Inpromptu Road Trip

The Farmer and I are spur-of-the-moment kind of people. The Farmer's *Daughter* had to return to her apartment in central Illinois and we decided to head down there this evening to spend the weekend with her. We'll be doing a Low Country Shrimp Boil this evening, recipe thanks to the Deen brothers (yes, Paula's brood).

I'm planning to take some road trip pictures as we will be passing the wind farm in Paw Paw and the birthplace of Wild Bill Hickock in Troy Grove, Illinois. There's a small memorial to him in the middle of town.

See you on Monday!!! Have a great and relaxing weekend.

Shhhhhh.......

I've eaten too much pumpkin pie and I'm sleeping in late.



Talk to you later today. Hope your Thanksgiving day was wonderful.

(I'm leaving the American Indian prayer of thanks running till I get up. I love the sound of the language and the message.)

Giving Thanks

“Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men, but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”
-E.P. Powell

We are humble in the face of our bounty. We are thankful beyond measure for the opportunities in our lives.

May you have a wonderful day.

- Suzanne, the Farmer and the Farmer's Kids

Today on this blog, you are listening to a Native American expression of thanks.

Last Minute Napkin Tricks

For those of you who are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, I say sit down, relax and I'll show you a last minute napkin trick.

No matter what amount of chaos existed in our house when I was a kid, my mom always set a fabulously beautiful table for the holidays. I guess you could say it's a tradition, or a challenge, to come up with a wow factor. Years ago I purchase a small book that showed how to fold napkins and the "Fleur de lis" has always been my favorite and it's so easy.

Grab a napkin and play along. It works well with a napkin that is the same on both sides. First you're going to fold the napkin in half diagonally.



Fold one of the points down, like this:



Fold the second point down to match. Now turn it around so the points face up. It's easier to fold this way.



Starting at the left side and working across, make accordian pleats, not too small, not too large.

]

Keep folding across the entire length.



You'll end up with this. Be sure to hold on tight!



Place it inside a glass and pull down the tails. This is a water goblet.



Voile! You've got a beautiful presentation with a minimum amount of work.



You can also grab the corner of the front petal and pull down, which will give you this effect.



Have fun with your Thanksgiving preparations. It's meant to be a time of joy and sharing. Give thanks!

The Un-varnished Truth

A package came in the mail the other day. I was very surprised because I haven't been trolling Ebay lately in search of vintage jewelry. What could it be?



The box reveals that it's from one of my loyal readers, Nancy. She identifies herself as "Appreciative Blog Devotee". Wow, I've got a devotee. I'm happy. And since Nancy named it, she's claimed it. If you look on my sidebar you'll see that I've added her name under that title. No links to Nancy because she's blogless at the moment.

I don't know who invented bubble wrap but it was a genius. Not only does it protect items during shipping, it allows for hours of fun popping the bubbles!



Inside there's a colorful package. It feels very heavy. I'm quite sure there are books inside. I was correct. She must have known that I just cleaned up my library and donated books, making room for new ones. The first book is called, From a Colonial Garden; Ideas, Decorations, Recipes. It's beautiful and I'm sorry that I forgot to take a photo of the cover. The photos were all taken in colonial Williamsburg. Nancy knew that I would love the part about planning weddings.



There's a section that discusses the rehearsal dinner which is our responsibility. A chef who works for the herb business has agreed to cook for the dinner and we're having it in our home. Here's a table setting idea. Isn't it beautiful?



What a thoughtful gift. Thank you so much for sharing this with me Nancy.

You're asking yourself, "What does this have to do with un-varnished truth"? Well, Nancy sent me another book. This one is by Bobbi Brown called Living Beauty. There are lots of beauty tips and mini-interviews with people like Mary Steenburgen.



Chapter 3 is titled, "The Makeup Face-Lift, Surgery-free Ways to Wipe Away the Years". Woo Hoo, is that possible? You should see some of the photos, they're amazing.

The first thing I learned is never, EVER stand under down lighting. It creates shadows and at a certain age shadows are not your friend. If you're at a cocktail party and you notice you're standing under one of those can lights...... move away from the lighting otherwise this is what you're going to look like:



This is not good. You've now scared the daylights out of all the guests and they're all running for the bar to self-medicate.

Thirty minutes with Bobbi and I feel like a new woman.



