Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Bluejay returns and rambling rose.


I heard a familiar noise this morning and when I looked outside a little buddy was scolding me for not getting something out there for him to eat. I have not usually seen these little bluejays return this early since living here. I stop feeding in the spring because of some of the backyard visitors and wise advise from long-time UPers of Wisconsin (she came out to a little bear hanging off her deck one spring.).



Of note:  I did not take this picture, it was taken by a friend and I had permission to use it.  She lives up by Baraga, Michigan.

Jeff and I have seen some black bear up here since we moved.  A few were crossing Highway 2 to go to Mc Donalds one morning on Jeff's way to work. I have heard one thrashing around in the groove and they have eaten every black berry on my blackberry cane plants.

Heritage Festival was this weekend with a parade going down Silver Street in Hurley.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day.  We sat in front of Freddy's Good Time Saloon on a city bench in the shade and enjoyed the festivities as it went down the street going east and then again as it went down the street going west.  Life in the small town has it's perks.   Fun little celebrations bring people out of the wood work.  Of course the all school reunion and loads of family reunions also help.   We also visited with friends at the Farmer's Market in Hurley earlier in the morning, not buying, just visiting.

Our church, Salem Lutheran, celebrated their 125th anniversary this weekend with the president of Finlandia University giving the sermon for the service. We loved his remark at how far things had come in 125 years.  He was a norweigen who was president of a finnish college preaching at a swedish lutheran church.  Being good Lutherans we have our pew and our spots that we sit it, but since the church was full we did not get to sit there (pertinent information for later in this rambling).  Jeff and I were excited as our good friend was singing with the Ironwood Chamber Singers at the service and we have not had the priviledge of hearing the group yet.  We have heard Larry sing at our home while Jeff played his accordian.  He has a beautiful voice.  Unfortunately they had just started to sing when I felt a stinging sensation on my wrist right by my watch. Looking down a hornet is attached to my wrist.  Wonderful.  I had an allergic reaction as a child so have always been very careful to stay away from the little buggers if at all possible. Up and down the stairs to the basement to grab some ice and monitor myself. Numb fingers and swelling, but nothing else so we headed back up to the service. By the time we figured out I was going to be okay, they were done.  Now if we had been sitting in our right pew in the right spot I would not have been stung.

On a sad note, our little 4-legged guy had a rough weekend with seizures all weekend. After visiting with our vet we may try giving him so medicine to see if that helps him but if he has a hard time with the medication we may have to weigh out our choices.  He has given us loads of pleasure for 13 years.  He is my constant companion.  He gets special treatment at hotels when we take him with us because everyone thinks he is so cute.  As responsible pet owners it is our job to make sure that we don't let him suffer.  I know his time here with us is winding down and thankfully Jeff will help push me when it is time to say goodbye.  Right now, we just love him and see how the medication works.

Boy, definitely a rambling day!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

And then it rained!

Today there is a wonderful rain falling on the very dry lawn and garden.  It is such a blessing and it reminds me to be thankful for the blessings.

Life in the woods has been a little hectic lately.  Jeff put his back out  afew weeks ago, has taken forever to get better, and needless to say that has been a worry.  A stubborn man, but a good man, who would not go see the doctor because he was not into having lots of tests and pictures taken of somthing that happens now and then, although he did call just to make me "happy".

Our young man whom we hired to redo the salad bar, a.k.a. flower beds, wrecked his knee wakeboarding.  I have given up having  pretty flower beds because Freda, her children, children's children, and anyone else she can tell have eaten everything in the flowerbeds except the weeds.  (Freda is the name I gave to the deer that frequents our back yard, side yard, front yard and any other part of the yard.)  The few noneaten surviving plants went to my friend's home in Ironwood where I can sit and enjoy them in their unmunched glory.  He had such a great start and was a wonderful worker along with just being a sweet kid. 

Then there is the umbrella.  Our patio umbrella went sailing in a gust of wind and broke.  Now this may sound silly, but that umbrella cost me many moments of frustration, long and repeated visits with customer service on the phone, and more frustration only to get one the engineer is not happy with.   Since the engineer did not like the new umbrella he has figured out a way to fix the broken one and we can take the new one back to Home Depot in Rhinelander, so I guess all is well with the umbrella.  Let me say some people have good luck ordering online, me not so much so!

