Blueberries

There is this delectable corner of the world where all is tranquil.  Acres upon acre of the ripest, bluest, most oversized blueberries you have ever seen.
It is my annual visit to the patch.  It is a ritual I gladly perform this time every year.
Well, maybe not gladly.
I arise at 4:00 a.m.to leave at my designated 4:30 a.m. departure.  
Friends have come with for the first time stating that "this better be worth it Gail"
I assure them they will not be disappointed.
Off we go, tea in tow, awake from our slumber, asking ourselves, "this really is worth it, isn't it?" Driving in the dark down the interstate, we coast down the road, only to come to an abrupt stomping of my brake to avoid the collision of a deer and my windshield!  Whew!  Impact averted.  Awake now, the rest of the drive was uneventful.
My anticipation is palpable as I turn off the interstate, and start to follow the signs to our destination....Cains Orchards.  We have now been driving for one hour and 45 minutes!  Many think me nuts to drive "all that way" for blueberries.  Awe, but these blueberries are golden.  The best ever.  No grocery store could ever match their size and freshness.  They are huge!  Almost the size of a quarter!  And taste...all i can say is YUM!
So, we get there, winding our way through the dirt roads to the picturesque valley ahead of us.  The cars have already starting converging, my friends in awe at the gathering of people already here before us.  It is jaw dropping just to see it.
 "Where do we park?  Where do we pick?,"  my patch struck friends beseech me.  I simply reply, "i know what to do!"  So off we park and gather our belts and buckets and get into the patch before the bell rings!  Yep...the best way to pick is with two hands.  You tie the bucket around the belt which then goes around your waist.  Looks pretty dorky, but everyone does it!   Genius!
 Awe, the bell.  The old fashioned sound that resonates throughout the patch, letting pickers know that the plucking has now commenced.  It is 7:00 a.m.  Cannot pick before that bell rings...not ever...ever!    Laughter and the sounds of blueberries banging the bottoms of buckets as hands feverishly stockpile the golden nuggets two, sometimes three at a time into their possession.  "I can't believe how big these are" states an enthusiastic elderly  man.  "I got some" were the excited sounds from a child.  I couldn't help but think of what this will be like to bring a grandchild here sometime in the way off future.  It is great to hear the grandson with his grandmother sharing in this delightful memory.
It doesn't take long, and a bucket is filled.  After a couple of hours, the buckets are brimming and it is time to pay.  The lines are long, but they have this part of the process down pat.  It is a well oiled machine.  Quickly we get through the line, our stomaches full with the healthy treat...you can eat all you want while picking!  Irresistable.  We meander our way through the crowds, fill up the trunk and are on our way back home ready to freeze these babies to enjoy throughout the winter months.  It is worth every minute of lost sleep!

Enjoy the video of this wonderful region of WI.  Go if you can.  It is a great adventure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBCC-s9ufDc                  

How to read a book

This is glorious.  Just how I like to read!

Enjoy the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iwebauiZDA&feature=player_embedded

travel by car

Road trips can be educational.
They can make you delusional as well.

Educational in the sense that we can stop along the route and get out and view historical sites and see the scenic overlooks around each bend in the road.

Delusional in the sense that driving is such a great idea compared to flying.

Driving  hour upon hour, staring at the blacktopped, seemingly endless road in front of us, our eyes becoming hypnotized by the yellow stripes passing by second after second.  
No longer is the food in the cooler sounding palatable.  It is going to be a long ride home.

It's about 1/2 an hour into the drive, and we get bored.  So we eat.  The crackers are stale and the pop is warm.
The nearest exit baits us with the fast food picks.
The original recipe grabs us and we order all things abominable for our nutritional intake,  complete with the colossal soft drink.
With utensils in tow, we do the unthinkable...eat in the car!
Spills ensue, along with food crumbs falling between the seats, but we are saving time by not eating inside!
The delusion continues..

