Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 4:30 am on March 15, 2016 Permalink
  Tags: Carrie ( 12 ), Kevin, Orlin ( 4 )   

  I Don’t Have a Label for It 

  Yesterday, I admittedly said I was independent.  I think there is more to that.  I am a person that can be alone and not be lonely.  Does it come about from being a farmer’s daughter in a family of six?  The world reached as far as the participation in church, Sunday school and rural country school through eighth grade.  Being bored has never been in my vocabulary.

  From my earliest memories there was never a lack of activity within our home.  I am sure the saying “Idle hands are the the work of the devil” may have been the root of Raymond and Lena keeping their kids busy and putting out what I call, a lot of local effort.  After the work was done there was plenty of time for creative play: tree forts, play houses in the depths of the grove, our own little plot of dirt to see what seeds would produce, and us girls got an early education of embroidering dish towels.  Mom’s box of fabric scraps contained the better part of scrapped out clothing, bits and pieces of fabric left from sewing with printed feed sacks – and even the treasured pieces of boughten yardage that were too small for Mom to use. With those, I could scrounge through to make my doll some new clothes.  Life was too busy to feel as if we were lacking anything.

  Fast forward to wherever Orlin and I made a home with Carrie and Kevin.  There always seemed to be plenty to tackle to make the real estate feel like a home filled with love, contentment and self-satisfaction of jobs well done without the long receipts of purchased items.  Within each home: Carrie found a spot for her dolls and books, Kevin would find some square footage for a desk within a closet or a workshop in one of the outbuildings.  It never took much of an area for me to set up my Sears sewing machine to express myself whether it was sewing for the family, mending clothes or sewing carpet rags.  As the kids grew and expressed curiosities,  dampening their spirits was not thought of.  Orlin included Kevin in any and every type of repair and building project that he was involved in.  Different baking ingredients were purchased as Carrie’s interest grew in the kitchen and patterns were tried for her clothes.  I believe the key to both children was leaving them alone at times for imagination and skills to shine.  We enjoyed the home life.

  Fast forward to the year of 2016 and I can tell you, Carrie and Kevin’s life skills are working great for them.  Kersten often comments on Kevin’s ability to fix vehicles as well as  building a secure and sound homestead for them.  Carrie mans a huge home with her kids at her elbow, learning what their mom has brought for life skills then and now.

  I know that perhaps I do spend a bit too much time alone.  Not much a joiner of clubs, home is where I am the happiest. Dennis reminds me: I am retired and I am always just a phone call away if anyone needs me, and I know where and when I am needed, and I show up.  “Do what makes you happy Grammie,” and I do.  It is a close call between hermit and introvert.  Whatever!  I am happy.

   
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  Noreen 3:12 am on March 1, 2016 Permalink
  Tags: Dennis ( 40 ), Kevin   

  Tidy Up 

  After a sewing project or two the threads are everywhere.  As many wastebaskets that I have in various locations in the sewing studio, some are still bound to take flight.  Dennis cleaned the vacuum filter after I was finished and he was wondering if I sat in a corner making small bits of thread.

  

  The bright colors were fun to work with even if some had to be spliced to be able to be used.

  Yesterday after folding up the large turquoise and coral quilt with the embroidery motifs, I had not planned on starting anything new.  I thought I was burned out.  Not!  I was in the process of making tidy the work area when I could not help myself from thumbing through the scrap box.  At the very bottom was a half yard of a printed panel.  It was a panel of the alphabets, three letters to a block.  Before I knew it, I had some scraps for this and a few scraps for that and the challenge was on for making a crib sized quilt.  Not all projects need to be queen or king sized.

  I knew I had supper in the bag.  From roasting out a large turkey from Kersten and Kevin, we had several bags of roasted chopped turkey in the freezer.  I planned on using some cream of chicken soup to add to the turkey for hot sandwiches.  The sandwiches coupled with a lettuce salad and the menu was planned, giving me ample time to sew a few seams.  I did call it quits when I realized I had sewn the last seam placing the right side of the quilt to the wrong side of the border, rather than the two right sides facing each other.

  It wasn’t much fun knowing that the first job of the day was taking the seam ripper out and taking out that last seam.  It did give me time to consider what sort of backing to put on a crib quilt.  When all was said and done, I had taken everything out of each tote to find just the right yardage.  I am not going to mention just how many totes that entailed.  When I saw the Crayon print yard goods, I knew it would be the right fit.  It may have been a good find, but I shot myself in the foot.  As I went through the totes, I weeded out bits of scraps that had been folded into the larger pieces.  I had been working very hard to use up scraps and now my scrap box is again just as full as before all the pot holders and placemats have been cranked out.  This puts a whole new slant on job security.  Care must be given when one is doing a tidy up.

   
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  Noreen 2:18 am on February 21, 2016 Permalink
  Tags: Carrie ( 12 ), Dennis ( 40 ), Kevin, Orlin ( 4 )   

  Fresh Air Can’t Hurt 

  Dennis has gone to see his friend recovering from a bad fall on the ice.  I have taken the opportunity to open up both ends of the house for some fresh air.  Fresh air can’t hurt after a spell of cold temps, and it sure can’t hurt keeping me on the straight and narrow with my scrappy projects in my sewing studio.

  I have been in the habit of making gifts for people for decades.  I find it relaxing and allowing myself to think about each person who will be on the receiving end of the gift.  That is how I had so many scraps that ended up being finished one inch squares to put together in various patterns.

  Having a sewing studio is not foreign to me.  When Carrie was just a year old, my Dad and my Mom staked Orlin and me to a 160 acre farm not far from where my parents lived.  I was very familiar with the farm and the home, as I had spent many hours in that home and on the dooryard playing with my District 34 classmate, Marith Kurth, whose parents owned the farm.  It was a lovely story and a quarter, three bedroom home with a dry, usable basement.

  We did enjoy and make use of every square inch of that home.  It is the first home that Kevin ever knew.  It didn’t take much prodding from Carrie to teach Kevin how to navigate the steps either going up or down or out.  Without the basement, that we did finish out for a playroom and a television room, some would have said it was a small home.  Marith and her brother’s family found it suitable long past the time that grandchildren visited.

  One of the basement storage areas, Orlin converted into a sewing room.  There was a handy closet on the west end that was partitioned off for a canning cellar on the south end and a sewing storage area on north end.  It was handy as all get-out. The kids were close by, the laundry was close by and the half bathroom didn’t hurt either.  In time, the sewing room had enough room in it for a 4-harness rug loom to be added.  Sewing studios have been a part of me for over fifty years.

  Back to the one inch squares.  In today’s world, I would not have made anything from which these scraps evolved.  I am onto larger pieces of fabric.  Fifteen or sixteen years ago, I did make gifts for the gals who worked for me in the courthouse.  Once I got into the swing of all things being an inch, my sister-in-laws each received one, as well as my mom, my daughter, and a niece, Erin.  Wouldn’t you know it?  I had scraps left.

  Today, with the fresh air wafting through the home, it was time to get serious and put scraps to use once and for all.  I never throw very much away if I can envision something coming out of the depths of a storage box. Several years ago, when granddaughter Megan was going to receive her first American Girl Doll, daddy Jeremy emailed me.  He was handcrafting a doll bed and wanted to know if I could make the bedding, complete with a quilt for it.  No problem.  At that time, out came the one inch square happy scraps.  Now today, the batting and backing has been determined as well as the bindings being cut.  Dennis already had marveled over the potholders that were whipped out earlier from quilt squares that had not made the cut. He knew I would not back down until this group of projects would be finished.  It is fun to have an item here or there for an unsuspecting visitor to our home.  Happy scrapper quilter sucking in fresh air: happy home.

   
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  Noreen 4:14 am on August 30, 2015 Permalink
  Tags: Bell ( 2 ), Butter Ball ( 7 ), Dennis ( 40 ), Kersten ( 6 ), Kevin, Sophie ( 2 )   

  The Patio Annex 

  It is no secret that the older ones on Stauffer Avenue have a soft heart.  Most of that heart is reserved for family, but the four legged creatures that happen into our lives are real scene stealers.

  The talk has been had about a dog.  When we travel, that would be a real heart breaker.  Leaving a dog with a stranger could crush its spirit.  Taking a dog with when traveling, is not always appreciated.  We have had Kevin and Kersten’s Bell and Sophie for a sleepover.  They fit right in and know that we are kindred spirits.  So . . . the talk about having a dog, is just that, talk.

  Now, cats that happen across our patio, that is another story.  One of the first cats that happened across our yard quite a lot of years ago, is still coming for brunch.  Megan named her Tabatha.  She looked like she had some age on her then, and has kept a consistent look of well-being.  We couldn’t count how many have been by for a snack and, over time, did not return.  Dennis feels that if they make it to our yard, they will have a bite to eat and water to drink.  Formally, we have taken in three cats to the degree of having them treated to a visit to the veterinarian once a year for their shots.

  This late spring, pretty much right on schedule, the yellow mama cat, Sweetie Pie, brought over her wares.  Butter Ball Curry is one of her kittens from last year.  This year, there were two little gray ones following mama right up to the Meow Mix bowl.  Surprisingly, they were not as frightened of us as we would have thought.  Dennis gets the biggest charge out of these two in the morning.  They can hear him getting his slippers on in the house and they are coming up the patio sidewalk to meet him.  If he takes a bit too long, one of them will give him a “Meow,” as if, “What are you waiting for.”  We have had a run of very cool evenings, and the little ones would huddle against the porch patio doors.  The ole cowboy felt sorry for them and put out an old pillow.  Sure enough, they still were huddling, but the fluff of the pillow seemed to have swallowed them up.

  

  Our patio annex, complete with Dennis making sure that there are comfortable fixings inside. It’s a good thing I save old quilt batting for uses such as this.

  Yesterday morning, I came out with my coffee to find that we had a patio annex added.  Inside, I could see the same little pillow had been tucked inside.  What peeked out from the opening of the pod were four little ears.  Priceless.  I have no idea where this kitty adoption center will take us.  In the mean time, Dennis feels proud that he could offer a retreat to these two wee ones.  I was going to snap a photo today, but I think they had decided to sleep in.

  Stauffer Avenue: where wondrous events keep us happy and content.

  In life, please remember to give and have no memory of it, or take and remember it always.

   
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  Noreen 2:15 am on July 28, 2015 Permalink
  Tags: Carrie ( 12 ), Dad ( 5 ), Kevin, Mom ( 5 ), quilt   

  Due Diligence 

  Seeing projects through to their ends is, indeed, due diligence.  Off and on during the heat of the summer, I have been working on my scrappy quilt project.  Quilt projects are always a challenge when working with fabric and threads.  Having the vision of the final hurdle needs patience until the due diligence has been done.

  

  I did not need to use the little silver tool to thread the finer sewing needles until I reached my 70th birthday. I never fully appreciated how much easier life could be with these little freebies.

  This week, the hemming of the scrappy quilt is that last hurdle.  Hand hemming is still the most desirable option.  High loft batting, fluffy flannel, scrappy quilt top and the binding makes too many layers under the Model 1802 Sears sewing machine for a quality looking hurdle.  My Mom preferred the blind stitch for hemming.  Double quilt thread in a very sharp needle fills the bill.  Think about it: you are in the bed and tug the quilt up tight to your chin, the hem edge often times feels that tight tug.  The double threaded needle of tough quilt thread sure can’t hurt to keep the binding in place. As it is the blind stitch, I am able to use the white quilt thread I had on hand as it wouldn’t be visible.

  I don’t mind the time it takes for hand hemming.  A project such a this deserves that quality of time.  One of my Dad’s favorite sayings: “You don’t have time to do it right, but you always have time to do it over.”  Wow, what pops into my mind immediately after typing that line is the amount of farrowing crates the kids’ dad built, each time thinking the latest was the greatest.  Both Kevin and I do not mind taking the time in doing projects right the first time.  I can’t speak for Carrie, as her hubby Jeremy drives that engine.  I like due diligence.

  Regardless of how warm and humid it is outside, driving me into the sewing room to begin with, I don’t like sitting at the sewing table for long periods of time.  A tender back makes for moving often.  There is junk mail to check out, putting a new blurb onto my blog, or checking the refrigerator for what is available for suppertime fixings.  Time frames are workable when those of Stauffer Avenue are retired.  Checking the weather forecast, I think Wednesday will be a day for outside work: a lower dew point and temps in the low eighties.

   
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  Noreen 4:59 am on July 24, 2015 Permalink
  Tags: Dad ( 5 ), Dennis ( 40 ), Kevin, Onduline   

  The Lull of Great Days 

  This afternoon it was not hard to miss that the lull we had of no humidity and mild temperatures are over for a spell.  Those wonderful four days that we did have is what makes summer sweet.

  

  Lazy mornings on the west patio. It is our own hideaway.

  As our usual morning traditions, we had coffee on the west patio enjoying the morning doves serenade us.  Both Dennis and I recalled that in times past as we, each at our own locations, would have the morning doves coo to us as we headed to the livestock barns to start the day.  Enjoying the morning, lost in our thoughts, we were taken up sharp when we heard the sounds of construction.  Our handyman had driven up to the back garage from the east without us noticing and he was hard at work putting on the metal ridge roll on its roof.  Do you think that someone could run off with our property and us not notice?

  What is amazing for small town people is that on Sunday, Dennis mentioned to Kevin that we needed to have the ridge roll replaced.  Monday Dennis looked Kenny up and ask about him working for us and by noon today the project was done. Had not the heat ramped up, Kenny would have started sealing the garage roof with the black latex paint.  By the way, in regard to that Onduline roof we put on in 1991, it was the total rage.  Most did not read the fine print of the product in that it needed to be sealed on a regular schedule. Thus, in the short years to come, there were numerous barns that looked like their roofs were made of cardboard – and lasted about as long as cardboard.  It was marketing hype from a company based in Africa.  Many lumberyards bought into it as well as Dennis and I did.  At the time, my Dad shook his head.  He must have known more than the average.  This will be the fourth time since we put the product on in 1991 that we have resealed it.  At this rate, we are confident the roof will be fine for more years to come.

  If the weathermen are correct, we should have a lull of more beautiful days next week and then wham . . . it will be August.  Where does the time go when you are having fun?

   
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  Noreen 1:18 am on July 4, 2015 Permalink
  Tags: Carrie ( 12 ), Esther ( 2 ), Kevin, Orlin ( 4 ), Orlin. 4th of July   

  I Had Not Realized What Was Going On 

  Our day started at six this morning as the new coffee pot was going off.  Dennis had agreed to keep his nephew Brett company on a trip into Wisconsin to pick up a new trailer for Brett’s concrete company.  I did get up long enough to put the morning news on the TV. and lay back down to take in the whatever news I could focus on.

  By eight the boys were on the road and I had had several cups of coffee.  I didn’t really have anything planned for the day and a bit of laziness had set in.  Butter Ball and Snuggles stayed around the porch as we enjoyed the sound of the Morning Doves in the background.  Neighbor Jan was out and about early and we exchanged a few gardening tidbits.  Coffee cup was empty and I headed back into the house.  The cats followed me to the door as if they knew all too well that Dennis was not going to be hanging out with them for the day.  Sorry guys, no cats in the house.

  Fast forward and here it is 1:30 in the afternoon.  The refrigerator is stocked from the grocery store with choices of ingredients to fix meals. The dollar store’s bag of jelly beans at $1.00 each . . . Dennis now has several of those bags next to his computer.  There is two lbs of bacon that has been baked out for use in days to come.  Dennis had expressed that a bowl of potato salad would be good this weekend and that has been prepared and chilling in the refrig, complete with chives from our garden for garnish added to it.  Chocolate Chip cookies are on cooling rakes on the dining room table.  A wonderful looking seedless watermelon has been cubed and is chilling to be enjoyed at will.  All of the garbage from the prep is out in the Waste Management garbage container.  The buzzer has gone off on the clothes dryer several minutes ago and I have folding to do.

  What has gone on with the day that found me welcoming a lazy daisy type of day?  It is the day before the 4th of July.  This day for many years had been THE prep day for the family picnic Orlin and I would host on the 4th of July for many, many years.  My family and Orlin’s all gathered for a day of family fun.  It also happened to be Kevin’s birthday on the 4th and so why the heck not have a blowout like neither family had ever seen.  Orlin’s nephew, Frank, would give rides in a trailer behind the riding lawn mower for the little ones.  Lawn games were everywhere on our sprawling lawn.  Balloons seemed to float in the air at will. Several of the empty huge wooden electrical spools were used as severing tables, and let me tell you, they  overflowed with all the potluck items that had been brought.  The huge shade trees made a canopy of ongoing shade to sit under.  When eyelids of the adults became heavy due to good and rich food, there was an outbreak of music.  Orlin’s mother on her harmonica and my uncle Norman on his concertina had everyone thumping their feet before long. Both needed no music, they played by ear.   Most of the people attending were dairy farmers.  Morning chores had gotten done and the welcome mat was out with no time table. Noon was a great time to start the picnic singing the song everyone was familiar with . . . “Be present at our table Lord – – – .”  By four in the afternoon the crown would thin out, as again, there were chores to tackle.  Needless to say, there was one very weary birthday boy that we could count on to be easily contained as Orlin and I did the diary and livestock chores.  Big sister Carrie had it easy to keep a check on him.  Priceless.

  Sometimes when I get lost in memories that are oh so sweet, I kick into automatic overdrive, and today was such a day.  It’s not as if any of the aforementioned items completed in my kitchen will not be enjoyed and appreciated by Dennis and me, as we spend the weekend at home.  What went on here today is a portion of my life, that has been made oh so sweet by times past.  I am here to tell you, I am up for a lot more sweetness to carry me on.

   
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  Noreen 11:32 pm on April 4, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: Aunt Esther Anna Wendlandt, Carrie ( 12 ), Kersten ( 6 ), Kevin, Megan ( 9 ), Nicholas ( 6 )   

  

  Nicholas and Megan cleaning out the big maple tree, getting ready for another season of playing when they visit.

  It seems as if Easter Sunday was a long long time ago rather than five days ago. Easter Monday we attend the funeral of my 97-year-old aunt Esther Anna Wendlandt Opitz. Of the possible 29 cousins there were 15 of us there to celebrate Esther’s life and become reacquainted with family that get together too seldom and then usually due to a funeral. Within a half hour of getting home daughter Carrie arrived with Megan and Nicholas for them to spend time with Dennis and me. They had not been at our home for an extended time since prior to school starting in the fall of 2012. It was a whirlwind of activity as the possibility of any dust bunny escaping was slime to none. There were birdhouses painted as well as sleeves that seemed to get in the way of the creative styles. (More …)