Sometimes I forget these are all small little bumps in the road and let them drive me nuts.  Then I have this little thing (my stomach) that lets me know to take a step back, take a breath, nothing of the above is important.  Amazing how when I get stressed the stomach gives me pain and then when  I relax the stomach is okay (albeit I need to eat healthier and lighter).

Reminders come in other forms too such as:

  • The two young girls missing in Iowa. I know my grandson is safe and I don't have that nightmare. Even though I don't see him as often as I like, every visit is special.  I love it when he takes his two hands and puts them on each side of my face so that he knows I am listening only to him (Cayden is a chatterbox much like his dad and sometimes my thoughts wander).  At our last visit he gave me a little birdhouse for my chickadees that he helped feed last winter when he came for a visit.  Now my chickadees have the cutest blue and green house to hang out in that you have ever seen. 



  • The elderly homeless man who came to a wedding off the street where he lives to be with people and feel like he belongs.  I am surrounded by wonderful friends who have become family and know I don't have to be alone unless I choose to be.

  • A coworker is mourning the loss of her husband, another her sister, a close friend is coming up on the anniversary of the loss of her husband.  Jeff greeted me with a smile, a kiss, and left the house with an "I love you, drive safely, and have a good day.  Call me if you need me."  These are words he says every morning and means with all of his heart.   I am also blessed with a brother, whom I definitely do not get to see often enough, but loves me too and we chat frequently.  I am happy as I know he too is surrounded by a good woman who loves him along with his children. 


Thank you for the reminder that I am blessed with many happy and wonderful things in my life and that the little bumps in the road are definitely just that bumps, not mountains.





Sunday, July 22, 2012

Recipe Share time...Red apple sangria.... Oh My!!!

I am sorry I am chatty today, but definitely wanted to share the Sangria recipe from the wedding last night.  I am wishing I had some red apple vodka in the house, but I don't so I guess it will be a glass of sweet red for me, but at the next gathering of friends and food, this is going on the beverage list.  Now I need a Sangria pitcher.....

Red Apple Sangria
3 ounces sutter home cabernet sauvignon wine
1 ounce shakka red apple vodka
1 ounce cranberry juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 ounce grenadine
splash carbonated lemon-lime beverage
2 pieces apple
orange wedge and 1 lime wedge
1 maraschino cherry


  •   Now this is for  one lovely glass of Red Apple Sangria, but once you have tasted this you will think....what the heck... make a whole pitcher.  These were definitely good (even the Jeffrey said yum!)


  • We finally got some Mexican vanilla so I am baking today.  Oatmeal raisin bars are in the oven as we speak.  I will package these and put in the freezer for 1 a day treats for us.

    Go out and make it a great day!  Ciao as my friend Charlene says!


    The Wedding

    We were invited to a wedding of our Realtor's daughter, Ellen, last evening.  Her father and I are one church council together and we have gotten to know the family over the 3 years that we have lived in the UP of Wisconsin.  I designed her wedding invitations and helped with a few of the decorating projects that she had in mind to have.

    The event was held at our church in Ironwood.  Now Jeff was not enthusiastic about attending the event as  (1)  It was hot and our church has no air conditioning.  (2)  There was going to be a crowd with 250 wedding invitations sent out. and most important (3)  It was hot and our church has no air conditioning.  Yes, I know I repeated myself, but so did he.  My friend, Kim, and her family were also in attendance and that made the evening very enjoyable.

    The church was not as hot as it has been, but it was full.  Actually full and over flowing full with folks in the balcony.  So nice to see Salem that way.  Ellen's pastor from when she was active in youth group performed the wedding and did a very nice job.  After the church service we headed to the Memorial Building.  Now there was when it was HOT!   Beautiful decorations, awesome food, and fun evening.  Their signature beverage was an apple sangria and let me tell you yummy.  Kim and I decided this would be a go for girls night out!




    This is the couple's card box.  The boxes are actually frosted and then paper leaves which were cut out using a die and then colored with craft paint were attached while the frosting was still "wet".  The leaves are actually cut out of coffee filters.  The cake is actually attached to a box with a big hole cut out of it so the cards fall straight through to the bottom.   Her colors were Merlot, black, and a silver gray.  Gorgeous!  Mobiles were made of the leaves hanging above the guests in the twinkling of little white lights!

