Pumpkin Festival in Thorp, WI

We are experiencing Fall weather here in Wisconsin, and that Fall weather includes rain, heavy cloud cover, some wind and very cool temperatures. To me, a Desert Rat, it's not just not cool, but downright cold. We had our first freeze this week, and it was a hard freeze, the ground had this gray/brown color to it, and the corn which was green the day before was now brown. My biggest worry of course is the condition of the roads and I was a bit leary of riding over the bridges in the case ice formation. Everything worked out, but that first 29 degrees I am afraid is just a very small hint of what is yet to come.

Nik and I ventured out this weekend to Thorp's Pumpkin Festival. As you may recall last week I found an auction bargain of a desk and chair for $5.00 in Thorp. It's a small town, like all the towns in this area, but it's not small on hospitality.

I have been impressed that these small towns really support each other in their endeavors. People come out of the proverbial woodwork to these small town events, and this was no different.

The streets were lined on both sides and down the middle with vendors of furniture, vegetables, flowers, candy, leather goods, maple syrup, and cheese just to name a few. Of course there were food vendors on every corner, brats, ice cream, pastries, and it was all very Wisconsiny. I'm not sure that that is a word, yet anyway. One thing I have learned here in Wisconsin is that the weather doesn't keep anyone home. If they want a good time a few rain drops just don't matter. That was the way it was yesterday, rain, sun, rain, sun, it didn't matter, a good time was had by all.

I made it a point to talk to some of the vendors today, tell them about my blog, where I came from and to ask them if I could put them in the blog. They all said "Sure!" I think they were just as interested in why a Desert Rat like me would come to Wisconsin without a gun to my head. Everyone always says the same thing when they find out that I have moved from Las Vegas to Stanley, "You know it gets cold here, don't ya?" I just have to laugh because I do know it gets cold here, but I have no idea HOW cold it will get here. The people all had one resounding comment today, "Don't forget to get some long underwear." I just smiled and and shook my head. LOVE IT.

I met some vendors of maple sugar, chainsaw sculptures, Gouda cheese, and log furniture. All of the vendors were completely down to earth, and more than willing to chat about their product, but also the area, and of course they all wanted to know about Vegas. I'm not here to talk about Vegas, I'm here to talk about WISCONSIN.
Thorp's Pumpkin Festival was great, reminded me of a very small 4th Ave Street Fair in Tucson, but totally midwest in flavor, with Whoopie Pies, hand made baskets, pumpkins, lots and lots of pumpkins. All shapes, sizes and colors.

What impressed me was the fact that there were quality products. Yes I bought the cheese and it was, without a doubt some of the most incredible cheese I have ever tasted. It is made the old fashioned Dutch way, aged on oak planks. Holland Family Cheese is good old fashioned cheese. Their facility can be toured, and the cheese is available to buy.

One of the vendors I really liked was the log furniture maker. I suppose that I really liked it because Nik liked it. Rarely does Nik ever outwardly appear to like anything, but the look in his eye when he saw this set was something to behold. He liked it, really liked it. It was neat, and different, and totally western. All we need to do is to find those packed away cowboy boots, and ut up the Western art.   

Another vendor that was there was the chainsaw sculptures. I have to admit that I have always wanted one of those bears. Barngrover actually means keeper of the bear pits. Long ago, my husband's family kept the bear pits in Bern, Switzerland. Then we were known as Berngruber.On our weekend trips to Big Bear, CA we would see the chainsaw Bears and everytime our eyes would gaze upon those wooden creatures, we would always say the same thing. "We should get one of those sometime." It's nice to know I still have access.

Then there was the Maple Syrup. yes I also bout a jug of Maple Syrup, which I tried this morning on a waffle. It was perfect! The best I have tasted, and looking at the information on the jug, I have plans  to try all of the different ways one can use Maple syrup. I should have no problem keeping a good stock, as they are just down the road a piece.

When I go out into the community for these small town events I gain so much insight into the place, and the people. It makes me feel as I belong too, even though I am really a newbie. I learned a lot this weekend about Thorp, WI my neighbor. It is great to have such great neighbors!

Short Post Script: I won a handmade quilt from a raffle ticket I bought in Cadott at Booya Days. It is gorgeous, and I feel great.

Farmer's Market Day in Stanley and An Auction in Thorp

Today I intended to take down the very ugly paneling in the porch, but I lost interest when I found out it was going to 38 degrees tonight. I didn't want to take it down and have the stuff in there freeze tonight. So I will wait and get the drywall, and the insulation before I make the move. So what did I do, you ask? I went to the Farmer's Market in my town of Stanley.

The Farmer's Markets tend to be small, limited to a few stands, and a small table with information about the town of Stanley.  Every Saturday through the Fall they have a small market where people come together to sell their produce and flowers.

Even though it is small, the farmers have a good variety. The first time I went to the market, I bought a little bit of everything. I was not able to eat it all, or cook it all so now I have to go with the idea that I can get a few things, and make it work for the week. I don't "can" yet, so it has to be small amounts that I know will get used. Today there were some beets as big as two fists, and lots of raspberries, which I did buy. Plan on putting them over some ice cream for Nikolaus' birthday celebration. The vendors were as different as the produce they sold. Amongst the vendors were Asian, Mennonite and Anglo. Pumpkins abounded, it's that time of year when families in Wisconsin decorate the front of their homes with corn shalks, pumpkins and scarecrows. It's great, just feels like Autumn is here. I will probably get the pumpkins next week when I attend the Thorp Pumpkin Festival. My bounty this week consisted of Raspberries, Green Peppers, Tomatoes, and something I have never seen before, Finger Potatoes.

