OLD BULBS GONE WILD!!

…from the Secret Garden

From an earlier post, I spoke of My Secret Winter Garden. Well, nestled there off to the side of the light, I had placed my two old Amaryllis bulbs from previous years. They spend their summer on the deck growing some leaves, enjoying the sunshine, and remained alive and well. So in January when I went to the basement to check on the garden I was surprised to find these bulbs becoming active. Shooting upward, were not more leaves, but fat buds. So I brought them upstairs and placed them in a sunny (sometimes) west window. I documented daily growth with my camera and in about thirty days there was bloom. The second amaryllis (09) grew quick fast, but with a thinner stem. It is still in its opening bud process. The 2008 plant did not bloom last year, it just grew leaves, so it was a pleasant surprise to see it break forth with such a vibrant and healthy flower.The two flowers are entwined as they look out at the cold snow. Since I threw out the boxes long ago, I don’t know the name of either one, so I simply call them: "08 & 09".  They bring such cheer to the dreary days of winter that seemingly continue to linger and thrive. So sit back and relax and watch them grow!

A Pine Mountain Romantic Memory

We were in Iron River last weekend and I happened to see this newspaper in a gas station. Seeing these headlines reminded me of a couple visits I have had to Pine Mountain. No, I was not there ski jumping. My husband Jon took me there in the early days of our relationship to show me the incredible view and to see the 2nd highest ski jump in the Upper Peninsula.

The ski jump was near the top of the list of things I wanted to see and perhaps seeing a bear again was on the list, too. Who would have thought I would see both at sunset, on top of Pine Mountain. I am not sure how Jon arranged that.

Nine months later on a bitterly, cold and gusty day, he took me back, on an anniversary of our first meeting. I found it odd, that we were back there, but didn’t ask questions. We needed to hang on to each other or be blown off the mountain as we exited the car.

We walked out on the judging ramp which extends many feet out over the mountain slope. Then he starts telling me how much he loves me. I am thinking why couldn’t he do this in the car where it was nice and warm. His spiel continues for about a minute which seemed like eternity as I slowly begin to numb from the cold. I am trying to shield myself from the icy wind with his body. The next thing I know he is down on his knee. I am thinking, oh my, something is wrong! Was he dying from the cold? He then plucks a tiny box out of his pocket into my hand. Oh my gosh! It then dawned on me what he was doing. But I quickly thought, don’t take the ring out of the box, it will get caught up in the wind and go, who knows where, below us. So I quickly stuffed the box in my pocket as he began to ask me to marry him. I was not surprised he would ask this, but today, on Pine Mountain it caught me off guard. Then he officially spoke the words, I was stunned and I kept saying “OMG”.  Then he repeated the question again with a worried look on his face. In the midst of the emotion of the request, I had forgotten to answer his question. He was relieved that was the only reason it took me so long to answer him. I then said, “We have to record this moment!” We always have cameras in our pockets (Dueling Cameras R Us). We decided it was too windy to do a timed shot, we would likely lose the camera over the railing. So we clutched and Jon stretched out his arm and snapped one picture quickly, hoping it turned out, because it was too cold for a 2nd shot .

We then practically ran back to the shelter of the car. We started talking madly, then I realized I had not even looked to see what was in the box. I whipped it out of my pocket and ripped it opened. I was shocked to see a heart shaped garnet ring. My favorite color, red, and a heart to symbolize the moment. He read me correctly, it was perfect.

We then went into Iron Mountain and had an early dinner before heading back to Appleton. I was still reeling in shock and awe while he gloated with pride at his romantic success. I don’t believe he ever wiped that smile off his face during our 3 hour ride. Well, all I can say is, I was impressed, flattered, and deeply moved at the extent he went to carry out that moment. I didn’t ever think that love would happen again, but it did.

So on this 3rd anniversary together, I thought I would re-live it as a surprise for him. Happy Valentine’s Day and Birthday, Jon.

janeofwisconsin: The Sparkle of February's Winter Days

janeofwisconsin: The Sparkle of February's Winter Days: " It’s 5 degrees this morning, another cold snap here in the Mid West. By February, I begin to hunger and crave for more sunshine a..."

