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What’s Inside? • How to Part with a Collection - Page 4 • A Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 5 • Rx for Adventure - Page 6 • Porch Party Playbook - Page 7 • Belle Fourche Play & Stay Section - Page 8 • Repursed & Refinished - Page 9 • Tips for Business Marketing in a Time of Crisis - Page 9 • Robin’s Nest DIY - Page 10 • Front Porch Sittin’ - Page 11 • Wyoming Yarn Crawl - Page 13 • By the Yard Comic - Page 15
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Editor’s Notes
Summer Night Therapy
There are some things that immediately come to mind when I think of summer - watermelon, swim suits, sunglasses, road trips, ice cream, fireworks, tall green grass, wildflowers, and star gazing. Each season brings with it some really great tiny simple moments that have big impacts on our memories, childhood and life that we cherish. Sometimes, when we need a mental break, we watch a movie, read a book or surf the internet. As a creative person I often need to queue my creativity to inspire motivation, calm, joy or inspiration. I’m sure many of you can relate. For me, I harvest those sparks from fond moments or memories. I transport myself back in my mind to that moment, and come back refreshed and ready to create. Summer, for me, is full of those refreshing memory sparks.
Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of ND, SD, WY, MT & N. ID
Shall we try it? Close your eyes and come along with me…. It has been a really hot summer day, but twilight is providing a pleasant cool. Lightning bugs are dancing around the tall grass in a cove surrounded by tall pine trees just yards from where you sit. Your cute patio lights are providing just enough light, as you sit on your patio sipping a refreshing drink out of your favorite mason jar glass. Your body sinks into the chair and relaxes completely after a long hot day. The world is quiet and calm. Owls begin to add their tune. The day is sinking into night and all feels just right. Maybe there is another scenario on a lake in a boat, or in the garden at sunrise. Summer has lots of nature therapy and moments to offer. I wish you the very best summer relishing in the simple moments. “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” -Henry David Thoreau
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The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, & Northern Idaho Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher Produced by Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC PO BOX 2015 • Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181 Office www.countryregister.com/nrgp www.moxiemarketingmw.com 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.
July - August 2020 | Page 3
The Antique & Vintage Issue
Country Register Founder: Barbara Floyd, 602-237-6008, info@countryregister.com, located: Phoenix, AZ
USA
* Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * Arkansas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, 405-470-2597, lenda@countryregister.com * California: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797 * Connecticut: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD 21771, 866-825-2917, Fax 866-261-9641 * Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com * Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, florida@countryregisteronline.com * Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, tcrga@windstream.net * Idaho (N): Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com * Idaho (S): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * Illinois: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com * Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com * Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA, 52339, IowaCountryRegister@mchsi.com * Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, kansas@countryregister.com * Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com * Maine: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Road, Sanford, ME 04073, 207-324-7482 * Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com * Massachusetts: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com * 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, minnesota@countryregister.com * Missouri: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com * Montana: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com * Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950* * Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803 * New Hampshire: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822 * New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com * 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, ads@countryregisteronline.com * North Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950 * North Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com * Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, ohiocountryregister@yahoo.com * Oklahoma: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com * Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * Pennsylvania: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319, Fax 800-609-0278 * Rhode Island: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com * South Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950 * South Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com * Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com * Texas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com * Utah: Available * Vermont: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822 * Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com * Washington: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 * West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com * Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, jennifer@countryregisterofwisconsin.com * Wyoming: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com CANADA * Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0,780-889-3776, countryregab@yahoo.com * British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711 * Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, countryregister@sasket.net * Ontario: Harriet Ramos, Box 60, 4338 Innes Rd., Orleans, ON K4A 3W3, 343-882-5812
The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains
July - August 2020 • Volume 10 Issue 4
The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is published every two months. Copyright 2020. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited by law. The Country Register is a registered business trade name. Moxie Marketing of the Midwest produces The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains. Subscription price: 1 year, 6 issues, $18.00. Single copies: $3.00. This paper is furnished free at each advertiser, highway welcome centers, tourism centers, shows, events, and other selected locations throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Northern Idaho. Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from outside sources, express the opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoints of the management and 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.
Index: See page 14 for advertiser’s index by name and by community as well as upcoming events. Next Deadline: Ads and articles for the September/Octobert issue are due August 7, 2020.
