May-June 2016 - The Country Register
Transcription
May-June 2016 - The Country Register
2 Nebraska May-June 2016 The Country Register of Nebraska 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128 • Phoenix, AZ 85085 602.942.8950 • 888.942.8950 Fax 602.866.3136 nebraska@barlomedia.com www.countryregister.com/nebraska Barb Stillman Publisher barb@barlomedia.com Patty Duncan Sales/Office Assistant Adrieanne Gaston Sales/Office Assistant Nancy Williams Lolly Konecky Publisher/Art Director lolly@barlomedia.com Sandi Nickler Graphics Assistant Phyllis Cypert Sales/Office Assistant The Nebraska Country Register is published by: Editorial Consultant The Deadline for the July-August Issue is June 1 for Ads & Articles. Special Events ............................................... 3, 6, 8-11, 16-18, 20 North Platte • Imperial • McCook • Arapahoe • Cozad ...............3 Hemingford • Crawford • Chadron • Gering • Ogalalla ..............4 Valentine • Ainsworth • Atkinson ...............................................5 Edgemont, SD • South Dakota & WA Special Events ...................6 Clarks • Fullerton • Newman Grove • Columbus ........................7 Special Services ........................................................................8 Kearney • Minden • Heartwell • Hastings • Grand Island............9 Seward ....................................................................................10 Jansen • Fairbury • Beatrice • Hebron • Hardy ..........................11 Aurora • York ...........................................................................12 Lincoln ...............................................................................12-13 Nebraska City .........................................................................13 West Point • Norfolk • Fremont • Hartington .............................14 Blair • Bennington • Tekamah • NE B&B ....................................15 Ashland • Wahoo • Weston • Valparaiso ....................................16 Ralston • Papillion ...................................................................17 Omaha ...............................................................................18-20 Our feature articles will focus on Summertime Fun! Cover Artist Sandy Lynam Clough The Country Register is a United States and Canadian network of independently owned and published specialty newspapers for the consumer who enjoys outstanding shopping, events, day & overnight excursions and specialty classes. Publisher’s contact numbers across the USA & Canada for The Country Register Send $3 to any publisher below to obtain a paper from another area: * Indicates these editions are available on-line at www.countryregister.com USA Alabama: Dana Wilburn, 6349 Knollwood Ct. Frederick, MD 21701, 301-698-2694 * Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * Arkansas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * California and N. Nevada: Betty Fassett, 26941 Cabot Rd., Suite 132, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, 800-349-1858 Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797 * Connecticut: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC , 27603, 919-661-1760 * Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 * Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, 706-340-1049 * Idaho (N): Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 * Idaho (S) WA & E. OR: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * Illinois: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA 52339, 641-751-2619 * Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, 866-966-9815 * Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118 * Maine: Gail Hageman, 221 Winslow Rd, Albion, ME 04910, 207-437-2663 * Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * Massachusetts-RI: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760 Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211 * Minnesota: Kim & Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, 763-754-1661 * Missouri: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Montana: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 * Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * Nevada (N): Betty Fassett, 26941 Cabot Rd., Suite 132, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, 800-349-1858 * Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803 New Hampshire: Kathleen Graham, 330 North Road, Deerfield, NH, 03037, 603-463-3703 * New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797 * New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * North Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 * Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, 937-652-1157 * Oklahoma: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * Pennsylvania: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * Rhode Island: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC , 27603, 919-661-1760 * S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * South Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 * Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118 * Texas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Utah: Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803 Vermont: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118 * Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * Washington & E. OR & S. ID: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426 * Wyoming: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 CANADA * Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0, (780) 889-3776 British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711 * Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441 * Ontario: Harriet Ramos, Box 60, 4338 Innes Rd., Orleans, ON K4A 3W3 613-612-8465 Disclaimer Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from an outside source, express the opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoint(s) of the management or staff of The Country Register. Such articles that are accepted for publication herein may be edited at the sole discretion of the publisher. Responsibility for products advertised in this newspaper lies with the advertisers themselves. Though The Country Register will not knowingly publish fraudulent materials or fraudulently obtained materials, we are not liable for any damages arising from the purchase or use of products advertised herein. Notification regarding any consumer complaints related to merchandise purchased from our advertisers would be appreciated and would assist in our efforts. Copyright © 2016 by The Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Sandy Lynam Clough creates beautifully realistic paintings and designs that can only be described as “Fresh-ditional”! They are both fresh and contemporary, yet her painting is fine art. This combination of fresh and traditional is uniquely Sandy Clough and appears on many licensed products. A fourth generation artist, Sandy got her earliest art training and encouragement from her artist father and from her mother. She began selling her paintings as an art major at Mississippi College and used her art to represent her college as Miss Mississippi College and Second Alternate to Miss Mississippi. Although she has a degree in Art and a Master’s Degree in Art Education, her heart was in painting instead of teaching. Mississippi College has twice named her Art Alumnus of the Year. Her career began with original paintings and limited and open edition prints. Now products featuring her art are available throughout the United States, Canada, Australia¸ New Zealand, China, Turkey and Russia. For over 25 years Sandy’s art has been licensed for hundreds of gift and home décor items that include home decor, table top, garden flags, kitchen textiles, stationery, framed art, calendars, paper tableware, recipe binders, quilt fabrics and much more. In 2010, Harvest House Publishers presented her with their Harvest Gold Award in recognition of the sale of 1,000,000 gift books using her art, several of which she also wrote. She has authored and/or illustrated 30 gift books. Her latest book is the devotional journal, “A Garden of Hope”. Both her art and her writing are inspired and grounded by her Christian faith. THE COUNTRY REGISTER, Months of May-June 2016. THE COUNTRY REGISTER is published every other month. Copyright 2016. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited by law. 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Subscription price: 1 Year, 6 Issues, $18.00. Single copies: $3.00. The paper is furnished free to the customers at each advertiser. THE COUNTRY REGISTER is registered as a business trade name and also a trademark in the State of Arizona. The Country Register is a United States and Canadian network of independently owned and published specialty newspapers for the consumer who enjoys outstanding shopping, events, day & overnight excursions and specialty classes. The Country Register provides targeted, effective, and affordable advertising for the promotion of Specialty Shops For more information about publishing The Country Register contact Barbara Floyd at 602-237-6008. Barbara Floyd, The Country Register Founder barbara@countryregister.com www.countryregister.com Send in this form to receive each issue of... The Country Register Six issues mailed directly to you for only $18.00 Name:_______________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ City:______________________ State:_______________ Zip:__________ Send check or money order to: Start my subscription: The Country Register Current Issue 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128 Phoenix, AZ 85085 (NE) 888-942-8950 May-June 2016 North Platte • Imperial • McCook • Arapahoe • Cozad • Special Events New “Home Sweet Home” Fabric Designed for 2016 Row by Row Experience Debra Gabel, designer and founder of Zebra Patterns, has created a collectible fabric line to celebrate the upcoming 2016 Row by Row Experience™ “Home Sweet Home.” The collection features an adorable map, quilters’ license plates, a coloring book design, neighborhood full color scenic