Thanks Nancy, you made my day!!!

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OK, OK......you caught me. It's another damned Photoshop facelift! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!!! And now I'm going to claim the title as the only woman in the blogosphere brave enough to post a photo of themselves sans makeup!

Monday Morning Staff Meeting

This just might become a permanent element of "At Home.....". The Monday morning staff meeting allows me to catch up on a few things and alert you to some upcoming events. Don't forget we're going to be building gingerbread houses shortly after Thanksgiving.

First on the agenda is a heads-up for my local readers. My application has been accepted to participate in Marklund Home's first annual Holiday Craft Sale. Here's the info:

CHRISTMAS CRAFT SALE

Saturday, December 6
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Marklund Hyde Center
1 South 450 Wyatt Drive
Geneva, Illinois

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you face-to-face. I'll be bringing my aprons, ornaments, table runners and more. Shortly following the craft fair I'll be holding another Farmer's Wife Market here online.

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Unfortunately, my acceptance into this craft fair means that I can't travel out to the Christmas House Walk out in Forreston, Illinois. Lori's home will be featured on the walk and she's busy decorating the house and that porch! If you remember I won her contest and was gifted with some fabulous things including the Corn Bag. It's more addictive than crack cocaine!

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Weather Report - It's 33 degrees and snowing here in northern Illinois. It not enough snow to fire up the snowblower but enough to freshen the landscape.



According to Sitemeter, this morning I have readers online from Los Angeles, Oklahoma, Maryland, Georgia, Malaysia, India, Austria and more. Since people in farming communities spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the weather, I'd love to hear what's going on in your corner of the world weatherwise.

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Thanks for visiting with me today. I promise to do some fun things this week.

Meeting adjourned.

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UPDATE: Have you ever been on a duck hunt? The Bayou Woman went out into the wetlands with a duck blind attached to her boat. Who knew there was such a thing? Her pictures are magical.

The Way Back Machine

The time: Circa 1958
The place: The Hotel Baker, St. Charles, Illinois

I'm guessing on the date of this photo but certainly it's in the mid to late 1950's as evidenced by the clothing and the hats!

On the right is my grandmother Martha Anne, seated with her friend, also named Martha. They were both milliners and had vast hat wardrobes. They loved nothing better than getting all dolled up and going out on the town. In this case it was to enjoy brunch.

The Hotel Baker is still standing and has recently gone through a multi-million dollar makeover restoration. It's a stunning example of the Moorish architecture popular during the 1920's. It's only about 12 miles as the crow flies from our home and they still serve brunch. I invite you to look at the video of the hotel. Although this was certainly produced as a marketing piece for the property, it also includes some spectacular views of the beautiful Fox River Valley. St. Charles is typical of many lovely river towns up and down the Fox.


The Hotel Baker from Hotel Baker on Vimeo.

The commentaries found on the back of a photo are sometimes more interesting as the front. My grandmother and my mother both had their say on this image.



At the top in my grandmother's handwriting it says, "My girlfriend here. She is dying with cancer. This was made 5 years ago in the Hotel Baker in St. Charles. We had brunch."

At this point I'm thinking, huh? I can do the math and she must have wrote this in 1963. Dying of cancer? I know for a fact that she lived until 1978 or 1979.

In my mother's handwriting it says, "Martha (She did not die!!"", and indeed she didn't until many years later.

Relationships between mothers and daughters can sometimes reveal themselves in the comments on the back of photographs.

Leaving on a Jet Plane Crossover Vehicle

My sincere thanks to everyone who commented on yesterday's post. You are such a creative and make-do bunch! I am so lucky.

I had bought a can of black spray paint the day before for the purpose of refreshing two iron candleholders. I had entertained the idea of painting the mat but wondered whether than would work. Your assurances have inspired me to try this solution.

I'm even more amazed at the vast sea of knowledge that flows through the internet. I'd wondered about the large hotel pictured in the etching. I purchased the artwork because it reminded me of a beautiful old hotel we'd visited many years ago in Waterton Park in Canada. This hotel was the stuff of legends, with a string quartet playing in the lobby and high tea served in the drawing room. Believe me, we were too poor to actually stay in hotel but it provided me with things to dream about back in my pup tent.

