Why I am voting and why I am voting Republican

We are experiencing a cantankerous political season.....with only a few weeks away from a major election-you might say-'why bother'- 'Neither candidate is appealing'- or- 'Does it matter anyway'

I grew up in a family that had fairly high engagement in local, state, and national happenings, so this included policy and politics. Listening to discussions and an occasional argument helped to form the opinions I have about this years election.

• The role of government is to protect its citizens from foreign and domestic attacks. This is one thing I can't do!  
• Some regulations are necessary, regulations should be limited, allowing farmers to farm and provide food, oil companies to produce energy products, teachers to teach, doctors to practice medicine without undue interference from the governement agencies.
• Safety in our homes and towns is a way of life we've enjoyed in the mid- west. Certainly, one of the roles of government is to vet incoming visitors and new citicizens for infectious deseases, intent to harm, and ability to abide in our country-live by its rules, and speak its language.

So yes, I'll be going to the polls November 8th. The Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has come out in favor of;

• A strong military
• Less regulation and growth of energy independence
• Support for police and law enforcement

It does matter- little kids should have the opportunity to grow up in a secure environment, feel safe in their homes, town, and community, and have the opportunity to own and run a business, attend college, and work at a job that provides a good living. 

The distractions we hear and read are a product of today's culture. If the person elected only focuses on these three things we maybe could actually enjoy greater freedom and safety.

October 1

October 1

Today is a beautiful fall day, the type of day we want to spend as much time outside as possible, so what do you suppose we were doing 10 years ago?
Laura- a student at Lisbon High
Elizabeth-  at UND working hard in nursing classes
Chelsey-at U of Mary
Kristin-teaching at White Pines Charter school in Idaho
Linda-graduate school-Concordia- so for sure I was sitting by the computer creating a masterpiece about something important in  the fall of 2006

How about 20 years ago?
Laura-perhaps playing school or Little House on the Prairie
Elizabeth-playing with Stacy, or working with geese, kittens, or creating something with whatever could be found around the farm.
Kristin-cross country
Yes, most likely we all would have been at a cross country meet in Valley, Cooperstown, or DetroitLakes

30 years ago is a stretch, but on a nice day like today;
Most likely we would have been combining a whopper of a bean crop, I would have been making lunches, Kristin would have been playing with neighbor kids, riding bike, or going for a walk and stroller ride with little Elizabeth. We might have driven to the farm and visited Grandma and Grandpa, had brownies for lunch, and walked around the farm, watching the trucks come and go with loads of beans. We lived in town so the ride to the country was a treat.

Whatever we would have been doing, I only remember we were happy and content, can't recall what the worries were at the time, but I am fairly sure there were some things that were a cause for concern.
HAPPY FALL, enjoy your day!

Changes don't come very easy for some of us!

April of 2011, Grandma Evanson moved in with us at the lake house. We said it would be a trial run, just to see how everything went. Well, it actually went very well. It's the fall of 2016 and we are noticing changes we wish weren't happening. 

The first year was actually a lot of fun, Gma washed and I Dryed dishes after every meal. When I baked, she'd help, we'd talk about all of the baking she did, gardening, and handiwork. Little by little her stamina gave way to mostly sitting and watching. She still tried her hand at knitting, and spent hours making a scarves. This, too dropped off, giving way to word search puzzles, the Gazette, and Forum. She treasured letters and cards and read them over and over. The golf cart ride was a highlight in the summer. Now it's unsafe to venture down the stairs.

She'd often ask is she got any mail, when I'd bring in the paper, I'd tell her, she'd have to write letters if she expected to receive any, she laughed at this. This summer there's been a change, she doesn't notice as much, or often ask about anything.  The bright sparkling eyes are less observant, and it's difficult for her to get around. Today Will lifted her from the kitchen chair as she wasn't able to get up on her own. 

She has an appointment tomorrow, it might be a UTI, or something else causing this change, or it might just be advancement of the vascular dementia.

We put a call into the cottages, asking them to Keep us in mind if any rooms opened up as we may have to have help, we don't know how this winter will go, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to have Mom with us these past few years.

