Thrift Stores Aren't What They Used to Be

I was really looking forward to today.   My husband was going to Fond du lac to get our car serviced.  I knew that city had a huge St. Vincent du Paul store,  and I had been there briefly a couple of times.

 
I decided that I would ride along and be dropped off at the thrift store.  I pictured myself grabbing one of those old grocery carts and taking my time, looking at everything.  My husband would come back and pick me up when he was finished at the car dealership.  Everything went as planned.  I got dad his breakfast early, I filled a thermos full of coffee for him and set out some cookies to tied him over until we got home.  I would feel really terrible if he starved while I was roaming around in a thrift store.  We traveled to Fond du lac and I hopped out of the car.  I told him not to hurry back, I would be fine.  I grabbed the cart and began looking for all those treasures.  I started out in the clothing section, then purses, shoes, housewares... NOTHING.  I looked at furniture and books and found nothing.  All I saw was Junk.  Either the word is out that you can find really good stuff at thrift stores or people aren't donating things anymore.  In the past I have found Dale of Norway sweaters, Coach purses, Kurig coffee makers and tons of other interesting items.  I thought my husband would never return.  I think the check out lady thought I was stalking her because I made the circuit around the store so many times.  I finally settled on one thing, a little piece of Mexican pottery.   I knew it was Mexican because it said MEXICO on the bottom  unless someone wrote it in permanent marker.  I do collect that type of pottery and it was only $1.  I couldn't go home completely empty handed.

If Valentine's Day means Love, Then Everyday Should be Valentine's Day

Today is Valentines Day.  I suppose I should write something about it.  I really don't want to, I think it is ridiculous and created for commercial purposes.  It makes single people feel bad and it puts unnecessary pressure on people in relationships.  So this is going to be a short post.  I believe that a person should show love to those they care about everyday of the year, not just February 14.

I would much prefer to be treated with love and respect everyday.  I would prefer to have the kitchen cleaned up instead of some flowers that die in a couple days.  I know, some people love Valentine's Day, but it's just another day to me.

My Dad is a Hero

 
Yesterday we had a wonderful day.  My dad is 88 years old and he lives with us now.  We are so fortunate that he has a great memory.  He reminds me of things I have forgotten and thinks of things I hadn't considered.  During the election he explained all about China and treasury bonds and has a lot of knowledge to share, but only when asked.  A few weeks ago he was asked to do an interview about his WW II service.  He was drafted when he was 18 years old and became a gunner in a B-24 in the South Pacific.  He flew 44 bombing missions.  He agreed to the interview and yesterday we traveled to the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) offices in Oshkosh Wisconsin.  They showed him into a recording studio and for an hour and a half they recorded a conversation between him and the interviewer.  We left the room, so we don't know everything that was said but everyone involved said it went so well.  Throughout the evening he mentioned a few things he talked about so we can't wait to see it.  Since this is Dad's story, we will receive a copy of the raw footage to view.  Then later the taping will be edited and made into a CD which will be stored at the EAA and possibly the Library of Congress. 

Dad signing a release form

We know Dad mentioned his friend Marion Ray who later became a Prisoner of War.

This is the book that Marion wrote about his experience.

While Dad was doing the interview, we visited the Aviation museum.  It has many collections related to aviation and full sized aircraft of all kinds.  Here are just a few photos from the many I took.

For those of you who don't know about the EAA, it is an amazing place to visit.  Especially during AirVenture celebration starting July 29, 2013.  Information on this is at airventure.org

Here is some information about the EAA and what it does?  They have a lot more information on their website http://www.eaa.org 

EAA is a growing and diverse organization of members with a wide range of aviation interests and backgrounds. EAA was founded in 1953 by a group of individuals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who were interested in building their own airplanes. Through the decades, the organization expanded its mission to include antiques, classics, warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultralights, helicopters, and contemporary manufactured aircraft.

How does one describe an EAA member? Well, how does one describe the feeling of taking off into a stiff headwind? The answer: If you don't know, you'll just have to join us to find out. EAA members are what we like to call the "keepers of the flame." Sure, we love airplanes. We fly them. We fix them. We even build them. But it goes beyond that. It's about passion, camaraderie, that ol' can-do spirit, and a grassroots way of sharing our love of aviation with others. Whatever it takes to stand in the footsteps of Orville and Wilbur ... if only for a moment.

EAA enables you to share the spirit of aviation with the most passionate community of recreational pilots, builders, and restorers.

EAA is the only association that offers the fun and camaraderie of sharing your passion for participating in the flying, building, and restoring of recreational aircraft with the most passionate community of aviation enthusiasts.


