It's the Time of the Year!

I'm goin' pickin'.....

It's dandelion wine-making time!

The fields are covered with these lovely yellow blossoms. Pick them mid-day when they are at their fullest. Get your big bucket and scram!

The following is my grandmother's recipe. I remember my mother making this.

I have made it several times, too, but once in a while it would turn out just like VINEGAR!

When it's good, it's VERY VERY GOOD! (Just like Mary Contrary.)

6 Qts. blossoms, no stems.

Pour 8 qts of boiling water over them; let stand 24 hours. Do not have on the stove at all.

Strain and put in large jar or crock, then add 7 lbs sugar and stir until dissolved; add three sliced lemons and three oranges; let stand together 4 days.

Take out the fruit after pressing out the juice, and strain again to take out the thick fruit, then let stand in cellar three or four weeks.

Bottle it but do not put corks in tight, just laid on top, do not seal until all fermentation ceases.

Bottle it but do not put corks in tight, just laid on top, do not seal until all fermentation ceases.

Mother's note: "I think the crock should be covered with a cloth to keep out dust.

(Not a tight lid.)"

The Tree - Part 5 - Remembering More

The woman owner of the cabin took many photographs of her surroundings and family. Many years later, I believe she must have taken them so her memories could live on through others who now enjoy the images she so carefully composed.

Autumn was the perfect time to show her love of earthly beauty.

The photograph below was taken before the tree was planted.

Ah! SWEET REFLECTIONS

The Tree - Part 4

After learning of the tree's demise there was a reaction and very special story sent to me from my nephew. He has given me permission to share this.

.....................................

"Wow. I'm really actually upset now that that tree is gone.

As a plant geek, I understand why, but sometimes you have funny little

sentimental attatchments to things such as trees. I remember (vaguely) the

whole family lining up for that famous photograph. I remember once, going

up on the roof of the cabin with Dad to spray the tree for Cooley's Spruce

Gall Aphid. The tree was short enough back then, that Dad was able to spray

the top half of it from the roof.

I remember one time, I brought my go-cart from NJ up to Dad's. There was a

governor on the motor that kept the go-cart from going too fast. At such a

young age, I drove that dang cart right up to its capabilities, and that

governor was holding me back so Dad and I rigged a string that would bypass

the governor. I remember spending a whole day, racing from the cabin

driveway, across the spillway, up to the corner and around the grass

triangle and back with a friend. We were timing the runs to see who was

faster. Well..... I was on my way to making the fastest run of the day.

There I came, screaming across the spillway, sideways around the corner in

front of my uncle's, whose place was next to the cabin, like a mini stock car racer, and I straightened out heading for the "finish line" in front of the cabin.

Right as I had straightened out and headed for the final straight dash to

the finish line.... to my shock, the front left wheel broke the axle, and on

three wheels I drove past the rolling tire across the finish line. I

watched the wheel roll into that Spruce tree. My friend and I spent about a

half hour searching for that wheel. We both saw it roll into that Spruce

tree. We looked, and it was not under the tree. We figured it rolled under

the tree and out the other side, so we searched the flower beds across the

front of the cabin and around the porch area. We searched even harder down

the side of the cabin that faces my uncle's. Still we couldn't find it.

We went back and searched the tree again, and there was NO tire!!! Even

though we both saw it roll in there!

We finally gave up, puzzled, and went and got Dad, and explained what

happened to him. He searched as well. He searched the same places that we

did. He went back to the tree and after a little more looking, he suddenly

burst out laughing. Apparently, there was a branch that came off the trunk

about six feet off the ground, and arched gracefully down to the ground.

The tire hit that branch at about 40 mph, and rolled UP the branch, and

wedged itself between that branch and the one above it, up against the

trunk. We never saw it because we never thought to look UP!

I thought you'd get a kick out of the story. :)

It's one of my favorite stories ever...."

Note: My nephew is now age 36. He's the little dark haired boy sitting in the front row of the family photo shown in the blog, The Tree - Part 1.

He also commented that Spruce spider mites are almost impossible to get rid of.... To treat that tree would have been extremely expensive if it even would have worked in the first place.

Spruce Mites

To help understand the demise of the tree.

http://www.plantpath.cornell.edu/trees/SprSpMite.html

The Tree - Part 3

Only a stump remains.....