design and more! This is the third year that Debra has created a fabric line for this unique quilting event. Row by Row Experience™ is like a shop hop, but it’s not... there are no fees, no cards to stamp, and quilters have all summer to travel and visit participating shops to receive a free row pattern, win prizes and purchase the exclusive fabrics. In 2015, over 2,600 shops participated across all 50 states and Canada. In 2016, more than 2,900 stores have registered, including the addition of shops in Europe. Find all details at: www.rowbyrowexperience. com. The unique fabric line for 2016 is hitting shops now and you still have plenty of time to stitch up some cute travel accessories before the 2016 Row by Row kicks off on June 21. In addition, Exclusive Fabric Plates™ by Zebra Patterns will be available in many Row by Row quilt shops. Collect a bunch to create fun projects, sewing studio wall art or even a fun backing for your quilt. A free pattern is being offered by Timeless Treasures for a “Row by Row-Home Sweet Home – Tote Bag” that is perfect for collecting row patterns, kits, license plates, pins and more as you visit participating shops. Download the free pattern at http://bit.ly/rxrtote. Timeless Treasures is a family owned business selling wholesale to retailers in the Quilting continued on page 6... Enter to Win a 2016 Coloring Book For Row by Row™ Home Sweet Home The Country Register has a gift for one of our lucky readers. We are giving away one “Home Sweet Home— Row by Row Experience” 2016 Coloring Book donated by Debra Gabel of Zebra Patterns. The travel-sized coloring book has seventeen Home Sweet Home “quilt style” coloring pages with designs that are the same imagery that appear in the 2016 Souvenir Fabric Collection by Timeless Treasures. Each page is blank on the reverse side to avoid bleeding color if you use color markers. Enjoy an added bonus “eye-spy” game. Search, find and color the hidden items throughout the book! If you would like to purchase a copy, please visit www.zebrapatterns.com. Enter to win by sending an email to nebraska@ barlomedia.com and put Coloring Book in the subject line. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. You can also send a note or postcard to: The Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. The drawing will be held on June 1st and the winner will be sent a copy of the book and be announced in the July-August issue. 3 4 Hemingford • Crawford • Chadron • Gering • Ogalalla Nebraska Quilting with Barbara Random Occurrences in Our Lives by Barbara Conquest Chance? Serendipity? Luck? Fate? Coincidence? Whatever we call it, seeminglyrandom occurrences can have tremendous effects on our lives. Years ago, I left what many would consider a dream job in the Canadian Rockies, which resulted in far more prosaic and sometimes monotonous employment in the city. It was at this second job, just before leaving it for university, that I met my husband of now over fifty years. Chance? Destiny? Fate? Some time later while sitting at the lunch table with a new member of staff who said she was from “a wee island nobody has ever heard of,” we discovered common ancestry on the small Hebridean island of Tiree. My people had immigrated to Canada three generations ago; hers were still living there. This chance observation resulted in a longstanding friendship and several trans-Atlantic journeys and, incidentally, my visit to the exact property from where my people had emigrated. When we travel we like to pre-plan only the “bones” of a trip—flights, car rental and usually first and last night hotel reservations because having to search for a place to lay our heads before and after long flights is a process we prefer not to leave to chance, serendipity or fate. (We’ve learned this from some rather unpleasant experiences). The rest of the time we like to wing it. We also prefer to eat at small local restaurants when we’re on the road, eschewing the reliability and similarities of chains for the quirks and surprises of small independents. Thus it was that we found ourselves at the Sunrise Kitchen in Deming, New Mexico, a few weeks ago. After a great lunch, we wandered outside where my husband spotted a quilt shop, Sew and Sew, just around the corner and suggested we check it out. I protested faintly, tempted to let my lunch settle in the air-conditioned car while we moved on, but when a husband tries to persuade his wife to investigate a new-to-her quilt shop, who can refuse? Well! This shop had exactly what I had spent a week looking for—and lots of it. I had found a few southwestern–themed prints here and there, but this shop had bolts and bolts of them in many colorways—in addition to a wonderful selection of other beautiful fabrics I hadn’t seen elsewhere. My credit card got a good workout; I got exactly what I had been searching for and even some I hadn’t known I needed! Chance? Luck? Coincidence? Perhaps all three, or perhaps, as my husband frequently says, “What a wonderful husband you have. Listen to him!” Barbara Conquest writes her column from Blue Sky Quilting in Tofield, AB. © Barbara Conquest. Carolina Sweet Potato & Apple Salad courtesy Cooksrecipes.com Sweet potato salad with crisp pieces of chopped apple, celery and walnuts tossed in a zesty orange dressing. 4 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and cubed 1 apple, cored and diced 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts* 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon grated orange rind 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon mace 1/2 teaspoon salt Salad greens for accompaniment (optional) Cook sweet potatoes in lightly salted boiling water to cover, about 20 minutes or until just tender. Cool, remove peel. Cut sweetpotatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine sweet potatoes, apples, celery and walnuts in large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl; pour over sweet potatoes mixture, toss lightly. Chill at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, line serving plate with greens and spoon sweet potato mixture onto greens, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings. *Other nuts such as pecans or almonds can be used. Toasting the nuts will add more delectable flavor and crunch. Valentine • Ainsworth • Atkinson May-June 2016 Building Harmony That’s What a Younger Man Would Do by Jeff Cappis At a family party the other day, somebody who was looking for me asked my 5-year-old grandson where I was. My grandson pointed over to me and replied, “He’s that old man over there...” Old? I’m not old. What was he talking about? I’m 55. That’s not old. Some say that the 50s are the new 40s. With math like that, how can you go wrong? As a matter of fact, I got so worked up about being called old, I considered getting off the sofa and setting him straight. But, in the end that seemed like too much effort and my back was a little sore, so I let him off the hook. It did get to me, though. After some thought, I realized you really are only as old as you feel so I met my age headon. I decided to put a little more bounce in my step. Ramp up my energy a bit. I began to work physically harder. I have almost two acres of lawn to mow around here every week, so I used a push mower. Sure it’s more work, but I’d get some exercise, fresh air, and besides, it does a nicer job than the tractor mower. It started out fine. But halfway into the first strip of thick green lawn, the push mower began to blow smoke. The thick grass made the going tough and I started choking on the lawnmower exhaust. By the end of the second strip of lawn, I was gagging and exhausted from pushing. I swung the lawnmower around to start the next strip and—ow!—something in my back knotted up. It took me twenty minutes to crawl back to the house. I was laid up for three days. Cathy finished the lawn with the lawn tractor in twenty minutes. When I was better, I decided to collect firewood and headed into the forest with my chain saw. Energetic, manly work—right? That really got my blood pumping. The work and the fresh air did me wonders. I hauled logs, navigated rough terrain and generally strained for every chunk of wood. I felt great! I felt young again. I was daring. And, when I dared to drag a whole tree down the hill, I strained my shoulder and pulled a few ligaments. I was laid up for a week. Cathy ordered a winter’s worth of firewood for $300/delivered. With the drive of a younger man, though, I pressed on. I moved rocks—foot injury, 1 week. I moved tons of dirt with a shovel—more back problems, 5 days. I built a new, large cedar deck—injuries too numerous to list here, can’t even estimate the time I spent whining about it. Everything I threw myself into threw me back. Every time, Cathy found an easier way to take care of it. One day, I was recouping from an incident with a damaged power line that I thought I could repair. Turns out I couldn’t. Cathy called the power company and they sent a crew out right away to fix it (which they do for free) and it made me think again. All this effort to stay a little younger was actually aging me faster. Maybe that’s how young people become old people. We do become wiser, though so older people know how to get things done with less effort. The exception is my wife. She didn’t get older, just wiser. Right, honey? So, the next time you’re straining for something or doing something hard, for Pete’s sake, act your age—and get somebody else to do it. Preferably someone younger. I’m going back to my sofa. Copyright by Jeff Cappis. Email: jcappis@telus.net. Strawberry Pie By Marvin Hass How far have I traveled since the days of my childhood Soda pop was a nickel and you sinned if you’d lie Families would gather on a sweet summer Sunday To eat watermelon and strawberry pie. I blew with the fair wind, like a young eagle I followed the rainbow to my pot of gold. Drank from the cup of fortune and folly Knew I’d live forever and never grow old. Had an eye for the dollar and an eye for the ladies Never thought about giving, just what I could take. Now I’m sitting