Monday, June 25, 2012

Frog Pictures

I was walking the horses over to a different pasture when I spotted this frog.  I ran back to the house to get my camera - he was busy trying to hide from us...




Blessings from Wisconsin.
Photobucket

Concerts in the Clouds - Rib Mountain State Park

Rib Mountain State Park has an amphitheater where they host summer concerts - "Concerts in the Clouds."  This past Saturday night we saw The Canon Ball Band.  This was a blue grass style show.  It was free (with a state park sticker), the Marathon County Dairy Board had free ice cream cones too.  We had a lot of fun.


That is the city of Wausau, Wisconsin down there...

Little kids were dancing...I wanted to, but I'm too big (on the outside anyway). 


Anna sitting on a rock. 

My grandparents were from Kentucky and my grandpa Kincaid played this type of music (only it was old gospel songs) all the time.  I liked it.

The next concert is July 21 with Galynne Goodwill a blue/soul singer.  Can't wait.

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Strawberry - Jam and Sauce

 Strawberry & nectarine jam.  The nectarines were a seasonal sale item at the grocery store - they were cheap and delicious.


Strawberry sauce. 

Strawberry Nectarine Jam:

5 C diced/sliced fruit
1 pkg. surejell
1 Tbs. lemon juice
7 C sugar

Wash and prepare fruit.  I sliced the strawberries rather than mash them.  Put in a kettle add lemon juice and sure jell.  Bring to a rolling boil, dump in sugar, bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 1 min.  Put into clean jars.  Hot water bath for no more than 10 min. till lids are sealed.






I always spoon off the foam...you can eat it too...



I don't know why my mom did this...but, I do too.  When jars are still warm put on your counter upside down.  This moves the fruit chunks evenly too.

Strawberry Freezer Sauce:

sliced strawberries
1 pkg of jello
sugar to taste

Wash and cut up strawberries.  Add one package of jello, this keeps your sauce thicker and really red.  Add sugar to taste.  This is also one of my mom's ideas.  Once you do this freezer sauce this way, with the jello, you won't do it any other way.



Seal in bags.  It will be so good on a cold January evening.

Blessings from Wisconsin.



Growing Home


Laura Williams' Musings


Laura Williams' Musings

Find Your Ministry

Finding a ministry....what does that mean?  Why would I want a ministry?  Where do I start?  What could I do that would make an impact for Jesus?



For years, I have fulfilled my desire to "be used" by volunteering at school and through 4-H.  My ministry has been being the best mom I could be.  Now that my girls are young adults and my roles are changing...I've wanted to find a new ministry.

I really like what Faye at The Blessed Hearth http://theblessedhearth.blogspot.com/ does.  She has a Keepers of the Home ministry.  Taken right from scripture about the older women teaching the younger.   They meet and she shares with them "how to" do things that are really almost a lost art.  Cooking, canning, crafts and advice (from scripture) are all apart of the day.  They usually eat too and leave with a project.  Almost like a 4-H meeting for adults.  I wish she lived closer (she is in Canada) so I could go too.

I've been raised in a church with a "holiness standard."  If you want to hold a leadership position, you must adhere to this standard.  I'm not knocking it...every organization has a standard or code of ethics leaders must follow.  However, because I choose not to follow or fail in an outward display of this standard - I feel I can't be used there.

You know, God created each of us with strengths and weaknesses in our personality.  He created us with both so we can use both.  You might feel like you can't do something perfect and this is holding you back on being used....stop that!  No one is perfect and He wants to use us even with our imperfections. 

Find something you can do and enjoy doing and use that to glorify Him.  Share your faith in the process - this is really what a ministry is. 



I've been praying for a new way that I can be used.  For now, it is still 4-H and I enjoy it - but I desire more.  I want to find a way I can use my love of farm life, crafting and scripture together.  I would like to start a Keepers of Home type meeting here someday.  Thanks Faye for the inspiration!

Blessings from Wisconsin.

"Lazy Days or Dog Days of Summer"

So, this is officially the last week day of summer vacation for
Anna.  She was blessed with a fulltime job at the 4-H office as a summer vista.  She will help organize and run the summer clubs and activities.  She starts college in the fall with a major in recreational therapy.  This vista position will look great on her resume'.  Anyway, she went to Appleton yesterday with most of the senior class (only 10), was up late watching movies with them, up early doing the chores and now @9:30 a.m....taking a nap with Dolly.



Dolly LOVES Anna.
Blessings from Wisconsin.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Trail Ride - Justine and Jack

After all the boarding, training, lessons, shows, clinics, fair, saddles, tack, trailering, cleaning stalls....if you have a horse you know...it all comes down to the simple trail rides with your horse....I guess it was worth it.




Blessings from Wisconsin.

Popplewood 4-H Summer Adventure Sports Activity

This is the 3rd summer our club hosted an adventure sports activity.  We are blessed to have this wonderful facility available to us - thanks to a donation from Wittenberg Hunting Club.  We hold this at the Wittenberg School Forest on Hwy 45 just north of Birnamwood. 

We had 2 conservation teachers who came to teach us about archery (shooting sports) and trapping.  We split the kids into 3 groups and rotated.   Anna and I did craft projects.





The girls were pretty good...





Two of the boys here already trap.  I didn't know anything about trapping and I actually learned a lot. 





I had no idea how to set a trap...now I do.  Mr. Miller is the conservation teacher at D.C. Everest.  I asked him how much some pelts were worth.  He said that a gentlemen in the Pike Lake area, recently sold his muskrat pelts for an unheard of price (really high) of $12 per pelt.  He said the fur industry is strong in Russia and that they buy many pelts from Wisconsin...so thanks Russia!  This isn't a venue for nay sayers about the fur industry, please...the fact is that some critters are plentiful here, market is high and it is an extra way to make money.  I know one of the boys will sell his pelts and save for college.


Anna did a macrame' project and I did a faux agate pendant project.  I saw this faux agate idea on the Martha Stewart show.  Both projects fit in with our nature sports craft ideas.

To make the faux stone, you use Sculpy Clay.  Freeze a white and contrasting tan clay.  Grate the tan on the small side and the white on a large one. 


Once the 2 colors are mixed, roll the ball into a cylinder or tube shape.  Then you pick your other colors of the stone's interior.   Roll them out between 2 pieces of wax paper so that the clay will roll around the cylinder one time.  Do this as many times as you want layers.  End with a black or brown for the exterior side of the rock.



Once you have your layers, cut off a slab of the tube.  Roll this flat to about about 1/8" or so... don't forget to use a straw to make a hole for the pendant.   Bake in 275 oven for 15 - 20 minutes.  After they are cooled, spray with polyurethane to give it the polished look of a stone.




The day was fun and educational.  Which is what 4-H is all about. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.
Photobucket