Laundry List

“A bear”

Those are the words that were whispered right into my ear this morning.

I had been sleeping nicely, all tucked into our warm nest but those two words immediately woke me up... as I suppose they should. My eyes popped open, and I was awake albeit a little confused. My brain was quickly working without me and while one part of my brain was trying to come all the way out of the fog of sleep, the other part was quickly trying to focus on where I should run… what I should do… listening for where exactly the bear was... trying to decide what my next course of action should be.

An explosion of neurons was/were battling it out in my head, adrenaline was starting to amp up and the two parts of my brain finally joined… my eyes focused and then I realized that it was not David who had whispered to me. He was still sleeping on the other side of the bed… facing the other direction. He had not moved. That did not help that whole adrenaline thing.

I still had not moved as I wanted to be sure of the direction I was going to move in when I needed to. I was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on, and who had whispered in my ear. In the darkness I could sense something was very, very close to me. I could feel it there in the darkness. It was only then that I realized that Cosmo was standing up right next to my head on the bed. Patiently watching me… ever so patient. Staring… waiting.


I have to tell you a little about Cosmo the Magnificent. He sleeps on the bed at my feet usually. When he gets too cold he either comes up to my side or David’s side and nudges us to lift the blanket so he can get underneath. If he does not nudge you (and frankly what is even worse than the nudging) is that he will stand right up next to your pillow and stare right into your face… barely half an inch away… close enough to feel the tickle of his whiskers… just smacking his lips. Believe me with those teeth and that breath you would wake up too. Forget about being woken just by the eerie feeling of someone staring at you.

Well, I looked at him in the moonlight and he just stood there.

“What did you say?” I asked… but he just looked back at me in the darkness … “hah!” he said inside his head, “like I will say it again while you are fully awake. Foolish woman. I will just let you think you are crazy… it is all part of my secret plan to take over the universe… now slave... lift the damn blanket for me so that I may climb underneath and get warm.”

I obeyed and he made a beeline to my toes and curled up and went back to sleep… leaving me still wondering about what I heard.

Deer Camp
Jerry's Deer Camp is nearly complete. We rode out the other day. I rode with David and Delta rode with Grandpa Jerry. (Cosmo the Magnificent stayed home by the fire planning complete domination of the world)


David helped Jerry put this thing together with many parts of our old cabin, and stuff Jerry has been collecting and had used at his old deer camp. Jerry has the propane hooked up, 3 bunks inside, a table, and a huge wood stove. He also has an older propane range (with oven!) hooked up for cooking, and a propane refrigerator outside on the porch, next to the water barrel. The siding is not on yet but it is wrapped and weather tight. They completed it just in time. The siding will come in spring.


The bathroom has also been redone or should I say re-dug... and looks quite accommodating.
Even though it might be chilly.


David's brother Keith and Keith's son Justin from Southern California, and their cousin Scott from Vermont were here for a visit and so as a "house warming"... or I should say "Camp warming "celebration we had a big dinner out there... 9 of us! We had venison steak, creamed corn, boiled red potatoes, pumpkin bread, apple pie and of course ice cream. It was very nice actually and plenty warm enough. In fact, the wood stove Jerry has in there could heat a place three times that big so it almost bakes you out... feels good to pop open the door once in awhile. The visitors did not stay long but while they were here they stayed out at camp... Jerry loved it! He is so proud of it. It was very nice for everyone actually.

De Colores

The color has left us...
after being so saturated with the fall colors this is a very big change.


Actually, I guess I would not say the colors have left... maybe just hibernating like the bear Cosmo was whispering about. The world here has gone from greens, yellows, and reds to blues, grays, white and black. When it is snowing and icy like this it is not so much the sky that is blue... because it is usually gray.. it is the trees, and the ice, and the snow that reflect blue.

It is a faint blue... very faint but it is definitely visible to the eye and to my camera.
Lots of blues and grays.

Actually, as I look out the window while trying to figure out how to describe it... I think I would add that there is a lot of lavender in the scenery as well... and in the early mornings if you are awake you are treated to a tinge of pink.

