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

 

 

 

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Farmhouse News

 

Dear Neglected Bloggers:

As I sheepishly crawl back to my blog, I'm hoping that you'll remember that Mr. C. and I have been occupied working on renovating two houses, one in Dallas and the other in Wausau over the past year and a half. We're too old for this monkey business, but you do what you have to do, right? Actually, the Wausau house is the one you've most recently heard about here on the blog, because we finished the apartment part of the house and moved into it. I love it! (That project was shown and explained in a previous post, but it's still my best excuse for not showing up until now.)

 

Back at the Wausau house, I took a few photos of the backyard in the early morning today, when the light was streaming in. I don't know the name of the plant with the huge leaves in that beam of light . Each set of leaves is nearly 2' across. They're beautiful. I know, I'll look it up. In the foreground are a few Dragon Wing begonias. They're a favorite of mine because they're so bright, beautiful, and not messy like some other begonias, but they're definitely feeling the stress of the 88 degrees.

 

I strung some little white lights inside the gazebo this forenoon, but since it's not yet dark, I won't have a photo of how that looks. The branches you see in the background of this photo represent another job we'll have to do, maybe this fall.

 

During the recent the full moon, we took a walk through the cemetery. It's pretty and surprisingly quiet. ;-)  The rest of the neighborhood was pretty noisy with private fireworks, because the city fireworks had been cancelled. I hope no one's missing any fingers today.

NEWS ON THE FARMHOUSE: We've Accepted An Offer To Purchase!

In this kind of strange economic climate, it's a little scary to put your property on the market. But God brought exactly the kind of people we were praying for and in one month. We are thrilled. They are a young Christian couple in their 30s with three little girls, ages 7, 8, and 10. They told us later that the moment they stepped into our house, they knew they couldn't pass this one up. And when they saw the map, the chalkboard, and the gazillion library shelves, they were so excited. They are readers, have books to fill those shelves, and have been contemplating homeschooling. Well there you go! It was fun to see the kids on the tree swing and running around the yard and looking forward to sledding on the hill in the winter months. I can't believe I even wrote that W word. :-(((

A view from the front porch:

 

Early morning light on the farmhouse porch

Back at the Wausau house, the little granddaughter had asked me to put braids in her hair. Mr. C. snapped this pic of the two of us, me still in my robe and looking so much like my Grandma Nelson! Good grief! At least I really liked her. The notch out of my robe is a sweet reminder of the grandpup
(RIP) . She only did it because I had a bad habit of carrying dog treats in my pockets. But that chunk taken out is no reason to throw out a perfectly good robe, right?. LOL

By the glow of the iPad

A little daughter born to our youngest son's family -  Our 12th grandchild!

And a couple weeks later, our second GREAT grandchild was born.

I don't have their family photo at this time.

We spent Father's Day weekend at our son's home in

New Ulm, Minnesota. What a fun family and fun place!

Fred and Glenn 

Glenn is the one who sent me the video thank you a bit ago.

Hint: Glenn is not the goat.

Back in Wausau:

 City Campfire

Country Campfire

:-))

We won't have many more opportunities to sit on that farmhouse front porch and look out at the amazing views, but I am so grateful that God sent the perfect buyer -  a young couple to whom I'm ready and willing to pass on the baton. I know they are a family who will truly love and care for this home, and will make a lot of good memories there. I hope they'll keep the star. We'll see. I told them that it reminded me of the Bethlehem star, and we leave it on all the time for passersby at night. I think it's such a warm spot of cheer and hope in the dark night.  (I made another star that we leave on, day and night, for the front of the Wausau house.)

(sneaky Mr. C. took this one)

Vespers in the Gazebo

during this time of social distancing.

zionlutheranwausau (Facebook) 

Zion has a great schedule of morning and evening prayer, Bible studies, and music at the middle of the day. Check out their facebook page.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post anything. And I expect that the next few months will be just as overwhelming. Besides getting ready for the closing on the farmhouse, in Wisconsin we try to cram everything into June, July, and August, because after that it's a very fast downhill slide into WINTER, which is incredibly cold and lasts FOREVER.

Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone. Thanks for stopping in.

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via

 

Hodgepodging a Birthday Thank You

From a 1912 Men's Suit Manufacturer's Catalog

One of Mr. C's many finds, discarded as trash.

He wasn't dumpster diving; this old catalog had been used as

insulation in the attic of an old house he was working in.

I've photographed all my favorite pages.

 It will be another month before we see these again.

Winter is very slow leaving Wisconsin.

Join Joyce and the Gang

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Thank you to Joyce!

1. What's something you resolved to do this year? Have you done it?

I guess I resolved to downsize. I know, you've heard this before - many times. But downsizing for us, who have lived in the same place for 33 years, is different than for someone who moves frequently. We have been downsizing at the same time as we've been creating an apartment in the Wausau house and doing renovations to the Dallas farmhouse. As Mr. C. says when I get discouraged and want to escape to someplace beautiful in the English countryside, 'We're getting there.'  Sometimes I just look at him like, 'yeah right,' but I do love the fact that he is steady and solid and always willing to keep going until it's done. God gave me that man for a reason. And I'm so grateful!

He makes a good grandpa too.

2. Where do you go to find quietude?

There is plenty of quietude at the farm. And social distancing is not even an issue out there, because we have no near neighbors. I've been living that way for a very long time, so when the social distancing thing is lifted in Wisconsin, it will be a new thing for me to have neighbors on either side. And quietude in Wausau is achieved simply by being home. It is a quiet neighborhood. To be really alone, however, to pray, for example, I go to the bedroom.

 Sorry if you've seen these before

3. A friend asked this question on her Facebook page and said I could borrow it for the Hodgepodge...you're only allowed to buy 5 things at the grocery store, and all must start with the first letter of your first name. Whatcha' buying?

Oh boy.  There's hardly a thing in my refrigerator or cupboards that begins with J.

Juice

Jicama

Jcelery

Jonions

Jstaxpotatochips

 If I didn't make my own gluten-free pizza, I would definitely buy it.

But it doesn't begin with the letter J either.

With Kalamata olives and Feta and pepperjack cheese, I could eat this every single night of the week

(if Mr. C. didn't have an issue with that - or even if he did)

4. The television show Survivor, the Gloria Gaynor song 'I Will Survive', survival mode, survival of the fittest...pick one and discuss.

I guess my choice would be, 'I Will Survive,' because actually, almost everywhere you turn, there's talk of this Corona virus outbreak. I hope people will proceed cautiously in opening up businesses, however, and keep the social distancing and masks in place until we've got it figured out. To open the bars and restaurants at this point seems foolish to me. I did listen to a very thought-provoking discussion this morning with a Dr.Reed Wilson, a cardiologist from LA. He is one of the few voices I've heard lately that seemed reasonable, non-political, non attacking, etc. So refreshing. Quiet, reasoned discussion. A rare thing these days.

5. Share a favorite quote or saying about strength.

I hope all of you are able to attend church services online. If not, here's a great resource for you: www.zionlutheranwausau.com.  Besides the Sunday morning worship, they also have morning and evening prayer every weekday and Bible studies Tuesday and Friday. What a blessing they have been to us! 

(photo from Sunday, actually)

I also have to share with you a really great article by Bishop Robert Barron from Word on Fire. It begins like this:

"Last week, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, made a rather interesting theological observation. Commenting on the progress that his state has made in fighting the coronavirus, and praising the concrete efforts of medical personnel and ordinary citizens, he said, “The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that.” I won’t waste a lot of time exploring the hubris of that remark, which should be obvious to anyone. I might recommend, out of pastoral concern, that the governor read the first part of Genesis chapter eleven."  Read the remainder of this excellent article HERE.

Sorry about all the stuff you're being bombarded with, but I didn't make it to the Hodgepodge last week...


