Pandemic Pastimes

Now that we are coming out from under the pandemic it is time to do a little documentation. Not that we didn't have time at the time, but perhaps we needed a bit of distance to appreciate what we did, when it felt like we weren't doing anything.

During the initial stay-at-home order we tried anything and everything to stay busy and sane. 

We loomed potholders.

We puzzled puzzles. Charley Harper! 1,000 pieces!

In a phase we called Sewsocial Isolation we finished projects.

Made masks,

and totes, 

and more totes, 

and more totes, 

and one more tote.

We tried arts and crafts to amuse others staying-at-home.

Thank you USPS!

We got to see sights in our own backyard that we would have missed if we were off sight-seeing around the world.

We got to know our neighbors from a very safe distance.

And we learned that patience, tolerance, and perspective are very valuable things to have.

Pretty as a Peacock

And proud as one too.

The fanciest resident of the petting zoo we frequent. And yes, the ladies were definitely impressed.

Chlorociboria aeruginascens

Chlorociboria aeruginascens (say that five times fast) AKA Green Elf Cups.

Spotted by a keen-eyed nature lover while on a blackberry picking foray.

The rainy summer has brought out some amazing fungi, but this one is particularly charming. 

 9 out of 10 elves agree.

Sheeple Baaaand Together for Good

Our new, favorite UK sheep, Herdwick of the Lake District

are known for their smiling faces.

These lucky sheep even have their own sheep shop called Herdy.

You can read the Herdy story here.

It's possible we came home with a little bit of Herdy. Just a tiny purchase of something flat, unbreakable, transportable, and very cute.

And look where part of the proceeds go:

Did you see the part about the knitted bench where experienced knitters can sit to teach novice knitters?

This is one situation where following the herd is a good thing.

Little Anne

Coming soon to West Columbia Street. 

Little Anne magnolia.

Buds are bulging. Keep your eyes open (while keeping them mostly on the road) for the flower show.

2016 Redux

Blog - short for web log. Now a verb. "I am going to blog about day to day life and neighborhood happenings."

We're not in this for fame or fortune. Just to keep a record of things we see and do and like, but so far not the things that drive us crazy. We have tried harder than you may know to avoid "the rant" and keep this a positive place; a place of magical thinking you might even say. One day we may unleash some feelings about a few things (do not get us started on TV actors "drinking" and handling supposed hot, full cups of coffee), but that day is not today.

This month we are going back to 2016 to post some things seen (that are not sheep although we cannot promise there won't be any more sheep) with more, but probably less narrative. 

Let's start with....

Ed's Feed Service. We walked past this building in Bloomer, Wisconsin and were quite taken with it's ghostly grayness rising out of the gray day. So we took a phone photo that doesn't really do justice to its rural skyscraper architecture and history of being a place instrumental in helping Chippewa County farmers feed a lot of people and animals for a very long time.

A man named Travis Dewitz has taken some beautiful photos of this building, inside and out, front and back.

There is a story that involves the railroad tracks that run alongside Ed's Feed Service that is legend in a certain family, and probably all of the watering holes in Bloomer that may or may not have happened on exactly the piece of track that runs through the adjacent intersection, but is worth telling anyhow.

A man, let's call him Stan, drove up to the tracks just as a train was coming. As he stopped to wait for the train to pass he heard his father's voice from the past saying that it is not a good idea to put your car in Park while waiting for a train even if it looks to be a long one. Just at that moment a braking school bus coming up behind Stan's car slid on some ice and bumped it right onto the tracks as the train was bearing down. Because he had heeded his father's voice the car was still in Drive and he was able to take his foot off the brake, accelerate and clear the tracks just in the nick of time. The poor bus driver had to wait until the entire train had moved through the intersection before he could see what had happened to Stan. He was safe and sound on the other side. Whew! Small town tragedy averted.

Thank goodness for the voices in our heads. Most of them anyway.

Add this one to your collection if it is not already there and listen to it often.

 "Let's be careful out there."

And have a very good new year.

Foodie Babies

On our recent trip to England we were talking with the mother of a wee one who, when the bairn became a bit fussy midday said it was time for her Sunday Roast Lunch. We were quite surprised as the little girl, just 7 months old or so didn't seem to have enough teeth to manage a meal such as this classic family repast.

Then the mother clarified that her Sunday Roast Lunch was pureed in a jar.

Later that week when we were in Hexham checking out the local grocery store as we always do when we travel we spotted an amazing selection of mushy meals for babies with real names you would find on any pub menu in England.

Just in case you can't read these they are: Lancashire Hotpot, Fisherman's Bake, Scrumptious Sunday Lunch, Hearty Cottage Pie, and Spaghetti Bolognese. 

These sound right tasty and many measures more exotic than we remember baby food being when we last bought it two decades ago. 

You have to be 7-months-old to eat these. Imagine the burps that come out of these intrepid infant diners. Stand back!

A Gift of Plums

Became a beautiful clafouti,

and two batches of sparkling red jelly.

And gave us another opportunity to play with the jam labelelizer.

Salt of the Earth

A year ago, almost to the day, while waiting for a taxi at the train station in the little town of Bardon Mill, UK 

we crossed the road to check out Earrington Reay & Co. Ltd.

The only salt glazed pottery in England.

The stacks of pots led us closer to the giant kiln.

Where we were invited in to the shed to see the pots awaiting firing.

The company started as a manufacturer of sewer pipe.

Some of the most popular flower pots resemble those pipes.

Another specialty are the strawberry pots.

You can read more about the history of Earrington Reay.

Make sure you read stories 2 through 6 for some amazing pottery-related adventure tales.

Here are Craig, Sean, and Karl. It was Sean who invited us in to see the pottery works and have a peek into the kiln.

He told us that if we showed his photo to anyone to be sure to say that he was Sean.

Judging by the twinkles in their eyes, it seems highly likely that these guys are descendants of Big John and his prankster pals.

Have you seen Earington Reay in our yard? No? And you are not likely to. 

Our faithful travel companion has incredible tolerance for carting home souvenirs, but there are limits. He has never uttered the words "over my dead body", but perhaps as in the case of  Miss Hinemarch that is how it will have to be if we are to have a garden decorated with salt-glazed pottery.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

At some point cabin fever feels more like being crushed by a cabin cave-in.

We've had a little setback to Spring's arrival, but it is finally in sight.

And we're probably going to make it there without anybody getting hurt.

But it will be a close call.

Gratefully Gathering

It was possibly the most beautiful September day ever.

When we received a gracious invitation to go wild rice harvesting. 

Our capable and very patient host acted as outfitter and guide.

He smoothly steered us through the tall plants as we carefully bent them over the canoe and knocked the long, ripe grains into the boat bottom. 

Some fell into the water to become next year's plants.

Many went into the canoe. As well as into our hair, shoes, and decolletage.

Several hours were spent gliding over the water, rhythmically moving heirloom cedar sticks across gunnels,  bounty gently showering down into a pile at our feet. 

We will be pleased if, after cleaning, our day's harvest provides enough rice for a Thanksgiving potluck offering.

And we feel very fortunate to have experienced an important tradition of the Ojibwe people and Northwoods culture. 

In good company, in good health, under a beautiful blue sky on clear blue water.