Blue Ice, Not for Much Longer...

Talk about a huge difference in temps our village went from warning townspeople to run their faucets so that main water lines / sewage pipes wouldn't freeze and break to a sixty degree day today.

Blue ice even looked bluer with all that sunshine

There was no way we could spend the day inside so after chores were done, we took a little drive to lower Chaseburg and parked across the street from the Hideaway. 

Snow mobile path runs alongside the walking path

The asphalt trail was dry except where the snowmobile trail crossed the walking trail.  As you can see it'd be a bit difficult to go sit on some of the benches off the trail as there's still a significant amount of snow.

Natureman couldn't resist going to  to check out the lower placed bird houses.  Owls are busy nesting now as other birds are staking out their areas.  We still haven't spotted a red winged blackbird although we did see some robins.

Coon Creek

With all the melting snow Coon Creek was really flowing. Leftover creek snow  hung on to the bank edges and limbs. 
The warm sunshine felt amazing.

That winter interest is getting really tired looking as we anxiously await the color green. 

Tomorrow sleet and snow return but the warm day was definitely a welcomed reprieve. 

A day like today gives one a taste of what is yet to come and why we in the Midwest really appreciate the arrival of spring after a long extremely cold winter especially here in the End of the Rainbow Valley...

Chaseburg's Hideaway

Lower Chaseburg barely exists since  FEMA bought out and razed flooded properties but one structure still remains and that is The Hideaway, a local eatery and bar.

Present owners Jack and Carol Wolfe live on the premises with their family. Food is good and besides bar food (Wisconsin's famous fried cheese curds) and a stocked bar, there is a full restaurant menu. Jack employs a huge smoker and grill during the warmer months and also makes his own brews. Depending on the time of year Thursday night specials and raffles fill the dirt parking lot with locals, bikers, fishermen and visitors serving up daily specials besides great burgers and homemade pizzas.  

My favorite spot to sit as soon as it gets warm enough is on the back screened in porch. You can experience wildlife hanging out in the grassy areas and beautiful sunsets besides good 'ole fresh air. 

BUT right now the scenery behind the Hideaway are the spectacular frozen bluffs. Apparently the lights that would illuminate them at night are unfortunately not functioning right now. That's too bad-

BUT that just means you need to head on over during the day light before the meltdown if you haven't seen them this winter. 



Besides promoting this as a great place to grab a bite/ brew when in the area, it is an establishment with an illustrious past.  Old photos and newspaper clippings adorn the walls to tell its story in Chaseburg.

In 1911 the old tavern was bought and remodelled by the Koenigs. When widowed and left with 4 children to raise on her own, 'Ma' Koenig as she became known kept the tavern open and 7 upstairs rooms available if you catch my drift. 

Ma's reputation on being well versed in the Bible and correcting patrons's language seems a bit incongruous. You see supposedly this was just a 'hotel'  and restaurant during Prohibition but lo and behold, a copper tank was found between the kitchen and upstairs bedroom floor. In the bedroom's switch box was an aluminum filler pipe and a drainer pipe in the kitchen doorway. Imagine that!

Ma Koenig had the distinction of being in business longer longer than any other business in the Village of Chaseburg, 56 years.
Gee, if only those walls could talk we'd learn a lot more history than is in those old photographs... Stay tuned for more Chaseburg history and Life in the End of the RainbowValley...

FOTO FRIDAY: DOG DAYS

Finally the meltdown has started. Temps started creeping up and the first to really appreciate it are the animals here in the End of the Rainbow Valley. All have survived a very tough winter.  The girls (our hens) are back to laying. The dog is shedding.

You also know it has gotten warmer as Romeo has resumed his old vantage point position outside keeping an eye on his surroundings. Thursday reached the 30's and today should be cloudy but in the 40's. We'll take it. It seems like a heat wave. I actually didn't even zipper my jacket. Excitement.

Romeo back outside at his full time job

Judi's cat, Precious,  crawled into the photo when she was setting up a still life for painting. She looked like part of the set-up.

Isn't this just Precious ?





Pamela in Montepulciano, Italy  dog Bella and kitty Sunny are 'Sisters.'  









