Farmhouse Friday - September 16-22, 2023

 Good Morning!  It's Friday - Farmhouse Friday

I've not posted many of these all summer....

So this week, I won tickets to Mother Earth New's Fair, in West Bend, WI.  I entered a giveaway with Wild One Homestead.  She has a you tube channel that I enjoy watching.  The link to that is in the blue link above.  

I was able to do the meet and greet with Dr. Pol.  We bought his book and he signed it.  

Thanks again Michelle!  I couldn't believe I actually ran into her waiting for food from the 4H booth.  

I finally got around to digging out my garlic.  It was a skimpy year...too dry.  I did buy 2 new varieties to plant this year.  On advice from an 102 year old client...."always plant garlic on Halloween."  So, I now do that in memory of her.  

I've been on a sourdough baking kick.  When I've been on track and tracking for any diet I've ever been on, I limit my breads.  I'm not going to do that anymore!  I am 57 and I enjoy bread, so I am going to eat the bread I like.  I will miss these tomatoes and fresh lunches like this one.  

We picked up a trailer load of smalls that we will be selling for an estate over the next couple of months.  We will do the in person, live sale, at the end of October.  We took all of this, because the sale will be outside and the garage is already full.  We will have 3 tents and a storage container too.  

The BEST part of this week, was the couple of days I spent down my my daughter, Anna.  I was able to play with Ezra!  He liked my walking stick, so we found him one.  

We had craft time!  Anna has sheep.  He liked the google eyes the best.  

It's that time again!  I can NOT believe I've been setting up this event for 27 years.  For the most part...I hate to even say...but, it's just me - doing it.  From collecting vendor fees, answering 100's of questions, marking booths, ordering toilets, dumpsters, making "nicey/nice" with residents, placing all ads, putting signs up to cleaning it all up after....Al helps with that part...it's really a lot of work.   I do this as a volunteer.  I had some issues early on this year with wording I did in a post.  The word may have been a bit harsh.  Sometimes, the responsibility of ALL THIS makes me harsh.  It really wasn't directed at an individual, but someone read it as such.  I did apologize, but it has bothered me since.  So much so that, I was even thinking on not doing this event anymore.  However, I attended a town meeting and not to say anything, but this event - the one I started on our farm - now affects the fundraising of several other organizations.  That's great!  I guess, I'll put to rest the "words exchanged" and focus on the "good exchanged."  Now, there is no "I" in this, the Lord is the ONE who helps me.  But, if you see Jacky a little crabby, cut me some slack please.  

Blessing from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

1970 Something - KISS

 It was 1970 something.  My friend's brother, Brian, was a KISS fanatic.  I grew up in a home with "that's devil music" - I'm not sayin' it ain't - however, one song changed it for me.  

I was a chubby little thing, riding my bike over to my friend's house.  As I pedaled closer, I could hear it...the loud music...coming from the open, upstairs, corner, bedroom window.  Brian had KISS and other "devil music" blaring all summer.  My friend and her siblings were locked out - we couldn't get into the house for any reason.  What can I say, we are Generation X....these things were normal to us.  

 As I got closer, I heard it...."Beth, I know you're lonely, but I can't come home right now" I dropped my bike on the grass below that window.  I yelled up there, "hey, who is that?  Turn it up"  I was hooked - that song - created my love of rock ballads!  It was at that, that Brian now thought that this chubby "kid sister's" friend was cool....ahahah....

Now, fast forward to 2023....doesn't time sometimes feel like it goes that fast.  Anyway, I saw that KISS was coming to the Crandon Brush Run.  I was sure that our tribe, that supports many events in that area was going to be somehow involved.  So, I called the elder department...."are you going to be giving KISS tickets away?   If so, I want one!"  He wasn't sure at that time, but yes, eventually we did get KISS tickets.  I was given 2 VIP area tickets for FREE as a tribal elder.  

Our area was so nice!  We were very close to stage.  

That is the VIP balcony.  I didn't try to climb the steps.  I wanted to stand by the gate anyway.  

It was a big deal up here in the Wisconsin north woods.  Thousands of people, the lines were miles long.  Thank goodness my brother-in-law, Duane, found the VIP short line.  We didn't wait in a line at all.  I have other cousins who live in Crandon, who are not tribal members.  They saw Paul and Gene getting ice cream at the local shop - called Yeti.  They were out and about in the public.  Our casino in Carter partnered with them and their "Rock & Brews" restaurant - arrangements were made for ground opening, concert and brush run weekend - Crandon and surrounding areas packed.  

I was waiting to hear Beth, then we could start walking back to the van.  Al ran ahead, as I am slow.  We heard the last 2 songs was we left.  Al got out of the field we parked in, drove out and waited on the side of the side road..not main road..it was a long walk for me.   I almost stopped and asked a police officer to drive me to my van...but, I walked on.  I was so happy to see the hazard lights.  Al called me and said, "keep walking, you're almost here.  You did it!"  Yes, it was that bad!  By the time I got there, everyone was getting out of the field and I was glad Al ran ahead.

Anyway, thanks for the tickets.  #FCP

Blessings from Ringle, WI.  

Farmhouse Friday - I'm catching up

 Good Morning!  

I was just checking my blog posts and see that I never finished this post from May....Ughh!  I guess I will share this now....

This was our booth at the Tansy Hill Farm barn bazaar.  Here is our booth Town Hall Trinkets, LLC  Lisa's business is Caretaker's Cottage - we share a booth.  

In June I had surgery on my hand.  I was unable to bend my thumb for over 2 years - it was a slow progression till I couldn't bend it.  No excuse for not getting in sooner.  The surgeon said, "why didn't you come in sooner?!"  I said, "I come from a long line of people who just deal with S**t life gives them."  

After the MRI and seeing no reason why it didn't bend, he told me that in 40 years, he only sees things like my thumb once a decade.  "I'm excited to open it up and see what's wrong" is the last thing I remember before I fell asleep.  I had a dead muscle that stopped my tendon from working.  So, he took the tendon out of my ring finger and re-routed it to my thumb.  

I'm not going to lie, it wasn't fun!  I was so limited in what I could do with a splint all summer.  You may not know, but I have super long hair and Al became really good at braiding.  I couldn't do so many things that he really helped me with.  

Here is my hand before - in surgery waiting room and after

My thumb was always hyperextended like that.

(That is a lot of pictures, but this is my virtual diary)

I had to wear that splint for almost 7 weeks.  We still did an estate sale....I had to, it was going to be too much money for us to pass on....(I was supposed to take a break).  As you can imagine, it did get dirty....

Physical therapy was good.  I had one day that the therapist said something that I will use on myself daily till I die.  It made me upset at first, but she was right!  I even did our ladies Bible study on the quote.  "You're reverting back to your old ways."  That motivated me to keep with it, if for no other reason, but to prove her wrong.  When I had my last visit with the surgeon, he said "I'm so pleased with this!  You are the most successful 'odd fix' I've done.  Only one other lady had dead muscles like you and she doesn't have near the movement you do."  So, thanks Sandy for pushing me....I graduated out of physical therapy.  I have NEVER graduated out of physical therapy.  I've either run out of covered services or quit.  If you were to see me walk, you'd see that....I'm pretty gimpy.  

Thanks for following along.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.