TIP A CANOE ON THE KICKAPOO

We were up early and long weekending!!!!  YEY!  At 8:30 this morning six of us loaded ourselves and two coolers into the SUV (with me on cooler duty in the very back - it couldn't have been legal), and headed over and hour to the "put in" for the Kickapoo River.  I just love that name - KICKAPOO.  Per WIKI - "Kickapoo is an Algonquian word meaning “one who goes here, then there”, a fitting name as the river is very crooked, frequently doubling back on itself as it flows through the Wisconsin landscape."

We were to take a two and a half hour river paddle but as it was so nice and calm and we were very lazy we traversed the route in four hours.  With Rachel, Rex and I in one canoe and low water levels it was easy to take more time.  We got stuck on sand quite a bit and hung up on tree limbs quite a lot.  Drinking beer in the sun on near empty stomachs made it all even more funner spurning a few splash parties.  We were all exhausted by the time we reached home.  Each one of us raided the frig for sustenance and then found some cozy corner of the house to snooze the rest of the afternoon away.  Groggy we arose again for BBQ.

Ya, life is hard around here when long weekending.  :0)  I wonder what we are going to DO on Labor Day tomorrow...

So I got my full blue moon wish.  I never get this kind of group nature fun in Massachusetts and I love it.  I just can't seem to get people out to DO things.   They don't know what they are missing.  Thank you angels for setting me up for fun this time.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  DO something NEW - go tip a CANOE!

GIANT ICE CREAM CONES

Typing fast, typing fast...  I am stealing some bandwidth time while the others are out on the boat.  I am not used to the USA's and specifically Wisconsin's seasonal pollen and I felt a bit yucky today.  I started to hike up the bluff but turned back.  I still had fun though - inside.  Earlier in the day Steve, a Californian landscaper HELPXer, was busy designing and building a waterfall using old wine barrels and Rachel and Rex were designing a website.  I wrote copy and created taglines/slogans for content.  Each of us have backgrounds and skills that can transfer to many venues.  It keeps us busy and joyful.  Start-up vineyards need more than picking, clipping and netting.

Yesterday Rachel, Rex and I went on an excursion to the winery that processes our grapes.  It was a little R&R time.  The winery is located over the river in Iowa.  On the way back we made a stop in Lansing, a small town that hasn't changed its facade in decades.  Of course when we saw the huge ice cream cones we simply had to stop and indulge.

This morning began with a Georgian breakfast (Rachel and Rex come from Atlanta).  I was amazed that we could all function right away and not just plop down for a nap or a heart attack.

Typing fast, typing fast...  Once they get back three more computers will go online and I won't be able to upload photos...

So here are a few more shots of the craziness that we live while at RIVERVIEW VINEYARD.  It sure is fun!  Tomorrow we are all heading out early to CANOE the KICKAPOO River.  I just love saying KICKAPOO.

I do hope everyone enjoys this long Labor Day weekend.  Have fun wherever you are.

And by the way - Collies love Georgian Biscuits and Gravy.  So do I.

Kick it up a notch people and DO something NEW and a bit silly if possible.  Wait, if possible?  THAT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE.

HAVE FUN and HAPPY HOLIDAY!

PATY'S DEBUT

Wednesday we all had a full day to play so I jumped in my car and went off to discover Viroqua.  I heard it was a nice little town full of what I like to call earthy crunchy people.  I knew I would find more artistic inspiration there.  I had a lovely time wandering the artist galleries and shops and chatting with the owners.  I will be going back with a Couchsurfing guide that lives there next week to see more.

Before leaving town I stumbled upon a two story old junk consignment flea market.  I could have been in there for hours but it wasn't air conditioned and the top floor was getting pretty darn hot by the time I left.  I honed in on two things; a couple of board games for $3 for our crazy vineyard crew to play while gathered around the kitchen table and a magnified lighted make-up mirror that has to be 40 years old.  I picked that up in perfect condition for $2.  YES, I thought, Paty Patriotica can now see her image being born.

Remember Paty Patriotica the Balloon Twister character that I began creating in July?  Well I have not had the time to sit down in calm with my items of make-up wizardry that I have been collecting at various DOLLLARTREE stores (my favorite chain) and create her face.  I have been on the move and without a proper magnifying mirror.  I wear corrective eye wear and need my face enlarged to paint it.  Now I have one.  YEY!

The look on people's faces as they came into the kitchen to raid the frig was hilarious.  I mean...how many people do you know that play dress up in in the middle of the afternoon with full professional clown white?  If the answer to that question is ZERO go out and get some paint (easy to find this time of year as Halloween stuff is just hitting the displays) and have a go at it yourself.  Then have fun as people see you.  They all smiled. :0)

After the face was done I put on the costume.  I still haven't taken the time to alter it but I shall.  The skirt lies precariously on my hips supported by a safety pin.  Rachel whined for balloon puppies so I made her a full liter in red, white and blue and then a big balloon bouquet for Marie.  I was then whisked out the door for some photos for fun, my high heels sinking in the dirt of the slope.  Mike was due to arrive home from work so I kept the character on to greet him at the door with balloons.  He laughed so hard.  You never know what you are going to find when you get home to a bunch of HELPXers with buena onda (good vibe).


