Fields of Cotton

While driving through the panhandle of Texas, we noticed the fields and fields of white.  This isn't snow, that's what our fields and fields of white are.  It was cotton - I've never seen a cotton plant or raw cotton before.  So, I convinced Al to take the next exit so I could get a closer look.  It just happened that the truck ahead of us was doing the same and not only that....he was stopping in the field.  So, I jumped out and asked if I could take some pictures of his cotton.  He just nodded and then smiled as I told him we were from Wisconsin and I had never seen this before.  Did you know they bale cotton just like we do our round bales of hay?  I didn't!  He was telling us how they harvest it and that it was a "good" cotton harvest this year.  Texas is one of the top producing states.  Not just the cotton, but the seed and oil come from this very versatile plant.  Here are a few photos.

Did you know it is illegal to grow cotton in some states?  It isn't in Wisconsin - so, now Al and I want to give it a try.  You all know I love fiber...

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Cookie Of The Week 38 - Dicky Bird's Chunky Chocolate Chia

I made this recipe up - due to an "I don't know what I am craving" cookie...chocolate, peanut butter, raisin...I couldn't make up my mind, so I added them all together.  They turned out good - next time I might only put in 1 or 1 1/4 C flour.  I guess it would depend on how moist your coconut is or if you use creamy peanut butter.  

In a bowl combine

1 C old fashioned oats
1 C coconut
1/2 C chia seeds
1 C raisins
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 C cocoa
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon

Cream together

1 C shortening I used this: 

1 C chunky peanut butter
1 C sugar
add:  
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Combine the dry with the creamed mixture

I rolled them into 1 T size balls and baked for 13-14 min at 350.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

October - My Favorite Time of Year

I love October, crisp air, colorful trees, crunchy leaves, pumpkins and of course, the Ringle Harvest Day:  http://ringleharvestday.blogspot.com/

October is a busy month for me.  The Ringle Harvest Day started 21 years ago....21!...here at our farm.  At that first sale, I had a garage full of auction extra goodies.  My sister Lynn and my friend Lisa set up in the driveway and on my porch.  I remember I had this bear skin rug hanging on the porch - oh, how I wish I wouldn't have sold that...anyway...from that small beginning, it has grown into over 100 vendors.  We outgrew my yard and insurance coverage (smile), so we moved it to the "downtown" part of Ringle in 2005.  From that move on to this year we have grown.  I think the estimate for attendance last year was over 5,000.  I don't know, it's a free event and is supported by the whole community.  I do know it was a beautiful day and very busy.  We have had great days even in the snow...this is Wisconsin...it happens.  Pray that it doesn't this year, please.

For my "picker" blogging friends....this is a great place to shop!  We have a wide variety of vendors with a wide variety of stuff.  Come on out to Ringle, we are 12 miles east of Wausau, a bit over an hour west of Green Bay and we are just off Hwy 29.  

The event is always the 2nd Saturday in October - this year, October 14th.  We start at 9, but truthfully, there are shoppers with flashlights and wagons in the dark.  By 9 some of the die hard pickers have taken a load back to their trucks.  I don't even get to see what is there....but, that's O.K. I have my own booth that is usually getting picked ...thanks!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.    

What I'm Working on Wednesday

I have 1 - 2 shows a month until the end of the year in addition to my 2 booths.  I have been working on painting some furniture.  Last week, I was canning tomatoes and Shannon (my intern...) was washing, sanding and painting first coats on some furniture pieces.  It was hot and humid, so she was doing this at the kitchen table.  I turned from my 2 sinks, kettles and jars of tomatoes and said..."boy, I'm sure glad I am able to do what I have to do and you are doing what I have to do too...It's nice to have a 'Shannon.'"  She said, "I wish I had a Shannon too..."  We laughed!  She says she likes working here with me...even though I give her my least favorite jobs.  (wink)  I told my daughters "I'm sure going to miss having Shannon, I don't know if I can afford to keep her" (sounds like I'm talking about a puppy)...anyway, Anna messages me back..."well, just keep finding stuff she likes for trade!"  

With all that said, we worked on several pieces this past week.  I'm not sure what will go where yet, but these are only 2 of the pieces we worked on - they were both our favorites.  

The first table I bought from my old boss' wife, it was her grandmother's and needed some TLC.  The second one was from an estate buyout I did well over a year ago.  Both pieces were waiting for a new look.  I forgot to take the before pictures of each, I need to do that from now on!

