Pictures from Sheep and Fiber day! Part 1

Good morning friends. I have missed you! I have not been able to really posted anything with pictures as Mikhaila had the laptop and she was gone for a couple weeks! So here I am finally able to share some stuff with you. I am going to start out by posting some pictures of the Sheep and Fiber day that I went to down in Rice Lake- such a lovely group of ladies- and talented!

Deb- the lady in pink. We were at her farm, she loaded up the sheep to shear the wool. I had to see this as I have to get Bob done and am kind of afraid to do it! LOL

The ewe looks like she is unhappy but this was her first time with the clipper and sh handled it like a champ! I am sure she was hot and itchy!

Deb made this holding table, very slick piece of equipment! It allows you to load the sheep in and tie them by the head and shear the side closest to you.

Then you can go to the other side and gt that side done as well.

Tada!!! A little sheep that is soooo happy! Now she can be cooler and start growing a fleece all over again! After watching the demo I feel a little better.  However, I don't have th cool table and I have a bigger sheep!

This table you learned about felting. You could make a ball, or a coaster, a book marker. Depends on how much you wanted to work the wool.

Don't you love the colors! Alittle soap and water and some friction and you can felt your wool!

The demo area of weaving on a triangle loom. These will make a triangle shawl. Lovely!

Spinning wheel. She had a great seat inside the building and what a nice breeze!

I really want a wheel! She was so good at her work, and could talk while dong it! LOL

Where you paid for your goodies that you had to have! Those are coasters on the left that have been felted.

Here is a better picture of the coasters and I liked the ear warmers! They were lined on the inside, they would be great for winter- hate to think of that, but it will be here eventually!

Now the fun begins, start picking the veggie material out of the fleece.

Young person showing carding and combing. He was adding different colors together to make a lovely batt then that could be spun into yard or felted.

 

So that is part one of the pictures that I have. I am really glad that I went and a big thanks goes out to all the people who worked hard putting this event together! Thank you for sharing your love of wool, spinning and all the stuff you can do with it!

Spooner Advocate Column May 31, 2012

Hello friends. I hope this finds you well rested from the holiday weekend. Did you see friends and family? Do anything fun? Whatever you did I hope you had a great time.

The weather has been a bit of a challenge, however the breeze today is wonderful! Everyone of the animals here are laying in the yard, guess they are happy it is not so hot and sticky as yesterday.

I want to thank the Hayward Lions for such a great breakfast on Sat. The pancakes were yummy! Why is a meal even better when you don't cook it? Thanks to all the volunteers that made the breakfast go off without a hitch. Thanks again to the Service men and woman.

Thanks also goes out to the Indianhead Woolgathers Fiber Guild in Rice Lake. Thank you Deb for having us out to your farm, you and the ladies did a wonderful job sharing your talants with the community. The sheep were so cute, the projects were fun, everybody enjoyed themselves! Now i want a spinning wheel even more, and of course more sheep! I look forward to shearing the one sheep I have, will have to make something special with his fleece.


 Welcome to the descendants of Ludvig and Ingeborg Neste! Every year John and Judy Neste informed me the descendants of Ludvig and Ingeborg Neste come back to the Springbrook area the weekend of Memorial day to remember those that have passed. This year, the descendants of the Neste family- who homestead in this area in the 1890's, were more than 80 people! This is such a wonderful tribute to Ludvig and Ingeborg Neste, their eight daughters and one son: Anton Neste, Christina- Neste Titus, Helga- Neste McNitt, Anna- Neste Gaynor, Mary- Neste Bonoesho, Effie- Neste Blix, Alice- Neste Mockler, Emma- Neste Donatell-Bushey and Julia- Neste Schmitz and all their descendants. Thank you for coming back to this area, for remembering your ancestors. I am sure that Ludvig and Ingeborg would be proud of each of you! 
Our prayers go out to the folks who own and work at the gas station in Trego. I am so sorry you had a fire, I pray that all works out good for all of you. Thats it for this week. I am writing this on a phone! I need a computer of my own as my daughter has her laptop with her! Send me your news and some recipes to share with the readers- twogirlsandagarden@hotmail.com

Spooner Advocate Column May 21, 2012

Hello there neighbors.Have you enjoyed all the rain that we have been having? Things sure have greened up around the area. However, with all the burning bans that are still on, please be careful. Just because the trees or grass look green does not mean there are not brush piles, or dead foliage underneath them. Fires move fast and furious once lite so lets error on the side of caution.


