Living Estate Sale for Mel & Noreen Podolske

For those who live close here is the Craigslist ad:

 https://wausau.craigslist.org/gms/d/living-estate-sale-mel-noreen/6682802665.html

Mel and Noreen are my friend Ann's parents.  I'm helping them sell what they have left now that they moved into an elderly living complex.  Mel was the industrial arts teacher for decades in the D.C. Everest school district in Schofield.

Anyway, Lisa and I have worked several "estate" type sales this year...all of which have had weird weather!  From 22" of snow to 100 degrees of hot and humid.  This home is on an island and we have had severe weather and storms yesterday and now predicted for today....I surely hope it doesn't flood!

Do you remember HeeHaw?  "If it weren't for bad luck 'we'd' have no luck at all....gloom, despair and agony on me...."  That will be how we remember our 2018 sales.  

Lisa said something so funny...but, true...you all know we've been doing things like this for over 25 years, right?!?  I don't know why people don't know this...it's our plight I guess!  Anyway, she said "we finally have some great sales and now this stuff" Ya, our luck!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Motivational Monday - Hold'em or Fold'em

"You've got to know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away, know when to run....."

O.k. now try to get that song out of your head....thanks Kenny Rogers.  

I used a deck of cards analogy just yesterday talking with Justine about something that happened to me on Friday.  This song came to mind this morning for my Motivational Monday post.  It's not the post I was working on in my head, I'll save that one for another day.....sometimes life throws you another post.  

I was talking with Al the other night and I came to the conclusion that I'm am and I always have been the "cheerleader."  Oh, I never was a real cheerleader....I was too chubby.  Anyway, looking back, I have always been the one cheering others on, patting them on the back and sticking up for the underdog.  

Did I ever tell you about my experience at Auctioneering School?   First off, it was a week away from Al and my girls, in another state, I drove to, by myself and attended with 40 other people I never met.   As the days went on and we practiced our "calling" I was the one and I mean ONLY one to start to clap for the others even when they sucked and trust me they did!  After I started, the rest of the class joined in.  

Every time, I mean EVERY time it was my turn - no one....not one clap.....are you kidding me.  I finally said....(and by the way, don't give me a microphone...LOL) "hey, I clapped for you guys and some of you really suck!"  It was not till that moment several days into the week....that they finally clapped!  Do you know how hard it is to do something your not the best at and not receive any encouragement or affirmation - well, let me tell you, it was tough!  The lack of it made me, force them, to do so.  I went from cheerleader to judge and jury.  And that right there my friends is me!

After a bit of self reflection, I have come to the conclusion that I must embrace my "specialness,"  I have an unique placement on the "spectrum" somewhere between manic and depressive, in the middle of OCD, skirting around Asperger's  and shake in a bit of "I need to tell the truth" and "you need to hear it" right there....that's it....you have me.  Don't get me wrong, when I was a kid, lack of diagnosis and understanding all this was the norm.  Thank God it was!  

You can try to deny, but all of us - we ALL are on the spectrum!  I'm not trying to deligitimize diagnosed syndromes, these are real and for some real hard to live with.  I am, however, trying to state that we need to learn to work with it - the special gift God created us with.  

Somehow, this post did lead into the one I was working in my head - I love that!  I admire Temple Grandin - she spells it out so well here in this video: 
 https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds#t-154694
I will have more on that in future posts.  

Ok, after saying all that, where does the hold'em and fold'em come to play...who holds what cards....and why the analogy?  

I use it to Motivate us to know ourselves, when we are gonna blow, when we are gonna cry, when we are gonna (yes I'm saying gonna....cuz... I'ma gonna try to explain this) when we are to walk away and when we are to run.  Guess what?  We can decided - yep, it's up to us!  Make the right choice.  I've made lots of wrong ones in my life and then had to regret it later.  

The next time you are in a situation where you're gonna....(fill in the blank)....think on Kenny Rogers....look at your hand, know your cards, know yourself and make a choice.  Hold'em, fold'em, walk away or run....it's your choice....choose wisely my friend.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.    

Ringle Harvest Day was Featured in Wisconsin Central Times News

I am so excited to share that the Marathon County, Wisconsin Central Time News has an article "Tell me Something I Don't Know About....RINGLE that features the Ringle Harvest Day https://www.facebook.com/RingleHarvestDayFleaMarket/

Jessica (Laska) Meadows, grew up just down the road from our farm.  Her dad, had a wonderful pumpkin patch with those huge 100's pound pumpkins.  In fact, he even sold some of them at one of the first Ringle Harvest Days when it was held at our farm.  He has passed on now, however every time I see one of those pumpkins I think of him.  

In fact, I didn't even know all of the cool things about Ringle that she shares in her article.  I love the history.  Please go to the link and read it:
  https://wisconsincentraltimenews.com/2018/08/20/tell-me-something-i-dont-know-about-ringle/

Thank you Jessica for featuring the event and sharing such heartfelt words about our community.  We are so blessed to live here and you express that so beautifully.  