A VERY TALL STUMP

There WILL be a future for the tree's stump and it will stay, where the entire living tree once stood tall and majestic, as the perpetual guardian of the cabin.

ALL WILL NOT BE LOST.

The Tree - Part 2

A decision was made. It was the end of time for the tree.

The "tree man" and his sons came one early morning.....

Branches were removed and chipped.....

The final climb.....

Topped.....

The trunk is bare and ready to be felled.....

The Tree - Part 1

It was presented as a gift to the owners of Cabin Tranquillity (yes one "L") and planted by family members back in the early seventies. The cabin was built in 1961 as a quiet summer retreat in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. The lakefront property was originally purchased by the owners from the wife's cousin, who constructed the 47 acre spring-fed lake. This was a dream which came true. The Blue Spruce tree flourished.

Over the following years, all four of the children and many grandchildren came to the cabin for swimming, horseshoes, campfires, camping, ice skating,

hunting and many other activities, thoroughly enjoying the experience of family and adventure and recreational opportunities.

Time went by and the tree grew and GREW! It survived hot and dry summers and hundreds of snow events. The family changed, too. The original owners left,

taking their memories with them.

The only son, the twin daughters and the eldest daughter all now resided in the area near the cabin. The tree remained.

Year 2005

The eldest daughter and her husband now reside in Cabin Tranquillity. The tree has by now had several haircuts, lower limbs removed for easier lawn mowing and ventilation.

One day in year 2010 it was noticed that the needles were thinning in extremes. A regional forester was called in to diagnose the problem.

It was heavily infested with tree mites! Its roots were impacted under the concrete foundation. It was dying! The invasion of the mites had started many years ago and went unnoticed.

Too late.

Shoulder Dislocator

After almost three years my right shoulder is feeling a bit better. I unknowingly dislocated (put out of joint, according to chiropractor) it while using this utensil; AKA "The GEM." 1899 Gem Food Chopper #20.

It came from the family treasures that were passed down - grandparents, parents, me!

Vintage Meat Grinder

Gem Food Chopper 20

Sargent & Co.

Patented Apr.25 1899

comes with 5 cutters

Made by Sargent & Co. (on Handle)

What wonderful ham snips, beef chunks, chicken pickins, and bread crumbs have been ground through this handy dandy clamp-on-the-table-edge gem! All have been made into salads, hash, spreads and more.

Well, I had a great idea one day after the pound of bacon I bought on sale was not very tasty and was also tough. I would make it in to salad toppings - you know - like "Bacon Bits."

I fried it all first, and after it cooled I proceeded to make my crunchy accents. It was hard work!

The old chopper tried its best to accommodate my efforts as my old shoulder pushed and pushed the crank around and around and around. And hard work it was!

There! I did it! I had a completed project.

The next day my shoulder ached and I had to resort to doubling my arthritis helper tablets.

This went on for about three weeks until I went to the local chiropractor. He just plain didn't know the extent of damage. After three unsuccessful visits I decided I had to live with it.

When at the beach place, I went again to my southern chiropractor. Even the pool and hot spa were not helping the pain as I had expected. He determined it was "out of joint" and put it back. What a jab that was! Then the healing began.

After returning North, I saw an orthopedic surgeon who, to this date, has injected the area four times and now it's better! (NOT good enough to vacuum, but at least I can hook my own bra - when I wear one.)

Tongs

Yes, I said tongs. A VERY important kitchen utensil. Let me regress a bit.

"When Things Look Black" - Orange, NJ

I have OLD advertising tongs with the motto & name "Imperial Laundry Co."

They were probably given out around 1907 when the company was in Orange NJ.

My grandparents lived in the area and my mother was born there in 1914. The tongs have traveled with the family.

Here is a photograph of the old building with the name and motto still visible.

The building was in place in 2006!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tongs have a place in my old cabin kitchen drawer and are used almost daily!

We don't EVER wash them with detergent. A hot rinse and air drying keeps them from rusting.

They will be here long after I'm gone. Would you believe I love my old tongs? I treasure my old tongs! When in my hand I feel hands of past years using them and it makes me feel warm.

Kitchen Gadgets

I need to buy a new can opener for the beach place. Would you believe the one that is failing is only 10 years old? They just don't make 'em like they used to!