 

Stuffed Pepper Soup and Croutons

We had a really busy day and got home so late, I didn't cook.  We stopped to eat on our way home.  I will write tomorrow what we did today.  It was very exciting.

As you know, I make a lot of soup.  At least twice a week, I make a whole kettle of soup for my dad.  I like to make different varieties.   A few days ago I made Stuffed Pepper Soup, so that will have to be my Tuesday recipe.  It is very quick and easy.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2 pounds of Ground Beef

1-2 quarts Water (I started with 1 quart and added more liquid for desired thickness)

2 teaspoons Beef Bouillon granules  (or you can use beef broth instead of water and leave out the bouillon)

1 can (28 oz.) Tomato Sauce

1 can (28 oz.) Diced Tomatoes, undrained

2 cups cooked Rice

2 cups Green Peppers, diced

2 cups Carrots, diced

1 small Onion, diced

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Brown the ground beef until it isn't pink and drain off the grease.

Stir everything else together in a Dutch Oven and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Or use the Pressure Cooker.  Brown the meat, add the other ingredients and pressure for 10 min.  Either way you get the same results.  If the soup is too thick, it can be watered down to a proper thickness.

Homemade Croutons

1 loaf of day old French bread, cubed

1/2 cup melted butter

2 teaspoons garlic powder

You can add other flavorings as you like.  The recipe also calls for Italian seasoning, parsley, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, but I leave all of that out.  We just like them plain, but it depends on what you use them for. 

Just preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss well.  Spread out in a single layer on a jelly roll pan.  

Bake 12-25 minutes until golden brown. They easily burn, so watch carefully the last few minutes.  The time depends on the amount of bread cubes used.

Rag Rugs

Ever since I can remember I have crocheted rag rugs.  Our great grandparents made them and probably many generations before that.  Nothing went to waste.  If a piece of clothing was ripped and stained past the point of wearing, it was ripped into strips and later crocheted into rugs or other useful items.  I don't do it as much as I used to because it takes some hand strength and the larger rugs get heavy to work on.  Every once and a while, for a change of pace, I make one.  I have also knit the strips, I have braided the strips but I like crocheting them better.

The first thing you do when you want to make a rug is to choose the fabric.  Old sheets work beautifully because the strips are long and require less stitching together.  Some people just connect the strips by slitting the fabric and slip knotting the next piece.  I think sewing the strips together makes for a smoother transition and a less lumpy rug.  Just take the fabric and rip strips two to two and a half inches wide.  It doesn't matter if the edges are raggedy, you will fold in the raw edges when they are crocheted.  When you have a big pile of strips, it is time to sew the strips together.  Put the right sides together and sew.  This is the time to choose how the colors transition or just stitch together all the same color and when you want to change colors just sew on a new bundle.  We are lucky that we have sewing machines to make this process easy and quick.  It takes an amazing amount of fabric to make even a small rug, so using old sheets or fabric remnants is a better way.   Garage sales are a perfect place to pick up fabric remnants and interesting colored sheets.

Here is the basic pattern for a rug.  I got this off a free website and I hope it is accurate.  I don't use a pattern but just space out the increases so it lies flat.  I use a size Q crochet hook.

How To Crochet A Basic Oval Shape
and Oval Rag Rug Pattern

Basic Instructions for Crocheting an Oval Shape
Starting chain: Chain 22.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in back loop only of next 20 ch; 3 sc in last ch, turn sideways and continue along other side of the foundation ch, sc in remaining loop of ea of next 20 ch, 2 sc in first ch of this rnd, sl st to first sc. Turn.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same place as sl st, 2 sc in ea of next 2 sc, sc in ea of next 20 sc, 2 sc in ea of next 3 sc, sc in ea of next 20 sc, join with a sl st to first ch. Turn.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, 1 sc in same place as sl st, sc in ea of next 21 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc) 3 times, sc in ea of next 20 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc) twice, join with sl st to first ch. Turn.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, 1 sc in same place as sl st, sc in ea of next 2 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc) twice, sc in ea of next 20 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc) 3 times, 1 sc in ea of next 20 sc, join with sl st to first ch. Turn.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, 1 sc in same place as sl st, sc in ea of next 21 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc) 3 times, sc in ea of next 21 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc) twice, join with sl st to first ch. Turn.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, 1 sc in same place as sl st, sc in ea of next 4 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc) twice, sc in ea of next 20 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc) 3 times, 1 sc in ea of next 19 sc, join with sl st to first ch. Turn.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, 1 sc in same place as sl st, sc in ea of next 22 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc) 3 times, sc in ea of next 21 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc) twice, join with sl st to first ch. Turn.
Remaining Rnds: Continue in this manner, increasing 3 stitches around the curve on each round by placing one more stitch between each increase on each additional round (6 increases total per round).
For size rug you want: Keep adding rounds until you have the width and length you desire.
Your increases don't have to be all in the same area; the important thing is to end up with 3 increases around each curve.

