Not Raisng the Roof, Just the Funds...

The best part of summer is the numerous art fairs.  I love  seeing the various artists's creativity and we didn't even have to travel 10 miles from the End of the Rainbow Valley to attend the last one.


You see, this past Sunday Norskedalen, the Norwegian heritage farm, held a wine and cheese afternoon with an art fair at their Skrumsrud site which not only served as a fundraiser but also promoted area artists. The cheeses and wines at the tasting were also local.

Ominous clouds threatened the skies all day but luckily the skies didn't let loose since artists were located both inside period buildings and tents in the scenic farmland.

Coon Valley Oak Bird house

Rosemaling

There were all types of crafts from rosemaling ( a Norwegian flower motif painting on woodwork), pottery, needlework, photography, homemade  soaps & lotions, jewelry and woodwork and woodturning objects for sale besides the silent auction donated items from the artists.

The weather probably hindered attendance but those that attended had a very lovely afternoon, including yours truly...

Losing My Touch...

I have been extremely fortunate as to my Couchsurfing experiences but one's luck can run out.  Was Green Bay going to be the city where I misjudged my correspondence with my Couchsurfing hostess?

You see I had made contact with a fellow couchsurfer who had space for both friend Lynn, and myself.  We would be easy guests as we would be fed by M.O.M. with even Friday night entertain- ment at Lambeau. 

The plan was that when we were close to Green Bay, I would give a call so more definite arrangements as to arrival time could be made. But when I called the number provided, I was taken aback to receive a recorded message saying that the number was no longer in service. I must have misdialed. So I tried the number I had again. Same outcome. Oh dear, now what?  Of all times I hadn't brought my laptop with me and couldn't reconfirm the number. Wait, I could call home. Luckily I found Natureman home and talked him through the steps to find that email info. Nope, it wasn't a copying error, I had written the number correctly. 

What to do?  Why would she have given me the wrong number? It's not like a giving the wrong digits to a guy in the bar... If you don't want to host somebody, you just say "No" to the surfing request.  You are told you are always supposed to have a backup plan and for the very first time I didn't have one. Maybe she just made a typo and didn't catch it. Well, we didn't panic right away.

After stopping to pick up our registration stuff at the convention center we still had time before the Appreciation Party so I suggested driving by the given address. Maybe we needed to find another place to stay/ maybe Couchsurfer host Jamie would be home /maybe that address didn't even exist. Since it was only a mile away and en route to where we needed to go next, we GPS'ed it. Sure enough awaiting us we found a quiet neighborhood with manicured lawns and according to the next door neighbor who was holding a garage sale, a 'Jamie' lived next door. And a dog was home.

Whew, RELIEF. Ok so I left a note in the mailbox as to our timing plans and my cell number with hopes that Jamie would discover it upon her return and give us a call.  But alas no call and when we returned from Lambeau, the house was still dark. Surely her dog would have needed to be let out. Maybe she didn't check her mailbox.  There was a side entrance, maybe I should leave a note there too? I'm going over the past correspondence in my head. We had spoken about it being Friday and maybe she'd go out after work. We could go take a walk to a lovely garden we had driven past... It was a lovely evening and still daylight.

One major problem en route to this unique Garden I realized I really needed to visit a bathroom. The neighborhood library was already closed but at the end of another block was a neon light and more traffic. Yea, maybe a laundrymat/ business, hopefully still open. It was an old corner grocery store but an elderly man was locking up as we turned the corner, Lynn had pointed out a sign saying 'general public no bathroom use.' Just my luck but I got the gentleman's attention and he reopened the door and I explained we were from out of town and unfamilar with the area, could he point me in the direction of a business with a restroom nearby. The younger clerks in the store said I could use their facilities. Thank you Lord. As I was escorted to the back of the store I explained that we were supposed to be staying nearby but I had the wrong phone number. He asked me what it was ... I started to recite the number 9-0-2.. he stopped me as the Green Bay area code is 920 not 902.  I thanked him profusely on both accounts. 
Sure enough I was finally able to reach Jamie. She wondered why she hadn't heard from us AND she apologized for mistyping the phone number AND she had left a key in the mailbox. She would finish up dinner with her friends and be would be home shortly. 

Greatly relieved, Lynn and I continued on our walk to the  garden and all its surprises. Beautiful plantings and many yard sculptures.

After our nice walk we made our way back to the car to unpack and make ourselves at home. 


Not long there after Jamie joined us and we ended up  exchanging travel stories late into the evening. Much later than my usual Friday nights...  