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Page 4 | July - August 2020
When It’s Time to Let Go. How to By Ed Kindle Part with a Collection. People collect all manner of items. From the small to large, from the inane to the sublime, people’s passions for things run deep. I have run into people who collect playing cards, zippo lighters, Pez dispensers, fire fighting gear, thimbles, Beany Babies, snowmen, comic books, advertising, magazines, salt & pepper shakers, tractors, porcelain signs, cars & motorcycles, gas pumps and more! I knew a retired engineer who had a model railroad that filled several rooms of his basement and another person who had over 300,000 records! If you can name it, I guarantee you, someone collects it. One thing is certain though, I have never seen a u-haul behind a hearse! People spend years amassing their collections. They do the research, and they become experts in their chosen subject. They search in local antique stores and search while travelling. They scour internet auction sites, want ads, flea markets, auctions, garage sales, estate sales, thrift stores; in fact, there are almost as many ways to put together a collection as there are items to collect! Putting together an amazing collection takes true dedication and effort and depending on the subject of the collection, a great deal of money. Thus, some can be worth much, while others, little in comparison. There comes a time in every collector’s life where they need to think about the disposition of their collection. Some want to enjoy the items they have spent a lifetime acquiring for as long as possible. There are others who just don’t want to think about it, assuming their heirs will automatically share the love they feel towards their collection and want to keep it forever. Let me give you a hint: they rarely do, they just don’t want to hurt your feelings. One of the problems in selling a collection is markets and values constantly change. Items go in and out of favor and things don’t retain the value they once had. Furniture which was once worth thousands, is now worth hundreds. Collectible stock certificates which were once purchased for hundreds of dollars for their historical signatures are now worth one third or even less. Many glass items which once sold for hundreds of dollars each, are now often purchased for under $50. The possibility of the windfall that people were once counting on to see them through their twilight years when they sold off their collection is dwindling fast. If you have a large collection, talk to your family and think about what you want to have happen to your items. They may want you to sell them now and enjoy the income. It is possible your family members or friends may want some of them, and some people are
letting their children and grandchildren take items now, so they can watch them enjoy their treasures. The selling of, or disposition of a collection can be a time-consuming prospect. Some people may not be able to invest the time to maximize the return by selling items individually, and some may be unable due to distance or unwilling due to resentment. A valuable collection may be donated to a museum, but make sure you work out the details first. Many museums have so many items, they may not be able to incorporate your entire collection into their collection and may end up selling many items. If this is not what you want, look elsewhere. If you decide to sell your collection yourself, there are many ways to go about it. Online you have auction sites like eBay. You register for an account and take photos, write a description and list the item as an auction or as a fixed price. You also need to have a Paypal account, to receive payment, and be familiar with things like buying shipping online. Once it sells you are responsible for shipping it to the new owner. Remember, eBay and Paypal take a commission on your sale. There are also businesses who will sell on eBay for you. Craigslist is an online classified ad section. You can post a description and photos, then you meet the person to trade your item for cash. You can even barter for other items if you like. It gives you the ability to list in many locations and it’s free. Also many social media sites have marketplaces to buy and sell. Just remember that there can be downsides to this and to always meet people in a public place if you can. If you are smart phone savvy, you can use services such as “Let Go” or “Offer Up”. They are similar to the previous concept, except they are apps on your smartphone. Again, always be safety conscious when meeting or letting people in your home that you don’t know. You can hire an estate sale planner to organize your sale. They will do all the work necessary and most likely have the sale in your home. It is a service you pay for, so check their rates and policies. Also, in this vein are auction houses and auctioneers. Again, they are fee or commission based, so get the details up front. One often overlooked option is to contact a collector club of like interested people who collect what you collect and who may want to buy some or all of your collection. You can usually find these online and there may even be more than one, both here in the states as well as other countries.
Ready to Travel?
