The Event – Regrets

Wow, a person shouldn’t spend time reflecting on what ~ if anything ~ one regrets in life. However, admission to regrets may be a releasing exercise of the mind. I think everyone ponders on things  they would have done differently. But life moves forward, not backward, and we cannot undo the past, but we can live faithfully and fruitfully in the present.

I have no big regrets. In previous entries, I acknowledge how undeservingly blessed I am ~ now and in the past, and there isn’t much I would do differently. The list below is a bit frivolous, but these are the things that come to mind when I think “I wish I would have. . . .”, in no particular order.

1. I wish I would have bought my children new pillows ~ new, really nice pillows.

2. I wish I would have pursued my first career choice of court reporting, at the same college where Tim and I met.  It wouldn’t have changed my life, but it would have given me a very flexible and alternative option of great income while working from home, which would be great right now in my life.

3. I wish I would have talked to my Dad more about his faith and shared my Jesus with him. Where is he today?

4. I wish I would have pursued my dream and interest in ventriloquism years ago so I could have been enjoying it all these many years, building it into a ministry tool, and a fun, flexible business as well.

5. I wish I would have insisted on sending my girls to church camp when they were young. We lived on a farm in Bayard, and Tim had a mindset that summer camps were for city/town kids, not farm kids. Some of my most fun memories were from church camp which I went to every summer for about seven years. Yes, I was a town kid. When we moved off the farm to town for three years, Cash got to go to church camp. Camp is among some of his fun memories.

6. I wish I would have attended my brother’s wedding (Vern and Melinda). Again, we were farming. Farmers didn’t travel far away in the summer time, and flying wasn’t in our budget or as easy and prevalent as it is in our lives today.

7. I wish I would have let Alexis take dance lessons when she was a child. My mindset at that time was similar to Tim’s mindset about summer camp.

8. I wish I would have kept a journal throughout my married life. It’s something I have always wanted to do, but never took the time to do it. My Grandpa Gallwas wrote a sentence or two everyday in a big bound legal-looking journal ~ maybe it was just the price of eggs he sold that day, or the weather, but it was his daily journaling. Reading his daily log in the past was/is my inspiration to document as well. The journal was passed to my Uncle Fred.  Today, blogging makes it so easy to keep a journal documented with pictures. I guess that’s why I take this opportunity to reflect a lot on my past as well as my present. I wish I would have started sooner so as not to have lost memory of so many little, but important moments of life.

9. I wish I hadn’t given away my childhood “Roberta” bride doll that I got for Christmas when I was about eight (?). I remember wanting a bride doll for a long time. When I got one for Christmas, I spent a week staying with my Aunt Bertha out on the farm the following summer, and she and my older cousin Evelyn sewed lots ~ I mean lots ~ of clothes for my bride doll. Roberta was about two feet tall, and I’m sure my doll was the best dressed doll ever. I gave it all away when I was in FHA in high school and we were doing a toy drive for the underprivileged. I felt really good at the time because I obviously never played with it anymore, and it was a wonderful gift to some young girl who would love it! It was when I had little girls of my own that I wished I had “Roberta” and her wardrobe to give to my girls.  (silly, isn't it!)

10. I wish I would have let the children linger longer feeding the pigeons in the French Quarter Square in New Orleans in December 1981 instead of hurrying them along so we could see more stuff.

So there’s my list. I could probably add to it if I racked my brain. But that’s not what this is about ~ thinking hard to remember something. These are thoughts that quickly surface in my memory when wishing I would have. . .  .   These are eventful memories ~ events that I could have handled differently to enrich my life or the lives of my children without altering my life’s journey.

My life is an event to be cherished, an event to be thankful for, a blessed journey! I lead a simple, uncomplicated life.   I love my life and all that it has been, is, and will be!  I want my life to glorify God, but I fall short.  I need to work on that.

The Event ~ A Real Cowboy

We made a quick trip to Lincoln over the weekend to watch Josh (10) play baseball. We brought Ben (5) home with us for 2 ½ weeks till the rest of his family comes out for a visit. As soon as we got home, Ben changed into his jeans and cowboy shirt so he could be a cowboy like Grandpa. In his little mind, he couldn’t even go outside on the farm if he didn't look like  a cowboy like Grandpa.