"A worrisome hairball event, vet intervention, Laurie's Lucifurr back to his delightful feline self." (Sigh of relief.) 

 Taz (Lhasa Apso riding shotgun) and Little Bit (Chinese Crested on her boy's lap) after "spring cleaning" at the groomer.

Jama's Roo is awfully sweet.
Here's Roo just waking up. I can see why this pic is one of Jama's favorite. I definitely relate with the crazy hairdo.





Cheryl's Dog Days in Florida look a bit scarier than most.

So what are you seeing this week? Send a pic from your 'Dog Days' or any animal for that matter. 

Last week's additions can now be seen by clicking:OOPSIES

Make New Friends but Keep 'Some' of the Old

Here's another one of those 'they say' comments: They say as you get older, you get wiser.  As my big 6-0 approaches self reflection reveals I am more comfortable in my own skin and I also know  who I am. 

This self knowledge is particularly true regarding friendships as an interesting article I read recently pointed out - "Not all friendships are going to last." How very true. In our earlier years, we wanted everybody to be our friend and exuded so much energy in those efforts.  As a gardener I particularly liked the article's comparison of friendships to be like flowers in a garden which need tending although not all friendships deserve it.  We have 'cultivated' friendships but some plants as relationships take more work. Some are just too much work.

At this time of our lives we only have so much time left, so why not surround ourselves with 'good' friends and better yet, be one?

 5 traits listed that make a friend worth keeping are:  

1) Friends who make the effort. Forgiving's much easier.

2) Friends  genuinely happy for you when something good happens. It's a 2 way street.

3) Friends who are upbeat. Not Debbie Downers

4) Friends who are up for anything. Flexible 

5) Friends who are authentic.

In Brownies back in the 60's we learned the song - Make New Friends but Keep the Old. Maybe the lyrics should have been "Make new friends but keep SOME of the old."

You mean we don't have hundreds of  friends on Facebook?

Take it Off... The chill that is

Time to celebrate as my blog Life in the End of the Rainbow Valley surpassed 25,000 views and as always I say that's amazing  with only 2 registered readers...  

After attending the Spring into Garden workshop this weekend, I realized before we know it, we will need room in the freezer again for new garden produce. OK, so I 'm rushing warmer weather, give me a break. A girl has to look forward to something and the end of winter is not a bad thing. One thing's for sure, we have a lot of  cauliflower still left. So it's time to share a quick and easy soup recipe to take the chill out of the air and use up some of that cauliflower. 

*Dedicated  to my youngest who always loves a good bowl of soup.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin

CONTRIBUTED BY ALICE QUILLET AND ANNA TRATTLES, FOOD AND WINE

PREP: 25 MIN

TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

SERVINGS: 4 TO 6

. 1 med cauliflower (1 1/2 lbs)—halved, cored, cut 1 ½” florets

. 1 t cumin seeds

. 1 t curry powder

. 1/4 c sunflower / grapeseed oil ( I used olive oil)

. Kosher salt

. Freshly ground pepper

. 1 sm onion, diced (1 c)

. 3 T unsalted butter

. 1 bay leaf

. 4 c water

. 1/4 c whole milk ( I used goat milk)
 * Parsley to garnish

1. Preheat  oven to 375º.

2. Toss cauliflower with cumin seeds, curry powder and 3 T oil, salt and pepper on lg rimmed baking sheet, roasting  25 min turning occasionally.

3. In large saucepan, heat remaining 1 T oil. 

4. Add onion, cooking over moderate heat, stirring until softened but not browned about 5 min. 

5. Add roasted cauliflower, butter, bay leaf and water and bring to a simmer. 

6. Cook over moderate heat until liquid's reduced and  cauliflower’s  soft (about 15 min.)

7. Discard  bay leaf.

8. In  blender, puree soup in two batches until smooth.

9. Return  soup to saucepan,  stir in milk. 
10. Rewarm over moderate heat, add more water for  thinner consistency, if desired. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve hot.

MAKE AHEAD: Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Natureman sliced up a couple pieces of his delicious rustic country onion bread and they were a perfect accompaniment to the hearty soup. Enjoy.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

Saturday was spent with some of my favorite people , Gardeners.  The Bluff Country Master Gardeners sponsored their 12th annual Spring into Gardening Workshop.  "Build it and they will come"... the workshop participants did come to La Crosse's WTC (Western Technical College) in spite of advisory wind chill warnings and snowy roads. Kudos to the Bluff Country Master Gardeners for a great workshop!