The building was identified as the original Cliff House in San Francisco. Can you imagine this enormous building partially hanging over the cliff? ....... in an earthquake zone? Sorry, I'll take tornados any day.



This morning I'm very excited to be making preparations to drive up to the Little White House to see the farmer. The two weeks prior to Thanksgiving is the busiest time of the year for fresh herb operators and the Farmer assures me that he's got stacks of fresh basil stacked 10 feet high waiting for delivery. For these two weeks and during terrible weather conditions he stays at the little white farmhouse. We call it the Little White House and it hold the objects of my affection, the Farmer and a huge Viking range. They hold my affection in that order.

Since the Little House has no laundry facilities we'll also be doing a clothing exchange. I'm hoping he'll take me out to dinner, although I'd love to cook on the Viking range. Just think, I've got a warehouse of fresh organic herbs just across the frozen field. Here's a recipe for you:

Chicken Breast Dijon with Basil

Ingredients:
6 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
8oz heavy cream
2 oz fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 oz fresh marjoram, chopped
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dust seasoned chicken with flour, shake off excess. Heat oil in 12 in. frying pan. Sauté chicken, 4 minutes each side. When done keep warm on plate. Add wine to frying pan stirring up herbs left from chicken. Reduce liquid by half. Add mustard and 1/2 the chopped basil and marjoram and all of the chopped oregano. Add cream. Reduce by half. Add chicken and cook 1 minute on each side. Arrange on platter. Cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the top with remaining basil and marjoram.

This recipe is from The Herbal Garden website. Click on the link for more recipes. You can search by ingredients.

I'll be traveling north in my new crossover vehicle.


The Illinois grain harvest continues.

Yes, I've respectfully retired my ten year old Grand Am from daily service. She was a trusty steed and will occupy a bay in the garage, driven occasionally on a sunny day. I really needed a vehicle with hauling capabilities. You know, hauling all that stuff to Goodwill......shhhhhh, and bringing in a little more stuff! Don't tell the Farmer.

All my cars have names and the Grand Am was named Black Sunshine after the Rob Zombie song dedicated to his Mustang, and no, I won't subject you to the song this early in the morning.

As soon as I get the batteries charged on my camera I'll have photos, reveal the make and model, interview my personal car salesman and have a name-the-crossover contest.

Stay tuned!

The Price is NOT Right

At the risk of spending an entire week complaining I need to make my feelings known on the subject of framing. I'm talking about going to a craft or decorating store and having an item framed. I needed a mirror that in a size that you can't find easily - 36 x 36 inches. My idea was to have a frame made and mount a mirror in the frame.

OR NOT.

One of the conservative and less costly frame styles would have cost $300! That's $2 per lineal inch. Unless it's formed out of magical unicorn dust I'm not paying $2 an inch. I was stunned to say the least.

That was six months ago and I went back to the frame department yesterday with the intention of getting a new mat cut for this etching that I found at the resale shop for $2.99.



The mat is brown and I thought it would look better with a black mat. It's just slightly larger than the standard 10 x 12.



So I drive over to the craft store and the young woman measures the outside and measures the inside, enters everything into her computer and look at me without batting and says...........GUESS...no, really guess how much the mat would cost.

$19.87. Almost $20! Plain black mat board, nothing fancy, no double mat.

It was the icing on a very challenging week. I'll tell you more about that later.

That's it. I'm done complaining. I'm going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head. Poke me with a fork, I'm done!!!!

Book Tag

I've been tagged byJeanne. This a book tag and these are always alot of fun.

The rules are:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share seven random and/or weird book facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

My seven random book facts:

1. I was slow learning to read. I was a part of the baby boom generation which meant the school systems were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of children that were approaching school age. As a result I didn't attend kindergarten, there was no room in the inn. That meant there were a number of us who started first grade at a disadvantage, and the classrooms were so crowded the teacher couldn't provide individual attention.

2. In fourth grade we drew names for a Christmas gift exchange. My wonderful teacher Miss Leifson drew my name and I was ecstatic. Surely the teacher would give a fabulous gift. I almost cried when I tore open the packaging to discover that she'd chosen a book. A BOOK!!! What kind of gift is that? It turned out to be wonderful. I begrudging read the book and found that it was enjoyable. Perhaps the young people in your life would appreciate it too. A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.