Before 6:30 a.m. this morning, he was up, dressed in his cowboy duds and out the door, joining Grandpa as he “sits a spell” enjoying the fresh morning air before starting the day’s work. He wasn’t about to give up his “real” felt (hot) 10-gallon “Ben Cartwright” cowboy hat for a cooler, kid-friendly straw hat. Ben, however, isn’t completely happy because  “I can’t be a real cowboy without boots!” He outgrew the pair he had here during his last visit.

I have two pair of boots in excellent shape found at garage sales, ready for the kids when they visit, but neither are  in Ben's size. So it’s off to to see what we can find to get our little cowboy fit to follow in Grandpa’s footsteps. They have fence to fix, and ya can’t fix fence in tennis shoes!

The Event ~ Father's Day ~ Part II

"For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children to keep the way of the Lord."  Genesis 18:19





I know God chose Tim for my husband and the father of my children.  Sometimes I don't understand why he chose to bless ME as much as He has with the good men in my life (husband, father, father-in-law, son).  I am extremely blessed beyond my wildest expectations.  I don't think I had blessing expectations, but God has certainly showered me with the best.  And it starts with my husband - a man of integrity, faith, honesty, love, unselfish, thoughtful, wise, strong, caring, encouraging, my provider, my friend, my love. 

Tim is a man who has a deep and quiet soul who works for what his family needs.  He takes pleasure in his role as a father and husband.    He has been a good father through the years.  He was strict and enforced discipline with a "because I said so" type of instruction. But gentle and loving all the time.   He enjoyed working side by side with his children and teaching them many things, including how to hoe beets and beans ~ not a popular lesson.  Today he enjoys working with and teaching his grandchildren.

Tim was and is a hard worker, and maybe worked too hard on the farm when the kids were small.  We had this family "joke" that we couldn't use the "f" word in our house ~ FUN!  It was like "fun" wasn't in our vocabulary.  To this day we still joke about it.  

Looking back, we did find time for a little fun here and there.  I know our kids could write at length about both the fun times and the disciplined work expected of them. 

He has had big challenges to face through the years, but has always reflected dignity and grace in his daily life.  Tim reveals so much strength and tenderness and depth in what he feels.  He always gives the best he can.  Tim gives so much so often without expecting anything in return.  Right now I just want to say I truly love my husband and all that he is.   I love the wonderful father he has been and still is. 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dec 2009

 Happy Father's Day to my Father-in-Law!

Many of those traits he inherited from his own father.  I could not ask for better in-laws.  We have lived as neighbors to them nearly all of our near 40 years of marriage.  My father-in-law has the same traits that he passed to his son.  It hasn't always been easy living in close proximity to my in-laws, but the advantages and blessings of such far outweigh any trials.




  I'm proud to be a daughter-in-law to the best in-laws.  My father-in-law is a dear caring father to me.  I have always enjoyed having my in-laws in for family events and meals.  Father's Day was no exception.  As long as we are here and they are here, they will always have a place at my table for special meals. 


 We shared Sunday lunch together on this special Father's Day.  It was an eventful day ~ again!  They are ageing rapidly now and, unfortunately, at each special event, we silently wonder if this could be the last.  They have been blessed with many good years.   They have given us many good memories. 

On this Father's Day, and every day, we cannot forget that these men are earthly fathers.  They are offspring of the heavenly father, the Perfect Father, the complete expression of love.  They are eventful fathers!  I love them.

  Happy Father's Day 2010!





The Event ~ Father's Day




 

A day to honor fathers. Everyday a father should be honored. It’s one of God’s commandments. Honor thy father and mother. . . everyday. It’s another day on the calendar that we choose to single out and make a special effort to communicate with Dad, to make the day all about Dad, to tell him we love him, to treat him in a special way.

My own dad died in 1998. It doesn’t seem like he has been gone twelve years already. To me he was always “Daddy”. What do I remember about my dad?  Random thoughts come to my mind as a I reflect on my Dad:

1. Daddy would lay on the bed or floor or out on the grass, arms by his side, palms up; I would step on his hands and he would raise me in the air till his arms were stretched high and straight. I wonder today how he could do that. He must have been really strong in his twenties.

2. Daddy owned the Massey Ferguson dealership and he let me spend a lot of time there with him. He was so proud to show me off to his customers. He would sit me on the customer counter beside him.

3. One year Daddy went to a store and bought me a pink Easter dress with white gloves. It was the only time I recall that Daddy bought me something special just from him. It may have been when I was eight.

4. Daddy insisted I help my brother with his paper route in the winter. Daddy would get up and drive us around. When we were done,  about 5:30 a.m., he would stop at the local Young’s Café and we would  sit on the round swivel stools at the soda fountain bar and have hot chocolate with marshmallows before going home.