By Marlene Oddie
While many have been at home, others have been serving on the front lines to keep us healthy and fed. Thank you to all who have been willing to work in these uncertain times. I’ve taken to making some videos and have posted them on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. I hope you’ll check them out. I also invited newsletter subscribers to a special live interactive event, so if you’re not on that yet, go to my website, contact us and sign up! Can you tell, I’m ready to travel? We’ve had to cancel several trips out of town due to the ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ initiative. I’m looking forward to getting out and traveling when it seems appropriate. Here’s an opportunity coming soon: Quilter’s Trek—a color guided shopping adventure— the reinvented Row by Row Experience™ of recent years. This year’s theme is ‘True Blue’, so designs might be of anything, but the kits will feature the color blue. There is also a collectable token in each kit while supplies last. There are seven unique tokens from each state and just for fun, a few special ‘golden’ tokens. There are twice as many chances to win this year. Be one of the first 2 (TWO!) people to bring a completed quilt using at least 32 nine-inch blocks from at least 8 participating Quilter’s Trek stores and receive a stack of 15 fat quarters. Receive a bonus prize if your quilt includes the shop’s design. All the Quilter’s Trek stores and additional information can be found at www.rowbyrowexperience.com or www.quilterstrek.com. Although the dates were going to be earlier this year, due to COVID-19, the organizers have pushed the start date back to June 21 and kits will be available directly from the shops for online purchase and shipping. We are still hopeful that many shops can be open and traveling to as many as possible will be doable! Design guidelines changed a bit this year, too—everything is based on a 9” block. There could be one 9” block design used four times, or four unique 9” blocks. I was channeling the idea of a trek and the tokens. So, here is the reveal of my design. You can incorporate the tokens in the small squares and the blocks could be used vertically, horizontally, or like shown, in a square. Do you see a treasure map in this design? Since the block is asymmetrical you can rotate it and come up with lots of different settings to fit your own style. The kits will have enough pre-cut squares (eight of each color) so you can be very creative in how you place your colors and/or tokens as well. This one is quilted with ‘Footsteps 8”’ design from Linda’s Electric Quilters. Stay safe out there and I look forward to seeing you this summer! Marlene Oddie (marlene@kissedquilts.com) is an engineer by education, project manager by profession and now a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA at her quilt shop, KISSed Quilts. She quilts for hire on a Gammill Optimum Plus, but especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a meaningful treasure for the recipient. Patterns, kits and fabric are available at http:// www.kissedquilts.com. Follow Marlene’s adventures via http://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts and
Antique and collectible stores can also be an option for you. Some may handle the sale of your items on consignment for a percentage or fee and others may buy some or all of your items outright. Remember, when you sell to an antique store or reseller, they need to purchase your items wholesale, so they can earn a profit when they sell them. This may bring less but may be a faster option. It can be difficult to part with a collection that you are attached to, but it can be done. Formulate a plan, let everyone help, or at least share the plan with them and enjoy your collection until the time is right to let someone else experience the same joy your felt when you found each item. You might even make some new friends. *** © Five Katz Antiques - 4509 S. Hopkins Ave - Titusville, FL 32780 - www.fivekatzantiques.com All rights reserved - no reuse without permission.
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July - August 2020 | Page 5
A Cup of Tea with Lydia: Tea Party in a Bag—A Sweet Surprise Challenging times require creativi-TEA. So why not turn a quarantine into a quaran-TEA? While my sister Ruth was in lockdown because of the corona virus, I wanted to celebrate her 83rd birthday. Since she wasn’t allowed to have visitors or leave her retirement community, I couldn’t do the usual—take her to tea or invite her to my home for lunch. But I could deliver a tea party in a bag! I baked Ruth’s childhood favorite maraschino cherry birthday cake—a white cake with chopped cherries and walnuts mixed in (see recipes online). I made a small two-layer cake with fluffy frosting and topped it with three cherries, placing a candle in each one for the three in 83. The next morning, her birthday, I became inspired to prepare more than cake and began planning a tea party in a bag. I looked in my refrigerator and pantry and used what I found, creating an impromptu menu—rolls filled with chicken salad, veggie sticks with ranch dip, fruit ambrosia with coconut and rice, chips, and a packet of raspberry herbal tea bags. Then I looked through my gift bags and found a pretty one with a teapot and pansies, and packaged everything in it except the cake. For a gift, I wanted to give her 83 of something, so I made spiced pecans and counted out 83 (about one and one-half cups). In a separate pretty box, I placed 33 slips of paper with affirming memories of her love and kindness to me over the years. They included memories such as: *Christmases at your home were always fun. We didn’t have a lot of money, so for our daughter Anita’s first Christmas (she was 6 months), you gave her a shoebox full of baby food. You are always practical. * You excel at sewing and other creative skills. You’re an example of the Proverbs 31 woman, whose hands are not idle. *You have been a good role model for me during all the seasons of life. I am blessed to have you for an older sister. I learned that Ruth was allowed to go into a meeting room with windows and see her visitors. I set up an appointment, and we talked by cell phone as I stood outside. The staff made sure she got the cake and tea party in a bag. Later Ruth emailed, “Thank you for all the food. The cake and sandwiches are delicious. That was more than I needed, so I’ll enjoy the rest tomorrow. The nuts are tasty, but I especially like the notes on paper.” Other family members brightened her day with cards, gifts, email messages, and telephone calls to sing happy birthday. Another time, I dropped off a bouquet of flowers picked from my garden along with homemade blackberry pie. She surprised me with a blue facemask she had sewed for me. The virus limited my usual party plans and necessitated creativi-TEA with a quaran-TEA. Nonetheless, my tea party in a bag turned out to be a sweet surprise! Ruth even made a little booklet using the affirming slips of paper and wrote a poem about her covid birthday. So even when times are challenging, we can make the best of things and celebrate. Lydia E. Harris holds a master’s in home economics and has been writing this tea column for 20 years. No wonder her five grandkids call her “Grandma Tea.” She is the author of Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting and In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together. Her books are available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and Christianbook. com.
