Friday, October 1, 2021

Midwest Excursions: Fishing, Peril and Being Prepared!

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This week we have had cool nights and blistering days---we are still in summer here in the upper Midwest.


Idyllic isn't it? 

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Son and DIL camped in Shabbona (Illinois) State Park Campgrounds for a week. They rented a trailer and a boat to get away, safely. The campground in the middle of the week was quite empty. Perfect Covid Vacation. People wore masks in buildings, it was lovely.

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The restaurant/services building at the dock station had this great info on Chief (Shab-eh-nay) Shabbona, a Potawatami Indian Chief from this area. He was also Peace Chief to the "Three Fires Nations": Ottawa, Chippewa and Potawatomi Indians during the Midwest Indian wars. The town of Shabbona (pop.1200) is roughly thirty miles west of Aurora, Il. Out in farm country, this damned up river/artesian springs lake and the surrounding area are a Forest Preserve as well as a State Park. 

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The pontoon boat was huge, the lake is 315 acres-long and skinny with lots of created structure and fully stocked. The crazy weather has put a damper on fishing, but we were out in the middle of the day.

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There was much discussion on where to try and fish. 

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There was a healthy breeze, so you didn't realize how warm and sunny it was.

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Here are remnants of the trees lining a road that actually crossed this lake bed before the damn was built. There is a submerged farm and many man-made cribs, rock falls or what fishermen call structure. The lake is well stocked by the DNR and some huge 
Muskie and Bass have been taken out of here.

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My daughter-in-law relaxing and getting 'burned'.
Luckily we had a canopy, bug spray-which I used all over me, water, minnows, worms and great company.

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After a few hours and barely any bites on anything we went in for lunch. All farm freshly made in the restaurant up from the dock.

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The docking station where we were assisted by the owner of the Park services.

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All those boats and kayaks are for rent. Great facilities and services. I loved all the kayaks lined up...the colors.


Now, for the Peril and Being Prepared.

Fifteen years ago, when I was working for a Big Box craft store, I was bitten by something in the neck five times. Either a spider, bee, or wasp and I immediately hit the ground and was caught by a coworker. I passed out clutching the skin around the bites. Paramedics were there quickly??? and I was given a shot and told to sit up and let go of my neck. I did, and the venom pulsed through me again and I was out.

Four hours later I woke up in the ER...after multi-courses of medications with my husband staring at me with concern.
Since this serious episode, I have carried an epi-pen...I limit my time outside this time of year because of the aggressive yellow-jacket wasps. Our yard is full of flowers and I do my gardening very early or very late. Or hubby does it!

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THIS DAY--I CARRIED TWO PENS for the first time and FOR SOME REASON....
I suppose because I subliminally knew we were some distance from medical services, and since I still don't know what I was stung by the first time.

After lunch we walked back to the boat to take a tour around the entire lake, Away from the dock I put my hat on....a wasp was in the lining of the brim...I was stung at least twice on my ear...thank goodness not in the neck where the main veins and arteries are that can rush the venom to your heart and lungs.

I wavered waiting to see if there was a reaction---also to confirm that I was bit, and my ear started to swell in less than 30 seconds.
I gave myself the shot in the thigh, hard,  less than a minute after fifteen years of waiting and being prepared...

the Epi-Pen WORKED immediately. Swelling and sting went down, but
I felt disconnected and woozie for the immediate ride home (2 hours) and then slept for 6 hours and then another 12. 

IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD EVEN A SMALL REACTION to an UNKNOWN BITE, Be PREPARED

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It still was a beautiful day even though we were all skunked (Midwest for no catch)---my son caught 6 fish the next day....and we will certainly go back again...
Prepared!!

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This will be my Midwest Gardening view for now....until frost!
Hugs to all, be prepared, and stay safe!
Oh, Hubby did pick an entire garbage can full of huge Hubbard Squash and some sort of cross-bred pumpkins. We lost the two biggest pumpkins to Critters!!


What Critters are you feeding in Your Garden?

(I am in no way recommending any medications. If you suspect you have an allergy--or have a bite episode...consult your doctor on the best medication to carry.)

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Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Antiquing....and I found my Marbles!

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Hi, this is post is lots of fun and OLD stuff! 

A few weeks ago, my friend and I went to a real antique mall, one of our favorites now in McHenry County, Illinois. Woodstock is the town from "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray. 


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There has been an antique mall here as long as I can remember in the last 30 years or so. New owners have upgraded the building and the dealers. Excellent selections of everything from vintage to OLD, very OLD goodies. Lots of furniture, but of course it's the smalls and items we searched to fill out our own collections.

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One of the first stops is the bathroom...lol, it's a ride aways from our home.

There, a large room is dedicated to Vintage---mostly 40s-70's. A great large area is filled with vintage clothes, poodle skirts, and petticoats. My friend has bought two dresses there. I always look at vintage jewelry because I wear clip earrings. Loving this old jewelry box in pristine condition.

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Along with poodle skirts---every hometown soda bar had one of these for mixing malts. Hamilton Beach was a big employer in my home town of Racine, Wi. I dated a fellow whose Mom was the Home Economist for Hamilton Beach. While a great housekeeper, their home did have holes in the walls, for they had 3 sets of twins with one lone girl and four of the boys were wrestlers...hence the holes! 

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POODLEs---I keep an eye out for these at thrift stores, but it is fun to see them in PERFECT condition.

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I loved the Haeger three-maids vase. Pierrot Clown figurines were quite the rage for several decades going back to the 20's.

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Speaking of maids, I have a moratorium in picking up anymore tins,  enamelware, roasters in particular, none of them fit in my new oven, as well as stoneware anything and vases. 

But, that doesn't keep me LOOOKING and enjoying!