So small you can eat them with your fingers. Microwave, boil, or bake, butter, sour cream, cheese from Wisconsin of course. I will figure something out, and let you know how it tastes.

After leaving the Farmer's Market I got on the 29 and drove to Thorp,  to visit a furniture store there. However, when I got there the store was closed and there was an auction going on at a house down the street. My first auction in Wisconsin, this was exciting! At the auction there were a lot of people gathered in the back yard. The caller was calling out numbers as I registered. I hope I can still find something good. For me it isn't the stuff; it's the hunt, the competition and winning. I think I won today. I bid $5.00 on a desk and chair and got it for $5.00!

What a ganga!!!! I love it! I also bid on an old bronze lamp, but I didn't want to bid $7, another gal picked it up for $6. someone helped me put it into the back of my Tucson, and I was on my way home. Another successful day in Stanley and Thorp, Wisconsin.

To Lublin We Go.

First thing this morning I had to see my daughter off for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. I was very glad for the visit, even though it was so short. She was off in her rental, and Nikolaus and I were off to Liturgy in Lublin. Getting to Lublin means driving down county roads, the way was actually very simple, I just had to remember two roads; County Road H, and then to turn onto County Road F. That's it, H and F and I would be led to Holy Assumption Church which was on the edge of town. Lublin was settled by Polish, Carpatho-Russian, and Ukranian immigrants. They came to the area, opened shops, schools, and made a community. One of the first things they did was to build a church. They as a community bought land, and pledged their time and labor to make sure it was done. When the the building became too small to fit the growing community, they built another one using the same strategy. Like many of the old churches, the cemetary sits next to the church, with a huge Russian cross at the gateway. Orthodox worship is intended to be like heaven on the earth, so it is really fitting that it be there, next to the earthly temple. The names on the headstones reflect the ethnicity, as does the silver cupola on the roof. It has been there since 1908, and yet it is such a surprise to drive upon it, the silver cupola pointing towards the heavens out of the treetops, and listening of course to some very good Russian a capella music, the rolling green hills hold a very mystical place.

Big Doings in Chippewa Falls!

    Wooohooo! It's Octoberfest Time in Chippewa Falls, WI ; a 25 minute drive west on HWY 29. Seonaid, my daughter was visiting from Las Vegas, and wanted to experience the local culture. So we all popped into her rental and hit the road. Driving down HWY 29 was a patchwork of red, gold, orange and green. The leaves were not in top form, but getting close. As we sped toward the Chippewa Fair Grounds we began to smell those brats cooking on the grill, the smell of Leinie's spilling on the floor, and the sound of polka bands. Stopping off at the local RCU's ATM in order to get some funds for our fun.

     Arriving at the fair grounds we found a place to park, opening the door the smell of brats, sauerkraut, and chicken grilling wafted through the air. We had made it to the right place! We did have a bit of a walk, for me at least. I am in need of a hip replacement, and so it is at times very difficult to walk those bits of distance even with a cane. At the gate we paid our fee of $8.00 for the day, and headed in, being led by the smell of cooking food. First stop, however, was not for food, but to check out one of the halls. There I was given info on the German Club of Chippewa County. The woman handing me the bag, asked me in her native Wisconsin accent, "Are you from out of town?" I replied, "Well no, I live in Stanley, but recently moved from Las Vegas." Seonaid said, "I do live in LAs Vegas," and the woman replied, "I do too, in the winter."  Collecting the bag, we left and found the nearest food stand. Doener Kababs, not very German, but frequently found in Germany due to the high Turkish population. We sat and ate them, and then lit off to get a beer and watch the people polka dance.

      Two Leinies and a Miller Light please. Sitting down to enjoy the beer, and people watch. Taking photos, of older couples kicking up their heels, to the tune of The Redhead Polka. Not me, I didn't dance, hopefully by this time next year I will be able to do just that. I love polka, it's just so happy. 

There really wan't that much to do, eat, drink, eat, and of course polka. We did end up getting an ice cream which was excellent, but after we ate it, we decided to begin the walk back to the car. Stopping to take photos at a facsade with a girl in a dirndl and boy in leiderhosen. Stopping once again to have photos taken with two colorful clowns.

       All in all today was a good day. The parking lot was a bit too far away for my issues, but there was a closer lot if you wanted to pay $2.00 more. The people were friendly, the food and drink was great, and the people watching excellent.   

I'm a Beginning Blogger

Beginning to blog is a bit of an adventure for me. I have in the past always looked at those who blog as being able to figure out something that I was too afraid to figure out. However, I am taking the plunge now, not because I have suddenly figured it out, because I haven't, but because the desire has become greater than the lack of desire. I do have something to say, and someone might want to read, although I wouldn't be totally surprised if no one read ever this.
I am a middle-aged woman who was married happily for twenty-five years when suddenly the world was ripped out from under my feet. My husband suddenly died of a heart attack, and I was alone, well not totally alone, I have three children. The two eldest live on their own and the youngest, who is disabled lives with me. So what did I do? I up and moved from Sin City,(Las Vegas) to the middle of Cheese Country, (Stanley, Wisconsin). I got a job teaching Kindergarten in a nearby school district, and bought a 109 year old fixer-upper house. Throwing myself into the community, experiencing the midwest culture, and fixing up my fixer-upper have led to this blog, which I do hope some people will enjoy.