By Lydia Harris
From Lydia’s Recipe File: Sugar ’n’ Spice Pecans Recipe from Lydia’s cookbook In the Kitchen with Grandma, pages 92–93. Easy to make; crunchy and sweet to eat or to share as a treat. Gluten-free. Prep time: 10 minutes Bake time: 70 minutes Makes: 5 cups Ingredients: 5 cups pecan halves 1 egg white 1 teaspoon water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. 2. Prepare baking pan with parchment paper or grease lightly. Use two 9x12 pans or one jellyroll pan. 3. In medium-sized mixing bowl, beat egg white and water until the mixture is foamy. Stir in vanilla. 4. Add egg white mixture to pecans. Stir until pecans are well coated. 5. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle over pecans. Stir to coat thoroughly. 6. Spread pecans in a single layer on prepared baking pan(s) with sides. 7. Bake the pecans for 70 minutes. Stir them every 20 minutes. 8. Leave on baking sheet until completely cooled. 9. Store in airtight container.
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Page 6 | July - August 2020
Perscription for Adventure: What I Did Last Summer Do you remember when school started, and your teacher asked you to write, “What I did Last Summer?” What if today’s schoolteacher asked, “Compare summer 2019 with summer 2020.” Last summer, I spent time on our Gaede-Eighty homestead in Alaska. My grandboys and I molded pottery out of black Cook Inlet beach clay. I tromped through the back 40 acres with my brother, over dense and spongy undergrowth, and under tall, straggly Black Spruce, to the swamp, which is a watering hole for moose. I played piano duets with one sister, silly songs such as “Bill Groggin’s Goat.” I sat along the Chena River in Fairbanks with another sister and leisurely ate tasty fish ‘n’ chips and watched boats and canoes float before us. And, besides the family times, I moseyed through independent bookstores. Back in Colorado, I chalked off a Bucket List adventure of driving to Crested Butte. My friends and I strolled through the quaint town, bumped shoulders with other tourists, stayed up late and gathered with a crowd on a ski slope to watch fireworks, hiked up narrow mountain trails and across noisy streams, and ate BBQ while watching dare-devil mountain bikers race and jump down the mountainside.
Now, Summer 2020, there is no trip to Alaska with my grandboys. No Bucket List hiking trips. However, I’ve progressed from practicing the piano to playing the piano, as I did decades ago. I’ve found a routine for working out at home, rather than at the gym – and like it. Even though my dog and I can’t visit our usual nursing home, I’ve taken residents candy and gifts and sent cards. Kids in my alley have made me smile with their rock painting, chalk drawings, exuberant laughter and parades of bikes, wagons and scooters. And, I’ve sent boxes with basic supplies to missionary friends in Alaska, who are now even more isolated in their tiny village. How does your Summer 2020 compare with Summer 2019? Are you weary from working from home and homeschooling kids? Have you worried about paying bills? Perhaps you learned the many ways to connect with work, school, Bible Studies and friends on ZOOM. Maybe you walked your dog until the poor thing no longer wagged its tail when you brought out the leash. Possibly, you calculated the best and worst times to go to the grocery store, post office, or Home Depot, to avoid standing in lines. When you didn’t have vegetable oil or eggs, did you experiment with a can of soda pop in a cake mix? Maybe you went “old school” and discovered the pleasure of a leisurely Sunday afternoon drives
By Naomi Gaede-Penner
in the country with new, fresh, calming scenery. Perhaps, you discovered you could “Be Still and Know that I am God” in front of your laptop on a Sunday morning. Unmistakably, my Summer of 2020 is different; still, I can make a Crystal Garden with my grandboys, as I did the Summer of 2019, and as I did as a child the summer of 1959 – in Tanana, Alaska. Naomi and her Therapy Dog, Taffy, try to bring comfort and cheer to local nursing homes. You can find and purchase her “Prescription for Adventure” books, at www.prescriptionforadventure.com or by calling 303.506.6181.