Farmers Markets will be starting soon. The one close by that I have info on is Stone Lake, they start May 24th from 2-6 pm. I guess the market is setup between Lakes Co-op and the railroad tracks. Any questions give Pam a call 715-865-5082. If anyone has a contact or info on the Farmers Market in I believe its Earl please let me know. It would be nice to have some other options. Remember to support the Farmers Markets, get to know where your food comes from, how it s grown. While you are there say thanks to the Farmers, Producers, Bakers- whatever they call themselves they are important folks to our community as well to the state of Wisconsin!


Are you a rose person? Some people are rose people-they know 'em, grow 'em, mulch 'em, baby 'em. We all know the people that have gorgeous roses and we wonder how they do it! Then there are some of us who want to grow roses, think they are beautiful but are not going to remember the scientific name or when they first showed up in someones garden! I love wild roses, to me they are a wonderful hardy plant that are usually out of control, growing like a weed, with a ton of flowers! I love climbing roses- I would build a ton of trellis all over the yard just to b able to sit under the climbing roses! I came across The Antique Rose Emporium and thought it was interesting and thought I would share their website with you- www.antiqueroseemporium.com. They have a great story, also looks like they sell you an antique rose f that is what you are shoppin' for! Another site that has some educational videos for pruning your trees or roses would be www.petalsfromthepast.com. I have looked at both of these sites to see what is out there, maybe you know some better sources. I would love to hear about them if you do. I would like to make rose-hip jelly at some point in my life, that means I need roses. If you are a professional rose grower that would like to pass on your knowledge please let me know.

Sheep and Fiber Day is right around the corner. May 27, 1:00-4:00 pm, Adults 5.00 and children free. Location; The Tetzlaff Farm 2072- 23rd Street, Rice Lake,Wi. They will be having demos on shearing, spinning, weaving, wool preparation, felting, knitting. Project stations on felting, knitting, weaving, drop spindle spinning. There will be handcrafted items for sale, I have seen some of the ladies stuff and I absolutely love the felted crocks someone made! It sounds like a great family day, who wouldn't love to go to see animals on a 129 year old working farm! Questions- Deb- 715-234-3595 or Gina-715-434-4715.

I drove by the store in Springbrook. It is looking beautiful! They are really doing a nice job on it! Not sure when they are opening for business but I look forward to doing business there.


Until next time have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Be safe, enjoy the time spent with friends and family, opening up the cabin, or planting the garden- whatever you do on this weekend. If anyone goes out to Fort Snelling say hi to my dad Richard T. Lampert, I miss him. Thank you to all the men and woman that have served this country- you are the best! There are not words that can express the gratitude I feel for you and your families, what you have sacrificed. Thank you for what I take for granted at times - my freedom!

Sheep and Fiber Day! Sunday May 27,2012

Hello there! Here is another event that I think would be a great day spent with family, learning something new and FUN!!! I try to get events on here so that people that live locally can attend them. Please call them if you have questions or if you would like to let them know how many folks are coming- it doesn't say to RSVP but as we all know its nice to have enough  stuff put together if large groups are expected. If you can't make it to the event I am sure they could sell you some great products- please remember to support LOCAL and especially Small farm, home, cottage businesses. Whatever you label it- its the smaller folks that really are pouring their heart and soul into their business. I have seen some of the things these ladies have created and they are awesome! I really want a pair of the felted crocs!!! Of course some new yarn would be awesome too!

Sheep & Fiber Day!!
Sunday May 27, 2012
1:00-4:00 pm

Visit a working 129 year old homstead farm and see how yarn is made from shearing the sheep to making a finished product!


Adults- $5.00                         Children: FREE


Demonstrations:
*Sheep shearing                    * Wool Preparation                * Felting
* Spinning                              * Weaving                            * Knitting


Project Stations
* Drop Spindle Spinning          * Simple Weaving        
* Simple Knitting           *Felting


- Project Stations include FREE take-home items
- Fiber guild members will have handcrafted items for sale


Location
The Tetzlaff Farm
2072- 23rd Street
Rice Lake, WI 
from main street, Rice Lake, turn East by the pawn shop, 3 1/2 miles East on County C, turn South on 23rd Street, 1/4 mile to the Tetzlaff Farm


Information:
Deb Tetzlaff  715-234-3595 or 715-651-7184
Gini Baker     715-434-4715

Spooner Advocate Column- May 17, 2012

Good Morning-
I hope everyone had a great weekend. Did you get out in the garden and plant something? Maybe you have your garden already in. Whatever you had planned the weather sure was awesome for it!