5. Daddy was a C and E person. He only went to church with us on Christmas and Easter and maybe a few other times.  In later years, when church services were broadcast on tv, Daddy would spend hours watching church on tv. 

6. Daddy took my brother and me on a trip to Chicago when I was about ten. I remember we went to a boxing match and he showed me the twin towers. That’s all I remember about that trip. 

7. Daddy loved reciting poetry to me. I would sit on his lap and he would recite poem after poem after poem. He had to memorize poems when he was in school, and he must have enjoyed it to retain all that in his memory.   I remember him reciting a poem to Tim and Janel the day after their wedding.  He penned alot of poetry also, writing several love poems to my mom in place of special occasion cards.

8.  Daddy would wake early, early in the morning, fix a pepper breakfast with a little egg underneath, a slab of butter with a little toast underneath, and a pot of mud coffee; and go to bed early at  nite. 

9. Daddy had a heart for  the poor and homeless people. He was always bringing strangers home for a meal.  One Sunday morning he picked up three young (good looking) English boys touring the US. Their car broke down outside of town. Daddy brought them home, helped them get their car fixed, fed them lunch and supper, put them up for the nite, and we all saw them off the next day.  (The Beatles were popular at the time, so these english guys with their cool accent were as close to the Beatles as I would ever get!)

10.  Daddy was a true entrepreneur.  He created lots of innovative new ideas.  One of them was a golf machine.  Similar to a pin ball machine  or bowling machine in an arcade.  But this was  a wooden box structure on the floor, had a glass top, six or eight slots at the far end, a putting green and the idea was to putt the ball down, up and around the curve and get one ball into each slot.  We had several in our basement and he sold many of them around the country.  He also created some equipment stuff  -  clips and pins - for cultivators, that he had manufactured and sold.  Some of his ventures caused him  financial pain, but in the end he rose above the financial ruin, and with  his last venture, achieved the top nationwide distributor for water distillers.  He also created a  process for bottling distilled water long before bottled water was popular.  He rigged up a room in his little shop with a big distillation setup and sold bottled water all over Montana, along with distillers, bread machines and wheat grinders.

11.   Daddy enjoyed hunting with my three brothers.  He always wanted me to go along, but mostly I didn't want to go because the few times I went, I was scared to death when he drove through the hills and badlands too close to the edges.  They would bring their deer home, and Dad would process it in the garage and kitchen.

12.   Daddy loved to play Scrabble and it was hard to beat him.  We played alot of Scrabble together.

This list may seem simple and inconsequential ~ merely moments in time that come to mind.  As I reflect on my Dad on Father's Day, I cannot forget the other awesome men in my life, and will pay tribute to my husband and my father-in-law in the next entry. 

Below is the poem I read at Daddy's funeral because it exemplified his life and honored his love of poetry.

We cannot all be famous or be listed in Who's Who
But every person great or small has important work to do
For seldom do we realize the importance of small deeds
Or to what degree of greatness unnoticed kindness leads
For it's not the big celebrity in a world of fame and praise

But it's doing unpretentiously in undistinguished ways

The work that God assigned to us, unimportant as it seems

That makes our task outstanding and brings reality to dreams

So do not sit and idly wish for wider, new dimensions

Where you can put in practice your many good intentions

But at the spot God placed you begin at once to do

Little things to brighten up the lives surrounding you

For if everybody brightened up the spot on which they're standing

By being more considerate and a little less demanding

This dark old world would very soon eclipse the Evening Star

If everybody brightened up the corner where they are.

The Event ~ Making Hay While the Sun Shines

The rain stopped and the sun shone!   Today, day two of sunshine, the equipment hit the fields and Tim was back to making hay. 

1500 bales continued to rot in the field while trying to dry out, even after turning twice, but hopefully will get picked up and stacked before the next forecast rain, which could be tonite.  It's mediocre cow feed at best.

72 more acres were swathed last nite and today, followed closely behind by the rake and the chopper.  First cutting suffered a late freeze and stunted the growth.  The quickest way to deal with it is to have it chopped and trucked to the feedlots, to allow second cutting to grow and thrive.  The outfit moves fast across these fields in a day, and then will move on to  70 acres a mile south.  It's not a productive harvest, but its quick. 

All of our horse customers will have to wait till second cutting.  Hopefully, weather will cooperate so we can lay in an abundant supply of quality hay in July.