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Your Summer Patio Party Playbook
By Kelsey Ruzicka, Publisher
This summer may look a little different than most summers we’ve experienced. Less vacations planned and fairs to attend. But, one thing is for sure. We won’t let pandemic blues keep us for enjoying some summer fun and creating some summer memories to last a lifetime. What better place to soak in some sweet summer moments than from your porch. Small gatherings may be the new fad this summer. So, how about some porch or garden party ideas to make those memories full of sunny days and sweet summer nights? We’ve complied a list of go-to recipes, ideas and tips sure to make your porch party a hit. What do you need for a good porch party? Here are some ideas and tips for good drinks, yummy snacks and fun atmosphere.
PORCH PART Y PUNCHES Frosted Lemonade INGREDIENTS 1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 c. sugar 2 c. water 6 c. vanilla ice cream sliced lemons, for garnish DIRECTIONS -Mix lemon juice and sugar together in a pitcher until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add water to dilute and chill. -Into a blender, add lemonade and ice cream. -Blend until smooth and divide among 3 cups. -Garnish with slices of lemon and serve. Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup white sugar (superfine is best) 2/3 cup water 1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (~4-5 whole large lemons) 2 cups ice cubes 3 cups sparkling water or club soda (my favorite is sparkling lemon lime water) DIRECTIONS -Combine the sugar, water, blueberries, and lemon zest in a saucepan. -Bring to a boil over medium heat and then simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sugar is melted and blueberries are starting to burst. -Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve. Let this blueberry syrup completely cool. -Meanwhile, juice the lemons to get 1 cup lemon juice. -In a large pitcher, add the blueberry syrup, lemon juice, and ice. Stir together. -Stir in the sparkling water or club soda RIGHT before enjoying (don’t add sparkling water/club soda to anything you plan on having leftover)
PART Y T HEME IDEAS • • • • • • • • • •
Tea Party Luau Pink Flamingo Lake House or Nautical Western Americana Mason Jar Hiking Adventure Honey Hive Citrus or Fruity
CHICKEN SALAD RECIPIE Chicken Salad Party Sandwiches INGREATAENTS 4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries 2 celery ribs, finely chopped 2 green onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped sweet pickles 1cup fat-free mayonnaise DIRECTIONS - In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Mix mayonnaise, curry powder and pepper: stir into chicken mixture. Refrigerate until serving - To serve, stir in pecans. Spoon onto lettuce-lined rolls
Find more inspired garden decore at:
ilovevictoriasgarden.shop
There is a lovely shop in Rapid City, SD called, Victoria’s Garden. She has lots of inspired ideas for Garden Parties and decore to add to your patio. We all may be spending a bit more time there this summer, so why not add some fresh decore! Above are a few items you can find at her store that might inspire a fun party with friends and family. No matter what you plan for your patio party, make sure there are smiles and good conversation. You really can’t go wrong when you have both of those.
Page 8 | July - August 2020
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Repurposed and Refreshed Looks from By Kelsey Ruzicka, Publisher Designs by Daphne Designs by Daphne is a retail repurposed gallery that came to Belle Fourche, SD the summer of 2018, when Daphne Johnson and her husband moved to the Black Hills from Michigan to retire. Her gallery is full of unique and inspired pieces of furniture, wall art and many other handmade items. Her specialty is refinished and repainted furniture, and each piece is given the creativity, and time it deserves to make it new again. Some pieces have been assembled together to create a new vintage piece with all new functions. Others have just been given the love, attention and patience that an old antique piece of furniture requires. She also has invited other artists to share in the gallery space. She has extraordinary handmade silver and copper jewelry, beautiful hand-carved bowls and one-of-a-kind pottery that offers a lovely creative experience. Pictured below (top left photo) is an old dresser, fishing rod box and mail box put together and given a new life as a
charging station. Three great items repurposed into something modern. Also below, is an old Scandanavian sled made into a coffee table, beautifully refinished chairs, a 22K weeping gold tea pot set, and the playful rocking rooster. Daphne prides herself with pieces that are unique. Items you won’t just find in any other antique store. She also is a lover of history and anthropology. Each piece has a story, and she loves to tell you about the old time functions, the age of the item or the vintage artistry that went into the piece’s story. Each piece was given a new chapter by entering Daphne’s gallery. She freshens it up, gets it ready to find a home in today’s modern atmosphere. Extending the love and use out of some really great items with decades of stories already told. Stop by State Street in Belle Fourche, SD for some great finds! Follow her on Facebook!