The Sparkle of February's Winter Days

 It’s 5 degrees this morning, another cold snap here in the Mid West. By February, I begin to hunger and crave for more sunshine and its warmth on my face. The light has returned today.

Can you feel it? Its brilliance is magnified and reflected off each delicate crystal,carefully nestled together by the last snowfall.











The shadows of mid winter are getting a little longer each day. I asked my husband if noticed he is not driving home in the dark anymore. It happens so slowly, one can ignore the obvious.








I love listening to the birds in nearby bushes busily chattering away, as I invade their trusted space. Upon returning from Fast Eddy’s morning walk,they scatter to the trees, frightened by this big furry bundle of energy, who,invigorated by all he has seen and smelled, rolls back in forth in the snow.






 


By mid day, the sun begins to thaw the snow making it a delicious frozen liquid dripping off the eaves, pinging through the down spout, and slowly spreading out across the sidewalk.











 I am waiting for the late winter days when I can sit on the deck with my face pointed skyward and soak in some sun, pretending it is summer.

 I am reminded that a sunny day, like today, is when the sap in the trees is teased and will soon begin to rise through the roots of the hardwoods.





 
 Ahhh, a vast space of perfect, unblemished snow, just waiting for something to plunk down in it, scattering the flakes outward. A snow field, that in a few months will be transformed from white to green and adorned with the colorful jewels of spring and summer.  Carpe Diem!

OH Yeah! Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV, Approaching

Super Bowl is only 3 days away and I can't wait. It is only fitting that today I should devote my blog to this topic. My oldest son finds this most amazing that his mom is going to watch the Super Bowl and can't wait for its arrival.  My history with football, before marrying a man from Wisconsin, was playing in the high school pep band  and playing my clarinet at half time shows in the Fall. Oddly enough, the only professional game I attended was a Green Bay Packer and Detroit Lion game in the late sixties. We were in Detroit for Band Day and performed with a mass group of other high school bands. It was one of the best trips. We stayed in the brand new Renaissance Center. Anyhow, I fell in love with Bart Starr at that game,I believe we were seated behind the Packer Bench. He was the only QB that I could recite from memory all my adult life. Then here I am living just 3o miles south of Mecca, Green Bay. Who would have guessed!

My husband has very nicely pulled me into the life of Sunday afternoon football watching. I never really understood the game and he has nudged me into a  relatively good understanding of the game. I like it so much I actually watch ESPN shows during the day when a big game is approaching, to listen to the debates on who will win.

As you can imagine the Packer hype is going strong. Green Bay Public Schools announced today that school will dismiss around noon on Monday for the" Welcome Back Packer" celebration no matter the outcome of the Super Bowl. Some of the celebrating will dribble over into Tuesday when there will be a big party in Lambeau for fans.

Our local news shows newborn babies born in the Green Bay hospitals  sporting Packer knitted stocking hats and blankies, and recently even cheesehead hats. The buildings in downtown GB are being papered up with green and gold support signs.  The groceries stores display their support in the produce, the bakery, the deli, to the special beverages. Children are posting YouTube songs that they have creatively written to show their support. Our new governor has ordered that the capitol dome in Madison be bathed with green and gold flood light. It is Packermania right down to our feathered pets, last night, Jon and I chuckled as we watched a  news film clip of a GB exotic bird that chattered "I Love Packers".

I am simply amazed at how much money true fans are willing to spend to follow their team through the season, through the playoffs, and now on to the Super Bowl. Same day flights and a ticket are 4 thousand dollars. Many fans are going to Dallas in support of the team, to be present at rallies, attend parties,but watch the game at a football viewing venue, but that is still a very expensive trip.  It's this solidarity about football and the Packers that drives the economy in NE Wisconsin as well as the entire state and beyond.