3. My first book beyond Nancy Drew was The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. From that moment I was enthralled with reading and books in general. It was amazing to me that someone could transport you to another time and place using only words. I pay close attention to wonderfully skeletal sentences, which are those which pack a whallop with a minimal number of words.

4. For my entire life I've gone on reading jags. I'll read an interesting book and go on a jag reading everything written by that particular author. The same is true for subject matter. I got interested in what drives people who choose to climb Mount Everest, which inspired me to read every book ever written about the mountain and the climbers. I also read other mountain climbing books. I loved Gone With the Wind but unfortunately Margaret Mitchell only had one book in her.

5. My favorite author is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It may seem like an odd choice but the moment I read Cross Creek I felt a kinship with her. It was as though she was an old friend. I've visited her Cross Creek home and it felt like home to me. \


Marjorie's kitchen

Her typewriter was out on the porch facing the land that was once her beloved orange groves. I thought about negotiating with the University that maintains the property, in an attempt to allow me to write stories out on her porch, pecking away at her typewriter.


Marjorie's workspace.

6. There's no possibility that I could choose a favorite book because it changes over time as I change as a person. There have been many; The Good Earth, Gone With the Wind (read in one sleepless session), Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, Stranger in a Strange Land, Little Women, Fahrenheit 451. Oh, and to Kill a Mockingbird which I am currently re-reading for the umpteenth time.


Can Scout and Jem be far away?

7. We converted our home office space into a library which holds about a thousand books.



There are other bookcases scattered throughout the house and the total is probably 2,000 books. We love books!!! I feel like the woman in Fahrenheit 451 who stands in a pile of her beloved books and chooses to burn alive rather than part with them.

8. Since I love to break the rules I've added a number 8 to my list. I have to explain that I am probably the only person who hasn't read any Harry Potter or Trilogy of the Rings. I simply find it difficult to read fiction. That's pretty wierd but give me non-fiction any day!


Below are the awards for these brave bloggers and I look forward to more tales of their daily lives. Thank you ladies for being a safe haven in a sometimes scary world. I hope that you enjoy the awards and share these offerings of gratitude with some other deserving story tellers.

I'm going to invoke Mary's habit of tagging people. If you want to be tagged, consider yourself tagged!!!

Have a wonderful day and keep warm.

The Psychic Super-Hotline

I know there are many who would say they don't believe in any kind of psychic connection between people but these connections manifest themselves regularly in my life.

I've mentioned that recently I've been on a de-cluttering mission. Last week I worked on our office/library, weeding through books and papers and filling boxes for donation to Goodwill. I came across things that reminded me of people I hadn't heard from in quite awhile. I thought about them and the memories connected with the books and items they'd given me.

There was a jade amulet, a gift from my friend and co-worker Brooke who I haven't heard from in almost two years. She taught me important lessons about loving and letting go, allowing people to grow without stifling them. She's an old soul in a not-so-old body.

Tucked on the bottom bookshelf was a book from an old online buddy. It was a book about one woman's battle with Lupus and Marda had sent it to me shortly after I was diagnosed 12 years ago. I hadn't heard from her in over a year.

One book had a piece of white paper sticking out from the pages. It was one of my favorite sentences (yes, I have favorite sentences), written by Jesse White Crow.


In a minute the coyote is over by the dry creek bed singing it's painful woes to a night that makes all of creation wish they'd mastered fire.


I'd followed his online journal for years as he walked across America and posted from public libraries. In all those years we'd only had one communication between us. I'd written him a letter and he'd sent me a postcard from the road.

I spent time thinking about each of these people and how they'd impacted my life. And for those of you who don't believe in the Psychic Super-Hotline....... within one week I heard from each one of those people!

Jesse's postcard was in the mail today and it was the most amazing connection of all, not only because we'd only communicated once and that was several years, but because of what happened today and how important it was for me to find his precious words in my mailbox.

Today I kept a doctor's appointment where they attached leads to my hands and legs and shot electric pulses through my nerves!! Yikes. I returned home and spent several hours laying porcelain tile. The Other Mother then announced that she was in a great deal of pain in her elbow, radiating down to her hand. Off to her doctor we flew and it was determined that she'll need an x-ray tomorrow.