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This booth was extraordinary in the quality of their enamelware. 
From the 1800-through the 1970's.Great pieces at fair prices for their condtion. 

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Wow...huh?

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Item I do look for---an enamel funnel....yet to see one I can afford.

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Look at the blue double boiler over to the left...
I have thirteen roasters...hence the moratorium. The  blue tub at the bottom would be great for babies!! Lovely oak child's chair.

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I also have to think long and hard on kitchenwares...but BLUE----sigh!

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This rack of  yellow ware bowls are fab, and so is the pieces of McCoy...but I wanted that stand...LOL> NFS...not for sale! 

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Reminiscent of Torquay pottery these pieces are Haag Pottery. Lovely and a great lesson. 

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This mall has juke boxes, records, billiard tables, pinball games, cars, trains, to keep the guys entertained.
In the 1950's, tin toys were finally banned because of lead in all the paints. I remember this airplane and tower that cranked up and spun around in the air from my older cousin's. Awesome example.

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We were actually looking for Halloween, but very  sparse. This booth was from the queen of Christmas. Gorgeous and pristine examples. Everything you might have had or seen for Christmas as a kid.
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Look at all those original ornament boxes---FULL of 20's-50's ornaments. Everything your grandparents or great-grandparents might have had. She had more showcases and displays filled with holiday goodies.

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Even with 20% off, I couldn't justify buying  this beautiful Mandeville seed display box. OMG, it was gorgeous and priced accordingly.  After over 2 hours of poring over all the displays and hundreds of dealers...I felt like I had lost the few marbles I have left.

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But I even found those.....LOL. 
What a fun day---and I only bought one item ---
this trip and stuck to my moratoriums!!! 
If the Haeger vase is there next time---it's mine!

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Back into the heat at the exit of the
 Roscoe Woodstock Antique Mall in Woodstock, IL. Great selection, wonderful building, knowledgeable staff and dealers, and really a great fun center. For more info, here is their FB link
Roscoe Woodstock Antique Mall FB


What have you stopped buying, something or category, because you have TOO MANY?

Thanks for visiting!
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 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

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Thursday, September 9, 2021

Midwest Gardening 2021: Summer's Winding Down

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I took these photos last week. 

Hope everyone has survived the storms, heat, school starting and the end of summer. It almost seems like someone turns a light switch off, and then Fall begins here in the Midwest.

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Almost two weeks ago, Hubby committed Tomatocide and Zuchinnicide in the main garden. We have one Yellow Summer Squash plant left and one Zuchinni.  Here on the East Fence we have some huge Hubbard squash happily lurking under the large leaves.



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We love Hubbards because they are great keepers just in our vegetable cabinet in the kitchen.

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Here's the Chinese Lanterns before they turn orange.

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We have them growing everywhere, and they are just beginning to turn brilliant orange...I can't wait to decorate with them.

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Our Chinese Eggplants had shut down during the heat, but are now producing some lovely long eggplants.

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Our Dill is still going strong and waiting for the Monarchs, which have been very few this year. Perhaps the heat and smoke has altered their summer patterns?
Do you have Monarchs this year?

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Our Giant Sedum is busting out---still in whitish fronds that will turn pink, then rust with the cooler weather. This is a great plant for hotter and dryer conditions, which seems to be the trend here in Upper Illinois.

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The Hot Peppers are struggling, even with watering all the time...but they have peppers more than we will use in a year. First pot has Basil and a Red Pepper.

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Look at this...in the middle of my Candy Cane Zinnias...lovely bloom I'd call this ==Quarter to Two== or Last Call.  Not too long after this photo---this bloom disappeared, ripped off the stem apparently by a delivery person? 

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Here you can see the normal blooms on our front stairway. It's a shame, I was going to save the seeds on that one? We are in the process of installing security cameras. So, Beware, you will be on camera soon!

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This crazy (squirrel/bird planted) sunflower continues to bloom...and my 8-10" marigolds starting from seed in the greenhouse are monumental and almost 18" tall, thick and green, under this tree. This is another hearty variety that was happy where it had some shade relief from the sun. 

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The focal Dahlias I planted in these pots---are finally starting to bloom. This is the only Petunia still going out of a dozen or so, I used in my planters. They just didn't survive the heat.

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Nature is so beautiful in all stages of growth---here's a pretty lady in tatters.

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The mailbox planter gets continuous sun and wind. It's really had a hard time this year. The Petunias are done and even the marigolds are struggling. Purple sage is starting to bloom. 

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On the front mound, all the perennials have shut down, except this rose is giving it another shot. 

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Under the Spruce tree, the Caladiums and Hostas, try to win over the peppermint...lol. Guess who will win! The plant on the left is the remnants of the white Alyssum I grew in the greenhouse that was fabulous and huge all summer and now winding down.

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Every Hosta has huge blooms. A profusion of stalks with varying shades of lavender/pink.

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This Giant Sedum begins to blush! 

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The Elephant Ears have survived several storms. Tuesday we had a real tough one, I actually went into the basement. The aftermath is a lot of branches and greenery down, and a huge limb (12") landed in the pumpkin patch. No photo---yet.

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There are bits of lushness here and there.

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Even the Sweet Potato Vine was limp...it was still very hot when I took these photos last Friday.

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I will say, insulated pots---do help in the hot summer.

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The Rex Begonia finally recovered. I almost lost it in Spring to frost. 

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We are winding down too, but Hubby keeps busy and painted the trim on the greenhouse on the outside. He took out the sandbox, and now the hammock has a place on new paver base. Way better than moving it to cut the lawn.

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Hoping your end of the year Midwest gardening goes well. 
We had a Pig Roast over Labor Day...and it was gorgeous outside, but that's a separate post, see you then.

Hugs from the Midwest!

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Sandi 
 
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