Wondering

Just thinking about this past weeks visit, it seems a SIL is very hard for me to attain, the first 23 years of marriage there were a few, but didn't stay around long enough to create any lasting memories or fun times together. This past week, the visit included 2 BsIL. One never married, the other mostly travels here alone. So I wonder what the last week would have be like with a SIL? 

Maybe a walk, coffee, shopping, sharing? I guess I really won't know.

I believe that's why I feel so close to daughters. We enjoy all of these things and more when we have an opportunity to be together.   

                                                  For this I am forever grateful

Best white Tee

 I started packing for our "vacation"...... Noticed 2 of my favorite white tees could be freshened up, so I  washed them, without a second thought. They, however, came out of the washer with OIL stains on them???

The service attendant at LG hot line educated me......our top load high efficiency washer needs the tub cleaned with a special cleaner once a month (didn't know this) or hadn't paid attention to the owners manual. After a trip to menards I gave the machine a recommended X3 treatment (1 hour /treatment)

Google had tips for removing oil.....corn starch, followed by DAWN dishwashing soap, followed by vinegar......so we'll see how this works.  ( the shirt was from a couple years ago and is no longer available) bummer, I guess.

Birthday

As I was recently looking through recipes, I found a recipe for "filling for white cake"

Birthday parties were important events! Aunts Eva, Augusta, and Inga always brought food everywhere they went. So for all of our birthdays, they brought, among other things, the cake. 

The cake for kids and adults was always the same, white cake, 7 minute frosting, and this super good tasting filling. The cakes were always white, with a bright yellow HAPPY BIRTHDAY sign inserted on the top. This sign was used over and over again for every cake.

The filling recipe, is fairly simple;

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 egg yolks

3 Tablespooncold water

3 Tablespoons butter

Stir well and cook over low heat until mixture thickens. When cool add 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts. Spread between layers of white cake

Frost with 7 minute frosting.

This is a great combination, the frosting uses only egg whites, the filling used the yolks, nothing waisted.

Fun times and wonderful birthday cake. ( I didn't know it had walnuts until I was old enough to to ask for the recipe)

Mom and the basement

Late this fall we had a company come to spray insulation on the rim joists of the farm house. This helps with heating and keeping pests at bay. In the process of insulating, a path was cleared around the periphery of the basement. So most everything was moved.

This week we spent some time at the farm house, and cleaning and organizing was a priority. We tried out the washer and dryer- they both worked beautifully after at least 6 years of non- use. Monday was wash day, all the sheets, towels, clothes from the week were washed. In the spring, summer, and fall everything ended up on the clothes line in the yard, north of the house. Often the winter clothes line would be in the basement, with some of the heavier denim 'freeze drying' on the clothes line outside. The shirts, pillowcases, skirts, etc were sprinkled and ironed. Mom always had a hobbie or a magazine ( Good housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, Cappers Weekly) close by for entertainment while the clothes were washing. 

But what has been on my mind lately was Gramma. As I took things out of dressers and out of cubbies I saw a glimpse of the 65 some years my parents lived in the same house. It was a well built mid-century home. Just big enough for a small family. Although Mom didn't much care for cooking, she always made nutritious meals when I was growing up. Her first cabinets from the 1940's are in the basement. 

I can imagine how excited she was when these metal cabinets were moved to the basement to be replaced with cabinets made on site and of Maple. I am amused to see these child proof drawers. These white metal 'cupboards' now store towels, supplies, tools, etc. they are showing wear but continue to be functional. Gramma and Grandpa were never ones to waste anything.

As I moved through he basement stuff I remembered Mom taking Oil painting classes, her canvases and oil painting supplies. She dabbled I water colors, too. So water color paper and water colors were neatly stored away for when the grandchildren would come over and she would have someone to share her hobbie with. And of course, the painted rocks around the wood stove.

Mom was an EMT, so I looked through first aid books and EMT training Manuels from the 1970's. 

Mom cont.

Mom loved to sew, she could spend hours in the basement in her 'sewing room' the iron, ironing board, magic sizing, and 2 treadle sewing machines are still there. Lots and lots of fabric, buttons, trim, and patterns. She sewed all of my skirts and dresses through out high school. Everything was well done, and I never complained about wearing homemade clothes. She, of course, updated to electric sewing machines and a surger when they became popular. I remember the finished products as I found colorful remnants left behind.

Mom loved to knit and crochet. Display boards were evidence of the many times she showed her skill at the local fair, and would eargely await for Judging of all the items she brought in for display. Mom always got a blue ribbon, and sometimes a 'grand'.  The judges marveled at the bed spreads, table clothes and doilies she would bring in. 

The basement was also a toy room. Oh my, a farm set, house set, Barbie dolls, farm animals, exotic animals, stuffed toys, a buggy, and a doll crib. Oh yes, and dress up clothes. These were neatly put away some years ago when all of the granddaughters, one by one moved out of the play stage. Oh - how these grandparents enjoyed spending time 'playing' with the kids. Yes, Dwight, Dorrie, Mel, and Kipton also spent hours in imaginary play there. Of course at 3:30 or so, who ever was there had to have "lunch". So even though they had one child they certainly enjoyed kids.

Mom, through the years

I saw reminders of the time Mom was a 4-H leader, a part of the hospital guild ( they sewed curtains for the new hospital). She also had embroidered the names of all the birthday club members on a table cloth. I found the evidence of years of canning, apples picked from their apple trees, tomatoes, and jars and jars of chokecherry, grape, and plum jams and jellies.

                         

   Not only did the basement serve as a cool place to be in the summer, and a warm place to be in the winter, there also was an important place for gloves, overalls, boots and the like, because Mom worked many hours in the field. She plowed, raked hay, fenced, and could drive any of the farm machinery. 

There was a 'last time' that the sewing machine was used, the overalls and boots were worn, and the canning jars were neatly stacked in the pantry. A last time the toys were put away. It is all a very precious memory that I am so grateful for, this life on the farm. 

Gramma didn't remember we were gone, Sheri was here to help get her meals, medicine, and keep her company as she read the paper and did word searches. She is very happy and content, reminiscing over pictures from time to time. I will always be grateful for her even temperment and work ethic. What a wonderful legacy.

Maple syrup gifts

Laura is here for the weekend, we bottled maple syrup for gifts. 

Finished product- syrup

This Easter weekend we started the second sap evaporation process. This time we're starting with 103 gallons of sap. Elizabeth is home for the weekend and made delicious pancakes to go with the syrup.

Maple syrup- finished product

   We boiled about 45 gallons of sap. After the initial evaporation

and second boil down we sealed  3 quarts of syrup.

There is another 45-50 gallons left to boil today.

By the end of today, hopefully we'll have another 3quarts or so.....

Making syrup day 4

Oh how I wish we could package the beautiful smell of maple syrup cooking. It is wonderful. Very chilly day here, but we have the 1st evaporating pan boiling with a wood fire and the final boil on the gas burner. The jars are sterilized and waiting in the kitchen. 

                                                                            

                                                    

The evening of the 3rd day

   Beautiful fire, lots of steam.

Still boiling sap, day 3

The set up we started with wasn't boiling enough sap, so we needed to add another place to cook it. 

This means more wood to split.

                                                            

Boiling on the stove, but in a smaller kettle

                                                      

      At this stage, the liquid is getting sweeter and sticky. It's very clear to slightly Amber.

Making syrup

March 12th

Ready to cook, the stove is filled with wood, and were beginning to boil sap

Spring 2016

Tapping trees with the help of Laura and Aaron, March 5th.

Building a shelter for evaporating sap to syrup

Checking bags

20 years ago

This winter seems mild and pleasant, especially when we look back 20 years.

Kristin would be 15, Elizabeth 10, and Laura 5. And Mom- hmmmm 44. This was a super cold winter followed by the next winter of record snow fall. We were back grounding the calves, and feeding them X2 a day, a corn mixture to add weight. It's hard to add weight when the temperatures are so low as this. We, always kept at least one vehicle plugged in all the time along with the 4430 to feed hay and blow snow. We didn't loose any cattle or calves and were so excited to see spring arrive!

January 2016

Cold sub zero temperatures encourage us to work on some indoor projects. So the easiest was to order and hang pictures in the kitchen featuring agriculture. ( note the coffee stash from WinCo)