Christmas in Almost July -or- Is it 4th of July in Almost Christmas?

We've been trying to decide how to spend the 4th of July this year. Last the 4th fell on a Wednesday. My husband Jon and I and son Dave went to Duluth. We got a room in one of the fancy new hotels at water's edge in Duluth. Their fireworks are shot off over the harbor. No hassles driving in those crowds after the display; plenty of fun things to do and restaurants nearby for dinner before "the show". Mary and Mike and his mom met us there.

The 4th is on a Friday this year and it won't be easy to get a premium room if you haven't planned well in advance. We have been considering our options.
--Stay home and go downtown Stillwater? We have a huge display of fireworks that claims to be the biggest in Minnesota but lots of people. Gridlock getting out of town afterwards but still fun. We've done that most years.
--Go to Marine on St. Croix (a tiny town upriver about 15 miles). They shoot theirs on the 3rd. We did that a few years ago and it was fun. A true "Norman Rockwell" experience. Bring your lawn chairs and gather by the town gazebo across from the old white wooden general store. The town loves its historical buildings and small town ambiance. It looks like a little New England town probably because it was built in 1840 by loggers from Maine. Money to purchase public fireworks is raised by townspeople donating in the jar at the general store. The general store has a great on-site bakery, deli, rents videos, sells groceries and has an old fashioned meat counter. All this in a 150 yr. old building with squeaky wooden floors.
--Drive to Maiden Rock, WI, an itsy bitsy town on the Mississippi 40 or so miles from here. Small crowds (oops, that's an oxymoron) and small fireworks but beautiful scenery by the great river. Sit on the deck of the local bar or by the town park by the river. Nice.
-- A dozen surrounding towns including the Taste of Minnesota have fireworks.

Fireworks are not just for the 4th anymore. We have an equally big fireworks display in July at our summer celebration of Lumber Jack Days. Our church rents a paddlewheeler riverboat. For a modest price you get a dinner cruise followed by on the water view of the pyrotechnics. Oooh, aaahh.....Watch the following You tube video if you have another minute of the Christmas lighting ceremony in Kansas. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACoeSkWB3Vo&feature=related

Wooden Shoe Be Upset Too?

We have a wood stack but the picture is not our wood stack. It came from the internet and reminds me of those perfectly stacked woodpiles in Germany and Austria. Perfection. Do you think they use a piece of plywood to line up the ends? I digress...

This morning Jon said, "I think someone has been stealing our wood." We cut down two trees last year and have ranks of wood behind the garage and under the deck. The pile seems to have shrunk. Probably was tempting to someone for a campfire. We turned on our motion sensing light again and hope that will help. It didn't seem to be effective today scaring away the moths that set it off. You can guess why we turn it off.

A short time later I made a shocking discovery. The gnarley oak in the park directly across the street from us looks like it has oak wilt disease. There are many branches suddenly is dead, brown leaves. This isn't good news. The disease spreads by the root system and we may be close enough to have it infect our huge backyard oak. This oak overhangs our deck and shades our house and yard. Our neighbor has two large oaks closeby. I was sick thinking we might lose these trees. Sick for the loss of shade and the cost. In the worst case we would really have a big woodpile if that happens. On second thought, that wood would be banished to prevent spread of the disease. I'm praying for that tree.

Cute Kid Story

Excerpt from today's St. Paul Pioneer Press Bulletin Board column:

Reports Terri of Cottage Grove: "Our 5-year-old neighbor boy, Jack, asked me if I had any pictures of Jesus. I found some old holy cards, like the type you get at funerals. They usually have a picture of something religious, like Jesus or an angel, and then a verse on the back.
"A few days later, Jack's mom called and said the kids at Jack's day care wanted me to get them some holy cards. I asked her why, and she said: 'They're trading them like baseball cards.'
"I told my husband: 'Hey, I've got Jesus' rookie card!' "

I like to use Googled pictures to illustrate my blog and probably do it to excess. Today, when looking online for a picture of Jesus, I typed ---drawings + Jesus---in the search column. What? Are there any other images we have of Jesus? Don't think I have ever seen a photograph. Jesus, you better take the wheel here. Bye, Jane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky4rfA_tebY

High Brow vs Low Brow

I wanted to title this, "Who Killed Kenny" but only the younger ones would know that source. Think the animated TV show, "South Park" which I don't watch but have heard referenced.

My Low Brow Story (Garth Brooks song, "I Got Friends in Low Places, come on down to the Oasis" playing softly in the background.)

