Wonderful Wild Raspberries

It is time for all the natural crafters to be out surveying the countryside again!The season is upon us to be gathering another natural resource here in Iowa. Hubby isn't a great fan of these little drupes because of their small size and abundant seeds, but I sure do like them. Keeping things really simple, I put about a cupful in a bowl and eat them with a sprinkling of sugar. I might put a few on top of a pancake, or cereal for breakfast if the urge strikes. There has been some discussion about wild raspberries and blackberries on the 'Net due to the season. I would like to pass along how you can determine the difference between the two. The North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association says when asked - How do you tell the difference between a blackberry and black raspberry? The most obvious difference is that a black raspberry is hollow -- the core of the fruit stays on the plant when it is picked, while the core stays in a blackberry. Black raspberry fruit are also smaller, less shiny. and have a bluish waxy coating between the sections of the berry. I stopped by Wandering Owl Outside and found a recipe to use for our summertime berry pickings. The pictures make a totally scrumptious experience. While joining all the other berry pickers in finding some delectable treats I ran across a nest with 4-little eggs. The wild raspberry brambles make a fantastic fortress, but the mother Robin wasn't anywhere to be seen. A little wren had come to enjoy the space when I went to the house to get the camera . Only to flit away before the camera would focus. The timber is pleasantly filled with a multitude of birds sharing their happy songs as they feast on nature's bounty. A great way to spend time in the great outdoors being serenaded by the little tweeters. Here's wishin' you all the best of a berry....be sure to stop by Wandering Owl Outside for a recipe, so you too can be ready for a tasty treat. ;)

God Bless America

We have come to a another day of celebrating freedom in the history of our great nation, The United States of America... I find inspiration in the song of Lee Greenwood, a song that you are probably able to vocalize, because of how familiar it has become in our times of opposition in recent years. Today, I would like to send out to all citizens of this great country a wish for God to Bless America, keep us united in thought and deed, remaining a strong unified body, protecting what belongs to us - The Home of the Free and the Brave.....

Eureka!

Thanks to Jody at The Hunter's Wife, who ran a blog contest from June 10th - June 16th, I have received a Lady Bug sleeping bag produced for the Eureka Tent Co. to fit the little girl campers in our lives. The sleeping bag arrived from Johnson Outdoors ,Racine,WI. by FedEx on Tuesday last week...a very speedy delivery. Now it is time to plan an occasion to use it . I wish to extend many thanks to the sponsor. ;)

Anniversary Celebration

Our 34th Wedding Anniversary would not be spent at home... We headed out to the Texas Roadhouse for a very filling lunch. You will be greeted with the phrase "Are you ready to get the party started"?, when you enter the front door to be seated. The host/hostess staff will grab a basket of sweet white dinner rolls accompanied by cinnamon butter and lead you off to where your waiter/waitress will take your order. While you wait for the appetizer, or your main meal you can enjoy snacking on peanuts in the shell if you have some hunger pangs to satisfy. We started off with a "Baby Bloom" since there was only the two of us, we didn't even eat the whole thing,so we would have room for the main course,just needed a taste of the sauce. Hubby ordered his favorite "Barbecued Ribs" with sides of baked beans & caesar salad. I decided to have the breaded catfish with a sauteed carrots and broccoli mix with a caesar salad also. We both had the Cherry Limeade for our lunchtime libation, very tastey that is if you like sweet drinks. More than ample servings of food will either leave you full as a tick, or ready to heat and serve later at home. We highly recommend you stop by the Texas Roadhouse closest to you. It was off to see a movie next. The new Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen movie was released at the Des Moines Science Center IMAX Dome Theater on June 24th,a midnight showing no-less...Ummm, NO! We didn't go to that one. Instead I made an online ticket purchase for the 1:00 PM showing on Sunday,June 28th. I liked the perk of not having to wait in line to buy our tickets. We presented the receipt printed off at home to the cashier at the "Will Call" ticket window and was handed an envelope with our ticket to the movie and admission to the Science Center for after the movie. We waited in line at the doors for probably a half an hour before the dome was opened for seating. They had another video event of some sort before our showing. The trip to the Science Center/IMAX Dome Theater was a totally new adventure. We hadn't been to that part of Downtown in the last few years to witness the Urban improvements that have been put into place.It is like the Field of Dreams..."Build it and they will come." ;)

