Spooner Advocate Column- April 25, 2013

Happy Earth Day! I know it has really been all over the map as far as weather but I hope you can get out for a walk today and enjoy the sun. Better get out there so that you can enjoy the sun and the warmer weather before the snow starts flying again tonight! Are we ever really going to have a spring? It really has been a strange Spring, I sure hope it does not go right into hot weather. How are the plants going out there? Have you got little seedlings growing in the house or maybe your greenhouse? I have some starting at the house, mostly heirloom tomatoes. I have also been eating tomatoes off the plant I brought in last year. Nothing like a red tomato off the vine when it is snowing. My pepper and tomato plant have all kinds of flowers and fruit starting so there will be a good batch of yummies to eat again soon. Remember you can bring plants in the fall and see what you can get to munch on over the winter. In other parts of the USA and other places tomatoes are considered a perennial! Happy birthday to all those April birthdays out there! Hope you have a beautiful birthday. You are special, and we love you! I sure hope you are coming to the Lac Courte Oreilles Sustainable Living Fair on Thursday APRIL 25th, 2013 from 10 am- 3pm. You have to come to the fair and enjoy all the fun things we have set-up for the community! We will have speakers addressing the mining issues, teaching about keeping backyard chickens. Make a rain barrel, starting seeds, build a rocket stove. Bring your unwanted electronics in to recycle for free(no big tv, or console tv). There really is too much to list here so all I can say is please show up on April 25th ready to meet some great people and to have a lot of fun! If you are interested in the rain barrel class please call and register with Amber as it is limited to 15 people. Amber can be reached at 715-634-4790 ext 156 or marlowa@lco.edu. I look forward to seeing you there! Deb would like everyone to know that Thimbles has relocated to Spooner, sounds like she is happily sewing now that she is all settled in. We wish Deb much success! Thimbles Quilt Shop 237 Walnut St, Spooner, WI 54801, 715-635-6040 There are some great things that are going on through the Cable natural Museum. Any questions should be directed to the museum at 715-798-3890. Wildflower Hike to Morgan Falls and St. Peter's Dome, Saturday May 11th. Sounds like the museum's naturalist Emily Stone will be taking you on a hike to check out the spring plants. Leave the museum at 10 am, bring water and snacks and be prepared to walk 5 miles on uneven, uphill terrain. Birding in the National Forest, Thursday May 16th. Hike trails and visit sited within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in search of birds. You will be hiking through a northern hardwood forest, and skirt the edge of a bog and wetland. Meet at the museum at 6:30 am and return by 10:30 am. Space is limited so please call and register by May 15th. Cost is $8/member and $13/non-member. No charge if you are a registered Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival participant. Things to put on your calendar ... Shephard's Harvest, May 11-12, 2013 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, MN. They are open Sat 9-5 pm and Sun 10-4 pm, admission is FREE! More information or to sign-up for classes held on May 10 please go to their website- www.shephardsharvestfestival.org . Minnesota Quilters 35th annual Quilt Show and Conference. This year it is in Duluth, Minn., on June 13-15. Classes begin June 12. You can get more information off their website, www.mnquilt.org/mq2013. Good luck to all those quilters who put their beautiful creations in quilt shows, I hope you win some ribbons! I know I am always inspired by each creation that I see when I go to the shows. We really have some talented people out there. Wisconsin Farm Tech Days July 9-11, 2013. Held at Breezy Hill Dairy, 147 16th Street, Dallas, WI. They will be open 9-5 pm daily, further information www.barronfarmtech.com . The 2013 Hayward Quilt Show is July 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Flat Creek Inn in Hayward. If you have questions or donations please contact haywardpiecemakers@hotmail.com. I just wanted to ask all those in the area to let me know what is going on. There must be something going on at the churches, quilting groups, 4-H or something. I appreciate all of you reading the column weekly. Being its Earth Day how about going out and being kind to nature. Are your bird feeders full? Do you have new nest boxes up, how about a bag of stuff the birds can use to build their nest? Share a plant with someone home bound. Please remember Earth Day is something we should be practicing every day! Please recycle, reuse, and upcycle as much as you can. Until next week.... go out and hug a tree, thank it for all the joy it brings into your life!

