You have got to shop here...

Whilst driving around in a daze in April trying to find a home, we drove past this place. Turned around to snap this picture, just had to.











Well, it so happens that when I drove past earlier this week , this sign was posted:









Curt, who owns this lovely place is wanting to move closer to his grandchildren. He wants to sell the house and inventory or find someone to run the business. In the meantime, he's selling all this stuff for really cheap! Told him what I was looking for, and he pointed out where I should "go look".

After a guided tour of the place, all I can say is WOW! Incredible house, and does he have the stuff! And it's all sorted, not just piles of junk. And he knows where everything is.

I'd love to own this place, I really would. The courtyard is incredible!

Too HOT to travel, good bye gulls

We've all decided to spend another day trying to cool ourselves at the lakeshore. It's just plain too hot to travel.

This delay affored me the opportunity for one more dinner with a dear friend. Enjoyed a most delicious handcrafted fig-prosciutto pizza at Stumpjack Coffee Co. last night, along with freshly made guacamole and a bottle of Von Stiehl wine.

And then, after exiting said establishment and whilst relaxing on the bench outside, a gull sh*t on me! Shocking, indeed.

Hot...hot...hot

Prediction today is for 100+ heat index. Thinking a bathtub filled with cool water is the place to be today - no AC, no pool, and I'm sure the beach will be crowded and HOT.

Oh, yes, we are back in the old place to pick up another load of stuff and tie up loose ends. Busy making plans for the new place due to attendance at the 20th anniversary Energy Fair. Mainly: solar cooking, poultry, summer kitchen, food preservation, permaculature.

Update...

I've landed in a new place to call home. There have been trips and searches, good-byes and much box packing, and schlepping of stuff on what seemed like never-to-end cross country drives.

There's been much to blog about, just not enough time to get the words out.

Have managed to read Coop by Michael Perry, loved it and will re-read it soon. On one of those cross country drives the iPod was bucky and wouldn't inteface with the van radio. All the cds I own were in a sturdy box residing somewhere in the depths of the moving van, except for one - Headwinded. How many times can a cd play during a 12-hour drive...lots. I now could provide backup for those guys, 'cuz I know e.v.e.r.y word.

Dirt

I'm just itching to stick my fingers in the dirt. I can't wait to start gardening this year. It's been a long, hard winter; but spring has finally arrived and the s-n-o-w is melting.

It seems the whole city is out chopping the little ice dams that have built up in the gutters. There's plenty of water running in the streets (and none in the basement, so far.)

We're sorting out the seed box this week, so we can figure out what we want to buy. I don't think we need to buy, but we'll buy new stuff anyway - or trade seeds. That's always fun - trading seeds. And we're way into heirloom, so lots of our seeds are heirloom.

Hurry up dirt - warm up, we wanna stick our fingers in you

So tell me...........

Do you know what these items have in common in relation to the State of Wisconsin?

Tomatoes, potatoes, basil, thyme, peppers, cows, eggplant. Got an answer yet? Well, then, let's add to the list:

Oregano, brussel sprouts, cabbage, okra. Got the answer, or need more hints. Here's a few more:

Thai eggplant, thai peppers, lemongrass. Give up? I'll tell you what they have in common.

They are not from here. They came here with the folks who migrated here. And aren't we glad for it? Just think of all the good local foods we have because of it. Local eating is not boring eating!

I'm enjoying my own frozen and canned tomatoes, and lemongrass and peppers, but I'm sure looking forward to eating fresh in a few short months. How about you?

My, my

...........I have neglected this blog.

Went to South Dakota for a fast visit over Thanksgiving, had an incredible time. There's nothing like travelling with good friends and making good friends and having a good time with all - and still being good friends when you get back home.

Here's one new friend I almost made. Met this behemoth on a rural road and was using my much misplaced "tourist logic" while snapping the photo -- which immediately placed us in danger of being pushed off the road by an unhappy fellow.

I swear he did not have those glowing eyes when I snapped the picture, but I think they reflect his mood as a result of being blinded by that darn camera flash - stupid tourist.