34th Wedding Anniversary

Hubby and I are celebrating our 34th Wedding Anniversary today. This week I had a chance to go back to the corner of Iowa where I spent most of my childhood and teenage years. I got off I-80 onto Iowa Highway 71 south,following it to Atlantic and beyond. Traveling a mile past Lyman, we, my mother and I, arrived at the road that used to take us to the place we called home. It had rained not long before we stopped to visit graves of family members that lay at rest in the cemetery of the church we had attended. I didn't want to take the gravel road to get the car muddy driving by the acreage, because we still had more miles to go to get to our intended destination. If you were to follow the road in the picture west to the first stop sign and take a left going a 1/4 mile south we were the first house on the right. Sounds like a lot of directions.You can see part of the place on the edge of the photo to the left. It has been 34 years since my mother, or I have had any claim to the property built by my paternal Grandmother's parents. Time changes things and your memories or pictures are all that remains of what used to be... I diverged from the topic a bit.Now, I would like to go back and share a picture of my childhood church, where Hubby and I had the good fortune to take the step to become man and wife, way back when...34 years ago. ;) Have a great day everybody!

Berry Pickin' Experience

Today I was out gathering gooseberries to stock some freezers for the long, cold winter ahead. At least the fruit of summer can bring a glimmer of hope when it is to bless-ed cold outside that you would rather be sitting by the fireplace. I am searching for the "Right" size to pick. Silly me...then I finally decide that to hurry the process along any size will do to fill a pie. As I stood on a deer run below the rim of a hill a white-tailed doe came into view. I surprised her, scared the "Snort" out of her you could say. She stood trying to get my attention for a few minutes, but when I didn't move she took off in the other direction. Continuing to work my way up the slope I had another encounter...A young fawn sprung up from hiding and bolted away. I had revealed the hiding spot of a newer member of the Timber Life deer family, the second encounter in five days. My presence on the block just wasn't appreciated... There was a flashback to the second deer shotgun season last winter. I was snuggled inside the limbs of a fallen tree. Every now and then I would stand up to see if I could get a visual on any mature deer in close proximity and get the blood flowing in my legs. The older ones stayed across the ravine to the south, there was activity to the east of my location, a young deer that seemed to always be in that very spot. The funny thing was every time I stood up it would in turn stand up and move ever so slightly further to the east. I know that it isn't good to speak but I had to reassure the little critter I wasn't going to be after it that year.... Do you think it could become a generational birthing nursery??? ;)

I am not sure if this is the fawn I have been seeing...The doe was initiating it into jumping fences around my deer food sample plots early today. This isn't where I saw the baby yesterday but wanted to share anyway. ;)

The Eureka Lightening Bug Sleeping Bag

Jody over at The Hunter's Wife had a Eureka Tent Co.sponsored children's sleeping bag give-a-way from June 10th - June 16th. The drawing was today...to my pleased surprise Jody notified me by e-mail that my entry had been chosen by Random.org. I have two granddaughters that I would like to see use it when they take their turns and come to visit Grandma and Papa. A camp out in the living room or under the kitchen table that gets turned into a Fort now and then is in order....

The Girl's Lightening Bug Sleeping Bag Thank you Jody for having a drawing and many thanks to the sponsor the Eureka Tent Company.

Swallow Condos

Last week, Hubby, and a friend, took a spur of the moment trip to Montezuma,Kansas, south of Dodge City on highway 56,off I-70 west of Salina. They went to checkout an Ercoupe airplane for his friend. On the trip they found some swallows making up large commununities under the overpasses. Hubby took a short movie for me to share of the bird antics. When I heard Hubby was going to Kansas it made me think right away of a blogger in our OutDoor Bloggers Summit membership roll. A young Kansas woman sweet on the outdoors, who shares that love with all of us over at the Deer Passion blog. If you have a moment, stop over and say "Hi" to Deer Passion. Let her know CDGardens from Timber Life sent you. ;)