With left over strips I crocheted around this basket to dress it up a little.

This next rug was made from old bluejeans.  I saved old jeans for a long time and then one day I just cut strips.  For this rug I didn't sew the strips together, I did the slip stitch method.  I wouldn't recommend this because this is the only rug that didn't hold up through repeated washings.  The slip stitch connections failed in a few places and produced holes.  I probably won't use jeans again.  The fabric is too coarse and it ravels easily.  It looked pretty though.

Sturgeon Spearing

For anyone familiar with Lake Winnebago and it's connecting rivers in Wisconsin, this weekend is a big deal.  I had no idea what a family tradition it was or how important it is to many people in the area.  This weekend begins the start of Sturgeon spearing season.  Sturgeons are carefully managed and can only be speared during this short season.  Because of the strict regulations there are now more Lake Sturgeon in the Winnebago System than anywhere else in the world.  They are Wisconsin’s largest and longest living fish species.   They are a prehistoric species, with fossil records dating back 150 million years. 

The Menominee people relied on the sturgeon for food and medicine.  Their spiritual and cultural connection to the sturgeon was so great that a special dance is performed for the sturgeon called the "fish dance." The Menominee Indian culture still has a sturgeon ceremony and feast in the spring.  

Before opening day, cars and trucks pulling ice shanties drive out on the ice to choose the perfect spot.  They choose a spot that has good water clarity and a predetermined depth depending on the weather.  Then they cut a large hole in the ice.  This year the ice is a little unstable and I wouldn't want to drive my car out on it.  Then early on opening day morning, they sit and watch for a fish to swim by and they spear them.  Some of the record breaking fish weigh over 200 hundred pounds.  I can't imagine it myself, but generation after generation of families have this as a tradition.  Over 12,000 spearing licenses were sold for the 2013 season.  The season lasts for a 16 days or until a specified number of sturgeon are speared.

Sometimes the sturgeon travel down the rivers that connect the Winnebago riverways to spawn.  This usually happens in early spring after the ice has melted.  We see them in the Fox River in Princeton where we live.  My daughter has seen them in the Fox River near their pier and took these photos.  It is illegal to remove them from the water or catch them at any other time of year. 

For some more information from the Wisconsin DNR
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/features/feature.asp?id=9&article=1
 

Planned Obsolescence

A few weeks ago I spoke of how I was not having good luck with some of the things I use everyday.  The first thing was my camera.  I use it almost everyday and suddenly the LCD screen was not lighting up and it was draining the battery.  I contacted Canon and they told me that it needed service.  They told me where to send it and I must say, I was very impressed with their service.  Eight days from mailing the camera in, I received it back and was not charged anything.

The next major thing to break was our microwave. We were not so lucky with this.   The microwave was less than two years old.  We had remodeled our kitchen and put in all new appliances.  So we called in a repairman because it was the over the stove type with the fan and light and couldn't be easily removed.   He came in and told us that it was a defective magnetron and that he could fix it, but the cost would be more than a new unit.  We said we would get back to him.  A couple days after he left, I wanted to use the light and the timer so I plugged it in again.  The microwave worked.  I thought that the repair person was feeding us a line of baloney.  Five days later it stopped working again.  We checked and the warranty had expired.  So we went shopping and purchased a brand new microwave.  Now we have to put it in and dispose of the old one, which won't be an easy task.

The point of this blog is everything you buy these days has "planned obsolescence".  How many of us have old cell phones, cordless phones, answering machines, computers, microwaves and tons of other stuff?  What do you do with all of it?  You can't just throw it in the landfill.

I remember when I was young.  We had the same refrigerator for most of my young life.  It survived many moves on open trailers in the ice and snow.  It probably is still running somewhere.  Things were meant to last.

Easy Storage Container

Yesterday I wrote about how to make wool dryer balls to soften clothing in the dryer.  I mentioned that I have a big stash of yarn from leftover projects.  I usually buy too much yarn for a project and what is left I store for some small project that I may want to make.  When my granddaughter wants to make a scarf or some mittens, we just look through the stash for a suitable color and type of yarn.  I could just hear some of you say "but you need space to store all that yarn".  Here is my solution.  I bought a big plastic garbage can.  We cut a circle out of particle board or heavy cardboard would also work.  I imagine you could use a square also.