DA DA!  Paty's make-up is all set although she can also work without the clown white base which is exactly what happened last evening.  Mike came home as I was peeling cucumbers to make some Japanese Salad.  "Where's Patt?  Hey how would you like to make some cash?"  He asked me to get in my costume and take two bottles of wine over to the local bar where he and his friends were celebrating a co-workers retirement.  I had a message for the guest of honor.  "Happy Retirement from Riverview (Vineyard) to You."  Sure thing, no problem.  How fun.  I was a hit!  Who doesn't love an extra special bit of whimsy?  I will say though that trying to drive with the hat is a bit difficult.  It keeps hitting the interior roof of the car and getting knocked around as I look to the left for oncoming traffic.  I will have to take note of that for future off-site engagements.  HAAAAA

HAVE FUN FUN FUN!  Go and DO SOMETHING NEW.
Send me photos of your painted faces!

THE RIVERVIEW HARVEST

Pardon me for not posting lately but it has been an incredibly busy time at the vineyard.  It was harvest time and we sure did harvest!  In two separate runs we delivered 8000lbs of marquette grapes.  It took 1.5 days to pick them with about 18 people working beginning at sun up on Saturday.

It has been a wonderful experience.  The crew was fantastic.  There are three other HELPXers staying here besides myself and several old friends and family members joined in to help.  We had so much fun clipping bunches of grapes and QCing (trimming) them up at the vine.  Only the top grapes are delivered to the winery to be processed.  Mike believes in quality and this is a top-notch start-up operation.

Marie was so busy and supportive taking care of all our needs from inside the house.  The food was incredible and abundant and the vibe was superb.  This was a HAPPY HARVEST.  Really, I can't give more than my two thumbs up but it if I had an extra that would be pointing to the heavens too.

These last two days were for washing out 300 buckets and removing, cleaning, rolling and storing the netting for next year.  It was great to have five of us working together as a strong social unit.  It made the chore seem like it went fast.

So once again pardon me if I don't babble on with a more in depth account.  I am still tired.  It has been five days of hard work and now it's time to rest.

May your harvest be bountiful!  Happy DO NEWS to YOUS.  CHEERS!

THE CALM DURING THE STORM

It is POURING out so we are on partial hold.  There are plenty of things to do inside.  Cooking for the crowd that will be coming, setting up for at least 10 people that will be staying the night.  Why?  Is it a party? No, not really.  It is GRAPE PICKING weekend.  The marquette (red) is ready to pick.

I am on a vineyard in southwest Wisconsin.  This is a fantastic place to be.  The house is fabulous and the people are fantastic.  We are relaxed here, chill,  but will be working intensely and hard for the next few days.  To prepare we took the two old collies out on the boat and gave them a bath, BBQed some rib-eye and chicken and stocked the house with goodies. I am so happy to be away from livestock and working 50 hour a week.  This is more like it.

The terrain is very different here.  We are on the corner of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River.  In fact the vines are on a slope.  They will have to give me the north side of the trellises to pick because I am short.

I need to get back to helping so more to come later.  The rain is lightening to the west.  We can almost see Iowa and Minnesota again.  Adelante - Onward!  This is NEW and FUN!

WHIMSY IN WISCONSIN

I have moved on and UP away from the sheep farm and into a most beautiful energy flow.  Sunday evening I arrived to Kathy's house.  Kathy is a Couchsurfer with 10 grandchildren many of whom were visiting for the afternoon when I arrived.  What a gorgeous whimsical place filed with love and art from throw-aways.  Kathy is an artist though I might have been the first person to tell her that. I could have filled pages and pages of blogs with the vignettes and creations that she has made here.  Intuitively I knew that we would connect.  All I needed to do was see her favorite books listed on her profile.  I have read almost all of them.  She also is an energy worker.  In fact,  the bedroom for my one night visit was her Reiki healing room and it has a confessional.  The house is a former church constructed in 1910, moved to the property in the 60's and converted into a house.  She has added her very special magical energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
We talked and talked for hours and hours finally deciding to go to bed at midnight.  The apple sleepy wine (a hard apple cider with valerian root and other relaxing herbs) probably helped in the decision of  "We better get to sleep."  We thought what a pity it was that I had only scheduled one night at her house.  I had to leave by noon to drive to another Couchsurfer family closer to my next rural adventure at a vineyard.  The CSer that I picked for Monday night also felt intuitively right so when in the morning I received a phone call from him I just had to laugh.  Kathy was outside when I returned his call.  He had a meeting that he needed to attend Monday night when I was to arrive.  I could hang at his house and chill out or go to the meeting with him.  I had another option, stay another night with Kathy.  She heard that part of the conversation while bouncing in the kitchen YIPPEE.  We jointly had manifested my change of plans.  I was also laughing because Drew spoke of his area of Wisconsin and the electro-magnetic fields, energetic opportunities and his interest in EXPAT life.  His profile said nothing of this. Yes - I am back in the flow.  We will meet for dinner and a tour around while I am at the vineyard.  I will have much more off time there than I did at the sheep farm and we will be less than a half hour away from one another.

JOY JOY, Kathy and I had another entire day together and still it seemed to zip by.  Out of the box thinking flowed through our minds.  Her property sang to me, "WOMEN'S RETREATS."  It would be a perfect place.  Add one of the most wonderful labyrinths that I have ever visited located nearby and you have the end of the rainbow.  Peace, healing, creativity, whimsy, I think the fairies are at play here. We both will have to incubate this idea.  Perhaps, just maybe these new connections are why I came to Wisconsin.  I wish I could get all my wild women friends together in one place but it is also really great to have them scattered around the country so that there's always some good energy nearby.

Well there you go.  I have to prepare for another drive.  Onward to NEW magic.

And... what are you DOing NEW?  What magic are you creating and attracting into your life?  Come out of the darkness (if you are in it) and into the magic.  It's there.  Sometimes you just need to break set, be a forever seeker and be guided by your inner voice to go somewhere and/or DO something NEW.

Namaste.