It sounds a little stark but I don't mind it at all. It has its own beauty really, a quietness... but it is deceiving and I know dang well to take it all very serious. Anywhere you go, if everything you see is brown and tan.... or if it is all white and grey... I think it is a good idea to be very careful. (the inner girl scout is coming out now... let me straighten my sash) The snow is beautiful and soft. It is light... like shredded cotton blowing around.. it almost appears to be dry... but the SECOND it gets on your bare skin it becomes wet and then you are in trouble if you do not get dry and warm right away. In contrast, the desert is saturated with tans, browns, and gold. Also very pretty, but just as dangerous.


The sand may be golden, glistening, and pretty and all... but if bare skin is exposed it is now the lack of moisture that will teach you how fragile you are.


Cooking

What we have been eating? (More people ask me than then one would think...) Click on the picture for the recipe and no.. I did not do the mint pesto thing... Mint belongs in gum, toothpaste, little red and white candies, and schnapps... not soup. I also did not add the fancy toasted coconut shreds on top but otherwise I followed the recipe very closely.

I have been making a lot of soups, stews, etc. It is a quick go to meal when it is cold outside and when you are wanting to save money like everyone is trying to do currently. That soup above is called Emerald Buddah Soup and I have made it before but I saved the recipe for our move here knowing it would come in handy. There is no meat in it and it is green (green as in color not green as in environmentally sound.) It also is a vegetarian soup and it does not need meat. A nice dark crusty warm bread would be great with it! However, if you must... chicken of course would be wonderful (imagine shredded chicken breast in this picture) but so would maybe a ground sweet pork sausage or something like that.

What I have been wanting to eat? (Besides avocados and fresh vegetables that is?):

Ahh.. it's like butta'!

And last but not least...
Musical Flashbacks

So we were driving to Iron River the other day... on a snowy icy dirt road and Dreams by Fleetwood Mac came on the radio.

I was singing along looking out the window at the forest passing by and

whoosh!!

No, that was not the sound of Stevie Nicks' gypsy duds flipping around while she dances...
(like my sister Brooke)

It was the sound of a full on musical flashback.

A flashback all the way to *gasp* 1977... Dreams had just come out... I remembered sitting on a bus singing the song looking out the window at the forest passing by on my way to science camp. I was in 6th grade. Yikes... that was 31 years ago... good grief. It rained the entire week at Science camp. We even were given plastic bags to wear over our coats to keep us from getting too wet. We participated in all the stuff that a good camp had to offer. We learned to make shelters, cook over a fire, act in goofy skits, how to lick banana slugs... it was great fun. When I checked out the science camp website.. not much has changed. What I don't think they told our parents is that they also showed us a film about baby harp seals.. and big burley fishermen literally beating the life out of them with clubs blood splattering everwhere while the babies and the mothers seals screamed. Not that I think that is ok but... Hey boys and girls... can you say... propaganda? I actually remember that week pretty well... there was a lot to remember... including apparently that Fleetwood Mac song.

Beer, Brats, Boobs, and the Bible

As I mentioned I went to Green Bay the other day for some training. While I was there I noted that Green Bay is a much smaller city that I always thought (a little over 100k people) and it seems to be currently revitalizing itself.

As I have just started traveling around, I find it so interesting in different states because of the different state cultures... California definitely has one and can even be broken down into distinct Northern and Southern California differences. During my brief stay in Wisconsin, I just started noticing a bit of a cultural clue that was especially obvious in Green Bay... they have a fondness for Beer, Brats, Boobs, and Bible. I am not sure if Wisconsin is considered bible belt country but it seemed like every other radio station had some kinda religious thing going on. I drove around a bit looking for the downtown area and wandered into Olde Town. Olde Town had several breweries and 'dancing halls'... 'gentleman clubs'... 'strip joints'... whatever you wanna call them. As I was driving I even saw a gal who fit the stereotype of a stripper walking down the street towards her car. She had on some whoppin' high heels, a mini skirt, the obligatory long blond hair (obligatory for both the Midwest and for strippers), a button down white shirt, and a fedora. I was wondering when the ZZ top music was going to start.

