So many of you have asked if I've heard anything more about Tommy and Smokey and how they're settling into their new home in Madison, WI. As you may have read in yesterday's post, no, I'd not heard anything. Until this forenoon. Elizabeth sent me this photo and a few others that I think she will be posting on Instagram, so I didn't steal all of them. But I am so relieved. It looks like they're finally comfortable and doing their usual snuggle routine.
Thank you for asking about them.
And thank you for praying for them.
And thank you God for your patience with me and for your mercy and generosity.
Huge sigh of relief.
Hope you're having a great Thursday.
Here's what came through here earlier today:
Lots of rain, HUGE crash of thunder, amazing clouds!
And now,
drumroll.......
THROWBACK THURSDAY
And since I'm too old to have any sense of pride, I thought I'd show you this photo my sister dug up. Doesn't it just scream 1960's? (for those of you old enough to remember those ancient times). My hair was long, and the only way to tame it was with huge rollers and tape. And of course I was a goofball. So that kinda explains everything. My mom is in the background knitting. Knitting?? I don't recall ever seeing her knit in my life. Guess I wasn't paying attention. And my dad in shirt and tie, an insurance salesman after years of farming. We were living in the farmhouse in this photo, and my mom is watching TV. Perry Mason, presumably. I'm surprised we weren't eating Swanson's TV dinners off TV trays. Oh yeah, we did that too. And although my mom usually set a pretty table, I'm wondering if this was a Sunday afternoon. I might have needed to re-tame my wild hair for the Sunday evening service at the Baptist church.
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.
Check out my natural, handcrafted vegan soap!
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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.