Next you store what ever you want in the garbage can.  It could be yarn, fabric, extra pillows or bedding, books or anything you want to hide when company comes.

The next thing is to find a tablecloth the proper size.  I couldn't find one, so I measured from the center of the board to the floor.  I took that measurement and cut a circle from an old bed sheet. 

Lay a proper sized sheet flat on the floor. Tie a fabric marker to a piece of string the length needed. Pin the other end of the string in the center of the sheet.   Hold the string taught while drawing a circle with the marker.  Cut out the circle.  Then finish the edges of the circle by zigzag stitching, serging or just a pinking shears. 

At this point I just cover the garbage can with the tablecloth.  It looked a little plain so I had an old antique tapestry that I put on top of that.  You could probably be more creative than I, but it holds (or hides) a lot of treasures.

And then finish it off with a lamp or some decoration. 

Wool Dryer Balls

As you know, I am always on the hunt for a way to accomplish household tasks and save money at the same time.  Previously I posted about a home made fabric softener that used inexpensive hair conditioner and white vinegar.  Then I just started using the white vinegar straight in the softener dispenser in the washer.  It worked great and I didn't need the conditioner which mostly added scent.  Now I am going one step further.  I made wool dryer balls.

They sell online for $20 or more for 6 balls.  Basically you throw them into the dryer with your wet clothes, they bounce around and soften the clothes.   Look up Woolzies and see what they are.

Here is my version with the process for making them.

The first thing I did was to check my yarn stash for some 100% wool yarn.  I found this.  Who knows how old it could be.  The label shows it's very old.  It was still in good shape though so I wound it into a ball about two inches in diameter.  I got two balls from this skein.  I found another and wound two more balls.  Then I found a tweed skein and wound two more.  I'm not sure about the color fastness of this yarn so I won't be using them with white clothes for now. 

Here are the six balls of wool yarn. 

 P.S.  I made the basket a few years ago.

Next I secured the yarn ends by pulling the end through the ball and put them one by one in the leg of a panty hose.  I tied the stocking between each ball.  Then I put them into the washing machine to felt.  Felting is the term to shrink the wool fibers with moisture and heat.  How many of us have put a wool sweater in the washing machine by mistake and shrunk it several sizes and matted the knitting.  You want to do that in this project.  After washing,  then put them into the dryer and completely dry.

When dry, untie the panty hose and take out the felted balls.  They should be matted balls and unable to unravel.  Don't use super wash wool because it won't felt.  As I said before, I probably won't test these out with white clothes because I'm not sure about fading.  That is probably why the purchased balls are white.  I will see how they work and let you know.  If you want a scent, put a few drops of essential oil on the dryer ball and the scent will be released in the dryer.

Towel Bars made out of a Willow Tree

The bathrooms in our house were in need of complete remodels when we purchased our house.  The upstairs bath was one of the first projects.  Luckily we happened on a hickory vanity and linen cabinet at a local lumber yard.  It looked rustic enough for the cabin.  It didn't come with a mirror so my husband bought hickory lumber and made a frame to match the cabinet and we installed the framed mirror over the vanity.

The project was almost done, but we needed towel bars.  Nothing we saw looked right so we got the bright idea of going down in the marsh and collecting some willow branches.  We thought it would give us a couple years of use and time to decide what we wanted.  That was ten years ago and they are still functioning just fine.  You never know what you can find in your own backyard.  They were hard to photograph, but you get the idea.

 

With the scraps that were left, we also made a shelf.

Willow branches are very flexible.  We bought two chairs from a local craftsman.  He used the same type of willow material as we used.  The best part is that Willows  grow very quickly so in a short time you would never know that we cut some branches for our towel bars.

Chicken Lasagna

Well, it's Tuesday and that means I post what I am having for dinner.  My husband likes lasagna and I often make the traditional fare, but he also likes the Chicken Lasagna that I make.  The recipe calls for ground chicken or turkey, but sometimes I just cook a couple chicken breasts and dice them.  It just depends what I have on hand.

These are the ingredients that you will need.