My former school colleagues will be amused that some of the elementary schools have fun Packer challenges going on. One particular school has each class room picking a player and collecting food that equals the weight of their favored player. Then their collected donations will be given to the local food pantries, a very admirable math and charity project.
Time Warner, the local cable company, for the last two weeks has been distributing Packer yard signs for free. I am going to venture out tomorrow to see if I can get a few for neighbors and our house. Can you believe I have even considered going out and buying a Packer flag. Oh my heart be still

As I have said in previous blogs, football trickles down even into church, too. Our senior Pastor is from Chicago, so two Sundays ago, he sported a very funny Bear hat during the announcements. He promised he would be cheering for the Packers this weekend. I think I am going to break my rule about appropriate church dress this weekend, and proudly wear my Packer girl sweatshirt. I am pretty sure I won't be the only one doing so.

My hairdresser  shared her thoughts about the game, well I should say about half time. She is in her early 20's and is so glad that Black Eyed Peas will be featured versus the "has beens" and unrelateable groups that she have seen the last few Super Bowls.

A Ham Radio buddy in Oshkosh posted an article on Twitter recently about the former Vince Lombardi home in GB (the link is below and worth a read). People STILL seek out the Coach's  home with reverence.

I asked my husband about the ring thing. He really didn't know, so I did a little research. Apparently each team is given a token 150 Super Bowl Rings. If teams want more than that, then they have to pony up an additional $5000 per ring needed. I thought just the players got the rings, but trainers, guys on IR, and other people that work with the team get rings as well.

My husband told me that it is unique for a small city, like Green Bay, to be the home of a NFL franchise. The support, loyalty, and love that the fans have for this team is unfounded. No matter the outcome, the fans will be proud that their young team reached the playoffs and won AND played in the Super Bowl. I have to admit it is fun getting caught up in all the hullabaloo. So, Oh Yeah, let the parties begin and bring THAT Lombardi Trophy back home to Title Town! GO PACK GO!

P.S. I have a new QB favorite, so move over Bart Starr, it's now Aaron Rodgers!

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/super_bowl/green-bay-babies-show-green-and-gold-pride   Green Bay newborns
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2010/columns/story?id=6077292  Vince Lombardi's former Green Bay residence

1/3 of the Way Through "30 Days of Gratitude Challenge"

I was given the idea to do this challenge in the gray days of January by a fellow blogger in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I put the challenge out on Facebook for friends. Some friends picked up on the idea. We have posted each day a simple gratitude reflection instead of  moaning and groaning about the snow, cold, clouds, and life in general because it's winter and that's what people in the Midwest do. From some of the postings I am sure others stopped in their tracks and reflected personally. So here goes...my first ten days.

Day 1: In spite of the temperature, 10 degrees, Eddy and I took our usual 40 min walk. It is a good thing I HAVE him and HAVE to take him on daily doggie walks. Without him, I would have looked at that temp. and told myself it is too cold to be outside. Well it isn't. That cold moist air on a daily basic, has kept me healthy. So thank you Eddy!

Day 2: As I continue to settle into WI, I am grateful for all the people God has placed in my life: both family & friends. Thankfully, we can continue our relationships from afar via technology. I am also grateful for so quickly being asked to join a small group within my church last year, where we study various topics & share what's going on in our life. This group satisfies the need of belonging and being cared about.
Day 3: Yesterday Jon and I toured the WBAY RV & Camping Show in Green Bay. We weren't shopping, it's just fun to look. That activity then provides a natural  segue into what I am grateful for: I spent many vacations traveling the country camping with my Tonn family. Those were wonderful adventures that have left me with great memories.

DAY 4: To my friend Patty, simply , I am grateful the Packers won!! I have been holding off with this, hoping I could say that:-)
Day 5:  As I head out today on my "40 min. morning walk" with Fast Eddy, I am grateful that the deep cold has moved East and it is 18 degrees. It is much more enjoyable to be outside!!

Day 6: Phone calls from both of my sons today. Good chats.

Day 7:  We were able to sell the extra electric stove today, that has been in the garage waiting for a new home! Yeah!

Day 8:  Jon shoveled our sidewalk on his way to work this a.m....'atta' boy!!! :-)

Day 9: What a great  surprise, a date for dinner tonight with my husband. We tried the Wild Truffle Trattoria in Grand Chute. We had one of their wood fired pizzas for two and interesting salads, the kind you wish you would have taken a picture of. We will have to make a return trip sometime with company. :-}

Day 10: For anyone who knows me, I am sure they will be laughing hysterically, this is so NOT me: I am grateful I took an hour and alphabetically aligned my spices for ease of use. I have pantry doors where they are stored and it seems every time I need something I look at every bottle to find the right one .... VERY inefficient. So today, I organized all those blasted little things!!