We walked in the door to the news that the Farmer's cousin's wife had suffered an aneurysm and will not survive. She just turned 61 and was looking forward to retirement.

And that is why all those people contacted me out of the blue. Every time a rough patch is approaching people appear in advance to give me their positive energy to help me through. That's exactly what has happened in this case.

I will take the initiative to share with you something from Jesse White Crow's journey. It was written on the road and I am trusting that he would want me to share with you.

FINDERS KEEPERS
In the beginning of this walk I believed that I was always finding just what I needed on the side of the road. When I lost my titanum mug I found a plastic cup the same day which carried me over until my cup was found and flown to me a month later. In New England's winter, when I needed cover from snow and sleeting rain on my hands that held my walking sticks, I found disguarded rain pants I quickly cut the legs from to hood my frozen fingers. This is still the truth of the walk: what I need will come. The difference now is that I am unsure if I am passing a diamond or a stone. I want to save everything. Of course this is ridiculas when everything that I glean has to be attached to my shoulders. Something inside has readjusted. Now when I see homeless people I understand the shopping cart of seemingly useless trash piled high. They too are afraid--or is it concern, that the twine we pass today may very well be the belt we wear tomorrow? Knowing this tendency is stooped over in me to gather the next treasure, I talk myself on past articles that beg to wander these miles with me. They know that once I get home...wherever home will one day be, I will be less inclined to adopt all that I see by the roadside. Everything that I have gathered is just about impossible for me to part with once we have miles of history together. We become related, friends, parts of each other, still hoping to make sense, to fit in, to be needed.
My ex-wife had the same feelings for stuffed animals and dolls. I used to laugh in gentle cruelity as she struggled past a doll at the bottom of a box left over from someone's tag sale. I knew the soiled painted face would find it's way home to our china cabinet at the bottom of the stairs where it would sit with the other foster dolls and animals that seemed to smile out over empty wine glasses with foggy eyes full of hope.
Life gives us practice when we are not surrounded by the ones we love, or will love, we are given just enough to care for so the heart stays familiar with the feeling of being wanted....and showing others we want them.


I am stunned by his talent. Please visit White Crow Walking and read for yourself.

Post Number 379 and Pet Peeve Number One

I've made a couple of videos for you that show you what my day was like yesterday. Several situations arose that required me to do some phone work to accomplish the task. First I needed to pay the phone bill. The online function was not working. I spent over an hour online attempting to make a payment. I would prefer to have all my teeth drilled than to talk to AT&T. "Talk to" is a misnomer because you are required to run a gauntlet of the most annoying automated phone system EVER.



I can tell you for a fact that this phone system does not recognize cuss words. Oh, the nasty, cussing words that I've been forced to utter when dealing with this insipid AT&T electronic guy.

Yes, Crystal finally answered the phone and she offered to take my payment over the phone, for an additional $5 charge. She explained that she couldn't waive the fee because she'd offered me at least two other ways to pay. One was to pay via the online system that didn't work (huh?) and the other was the option to pay at a location that's at least 18 miles from here. Duh?

Following on the heels of that encounter I needed to call the company that manufactured our gas powered back-up generator. When we unpacked the unit we discovered that they forgot to include the manuals and warranty packet. I thought AT&T had a terrible automated system. Listen to this:



This was the fourth call I'd made in an attempt to connect with the correct office. One of the automated systems very disturbing music playing in the background - a genre called "Trance" which is played at Rave parties. Sheesh.

I suspect that automated phone systems are a hot topic. I hate them. I loathe them. I worked for a boss that understood that sometimes the only thing you have over your competitor is good customer service and a terrific communicator answering the phone.

My message to business owners - HIRE A STINKING REAL LIVE PERSON TO ANSWER THE PHONE!!!!

Monday Morning Staff Meeting

Welcome to the Monday morning staff meeting. Did you think that farmer's and their wives don't have staff meetings? Sometimes they're held in unusual places. This is the busiest time of the year for fresh herb operations and that means that the Farmer must go to the mattresses. If you read The Godfather you'll understand. What it means is that during the crunch before Thanksgiving through the Christmas season the Farmer moves up to the little White House where the farm and the packing facility is located. Our growing season is done in northern Illinois but they also have farms in Florida and Mexico.

As the Farmer's administrative assistant I must keep him updated on our low-tech home security system...... two Chihuahua's. And believe me they could inflict some damage on an intruder, or simply bark them to death.