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This is the vintage issue for the Country Register. I think vintage is a pretty word for old. I don’t especially like the word “old”, so I like the word “vintage!” This DIY is repurposing vintage items. I had two metal serving trays that are “vintage”. One is in perfect shape and the other is pretty scratched and has some chipped paint. Here is a project to reuse metal trays as note boards.
You will Need:
Metal tray (mine is old but you don’t have to use an old one. The tray does have to be a metal suitable for magnets), sand paper, chalkboard paint, paint brush, painters tape, buttons or charms (or vintage jewelry), hot glue gun, wire cutters and magnets (mine are half inch magnets).
Step Two
Step Four
Paint the chalkboard paint on the bottom of the tray. You will probably need two coats.
Hot glue the magnets to the back of the buttons.
Step THREE
Step Five
Step One
Use the painter’s tape to tape off the bottom of the tray. I put my tape right at the edge of the sides. Then use your sandpaper to lightly sand the bottom of the tray (the paint will stay better if you do this).
While this is drying, decide which buttons you want to use and remove the button loop on the back of the button with the wire cutters. The buttons I used are plastic and they cut very easily. If you are using old earrings the cutters will clip off the post or the clip on the back of the earring.
Remove the painter’s tape carefully from the tray. It is best to wait until the paint is completely dry. You may want to score the paint and tape before pulling it off of the tray. And there you have a note board that you can write on or use the magnets for notes. A last minute thought is that you could put magnets on the back of the tray and stick it on your fridge!!
FINISHED!
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Front Porch Sittin’
By Tammy Page
Porch-veranda, a covered shelter projecting from the front of a building. Serves a purpose as an extension of the parlor or living room. Provides shade and a place to relax during summer. Became popular in the early 1900’s. I love my front porch! The peacefulness I feel on my porch is second only to knowing my husband, children and grandchildren are safe and healthy. My porch gives me a place to go for unadulterated tranquility. It gives me quiet, relaxing solitude after a hectic day at work. It gives me a place to welcome family and friends. It gives comfort for sore muscles and old bones. It gives me a sense of joy as I listen to the birds in the nearby pear tree and the buzz of a neighbor’s lawn mower. It’s a place where my husband and I meet after a long day at work to discuss the events of the day and to catch up on news in our community. With feet propped up on my cozy chair, a fresh glass of lemonade in my hand and a favorite magazine in my lap, I’m all set to wish or dream some time away. Nearing the warmer days of March, I put away the winter decorations and bring out my spring/summer décor to give my porch a much-needed fresh look. I arrange my settee and matching chairs on one end of the porch along with my storage table and on the other end is my new whicker swing along with my year- round 4 ft. pine tree I like to decorate. I’m ready to put away the Easter garland, eggs and pastel lights on the tree and decorate with reds, whites and blues for the summer months. I make sure a warm, cozy blanket is always handy on the swing for those days when the sun is shining brightly but a cold chill is still in the air. I add a few primitives to the table such as an old Frigidaire refrigerator crisper tray that is perfect for storing magazines. I make sure a new sweetsmelling candle is present to add ambiance and fragrance to the night. It adds a warm glow to my porch most evenings and says, “stop in, the porch is always open”. My porch has greeted many friends and family members. It has harbored wet dogs on a cold winter’s night. It has welcomed us as we were tired and weary and it has comforted the sick coming home from the hospital. It has created a place to play games with my grandchildren and is the coziest place to take a nap as the sun beats down on my face warming me to my very core. The heat feels so gratifying as it sinks into these old bones. My porch is now getting a facelift with a new paint job, new large red and tan rug, colorful pillows for the swing including one with Polled Herefords on it and curtains on one end to protect me on a chilly evening or to let the late afternoon sunshine in. And so, as the saying goes, “if you’re ever in my neck of the woods, come sit a spell”.