    A side note from the decorations; dinner was amazing.  Everything was delicious.  We had BBQ ribs, Lake Superior salmon, chicken cordon bleu, and portabella ravioli along with mashed potatoes, wild rice (definitely to die for and lucky for me Janice is sharing the recipe), green beans, salad, and cranberry bread with cranberry butter.  Desserts, oh my.  In my other life I would have been in sugar overload, but had a very small piece of the actual wedding cake  and shared some cranberry walnut cheesecake with Jeff.  Kim had a piece of rainbow cake that was gorgeous to look at and she said equally yummy! 

    All in all an enjoyable time spent with good friends.

    Saturday, July 21, 2012

    Finally a current stamping project.




    This is the card that Jeff and I are giving to a young couple getting married today.   I love using lots and lots of paper and ribbon.  I love the white on white card with the 2 black birds.  I am happy with this!

    Tuesday, July 17, 2012

    The Hound.



    Pablo, Peewee, Booboo, and the Hound.  This is my early morning coffee buddy, my appendage, my protector. Our little guy joined our home 13 years ago with the plan on him being Jeff's dog.  I had Miss Cricket, a rescue papillon, and he wanted a nice little lap dog for his own.  He picked out the Hound, named him, even gave him his first bath, but the Hound is mine.  Surgery was necessary for me and 8 weeks off made this little guy all mine and Grandma Shirley's (who hound sat for the first couple of weeks).  He loves to burrow under the blanket and sit with me pretty much all the time.  He shows his displeasure with me by having his ears almost touch. 

    He is my stamping companion when I head down to the family room to stamp.  He never critizes, just sits patiently in his blanket while I work away.


    As a side note, I had a wonderful visit with my favorite Pastor, Pastor Jeff.  I needed a character reference and he was kind enough to let the world know the character that I am.  We both came to be members of Galilian Lutheran Church at the same time and a friendship bloomed.  He is heading off to ELCA Lutheran Youth Encounter down in New Orleans with 8 youth for the gathering and wanted me to keep him in his prayers.  I am always pleased to do that as I know he keeps me in his.  My mother dearly loved him and he sang a beautiful song at her funeral.

    Another Child to Hold
    By  Ray Boltz

     She looks down at her angel
    Sleeping in his bed
    She gently kneels beside him
    And then she bows her head
    And just like other mothers
    Who lived so long ago
    She brings her child to Jesus
    And give him to the Lord

    Jesus, here's another child to hold
    Keep this child safe and warm
    This world can be so cold
    Take this child in Your arms
    And never let him go
    Jesus, here's another child to hold
    He watched his only daughter
    Leaving on a date
    He doesn't want to worry
    But now it's getting late
    Waiting in the darkness
    He kneels down on the floor
    And offers up a silent prayer
    As he listens for the door
    Wherever there are children, Lord
    In danger or in need
    May you find someone there
    Praying on their knees
    Oh, please

    Jesus, here's another child to hold
    Keep this child safe and warm
    This world can be so cold
    Take this child in Your arms
    And never let him go
    Jesus, here's another child to hold


    Monday, July 16, 2012

    Living Life and loving it!

    Yooper, nope.... cheesehead, well not really, but living life in the UP of Wisconsin you betcha!  Going to give the blogging a try again, partially to share my craft with you, partially to chat, and probably therapy for me to talk things through.

    Leaving Iowa, family, and friends behind was hard 3 years ago.  The Brattruds were going their separate ways with Jeff up here, Shelley in Iowa City, and Scotty staying in Clear Lake.  The Manns were separated too with my brother down in MonMouth, Illinois, Dain moving to Mason City, and me up here with Jeff.  Our parents had passed, so changes were made for us all, but life was going to be alright because the Big Guy was definitely steering our ship.  


    During the past 3 years Jeff, Pablo, and I have met wonderful friends, found a church family, and adjusted to life in Mayberry as a good friend calls the UP way of life. To say shopping is limited is an understatement; to see the kids playing outside summer, fall, winter, and spring  awesome and definitely happening. 

    Our home in Montreal is the best of both worlds.  Looking out to the south, you are in town.  Looking out to the north, you are in the woods.  Getting up in the morning and seeing a buck lying down in the yard under the apple trees is always a treat. 

    So that is life in a nutshell.  So much is wonderful, still miss family and friends from Iowa, but have been richly blessed with friends and "new" family in the woods.

    Enough rambling for the day.  Monday chats, eh?