The first thing we're going to do this morning is draw a name for that Sew-No-More book.



The winner is Dara.


Why did I draw two names? Because the books were breeding again last night and produced this offspring:



Congratulations Tins & Treasures.

Ladies - please contact me with your addresses and I'll get it in the mail to you. My e-mail address is Abscissa63@aol.com

Anyone else who feels like chatting can also e-mail me, I love to get mail. And don't be looking at that bottle of Mexican brandy in that photo. I'm not giving that away. That's mine.....all mine. It's for those times when the Other Mother gets on the last nerve. Medicinal purposes you know.

The second item on our agenda is to talk about the generosity of our blogging friends. Look what I got in the mail from the Milk Man's Wife.



You need to get over to her place and check out a farm wife who knows everything about everything. She makes her own sauerkraut and shows you how to make your own. Right now she's rendering fat and raising a baby.

This soap is fantastic. When I opened the package beautiful scents wafted up to greet me. There's a bar of Huckleberry and one of lavender.



This is goat's milk soap that is handmade in Colfax, Wisconsin by Grandma Vicki. These would make really great Christmas gifts especially for teachers. Vicki packages them by wrapping in a beautiful fabric, a label with the ingredients and a button or in the case of the lavender soap, a butterfly. I encourage you to support small entrepreneurs. You can order the soap at her website:

Grandma Vicki's Soap

I'm going to also suggest that you check out a website is aptly named, Mennonite Girls Can Cook. WOW, can they cook. I've made lots of their recipes and never been disappointed. They're cooking again this morning so get over there.

You might also want to visit The Country Doctor's Wife. She's rocking the house with Steve Perry and Journey. They held a retro '80's birthday party for her and the Country Doctor showed up with a mullet. YIKES.

Last, but not least, Corey at Tongue in Cheek is dreaming big dreams. This is my kind of gal because she's dreaming about riding across the U.S. on a Harley with her wonderful French Husband. Read about the Harley road trip.

Enough already. Meeting adjourned. Go grab and cup of coffee and start working on your list of things to accomplish today. I'm probably laying tile, cooking dinner and possibly picking up a new car. Check back tomorrow to see if I'm riding a new trusty steed.

The Way Back Machine

The time: Somewhere between 1943 and 1952
The Place: A bar, somewhere

Since we just observed Veteran's Day I thought this might be an interesting photo to share. My father in on the far right. The back of the photo reveals a few names but no identifying date. This could be anywhere between 1943 and 1952. My father as not in the Navy for that period of time, he served twice, once in World War II and was activated from the reserves to serve again in the Korean War.

It appears that these men have done their best to keep the brewery's busy. None of the appear as if they've overindulged, they're just out having a good time on shore leave. It's summer because they're wearing their dress whites. I've looked this photo over carefully and there's not one civilian in the shot.

It's amazing how much about a personality can be revealed by the face.

Look at the guy on the right.



The guy on the left looks like a farm boy to me, and the one on the right is shy.



Notice that the guy sitting to the left of my dad has his hands folded in his lap. It appears he's not too comfortable sitting in a bar.



My dad's broad smile in this photo took me aback. I was stunned that the facial expression reminds me so much of my nephew, his grandchild.

We can't deny our ancestors because we carry them around with us each and every day. Every time we smile we broadcast a bit of the past. Do you notice resemblances between generations? Sometimes it's stunning.

NOTE: This week the MIlitary Channel ran documentaries about Veterans returning to Vietnam, Iwo Jima, Bataan and Corregidor. My hometown held a Bataan Day parade every year to honor those who were forced on the death march. In those days young men from a town were assigned to fight in the same company. In the case of Bataan it meant disaster for the community. Survivors marched but few talked about their experiences. Also, seek out a documentary called "Vietnam Nurse" hosted by Dana Delaney. It was beautiful and sad and heart rending. It's important for us to bear witness to their experiences. They talked about the young men with such reverence and love. It was amazing. Their treatment when they returned home was an utter disgrace.

Stuffology 101

What's Stuffology you ask? It's the study of "stuff", how it's accumulated, how it weighs you down and how to get rid of it.