6. Insert your own random thought here.

The best birthday gift thank you came in the form of a video from our grandson in Minnesota (whom we cannot see because of the safer-at-home order, wah wah wah.)  BUT, this was so fun to receive, especially because he has the greatest facial expressions when trying to convey his response to the birthday gifts I sent him. BTW, he shares a birthday with Her Majesty Queen Eliabeth II  - just in case you wanted to know.

Oops! Gotta go.
I'm getting a phone call.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

Birthday Weekend, Storm Cleanup, Wednesday Medley

As St. Augustine said,  “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” There is nothing else that satisfies. There is nothing else. Period. Jesus Christ is not an addition to life to make it more wonderful and meaningful.
He IS life.

 I don't know about you, but this Google greeting kinda creeps me out!
I opened Google yesterday to see this.

I wasn't feeling lucky.
They might as well have said,
"Happy Birthday from your favorite spy!"


But anyway, that was yesterday.
Today is
Wednesday Medley!
Join Terri and the Gang

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Your Friend From Florida

Thanks, Terri!

 

And TODAY IS

NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY

 

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

1.  Let's start with a number! How many lighthouses have you visited?

 Lighthouse from Duluth at Canal Park

from 2009

I was looking through my photo files

but I guess this isn't a lighthouse. I'm sure there's one there and that I saw it. :-)

Dover, 2017

And I know I've seen the lighthouse at Marquette, Michigan, but evidently I didn't take a photo.

2.  Have you been inside a lighthouse and did you walk to the top? No. But I've walked to the top of York Minster and a few other cathedrals. Does that count?

3.  Do you seek them out when you are traveling the coastlines or are you not that big a fan? 

I don't travel the coastlines or I would. And I'd still like to get up north to Split Rock Light House along Lake Superior.

Morning light, October '16

4.  Do you have a favorite scripture or another reference to share with us concerning a guiding light in your life?

There are more than a few things I could insert here. The first, of course, would be Psalm 119:105 - "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." 

" Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'”John 8:12

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all." I John 1:5 

Paraphrasing theologian N.T. Wright, We are here to be God's image bearers, being good stewards of and bringing God's wisdom to his good creation and offering creation's praises back to him. 

 This morning's light

5.  If you don't collect lighthouses when you travel, is there something tangible that you tend to collect as a souvenir when you are on vacation or a road trip?

 Yes, I collect mugs. And now I have far too many, I know, but all of my England mugs are going with me to Wausau.

6.  Please share something with us about your week.

The weekend of August 3, family gathered here to celebrate three family birthdays, including mine - AND to clear the driveway of the huge eagle spruce that had uprooted and fallen across our driveway on July 19. (Previous post was all about that.)  It was great to have the family here working together, eating together, and for me, it's always so much fun to see the cousins playing together. I thank God for all the years that we've been able to host the family here, and I'm hoping that after we sell our country home later this year, someone else in the family will pick up the baton and keep the family reunions going. 

 View from the porch

 No, I will probably never remember to hold my phone horizontally while taking a video.

The star of the show was the newest member of our oldest son's family - a Great Pyrenees puppy, Freya.

I think I can; I think I can

 

A note about the guy in the orange shirt, our middle son:  He's holding two boards which he had hauled to near the top of that giant 90' spruce when he was about 14 years old so that he could sit up there and watch the world go by. If I had known, he would never have lived to tell the tale. But anyway, when the tree came down, those two boards were still in there, nailed across a couple limbs. The little boy in the red Ranger is his son and will probably give his dad a run for his money. We can only hope. LOL

I think the only one whose photo I did not get was our granddaughter Elisabeth, who accompanied us to church on Sunday morning. It was a joy to have her with us. She sat between her grandpa and me, and after church, a man in the congregation introduced himself and told her how lucky she was to be our granddaughter. We told her that Mr. Thompson was a wonderful man and a liar. :-) Actually, he had been Mr. C's and my high school music instructor. No kidding. And believe me, he's a great reader at church and makes everyone feel welcome. I love it!

 

I tried to get him to go get a haircut with me again...
No deal.

 This photo has nothing to do with anything.
It's just a bonus.

And, of course, the birthday weekend wraps up with the essential bonfire.


I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday.


***

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