I also took adavantage of the weather last nite and during my lunch hour today and mowed the lawn. 

The Event ~ Saturday Morning Outing

It's been raining all week, but let up a few hours early Saturday morning ~ just long enough for me to get my two-mile walk in at 6:30 a.m.  But I didn't get the walk finished.  Tim picked me up about 3/4 mile down the road  to ride with him to check the cows.  We first stopped at a garage sale of one of our church friends in the neighborhood.  Our good friends from across the street, Don and Becky Kerbel walked over to the garage sale and we all chatted for awhile.  We invited Don and Becky to join us on the drive to check cows followed by breakfast out.  They both celebrated birthdays this week, so we treated them to a birthday breakfast.

We drove the ten miles through the country side to the pasture where we  keep our nine cows and two heifers.  Then stopped at the country cafe out on Highland Road.  Following a hearty breakfast, it was still trying to drizzle rain, so we took a leisure drive to Bayard to survey the flood damage in the fields from the previous two days.  We drove around our old neighborhood as Tim showed Don the land we used to farm, and I showed Becky the houses we used to live in, on both the west side and the east side of Bayard.  We drove around the streets of Bayard for awhile before heading back to Scottsbluff. 

It was a  journey back in time from breakfast at the little country cafe to our old stomping grounds where our babies were born.  Driving the country side, surveying the crops, enjoying the beauty of nature, is something that farm folks enjoy doing.  Unfortunately, on this drive, the beauty of the earth was shadowed by cropless fields destroyed by the forces of rain and hail 

Four hours of leisure friendship and fellowship on a balmy summer Saturday morning when it was too cold, wet and muddy to do anything else outdoors.  It was an eventful morning.  Becky thanked me Sunday morning in church for the wonderful time and how much she enjoyed morning out.  We need to experience those type of events more often.

The day ended on a similar note as we got carry out pizza at Pizza Hut and old friends from our Bayard days, Rick and Jacque Kaufman, along with Dick and Sharon Rahmig came over for pizza and a game of Acquire.  Following Acquire, we started a favorite card game of Hand and Foot at 10 p.m., finishing up our food, fellowship, and game nite at midnight.  It was an eventful evening. 

It was an eventful day of food, friendship, and fellowship.  Nice!

The Event ~ Lefsa Making

Did you know dat lefsa was invented by the Norveigen Vikings?  Von day, dey vent and was going to raid Ireland. Vell, dey got over der, but dey couldn't suprise dem Irish people cuz dey were making too much noise coming across da Nort Sea from Norway. When dey got to da shores of Ireland, dey tried to land.

But couldn't. You see da Irish heard dem coming and began throwing der potatoes at dem darn vikings so dat the cud not land. Vel by golly, do you know vat. Dey load that ship vith all da  potatoes dat got trowed at dem, pulled out der oars and finally got back to Norway. When dey got der,  dey played around vith dose potatoes and came up vith a bread, and called it LEFSA. My grate, grate, grate, grate, Granfodder was on dat ship dat raided Ireland. I'm sure glad dey brought it to America other wise we would not have lefsa today.

Norwegians brought lefsa to the United States. They brought their knowledge, griddles, mashers and rolling pins. The result is a delicacy that's part of a special tradition replicated in many Norwegian-American homes. My home is one of them.

The lefse-making tradition holds a special place in my heart.  Lefsa is part of my heritage.  I remember lots of visits to my Grandma and Grandpa Corneliusen's little house in Glendive, MT.  It was a rare occasion when Grandma did not have the lefsa griddle out.  Family gathered there many times, and  Grandma was always prepared to roll out another batch of lefsa on the griddle.  Where there was family gathered, there was lefsa.  Lefsa is a Norwegian treat that I grew up with ~ not because my Mom made it, but because we always ate it at Grandma's house.  My own mother didn't start making it until after Grandma died.  Then she would make it usually only for the Christmas holidays. 

Through the years I began missing that special treat, so I invested in a lefsa griddle and rolling pin, and learned how to make it myself.  I usually only make it at Christmas time as well.  Especially if I know my kids are coming home or we are going to their house.    My kids have become champion lefsa eaters. 

Lefsa is family tradition ~ one I hope my own kids keep alive.  We got a good start at passing on the tradition when we had a lefsa making event at the family reunion.  Everyone got in on it ~ at least the eating part. 