Front Porch Punch:
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During These Unprecedented Times Plan a Safe but Fun Fabric Shop Hop! By Judy Sharer With many of the large and local quilt show venues postponed or canceled this year and your fabric stash probably taking a hit, sacrificed to make some cute masks for social distancing, now may be the perfect time to plan a Fabric Shop Hop. Of course, you’d need to be as safe as possible by wearing your mask in public, keep your social distance mindful, take hand sanitizer, and don’t overcrowd the vehicle with too many people. After all, you’ll need room for all the bags of fabric you’ll no doubt want to buy to replenish your stash. I’m sure you can identify four or five shops in your local area or neighboring towns that you could map out with a restaurant for a break. Safely get out and enjoy the warm summer weather. You’ll want to plan ahead and call the shops to make sure of their hours. Ask if they have taken precautions in their store. You could even ask if they have received a new shipment of fabric lately and give them the date you plan to arrive. Even if you pack a picnic lunch or pick up at curbside from a restaurant you can make it fun. Take a quilt along to spread on a nice patch of grass. A picnic lunch with a friend or even by yourself would help break up the day and who doesn’t like a picnic. In fact, do you remember the last time you picnicked with a friend? Plan ahead, shop till you drop, load up the vehicle with lots of packages, enjoy your picnic lunch, take along a cute mask you’ve made, and social distance, sanitize, and most of all keep safe and have fun! Judy Sharer is the author of A Plains Life series published by The Wild Rose Press. Book One, Settler’s Life and Book Two, Second Chance Life are now available wherever online books are sold. Book three will be released winter of 2020. If you’re a quilter, you’ll enjoy Judy’s sweet historical romances which have a thread of quilting that runs throughout the family saga series. Visit Judy’s website for more details. judysharer.com
2 Quarts of dry lemonade mix 1 c sugar 1-8 oz. can of pineapple chunks or you can use crushed if you’d like pulp in your punch 1-6 oz pineapple juice 1 lemon for garnishment (optional) Pour in large pitcher Add enough water to almost fill the pitcher up Stir until dissolved. Add 1/2 sliced lemon for added flavor Put slotted lid on pitcher and pour into pretty, clear glasses with ice and a wedge of lemon.
Quilters, Knitters, NeedleArtists: Find Your Favorite Shops When You Travel! Visit
NeedleTravel.com
to find shops online for FREE! Or order the 2020 edition of our Travel Guide for only $9.95
Makes a great gift!
needletravel.com or 888-737-0847
Page 12 | July - August 2020
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$25 Gift Certificate Winner Carmen Constant
Won a $25 gift certificate to her favorite shop –
Nuts & Bolts Fabric Shop in Hot Springs, SD To enter the next drawing, fill out the form on page 14 or email
kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
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July - August 2020 | Page 13
Pound Cakes, An Old Trunk, and a $10 Bill. By Kerri Habben Nanna is my great-grandmother, and the child is my mother. Mom (Joan), shared this memory from when she was 7 years old when she herself was 75 years old. I wrote this poem for the Old Mountain Press anthology, Mother’s Little Helper. Nanna, too, was born with another name. Sophie Grabemeyer was born July 16, 1875. On April 30, 1899 she married Karl Weisgerber. Grandpa Karl died on Nanna’s 44th birthday in 1919. They had six children, five of whom were still living when Grandpa Karl passed away. There was a shortage of doctors after the Great War, and he couldn’t find care for a hernia that settled in his intestine. In his pocket was an envelope that read “Sophie” on the front. It contained a $10 bill, her birthday present. That single, vivid detail plunges a distant story into grief with bones and teeth. I never knew Nanna. She died in 1958, fifteen years before I was born. Yet, it is her rolling pin I reach for and her bread bowl that dough rises in. Garden bouquets sit in her demitasse cup. “Zum Andenken,” it reads. “To think of you.” I believe she carried it in the trunk she packed when she left Germany in 1897. Recently with the cleaning out of my childhood home, we sold the trunk as we didn’t need it, and there was no room for it. I’d imagined it would sadden me to part with this vestige of her life as I had seen it all of my own. Instead, I considered a 22-year-old Sophie packing the trunk, deciding what would fit for a journey across an ocean. As she arranged everything, she knew she may never again be with the family she was leaving behind. Through a different life experience, I now felt newly connected to Nanna. In a stronger way than any piece of luggage could hold. Granted, I’d only moved 45 minutes away via a major highway to a specific life I’d chosen with joy and gratitude. So much more was unknown to her as she boarded a ship to another continent to become a house servant. Like her, though, I had gradually compacted everything tangible I could keep. All of the family who raised and loved me live beyond me now, in a place it is not mine to know. I don’t know if I will ever see them again. I just trust that grace always leads us home. Sometimes, though, I ponder if somewhere little girls and grandmas yet bake pound cakes together. Just for a moment.
