Giant Pumpkins

This is my son, Andrew; he grows GIANT pumpkins in his backyard. 

He's been doing this for 7 years. This mighty pumpkin above had its official, impressive weigh-in today at Nick's Garden Center and Farm Market.  

Since I have no green thumb what-so-ever, I totally delight in the success my son has keeping these huge pumpkins alive for months. This pumpkin started out from an Atlantic Giant Seed, patented by Howard Dill. Seeds are an important part of growing big pumpkins. Seeds can be found from reliable growers in the Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers Club. Looking on their web site will help to get you started. Not to scare you off but one seed from a prize winning pumpkin in Wisconsin was sold in 2010 at auction for $1600. The seed was not even guaranteed to germinate. The giant pumpkin had so few seeds that value of the seed went for a premium. For beginners it's suggested, though, that you don't get fussy and get some seeds just for the asking. 

Giant pumpkins come in all sizes, shapes and colors. The goal is to grow a bigger one next year. Many things can go wrong during a growing season so it's exciting when a pumpkin makes it all the way to the weigh in.  Andrew has had an interesting history with his pumpkins. His rookie pumpkin was 24 pounds. The second year he raised a 176 pounder. I wrote a blog post about it on Roaming Rita that you can read here.  His third year hit 230 pounds, fourth year was over double the weight the previous year at  551. Fifth year was a wipe-out. The pumpkin didn't make it. The squirrels ate it up making it ineligible for any competition. Other growers have too late found families of mice taking up residence in their pumpkins. Weather and hail are other culprits to a pumpkin's good health. Last year Andrew had a mighty 331.5 pound pumpkin so this year's was over double that. They do keep getting bigger. 

 

Taking on this giant pumpkin project requires a constant watch to nurture this growing monstrosity. Usually the pumpkins end up with a name as they grow. This pumpkin was named Dorito. The seed was planted April 20, 2016, pollinated July 7th, 2016, and  was cut from its vine September 30, 2016.  For five months, water and attention are focused on the growing patch. 

 

Growing a giant pumpkin is one thing but how do growers move their masterpiece? It's not an easy task and it takes plenty of help. Here is how this year's pumpkin was lifted from the backyard. Andrew built this hoist with the help of his brother, Paul. A neighbor was on scene to help as well. Other years with smaller pumpkins a group of six guys lifted the pumpkin on a tarp. This year another method was needed for the project. 

Loaded and rolling down Interstate 70 on it's way to the weigh-in, Andrew said people slowed down to look at his cargo as they passed his truck. That's a sight you don't see very often. 

Having safely arrived at the weigh-in, the pumpkin is lined up with the other entries. Since Andrew is a board member on the Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers Club, he assisted in tape measuring the size of the pumpkins. This gives a hint as to the weight of the pumpkin and is one of the recorded measurements. 

Since all this excitement is dependent solely on the weight of the pumpkin, the color, size and shape are not considered. Therefore, the scale is the most important object on this day. In this picture you can see the heavy duty scale. The red and white ribbons will go to the top 10 heavy entries. Money is also an incentive for all the effort involved. First place garners a dollar a pound. This year that came to a whopping $1420. If your pumpkin doesn't get one of the top three honors, but are among the others in the top ten you are a happy winner of $50.00. 

Once the weigh-offs start, they are done in order by their estimated weights (from the tape measures) smallest to largest. There is a junior division so they go first. When a pumpkin is up for their long awaited official weigh-in, it is lifted and checked on the bottom. This is to look for holes, animals or any tampering of the pumpkin.  

While Andrew's pumpkin is being examined, he's on stage waiting for the results.

Results are in. The pumpkin weighed a whopping 702 pounds. This put Andrew in 7th place this year so he was happy to be $50.00 richer today. Sarah, Andrew's wife, was standing next to me as I took this picture and she was cheering loudly as she had put in lots of effort helping to keep the pumpkin viable. She's been known to run out and cover the pumpkin when a hail storm hits. She needs to he recognized as a co-owner of a successful pumpkin this year. 

There are only 2000 pumpkin growers in the world. As Andrew said "I can't think of any other fruit or vegetable that makes people smile." This Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers isn't all about pumpkins, even though it is the main draw. There are also categories for giant tomatoes, sunflowers, long gourds, green squash and more. If you have a green thumb consider this as your next project. There is lots of room for more giant vegetables on this table.

These giant pumpkins are often sold for fall decorations. They don't make very good pies unless you use lots of spices. Even then it's not obvious if the inside of the pumpkin is going to be a good eat or not. There are pumpkin drops at nurseries where you can watch them go splat. That's another whole day of fun! 