It doesn't take long and the colossal soft drink has worked through the pipes and it is time to find a rest stop.  The sign blinks rest stop in 2 miles.  Whew!  We can wait 2 miles.  Upon reaching the coveted stop, the signs reads...REST STOP CLOSED.
Closed?  Yep.  The delusion lingers!
Bemoaning our dilemma, we look ahead and see a gigantic sign...TRUCK STOP.
We wonder..should we?  could we?

The drive is now in its about 5th hour.  The car is now a fast food pit, complete with smells and uneaten french fries.
We have played all the games, including looking for the license plate from farthest away;  guessing what is in the fields...  arguing over whether it is beans or barley;
Counting the deer; memorizing the names of all the gas stations and fast food places that can be found on an interstate.
We resort to laughing at the traffic that is backed up for miles on the other side of the road, only to eat those words as traffic snarls in front of us.
We take turns about every 1/2 hour driving, as the nod of the head is our clue we can't stay awake!
We vow to never drive this far again...ever...again.
Hmmmm....time will tell.    

      

Dr Tom Crist

On a continual basis we in the dental field hear, "I hate going to the dentist."
Without exception, the next line is "have you seen the movie Marathon Man?"

The life of a dentist is not easy.
A scene from Finding Nemo states, "the human mouth is a disgusting place!"
The movie Castaway...two words...ICE SKATE.  You get the picture.

We realize it is hard being a patient.  Women tell us all the time that they "would rather give birth than go to the dentist."  Now that is quite a metaphor.

Tom was asked at his recent retirement party "why did you become a dentist?"
He explained the blessings of flexibility and the responsibilities of having your own practice.  We laughed as he said, "you try working with 12 women on a day to day basis.  Believe me it is not easy.  That is a lot of estrogen!  I never knew from room to room if I was walking into a freezer or an oven.!!"
We have fans and electric heaters going continually.  Really!
He finally had to put a lock on the thermostat.  True story.

I was most impressed by his narration of what he can do because of his abilities.  His gift of dentistry has brought relief to children around the globe in orphanages.  Children terrified by their tooth pain, and by his gentle spirit, solace and hugs ensue because of his care.  It is not about how much money he can make.  It never has been.
"To whom much is given, much is expected."
Tom has been given much.  He is a husband, father, grandfather "papa", boss, friend, brother, son, colleague,  served our country early on in his career with the Air Force.  He is a man of great wisdom and integrity and is full of character.  He has given  us a great example of how to give back.  So full of humility.  Humble.  That is him.
I will miss our bantering.  We laughed a lot.  He is off to his next chapter.  More dental volunteering.  He works on a mobile unit now.  We all hope to join him from time to time.
Happy retirement Tom.          

Vince Flynn

Vince Flynn

1966-2013

The dash.  That space in between.

Vince Flynn used that dash excellently.

What impressed me the most about this internationally acclaimed author was his perseverance.

He wanted to be an author and he went after that dream.  He was rejected over 60 times.  I don't want to be rejected once, let alone 60!  I read that he kept every one of those rejection letters.  Me...I would probably burn them..one at a time!
He stayed the course.  He just kept dreaming the dream and one day it happened.
He wrote 14 books and was working on number 15 while he was sick.  Political thrillers.  Intense, page turning drama.  He was a gifted writer.

Humble.  That was him too.  He was read by presidents and kings, and yet by many accounts, he was just that...humble.  He loved his wife.  I read that he flashed his ring at book signings a lot!  Handsome indeed.
He loved his children and he loved his faith.
His motto was "keep the faith."
He was a great friend.  And he was young.  He obviously fulfilled his purpose.  What a legacy.

Lived out his faith.
A man who loved his wife.
Loved his children.  
Great son
Great brother
Humble
Author
No regrets

What an inspiration.

Who inspires you?    

Bear

Goldilocks meandered her way through the woods, and found a cottage that was just too tempting to pass by.  She unlatched the front  door and peered inside.  Seeing that noone was home, she stepped forward and pushed the door shut behind her.
Inhaling food, she realized just how ravenous she was and headed for the table.  Sampling each bowl, she settled for the one that was "just right."
With a full tummy, it was time to just sit.  She again tried each seat, and found the one that was "just right."
Rocking back and forth, she was content...up until she rocked too much, and broke the chair!
Tired, she made her way up the stairs to the bedroom.  There she found 3 beds to try out.  The first being too high, the 2nd, too soft, and the 3rd...yep..."just right."
The 3 bears came home from their walk only to find their cottage broke into.  Food had been eaten, chairs had been broken, and beds had been disheveled.
Goldilocks awoke, and jumped out the window, vowing to never go into those woods again!

