The game

MU vs. OU

Here's a cute picture of Sarah and Rusty at the game.

It's begining to look a lot like Halloween

The kids and their costumes are coming out.

First we have Alex in showing his scarecrow face.

And then it's Brady as Spiderman.

Pumpkin Muffins

It's been a busy week. Work every day for me. Today was just a half day at work, as I had a doctor appointment this morning. Still fighting the rash. Now I have steroids....YIPPEE


Tonight a friend came with her granddaughter and a lot of pants to hem. Madison is a little shorter then pants her size so I get to cut as much as 8 inches off some of the pants. It's a win, win situation as she trades me kids books and computer CD's from Scholastic where she works. I got 5 computer games and 7 books for the boys.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Sarah and I have long searched for a great pumpkin muffin recipe like Panera's Bread shop makes. These that I baked tonight are pretty darn close, even though I put 1 1/2 cups of Missouri Black Walnuts in them (note that Mindy). The recipe calls for Raw Sugar, it took me 3 stores in Jefferson City before I found that. It also takes whole wheat flour along with regular white flour too and yogurt. I will take them to work tomorrow, minus the one BT and I sampled. They made the house smell so good!

Time for my hot tea now.

8:13 pm 52 degrees

the weekend

Saturday we were up early. It was a painful start for me, other then getting up early on the weekend. I had laid my clothes out the night before. As I slipped on my jeans, something bit me on the leg. I screamed I've been bit, and pulled the pants off quickly inside out. I thought I would find a spider, instead it was a wasp. BT quickly got his sting stix out of his first aid kit in the Jeep. It took the pain away immediately.

There was an auction in Jamestown, which was about 45 miles away. It was 55 degrees when we left home, but by days end at the sale it was in the seventies and beautiful .


The auction was at the late home of Dora Dietzel. She lived to be 97 years old. It was apparent that she never threw anything away. With the house, barn and 2 out buildings there was a lot of "stuff". The church across the street had the most gorgeous pies that they were selling by the slice, however the homemade cinnamon rolls caught my eye as I went to get BT a cup of coffee. So we shared both rolls and coffee together.


I had my eye on a pitcher and 6 glass in cobalt blue. Little did I know that there was depression cobalt blue. The set went for $270.00, I didn't even get to bid before it went way past my limit. The only other thing I had my eye on was a McCray "ice box", however they decided not to sell it. (Today I found one on EBay for $150, but it was pick up only and located in Ohio and I just couldn't' talk BT into a road trip).


BT bought $19 worth of rusty iron. It was after 4 o'clock before we left there. We stopped in town for a dinner of fried chicken and then headed home. We were tired.


Sunday I was up before 8, making Fastnachtskuckens for breakfast. BT made it up before I had the coffee perking. (Ha! who perks coffee anymore?)



Tom and Forrest came with the skid steer. They made quick time of moving the 11 trees out of the barn lot and leveling the dirt. The dust was flying and I told Forrest his hair was even a different color, of course so was his face. The high winds didn't help the situation today or the 81 degrees.

I made countless trips back and forth from my laundry to take pictures at the barn lot. Poor Bentley would get up in his kennel every time I walked out, thinking he was going to get to go with me. We kept him penned up, because he would like to follow the machinery.




Tom finished shortly before 4 and after my approval, I headed to Honey Creek Lutheran Church for their Turkey and Sausage dinner. I got two dinners to go along with Cherry pie for me and Blackberry for BT.


When I got back home, BT and Bentley were reviewing the fresh dozed area. Bentley was making himself a pile of "roots". After we ate, I finished the ironing and BT rested in the recliner. Time to get ready for another week of work.



10:09 and 70.5

Some people are bored at Picture taking!

I am seeing RED

Do you want to see what $10 will buy you in Mid-Missouri?

A Bushel of tomatoes!

I'm taking volunteers to help me can them too!

I forgot to show you...........

My Arrow Rock purchase.

It's a pewter cookie stamp of a working blacksmith. It measures 1 1/4 inches wide by 1 3/4 inches tall.

It was made in Louisiana MO by ASL Pewter they had the neatest items. Check them out.

Now I need to go grocery shopping and buy some real butter to make the pressed cookies. (The recipe even came with the mold.)

It's a tired week and it's not even hump day yet?

Monday as soon as I got home, I threw a load of clothes in the washer. Thank goodness I had an easy dinner planned. I had cooked beef with vegetables on Saturday afternoon and all I had to do was drop homemade noodles in, and walla, Beef Noodle Soup!

After Dinner I planned to clean house, since we were gone all weekend, it was needing some much needed attention. Just as we were finishing dinner, Levi Schepers called, he and his wife wanted to stop by after they finished in town at a visitation. I quickly made a batch of Oatmeal/cornflake cookies, ran the vacuum, and cleaned up the kitchen.

Levi and Regina arrived at 7:15. Levi is a distance cousin of BT's and is 89 years young. He is as sharp as a tack. It is always fun to talk family history with them. Over coffee, cookies and ice cream, we pulled out BT's grandparent's wedding picture. Surprisingly enough, Levi knew Grandpa Bernard. This was amazing since he died 12 years before BT was born.