Great job growing this year, Andrew (and Sarah). 

The American Girl Cafe: Dining With Dolls - Eating Outside the Box, Epis...

An American Girl doll holds the heart of my 8 year old Granddaughter, Abigail.

She requests American Girl doll paraphernalia for Christmas, her birthday and any other time she can sweet talk her Grandmas.  Her doll is Caroline Abbott, a beautiful blond with blue eyes representing the War of 1812.  who is now retired. These dolls run in her family as her Momma, Mary, has Felicity from her childhood. When Michael Truly posted this on YouTube my Granddaughter and I sat together to watch it. Michael grew up with our middle son, Andrew, so we've known him a very long time. His parents are our best friends that we go sailing with. I had such fun watching this as an American Girl doll lover myself that I wanted to post it here for your enjoyment.

http://americangirl.wikia.com/wiki/Caroline_Abbott

Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast, Cheyenne, Wyoming

I had always wondered what it was like to stay at a Bed and Breakfast. I had never done that and it was something on my Bucket List. The wonderful opportunity presented itself when my niece, Julia, had her bridal shower at the Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Cheyenne, Wyoming this year. A short history on the Nagle Warren Mansion is available here.

This lovely Victorian Mansion hosts twelve available rooms to choose from. Each room is uniquely dressed to recreate the splendor of the 19th century old West. The ornate staircases, fireplaces and authentic period decor made every room a delight to enjoy. 

My sister, Janet, and I couldn't resist climbing the rich cherry wood staircase to the third level. Plush carpeted stairs and stained glass windows on the landings made the trip a pleasant adventure.The tower on the third floor was a delightful destination. It was a luxurious, furnished reading room. The rattan furniture gave it a garden-like feel to the room. Five windows with soft draperies allowed for views all around. A separate door to the outdoor balcony tempted us to step outside.  It was a lovely sunny day and we had so much fun checking out this charming feature of the Mansion. 

The two fireplaces below are cast brass with mirrors to the ceiling. It was truly splendid elegance that I marveled at. The black fireplace is in the parlor and the one below is in the sitting room. 

The sitting room makes for quite an impression when signing in for one's stay. 

The impressive ornate woodwork throughout the house, the green and white wallpaper, parquet floors and prim furniture whisks you away into the year of 1888 when the Mansion was built. At that time, Cheyenne was the richest city of it's size in the world. The Mansion was built to showcase the riches of the time. The grand piano is the focal point in this room. 

Walking through the sitting room you will enter the library. Antique books, history books, newspapers  and scrapbooks offer hours of reading. This cozy corner offers a place for your unique reading pleasure. Other comfy chairs welcome you to sit and relax in front of the fireplace. The room is decorated with burgundy striped wallpaper and various paintings. There is also space for an intimate tea party in the library and a table to spread out the piles of books you plan to read. 

Looking back through the sitting room, through the vestibule, you see the parlor. Before we tour the parlor, I want to point out that this entry way boasts an original Moroccan chandelier and cherry paneling. The textured wallpaper just beckoned me to reach out and run my fingers over it. 

While waiting for the bridal shower to begin, my Mom Rosemary,  and my Sister Janet, relaxed in the parlor. I had a great time taking their portraits. Aren't they pretty? 

At the other end of the parlor is this magnificent Victorian buffet. To the left of it is the dining room where we had the bridal shower. 

The dining room was a cheery, bright, welcoming place for a bridal shower as well as morning breakfast for the patrons of the bed and breakfast.  The golden wallpaper made a lovely background for the sun shining through the stained glass windows of rich gold and red tones. I enjoyed watching the sun dancing through the colored glass on the white table cloth as I enjoyed a delicious breakfast each morning. 

 

After the festivities with my family and friends, I headed to my accommodations on the first floor of the attached carriage house.  The room was quiet and offered Wifi, TV, phone, bathrobes and ......

my favorite antique claw foot tub complete with a yellow Nagle Warren rubber ducky! 

I might have scandalized my dear Mother by having these pictures taken. I told her that maybe I staged them with my clothes on!  

My room was named the Frederick Warren room after the son of U.S. Senator Francis E. Warren. It had a Belmont king size bed, a period-style desk with rose printed stationary and a guest book to sign. The decor was soft gold with wainscoting. 