Baking with Nanna The child watches Nanna’s hand, farmhouse fingers curled around a wooden spoon swirling through golden batter in the bowl. Her younger hands once sifted German soil, and upon her left hand lingers a band of gold given to her at the turn of a century by a grandfather the child would never know. It is Friday, a day for baking butter yeast cakesand also a day for making pound cake. No breeze shimmers the curtains. Heat holds the room still and heavy. Moisture glistens upon Nanna’s neck, and fabric holds to the child’s back like a second skin. The child waits with her little bowl while studying the little bundt pan that sits beside the larger one. Nanna smiles and carefully pours in some batter for the child to stir, stir, and stir some more. Together they pour their batters, the child with the little bowl and pan, and Nanna with her larger bowl and pan. The child licks off the spoons, and Nanna scrapes the bowls clean. The cakes slide into the oven. Nanna wipes her hands on her apron, holds one out to the child who tucks her own within it as the calendar reads July, 1945.
Kerri Habben is a writer in Chapel Hill, NC.
WYOMING’S 3RD ANNUAL COWBOY YARN CRAWL Local yarn stores in Wyoming will be having their 3rd annual Cowboy Yarn Crawl. This year’s crawl will be active from August 1 through September 30, 2020. This obviously is dependent on the status of Covid-19 recommendations for that time frame. We have seven participating stores: Mountain Meadow Wool in Buffalo, Ewe Count in Cheyenne, Cowgirl Yarn in Laramie, Pingora Yarns in Lander, Knit on Pearl in Jackson, The Fiber House in Sheridan, and Grand Loop Yarns in Cody. Passports can be picked up at participating stores. Grand prize picked from crawlers who visit all seven stores. Free stitch marker from each store and individual store prizes as well. See more at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cowboyyarncrawl/.
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Win a $25 Gift Certificate! The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to be used at YOUR FAVORITE SHOP!
Just fill out this form and send it to:
The Country Register P.O. Box 2015 Belle Fourche, SD 57717
May - June 2020 Entry OR visit www.moxiemarketingmw.com, click on The Country Register to sign up online Name________________________________________________________ Phone________________________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________ City_____________________________ State ____________ Zip__________ Favorite Shop Advertised___________________________________________ This is My Favorite Shop Because______________________________________ My Favorite Feature(s) of The Country Register_____________________________ Found This Issue At_______________________________________________ Are You a:
Regular Reader or
First Time Reader
What stores would like to see in The Country Register? (include town) ____________________________________________________________
Entries received by August 7, 2020, with all questions answered will qualify for the drawing. One gift certificate is given away each issue.
www.t hecountryregister.com/nrgp
Advertiser Directory by Name
Always Your Design • Dell Rapids, SD......................................................... 5 BearPawQuilts.com................................................................................... 15 Belle Fourche Country Club • Belle Fourche, SD......................................... 8 Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce • Belle Fourche, SD......................... 8 Betty’s Quiltery • Rapid City, SD................................................................ 16 Black Hills Visitor Center • Rapid City, SD................................................. 12 Covered Wagon, The • Torrington, WY........................................................ 6 Creative Closet • Townsend, MT.................................................................. 6 Designs by Daphne • Belle Fourche, SD..................................................... 8 Dysfunctional Quilter, The • Witehall, MT................................................. 15 Fiber House, The • Sheridan, WY............................................................... 11 Hill City Arts Council • Hill City, SD............................................................. 2 Knothole, The • Spearfish, SD................................................................... 16 Lickety Stitch Quits • Lusk, WY.................................................................. 16 Moxie Marketing of the Midwest • Black Hills, SD................................... 16 NeedleTravel.com ..................................................................................... 11 North Country Fiber Fair • Watertown, SD.................................................. 6 Nuts & Bolts Fabric Shop • Edgemont, SD................................................ 16 Office Emporium/Gone to Pieces Quilts • Belle Fourche, SD...................... 8 Quilt Connection • Rapid City, SD............................................................. 16 Quilt Connection 2 • Buffalo, SD............................................................... 16 Quilters Corner • Faulkton, SD.................................................................... 5 Quilt Yard, The • Pierre, SD.......................................................................... 5 Quilter’s Fix, The • Pierre, SD..................................................................5,14 Tri-State Museum & Visitor Center • Belle Fourche SD................................ 8 Walkin’ C Boutique Belle Fourche SD......................................................... 8 Wall Drug • Wall, SD................................................................................. 12 Wyoming Quilt Shop Hop • Wyoming...................................................... 16
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