Our favorite greasy spoon The Oasis recently changed ownership. The new owner circulates in the restaurant talking to customers and refilling coffee cups. The diner has a bevy of locals who frequent it. Not many tourists show up. They serve a hot roast beef or turkey sandwich smoothered in gravy with a scoop of mashed potatoes. Truck stop food without the truck drivers. Single guys line up at the counter and tease the waitresses, most of whom have worked there for decades. We go for the great coffee and hot breakfast. This is not California cuisine.

We were the first and only customers when it opened at 5:30am today. I asked the waitress how she liked working for new management and got an earfull. Change is hard. The employees are adjusting, except for the three who resigned, and the regulars are casting a wary eye hoping the place doesn't change too much.

Strike one: He changed the coffee. Yuk. Got to understand how important the coffee is.

Strike two: He got rid of the familiar heavy duty restaurant plates. The new look is mismatched china and mugs. The waitress showed us burn marks on her arms. She usually carries several plates of food from the kitchen to the tables. The new plates get too hot under the warmer and there is no room for tray stands.

Strike three: The owner won't allow the dirty dish bins under the counter. Waitresses must carry them (without trays) back to the dishwasher. The old system had the dishwasher fetch the bins of dirty dishes from under the counter. They have a long-time dishwasher named Kenny. New manager doesn't think Kenny should be out with the public. Public thinks Kenny is part of the ambiance and charm of the place. I suggested the customers wear t-shirts with the slogan, "Who Killed Kenny?". Support your local dishwasher. Something is missing without him.

Might be able to find those shirts at Walmart. That was the talk of the diner as folks came in today. It is universal to have trouble adjusting to change. Don't fix it if it ain't broke!!!

New guy watch out. Don't underestimate how strongly your customers feel about tradition.

My High Brow Story

Apparently all of us have been conditioned by eBay to accepting gently used stuff into our homes. Resale and consignment stores are flourishing even among the well-heeled. I heard the following story yesterday and was amused.

In Wellesley, MA it is chic to "shop" at the Wellesley dump. Even the more sophisticated matrons are doing it. Wellesley is a tony, affluent old New England town. Exclusive Wellesley college is located there. When I visited my friend Barb in Massachusetts this spring she took me to Wellesley. Old money. Apparently their discards are a cut above most towns. They have rules at the town dump enforced by a security guard. You may only shop at the dump if you are a Wellesley resident and can prove it. It is an exclusive dump. Do you think they do this in Beverly Hills? High brow dumpster diving?

They can borrow my Garth Brooks theme, "I've got friends in low places" if they chose.

Wonderful Rhubarb Pie

Jon picked the last of the rhubarb yesterday. He has been working hard painting, staining woodward and working on our bedroom. Today he is assembling some Ikea furniture. Smart woman that I am, I arranged to be gone for a couple of hours this morning. Yesterday I made him a rhubarb pie for a treat after working so hard.

This is an old rhubarb pie recipe I've used for years. I altered it a bit by using 1/2 Splenda and 1/2 sugar. Next time I'll try all Splenda. I didn't have a premade pie crust and I ceased making them from scratch years ago. I used the graham cracker crust I had on hand and it was exceptionally good.

The recipe is from the church cookbook of Yellow Medicine Lutheran Church, Hanley Falls, Minnesota printed sometime in the 70's. Mrs. Clara Berre submitted it.

Funny. These days most women would just put Clara Berre and skip the Mrs. Times change.

VERY BEST RHUBARB PIE *my alterations

2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup granulated sugar or *Splenda/sugar combo

2 eggs, separated

pinch of salt

2 tbsp. flour

Pie shell *(I used graham cracker crust)

Combine rhubarb, sugar, salt and vanilla with unbeaten egg yolkds and flour.

Mix thoroughly. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in. Pour mixture into pie shell.

Topping

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut together with a pastry cutter. Sprinkle over top. Bake @ 350 for 40-50 min.

The Word Police

I'm being a bit critical today. I just heard someone on a radio talk show say, "It depends on your degree of comfortableness". I reached for the dictionary and verified that comfortableness is a word. Could save a little time, a little ink on the page to just say comfort. Just my opinion.

Deja Vu Redux

Stop. Read the previous blog first.

Okay. Just when I quit worrying about OJ in Minnesota, I turned on the local station to catch the weather. Caught a sports report saying that OJ Mayo, the Timberwolf, was traded for Kevin Love. Two catchy names there, but I might not like being referred to as OJ. Coincidence. Two OJ stories about different OJs that tie to Minnesota. Both were from California previously. Both athletes. Wonder if the Mayo guy can act. Hope he can control his temper