I received some wonderful gifts from a friend on Sunday- raspberries and strawberries! It was fun to go see Sue and her husband Gaylin and we always have a great visit and we love see her animals. It was nice to just be able to be outside, visit and soak up the sun. Her raspberries and strawberries are very healthy looking plants! Now I just have to figure out where to plant them and put up some fencing- otherwise the goats, geese and chickens will take them out!


Hunt Hill had a great turn out for their Praire Fling on Saturday( 5-12). It was our first time being out there, what a fun day! They had all kinds of things to do, food to buy, dancers, community tables, nature education. We hiked in and visited all the tables and listen to some great speakers on various topics. W had to eat there of course- Louie's Fine Meats out of Cumberland was the supplier of the brauts and dogs- YUM is all I can say!I would highly suggest getting your kids or grandkids involved with nature- there are so many opportunities in our area! Hunt Hill  has a bunch of programs for the coming months- check out their website www.hunthill.org and see what you can get plugged into.


We have been making dandelion jelly here. The flowers go for the jelly, the stems to the rabbits and pigs and the leaves have gone into a very tasty salad. I think my daughter had had a salad everyday since we started picking! She loves her wild dandelion salads or spinach salads!  I had to pick up some staples so while down in Barron I went to th Country Lane Market and Pantry- you can buy staples like flour and sugar- they have a TON of spices! I picked up my pectin, yeast, flax seed, some pumpkin seeds and various spices and some other odds and ends. I have alot of friends that shop there and go to the farmers market which is also held there. You can check out there website- www.countrylanemarket.com and sign up for notifications on what fresh fruits that they are offering. I know I have to put some cherries up this year as I am all out and cherries are wonderful on a cold winter morning! If you know of another bulk store that I should check out please let me know. If you want to go to the Farmers Market, it will be starting up June 21st, Thursdays between  2-8 pm and they have between 60-80 vendors! Any questions- 715-637-5367  Well I have to  go eat my dandelion salad I hope you are eating fresh food from your lawn too!

Happy Mother's Day!

Good morning friends! I hope this finds you enjoying the weather- it is sunny here with a nice breeze, the birds are talking and flying around the yard. It has been wonderful weather all weekend! 

What are you planning on doing this today? Are you spending it with your Mom? Maybe you are doing something in honor of your Mom. Maybe you ARE a mom and are being pampered! Whatever it is have a fabulous day my friend! Remember you are loved and appreciated!

This year I was Super Surprised... Mikhaila had heard on the radio that a store Diamond Designs by Botus in Rice Lake was giving away a couple mother and child pendant necklaces. The kids had to write a letter about their mom, what was so special about them. Then they were entered in a drawing for the necklace, the winners had their letters up in the store all week for folks to look at. Well Mikhaila won the contest in her age group! 

This is the letter she submitted:

Why my mom is so special..
My mom is special because of the tireless determination she has to give me the best opportunities. She's sacrificed weekends, and sit-down meal-times to drive me to 4-H , and food fairs and conferences and sports. She even lets me try my hand at any new animal project we can handle, becausee she's caring. So caring! She even tries to save the moths and butterflies that my cat catches.
My mom's fiery, and so enthusiastic about the smallest things, that you can't help to smile with her. She tries her very best, and has for my whole life.She does it on her own And it's so, so easy to take her for granted, because this is the way it's always been. My mom gives to me, our family, and takes little back.
So, even though laugh wrinkles grace her eyes more frequently, she's still as pretty to me as ever, because she's  the most important person I have. The only one. That is why she's special.

Was I crying when I read this??  I most definitely had tears in my eyes and was trying not to cry in a jewelry store! LOL D'Ann Bodis was very helpful  getting the necklace together. While she took care of everything we checked out some of the beautiful things that they to offer. I will be going there in the future for some beautiful jewelry! Here is where you can find them Diamond Desgn by Bodis . I have to say a BIG thank you for running such a great contest! I have never gotten such a great gift. 

