was my favorite for years. But since we don't eat nuts in our new living arrangement, hazelnuts are not on the menu.

The incredible dark soil of New Ulm.

I should have bagged up some of it to take home!

4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump's mama. Would you agree? Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life. 

 

I think I'm too literal for this question. Well, maybe we're talking about a box of milk chocolates. In which case you can have every last one of them. But if we're just saying that life is full of unexpected things, some good and some bad, I'd say that this year has had more dark chocolate in it than milk chocolate. Some very good things have come of this year.

 

 The New Ulm Cat, Bingley

 

5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we're bidding adieu. 

 

 

Travel Food

(The peppers go fast)

Travel Reading

Travel sites - this one near Viroqua, WI

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Quotation from the church bulletin

Zion Lutheran Wausau

Photo mine.

For All The Saints

Who From their Labors Rest

Sunday, November 1

All Saints Day

Coon Prairie Lutheran Church

Westby, Wisconsin

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

 

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

Hodgepodging the End of March

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. What's a word that describes your life (right now)? POLLOCK 

A word you wish described your life? RAPHAEL

Tommy & Smokey

2. Back in my day we___thought the Soviets were going to nuke us. I was in junior high during the Cuban Missile Crisis and I remember my English teacher shaking in her boots, she was so terrified.

Bad Axe Independent Lutheran Church

And it's a beautiful little church down in the coulee

west of Westby, WI

I was glad to see a cross at the top of the steeple.

(I have at least two more posts of Westby/Viroqua photos)

3. When it comes to takeout are you more likely to opt for Italian, Mexican, or Chinese food? Does a typical week at your house include takeout?

If I had the option of takeout at all, I'd probably go for Italian (after reading the ingredient list carefully to make sure there weren't any headache inducers included). We live out in the middle of nowhere, and a typical week certainly doesn't include takeout of any kind, except the trash.

4. Think about the people you most respect. What is it about them that earned your respect?

Integrity. A real love for God, moral courage, and consistency - a life that is lived the same in public as it is at home or when no one at all is looking on.

5. What's something your friends might see and say is 'so you'?

A German Shepherd puppy, any Columbia polar fleece jacket, or the UPS man delivering yet another book on theology.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Grandkids were here last weekend. I think what they might say is 'so you' would be a big house with a running circle where they can play chase and make noise, a sledding hill, and kitties. Or at least I think those are their favorite things about Grandma.

Taking a breather

Little Miss Cutie on the left has a birthday tomorrow!

She will turn FOUR.

Note: They all own socks and shoes, and there's still a lot of snow on the ground. But they love going barefoot in the house.

***

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The Universe is Eager

With Eager Anticipation

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

    break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

    with the lyre and the sound of melody.

 

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

"Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who live in it.

Let the floods clap their hands;

    let the hills sing together for joy

 

at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming

    to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

    and the peoples with equity."

- From Psalm 98

The Universe is eager for God's judgment,
for He, unlike mankind,
 'will judge the world with righteousness
 and the peoples with equity.'

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Photos: Country Coon Prairie Lutheran Church, Westby, WI

Wisconsin Countryside Friday

I've been thinking that I might try to alternate between 'Anglophile Friday' and 'Wisconsin Countryside Friday'. We'll see how it goes.

In Wednesday's Hodgepodge, I mentioned visiting Westby again, and this time, instead of driving out into the countryside east of Westby and Cashton, we drove south to Viroqua and explored the area west of Viroqua (see route below). It was just as beautiful, and fun to take a different route.

Traveling south from Westby, we took 27 (14, 61) to J. Turn right onto J, Turn right onto C, turn right onto B, turn right onto 27, turn left onto 82, turn right onto N, then there will be a jog onto Norwegian Hollow Road to N again, jog right onto 56 until you can turn north again onto O, turn onto K into Chaseburg, then 162 into Coon Valley, turn right onto 14/61 back to Westby. Besides Westby and Viroqua, some towns (or settlements) you'll go through are
Folsom, Towerville, Fargo, West Prairie, Purdy, and Newton. All of this is just in case you happen to be in SW Wisconsin and are looking for some beautiful scenery, including lots of barns and little country churches.The whole trek, with a break for lunch, took us about 3 1/2 hours because, as you can see, there were a few stops for photos. More coming in another post.

 I always thought it would be fun to have one of these in our backyard.

 If you happen to have attended Folsom School,
your reunion is coming up this summer.
Put it on your calendar.

And about two minutes down the road is
Franklin Lutheran Church,
which you most likely attended if you attended Folsom School.

 There are no Anglicans to be found in this neck of the woods.

 Why did the raccoon cross the road?
I don't know, but evidently at some point in the past
he had tried, and it didn't end well for him.

I mentioned in Wednesday's Hodgepodge that Tommy & Smokey had their annual wellness checkup scheduled for Thursday morning.

 Well here are Tommy & Smokey at the vet's office.
Yes, it worked fine to put them both in the same cat carrier.
The vet put them both on a diet. Oh the indignity of it all!

 'Never let them take me back there again, Tommy!'

They were so beautiful!
And curious.

Linking to Saturday's Critters

***

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Buy any 5 or more, Get 1 FREE

French Lilac & Lavender
Natural Vegan Soap

Moisturizing, Gentle
No harsh chemicals,
No animal products
Luscious fragrance

Large bars, labeled and wrapped,
Ready for gifting.


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

Have a great weekend, everyone!