alone in a cold dreary mansion With lonesome for comfort and a lock on the gate. I try to go back when my memory will let me To the bend in Red River where the cottonwoods grew The preacher would pray and we’d sing halleluiah For the blessings we had and the love that we knew. Write this all down and take it for gospel From someone whose drifted and forgot how to pray I’ll swear it’s the truth on my dear Mama’s bible, “When you open your heart then you open the way.” How far have I traveled, how far have I drifted From my family home and those words to live by. I long for those Sundays with love all around me Eating cold watermelon and strawberry pie. Marvin Hass was a farm boy from Central North Dakota whose career spanned 37 years throughout the Midwest as a cooperative lender and CEO. Western poetry is his passion and Marv lives in Green Valley, AZ, with his wife Candy. Marv has 4 children and 3 grandchildren. You can contact Marv at his website www.prairiepoet.org. 5 6 Edgemont, SD • South Dakota & WA Special Events Nebraska Home Swee Home, continued from page 3... and Sewing Industry. Debra Gabel recently shared her design and creative process for creating the specialty fabrics for the Home Sweet Home fabric collection. She began with the theme for the year, which was decided a year or so ago by the Row by Row creative team. Debra then started thinking of design ideas and researching art having to do with the theme. She made a private board based around art for houses, homes, dwellings, etc., on Pinterest, one of her favorite inspirational sites. Next, she got out her sketchbook, started drawing and scanned her sketches into Adobe illustrator to be redrawn in line form. Once Debra had a completed black and white sketch, she started coloring with Timeless Treasures’ collection of basic fabrics named “Studio,” which gave her a sketchy look. After all the sketches were done, she made an “idea board” on the computer that included sketches, color swatches, notes and concepts, which was shared with the Row by Row and the Timeless Treasures teams. The two teams worked closely in tweaking the art starting with the main focus fabric called “packed houses.” Then the border and strip was spun off the main fabric and several new colors in the “Studio” line were added. When the art was completed in Spring 2015, it was sent for the technical color separation into 18 screens for printing. Colors can vary at this stage and when the technicians feel they have the color matched as closely as possible, they make fabric proofs called “strike offs.” These are 1 to 2 yard samples of the actual art on the actual fabric with the actual inks for all involved to review and make changes. Eventually, they were approved and production began. The finished goods were shipped in huge rolls to the USA over the ocean. It was then wound onto the traditional 10-15 yard bolts you see in fabric shops. Debra said, “I am grateful every day for my gifts of being able to create fun designs for quilts to share all over North America. I am passionate about quilting, designing, teamwork and inspiration! Thank you for letting me tell my story.” To learn more about Debra and Zebra Patterns, go to: www.zebrapatterns. com. Clarks • Fullerton • Newman Grove • Columbus May-June 2016 My Journey with Lazarus by Kerri Habben There is much I could tell you about Lazarus. First, and most importantly, we have traversed many miles together. We’ve walked back and forth, and throughout the journey, he has been, for the most part, a consistent partner in fulfilling one of life’s responsibilities. Certainly, he has slowed down over the years and at times has preferred a state of rest. Like most of us, he sometimes had to overcome inertia. There were moments he simply wanted to sleep. In short, his engine could hum, but he was beyond his prime. At times, though, a new spark unplugged his former vitality and he would seem years younger. Lazarus also had his stressful moments. On occasion, he would grow tense and react strongly. But it was more a reflex than out of anger. Sometimes his belt slipped down. His cutting edge wasn’t quite as sharp as it once had been. Then early last autumn, Lazarus and I were walking together across the lawn when it happened. He clunked out. I say clunked because Lazarus is, after all, a lawnmower. I have a suspicion that you are reading this pondering two things. Why would a person name their lawnmower and how did it come to be “Lazarus?” I confess that I enjoy bestowing names upon things. Our old printer was “Herr Gutenberg.” The rain barrel is “the Baron.” The composter is the “Madame” due to its resemblance to a long, black skirt worn in more elegant eras. The lawnmower did not have a name at all until a couple of years ago. At the end of one summer, it stopped working and we assumed that it was, well, dead. Seasons rolled around to another spring and I was able to start the lawnmower. It seemed the engine was, indeed, alive. Thus, it came to pass that he was called Lazarus. The last couple of years have been difficult ones for Lazarus but he has been mowing our lawn for about fourteen years. We all have the right to grow weary. It evolved that, when I went down to the shed (which does not have a name), I would express a hope as I left the porch. “Well, let me go see if I can wake up Lazarus.” There were times Lazarus struck a nerve, literally. The starter cord would retract and snap back to hit my arm, sometimes leaving a bruise or making my fingers go numb. I would instinctively blurt out a bevy of words not exactly appropriate for the likes of a Baron or a Madame. However, sudden pain can momentarily override a lifetime of good upbringing. So, we had our moments. But I must tell you what I will remember most about Lazarus. He was the first substantial home and garden tool who was brand new to me. In a delightful way, most of what I use around the house is Dad’s saw, Poppy’s hammer, Uncle Henry’s gardening gloves. Lazarus came into my life when more outdoor responsibility had barely landed upon me. His arrival and my own new journey coincided as I grew into my turn to tend to our patch of earth. So, Lazarus, rest in peace, friend. You have served faithfully and well and I thank you. We bought a new lawnmower on Valentine’s Day. It is red. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the sun is shining, the grass is too long and I have a date with Cupid. Kerri Habben is a writer, photographer, and crochet instructor living in Raleigh, NC. An avid crocheter and knitter, she learned these skills from her grandmother and mother. She donates many of her yarn creations to those in need. Kerri has gathered a decade of essays she is working to publish. She can be reached at 913jeeves@gmail.com. Mystery Quilt, Part 3 This is part 3 of a 3 part Mystery Quilt, you can find the two previous parts in the March-April and January-February issues. 7 8 Special Services • Special Events Nebraska Nebraska Show Listings Farmyard Flea Market April 29 – May 1, 9am – 5pm each day 71765 581st Ave, Jansen For information – 402-520-0922 MQS Quilt Show May 11-14 Cedar Rapids Convention Center Complex 350 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, IA www.mqsshow.org The Great Sarpy Quilt Exhibit 2016 June 1 – August 20, Tuesday – Saturday 10am-4pm Sarpy County Museum 2402 Clay Street, Bellevue 402-292-1880 www.sarpycountymuseum.org Common Threads Quilt Show 2016 June 16-18, 10am-5pm each day Century II Expo Center 225 W Douglas, Wichita Admission - $10/day or $15 3-day pass Children under 12 are free www.wichitaquiltshow.com Nimble Thimble Quilt Show “Traditional Treasures” June 23-25, 9am – 5pm each day The Plainsman Museum 210 16th St (Hwy 14), Aurora Admission - $5.00 www.plainsmanmuseum.org Oregon Trail Days Quilt Show July 8-10, Noon – 5pm each day Gering Zion Church 1100 O Street, Gering www.oregontraildays.com Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate The Country Register is giving away one $25 Gift Certificate to one of our lucky readers to be spent at a local advertising shop! Use it to go shopping at your favorite Country Register advertiser. The drawing will be held on June 1st and the winner will be announced in our JulyAugust issue. The gift certificate will be mailed to the winner. Entry Deadline is June 1, 2016 (Names are not sold, given away or used for any other purpose.) Ricotta Shortcake Ring with Very Berry Cherry Sauce courtesy Cooksrecipes.com A rich ricotta shortcake, baked in the shape of a ring, is split and filled a kirsch-kissed fresh fruit sauce of strawberries, raspberries and sweet cherries, and topped with sweetened whipped cream. Very Berry Cherry Sauce: 1 pint strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved 1/2 pint raspberries 2 cups pitted sweet cherries 3/4 cup granulated sugar, or to desired sweetness 3 tablespoons kirsch or another liqueur (optional) Shortcake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Ricotta cheese 2/3 cup milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar Sweetened whipped cream Cooking Directions: For Very Berry Cherry Sauce: Combine the fruits in a bowl. Toss with sugar and liqueur. Set aside. Stir occasionally. For Shortcake: Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Place in food processor work bowl, pulse several times. Add pieces of butter, whirl together for 3 to 4 pulses. Add ricotta cheese, pulse 5 to 6 times to crumble together. With processor running, slowly add milk. Process about 5 seconds until ingredients are well-combined. Turn out dough onto the center of a greased baking sheet. Roll (or pat) into an 8-inch flat circle, 2 1/2-inches thick. Form a 3-inch hole in the center of the dough, making a ring 2 1/2-inches thick. Sprinkle the surface with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Just before serving, slice shortcake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Remove top. Place bottom on large serving platter. Top with half the fruit. Place top of shortcake over fruit. Top with remaining fruit. Garnish with whipped cream. Makes 8 servings. Drawing Entry Form Name ________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City, State & Zip ___________________________________________________ E-mail address: ____________________________________________________ Name of my favorite Country Register advertiser is: _________________________________________________________________ Tell us what makes this advertiser your favorite: _____________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ To enter, complete this form and mail to: The Country Register, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085 (Photocopy of form is fine. Be sure to answer all questions.) 