 

Chicken Lasagna

2 T. Olive Oil

1 lb. Ground Chicken (or Turkey)

1 Onion, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1/8 to 1 t. Cayenne pepper

2 (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes (Use the one with herbs if you like that taste)

1 small can of Tomato Sauce

¼ t. Salt

1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese

3 cups (12 oz.) shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Egg

½ lb. Lasagna Noodles

There is no need to boil the noodles for this lasagna. The noodles absorb moisture from the sauce as this dish bakes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray shallow pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in large skillet until hot. Add chicken and cook until browned with onion,  garlic and cayenne pepper. Stir well and add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

While the sauce is simmering, stir together ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and the egg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato mixture in the bottom of the pan, then place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon one-half of the remaining tomato mixture over cheese. Repeat layering placing the lasagna noodles in the opposite directions with each layer, ending with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake 30-35 minutes until sauce is bubbling. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Adventure Bound

We are almost finished with the bedroom remodel that I spoke of in a previous blog (Getting Through the Winter).  I will post finished photos of that later.  While deciding what items should be returned to the room and which items should be discarded, I came across my favorite school book.  In seventh grade we had an English book called Adventure Bound.  Way back then, when I was in school, we had to memorize poems and stand up in front of the class to recite them.  I still remember so many of them to this day.  I don't remember the teachers name, but I remember the poems.  Many years ago I found a copy somewhere and felt the need to buy it.  I think I will keep it.   The Fly Lady probably wouldn't approve (http://www.flylady.net/).

There was The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Under the spreading chestnut tree, The village smithy stands.
The smith a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hand.
And the muscles of his brawny arms, Are strong as iron bands.

Or The Barefoot Boy by John Greenleaf Whittier

Blessings on thee, little man
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan.
With thy turned up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes.

I memorized Hiawatha's Childhood and Nancy Hanks.  Who would have thought that all these years later, I still remember most of them.

There were stories too.  Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling as well as science stories, interesting people like Henry Ford, sports and animals.  I realize that much of my trivia knowledge came out of this book.  I wonder what twelve year old kids of today will remember when they are sixty five.  I bet they will never take a trip to the past in a school book.

Great Horned Owl

 

This is Autumn a Great Horned Owl living at the

Feather Wildlife Rehabilitation Center  in New London, Wisconsin

http://www.thefeather.org is the website for the rehabilitation center in New London.

Everyone is fascinated with owls.  Some think they are wise, some think they are spooky and I think they are beautiful.  This year we plan to put up an owl house to attract them, and perhaps they will raise a family in one of our trees.  We have plans and have one nearly done, however putting it up will have to wait until the snow melts a little.  The houses are supposed to be installed by February 1, but that is impossible this year with trees full of snow and the ice.  We will get it up when we can and hopefully at some point have a family of owls move in.

 The tall trees are still full of snow.

I will have to watch the webcam to keep track of the progress of Ms Harvey, a Great Horned Owl.
She laid her first egg of 2013 on January 30th.

Here is Ms Harvey's story from the website.

"Ms Harvey, the great horned owl, came to the Feather Wildlife Rehabilitation center in May 1997 as a bird taken in illegal activity.   She was raised by humans and we did not think she would make a release when she was able to fly.  But she proved us wrong and flew and killed and was released in fall of 1997. She wears a US Fish and Wildlife band on her right leg, #599-10043.
She continued to stay in the area of where she was released and showed up on occasion.  We  put food out for her so she would stay here to get a good start.   That was the start of our “perk” with a great horned female owl.
  Starting in 2003 she started to lay eggs on top on another owl cage and they rolled off.  So we put up a bushel basket and she took it for her nest in 2004 and brought off one baby owl.
  Now the male she chose does not incubate the eggs when she gets off the nest to eat, etc.  So there are many years when the eggs freeze.   But each year we get young great horned owls that we can not put back in the nest, so until they can fly we put them in with our surrogate great horned. When the time is right we put them in the air by the nest and Ms Harvey takes over from there. 
  In 2009 she raised two young to about 2 weeks and both of them were predated, possibly by raccoons.  In 2010 she had a late hatch and brought off two young.  Each year has a story to tell about the nest and the activity. In 2011 she again lost the first clutch and re nested two weeks later and brought off one chick.   We gave her two more young  owls to raise. One of them is still here food begging.
We have been blessed to have this bird in our lives and now wish to share it with all of you on the internet.  So many good things are happening all around us if we just pay attention. "

This webcam is from New London Wisconsin with live video of the mama Ms Harvey sitting on the egg.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/9305380

We attended a presentation from the people of the rehab center.  Here are a few more breeds of owls that they brought along to show.  If anyone has the opportunity to see this, it is wonderful.

 Marsh or Burrowing Owl
We had this type of Owl in one of our trees this winter.
I saw him catch a mouse and eat it so I hope he stays around.

I didn't get a good photo.  This is the best I could do.

 Saw-whet Owl

  Screech Owl

Barred Owl