Its hard to take a good picture of the necklace. It is really a nice gift. Plus I usually wear silver so what else could I ask for!

The box the necklace came in!

One again thanks to Diamond Design. A HUGE thank you to my beloved daughter for thinking of her mom! You are my world- and I am lucky to have you as a daughter!!

Spooner Advocate - May 8, 2012

Hello there neighbors! Are you enjoying how everything is greening up? The rain really has helped change the landscape to many different shades of green. The birds over here sure have been talkative, they are building nests, flying around and just really loud at times! They are so much fun to watch and listen too. Even on the cooler days the first thing I do is throw the windows open and  listen to the birds, I like in the evening to listen to the frogs - they have been loud too! I need to get a pair of binoculars and a bird book so that know what I am looking at- on thing I have learned is I always call the swallows Barn Swallows- that is where they always had their nest as a kid- however they really would be considered Tree Swallows! If you talk to the birders out there- they really know their stuff! I am by far just a novice!  I would like to be able to keep a record of what comes by each year- so far this year we have had Swallows and I believe Grackles but the happiest day was when the Eastern Bluebirds came! I really like bluebirds- so I hope they do put a nest in one of the birdhouses so that I have more around here next year! Friends have said they have hummers back as well as Orioles- I have not seen any of those, but would love some hummingbirds as they are another on of my favorites. I came across a very cool website- www.nestwatch.org. You can go on there and sign-up to be a monitor and collect data for them. The site has different things on there - live bird cams, a newsletter, and some stats on different birds. It is worth checking out! Do you have some birding sites to let me know about. Or if you know som info on what kind of binoculars I should look for let me know!

While I am talking about outside things, who out there canoes or kayaks? Canoeing is one thing I really want to learn how to do. I should have learned how to do it years ago, however, its a new year and I plan on figuring it out! I really just have to get over my fear of wiping out in a canoe, hitting my head and being lost out in th woods not knowing where I am or who I am! Ok I have an over active imagination. So the first thing to do is get some information, we stopped over Namekagon River Visitor Center ( on Hwy 63, half mile east of Highway 53 in Trego), what a great resource we have in our area! The Ranger was awesome, she told us there was some great businesses in Trego that rent canoes or Kayaks, I am sure they would do lessons as well. She gave me a map of the Namekagon River and told us about some areas that would be easier to navigate, that had water that was not going to be too rough- so we can learn before we take on the harder areas! The Visitor Center has some displays to check out, a wonderful array of books, t-shirts and such. What a great idea to take Mom out for a hike and buy her something at the store! They even have a Junior Ranger booklet that you can ask for - it has activities in there that you do and check off and at the end when you turn it back in there is a gift to you. More info can be seen on www.nps.gov/webbrangers. It would really be a fun activity for the whole family- Mikhaila and I each got our own book to work on! If you want to check out the Namekagon River Center - www.nps.gov/sacn. Maybe we will see ya on the river!!

I heard from a former resident of Springbrook recently, her name is Judy (Reffue) Anderson. She wrote me a nice long e-mail talking about how she has enjoyed reading my column- this always surprises me, as too be quite honest, I feel as tho I am talking to myself and don't know if anything I am saying is connecting with anyone! LOL Judy says she went to the grade school in Springbroook and graduated from Spooner in 1966. She lived her early life in the wonderful stone house at the end of Lumbard Lane- which was so funny as I just had gone down that road the day before her e-mail and thought 'what a fantastic house!' Her father was a rural mail carrier and built a house out on Larson Lane, the house is no longer out there. Judy's mom played piano/organ for the Earl church. Seems like Judy does come up here to visit and see what is going on around the area she grew up in, she is excited to hear about the changes going on in Springbrook. I appreciate Judy getting a hold of me, it nice to b able to share a little of the Springbrook history with everyone.

Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary is having their Prairie Fling event this weekend- May 12, from 10-4pm. There will be food, music, some educational programs, artist booths, fun kids area, some community booths, tours, hikes and more! What a cool way to spend time with the family and especially mom! The cost $5.00/person Hunt Hill members and youth under 4 years old are free! More information www.hunthill.org or you can send an e-mail directly to  program@hunthill.com