Ah, maybe it's a good weekend to make lefsa!  No kids around.  I can eat it all myself!  No, I wouldn't do that.  I would freeze it till I could share it with family! That would be an event.  Lefsa is a friendly food ~ an eventful friend.

LEFSA

Boil, drain and rinse red potatoes, but be very careful not to over cook them. That’s the key for perfect rolling.   Mash the warm potatoes though a ricer.  Mix together 4 cups riced potatoes, 1 tsp salt, 1/3 cup butter, 1 Tble sugar, ½ cup cream with electric mixer.  Refrigerate over nite, covered loosely with a paper towel to evaporate some of the moisture.   The next day, add 2 1/2 cups flour.   Knead to soft dough.

Roll dough into palm sized balls and return them to the fridge, taking them out a few at a time as you roll them out thin. Cold potatoes are easier to roll than room temp.  Flour  rolling surface well, roll balls out to a  thin 10" circle, and grill with griddle at 400 degrees. (don’t grease the griddle!) Use a lefse stick to get the rolled lefse from the rolling surface to the grill, and to flip on the grill.

When removing lefsa from the grill, place them on several towels to sweat until they are cool.  Enjoy warm with butter.  Once cooled, store in zip lock bag in the fridge, or freeze in freezer bags. Warm in the microwave, butter and enjoy!

The Event ~ Nature and the Bird Visits

We can't tangle with Mother Nature.  We shouldn't even ask "why" Mother Nature acts and reacts as she does.  Weather is a force of nature that only God is in control of.  Those of faith don't ask "why"? 

I wrote in an earlier blog that I claim "In everything give thanks" as my life scripture.  With the severe thunder storms ravaging across the Panhandle of Nebraska the last two weeks bringing lots of hail and several intermittant dancing tornados we still have much to be thankful for.  Our homes are still standing, our crops are still growing ~ unlike other areas of the country and the world.  Nebraska is still the good life. 

The prediction is for continued severe storms through the next several days.  We already have two broken windows and alot of holes in the siding on the north side of our house.  Minor, compared to damage in the surrounding communities. 

We feel anxiety creeping in regarding the hay crop.  It's not easy to reap a productive hay harvest in this kind of weather.  I was so excited last Saturday and Sunday when we got about 1800 bales put up in excellent condition.  Tim raked while I baled.  Then he went to get the stacker ready.  Before he could get to the field to start stacking, we had the hardest downpour of rain I can ever remember.  So there sits our beautiful bales in the field soaking in moisture.   And they've been rained on every nite since.  And will be again tonite. 

However, the calm after the storm is so beautiful.   This morning I got up at 5 a.m. again for my two-mile brisk walk, and it was absolutely beautiful and fresh. Mother Nature at her best. Much to my surprise, I was met by a hawk sitting in the driveway. It spread it's wings, but didn't attempt to fly off, not even with the dog at my feet.  I snapped a picture within a foot of the hawk ~ really stupid considering the hawk could have attacked me instantly being that close! 

I wonder if that is the same hawk that took away our three baby kittens last week.  We had the sweetest, tamest kittens in the hay barn.  One morning last week two were gone.  The next morning the third one was gone.  No animal tracks left in the dust or anything.  We figured it was a hawk.  Sad!   

A year or so ago a pelican came to visit us.  He too was gracing our driveway.  Where in the world does a pelican come from in this area?  He hung around for a few hours and disappeared never to be seen again. Experiencing the many faces and diversity of Mother Nature is an event we get to enjoy in Nebraska.  Nature is an eventful friend.

I feel blessed to be able to enjoy the lush days of summer, the royal colors of fall, the sparkling snow of winter, and the fresh greens of spring.  Yes, Nebraska is the good life, and Mother Nature does treat us well.   

The Event ~ Reunions

Reunions are an important event in life. Be it a class reunion, a family reunion, a reunion of old friends, or just a reunion of two over coffee. It’s always good to reconnect with friends and family.  Links to the past should not be cast off lightly and forgotten, because they are an important element to individual history.  I am so blessed to have ties to really awesome extended families. Families are eventful friends to share eventful times with. Families are life treasures that should not be lost, but rather cherished and reconnected.  Reunions serve that purpose.

I have really special memories of a few reunions in my life. In 1993 Tim, I and Cash attended a three-day destination reunion on my dad’s side  in West Yellowstone, Montana. We shared a log cabin with second cousins that I had not met before. 90 Corneliusen family members arrived to enjoy the three-day event in the mountains.  I know the fun and family  made a huge impact on Cash who was 12 at the time. because he talked about it for years. 