Another version:

The "my son is in Alaska, and his lodge got broken into" version!

Having just experienced Mt. McKinley in all its glory from the air, life is looking like it is going to be pretty sweet for the next 3 months.  The woods are vast and he can see for miles and miles from the plane.  The sights are awe-inspiring.  THe plane lands smoothly on the airfield..(this mother is thankful.)  All seems well.  The propellor stops, and the unloading begins.
ENTER REALITY.

This time it is the bears meandering through the woods, finding a lodge that was just too tempting to pass by!
Clawing and bearing down the doors (sorry...had to put that pun in!) they are in!
Goldilocks broke the chair.  The boys all hoped it was just a chair!  Nope...the bears had a picnic in the lodge!
Broke lots of things, ate lots of food, and left lots of  samples to show just how much food they ate!  To say the least, it was a mess!
Unlike Goldilocks, they were not there when they got there, but decided to show up that night just to say hello!
One got up on his hind legs and showed off his height...at least 7 feet!

This was not the way I envisioned the start of Mark's summer to go.  Already seeing 5 bears within hours of getting to the lodge is not what a mother likes to hear!
We got this unexpected, but wonderful, phone call from him.  He was using the satellite phone from the lodge to call on Father's Day.  I was so excited when I heard his voice.  Then he told us this tale.
He seemed to be more bothered by the mosquitoes then the bears!
The adventures begin.
From this end of things, it will be a long summer!

 

Germany

Speaking another language expands your outlook on the world around you.  

Last night we immersed ourselves in the folklore of Germany.  

Vacating the continent by plane wasn't necessary.  We simply transported ourselves by car to the Winzer Stube German restaurant in Hudson, WI. 

There we engrossed ourselves in all things German.

Our eyes  adjusted quickly as we strolled into the dimly lit stube.  Just the right amount of light for the ambiance of this spot.  

Our senses were awakened with the smells of German fare wafting past our noses, and the sounds of merriment being heard throughout the establishment.  A sociable hostess greeted us, and escorted us to our table nestled in the back corner, where we were in full view of all that this night had to offer.  Our friends soon joined us.  The table was covered in a red checked tablecloth with a lamp that gave us just the amount of light we needed to peruse the menu.  

Soon our waitress introduced herself in German, which was an invitation for our friend to launch into a lively dialect between the two of them conversing in a language that only they knew.  It was captivating to sit there and listen, but not be a part of, this obvious delightful communication between two people who immediately bonded because of a shared knowledge in a language.  

Drinks were first.  I stuck with my no risk choice...tea!  I am so english!

The rest drank in the spirits of Germany.  I sipped each of their picks.  The beers...too dark, but the wine was adequate.  

After much contemplation, we settled on our selection of cuisine for the evening.  Most meals consisted of red and white cabbage and spatzle.  Mine was called Rinder Rouladen "mutters Rezept"  

Translation:  beef roll ups with mustard, pickle, bacon and onions.   

It was quite tasty.  

Throughout the evening we kept hearing an accordion.  The sound was jovial and added to the mirth of the evening.  Soon the maker of this joyful noise made his way to our table and serenaded us with his rendition of "roll out the barrel."  Clapping and hilarity ensued.  He was dressed in suspenders, knickers, and a distinct green hat.  His face brightly clarified his delight in sharing his gift of musical talent with strangers young and old, ready to sing along to familiar tunes from days gone by.  

The evening flew by.  Oh the enjoyment of the senses we had this night.  Dessert was an apple struedel that was out of this world.  

Germany.  A visit that must be on our bucket list.  Maybe Oktoberfest?  Kringle Mart?  Oh the possibilities.