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May-June 2016 Kearney • Minden • Heartwell • Hastings • Grand Island • Special Events Living in Luxury—Small Things & Simple Pleasures by Simone Gers Like most girls of my generation, I had several wedding showers and felt very lucky to receive a really nice set of stainless steel flatware. Thirty-five years later, I still have that set and I’ve added to it over the years, preferring to use flatware instead of plastic when we’ve had parties and get togethers. And I’ve always loved what I received, especially when unloading the dishwasher and putting away gifts from over the years. Over the last few years at the store, we’ve sold a lot of silver plate flatware. As I ring up these pieces, I love the way they feel in my hand. I love looking at the different sizes of the tines, the different shapes of the spoons. So this last year, I told my husband Tray, let’s switch out our utensils—you’re always finding good pieces and I don’t care if they’re all the same pattern. What I like is the weight, the different patterns and different sizes. And while Tray loves the thrill of the hunt, he’s magical when he’s hunting with a list. It took a few months, but we have gathered a mixed-matched drawer of silver plate and I love it. Just last week, I was eating my breakfast and got so happy—there’s nothing like a silver-plate delivery to make a kale smoothie taste great. Then, a couple of nights later, I made a big pot of bean soup, which Tray loves but I’m never too excited about. I like soup okay but it’s not my favorite. Maybe that’s because, when I was a girl, soup night was when there wasn’t much in the pantry and Mama had to throw together whatever there was into a pot to squeeze out something for all of us to eat. Often, that soup had to last a couple of days and we all knew it without saying anything. But eating it with a silver spoon, the bean soup tasted so good. I marveled at how perfectly sized the bowl of the spoon was for the size of the beans and my mouth. I thought about how Tray likes a big spoon and I like a medium-sized, deeper bowl, and by mixing and matching, we both used what was perfect for our individual tastes. I was already looking forward to leftovers while enjoying each bite. Tray laughed at me when I said this is the best soup ever—I think it’s my new antique, silver-plate spoon. Of course, he quipped, we should get some more. That’s the thing about being married to a collector. He’s always ready for a new love. We have been talking about teacups. They don’t sell that well and we started to talk about why. Tray’s thought was, well, people don’t know what to do with them. Not many people drink tea out of good cups anymore. And he’s right. So, at dinner, we started riffing on all the ways great teacups could be used. We had so much fun that we’re already using them in innovative ways and he is, once again, hunting with a purpose. We’re now serving our desert in a teacup. From ice cream and a brownie to pudding and jello-based deserts, teacups make great serving pieces. They’re the perfect serving size and, with the saucer, there’s a built-in, easy-to-hold tray and place to rest the spoon between bites. I’m also using them in rows for holding office supplies—from paperclips to pushpins, demitasse cups make beautiful, cheerful holders. I discovered they are great on my vanity, holding hairclips and ponytail holders and other odds and ends—they help me keep everything organized and neat in a place where it’s easy to get messy. I’m always setting my rings down when I cook and I thought I could use a teacup by the side of the stove. What’s great is that I had my rings in the cup and then I needed to set down a fork I was using to turn some meat over and I realized, oh, this doubles as a place to rest the tines of the fork. Genius. One of the unexpected joys of using teacups in innovative and utilitarian ways is that it’s easy to change the look and feel of a room. Make a yellow room pop with different colors—from the graphics of two-tone patterns like Spode. Have a room with a lot of solids or stripes, integrate a motif of birds, flowers or an Asian design to brighten and provide contrast. We’ve had so much fun figuring out innovative ways to use teacups and using them brings joy to mundane tasks and organization. And, just as eating bean soup out of a silver spoon changes everything, so does reaching for a paperclip out of a Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica work of art on my desk. I’m sure after we launch a revival of teacups, we’ll find something else to create with and repurpose. Part of the luxury of our lives is creating together—finding hidden gems, turning them over in our hands and wondering what else is possible. Simone Gers began her antiquing journey 35 years ago when she married Tray, an avid collector. They still have the first piece they bought together—a pegged farm table that was so decrepit it was behind the antique store—and they have been upcycling vintage finds ever since. The Gers own Gather A Vintage Market in Tucson, AZ, a monthly market. Simone has taught writing and literature at the college level for many years. Chair Back Shelf or Jewelry Organizer by Marla Wilson I found an interesting chair back at a local antique store. I decided to make a free standing shelf to set on top of a counter or dresser. I realize finding just a chair back is a bit unusual, but old chairs are very plentiful and easy to take apart. This was a lucky find, as it saved me some time. Since this chair had a curved back, I sat it on a piece of cardboard and traced the inside. Then I transferred the pattern to a piece of wood and cut it out. Now it was the right size and shape to fit inside the curve of the chair. I attached it with screws and cut a small piece of wood for the center leg of my shelf. I also attached hangers on the back, so this shelf could hang or sit. I painted it in a simple primitive style, but it could be finished as plain or as fancy as you wish. If you want to use it as a jewelry organizer, just add small hooks or nails to hang necklaces and use the shelf for bracelets, watches and rings. Marla Wilson is the owner of The Rusty Wheel, a gift boutique in Scandia, KS. The shop features her floral designs and repurposed “junk,” as well as kitchen and baby gifts, home decor and fashion accessories. Follow The Rusty Wheel on Facebook, or www. therustywheel.vpweb.com or contact her at stumpy1954@hotmail.com. 9 10 Seward Nebraska Gallivanting Grannies Destination: Seward The sun was shining and it looked like we might want to do some planting—not really! But it was time to go gallivanting again so six Grannies hit the road one morning and headed to Seward, which—for visitors and any out-of-staters who might read this—is part of the Lincoln metropolitan area in Eastern Nebraska. What a delightful day we had! We met Marie’s cousin, Karol Schoepf, who lives in Seward and is now retired so she went with us and showed us many places we didn’t know about. Merle’s Garden Center Our first stop was at Merle’s Garden Center, a family owned business offering landscaping, lawn care, mowing, sprinkler installation and repair and a retail garden center. Owners Marlene and Earl Graves built the Garden Center in 1974—over 50 years ago. This then-young couple went to Council Bluffs, IA, bought two greenhouses, tore them down and moved them to Seward—and so the business began. Now they have replaced the original greenhouses with Plexiglas and plastic and are much more energy efficient. Marlene showed us their large inventory of annuals—all ready to plant as soon as the last frost is over—that includes geraniums, petunias, begonias and lots more. The perennial area also carries a large selection plus there is a wide variety of trees, scrubs for lawns and landscaping. One of the staff showed us how to trim the plants (use scissors and break up the root ball) when planting. We thought he was hurting those poor plants! We watched as he made the hanging baskets that will be sold next month. We learned a great deal and found it very interesting. Four large “mouse-control” cats live in the greenhouses and stopped by to say hi. You’ll find Merle’s Garden Center at 1143 Elm Street in Seward. To learn more, follow the Garden Center on Facebook or call 402-643-2891. Merle’s Flower Shop The next stop was Merle’s Flower Shop in Seward’s downtown shopping area at 626 Seward Street. Owner Marge Nagel’s parents started the shop in 1953 with Marge and her husband Dave taking over in 1983. Dedicated to customer satisfaction, Merle’s is a full service flower shop known for its attention to detail and creative abilities for special designs. You’ll find the highest quality products and employees who keep up with changing design styles and provide expert care and handling of their fresh flowers. Marge has 40 years of experience and is an awardwinning FTD Master Designer and Nebraska Master Florist. She was busy designing a gorgeous bouquet when we were there plus she does silk flower arrangements. The shop has some beautiful gift ideas for all occasions, many perfect for upcoming graduations and Mother’s Day (hint, hint!). In addition to the large inventory of fresh flowers, plants, and dish gardens, there are also gourmet food and fruit baskets, Yankee candles, Mylar and latex balloons—and more. To learn more about Merle’s Flower Shop, visit ww.merlesflowershop.com, follow the shop on