I cherish memories of a 2002  reunion when seven of us inseparable (at the time) college girlfriends reunited at our Rapid City, SD college stomping grounds for a 3-day weekend. We hadn’t seen each other for 32 years, had lost touch with a one or two through the years, but everyone stayed connected with someone, and thanks to internet we were all able to reconnect again.  It was like we picked up where we left off 32 years earlier. We laughed, we cried, we shared struggles, joys, hardships, memories, revisited a lot of college fun spots. It was an awesome time for Carol, Carla, Penney, Betty, Ginger, Diane and myself.  Internet still keeps us in touch.

In 2007, again thanks to internet, I organized another “Corneliusen” family reunion right here in Scottsbluff because there was a new YMCA camp facility built that was perfect for such an event. Internet was a huge part in the promotion of the event.




Esther, Aunt Betty, Uncle Ray, Aunt Bertha, Aunt Lilly

 We had 100 people in attendance, from all over the country ~ Florida, Kentucky, Maine, California, Arizona, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado ~ to name a few,  All five of the remaining elder generation – my aunts/uncle and my mother ~ were still able to come.




The Corneliusen Family - July 2007

 

It was a four-day event that started on July 4 with fireworks.  It was so fun to see the 3rd, 4th, & 5th generations meet for the first time and get to know each other. There was no end to the food! All enjoyed poker tournaments, swimming, puzzles, card games, ice cream social, reminiscing, and lots of food. Everyone took their turn in the kitchen for cooking or cleanup duty. What fun to reconnect!

In 2009 we travelled to Billings, MT for the “Gallwas” family reunion ~ my mom’s side of the family. I didn’t think I would ever see this side of the family again, because most all of us failed to keep in touch with family beyond our own immediate families.




Aunt Bernice/Uncle Wally; Mom; Uncle Fred/Aunt Dorothy
Aunt Bertha/Uncle Arnold

 

I wondered if such a reunion would even gather but a few in attendance.  To my surprise, there were 100 in attendance for the two-day event, including all seven of the surviving elder generation ~ my aunts/uncles and my mother, again from all over the country.



32 cousins at  Gallwas reunion - 2009
Front: Alice, Mavis, Betty, Shirley, Margie, Gloria, Linda, Doris, Francis
Sandi, Nancy, Sherry.  Back: Harold, Edward, Gary, Wanda Lee, Darlene,
George,  Roger,  Robert,  Timmy,  Lori,  Bruce,  JoAnn,  Doris,  Florence,
Kelly, Vern, Allen, Bryan, Sherry

What was even more amazing is that 31 of us “cousins” out of a total of 32 were there. The oldest I had never met before, most I hadn’t seen since I was a young girl. Cousin Francis did an amazing job pulling that reunion together. I remember my son-in-law asking “I thought this was a Gallwas family reunion, but I can’t find any Gallwas name on the nametags.” That was because Grandpa and Grandma had one son and five daughters, and the one son had five daughters, thus ending the Gallwas name. Uncle Fred and Aunt Dorothy Gallwas were there! We spent two days reminiscing, singing along with those who played accordion and guitar, laughing, and eating lots. Cousin Bruce did his magic show and I did a ventriloquism show.

Through the years Tim’s side of the family have come together for Memorial Day picnics. I do remember large, well-attended Stricker family picnics 30 and 40 years ago, but once Grandpa Stricker died, the gatherings became less and less. Though we have enjoyed numerous picnics and softball games through the years, the attendance has dwindled to the same few locals. Now there are only four remaining aunts/uncles, including my own father & mother-in-law.  




Aunt Lucille, Aunt Lydia, Wilma, Leo, Tom, Kathy
Back: Susan, Julie, George, Donna, Tim, Peggy, Debbie,
Linda, Buddy, Don, Mick, Rich, Jim

 

Last fall Cash was home for several months and helped Tim's cousins with beet harvest.  He was amazed to meet extended family cousins that he never knew existed.  He enjoyed getting to know them. 

I have enjoyed immensely the time that I have shared with extended members of all these families and friends of the past.  And I will always enjoy getting to know more family if our paths should ever cross.  They are eventful friends and eventful times, creating eventful memories.  Reminicing today about these eventful times is an event in my day.

The Event ~ Have Cabbage Burgers - Will Travel

In the late 1950's early 1960's  there was a popular  weekly tv series called Have Gun - Will Travel.  I remember his name was Paladin. I think he wore black, but he was a good guy. That’s all I recall. Which has nothing to do with this blog entry, other than the name ~ Have Cabbage Burgers - Will Travel.