And as always, Blessings from Ringle, WI....oh and Jessica said this, which I truly love:  One thing is for sure . . .

Ringle may be a small town, but it’s a place filled with wonderful people who want to give back to their community and who hold a deep sense of pride and respect for our natural resources and environment.

I invite you to come visit Ringle and fall in love with its natural beauty and charm the way I did as a child — and then again as an adult!

Enjoying What You Do

My last 9-5, so to speak, was working for a law firm in Schofield, WI.  Pete Hittner was an attorney and partner in this firm.  I wrote a post about him before here:  http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/09/thanks-pete-hittner.html  

Pete and Trudy called me about a year or so ago when they first were downsizing.  I've been helping them by listing and selling some of their items.  Now that the house sold, we have been setting up a moving sale.  This is the Craigslist ad if you live in the area:  https://wausau.craigslist.org/gms/d/moving-sale/6676838552.html 

This post is about something Pete said to Trudy about me.  "You know, she jumps right in and gets the job done and enjoys it."  Trudy told me she said "yes, because she likes what she does."  This is all true!  Answering phones, paying bills, typing wills and such I HAD to do then, so I can do what I love now.  I even pulled that old quote on him as he took something upstairs...."now, if you can't use your head, you gotta use your feet" - oh, he laughed!

I actually think they are having fun too!  I know Pete did throw something away, that I retrieved and I said to Trudy "I might not have a college degree, but I surly know that's not garbage!"  She chuckled about this the rest of the day.  We've been having fun and I know it's helping her with the process of leaving a home she loved.  

Not everyone who gets the opportunity to work for their previous employer again.  It's nice for me to be able to do so as an older, wiser woman.  I am happy he can see my doing what I do and enjoying it.  


Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Experiential Lessons

My core, right and wrong, is credited to not only how I was raised, but by whom raised me.  All my mentoring goes to a biblical base - not denominational - rather experiential.  True too, is that my tutoring also included my mentor's as well.  

An example might be, while foraging in the woods, my dad might have said, "don't pick and eat that mushroom, it's poisonous." (I only wish I would have listened to those lessons - I would love to forage now).  My mom had funny little sayings, of which I won't repeat on here...LOL.  However, I've come to realize that those were from her mom.  My grandma Kincaid was only about 8 when her mom passed on and she became the "woman" of the home.  Baking bread, cooking and feeding her dad and brothers at a very young age, all while living on and in logging camps in Michigan and northern Wisconsin.  As a young girl, living with all those men, she had some "special" little tips for us girls...what not's to do....I'm sure from her life experiences.  I don't believe anything "bad" happened to her, but as an 8 year old trying to figure out how to handle things, these sayings are very true, but very child like.    

Whatever you were taught, is from the previous generation's life experiences - this is true!  I also know that my inherent nature is not to trust - I'll just say it - the government.  That is not only from my Scotch/Irish but, also Native American heritage.  Those were very experiential lessons for my ancestors!  Of which, play a role in how we become who we are.    


Where are you going with this Dicky Bird?  Who is this about?  I often get questioned - no, not true - I get LOTS of questions about what I post.  I don't have an ulterior motive in writing, trust me when I say, I'm not that smart!  I try to be encouraging with what I feel God laid upon my heart.  I'm thinking about this after a conversation I had with a young woman I know.  Understanding that not everyone comes from the same beginnings is important in helping, even mentoring them.  

For some, their experiential lessons were not good.  Maybe a family history of abuse, neglect or addiction.   Maybe living in poverty on a reservation or even in the projects.  Maybe not knowing or having a spiritual reference, a "savior" to call upon.  I'm sure many other examples come to mind, maybe even your own.   

I want to say, we can NOT change our past, however we CAN change our future.  It's up to you - it comes from within.  I would recommend reflecting on who you are and why you do the things you do.  I would be remiss if I didn't say to pray about it.  I had to learn a whole series of lessons I wrote about in several posts called, "Lessons in Turning it Over to Jesus."  I will share the links here, if you have time, some day, read them.  This is my experiential base, how I was able to "handle" my mother's stroke, dad's heart attack, daughter's cancer it's a reflection on how Jesus took me on a journey of "faith."  It's a lot to read now, but save this and come back to them.  Here they are:  

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-1-how-to-turn-it-over-to-jesus.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-2-learing-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-3-how-to-turn-it-over-to-jesus.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-4-how-to-turn-it-over-to-jesus.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-5-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-6-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-7-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-8-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-9-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-10-learning-to-turn-it-over-to.html

http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2013/01/lesson-11-learing-to-turn-it-over-to.html

Truthfully, I just reread them...I'm crying at how good Jesus is!  It just hit me, maybe this post was for me, I needed to be reminded of it.  However, if you do read them, I hope you can find something to glean.  You can take your experiential lessons, no matter how terrible they may have been and turn it into something that will help you not hurt you.   I'm here for you if you have anything you want to share or email me about.   