Facebook, email: merlesflower@windstream.net or call 402-643-6618 or 888898-8711. Weedy Creek Yarn Since there are both knitters and crocheters in our group of grannies, we were especially looking forward to visiting Weedy Creek Yarn with its extensive offerings. Three years ago, Joanne Neely began sharing space at 636 Seward Street with The Udder Store quilt shop. Joanne has been a knitter and quilter all her life and she wanted to make it easy for people to purchase yarn locally. Weedy Creek Yarn has a wide variety of yarns, including wonderful wools, cotton blends and one-of-a-kind yarns in many different weights, fibers and colors. Many of her yarns are made in Nebraska. Customers say the shop carries yarn that you can’t find in larger cities and it is the best artisan yarn store around! Giveways and Winners Our giveaway winner from our last issue is Elaine Mueller of Seward. Elaine will be sent a $25 Gift Certificate to be spent at her favorite Country Register advertiser, Dodie’s Crafts and Gifts, also in Seward. Elaine said, “It’s a place where I find a lot of gifts and my daughter loves to shop there too!” Elaine shared one of her daughter’s favorite recipes for coffee cake (see recipe below), yum! In this issue, there is another $25 Gift Certificate drawing and a book giveaway so be sure to enter and tell us which Country Register advertiser is your favorite. Also, please let us know how you use The Country Register in your travels and shopping trips. We love hearing from our readers and so do our advertisers so tell them how much you appreciate their shops and that they bring you The Country Register each issue. The Country Register, Inc., is celebrating its 28th year! Newspapers are now published in 46 states across the U.S. and in five provinces in Canada. Going out of state? Call ahead to the state(s) you will visit and get a copy of that area’s The Country Register and take it with you as you travel this spring & summer. Aunt Ginger’s Famous Coffee Cake by Ginger Mason 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup Mazola oil ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 ½ cup flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup sour cream 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup chopped nuts (optional) Mix together sugars, oil, cinnamon, flour, and salt and put cup of the mixture aside. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, soda, baking powder, and nuts to remaining mixture. Pour into a greased 9 x 13” pan. Sprinkle the cup of topping mixture over cake. Bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes. Right now, you can get 10% off yarn for your spring and summer projects. The shop also sells needles, notions and patterns for all your knitting, crocheting and needle felting projects. Joanne has many samples of her work on display—even a stuffed knit dog that felt quite real. The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, follow Weedy Creek Yarn on Facebook, Joanne’s blog at www.weedycreekyarn.com or call 402646-1000. Dodie’s Crafts & Gifts Next, we visited Dodie’s Crafts & Gifts at 615 Seward Street. Owner Sheryl Smetter says her shop is like a “craft show every day of the year!” and she’s right. Open for twenty years, Dodie’s offers country, shabby chic, Americana, primitives, crafting supplies, Watkins products and seasonal and holiday items. Sheryl has beautifully knitted scarves and capes (which are very light and delicate) and specializes in lace knitting, but she does all types of knitting and takes custom orders. She also makes jewelry and seasonal craft items, among the many gift choices. Sheryl also has three local women who provide consignment items— ceramics, paper art and soaps and lotions. There are also several non-local artisans who have crafts items on consignment in the store. Sheryl carries some craft supplies and tries to stock unusual and hard-to-find items. To learn more, call Dodie’s Crafts & Gifts at 402-643-4440. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. After visiting Dodie’s, it was time for lunch so we stopped at the Corner Café for some fun conversation and laughs before heading to our last destination. Liberty House Bed & Breakfast and Antiques & Gifts Our final stop of this fun adventure was at Liberty House Bed & Breakfast and Antiques & Gifts. Owner Pat Coldiron bought the historic 1899 house fourteen years ago continued on page 12... May-June 2016 Jansen • Fairbury• Beatrice • Hebron • Hardy • Special Events Make Memories with a Forget-Me-Not Tea One May Day, Jeff, our grade-school-aged neighbor, left a forget-me-not plant on our doorstep. What a sweet gesture! I planted the flowers, never dreaming they would multiply and blanket my yard with blue forget-me-nots. True to the plant’s name, I haven’t forgotten Jeff (now a dad with young kids of his own) because these dainty perennials still pop up in my yard every year. Since forget-me-nots bloom in May and June, they remind me of special occasions I don’t want to forget during this season: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, bridal showers, weddings and graduations. Celebrations can become even more memorable over a cup of tea. So let’s plan a sunny forget-me-not tea party to honor special people in our lives. Pick the occasion and let your creativi-Tea bloom. • Mothers and grandmothers would love to gather and be honored for Mother’s Day. • Graduations, from preschool to college, are milestones to celebrate. • Bridal showers and weddings certainly mark memorable events. • Birthday parties are highlights for those honored. • Friendships can blossom and grow any time of year with a forgetme-not tea. Set a beau-Tea-ful table. Whether you host your party indoors or outdoors, decorate with lots of color and flowers. If you have forget-me-nots growing in your garden, arrange them in a vase, teapot or cup and saucer. Since I have plenty in my yard, sometimes I dig up plants and pot them in foam cups, then place them close together in a large basket to create a showy Flower-shaped sandwiches centerpiece. After the tea party, I offer each guest a cup with forget-me-nots to take home. After you dress the table with a fabric tablecloth and centerpiece, select floral teacups and teapots to go with the forget-me-not theme. For one of our anniversaries, my husband bought me a teapot decorated with forget-me-not flowers. And my pen pal sent me a teacup with the same pattern to celebrate our friendship. Most teacups have lovely floral patterns and using a mixture of colors and designs creates a fun setting. So use whatever china you have. No china? Suggest that guests bring a favorite teacup and saucer and share the story that goes with it. Or simply use floral paper cups, plates and napkins. If desired, place a packet of forget-me-not seeds by each place setting along with a place card with a quote, such as, “I will never forget you (Isaiah 49:15). Love, God.” or “Earth laughs in flowers” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Plan an unforgettable menu. For my daughter’s bridal shower, I prepared a sit-down tea with a three-tier plate stand laden with assorted crustless sandwiches, scones and petite desserts. But now, decades later with less energy, I’m content to serve a few delicious foods presented attractively. It’s easy to pick up the flower theme by cutting scones with a flower-shaped cutter. Make a thumbprint in the center of each Dessert place setting with the teapot my husband one and fill with strawberry or gave me for one of our anniversaries. Little vase has apricot jam before baking. If you blooming forget-me-nots in it. continued on page 13... 11 12 Aurora • York • Lincoln Nebraska Grannies Seward, continued from page 10... and has filled it with the antiques, collectibles and gifts that she sells from the first floor Antiques & Gifts shop—in addition to making guests from all over the world feel welcome in the Bed & Breakfast. Along with her sister Jeannie Chapman, Pat was on hand to greet us. Some Grannies had enjoyed a wonderful stay at Liberty House a few years ago and were looking forward to seeing what was new. During this visit, we explored the big attic on the third floor that is a great hideaway for many of the antiques. Several of us decided that area would make a great relaxing room that we’d like to have! Pat told us about the new venture she is introducing—Tall Grass Prairie Tours, which will explore Seward County. Upcoming target dates and tours are: June 10 - The Red, White & Blue - Who Knew?; Grannie Karen admires a unique Hereford chaise lounge. July 22—Trails & Tales; and on September 2 – Antiques & More in Seward County. Tours will include transportation, a bit of history, great food and wonderful camaraderie! Check www.tallgrassprairietours.com to learn more. Pat is one of Seward’s greatest promoters after having retired as director of the local Chamber of Commerce. Liberty House is located at 441 N. 5th Street, just four blocks from downtown Seward. For more information, go to www.libertyhouse.biz, follow Liberty House Bed & Breakfast, Antiques & Gifts on Facebook, email patcoldiron@hotmail.com or call 402-643-2555. As we got ready to head back home, of course, our last stop was the ice cream shop for treats. Yum! It was great to have Karol along to show us where everything was and we thanked her as we said goodbye. Our latest Grannies’ gallivanting ended on a high note as driver Louise took us back to our starting points. Gallivanting Grannies is our continuing feature that focuses on various Nebraska locations. Marie Konecky (Publisher and Art Director Lolly Konecky’s mother) is a Nebraska native and part-time Country Register delivery girl who has volunteered to visit some of our fantastic advertisers, along with a few other shops or restaurants and tell us about her experiences. Several friends usually go along with Marie and they all seem to be having a wonderful time! On this trip, she was accompanied by Louie Bohaty, Karen Houfek, Mary Maxson, Judy McEvoy and Alice Virgil. Grilled Tenderloin with Garlic-Cilantro Butter courtesy Cooksrecipes.com Southwestern-style grilled pork tenderlon topped with a tasty garlic-cilantro butter. 