After the flood last year we arranged to have our garbage company deliver a large dumpster. The conversation went something like this:

"Hi, I'd like to have a large dumpster delivered for some demolition materials."

"Ok, we have small, medium and large."

"Large, definitely large."

"Are you sure ma'am, the large container is as big as a bus."

"Sheesh, don't you have anything bigger?"

In fact we filled that big-as-a-bus container to the brim, not only with wet carpet and drywall but also with every manner of broken and useless stuff. It was cathartic and I was hooked on the branch of Stuffology known as de-cluttering. You would have thought that the cubic yards of items we put in that dumpster would have made a significant difference. NO!

I opened closets and looked with new eyes. One-by-one I emptied closets and rearranged taking carloads full to the Goodwill Store. I soon became their new best friend. Still, the sheer volume of stuff didn't seem to be affected. Suddenly it occurred to me that something wierd was happening. I think I've got it figured out.

IT BREEDS AT NIGHT WHEN I'M NOT LOOKING!

I'm totally serious. This stuff is breeding. How do I know? Here's the latest pile to be delivered to the Goodwill.



When I went to bed last night there were bags of books and a stuffed yellow Duckie. But when I woke up this morning there was one more item - a book on how to make stuffed yellow Duckies.

I rest my case.

I don't need a sporty little sedan, I need to convince the Farmer to get me a big pick-up truck. With more carrying capacity I can possibly get ahead of this breeding colony. Get it out of here quick, before it breeds, that's my new mantra.

I did grant a reprieve to one of the books because I thought one of my readers would be interested in it. I know alot of you say that you don't sew. This is perfect for you. It's called "Sew No More Holiday Decor". That's not just Christmas either, the projects cover all the major holidays.



So, must leave me a comment letting me know you're interested. I'll pull a name on Monday.

Wish me luck. I'm setting up motion detector cameras this evening to try and catch this stuff in the act!!

Where the Pavement Ends

Not far from here the pavement ends and in it's place a gravel road stretches off into the distance.

It's a dusty drive in the summer and trecherous in the winter. In the spring when the ground begins to warm it's transformed into a dangerous slippery clay that will literally suck in a vehicle up to the axles. Cell phones are simply a required piece of equipment especially in sub-zero temperatures.

All the roads in our small village are paved but it is also our responsibility to maintain those 7 miles of roadway and that's a struggle. The village patches as best we can but have never had the type of money required to repave. Unlike the big towns we only have two businesses and only one generates sales tax revenue. A week ago that gas station and minimart shuttered it's doors and we're back at square one.

Given the option of having strip malls within our village limits or struggling with our budget, I'd venture a guess that most residents would choose the struggle.

Living in the country isn't for everyone. And technically we are very close to large population areas, but we still maintain a very low, rural profile.

Daniel Boone said, "When you can see the smoke from your neighbors chimney, it's time to move."

My question for you is, do you live in the country? Do you long to live in the country? What do you think it would bring to your life? I'm curious as to what people are looking for in their lives that draws them to idea of living in the countryside.

Gingerbread News - The Good and the Bad

The bad news is that there will be no gingerbread house contest this year. I was beginning to get a little panicky because the contest is normally held the first weekend in December and I needed to get moving on my design. The creative juices were flowing but nothing had jelled mentally.

Chef Alain Roby and his wife Esther have hosted the event for the past two years. This year Chef Roby has previous commitments. This is very understandable since he is a world class pastry chef who has been inducted into the Pastry Art & Design's Hall of Fame. You might have seen him on TV because he's appeared on the Food Network Challenge and made the Guinness Book of World Records by constructing the world's largest chocolate sculpture.



Hopefully Alain and Esther will take a breather and be back next year.

The good news is that everyone seems enthusiastic about a gingerbread house tutorial. I'll be putting it together in the next two weeks and I'll give you plenty of notice so that you'll be sure to clear your social calendar and join me. Believe me when I say that producing a gingerbread house for the competition is very stressful but now we can just have some fun together and not worry about winning!

I thought you might like a look at the house I made for the first competition.



I really loved this little house and I had lots of fun with all the details including the dog house and little puppy prints in the snow. I was nearing completion of the house when I stood back and said, "It's just missing something......a picket fence!!" I proceeded to stay up until 3 o'clock in the morning cutting and baking hundreds of pickets and fence posts.



