After what seems like forever, we have been getting rain for the past week. Since Wednesday, we have recorded about 6 inches. The farmers, as attested to by Brian Walsh, a local farmer, are ecstatic. Dick, Jim and I are hoping that this will stimulate the corn. Some years, we have had fresh Wisconsin sweet corn in early August. During the season, we have each week a meal that consists of sweet corn and fresh sliced tomatoes. What a treat. I always buy extra and cut it off the cob and freeze for the long months of winter. Quick frozen like that it is ALMOST like a taste of summer. Usually we do that on Saturday, so come on by.

Mary

The following is from one of the Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters, specifically The Heretic's Apprentice. Brother Cadfael is conversing with a man called Elave, who in the year 1143 has just returned from a long journey to the Holy Land.

" 'Along the way a man lives a day at a time, and looks no further
ahead than the next day, and no further behind than the day just
passed. Now I see it whole, and it is wonderful.'

'But not all good", said Cadfael. "That couldn't be, we couldn't
ask it. Remember the cold and the rain and the hunger at times, and
losses by thieves now and then, and a few knocks from those who pray
on travellers - oh, never tell me you met none! And the weariness
and the times when you fell ill, the bad food, the sour water, the
stones of the road. You've met all that. Every man who travels that
far across the world has met it all.'

'I do remember all that, but it is still wonderful.'

'Good! So it should be,' said Cadfael."

The Cadfael Books are wonderful mysteries and several have been made for TV with Derek Jacoby as Cadfael. I recommend both books and show.

Love

Mary

Quiet day in our house. We stayed home and got a lot of little things done. I thought I would share a picture of O Brien's Tower on the West Coast of Ireland with all of you. The view from the tower is breathtaking.



Mary

Auntie Brandl was some relative on the Ziegler side fo my family. Aunt Helen Deeley talks about her coming to visit when she was just a little girl and Aunt Helen died in 1993, so Auntie Brandle would have been coming around in the first 20 years of the 20th century. WOW. She said that Auntie Brandl was a teeny tiny lady, all bent over, probably because of osterpheroses and a very loving person.

Anyway, Auntie Brandl made a salve that was supposed to be wonderful for healing open sores, rashes, dry skin . . . .I gather just about any skin thing. Dad used to want to make it after Aunt Helen's last batch ran out. However, there were several of problems. My brother, George, a chemist and says that red lead is seriously toxic and you can't just go out and buy it. Sweet oil is pretty much a mystery and nobody we have found even knows WHAT olebaum (or olebalm) is, much less where to get it. So the magical Wonder Salve has gone the way of Lily the Pink's "Medicinal Compound" or the super elixers sold in side shows years ago.

For what it is worth, here is the recipe.


Auntie Brandl's Wonder Salve

8 Ounces Sweet Oil
4 Ounces Red Lead
3 Drams Olebaum
2 Drams Burnt Alum
2 Drams Camphor

Heat oil to boiling point. Add all ingredients except camphor.

Boil until lead turns brown.

Take from fire and immediately add camphor. Beat until cool.


Love

Mary

This past weekend, the 1958 graduating class of Sheboygan Falls High School, celebrated their 45 Anniversary. I believe I mentioned that I was on the committee with Carol Van Dixhorn Kaat, Dan Moioffer and Mark Montaba. The experience of planning such an event is something that I would recommend. It is a lot of work, but the rewards are so outweigh the effort. We had a great turnout. We sent out 77 invitations. 39 attended the event. Twenty others sent regrets for many reasons but wanted to be part of the book. Seven of our classmates have passed on. So we felt the response was wonderful.

It was a real bonding event. As Tom Theune said as part of his prayer, we were in a very special class. We were small enough that even if we weren't all "best friends", we knew each other by name. This is lost in the bigger classes in many schools and even in the larger classes here in Sheboygan Falls now.

I designed the class book and it was such a pleasure to gather the information from all the participants. We are an impressive bunch of people who have become wonderful people. I am so proud to have been part of the class.

When I get the picture, I will put it on the site. I remember when I got the last one, I took it to show Mother. We looked it over and I commented that I wondered who all these middle aged people were. I wonder what we will look like on film this time.

Have a good week

Mary