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Garlic-Cilantro Butter: 1 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons minced roasted garlic (about 12 garlic cloves) (see below) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Cooking Directions: Cut tenderloins crosswise into 1-inch pieces, flatten slightly. Combine next five ingredients; marinate pork in mixture 4 hours, refrigerated. Remove pork from marinade; panbroil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes per side. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon of Garlic-Cilantro Butter. Serve with rice, if desired For Garlic-Cilantro Butter: Process together butter, fresh cilantro, roasted garlic and lime juice. Makes 6 servings. To Roast Garlic: Place 12 or more peeled garlic cloves in small baking dish. Cover with olive oil. Bake at 350°F (175°C). for 45 minutes, until garlic is soft.. May-June 2016 Cup of Tea with Lydia, continued from page 11... serve sandwiches, cut the bread with a flower-shaped cutter, fill with your favorite spread and decorate with small bits of fruits, nuts or veggies. If your menu includes fruit, arrange pieces of fruit on skewers and set several upright in a drinking glass or vase as a bouquet. Favorite desserts, cakes or cupcakes can be garnished with marshmallow flowers or even real forget-me-not blossoms, which are edible. Offer at least two types of tea—one with caffeine and one without. A fragrant, floral blend, such as rose, would be nice. Republic of Tea carries Downton Abbey English Rose that makes a rose-colored, fragrant brew. Or order flowering teas that bloom in the teapot. Multiply meaningful memories. Life goes by too quickly to not celebrate special occasions. Pick a reason to celebrate with a forget-me-not tea, invite special people you want to remember and gather to make memories you won’t soon forget. And before I forget, I want to plan a forget-me-not tea. Won’t you join me? Lydia E. Harris holds a master’s degree in Home Economics. She is blessed with five grandchildren who call her “Grandma Tea.” Lydia authored the book, Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting, (AMG Publishers). From Lydia’s Recipe File: Forget-Me-Not Pudding Cups This pudding not only tastes delicious, it looks super-cute served in child-sized teacups and garnished with a marshmallow forget-me-not flower on top. Pudding ingredients: One package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding One cup milk Two cups frozen whipped topping, thawed Ten chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos Directions: 1. Using a wire whip, stir together pudding and milk for about 2 minutes. 2. Blend in whipped topping. 3. Place cookies in resealable plastic bag and crush with rolling pin. 4. Mix half the cookie crumbs into the pudding. Save the rest to sprinkle on top later. 5. Refrigerate pudding until ready to serve. 6. To serve, spoon pudding into small teacups and sprinkle remaining crushed cookie crumbs on top to resemble dirt. Garnish with Marshmallow Forget-Me-Nots. Makes about 2 1/2 cups pudding. Marshmallow Forget-Me-Nots (small and large) Ingredients: Large and mini-marshmallows to shape into flowers Blue sugar sprinkles Small yellow candy for flower centers (e.g., gumdrops, Jujubes™, mini M&Ms®) To make small Marshmallow Forget-Me-Nots with mini-marshmallows: (Garnish for dessert served in small teacups.) 1. With kitchen scissors, snip mini-marshmallows in half diagonally to make petals. 2. Put petals into a resealable bag with colored sugar. Shake to coat cut sides. 3. To make each flower, arrange five marshmallow petals, sugared side up, on top of pudding cups. For the flower center, add yellow sprinkles, candy or frosting. (If your fingers get sticky, dip them in cornstarch for easier handling of petals.) 4. If desired, make a few marshmallow leaves by shaking cut mini-marshmallows in a bag with green sugar. Arrange on top of pudding near the flower. To make larger Marshmallow Forget-Me-Nots with large marshmallows: (Garnish for pudding served in punch cups or regular-sized teacups.) 1. Place rounded side of marshmallow in your hand (like a log). Flatten slightly between palms of hands. 2. With kitchen scissors, cut each marshmallow into four pieces. Shake in bag of colored sugar to coat cut sides. 3. Arrange five petals on top of pudding cups; add yellow center. Add a mint leaf if desired. Perky posy variation: Instead of decorating with Marshmallow Forget-Me-Nots, decorate with a fresh or silk flower. Stick a two-inch piece of green straw into the pudding and place a colorful flower into the straw, stem first. Nebraska City • Lincoln 13 14 West Point • Norfolk • Fremont • Hartington Nebraska Some Guidelines for Staying In a Bed and Breakfast or Inn by Linda Burchell Ard Although staying in a bed or breakfast while traveling in Europe is pretty common, many American have never stayed in this type of lodging facility. During breakfast recently, I asked some guests from England and Germany what they would want to tell Americans about staying in a Bed & Breakfast or Inn. They said B&Bs are a great way to travel and really learn about areas. The locals always know, among other things, the best places to eat, the cheapest places to buy gas, and the highway construction areas to avoid. They can also recommend interesting local activities, historic sites and even fun shopping. The properties are well loved and so clean—and the breakfasts are freshly made and delicious. The innkeepers are usually very friendly and welcoming so it is like staying with family. Then I asked, “How is this different from staying in hotels or motels?” They said that sometimes, when you are in a hurry and are just looking for a convenient bed for the night, a motel might work better. But many hotel rooms look just the same and some are noisy or brightly lighted. The guestrooms are not relaxing and lack charm. Feeling on a roll, I continued with, “Some people who haven’t stayed in Bed and Breakfasts are concerned that they might not know the right way to act in a B&B.” The couple laughed at this question and the wife explained that her husband still didn’t know the right way to act. He just shook his head and agreed. Then, combining their wealth of experience, they clicked off a few simple suggestions: • Remember that you are staying in someone’s home so you’ll want to be respectful. • Ring the doorbell, unless directed otherwise, before walking in. • If you arrived before check-in (usually 4 to 6 p.m.), your room might not be ready. Also, if you are going to be later than you had planned, just contact the innkeeper in case she/he has made plans for the evening or needs to run to the store. • Every Bed and Breakfast is unique and has different policies so ask the innkeeper. There are often rules about children, pets, parking, smoking, use of alcohol, forms of payment, or cancellation. • In most Bed and Breakfasts, there are “common areas” for the guests to use and enjoy as well as private areas reserved for the innkeepers, their staff and families. Such areas may be used for storage, office work, meal preparation or just relaxing. It is important to respect the innkeepers’ need for privacy. I thought their advice might be helpful for other folks who have always thought it would be fun to stay in a Bed and Breakfast but never had the experience. As I cleaned up the breakfast table, they were getting ready to pack up and hit the road again. Before they left, I got hugs from both of them and I wished them safe travels. They stopped to pat Buster, our friendly farm dog, and take a picture of the Inn. I bet that departing ritual doesn’t happen often at most motels or hotels! If you are new to staying at B&Bs, check out the wonderful locations at www. nebraskabb.com and enjoy the better way to stay. Linda Burchell Ard and her husband Bob are Innkeepers and owners of at Burchell’s White Hill Farmhouse Inn, historical bed and breakfast located in the middle of a family owned working farm in Minden. To learn more, visit www.burchellfarmhouseinn.com or on Facebook or email blard@gtmc.net. Skunks & Quilts by Deb Heatherly Let me start by saying that I am originally from the Charleston, SC, area. We did not have skunks in Charleston. In fact, the only skunks I had ever seen were in pictures and in cartoons. They looked really cute in the pictures. Perhaps people only exaggerated about their-not-so-great characteristics, I thought to myself. That all changed a few weeks back. My poor dog Maggie had a close encounter of the smelly kind late one night as I let her out before going to bed. There she sat at the front door begging to get in, while I stood on the inside wondering what to do. Of course, my husband was out of town. (Aren’t they always when there is an emergency?) So, I called him. Half asleep, all he could mutter was, “Don’t let her in.” Gee, I thought to myself, I had figured that out myself. But what to do now? I Googled skunk and found numerous remedies, but, of course, none that would help me at this time of night. Some were home remedies you mix up yourself. Others were tried and true mixtures from the pet store. I would have sat down and cried if it would have helped. (I already had tears in my eyes from the fumes wafting in from the front porch.) Pretty soon the entire house smelled, even with poor Maggie outside. Picture it—there she sat with those sad puppy-dog eyes. Here I stood at the door looking out. (I guess people had not exaggerated after all.) Very little sleep was to be had that night. Guilt was setting in because I could not help her right away and holding the sheet over my nose did nothing to help the fumes. I will fast forward to the next day. Yes, the recipe I found on line helped a lot, as did the mixture sold at the pet store. And yes, I tried both several times. Maggie, who hated baths, is probably now the cleanest dog in the county. What does this have to do with quilting? Think back. If you have been quilting