When the clock stuck 10, Regina said Levi we better go home, these people have to go to work tomorrow. Pretty sad when your elders have more energy then you do.

Tonight after work I picked the little boys up and brought them home with me. While I made a great German dinner of Sauerkraut cooked with creamed potatoes and link sausage, the boys waited for Grandpa.

Lori picked them up about 7:15. Brady was in the shop helping grandpa move the metal sheer. Alex and I played on the computer. Sarah called and even though she isn't feeling well (sore throat and cough) she did talk for a bit with Alex.

Sarah told me a story about sending a reporter and a photographer on a story earlier in the day. After being run off of the property where they were trying to film, the photographer was stuck 4 times by an angry man. The sheriff had to be called. Later the Newspaper office called Sarah to get the story on her reporters. No comment is what she told them. She was running the place practically, since the Station Manager was in Philadelphia.

The rest of the evening was spent doing ironing, and scrubbing the kitchen floor. Sounds like BT and I will get off early tomorrow and are planning an easy carry out dinner. We have someone coming at 5:00 to look at a gun barrel, and then someone at 7:00 to have repairs done in the blacksmith shop. I have a neighborhood meeting at 6:30.

No rest for us yet.

A wonderful day in Missouri

We were up, dressed, ate, drank our coffee, and were on the road by 10 AM. On our drive we figured out it had been 32 years since we had visited this wonderful town. It would be 77 miles before we reach Arrow Rock Missouri. Nestled on a bluff along the Missouri River, Arrow Rock is untouched by time. Arrow Rock invites you to enrich the present by visiting the past. It was almost noon when we arrived to the crowded streets. A dollar donation was all it took to be directed to on street parking.

The day couldn't have been more beautiful. Sunny skies, mid 70's temperatures and a nice little breeze. If only the trees were turning would have made it complete. Parking was easy just 2 blocks from where the activities were happening.

Our first stop was the schoolhouse lawn.

We see candle dipping, and then on to BAM member Bob Ehrenberger who had his forge going. He had a very nice display of his wares for sale, including a cute little tripod about 45 inches tall that held a stainless steel bowl and sported a towel bar for your own personal washing pan. At this location there was pottery making, dried gourds, kettle corn, handwoven towels and basket making going on.

It was crowded inside the Stolberg Jackson Community Center were there were 5 or 6 young adults making bobbin lace, now there's an old time craft you never see anymore. The weaver guild had their looms going. Tatting, crocheting, rug weaving and pencil portraits were all busy.

Outside we pass the 2 Clydesdale's pulling the White carriage made for anyone wanting a ride. They were set up just across the street from the Civil Air Patrol making funnel cakes. Walking downtown along the brick lined streets we see paper mache, soap making, corn grinding, and dried herbs. Under the big catalpa trees in the shade we see another BAM member set up forging. Next to him are the rope makers. For $3.00 you could make a colored rope. For $7.00 you could make a lead rope, which we saw a father with ropes around his two little boys leading them like dogs. There mountain men were set up, one was telling stories as he made lead balls for his muzzle loader rifle. In front of them was the flint nap maker and the native flute maker.

We walked on to the Bingham house were they had just finished a cooking demonstration. Now I know why I wasn't born during the primitive time, cook stoves in the summer aren't fun.

After pulling out our map we found our way to the John P. Sites, Jr pioneer gunshop. On the way BT said, "I wonder if Jim Duncan is working in the gun shop?" Let me tell you a little bit about Jim. He was in the muzzle loading club way back in the early 70's with us. We have many fond memories of him, including our nickname that he called us....the Bigalow's. It has been almost 20 years since BT and Jim have seen each other. I ran into Jim 2 years ago working a Lewis and Clark reenactment. As I looked in the shop, I turned to BT with a big grin, Jim was inside. We stepped in, but Jim didn't notice us as he was visiting. We stood around for a few minutes and he never saw us. So we went outside and decided to get a bite to eat.

At the Vine Wine Garden, BT had a Guinness Extra Stout and I enjoyed a glass of Merlot. What a choice to go with the hot dog we picked up just outside the wrought iron fence. About a half-hour later we go back to the Gunshop and Jim is still talking to the same gentleman but this time he is outside the shop. He recognized BT and gives a big hand shake and a slap on the back. I got a hug!

We got to met Jim's wife Carol and we all taked for about an hour. Jim introduced BT to Dr. Tom Hall, President of Friends of Arrow Rock, Inc. It maybe in BT's future to demonstrate during Festival Day at Arrow Rock. Even more after retirement, but I don't want to jinx that so I'm tight lipped for now. It was great to catch up with Jim and we exchanged many stories on old friends. I told him about my brother Wesley passing away almost 10 years ago, it was then that Jim stopped, grabbed my shoulder and said Patti, that piece of wood I am working on there in the shop, was a piece I bought from Wesley for only $10.

It was time to start home. We agreed we would have to get together soon, not wait another 20 years to visit. Jim and Carol promised to keep in touch and come and see us when they were in the area.