A gas log fireplace with a fossil fish on the front from South West Wyoming. My husband, the geophysicist knew that. I learn a lot from him. There was also a huge armoir in the room (not pictured) that held the TV and other amenities such as ironing board, iron, etc. Behind the chair were French doors opening out onto the patio. They were covered with beautiful rose patterned lace curtains. I kind of wanted to bring them home with me. I did use the French doors on my visit. Not like you might think though. In the evening I went out for a night cap with my three nieces and when I came tip toeing back to the door of the Mansion late at night I found the Mansion to be locked up tight. I felt like a prowler walking through the side yard and  crossing over another patio to get to my patio French doors. I quietly knocked on the window to ask my dear husband to come around to open the outside door for me. The nieces were waiting in the car watching to make sure their errant auntie got into her room for the night. I was grateful for the back up. 

 The carriage house where my room was located is pictured here. It's attached to the main house.  The French doors on the right is where my room was. 

To walk from the main part of the Mansion to the carriage house, a trip through the Butler's Pantry entices one to raid the cookie jar or to grab a cup of tea or coffee. The stocked pantry offers cold water, juice, soft drinks as well.  Along the way you might pass the resident kitty who quietly keeps herself out of your way. 

There are many other amenities that I didn't partake of. Downstairs are meeting and conference rooms and an exercise room.  Back on the main level is an enclosed hot tub and an outdoor garden area to enjoy when the Wyoming weather permits. 

Our host and innkeeper, Jim Osterfoss, was ever ready to visit, tell us stories of the history of the Mansion and to over see whatever we needed. To schedule your own visit you can call:

307-637-3333 or 800-811-2610.  The Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast is located 222 East 17th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82001

Traveling Tea Lady

It started with a tea cup. 

I inherited some lovely registered English bone china tea cups from my husband's side of the family. Each cup and matching saucer was different from all the others. The collection was too exquisite to use but I had fallen in love with them. I soon discovered that other English bone china tea cups could be purchased at reasonable prices from various stores, including places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross' and even garage sales. So my collecting began. Soon I had many beautiful cups and saucers. I displayed these on a wall rack and loved admiring them. A few favorites I used,  for coffee, not tea. I was not a tea drinker.

However, one night inspiration struck. I was laying in bed when it occurred to me that I could start a business bringing old fashioned tea parties to the elderly and homebound. I was very excited with this possibility and set about doing exactly that. I got copyrighted and trademarked for Travelling Tea Lady. I had brochures made and started my business.

My table settings were gorgeous. I used the hand made quilts I had sewn for the table coverings. This set the color scheme or holiday theme for each party. I had a variety of two and three tiered plate racks and my menu was luscious and loaded with both savory and sweet treats. 

Autumn themed tea party

Christmas themed tea party

 I had a very popular business with compliments that my tea parties were outdoing the Savoy in England and the Brown Palace in Denver. I offered a complete package of entertainment. Background music, colorful arrangements of food and decorations, lovely tea pots with the best teas available were brought to the homes of those who wanted to entertain but could no longer do it themselves. I had one faithful customer that booked me every month. She delighted in inviting her neighbors, church ladies, card group ladies, relatives and friends for a royal tea party. 

My business was as much of a ministry as it was a lucrative career. Eventually, to the dismay of my customers, I closed up the tea shop and got a "real" job. However, the name continues and many of the precious little ladies I served are no longer with us but I hope I was able to bring them the joy of celebrating with their friends.

Little Free Libraries

Book lovers rejoice! Free books are available everywhere now, even in your own neighborhood. I've seen shelves in coffee shops where the customers are invited to "take a book and leave a book." Since my husband and I are avid readers I thought it was a great way to circulate our ever-expanding pile of books. It wasn't until my sister, Janet, sent me the photo below that my interest was sparked in the Little Free Library that is springing up with 32,000 book exchanges in all 50 states and 70 countries around the world.

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This Little Free Library, which is painted in University of Wyoming Cowboys' colors of brown and gold, is proudly planted outside a bank in Cheyenne, Wyoming. My mother, Rosemary, and my sister have unofficially adopted this book exchange. They often visit it to donate good reads and to straighten up any topsy-turvy books. They reported that it's a very active library and the popular books are exchanged quickly. Their enthusiasm even has me considering putting a Little Free Library out on the corner of my property.

These Little Free Library book exchanges are meant to have a special community building atmosphere about them. Some libraries are focused on school children stopping by. What a great way to encourage kids to read. This is a library on Race St. in Denver, Colorado. 

 

What child could resist stopping to pick up a book with inviting chairs and stools to beckon them?

For those interested in setting up a little free library its easy and fun to do. You can purchase kits from the Little Free Library web site or make your own. I found this kit in a hardware store in Boulder, Colorado. 

There are no rules about what your library should look like. By clicking on this link you'll see many designs of the Little Free Library that will spark your creativity. As you plan your Little Free Library, it might be wise to check with your homeowners association (if you have one) to make sure you are within covenant restrictions. Additionally, to use the name Little Free Library which is registered and trademarked, it's asked that you register your library so it becomes a part of the Little Free Library network. By doing this it will have an official sign and charter number on it. You can also register it on the 

World Map of the Little Free Library. How cool is that? 