Sadie Says - Mole Patrol

Hello Ladies and Gents! Sure has been a while since I stopped by the computer to send off a note...This weather has been so inviting - I need to go outside and play.. My Mom caught me in action this afternoon. Walk anywhere around our yard and you will see these raised pieces of grass, tunnels , tunnels and more tunnels. Being a dog, I just can't leave the loose dirt alone. It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to walk on by when I hear something going on under the ground. Stopping to listen, I strike my pointing pose, then Mom knows for sure what is going to happen next. The same thing happens everytime - sticking one front paw into the dirt pulling out a scoop of dirt, then the opposite front paw goes into that glorious cool, soft, dirt. Soon my mouth gets involved with pulling the grass out , my nose goes into the hole and I keep on opening up the ground.I usually have a blast moving dirt like a shovel. Pretty soon my mouth is so full of what has now become mud that I can't close my teeth. Heading inside I have to get a drink so my tongue won't stay glued down. Today turned out differently...The Mole is M-i-n-e!!! ;)

Black Bears in Iowa ?

(Photo by Todd Waterman - Published at The Decorah Newspapers site) This black bear was seen near Castalia on Monday, June 8th,2009. Reports by two individuals of their bear sightings was confirmed by Winneshiek County officials. The bear looked healthy as it made it's way out of Winneshiek and into northeastern Fayette County.The Sheriff’s Department is telling people to keep their distance, not to frighten the animal,preventing it from becoming defensive. It looks like there are more and more sightings of single bears in different sections of the state. One can only speculate from what direction they are arriving. Often it is believed they originate from the Minnesota/Wisconsin direction, and now it is being thought that increasing populations in the Ozarks are expanding northward. Whatever the cause,seeing a Black Bear in Iowa is not an everyday occurrence.

I know I am not ready to co-exist at Timber Life with those critters. Guess I can change if the need arises. Ahhh, the bear skin rug I need to put in front of our fireplace when we build our new home. ;) Iowa DNR report 2002. May 29,2008 North Liberty,IA. September 11,2008 KCCI News in Des Moines, IA reported a Black Bear sighting in Atlantic,IA a southwest Iowa community not far south of Interstate 80. They reported there had been bear sighted in six Iowa counties by that time, up since the last sightings in 2005.

Altoona Bass Pro - Update

Progress is being made at the Bass Pro Shop in Altoona, IA. The top picture was taken this past Sunday evening, May 31,2009. As you can see in the picture immediately beneath, things were just beginning to be enclosed in February. What a difference three months can make... It is impressive to see the character being given to the building by the materials chosen to cover the structure.

Passing the Bass Pro Shop in Council Bluffs, on our trips back and forth to Lincoln,NE. a couple of times in the last year, left me to wonder what they might decide would fit the Altoona location. The Council Bluffs location reminds me of a huge log lodge, a very inviting site. The Altoona store looks like pine siding on parts of it from the Interstate. Presently, I can only speculate until I get a closer look. A job fair was planned for June 1st-3rd, to begin the search for the nearly 300 full and part-time staff . The invitation to people of the outdoors to become apart of the workforce whether you are a teenager, or a seasoned pro, is being heard over all the local news media. They are looking for individuals to work in the main store, 10 lane Bowling Alley and the Grill section.

Mark your calendars for the Grand Opening scheduled for Thursday, August 27th,2009, if you live close-by, or will be passing through the state on your vacation. I know I plan on being there to check out the inventory and getting pictures to pass along....;)

"UP"- Movie Review

Today, I would like to share my opinion of a movie that from all outward appearances might appeal to children 7 years and older. There is alot of color and continuous activity so if you need to entertain younger brothers and sisters they too might find the movie an enjoyable experience. Hubby and I enjoy checking out flicks in the theater that might be good to give our grandchildren when they come out on DVD, or add to our library when we have sleep-overs. This movie is about an old man, Carl Fredericksen, who made a promise throughout his life to his childhood sweetheart/wife to visit a faraway place together. The idea to explore was brought about by the tales of an an adventurer they both admired greatly when they were children..."Cross his heart." To my surprise I saw a cameo shot in the movie of a deer that reminded me a whole bunch of Deer Camp Blog'sThunderhoof. You'll have to go check out this movie no matter your age. We saw plenty of other couples young and older without kids, but if you would rather...I bet you know a youngster that would enjoy an afternoon matinee to make you legal. Hubby and I give it five stars - the best rating. ;)