This is what kept me busy late last night – another batch of hot dog relish. Today I can put all my canning equipment away for another year. O Happy Day!
I have this great grinder I use to grind everything up. I used to make dog food and ground up raw chicken with it – very powerful piece of equipment.
Today is lawn mowing day – another thing to catch up on. But also very satisfying to sit on the porch and look at the grass – it’s the little things, isn’t it?
Our friend Jo, at Jo’s Country Junction, is having some health issues again. Jo Kramer, 111-2nd Ave NE, Waucoma, IA 52171. Cancer is an evil beast, relentless in its pursuit of more, more, more. Send her a card telling her we’re thinking of her on this journey.
I went to a thrift store yesterday – I’ll get a picture of everything but I wanted to show you this Bath and Body Works white robe – in perfect condition – for $1. Yes – ONE DOLLAR! They were having a sale on clothes. Next winter I’ll be so happy to slip this on – I need to shorten but that’s no big deal.
So bought this table for plants for $2.
Our friend Rita hit the jackpot at a recent garage sale. Can you believe this heirloom quilt? It boggles my mind that it was sold at a garage sale – I was afraid to ask what she paid for it.
And Rita made this one which is also nice.
A reader mentioned to me that at least the windstorm took the old dead trees out which couldn’t be more wrong. Look at these trees that are down and fully leafed out meaning they were live and growing when they went down. We have wondered why the living trees went down which were growing right next to a dead tree. This is getting boring looking at dead trees but I wanted her to see that she assumed wrong. Enough about the trees!!!
I gotta go but I’ll take pictures of the other things I bought.
You ask where do all of the bikers stay? Well, the answer is EVERYWHERE. There is a huge ‘campground’ called the Buffalo Chip. They have everything there including big entertainment every day and night. Then lots of people rent out their houses and yards. There are some campgrounds that are just for the Rally. Lots of other people may never even go near Sturgis. They stay at all the towns around the area to avoid all of the noise and mass of people in Sturgis. If my memory is right, there wasn’t a place to stay in a 50 mile radius of Sturgis.
I person can rent their house/property for 12 days and they have to report the income on their income taxes. I don’t remember the exact number of days. Several years ago my SIL, Mary, lived in Sturgis and talked about renting her trailer out for the Rally. Same time in Clarion, my mother’s beautician and family had come to the rally and were looking for somewhere cheaper to stay. They got a deal made . Three couples came and enjoyed Mary’s home and big yard. Plus, one of them was a plumber and he fixed all the stuff in Mary’s house!!!
The bikers are people just like you and me and love riding the bikes. They are from all walks of like and some even hit the quilt shops. We have so many tourists and probably 99% are great enjoying everything here.
As for eating. There over 800 venders setting up cooking absolutely everything. Also some local churches serve breakfast as their only fund raiser for the year. More later…..
Betty in Rapid City
Betty – this is so nice to hear the real facts behind the Sturgis event! I think I’ll come and visit you next year! Hahaha! We can quilt and then enjoy all those food vendors! And the plumber fixed all the repairs in her house – what a deal.
Wow, Betty! This sounds like a win! WIN! For everyone! Such a great people helping one another time. The rally is a super big boost for the area economy for sure!
Completely missed this post this morning. What a bargain on the robe and table. And the quilt is amazing. Obviously the seller didn’t make it or she would have appreciated it a bit more. I have bought several old quilts at garage sales and always wonder why they are being sold. I bought one from a gal whose grandma made the quilt-she said she has so many her grandma made that she decided to part with it. And her daughter (so the maker was her great grandma) said-I thought if it didn’t sell, I would keep it. OMG-if it didn’t sell? It cost $12-sad in many ways!
Interesting to read about Sturgis- haven’t thought about it for years. When we used to combine in South Dakota, we would see a lot of motorcycles on their way to Sturgis. We parked our campers at a motel (in Huron) which is no longer there and a lot of the cyclists would stay at the motel.
I follow Jo’s blog and am amazed at her energy to carry on and stay positive. In fact, I learned of your blog from reading her blog. I pray for her often.
Cindy K – I think about Jo, too, and know there’s nothing I can do except pray for her. I hate to think of her being in pain.
What a lovely quilt Rita found at a garage sale & I like the one she made, too. In the past I’ve had garage sales & after the last 2 decided it’s too much work for what little you get out of them! I donate my things to shelters that help people who need things & that makes me happy! Trees, I have to admit I never thought much about why the younger trees come down in wind storms. I assumed they didn’t have a deep root system. Never thought about the leaves! Thanks for the info on trees. You are right, Mary, things will never be the same in your grove. In 2007 we happened to be in Sturgis at the time of the rally. Many of the bikers camp & I’ll have to say most of them were very nice people. Quite a few in the camp ground hauled a trailer with their bikes in it. But some did ride their bikes from the east coast. I think there was a couple of fatal accidents while we were there. I’m not sure where they all stayed either, but quite a few tent camped. They were noisier that those that had campers.
Alice – someone suggested the double wedding ring quilt was an import which sounds right to me. No garage sales for me either until I’m old and sick and then I’ll hire somebody to haul the stuff to town to the ed center and hold a BIG sale. Boy, wouldn’t my sale be a fun one! Haha!!
What a marvelous quilt find, lucky new owner for sure. Your bathrobe and end table are truly good finds. The air is getter better here in middle Wisconsin. I plan to spend sometime outside and enjoy the next few days.
The 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is over and the dust has settled. The count is in: 537,459. It isn’t an exact count, but the best they can do. There were only 4 deaths this year. It was a very good Rally.
They always bring in lots of Highway Patrolmen and other law officers from all over to help work the bid crowds. If my memory is right (?) I think there were over 700,000 for the 50th, but don’t quote me.
I’ve been thinking back to the 50th Rally. It was reported that 1200 bikes an HOUR were going past Sioux Falls on the way to Sturgis. There were many new visitors who weren’t familiar with our roads, etc. While riding thru Custer State Park they thought they could just barge their way thru the herds of buffalo. They got an education on what is a buffalo!!! Each morning the headline in the newspaper said “Buffalo 1, Bikers 0.” The next morning it was “Buffalo 2, Bikers 0” and finally up to 8 or 9. I don’t remember just how many. One bull took a Harley and rider airborn like it weighed 10 lbs thru the air with just his horn. And of course a couple years ago a lady (from Iowa) was trying to take a closer picture to which that Bull objected promptly had her airborne and ripped her jeans right off her!!!!! I was ashamed she was from Iowa. She wasn’t badly. Bet she didn’t try that again.
One thing they do to prepare for the Rally is LOWER the speed limit on all the roads, interstate, everything. Speeders are fined. This year couple days ago, just passing thru and not involved with the rally, was a man speeding on the Interstate by Sturgis. He was stopped for speeding and the drug dog smelled drugs — bingo. They found 207 lbs of Meth with a street value of $12,000,000 — $12 Million dollars. Not his day.
Now back to dull and boring, kind of. The Rally report for this year.
Betty in Rapid City
Betty – well, all of that is almost unbelievable! Where do all those people stay? Do they camp? How can they all get fed? (I just now went online and many of my questions were answered.) must be a real shot in the arm economically for the whole area. Living on Hwy 18 we even can almost tell when the riders head for Sturgis – so many more cycles going by. Yes, I’ll bet they won’t mess with a herd of buffaloes again – you can’t fix stupid!!
Mary – I can comment when I view it on reader! Love the plant table you found! The wedding ring quilt was definitely a great find!
We must have another Rita who found the Double Wedding Ring quilt. Although I certainly would love to have it.
Made tomato basil soup with tomatoes that were soft and had it with cheese bread that I browned in a skillet. Jo’s recipe find. So yummy!
Working on quilting another quilt yesterday and today.
Checked online about when is the best time to transplant irises. Have a couple more weeks to wait so quilting it is.
Rita in Iowa – see? This is why I request some location clarification! Very few do it. Don’t you wish it were yours?
Hi Mary,
As a few other bloggers have observed, in summer storms it is often the trees in full leaf that go, as they catch more wind and the pressure on the trunks and roots is therefore much greater than on a dead tree with no leaves. Saturated ground doesn’t help: most tree roots that anchor a big tree are in 5he top few feet of soil, so when ground is really wet they have literally nothing to hang on to and with a high wind csn be easily toppled. So sad.
That double wedding quilt is a stunner! It breaks my heart that an heirloom like that ends up in a garage sale! I mean what on earth were they thinking?! But I am glad it has now gone to a good home. .
I had two tables similar to those. My in-laws found them at an auction. They didn’t come with me when I moved so they perished in the fire. I don’t have room for them. We had beautiful weather today. We had around five inches of rain, but no damage like there was in other parts of the state. Our county fair is at the end of the month. Our sewing department is looking for 200 spring and summer placemats to had out to seniors. We have already done fall and winter ones previous years. So far I have two done. I guess I had better get sewing. Hope everyone is having a good day.
After a wet summer, our area had many trees come down during a low category hurricane. I asked why this would be. A tree service owner told me that what happens is that the ground gets really saturated if there is lots of rain over a period of time. Then when the wind kicks in, the leaves act as a sail, and down the healthy tree will go as the roots easily lift up in the wet soil. It’s sad to see.
Love both of Rita’s quilts. That double wedding ring is a true heirloom. Mary, you are so lucky to have great thrift stores and you always seem to find great things. I am always happy to see something thrifted to a new home instead of tossed in a landfill. Here in PA we have lost many trees to the ash border & many pines to beetles. Now our neighbors son who cut & trims trees for a business says that there is a new disease attacking oaks. So sad to see these beautiful shady trees lost. I will certainly get a card off to Jo. She has been so brave & positive during her ongoing cancer fight.
Rita sure hit the jackpot with the beautiful quilt. Obviously the seller was not a quilter because, who would sell a wedding ring quilt that is so difficult to make. I’m glad Rita is the new owner and appreciates the work that went into her new treasure. I also like her other quilt.
Looking forward to seeing the rest of your thrift shop finds.
I follow Jo’s blog too and, admire her strength in dealing with her health issues. I will definitely get a card out to her.
I love your grinder! Mom used to have one with a hand crank. I remember her using it often to grind leftover meat for sandwiches – like chicken salad, only with beef or ham or whatever remained. Always delicious and a hit when her card club came to play (and eat😄). These old grinders depended on kitchens having a built-in breadboard – something that is obsolete in newer ones, sadly. Any tool that needs to be clamped on a base is out of luck these days😕. Love that robe, love the beyond-bargain price even more! Just put a love note to Jo in today’s mail. Take care
Barb in Tucson
Barb – here’s your comment – it did post!
The garage sale quilt is a beauty. Many people just don’t feel any attachment to hand made things, even if they were made for them personally. Also, some people attend garage sales just to buy items to resell. I hate garage sales … too much work to have one or go to one. Besides, I have enough of my own junk … don’t need to collect more, lol!
Candy – that’s how I feel about garage sales, too! And then I hear that somebody bought an heirloom quilt. So sad.
Since the Double Wedding Ring has a dark background I feel it was more recently made, not yet an antique. However that does not lessen it’s desirability and value. (unless closer examination suggests an import)
The garage sale quilt is awesome. The previous owner is going to regret selling it someday, I just know it.
Rita’s quilt is very nice, too.
Love your robe and your table.
Great job on canning and your thrift finds.
I love your Bath and Body Works robe. My daughter-in-law gave me a beautiful plush robe last Christmas. I was so thankful for it when I packed for my hospital stay last month and got nice compliments from the nurses.
Rita’s garage sale quilt is beautiful.
I can’t believe that heirloom quilt was at a garage sale!!
Wonder who would do that. Can’t understand their thinking. So sad.
Brenda – and I never think there will be anything at a garage sale I’ll want so just don’t go to them. Yes, what was that woman thinking getting rid of that hand quilted vintage heirloom quilt?????
I’ve been canning also. 24 jars of peach jam, peach jelly today from the scraps, peach crisp in the oven now and the house smells heavenly! Most of the Jane will be sold at our church sale in November along with strawberry jam, Christmas jam, plum jam and apple butter. I love to make this stuff and can it, but can’t possibly eat everything I make! What’s leftover goes to the Urbandale food bank.
And I STILL have some peaches left!
Diana – we just never get good peaches here – they’re hard as rocks. That’s a lot of canning!! Wow!
I bought mine at Fareway. Colorado peaches are the best!
Diana – I agree – I bought 3 singles at Fareway but still waited days to eat them but yum, they were so good!
Your robe and table are fantastic finds – and that quilt! What a beauty.
It’s awful to lose so many mature trees – they won’t be back anytime soon. Years ago I had a favorite place to hike that was full of old oak trees. Then a wildfire went through and the area was closed for three years to allow vegetation to grow. It never was the same, even after 15 years. So sad.
What a beauty is right that Rita found at the garage sale. And her square in a square block quilt is so eye catching.
Hope everyone has a nice summer day in spite of this relentless heat and storms. But we all carry on and do what we can to help others and give a hand to cope with the destruction. I sure haven’t read a lot of books or sewn much this summer so I guess that means time flies and I’m having fun.
Mary, you really hit the jackpot with the robe and little table! We had a couple of those style tables in early 60s growing up. That robe is a steal!
We are home from physical therapy and I have ice gel packs on both knees, 🤭! Each time gets harder but I am getting stronger.
Pamela – hang in there! It will be worth it!
I’ve been told that the all the dead ash trees in our lovely state of Iowa stayed upright in the last storm, mainly because they do not have many leaves. So when the heavy rain and straight line wind came it was hardest on the heavy leaf trees with the weight from the rain and the wind tipping over those trees, while the wind blew right through the dead trees as there was nothing to stop it. Doesn’t seem fair when we have thousands of dead ash in the area but they are still standing strong after all of these storms.
Hanks mom – thanks for reinforcing my point. I know the reader meant well but she wasn’t right. Makes sense that the heavily leafed out trees went down before the dead ones.
You must have read my mind. I was thinking of suggesting Jo for a card recipient.
High winds don’t usually bother the dead trees, it’s the trees with all the foliage that get damaged! Although, our old apple tree did fall over, which was great because it was completely dead and this way Jay could cut it up easily.
Wow, it looks like you found some real bargains!
Well, I need to get something constructive done 😵💫
Joy – thanks to you and Hank’s mom for understanding the tree loss – you’re right!