Back to Rain!

I think maybe I LIVE IN A JUNGLE! The air is so heavy with moisture and the soils are so wet that hayfields will grow too high and it will be difficult to bring it in this year. My potted plants are too wet. We don't need all of this rain that is forecast for the next week or so. WOW. Neighbors are having difficulty keeping the lawns mowed and the weeds pulled. 

As I took a quick ride around the lake yesterday, I noticed wild yellow pond iris in the area by the lily pads and cattails. I think the wild iris is considered invasive. I never saw them before. 

Again, more Phlox is blooming along the road's edge and the willow tree loves the wet conditions.

I caught this critter when parking my golf car. Something has been snatching the cheese and the peanut butter from the baited mouse traps and leaving them sprung and empty. Maybe this is the culprit!

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Nothing Exciting

I can't catch a butterfly that will stay still enough for me to take a picture. They are flitting all about, looking for just the right flower, I guess.

I saw two bright red cardinals in two different spruce trees and the female was waiting for them on my clothesline. Again, not one stays for long.

I tried closeup shots of a dandelion seed head and the Mister's pretty geranium. I think I'll try some more of these.

A neighbor up the road has some very pretty Allium in bloom and a nice Hens and Chicks in a pot. 

On the "wild side" I found Woodland Phlox, aka Creeping William all along the banks of the roadway and the "bass-end" of the lake is showing multiple numbers of wild Water Lilies in bud.

Well, that's all for today. The sun is shining and there is a light breeze. Our stand-by generator got its annual service and tune up today and all is good at Cabin Tranquillity! Don't forget to click on an image to view larger to see nature's beauty.

Our Helpers

Along with each of them working a full week at a local wood cabinet manufacturing plant, doing side jobs in carpentry, taking care of her ailing family members and finding time for each other, our grandson and his girlfriend arrived this morning to carry on the beam cleaning and stuff-dusting in this old cabin. We can no longer keep up and do not climb ladders now. What a wonderful thing is is to have "helpers" who seem to enjoy assisting us with the mundane but necessary annual spring cleaning. They did the "other end" in the kitchen area exactly a month ago. Thanks to Alex and Denise we are back in shape here and really appreciate the cooperation they have working together, to get the job finished.

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Memorial Day 2018

To all past and present service members, thank you for your service, Veterans.

Uncle Henry, The Veteran

My Uncle, Henry G. Nulton was a veteran of both world wars. He was a Major General and Commander of the 78th Divison, Army Reserves, when he retired from service in 1960.

He saw action in France with Co. A. of the 111th Machine Gun Battalion, 29th Division in World War I and was wounded at Meuse-Argonne. During World War II he was wounded by mortar fire in New Guinea.  He was awarded the Purple heart. 

Personally, I remember him being very jovial and carrying an authoritative attitude, while being very likeable. Actually he, in my young girl's mind, was like a Bantam rooster, cock of the barnyard and a little bit intimidating! His four sons each were service members and outstanding soldiers. My patriotism was always expected and to this day it is strong. 

You might be able to read the news documents by clicking on the image.

Sunny Saturday

The fern and lily of the valley plants are really growing now. I even found one little hyacinth smashed over by fallen daffodil leaves. There is hope for the lonely iris by the porch. The huge crop of them on the beachfront is developing nicely. James has had a change of attire and the flag is out for the holiday weekend. All is well.

Feel free to pluck some of the lilies. There are plenty to go around and the fragrance is delightful.

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Happy 62nd birthday to my firstborn today! She tells me she can't retire yet but hopes to very soon.

Yard Sale

Today we took a golf car ride up the road to a place that frequently has a yard sale. There is nothing at all fancy here but the fellow enjoys "collecting and reselling" as he puts it. Once in a while I find something that I just have to own - like today.

The first thing I picked up was a small grid to put under my rooster planter so it would be able to drain better on the front porch table. 50¢

Then I saw a new in-package heavy duty pair of scissors and needed to replace a broken pair for kitchen use. $1.50.

A glass maple leaf-shaped container grabbed my eye and I thought it might make a nice gift for my brother who makes and shares his maple syrup each year. $3.00.

The thing that got me excited - silly me - was a vintage shabby Bromwell three cup flour sifter with the wooden handled crank. It had great patina and I was fussing a while back about not having one like my mother always used. Had to have it. $3.00.

In case you don't know, in 1819 The Jacob Bromwell company invented the world's first flour sifter and the company is STILL in business! This is important to me because it is the oldest housewares company in America and one of only a handful of kitchenware companies that still manufacture all their products in the US.  This All-American Flour Sifter is still being made!

It was patented in 1930 by a descendant of Jacob Bromwell, Thomas G. Melish. 
Bromwell's Service metal Sifter, Pat. No. 1.753.995
“A sifter comprising a body having perforations in the opposite sides thereof, a screen in the body through which to sift the contents thereof, and an agitator in the body adjacent to and adapted to pass over the surface of the screen to promote passage of the body contents through the screen, said agitator consisting of a single piece of wire bent upon itself at approximately the middle of its length to form a journal to occupy one of the body perforations, each branch of the wire adjacent the journal being shaped to the screen and lying in the plane of its cooperating branch, the ends of the branches being bent to lie together loosely and to occupy the opposite body perforation, one of said ends terminating just beyond the perforation and the second end bent beyond the perforation to provide a crank whereby to rotate the agitator. 

This big spender is a happy lady today.

Looking down into the container

Bottom side up

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Source of some of my information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Bromwell_(company)

Thelma's Recipe

About forty six years ago we lived in a large ranch house on the "other side" of the lake. Our property bordered a great neighbor's who was a down-to earth lady. She and her husband grew a large garden and she was a good cook and baker. I was very fortunate to be the recipient of many of her wonderful baked goods and tasty meal samples, along with fresh garden vegetables. It was all about sharing. We traded recipes often and I have several of hers that are in regular use here. Unfortunately she developed an incurable illness and left earth in 1987 but her memory has remained with me and always will.

Today I baked her banana bread. Try it and you will love it as we still do. It is a "no-fail" recipe and the only thing I did differently was to use a little vinegar in milk to replace the buttermilk it calls for.  I also added some dried craisins - only a few.

please click on image to be motivated to bake banana bread!

Down the Road Again....

Since I see that buttercups are now in bloom, I thought I'd take a ride and take their picture. My camera just doesn't do yellow flowers well - at all! Anyway, you get the idea that it's buttercup time. They are all over!

I saw some Mountain Pinks that have been abandoned but still are thriving. They come in all colors.

I passed a well-used "woodpecker tree" just before seeing the new family of the lake.

And when rounding the corner of a neighboring area these buildings took my eye.

I kinda like the empty house on the hillside. 

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