Hey, it's the small things in life that plant a smile on my face and keep me going. I am just figuring that, in 20 more days of looking on the brighter side, February will almost be over. Yeah!

Related articles

• The 30 Day Gratitude Challenge (greymatterlife.com)
• Gratitude is The Eight of The Ten Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts, Homes and Nations (socyberty.com)
• Teaching Kids the Importance of Gratitude (everydayhealth.com)
• Join me in this month's Gratitude-a-thon! (powerofslow.wordpress.com)

GUEST BLOG: WOOF!

Fast Eddy here. I decided that I would take my turn at the keys and pound out a few words to you all. So here goes.
A few of you have asked how my rear leg knee surgery is doing from last April. Well, I am glad to report I am back to my old self again. I can run through the deep snow like a pup. Steps are no longer a problem. I can leap about with ease. My doc said I should be good for life, now.

I travel a lot in the “Woofer Mobile” as my friend Ginny calls it. I get the entire back seat so I can see where we are going and easily stick my nose out the window. We make lots of trips between Wisconsin and Michigan. The last time I was back in Michigan was the week before the last Badger run across Lake Michigan. Jane knows I hate the 10 hour truck drives home. I get anxious and worn out from panting the entire trip. So when she goes home in the winter, she parks me at doggy camp, so I can hang with my peeps. It’s kind of fun to be with a lot of other furry friends. Although I don’t appreciate the yippy guys who bark all night. But the kids that work there, really like me and get a good chuckle when I have my lamby in my mouth. I am always glad to go there, but happier to leave and get home for some quality peace and quiet.

I also dig doing my daily doggie patrol around the ‘hood. I stamp many of the trees, fire hydrants, and snow banks with my own personal brand of yellow, to let others know I have been there. That’s important.

I must say, I have not appreciated the deep cold weather we have had lately, because if it is too cold Jane does not want to go for very long walks. Plus big paws get cold, too. In the winter we carefully avoid the heavy salt at the intersections. I don’t have the luxury of wearing boots, like Jane.

 I find that I love the taste of winter. Winter is like a giant snow cone, minus the cone.  You know a dog gets thirsty doing a lot of sniffing, so it’s convenient to grab up a chunk of snow as we shuffle down the sidewalk.

Occasionally we are accosted by other four-legged neighbors. I am kind of the bad dude and bark, pull on my leash, and carry on, letting them know not to mess with me. Jane is embarrassed by my behavior, but I tell her to get over it. It IS what it IS! I am Eddy of the Block.
Today we met our bud, Ray, doing his tour around the block with his rolling walker. He likes me and always gives me pets. But he and Jane start talking which can lead to an easy 5 minute chat. I get bored and lay down.

I enjoy patrolling our back yard. There are varmint tracks all over: under the bird feeder and all around the deck. I am figuring it is rabbits, which are probably spending their winter in cozy nests under there. If I could only get off my leash and crawl under there I would have me a rabbit dinner. Oh well.

A couple of my favorite winter activities are playing king of the mountain on the snow banks and digging holes into the top. After vigorously flinging  snow onto the sidewalk and road, I then nestle in the hole. I like to peruse the block from my lookout and checking for invaders or big brown trucks.

By the way, I am finally getting over my humans leaving me alone at home. We play a game. They hide a few treats around the upstairs. They think that I spend the time they are gone looking for them, and forget to miss them. Actually it only takes me a few minutes to find them. I have them buffaloed.

I will let you in on a little secret. Jane didn’t REALLY retire to marry Jon. She retired because I was lonesome at home. It got down to choosing between work or me, and I am delighted to say she chose me. But speaking of Jon, I like him and he likes me too. He thinks he is the Dog Whisper. I must admit he IS very kind, but firm when working with me. AND he gives me his pizza crust. It can’t get much better than that!

Yawn….this has been fun and I feel a nap over taking me. WOOF!