The day consisted of two Keynote morning presentations and 2 afternoon breakout sessions sprinkled with shopping breaks and lunch in between. If you have ever gone on an outing with a gardener you  know gardeners really like shopping for their home gardens and this workshop day was no exception.  There was also a silent auction with gardening items donated by vendors, Master Gardeners and other local patrons besides the vendors set up with their wares. Yours truly actually came home with a great basket bid on filled with homemade ornaments, soaps, a quilted spring table runner and coordinating candles. :O

Our day's keynote speaker was Ed Lyon of Madison's Centennial Gardens who spoke about sustainability and the locavore's interest in urban and community gardens in his first presentation. You may have noticed a greater awareness and interest as to where foods are grown, organic and heirlooms, quality, being 'green' and of course, food safety.

The second session concerned homeowner's low impact gardening regarding economic, social, physiological and health benefits and the plants we use, natives vs cultivars.

The usage of natives has added to the increasing problem of invasive species. I was baffled that certain plants I've incorporated in gardens are now considered invasive like Miscanthius grass, Sweet Autumn clematis and Japanese bloodgrass.  Larger invasive plants include Burning Bush and Japanese Barberry. Big OOPS. Who knew?  If planted already, keep an eye on these and if you see offshoots,  eradicate them before they smother out other species and if you haven't already used these, find alternatives. "Invasives continue to be issues. We all need to work toward being part of the solution, not part of the problem."

MG'er Tschumper (L) and Liz Beukema, presenter (center)

After lunch attendees had break out choices  between "Your Garden, an Extension of Your Living Space/ Fantastic and Underused Perennials for Western Wisconsin. " I attended the latter and have a list in case you are interested.

The second breakout was between Knee Deep in Monkeys, Protecting Tropical Forests for our Migratory Birds/ Rusts and Smut and Poop on a Stick. Once again I chose the latter. It was a long day and I have to admit that I was also 'pooped'.

Seeing beautiful photography of trees, shrubs and flowering plants fed our souls and was a temporary fix to hold us over until that deep frost leaves the ground since we'll be itching to get our hands into the soil especially here in the End of the Rainbow Valley... 

Come On, Aren't We All Immigrants?

You are going to wonder why I am going off on this immigrant tangent today. Could it be due to all the accents we heard at the Oscars last night?  Well no, but interestingly enough the real reason is because this past weekend our discussion group met to banter over assigned readings regarding elitism and immigrant group success.  (links below)  Many variables contribute to success and to make group comparisons is dangerous on many levels especially in a competitive and racist society.

I have spent most of my adult life defending multiculturalism.  In fact, probably the reason I did my Masters in this area was self-interest and job security. I knew that we as a nation made up of immigrants would always be grappling with resettling new immigrant groups within our communities and would need ‘empathetic’ citizens.

Lady Liberty's poem at Ellis Island states:
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

There was no prerequisite to leave one's culture on the boat...

Immigrants came fleeing their homelands for a myriad of reasons but they all came looking for a better life. Different immigrant groups tended to settle/be resettled in ghettos of the same population. Some groups chose to assimilate but there have always been groups that have maintained their separateness and did not buy into the assimilating ‘melting pot.’  The problem is the general population feels threatened by this nonconformity.  Why is it so difficult to let people carry on their beliefs and practices? Are laws being broken that threaten society's safety?  Do these differences hurt us as a society/ could we even relearn a sense of community?

The problem is it’s not easy to teach tolerance and respect for cultural practices different than our own if we cannot recognize our own issues of racism and sense of superiority/is it insecurity?  Emphasizing basic human needs such as sustenance, shelter and a sense of security is certainly a beginning.  Our mind set has to change as to what can be learned from other cultures.  And above all else, not to judge. Easier said than done...

Roma Gypsies

The People Who Pass *my favorite article  

The Tiger Mom's Superiority Complex dangerous comparisons

The-Triple-Package-Unlikely-Cultural

(All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood)