Valentine Shelfie

 

I have used my Kim Anderson figurine's on my shelf. I looked these up and they were sold by Hallmark. My Mom got me these for several Valentine's. They are only precious to me.  

Once again this is all stuff I had on hand and collected over time. The heart garland is one I made with wax paper hearts. I used a heart punch to cut those out of wax paper. The flower is one of my art creations created with a painted CD that I cut up and put into the frame.

If you need more inspiration check out My Weathered Home and her ideas for Valentine Displays and Vintage Decor You Should Be Buying Now. Her instagram is also amazing

 

Weekly Roll

 I will make no secret about it. I really like to geocache. This past week one of the top organizer of geocaching events in our local area passed away.  She was kinda a legend and really organized some epic events.  One of those events was a Halloween Zombie event in 2013. She went all out with passports, themed caches, and even paintball shooting a zombie.  We will miss you - Half Canadian also known as the Reviewer Wizard of Ooze - Laurie Freeman

Sourdough Update

We made sourdough pizzas Friday night. This was our first time doing this. We used little spoon farms pizza crust recipe

Inappropriate Thoughts

Sorry I have to veer into COVID land. My son is set to go back to school or hybrid school Feb 1. Why can't we vaccinate our teacher's sooner? Aren't they basically on the front line?  Also sharing Because I Said So post on What school looks like in Florida.

Secondly, where the heck is the vaccine? Our county literally only had a 1,000 doses to give this past week. They haven't made through the first tier of health care workers and rest home people. 

I know I am preaching to the choir.

52 Ancestors - Legend

 Week two's prompt was legend for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestor challenge. Recently I dug up some high school writing I did on my family history.  I wasn't able to verify any information on my dad's great grandfather on his mother's side. However some of the information might possible be related to my Dad's great grandfather on his father's side - Elias Baldwin (1855-1948) The legend is below.

What I wrote 1-3-1989 

My Dad’s Great Grandfather Dinty on his mother side was quite a character. He swore up and down that he got his first horse from Jesse James and he was there when Wild Bill Hickok got  shot. It was known that he spent a great deal of time out west seeking his fortune and that he could of met these two characters. He was a stubborn old coot in his advanced years who walked with two canes and swore in German. Dinty had a large handgun collection, when the state of Indiana passed laws saying you had to register your handguns, Dinty got upset and threw all his hands guns worth several thousand dollars into Lake Michigan only keeping a shotgun. Several newspapers tried to interview him but Dinty refused saying they would have to pay him to talk.

Dinty is a nickname. My Dad thought it might be because his great grandfather ate a lot of Dinty Moore but Dinty Moore didn't come out until the 1950's.  I think the second part about the firearms is most likely true but the Jesse James and Wild Bill Hickok probably not.

Elias did live during 1938 when the federal law came out called the National Firearms Act

placing limitations on selling ordinary firearms .  This also called for the registration of

firearms. During the 1940’s Elias lived in Marion,Indiana and there is river there called the

Mississinewa River nearby however in 1930 census he was listed as living in

Indianapolis, IN and the White River runs through Indianapolis

The legend lives but the mystery continues.

Valentine Remailing 2021

It is not too early to start thinking about Valentine's cards especially if you want to remail with a special postmark like Loveland CO. It is a special milestone for the Loveland Valentine Remailing Program. This is their 75th Year - Valentine Re-Mailing Program | Loveland Chamber of Commerce

The main deadline is February 7 for all US mail

To send your valentine through the sweetheart city, simply follow these instructions:

• Address the valentine with recipient's address
• Stamp the valentine
• Place the Valentine in a larger, first-class envelope
• Stamp and address the larger envelope to:

Postmaster - Attention Valentines
446 E. 29th St.
Loveland, CO 80538-999

Weekly Roll

 

I thought I would show you a roll. I was able to score this free craft paper from a local paper company. They had a whole pallet of these ends.  We use craft paper to seal our picture frames my husband makes and the pallet flags as well.

Inappropriate Thoughts

We had some graffiti in our neighborhood last weekend. The graffiti pictured is actually on a small out building of the Mormon church. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!!!!!  My sister wondered if this was the drawf gang because of the Dopey reference. They also tagged a stone subdivision sign and someone's garage.  

What I Read January

 I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit.  

My reading once again has slowed to a trickle. The books below I finished in December

All Adults Here  by Emma Straub

I struggled with this one a bit. This family drama story got lost in all the side stories which covered everything from coming out of the closet as an older woman, transgender, bullying, unwed mother, artificial insemination, adultery. It was a lot.  Truth be told I didn't enjoy it.

Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo

This story about immigration and assimilation. How do you retain your culture living in a new culture? This book was on the spicy side so if you that isn't you type of book it is probably not for you. Azere promised her dying father to marry a Nigerian man but immigrates to Canada. Her mother keeps setting her up with Nigerian men but she falls for a man not of her culture . This also a man who she had a one night stand with. This was a quick read and I think has important message about maintaining our culture but also embracing a new one. It was an okay read for me. 

52 Ancestors - Beginning

 Beginning is the week one prompt for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks by Amy Johnson Crow.  I used the prompt to show how I got into genealogy.

I feel like I have been interested in genealogy since my early childhood. I was a lover of books and frequently spent many summers at my grandparents house browsing their bookshelf by the front door. They had a centennial book on Cumberland Iowa and I loved to look through that book.  I wanted to know who I was related to.  The book had biographies on the early pioneers and residents of Cumberland, Iowa. My Mom now has the book. Pictured above is the page my Great Grandfather Joseph Liston is on. Joseph Liston was a farmer then a custodian/janitor for Cumberland Public Schools for 19 years. His father was a Civil War Soldier. 

Picture above is Joseph Liston as a younger man.

IAGENWEB Project specific to Iowa is a great way to find history books on individual histories of counties etc.

I also have a unique maiden name. It is a German name that was Americanized that certainly added to my quest to find out who my ancestors were. 

Weekly Roll

 

Just thought you would like to see a picture of Gary the snail. He is just living his best life. However one day he got caught inside the filter. Gary might not be the smartest snail in the tank but he is the biggest. 

How is 2021 treating you?  

One Little Word Update

I unexpectedly found my one little word in Shannan Martin's newsletter. My word is Begin and hers is beginning. If you need some spiritual uplifting in this confusing time. I find her perspective refreshing.

Creating Mary's Home Decluttering Challenge

I have done this the last couple of years. I haven't always kept up but I like the way it is laid out and at 13 weeks. It is really doable. If you fall behind, you go to the current place in the challenge and start there. Because even a little decluttering is better than none. Week 1  was the master closet and bath. I think I cleared a chunk. I just use the prompts in the email.

Wordy Wednesday

Well it has been a bit since I changed up my letter board.  I was inspired by a quote a tea tag. It is just a little message to 2021.

Weekly Roll

 My version of my weekly round up of thoughts and links. Below is all  experimental baking/cooking I have done during the pandemic. I have highlighted several of these recipes in the past but I thought it would be awesome to do a general round - up.  All my baking lately seems to be retro inspired. 

My Year of Obsessive Indifferent Baking by Mary Elizabeth Williams really inspired this round - up. It really hit home because that pretty much described what was happening at my house.

5 Roses Peanut Butter Bread found via Reddit

Sourdough Waffles

Elevator Lady Spice Cookies

Skillet Cookie

Taquitos adaptable to be onion and garlic free as well.  This is a great make ahead. Freezer to Oven!

10 Best Recipes we made from Reddit this year - I've got to try to make the Alice Cookies

Guilty Pleasure aka Netflix Binge

Brigerton is based on a series of books by Julia Quinn

Controversial Scene

All the Pop Music Covers in Bridgerton