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Motivational Monday - Directions

At last week's Bible study, my sister, Lori shared a story about her experience with choosing her own route, rather than following what the GPS told her to do.  She looked at a paper map and found a short cut.  It really wasn't, rather it ended up turning into a "cow trail" in a swampy woods.  She crossed paths with ATVs - it was probably meant for them, not cars.  I'm sure you can see where her story was going in relationship to a Bible study.  Just to be clear, this post is not meant as a Bible study, rather an observation about directions.

That story, had my thinking about following directions.  I was that child who struggled, first with even reading and understanding the directions and second, sticking to the task as I'm too easily distracted.  I often times look for my own way to do something, make a task easier or even create a new plan.   How about you?  Do you read and follow all directions or do you veer off and try it your own way?   


   (from my trip to Peru, Machu Picchu, where I did stick to the path and follow it)

So, where am I going with this Motivational Monday post?  Follow directions?... not follow directions?  What are you try to say, Dicky Bird?

My sister said that the path she took, was scenic.  Things she wouldn't have experienced if she had followed the designated route.  However, her route took about 45 minutes longer than expected.   Both paths ended in the same place, via a different experience.  

I guess, that's my point.  Your choice, my choice - the path we took - may lead us both to the store, however not by the same experience.  I may choose the unpredictable cow trail while my best friend chooses the pavement.  Neither of us are wrong, rather we picked what was best for us.  Knowing your strengths and weaknesses are important when picking a path or sticking to a plan.   It would be easier for me and Al....most times....if I did stick to my plan and/or follow directions.  It can make more work for us when I don't.  However, our lives are full of wonderful experiences, we might not have had without my crazy "hair brained" ideals.  (smile).   

So, if you follow directions, line by line or not, I hope you enjoy the experience while doing it.  Life is full of choices, some we regret and others we cherish.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

The Race is On

This was adorable!  Piglets and piggies (toddler ones...LOL), are the cutest!  Anyway, on with my post....

So, if you haven't noticed, I've not blogged near as much lately as I usually do.  I've been busy.  I know...we all are busy...but, for real, I've been.  I don't even like to tell anyone what my plans are because I hear..."oh, you're so busy."  I even had one of my friends do something really fun and when I asked "hey, why didn't you ask me to come?"  She said, "well, you're so busy."  Well, I might be, but I can change my plans...I'm self-employed after all!

Anyway....on with my post...oh, I said that already...

Do you ever feel like your life is a race.  Get up, get ready, get your kids ready, go to school, work - the normal day.  Before you know it, it's Friday, then it's October then it's 2018!  Yes, time has no friends.  Life is a race.  

Unlike these little pigs, who by the way, I'm sure  have a bucket of treats in the trailer waiting for them, otherwise how would they get them to run like this....hahaha.  We don't have to compete with each other.  I can't help but think of Hebrews chapter 12:  "therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" 

We do have a great "cloud of witnesses," especially at a race.  We can get caught up in "every weight" and sin can "easily ensnare us."  Spectators love that!  The crowd might even cheer at your failures.  Yep, life is like that at times.  However, run your race, do what you are called to do and do it all with gusto!  Every little pig ran that race as fast as their little hocks could take them.  And that is what I plan to do, as fast as my, not so little hocks take me!  Do the best you can, because there is a treat waiting for you in the trailer.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Inga Witscher, Around the Farm Table at Ringle Harvest Day

If you live in Wisconsin, watch PBS then you know how popular Inga Witscher from Around the Farm Table is.  Bio on her is here:
 https://madison.com/entertainment/dining/new-tv-show-gathers-around-the-farm-table/article_87a82d34-aad8-5e0b-a376-8a0b5f9e1dbb.html


I met her last December, when we went to one of her presentations down in Prairie Du Sauk, WI.  My post about it:  
  http://dickybirdsnest.blogspot.com/2017/12/around-farm-table-cooking-demonstration.html


I invited her to attend the Ringle Harvest Day event that was started here at our farm and now takes over our whole little rural town:  https://www.facebook.com/RingleHarvestDayFleaMarket/.

We have over 120 vendor booths.  She will be doing a cooking demonstration and hopefully offer some of her wonderful garlic.  Her event at her farm is here:
  https://www.facebook.com/events/118289422230471/

The response has been amazing!  I'm not sure where everyone will sit, I have some thinking to do....there will be NO charge for attending the event.  We do suggest however that you bring a nonperishable food item for St. Florian and Homme Home food pantries.  You may also bring an item for the Marathon County Humane Society.  

Our theme for our next year is "Popplewood 4H Gives Back" 

So, "come and gather with us around" the 22nd annual Ringle Harvest Day, Saturday, October 13, 2018.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.