Cabbage burgers – a family favorite! Similar to the commercial Runza, but my homemade are much better. Janel, Alexis and Cash will attest to that. Easy to make, easy to freeze and reheat, easy to eat. And they travel well. I think in my eulogy, “mom’s cabbage burgers” will be near the top! Why? Because I have carted frozen cabbage burgers all over the country as a treat to my kids.

Whenever I took trips ~ and continue to take trips ~ to see my grown children,  cabbage burgers go with me.  They have travelled to Omaha and Lincoln; San Luis Obispo, Pleasanton, Oakland and Sonoma, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois;  Elkhart, Indiana; Buena Vista, Colorado; Phoenix Arizona; and Skagway, Alaska. Frozen cabbage burgers travel well in suitcases, by plane, train,  automobile, and ferry;  they've been shipped to destinations when I can't go. Cabbage burgers  taste oh-so-o-o-goo-ood at the end of their journey all over the country. Wherever the kids are at, cabbage burgers are sure to go.  And not just a few.  I usually pack  two dozen in the suitcases.  And no, the clothes don't smell like food!

Cabbage burgers are an item I married into.  I did not grow up with them.  It was and is a popular meat sandwich among all the Germans in this area. Being on the receiving end of Mom’s homemade cabbage burgers is definitely an event my kids thoroughly enjoy.  I hope my kids will bake these in their own kitchens someday to keep a favorite from becoming extinct!

CABBAGE BURGERS

* Bread dough.

*Filling: 2 pounds ground hamburger, 1 med head cabbage, shredded, 1 large onion, diced, salt & pepper to taste. 

Brown hamburger and onions. Season generously with salt & pepper to taste. Drain grease. Shred cabbage and blanche in water in large covered kettle about 5-8 minutes. Salt generously. Do not overcook. Drain water. Combine meat and cabbage in same kettle and mix well. 
Roll out bread dough to 1/8” thickness (thin, but not see through thin). Cut into 4” squares. Put generous spoonful of mixture on center of square and bring four corners together and pinch seams shut. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. (Optional: after removing from oven rub shortening on top of each with a paper towel)

The Event ~ Sunrise, Sunset

One of the best things I love about living in the country is seeing the horizon.   When I see the horizon I can see the sunrise and the sunset on any given day.  I truly enjoy those two times of the day ~ especially the sunrise.  That is the best part of any day ~ early morning.  Usually it's the calmest part of the day ~ the Nebraska wind hasn't arrived for the day, nor the heat of the summer or the frigid air in the winter.  The surroundings are calm, I can hear the birds sing ~ there is no noisy traffic to disrupt the peace and tranquility.   The sunrise is a magnificent event to experience.

These beautfiul Nebraska sunrise and sunset pictures are beautiful.   How magnificent is God's creation.  He places the sun and the moon and the stars in just the right places at just the right times. 

Lately I have been getting up at 5:00 a.m. and getting in a two-mile brisk walk.  It's always hard to get me out of bed at that hour, but once I get outside I am so glad I didn't give in to rolling over and curling up under the sheets. 

For me, it is so refreshing, so invigorating, a time to give thanks and praise to God for the beauty of the earth and the blessings we enjoy; a time to petition my prayer requests. 

Every day when I walk I start out singing to myself the old Sunday School song  "Thank you Lord for saving my soul, thank you Lord for making me whole.  Thank you Lord for giving to me, thy great salvation to rich and free."  A simple way to express how I feel.

I wish I could make that time last longer, and just sit out on the patio with a cup of coffee and enjoy the early morning even more.  Working an 8 - 5 job doesn't allow that.  The busyiness of the day begins again.  I can always look forward to the next sunrise.  One day at time. The sunrise is truly a beautiful event.

The Event ~ Garage Sales

I don't know why, but I rather enjoy garage sales.  I have absolutely everything I need or want, so why in the world would I want to spend valuable time and expensive gas running all over town scrounging through other people's junk that they don't want???  Good question.  I don't have an answer, other than to me it's a challenge to find a good bargain (that I really don't need), and for no other reason than enjoying an acceptable social outlet.

When I don't garage sale on a weekend, I find myself wondering what I might be missing.  Oh, that's really sick! 