One thing's for sure - I am not losing my touch and there are a lot of nice interesting people with big hearts everywhere.  

Selfie time : Lynn (L) Jamie ( R)

Home of the Packers...

I am not exaggerating when I say I live in an 'asportual' home. I have absolutely no clue who is playing for whom/ what game is on. In fact, the only time any game might be on our TV is when one of the boys is home.

Lynn's First Visit

So, you could say a visit to the home of the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, might be lost on someone like me. Yet, when the appreciation party for the M.O.M. Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic volunteers was being held at Lambeau and we could arrive in Green Bay earlier than expected, Lynn, my friend and 'ride', expressed a desire to go.  Why not? 

Requested Attire: Packer gear, of course. But do you think I even had anything Green & Yellow in my closet? Nope. Thank goodness Lynn's son could lend us some gear. I wouldn't have a clue if people were staring at me for wearing the wrong player's jersey. 

Things aren't exactly quiet in the off season. If you didn't know Lambeau is under construction.  Packer fans are not hard to come by in this city nor state and they decided to support this major renovation...

Anyhow 600 volunteers filled the Lambeau Field Atrium for a buffet dinner, music and  even an auction.  The place obviously knows how to handle a crowd and the 6 food tables never had a line nor waiting. 


The wait staff refilled table water and cleared plates. Each guest besides having a yummy dinner was gifted one free beverage.

Note that great Packer shirt.

12 Volt Band entertained us

We were blessed by many sponsors for this entire M.O.M.  2-day clinic including our bar-b-que chicken/burger dinner with sides and music, not to mention the space for the appreciation evening.

 Even a Packer autographed football was auctioned off. I heard someone say the name was mispronounced but then corrected. Heck, if John Travolta can mispronounce Idina Menzel's name at the Academy Awards, it can happen to anyone and what would I know anyway? Anyhow a dentist from Eau Claire won the bidding on the signed ball by Datone Jones (Day-tone) who  I now know happened to be a first round draft pick 2013, defensive end. And no, I didn't bid on the ball. :)

What a terrific venue in M.O.M.'s host city for 2014.

FOTO FRIDAY: LAST ONE

Just this week I made a mistatement to  my out of town guest Missee. She was asking about peonies and I said they were all done. So she leaves yesterday and I had a small peony open. Well, I thought they were done blooming.

So here's the little guy making me a liar in the End of the Rainbow Valley...
  

Do you have a last one of anything? Do send me a pic if you do!

If you missed last week's beneficial water : Click, HERE

HOSTA la Vista Baby...

Partners in crime, Lynn and yours truly

 Chances are if you turn on Hosta Lane you just might find some hostas. In the town of Kiel, Wisconsin, it's a given you will find 1,000's of hostas for sale on the nice shady grounds of Pond Side Gardens, located at 14028 Louis Corners Road in a residential neighborhood. This would be a deadly neighbor for any gardener.


It comes by its name honestly as across the street is a lovely aerated pond stocked with fishies and a mowed area with some lovely plantings by its gazebo. 

Kathleen just lives right down the street...

There's even a nice bench to sit and 'ponder' your surroundings/ take a pic as we did in our case. Here's Kelsey (l- rear) with her Mom Kathleen (standing) and seated Aunts Lynn and Yvonne.

Whether you are in the market for hostas/ would just like to meander the humongous variety of hostas in their display gardens, you won't be disappointed.  Owners, Dennis and Diane Lenz have been collecting and growing hostas for over 10 years and are very knowledgeable besides friendly. They can tell you what grows best where and its future size. The hostas are not greenhouse raised so you know they are zone hardy and healthy. Whatever doesn't sell this season is replanted.  That could mean almost a 1000 replanted. Whoa.

On the display side the hosta gardens have markers as to their common names and the years they were planted. This educates the prospective buyer as to an idea of how large the plant grows. 

Of course I couldn't go home emptyhanded and 'plant' shopping is the best therapy I know.  It wasn't easy choosing which ones to take home as there are over 500 varieties on the grounds. You are given a clipboard and pen at arrival to write down the hostas that appeal to you. Some are sold out and marked as such so I always looked first so I didn't fall in love with those.You don't have to worry about finding ones to love. Not only their appearance catches your attention but their names are noteworthy. 

In the purchasing area all the hostas are alphabetized and are placed according to size- Small, Med and Large. Labels also reconfirm your choice and sun preference. Yes, some hostas do like more sun than others.