for any length of time, you have probably encountered at least one tricky situation that you were not sure how to handle. Maybe it was a quilt that would not square up, points that got chopped off, or blocks that all had a mind of their own and would not fit together. I bet when you asked for advice there were some (like my husband) who stated the obvious. It’s probably your seam allowance. But did that really help? Deep down you probably knew several things that could be to blame, but that’s not really what you were asking. You needed to know how to fix it. My advice is to use my skunk experience as an example. Approach the problem in several ways. There are a lot of great tutorials on line. Google them to see if you can find help. If it’s a minor problem, you just might find the answer you seek. *Creative Grids® rulers and tools have a QR code right on the rule, and your smart phone will take you right to the video demonstration of that particular tool. All of these work great for late night encounters when nothing is open. Of course, the best way to solve your problems is always at your local quilt shop. That’s where you will find friendly people who have the knowledge to help you pin point the problem and give you suggestions on how to fix it. I’ve seen many a quilter arrive in our shop in tears and leave with a smile because we helped him/her figure out how to complete the project at hand. I will leave you with this thought. Be it skunks or quilts—knowledge is a powerful thing. Take classes, read books, watch videos and empower yourself for your next adventure. Deb Heatherly is a Creative Grids® designer and author of the books, ‘Cat’itide and Strippy Stars, which are companions to her Cat’s Cradle and Strippy Stars Tools. She is the owner of Deb’s Cats N Quilts in Franklin, NC. Visit her website at www.Debscatsnquilts. com and her Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/DebscatsnquiltsFranklin. Blair • Bennington • Tekamah • NE B&B May-June 2016 KISSed Quilts Quilt As Desired by Marlene Oddie Do you ever wonder what to do when the pattern says, “quilt as desired”? I’ve shared with you in past articles about my new design, “Dangling Diamonds,” that is now published and available at patternspot.com for PDF download with 4 bonus patriotic themed patterns; you can also ask your local shop to order through Island Batik or directly from me. Now I’d like to share with you some details about the quilting. I loaded it sideways so that you can quilt an entire length of the quilt across the table in a continuous path. With all the angles in the piecing, I wanted to create some twirling effects like they were hanging beads in a doorway. I created a card stock template of this shape and traced it into each large background diamond as I went. Tracing with a purple disappearing ink pen means it doesn’t stay there long. With an outer registration mark, stitch along one side, then echo it back to your starting point. Then stitch along the other side and echo it back, putting the center scroll spot into the middle of the interlocking scroll. Whichever side you do first, do it consistently across the whole quilt. Since you’re back at the starting point, you still need to move forward so come down the middle channel and add the pearls. Use the echo lines to move back after doing the hook section and continue to the opposite side from where you started. You’re now at the top of the next diamond. Since the denser fills are best done once the entire quilt is stabilized, come back later and do the entire length to do the fill in the outer part of the diamond and then return doing the other side. This also helps you to stitch different elements consistently since you’re doing the same ones all the way across. For the colored diamonds, I matched the fabric to the thread color and used a metallic thread from WonderFil. The center diamond was marked with disappearing ink to give me a registration point for the center diamond shape, the rest used some straight rulers but a lot of freehand and eyeballing to keep it fairly consistent. Ultimately the key here— loosen the top tension to almost nothing! In the small diamonds, I used this curved ruler to create a consistent arc then freehanded the rest. I used two layers of 80/20 bleached batting. I love the relief where it is NOT quilted. Here is the backside! Dangling Diamonds by Marlene Oddie of Kissed Quilts using Bella Nonna Design Studio Boondoggle Rulers(tm) 56” x 71” This quilt will be part of an Island Batik trunk show for the year so ask your local shop to schedule it so that you can see it in person! Let me know if you do! Marlene Oddie is an engineer by education, project manager by profession and now a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA. She enjoys long-arm quilting on her Gammill Optimum Plus, but especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a meaningful treasure for the recipient. Follow Marlene’s adventures via her blog at http:// kissedquilts.blogspot. com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ kissedquilts. 15 16 Ashland • Wahoo • Weston • Valparaiso Nebraska Gallivanting Grannies Weston: Vintage Merchant General Store We Grannies loved our trip to Weston for a special preview of Vintage Merchant General Store, which will hold its first open market of the season from May 5 to 8. Following the reopening, the store will be open Sundays from Noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Owners Rob and Shelli Hall generously gave us an early “sneak peek” and told us the wonderful history of the building. This old general store is set up as it must have looked many years ago so we felt like we were in an old-time mercantile store. It is filled with antiques and vintage home décor. Vintage Merchant is housed in the original WoitaKacirek General Store. Listed on the national historic register, the building was constructed in 1894 and its architecture and character take you back in time. It features built in grain-painted shelving with a working sliding ladder and there are beautiful hardwood floors and a corrugated wooden ceiling. It also has an original second floor balcony and a working freight elevator. Longtime antique collectors and dealers, Rob and Shelli spent about two years restoring the structure and they held their Grand Opening in October of last year. Hours for the season opening are from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 6, 7 and 8. Vintage Merchant General Store is located at 250 Elm Street. Weston is only 6 miles west of Wahoo, conveniently located between Omaha and Lincoln. For more information, email vintagemerchangs@gmail.com, call 402-443-8872 or 402443-966 or follow Vintage Merchant General Store on Facebook for photos and to learn about store inventory and events. Ralston • Papillion May-June 2016 The Waterdog Shack by James A. Nelson The waterdog shack was located next to our town’s most heavily traveled thoroughfare, Division Street, almost in the heart of downtown. It would be out of place except for the fact it sat on the banks of the swift-flowing Spokane River, which ran through our city. The shack was nestled next to the river among the rocks, surrounded by several large shade trees. A cool breeze always blew up from the river and the smell of fresh water was tantalizing. The fact that it sat on the banks of the river gave validity to the sign tacked on its creaky, unpainted door that said, “Waterdogs—Live Bait for Sale.” A grizzled old man, his face lined and tanned from the elements, his sharp features framed with silver hair and beard, sat in front of this tiny emporium in an old scruffy chair. Alaska Jack was always perfectly positioned so he could catch the breeze off the river along with the shade from the trees. He was so named because he had spent many years in Alaska fishing and, oh, the stories he could tell. He was the first ol’ bachelor I ever met. Jack was small in stature and light weight. He was so skinny, he told me once that he left Alaska and the small seaport town he lived in because he was afraid a strong wind would blow him into the sea if he forgot to stand sideways. His arthritis didn’t get along with the long winters either, he’d say, with one of his painful groans. When he was gone and the shack was closed, you were informed by a small “Gone Fishing” sign. It was easy to picture Jack, pole in hand, with the largest bass in the world dancing at the end of his taut line. I was sure he would land it. After all, he was the best fisherman in the world in my eyes. Even better than Dad. Saturdays with no school were special to a young boy—days to spend time with Dad. My favorite Dad-and-son Saturday excursion was a trip to the dilapidated old shack, named after the mud-ugly aquatic salamander with feet like arms and clusters of external gills that were sold there as bait. A trip to Waterdog Shack was one of a young boy’s greatest pleasures. Fishing, then, was a high priority to any seven-year-old-and-up sport-minded boy and his father. Waterdogs weren’t the only thing Jack had for sale. You could buy kindling, ice, white gas, night crawlers and most anything else to do with fishing or the outdoors. There were also stacks of canned goods, mostly beans. Over in the corner near the galvanized tubs full of waterdogs was an old army cot with a tattered blanket as its bedspread. Another corner held an old black potbellied woodstove. Dad told me later he was sure Jack also lived in the Waterdog Shack. At the time, I thought this was ok. He was close to good river fishing and he had plenty of beans. The shacks’ walls were adorned with outdated girly calendars and ads for old Red Mule Chewing Tobacco. When Grandpa was along, he stocked up on the old Red Mule because Grandma wouldn’t let him buy it at home. It would be my job when we took him home to sneak it into his bedroom. Dad said it was ok as long as Grandma didn’t ask me if I had any chewing tobacco, which never happened. What grandmother would ask her seven-year-old grandson if he had any chewing tobacco? Grandpa was home free. While Dad haggled