Two weeks ago I had my own garage sale.  It looked more like a set-up for an auction ~ all those treasures sitting out on about 20 tables, and also overflowing under  the  60' overhang in front of the garage.  Note:  When it's my stuff, it's treasures and good stuff.  When it's somebody elses, it's junk!  Ha-ha!   Most of it came from a house full of stuff Tim bought to help a lady out who didn't have time for an auction.  We had already offered all the furniture and big items at auction, but had alot of the little things left.     I also had my mother's stuff that we brought home from Billings when she moved into a retirement apartment.  Then there was all the "good" stuff left over at auctions that we hauled home.  And finally a few things of my own stuff needing a new life elsewhere.    It was a $1,250 day.  Left over items filled only a few boxes that went to Goodwill.

It was a good feeling to see the shelves in my garage empty again.  Well, far from empty, but not stuffed and overflowing.  So again, I don't understand why I would even want to go garage saling!  I am very selective at garage sales.   Last week I brought home three really nice coffee cups that had a good feel in the hand and didn't have words or advertising ~ all for a buck.  I want to find more and get rid of all my eclectic coffee mugs.  But I am really picky about the weight, feel, size, texture, etc of coffee cups/mugs.  Also found a cool white cowgirl hat for Mathilda for $.50, and a new princess Barbie doll for her for $1.  Today, for $5, I bought some really nice fabric to make four more crib size quilts for the Linus Project.  One cute child's quilt is nearly done and I just have to bind it to finish it.   The Linus Project is a project collecting hand-made quilts for children in hospitals.

In the past I've found some really great things that have been practical and useful, and great buys, things I truly do enjoy, but more often than not garage saleing can be a waste of time and gas.  I talk myself out of going more often than I actually go.  So this weekend, I think I will stay home and enjoy my other hobby of quilting with today's garage sale bargain. 

Garage sales are events that can be enjoyed in moderation as long as I don't become obsessed with them!   An event that can actually be fun, occasionally!

The Event ~ Grandpa's Farm

We have been dubbed  Cowboy Grandpa and Cowboy Grandma by the grandkids.  It's their way of identifiying us from their other grandparents ~ Hot Tub  Grandpa and Grandma.

Like I said in the last blog, they all enjoy coming to Grandpa's farm.  Going to Grandpa's farm has a ring of nostalgia to it ~ like something one would do in the "good old days."  The grandkids enjoy getting into the spirit of the "farm and ranch" setting by dressing the part in their cowboy shirts, pants, boots, hats, and belts with big buckles. If they are going to spend time on the farm, they want to dress  just like Cowboy Grandpa. They live in their snap shirts and boots. The just can't  go out and check cows  or ride in the tractors without their cowboy hats on!

They are all eager to take turns going with Cowboy Grandpa in the tractor.  Or several climb in the pickup truck to check cows in the pasture.  They take turns riding the horse around the corral.  None of them are quite ready to take the horse out of the corral for a run in open fields. 

Last summer we enjoyed having Josh here during one of the hay harvests.  Because Tim had just cut the tip of his finger off in a haying incident, Josh rode on the wide tractor fender and ran the controls for the hay stacker, which Tim could not easily maneuver with his stitches and bandaged hand.  Josh got quite good at it.  We hope one of the boys will be out again this summer for an extended stay and get in on hay harvest.

Last summer, it wasn't just one of the kids.  Son-in-law Tim also got in on the haying action.  A new experience for him as we taught him how to run the baler.  I say "we" because I had earlier learned  how to run the baler and so it was I who gave Tim A his baling instructions.  What a neat picture to look out across the field watching the two tractors going and  the men and boys in my life bringing in a fruitful  harvest. 

This past winter we enjoyed having Ben for awhile and then Joe for a couple weeks.  Each of them took pride in being able to help Grandpa by driving the jeep in the pasture while Grandpa forked hay off the back.  Their job was to run the steering wheel while the jeep idled along, allowing Grandpa to leave a trail of hay for the cows.  In their minds, they were driving the jeep and helping.  Yes, indeed they were!   

Then when the work is all done, there is always time to swim in the horse tank!

Now I have a flashback of two years ago when the kids were present for the branding of our calves.  Another first time experience for them.  It was fun watching them help wrestle the calves, hold them down, gag at the cutting out of the nuts, and flinch as the hot iron seared the skin of the calves. 

Alot of memorable events and activities take place on Cowboy Grandpa's farm.   Yes, the farm is an event.  Sharing it with the grandkids is an event.   Grandkids are eventful friends!