When using this electric "wizard" now, it grinds and skips then grinds some more and skips again, making mind bending loud irritating sounds. It is NOT dirty! The one put aside for hurricane evacuation use is a hand cranker and a bit difficult for these old hands to turn, but actually works better as a temporary substitute until a trip to Walmart.

Now I gotta tell ya, the one on the old cabin wall in Pennsylvania works perfectly - every time, and it's only about 85 years old. It's a SPEEDO!

> > S P E E D O >

TRADEMARK REG

CAN OPENING MACHINE

MADE IN ST. LOUIS, MO. U.S.A.

CENTRAL STATES MFG. CO.

USA PATS: 1558372 - 1573969 - 1581958

Oct. 20, 1925 - Feb. 23, 1926 - Apr. 20, 1926

CANADIAN PATS: MAR 23, 1926 - FEB 22, 1927

OTHER FOREIGN PATENTS

Popular Mechanics Magazine, Feb 1928, Page 75

SEE ADVERTISEMENT PICTURE BELOW

I remember it in the home I grew up in being used frequently by my mother and grandmother. It was attached to the kitchen cabinet side, facing outward. Many times it served as a hanger for a bag of cheesecloth filled with boiled grapes, dripping their marvelous smelling and purple juices into a pot below that was placed on the kitchen chair. Twisting out the final juices was something I loved to do. Jelly making followed. It also was often used to hang sour milk in a similar bag, draining away the whey and forming the cheese curds!

Ah! Sweet memories. Does anyone know where I can find another SPEEDO? Can opener, that is! I look, but never find!

SLAW

I'm gonna make me some REAL GOOD slaw! It has been two months since we've had any. When we're at our beach place, we absolutely abhor the "coleslaw" that is for sale and we've tried it from Walmart, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion, Kroger's, Bi-Lo, Lowe's Foods, and several fast food businesses.

They just don't get it! First of all, it is NOT shredded finely enough. Second, it is absolutely tasteless. Slaw should NOT contain any peppers, red or green, never onions or celery, and mustard - UGH!!

Coleslaw ingredients should be only green cabbage, a carrot, celery seed, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, sugar, black pepper and real mayonnaise!

Since I don't use a recipe for amounts, I'll not try to explain how much of each I use, but I do make the cabbage very very fine, the carrot very fine, and put the rest in a separate container, mixing and tasting as I go.

The mixture is then poured over the shreds and aged in the refrigerator for several hours - at least!

Now I no longer shave off the tip of my thumb (OW! @#$%%^&!) when using the Bluffton tool. It was my husband's mother's and is still functional, but dangerous. I have a food processor that does the job fast and fine!

Back and Front Views

Today's lesson:

Bluffton Slaw Cutter

Manufacturing one of the best Cutters and Graters in the world has been the goal of The Bluffton Slaw Cutter Company since it's founding in 1915. This is achieved by hammered blades that wear sharp with use. These tools are a life-time investment and are efficient, hand-operated and easy to use and clean. The user controls the texture and thickness of fruits and vegetable by pressure and speed. Major markets of the Bluffton, Ohio Company are the United States, Canada and Japan.

AKA/ Kraut Cutter: Fast-sweep pattern, speeds operation.

Back Home in Pennsylvania

We've been in South Carolina for the past two months and it was a cooler than usual time at our beach retreat. The wind cut right through our winter jackets! It even snowed! YES!!

Spring is springing in Pennsylvania!

The handyman I live with is very busy picking up sticks and stones on the wet grasses. He tracks mud in on the carpet-covered concrete floors. (Mud has to dry before it can be successfully vacuumed!

The ducks and geese are back on the lake. I really wish so many would not return - noisy and dirty fowl they are!

Robins try to build nests on the porch rafters and in the carport. We block the openings so they will nest in the trees. Birds belong in trees! The trunks are filling up fast wherever openings exist. Bits and pieces of nesting materials are evident. The branches too, are quickly becoming spring homes.

We have seen two beavers, a muskrat and several deer in only 3 days. Nature is ruling still!

Dirt roads are becoming dust producers again. Dust seeps into the multitudes of cracks in this old log cabin. There's no stopping it.

B U T! The daffodils are poking their noses up from the rock garden and flowerbeds. The crocus have appeared and opened their petals to the fresh air. The seedum are forming their petaled leaves.

Life is good. The air is fresh and the sun is warm. The best is yet to come. I really must get outdoors and uncover the porch furniture and sweep and rake. I really MUST!