However, to defend Green Bay, this is not particular to Green Bay. When I crossed the Michigan border into Wisconsin I had to pass through a town called Spread Eagle. There is a golf course there, a couple of bars... in a row... some miscellaneous shops, and of course a nearby exotic dance club. As I drove through these areas I was desperately hitting scan on my radio over and over to try to get away from both the mild christian rock stations to the fiery... 'you are going to burn in hell for eternity if you do ____ (enter the appropriate sin here)' talk shows. It was all very interesting and by the way...

Oh I almost forgot... they are big on cheese too! I even saw a Cheese and Candy shop! I tried to get a picture of it but it was too blurry.

Just so you all know so I don't get any crazy comments about Wisconsin... from what I saw... Wisconsin is a beautiful, clean state. Green Green Green and the people were all very friendly.

Speaking of green, when I was not training I went to Green Bay's botanical gardens. I really enjoyed it, and I think when I am in different cities for an extended period I might start looking into going to more of these. There is a great one just outside of Fort Bragg, California that our family always enjoyed. When they are organized nicely and not too expensive these can be a fun relaxing detour. Some let you bring leashed dogs, others allow picnics... find out where your local one is and give it a try!

The Green Bay gardens cost $5 to enter, it was a sunny very warm day, and the gardens are organized very well. This post is going to be mostly pictures of the gardens I saw... I have to tell you that I started taking pictures before I even made it in the gate! Their parking lot and entrance had great displays! I will put little comments here and there... maybe. I also had an ulterior motive while I was there. I wanted to get more ideas for our yard and thought a similar climate botanical gardens would be just the spot. So without further ado....

Down the garden path we will go...

Check it out below... those ferny looking things in the background are not ferns.. they are rainbow swiss chard! Very edible (Like a spinach or beet green) and pretty too! They were planted in large swaths with flowers in between. This is a great idea... on a much smaller scale of course, unless you are REALLY into Rainbow Swiss Chard.

And then below look at this contrasting planting. It is petunias and an ornamental pepper! Look how dark those leaves are! It was a cool planting there was a large grouping of them interwoven to show off the contrast. One could have the same effect I bet with flowers and the darker purple basils.

I liked that grouping above because of all the different types of leaves you can see in the picture. Spiny ones, round ones, pointy ones and then there is the different colors.

These two below were part of the children's garden area. This small bridge led to a large playset. This picture unfortunately did not do it justice. The plantings were all whimsical and wild.

The second picture is a close up of the interior of a covered bridge... it was an arched bridge, actually nearly horseshoe shaped, and the wire frame itself had tendrils so in the winter when the winding plants died off it would still look natural and plant-like. Very nice.

and then in the center of the herb garden:

and then this... and I quote from the Green Bay Botanical Garden website:

Stumpf Belvedere - The Belvedere is an example of an early Grecian Gazebo. The stars, clouds, and moon cut into its roof capture the poetry of the view as much as the quote from Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Ellen Kort.

The Belvedere was so cool!
The light showed through the top and made glowing reflections on the inside of the dome.





The poem carved into the base wraps around the inside edge of the bench:

and then my favorite... the Vanderperren English Cottage Garden:

Then finally ... I left the garden, and I left training.

After 3 1/2 long days I headed home...

As quickly as I was rolling out of town, a storm was quickly rolling in. It was getting darker, and windier, and kinda wild looking. I am not quite sure what kind of storm it was because while trying to find a radio station that was not telling me how naughty I was, I only heard the end of the radio emergency beeping thing after hearing an announcer say...

"...if you are near shelter take cover" then beeep.. beeeeep... beeeeep..

and then the christians started singing and yelling again. I was like... "what?! what did that guy just say?! what was that?!" Once again I was frantically pushing the scan button to see if the emergency notice was going to be repeated on some other channel.

It wasn't.
Well, that's helpful.

You see, I am a newby to this Midwest storm thing so when I hear an emergency signal where someone is actually talking... and it is not just a test of the emergency broadcasting system... I always think about Dorothy and Toto...

I know I know... they were fortunate enough to be in Kansas. ;)
But you never know where a tornado might pop up...
they are kinda like ninjas that way.

So, I looked around real quick to make sure that storm did not have a tail growing...
(took a picture just to share)
then clicked my heels three times and wished for home.