So, get your aprons laundered because in a couple of weeks we're going to do gingerbread!

Tradition and Celebration

I simply love traditions. It's not a tradition to frost your own birthday cake but that's exactly what the *Farmer's Daughter* did. Look at how fast her hand was moving.



A birthday celebration shortly before Thanksgiving is a good excuse to have a practice run creating a tablescape.



That's the Other Mother's dining room furniture. It's not my taste but it's precious to her. The dinnerware is a brown English Royal Staffordshire called "Stratford Stage". The entire set of service for eight was under $20 at my local Goodwill Store. I was surprised that my family all commented on these dishes. Perhaps they were just astonished to have something other than my plain old white. These just seemed so perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.

I also took the opportunity to begin placing decorations for Christmas. In this case I've draped the dining room chandelier with a pewter colored fabric. Clear crystals of different shapes will be suspended from the arms.

As the holiday approach I'll pass along some of my decorating ideas. Baking Christmas cookies is a big tradition, and so is entering the local Gingerbread House Contest. Here's our 3rd prize winning entry from last year:


The Nightmare Before Christmas Gingerbread Haunted Mansion

A close up:



Would you like to see a gingerbread house tutorial in the near future?

I'd love to hear about your holiday traditions. Anything unusual?

The Veteran

1948 -
Somewhere on the road south to the Florida panhandle.

Many who served in World War II were simple farm boys who'd never traveled more than 10 miles from home. My father had left the farm to live with friends in the city, allowing him to finish high school. Some of the soldiers and sailors had never owned a pair of proper shoes until their military service.

My dad was on ship in the Sea of Japan for the signing of the peace treaty a piece of history to which he will always be linked, even if it is only - "I was there."

The young men returned home after experiences (good and bad) that stagger the mind. My uncle returned to the peanut and cotton farm where he still lives. My dad returned to the city and started a family. They saved money to buy one of those small ranch houses built by the thousands for the returning veterans.

Plans were put on hold for awhile as he was called back into the Navy to serve in the Korean War. I never once heard my parents complain their lives interrupted. It was service to your country... a tithe for all the freedoms we enjoy.

I offer my greatest respect for my dad the veteran. He never had a high powered career or made a million dollars. He gave us so much more - a pattern on how to live your life - honesty, hard work, and charity - giving of yourself and your resources to help those less fortunate.

For a country boy, you "done good".

(Note: This is republished from my photoblog "The Farmer's Wife")

The Frost is on the Pumpkin

The frost is on the pumpkin and that's as good a reason as any to sleep late. Someone recently mentioned the habit of talking about the weather. It's an artform in these parts. The farmers would gather at a local cafe early in the morning for eggs and bacon, coffee and conversation. The weather is always a top subject because their livelihood depends upon the weather.



Every square inch, every nook and cranny in a field is planted in the spring. The weather determines the outcome. A hailstorm can decimate the fields and a drought can do likewise.

Discussing the weather cannot affect the outcome but that never stops the chatter.

This area is undergoing an influx of development. The farmer's meeting places have disappeared. Many of the older farmers are refugees from the development push back in the 1970's. They sold their farmland in Schaumburg and moved out here. The concrete and asphalt steadily pushed west and has caught up with them again. They're older and a second migration west is out of the question. Many are so connected to their land that they refuse to leave, leasing out the acreage to younger farmers. They sit in their farmhouses and watch the sunrise over the fields as they have done their entire lives.

One of the fourth generation farmers lost his father several years ago. It was his father's wish to be cremated and have his ashes spread across his beloved fields. His children could not bring themselves to honor his wish. They knew that 20 years down the road his fields will be covered with tract homes.



Large homes! Less money! That's the chant that pelts you from roadside signs. The real estate and mortgage mess will slow the development for awhile and then it will begin rolling over the countryside once again.

Someone said to me that I shouldn't be so negative about the advance of urban sprawl. That person has never stood at the edge of a field of Illinois topsoil and watched as a farmer plowed under the field at the end of the growing season. The warm moist soil hidden just underneath the surface releases steam as it hits the cold air. The scene is magical and you realize the life giving powers the earth contains. Once scraped away and replaced with strip malls, it can never be recaptured.

I would declare Illinois topsoil a national treasure......no, a world treasure, and protect every stinking clod of earth!