over the price of the waterdogs, I walked over to the riverbank and practiced imaginary casts into the river’s weeded shoreline. The dark, sometimes unfriendly, watery depths always held an aura of mystery, beginning with the tale of Jonah and the whale up to and including Moby Dick. There was also the possibility of catching a gigantic fish from these deep waters—surely some surly bass would be lurking in the dark water just waiting to grab my bait with a splashing fury. After what seemed like only minutes but was in reality closer to two hours, Dad would say, “Come on, Son, time to go. Mom will be wondering what has become of us.” Fat chance, I thought as I trudged begrudgingly back to the car. She knew we were going to the Waterdog Shack so she wouldn’t be planning an early dinner. Besides, Saturdays didn’t come around often enough during fishing season. Her honey-dos would have to wait. Often we purchased nothing at Jack’s but I didn’t care. At least I would be going home with another fish story—dreaming material until our next visit. Many years later while reading Hemingway’s novella, The Old Man and the Sea, I’d picture Jack standing in a small boat in heavy seas, fighting the largest king salmon in the ocean. This wisp of a man would be standing gallantly, pole in hand and taut line streaming out behind the boat, locked in mortal combat with a monster from the ocean depths. In my imagination, as a small boy I would be at his side shouting encouragement during his epic struggle between man and fish. Due to my faith in Jack, I knew it would only be a matter of time before this trophy would be in the boat. The boat rocked from the added weight of its bulky body. I could only stare in wonder at its immense size. Without hesitation, Jack leaned down, smiled at me and gently removed the hook from the tooth-filled jaws of his exhausted prize. I then watched in utter disbelief as Jack gently picked up his beautiful trophy and slowly, with the utmost tenderness, released it back into its watery domain. The salmon dove for deep water, rejuvenated with the strength of freedom. As we both stared at its swirling wake, I heard Jack softly whisper, “Go back to the sea—strong one.” Surely Hemingway must have been smiling somewhere nearby. I know I was. Dad would have been pleased as well. Now, years later, as I travel down the six lanes of traffic instead of two on the main thoroughfare toward the river, I think of Jack and the Waterdog Shack. As I speed over the new bridge and look down at the river, everything has changed or is gone completely. All that’s really left as I remember is the glistening, churning, fast-flowing river. I often wonder as I glance at the stern-faced drivers next to me if they ever had their very own Waterdog Shack. It doesn’t necessarily even have to sell waterdogs—just someplace where they can share themselves with their children on a pleasant afternoon, as Dad did with me. My children do. Maybe on my way home as I cross the bridge and look down along the river, my Waterdog Shack will be there once again. Jack will be gone but because of my memories, I will always have a key to its front door. This story comes from Jim Nelson’s book, The Way It Was and The Way It Is, which contains 46 nostalgic short stories and is available for purchase through Amazon.com. It can also be found in the public libraries and school systems in Spokane, WA. Jim enjoyed a career at the Spokane Review and retired in Spokane. He has been writing for over 50 years and his pieces have been widely published in nationally known magazines, including five times in Chicken Soup of the Soul books. Jim enjoys hearing from our readers and can be reached at 43 E. Weile, Apt. 214, Spokane, WA 99208. 17 18 Nebraska Omaha All New Douglas County Fair at Crossroads Mall in Omaha in July —Entries Accepted Beginning May 1 The Douglas County Fair is pleased to announce that it is back—and bigger and better than ever! The Fair will take place Thursday, July 21, through Saturday, July 23, at the Crossroads Mall in Midtown Omaha. There is no gate admission and parking is free. The Fair will be open to anyone, not just residents of Douglas County, although only Douglas County residents have the ability to advance to the Nebraska State Fair in the areas of Quilts, Textiles and Photography. The entry period will begin on Sunday, May 1, 2016. Categories for entry include: Fruits & Vegetables, Preserved Foods, Baked Goods, Quilts, Flowers, Textiles, Photography, Fine Art, Poultry and Rabbits. Entrants can pre-register online at www.douglascountyfair.org or pick up a Fair premium book at locations throughout the Omaha metropolitan area. The premium book will also be available online. The Fair Board suggests those considering entering pre-register their items either online or with a paper entry to save time at the entry check-in the week of the Fair. The Douglas County Fair Board, led by President Scott Olander, is pleased to bring a true urban county Fair to Douglas County. He said, “Douglas County still represents an agricultural base, but in the last fifteen years or so has become a progressively urban area. The Fair Board is delighted to host the region’s ONLY urban fair right here in Douglas County.” For more information, contact Rita Clark, Fair Manager, at info@douglascountyfair.org, call 402-681-3573. Mother’s Day Project from Green Table Gifts This Chalk Paint® project could not be easier and it’s perfect for Mother’s Day! I grabbed some vases at Goodwill for a steal (use the coupon!) then painted two quick coats of some Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan that I had on hand. I used Duck Egg Blue and French Linen. After they dried I used a damp kitchen sponge to distress them. I waxed them to protect the finish and give it a polished look. Then I embellished them with some craft supplies I had on hand. I’m going to fill them with some simple white flowers on Mother’s Day and gift them to my mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother. A handmade gift is always special and this one is affordable and takes less than an hour! This project is courtesy of Green Table Gifts in Tempe, AZ, find more great projects at www.greentablegifts.com May-June 2016 Omaha Quilters’ Guild Presents Its 2016 Annual Quilt Show, June 23 to 25 The Omaha Quilters’ Guild will present its 2016 Quilt Show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 23, 24 and 25. “Welcome to My Secret Garden” will be held at the LaVista Conference Center and is the Guild’s 38th Annual Show. This annual quilting event is an opportunity for Guild members to display their art publicly and more than 200 quilts and quilted items in a variety of categories are expected for the judged show. Included this year is a special display of quilts made by youngsters, 16-years-old and under, sponsored by a guild member. All those who enter this special youth display will be given a commemorative ribbon. The 2016 Opportunity Quilt is “Touch of Spring” and was designed and pieced by Guild president Amy Robertson and professionally quilted by Guild member Angela McCorkle. Amy chose fabric in her favorite colors and collaborated with her mother, aunt and friends. Her greatest wish in making this 82” x 82” cheery quilt is that it will make people smile. Tickets sell for only $1.00 each and you can buy them at the quilt show or by contacting guild members. The winner of this wonderful colorful quilt will be drawn at the end of the Quilt Show on Saturday. Between 35 and 40 vendors will provide the latest in quilting “wants and needs,” including notions, books, equipment—and more—plus offer demonstrations throughout the show. A popular Silent Auction of smaller items will feature a huge variety of hand made items. Expect to find small quilts and quilted items, knitted and crocheted pieces, jewelry, doll clothes and a doll’s bed along with much more. You can pay a Buy-It-Now set price or take part in the bidding that starts with the opening of the show and ends at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Special Displays at the Quilt Show will include: Nebraska Home of the Brave Quilts, Quilts of Valor and Fiber Works. The Cloth Doll Collectors from the Omaha and Council Bluffs, IA, metro areas will be showcasing an extensive collection of Whimsical Art Dolls. Quilt Appraisals will be available from Jennifer Perkins, a Certified Appraiser and NQA Certified Judge. Contact her at 712-755-5383 to arrange an appointment. Charges will be determined according to the quilt. The Quilt Show is open to the public from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. General admission is $7.00; Seniors 65 and older are $5.00; Children, ages 3 to 12 are $4.00; and Groups of seven or more are $5.00 per person. There is a $1.00 off coupon in the show ad in this issue. Established in 1975, the Omaha Quilters’ Guild (OQG) is one of the largest quilting organizations in Nebraska with over 250 members devoted to the appreciation and preservation of quilts and the perpetuation of the art and the craft of quilt making through education and participation. The Guild offers something for quilters of all skill levels. OQG meets on the second Tuesday of the month (with the exception of June, July and August at the German American Society of Omaha, 3717 South 120th Street. OQG’s three main philanthropic work areas are: Children’s Emergency Fund supporting children taken into protective custody during the holiday season; Community Connections matching member talents to produce quilts for a cause and Helping Hands meeting the needs of charitable organizations, both great and small. Some of the many worthwhile service projects the Guild helps with by donating Quilts, Christmas stockings, Pillow Cases or Monetary Gifts include: Children’s Emergency Fund, Hospice Project, Project Harmony, Vets’ home, Home of the Brave, Quilts of Valor, Project Linus and Shakespeare on the Green. To learn more about this active group, go to www.omahaquiltersquild.org or follow Omaha Quilters Guild on Facebook. Omaha 19 20 Special Events Nebraska