Thanks for reading my blog.  I was so humbled by the kind words of a follower, actually, I don't have a large number of "follow along" people, but I must have many that do.   Anyway, while working that estate sale in Birnamwood, I had two ladies come up to me and tell me they like reading my blog posts.  It was nice to hear.  I've not been writing too much lately, but that made me want to keep going.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Product Review - Plantscape, Inc.

One of the "perks" of writing a blog is when you are asked to do a product review and receive FREE merchandise!  This post is about just that!  

Plantscape, Inc., http://www.plantscapeinc.com/ approached me to do a product review.  I generally use real plants, branches and boughs in my creations that I sell for my business.  However, sometimes it is not possible to do so.  Also, many of my customers consider the items they buy from me for their decorating as an investment.  They intend to buy, decorate for the season, save and reuse them again.  Artificial materials make that possible.    

Plantscape, Inc. at http://www.silkplantsdirect.com/ sent me a fall wreath.

Isn't it pretty!  

First, I was impressed with the packaging.  The wreath was wired into the box so that it didn't move around in shipping.

The wreath is well made, tightly secured to the back and I had no loss of material even when I shook it...I had to make sure it was well made.  The only loss of decoration I had was when I tried to hang it on the horse fence and fell against the posts because of the pumpkin vines as they wrapped around my feet.  I fell on it and broke off one of the berry bunches.  Which wasn't their fault...

I did a photo shoot around the farm to show many different ideas of how and where you could use this wreath.  It would also look beautiful on a table with a pumpkin or candle in the middle.

On my front door....

On my shop/studio.....

Around the junk that decorates the outhouse....

The other antiques around the farm.

I can honestly say, that I would rate this product a 10 out of 10.  Their use of quality materials, construction of the wreath and their packaging were top notch.  Thank you Plantscape, Inc. for the opportunity to serve you and inform my followers of your products and how they can order them too.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Some of the other views by bloggers:

http://www.thebraggingmommy.com/plantscape-inc-interior-landscape-review/

http://www.lifeandlinda.com/2017/03/interior-landscaping.html

http://lovelolablog.com/

Wordless Wednesday - September 20, 2017

What I'm working on.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Urban Farm Girl's Main Street Market, Rockford, IL - Fall 2017

I don't know what to say....can NOT say enough good things about this event....it's just amazing!

I always get asked, "why would you drive all the way down there to sell what you sell up here?"  The answer - for inspiration and rejuvenation.   Sometimes it's nice to go somewhere, where the customers don't know you.  I am always intrigued to see the customer's reaction or rather, reception of my goods and art.  

Many of you know that in Ringle, I'm the "go to gal" for our event, http://ringleharvestday.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/RingleHarvestDayFleaMarket/  keep in mind - I'm kinda a "one woman show."  Anyway, if anyone knows the amount of time and energy it takes to pull off an event of any size, it's me.  Mary, http://urbanfarmgirlandco.blogspot.com/ and https://urbanfarmgirl.com/ is amazing!  One of her volunteers told me that they sold out of wristbands (6,000) the crowd was HUGE!  

I left Ringle for Rockford with no single available spot in my van.  I even had a ladder over my head.  I came home with only 3 tubs, the rest were empty.  I could not believe how how much I sold!  I've been doing this for a L O N G time and this was almost as good as the "good old days" when we sold out!  

I didn't see any single thing I thought the customer's had in their bags or wagons that would be the "next big thing."  I do know what they bought from me - something I wasn't even going to take.  I wouldn't have even been able to get to it had I not had hired a "summer intern."  Shannon helped me organize my studio and I found tubs of stuff I forgot about.  Dried goods, the mini pumpkins were a HIT!  I had a huge jar full of them.  I found these cute little paper coffee bags (I bought from a rummage, they were extras, unopened from a coffee wedding favor) and it was $1 for a cup/scoop.  The crowd was honest in telling me..."I have 3 scoops or I have 1 scoop."  Like I said before, I'm going back to what I use to do.  What worked years ago, is now coming back.  

I took time to paint, I enjoyed it and the customers said "did you paint these?"  When I said yes, EVERY one of them said, "I love that you actually made them."  It's coming back around, original, hand-made things....too many of the same old is getting old!  Even my creepy art - dolls and parts in a jar - SOLD.  One young mother, shopping with her mother said, "why would someone put a baby in a jar?"  I piped up, "honey, when you are my age and your children are grown and gone, you will wish you could preserve your babies in a jar!"  Other women in the booth said "yes!" "she's right" "that is so true!"  One mother said, "or, keep them from becoming a teenager!" LOL

So, I sit here today, looking forward to...not dreading...my next event.  I have a few new ideas, gained insight into what to focus my energy on and feel I have a new grip on the "heart beat" of the market.  Thanks Main Street Market!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.