Grandtiara, June Fever, Maui Buttercup, Niagara Falls, Rainforest Sunrise and Sum and Substance all came home with me.  

Don't these guys look like they are going to be really happy in the End of the Rainbow Valley?

I had to say "Hosta la vista, Baby" because if I 'm ever in this hood again, I'll be back.

24 Hours

It was difficult to leave Ostrich Fest (see previous blog entry) but friend Lynn had family awaiting our arrival. They have a new home at Cedar Lake in Kiel, WI, not far from Manitowoc. We didn't have far to go.  

Alas, the excitement didn't end with the ostrich burger...  

En route we pulled over to let a car pass and it turned out to be the popo (sheriff, no less). Guess we must have looked suspicious poking along as we watched for street signs. Oh dear, but hey if a policeman is going to stop you, it's a plus if he's a cutie. 

Cedar Lake's a lovely setting of both permanent and weekend/ summer homes. The evening provided a nice cool breeze for a pontoon ride to admire the lakefront homes. Even Elle, the family dog, came along for the boat ride. It was a relaxing end to a busy full day.

After all the fresh air and another late night, it didn't take me two minutes to fall asleep and I slept like a rock.

Morning sun streamed through the blinds the next morning and I walked outside trying not to disturb those still in Slumberland. 
I discovered a few rainclouds had watered the flowers overnight and the morning air was conducive for some summer reading and  to enjoy the plantings and lake environs. 

paddle kayak

Lynn's sister, Kathleen, had just gotten a paddle kayak and everybody in her family had taken it for a ride except her. So we accompanied her on a very leisurely paddle around the lake.  Well, that is until the boat 

My first kayak experience

traffic started which churned up the once calm water as jet skis, skiers and rafters dotted the waters. Dark clouds also started rolling in with a nice head wind. My once dry pants now were wet again as we made our way around the lake's outer perimeter.

Sunshine reappeared so it didn't take long to dry off. I so enjoyed my very first kayak experience but as I sat soaking up the sun-shine, the juxtaposition of the last 24 hours hit me hard. You see the day before at the very same time I was with people who couldn't afford to access mouth care and the next I was in an area where people owned more than one home and had to decide which new toy to buy next... The disparity couldn't have been more pronounced.

Mission of Mercy- M.O.M.

Remember to brush

This past weekend my hygienist friend Lynn and I participated again in Wisconsin's free dental clinic.  WDA- Wisconsin's Dental Association is responsible for the Mission of Mercy which began in La Crosse and each year goes to another city. (this year in Green Bay and previous years in Lake Geneva, Madison, Wausau, Sheboygan, and La Crosse)   I have been fortunate enough to have been able to volunteer interpret at all six and Lynn's only missed one. 

 Each of the 2 clinic days lines  of patients grew longer for those awaiting doors to open at Green Bay's KI convention center. Almost 2,000 patient visits resulting in almost $1.5 million dollars of care in the mash like set up set up clinic. 

The patient numbers served were a bit lower than last year's clinic in Lake Geneva but this had nothing to do with need. This lower number unfortunately was due to social services not being contacted ( yeah oops) so the first day the lower numbers of patients just insured those present more services. You see each patient goes through triage upon arrival. This means their dental needs are assessed.  As each need in order of importance is serviced, the patient restarts

the process waiting in another waiting area- cleaning, fillings, extractions, etc... It's amazing how smoothly it all works.


At 12:30pm on Saturday all the appointment spots had been filled and there were still patients being seen past 5 pm unlike previous years. 

No questions are asked regarding need. If they are there, they obviously have a need. There are the employed/ unemployed, some w/wo insurance and some patients who have never seen a dentist.  

Dental care instruction is provided in the process and each patient goes home with a tooth brush, tooth paste and floss. 

All this happens due to donations of time and supplies. Some 

  1200 volunteers enable this all to happen. Besides dental professionals giving of their time, dental students come in on busses to gain experience and help. There are shifts of volunteers doing everything from escorting patients to picking up to the feeding of volunteers.

And in the patient's exit survey the question relating to their happiness on a scale of 1 to 5( 5 being the highest) the number 5 is  accompanied by stories, the patients are so appreciative. There are tears of joys and heartfelt hugs for being able to leave with a cleaner mouth... 

Next year's M.O.M. is already in the planning. Thanks to all the big hearts and I hope that one day all dental needs can be met every day of the year... 

Some of our Saturday interpreters, we were kept very busy...