The dog days of summer?

You’d never know that today was the 7th day of October. Normally the high temperatures would be around 70 but when we left for the river around 11:30 it was already 80 degrees and rising. We knew this would be our last fling on the river for 2007. The leaves are starting to turn the fall colors of red, orange and brown and are dropping.


When you look up the definition of “Dog days of summer” it goes like this: The phrase Dog Days' or the dog days of summer", refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. They are a phenomenon of the
northern hemisphere that usually falls between July and early September but the actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant. According to Wikipedia.

And so it is that this blog really gets its name from what we took with us on the river, since we are past September by one week, Bentley. Yes he got to go on the river, standing majestic on the bow of the boat, his ears flapping in the wind. It took him a bit to get his so called "sea legs", and few clumsy near falls but he made it. We pulled in at Luebbering’s Island and the water temperatures were wonderful with a gentle breeze blowing. Bentley made a rather ungraceful exit from the boat and loved the water. He inspected the island, log jams in the shoals, every stick he could fetch and did lots of swimming.

After a run up and down the river to mix the gasoline with the chemical to protect the motor for winter, it was time to head back to shore. Bentley would walk from end to end of the boat while we were boating, he didn’t want to miss a thing. At one point I thought he was going to jump out to catch the water splashes.


Back home by 1:00, BT washed and waxed the motor and the boat and stored it until next spring. It is always sad to have to put it away. He then washed his Jeep and I cleaned the inside of the windows for him.


After I cut the grass and used the weed eater, I headed inside for a pedicure and BT went to the shop to forge. He made a new handle and latch for the interior barn door.

The neighbors were out playing with a new type of scooter. They brought it up in the field adjoining our property. That was all it took for Bentley to join them. BT had to get the 4 wheeler to retrieve him.


Almost our entire dinner was grilled, Deer steaks, zucchini and pineapple. We then retreated inside and waited for the rain. BT wants to burn brush piles tomorrow and it must rain before that can be done.


9:32 75.2 degrees

Schnitzel

Yes for those of you that know German, if not for the non-speaking Germans it's Shavings.

I was a happy camper today, I got to sew all afternoon, make homemade Chicken and Rice soup and Schnitzels. They are so easy to make. Flour, eggs and salt. That's all of the ingredients. Mix, roll very, very thin, cut into rectangles, make slits and fry them in hot oil. Dust with sugar and cinnamon.

9:08 73.9 degrees

Bad Dammaw

It was brought to my attention that I didn't have a

picture of the other grandson in his wedding tux.

So here it is. He's just as handsome. Presenting

little Mr Alex William Tappel.

Men and their toys

If the rest of the year was like yesterday and today, I’d be tickled pink! The weather was just beautiful, cool, not too cool, a gently breeze, the falling of leaves and fall is in the air!

Yesterday we just played outside with Bentley, smoked a couple of chickens, a slab of ribs (way more then we could ever eat in two meals) and lounged around. We had left over grease from frying fish, so BT fired up the gas burner and heated the “new to us” spider cast iron skillet. Letting the oil fry for a bit will condition it more. So we fried 2 potatoes and Bentley had a little snack. We took the meat off the grill just as a few sprinkles threatened us, but no rain ever appeared.

Today it was work for us both. BT went to Popp’s Lawn and Garden and made his choice of a new chain saw. It’s a Stihl . His saw that died Saturday came from the same store almost 24 years ago to the day. It was purchased Sept 24, 1983 for $293. The new one cost about $27 dollars more. Not bad figuring inflation today. The store has changed owners and is now owned by our good friend’s son Brian Hoelscher.

So after our spaghetti and Texas toast dinner, BT just had to try it out, in my front yard no less. You give the man one tree to trim and he goes wild; I think he did 4 before he stopped. I had to help drag the brush back past our golf course to the ditch. In the mean time my dish water was getting cold and I missed a call from Rita. She left a message that they safely got moved from the 4 inches of snow in Wyoming to Ft Collins Colorado. Did you know you can read her blog at: Reetrving

I returned to the kitchen and called Rita back. She had a wild story about losing her camera when she stepped out of the truck and didn’t realize it until they were 50 miles down the road. Can you believe she was lucky enough to go back and it was still there? As I was talking to her Sarah called. So when Rita and I finished talking I called Sarah back. We usually talk on her drive home from work.

At 7:00 I feed Bentley and put him up for the night. He was more then ready to go to the kennel. We thought he felt as though he wasn’t going to get to eat after dark. We retired to the living room to watch Dancing with the Stars. About half way through cousin Mindy called from Hawaii. I had left her a message earlier in the day regarding the Cardwell’s story listed at the Millercountymuseumpresidentspage we always have so much fun talking on the phone. And now we can reminisce about our first “in person” visit. We so enjoyed her and Rei visiting us, and then getting to meet her brother Dale too. I hope they come back real soon!

Time to close, such an exciting day traveling via phone to Colorado, Oklahoma and Hawaii, all in the comfort of my chair and with my hot tea. Thanks, girls!



9:54 PM 63.3