Spooner Advocate Column- April 18, 2013

Good morning- Hope this finds all of you out there enjoying nature- I guess you could be shoveling, snowmobiling, fishing or just trying to stay warm! LOL Wait a couple hours and I am sure the weather will change. Talk about a rollercoaster ride huh? I came home the other day with baby goats and heard baby geese, here the mom and dad had the 5 new hatchlings out in the snow! So far we have hatched out 7 baby geese, I am hoping more are on the way. Happy birthday to all those April birthdays out there! Hope you have a beautiful birthday. You are special, and we love you! Lac Courte Oreilles Sustainable Living Fair is APRIL 25th, 2013 from 10 am- 3pm. You have to come to the fair and enjoy all the fun things we have set-up for the community! We will have speakers addressing the mining issues, teaching about keeping backyard chickens. Make a rain barrel, starting seeds, build a rocket stove. Bring your unwanted electronics in to recycle for free(no big tv, or console tv). There really is too much to list here so all I can say is please show up on April 25th ready to meet some great people and to have a lot of fun! If you are interested in the rain barrel class please call and register with Amber as it is limited to 15 people. Amber can be reached at 715-634-4790 ext 156 or marlowa@lco.edu. I look forward to seeing you there! Deb would like everyone to know that Timbles has relocated to Spooner, sounds like she is happily sewing now that she is all settled in. We wish Deb much success! Thimbles Quilt Shop 237 Walnut St, Spooner, WI 54801, 715-635-6040 There are some great things that are going on through the Cable natural Museum. Any questions shpould be directed to the museum at 715-798-3890. Wildflower Hike to Morgan Falls and St. Peter's Dome, Saturday May 11th. Sounds like the museum's naturalist Emily Stone will be taking you on a hike to check out the spring plants. Leave the museum at 10 am, bring water and snacks and be prepared to walk 5 miles on uneven, uphill terrain. Birding in the National Forest, Thursday May 16th. Hike trails and visit sited within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in search of birds. You will be hiking through a northern hardwood forest, and skirt the edge of a bog and wetland. Meet at the museum at 6:30 am and return by 10:30 am. Space is limited so please call and register by May 15th. Cost is $8/member and $13/non-member. No charge if you are a registered Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival participant. Things to put on your calendar ... Shephard's Harvest, May 11-12, 2013 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, MN. They are open Sat 9-5 pm and Sun 10-4 pm, admission is FREE! More information or to sign-up for classes held on May 10 please go to their website- www.shephardsharvestfestival.org . Minnesota Quilters 35th annual Quilt Show and Conference. This year it is in Duluth, Minn., on June 13-15. Classes begin June 12. You can get more information off their website, www.mnquilt.org/mq2013. Good luck to all those quilters who put their beautiful creations in quilt shows, I hope you win some ribbons! I know I am always inspired by each creation that I see when I go to the shows. We really have some talented people out there. Wisconsin Farm Tech Days July 9-11, 2013. Held at Breezy Hill Dairy, 147 16th Street, Dallas, WI. They will be open 9-5 pm daily, further information www.barronfarmtech.com . The 2013 Hayward Quilt Show is July 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Flat Creek Inn in Hayward. If you have questions or donations please contact haywardpiecemakers@hotmail.com. I just wanted to ask all those in the area to let me know what is going on. There must be something going on at the churches, quilting groups, 4-H or something. I appreciate all of you reading the column weekly. How is that Spring list coming along? Have you started any plants? How about surprising someone with a Random Act of Kindness- Send a card to someone with a packet of your favorite seeds, drop off a jar of home-made jelly to someone who is home bound. There are so many options and you don't have to tell the person who you are. Just think how great you will feel after putting a smile on someone's face. Until next week.... think Spring!

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Spooner Advocate Column- April 4, 2013

Good morning- Happy April Fool's Day!! I am sure there are those jokers that are out there pranking people. It looks like a beautiful sunny day out there until you walk out and get hit by the wind! Guess that is our April Fools joke today.......hold onto your hair if going out! Happy Birthday goes out to my brother-in-law Dane. I hope nobody pulls an April Fool's joke on you today. Have a beautiful day and enjoy your day! Hugs. I have to say it is a pleasure to see the snow melting out of my yard! Yes, it does look muddy, dirty and plain but oh it is so much easier to deal with. I think we are finally on the last bend before Spring. I have been starting some seeds so we shall see what starts for me. I have to say I have been drooling over some of those seed catalogs that I get in the mail- love Seed Savers and Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co! Beautiful pictures! Trying to do more heirloom seeds every year- to say I have been bite by the gardening/ plant bug is a major understatement! Anyone else out there planting? Drooling? Happy birthday to all those April birthdays out there! Hope you have a beautiful birthday. You are special, and we love you! On April 6, 2013 St Joseph's Annual Quilt Show will be held in Rice Lake. St. Joseph's is located at 111 W Marshall Street, Rice Lake. THe quilt show runs from 9 am -3 pm, admission is $3.00. There will be all kinds of quilts to look at, vendors and also if you are interested in knitting, spinning or talking about yarns and fiber the Spinning group from the Rice Lake area will have a table all set-up. The show is always a good one to go check out, we had a great time there last year! Come on out and get inspired! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! The weather on Saturday was very lovely. Sunday was nice, but what was going on with the snow showers? Either way Spring is going to come soon... I hope. I got to go to a friends house and see how her sheep get sheared, have to say my back hurt just watching the guy flip those sheep around! LOL The sheep sure were happy to get their thick jackets off! Lambing and kidding season is upon us. My friend Carmella has baby lambs, the first of her 2013 flock. Deb's lambs will be arriving in the next couple of weeks. We have 2 kids, with more to come on our farm. If you hear of bottle lambs or kids needing a new home please let me know. Good luck to all the farmers during this fun but tiring time of year. May your flocks and herds grow and be productive. Thank you for being a farmer! Things to put on your calendar ... Shephard's Harvest, May 11-12, 2013 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, MN. They are open Sat 9-5 pm and Sun 10-4 pm, admission is FREE! More information or to sign-up for classes held on May 10 please go to their website- www.shephardsharvestfestival.org . Minnesota Quilters 35th annual Quilt Show and Conference. This year it is in Duluth, Minn., on June 13-15. Classes begin June 12. You can get more information off their website, www.mnquilt.org/mq2013. Good luck to all those quilters who put their beautiful creations in quilt shows, I hope you win some ribbons! I know I am always inspired by each creation that I see when I go to the shows. We really have some talented people out there. Wisconsin Farm Tech Days July 9-11, 2013. Held at Breezy Hill Dairy, 147 16th Street, Dallas, WI. They will be open 9-5 pm daily, further information www.barronfarmtech.com . The 2013 Hayward Quilt Show is July 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Flat Creek Inn in Hayward. If you have questions or donations please contact haywardpiecemakers@hotmail.com. I just wanted to ask all those in the area to let me know what is going on. There must be something going on at the churches, quilting groups, 4-H or something. I appreciate all of you reading the column weekly. Make a "Spring" list of things you can do for the outside animals and for yourself, start checking off those "Spring things". Until next week....turn that frown upside down...smile.