In the picture above with the little chairs, did you notice the recycled chair used for the library stand in the front yard? Here is a closer view of it. 

In Old Town Arvada, Colorado, there is a garden container holding the books on a driveway.

Look at how much room is available in this idea.

Another Little Free Library in Arvada, Colorado, cheers on the Broncos Football Team in their bright orange and blue colors. 

The Little Free Library was started in 2009 and became non-profit in 2012. Over a million books have been exchanged since then. You can find them on Facebook , Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr, and a few other social media sites.  It's worth taking a look because the Little Free Libraries come in all shapes, sizes and colors. It's a marvel to enjoy. They have a newsletter you can sign up for also.

After my sister told me about the Little Free Library I went in search of any in my neighborhood. I was so excited to find this one not very far away. I might not have even realized what it was if it wasn't for the heads up from her.

The original box of books was  built in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin. It was a one room school house design. His mother had been a former school teacher who loved reading. He built it as a tribute to her. You can read more of the history of the Little Free Library here. Below is an adorable red barn. I bet it's in memory of a family farm. 

The map feature on the Little Free Library web site is a great place to find local places for these book exchanges. In my hometown of Arvada, Colorado, I found nine locations of the little libraries. What fascinated me was by hovering my mouse over each location it often told me the story behind each Little Free Library. Some are dedicated to parents, or located across from a school to encourage children coming by. One even said it was a replica of the house she grew up in (sorry there was no picture and I haven't been able to make a field trip to the site; latitudes and longitudes are given).  I noticed some of the book boxes are decorated for the seasons. Here's an idea for that book lover in the family! Help to build or buy one of these adorable book boxes for that bibliophile who would love to share his/her love of books with others. It could become a family project.  

I was driving down a street in the Park Hill Neighborhood of Denver and found this Little Free Library on the corner. I had to quickly turn at the corner to visit it. I haven't taken any books from any of the libraries I've visited but I might have to start carrying my excess of read books in my car to add to the collections I come across.

Even though I haven't taken a book yet, I still open and close the doors on each library and have the fun of reading the titles available. I am partial to mysteries and I suspect they are quickly taken. 

 

The sign on this Little Free Library says "Celebrating Neighbors". It's in a lovely neighborhood and is so inviting. The mission statement of the Little Free Library includes wanting to build a sense of community and this definitely is doing that. 

I love seeing neighborhood libraries with sitting available to peruse the books or for a quick read. This is one of  my favorite pictures so far. My mother, sister and her husband, Steve, found it in Cheyenne. From the picture I can't tell if it's registered yet with the Little Free Library. It's easy to make one official and with that you receive a charter sign to display. This outdoor library looks so peaceful and welcoming. I could imagine a quilt thrown over the back and a pillow tucked into the corner. The fall colors encourage me to linger. I wonder if they'd bring me out a cup of coffee? 

Looking inside this wonderful garden bench is a vast assortment of books for old and young alike. I think I see a Harry Potter book and the sticker book will probably disappear fast. 

Little Free Libraries are the personalities of their stewards. I saw some book boxes that focus on cookbooks or children's books. I've seen magazines, teen reads, science fiction, suspense and an occasional horror thriller. Opening the door of a neighborhood library and peeking in to see what your next reading adventure will be is the fun that will draw you back over and over again. Gather up that stack of books you've finished reading and share them. You might be surprised who you'll meet at the Little Free Library on your corner. 

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Ford Escape Phoenixed

Roaming Rita wasn't doing much roaming this last month. On a balmy Saturday afternoon a young man ran into my husband's car, a 2008 Ford Escape, and totaled it. Luckily we weren't hurt.

My zippy red Mustang convertible suddenly became the family car. I spent quite a few days at home so my hubby, Rex, could take the car to work, and I wouldn't be making lots of back and forth trips. 

We almost had the Escape paid off and we really weren't anxious to take on another car payment. We debated back and forth what to do. Should we lease a car, buy a used car or try being a single car family since our life-style is slowing down as Rex gets closer to retirement. We decided not to hurry in getting another car but to wait and see what comes our way. 

 

Rex had really loved his red Ford Escape and he realized how much he was missing it as it had been a faithful car. It never gave him any problems. He was sad over its loss. 

Last week our son, Matt, was browsing used cars and found one he thought we'd like. It was a Jeep and we liked the price and low mileage on it. Rex called and made an appointment for us to see it the next day. We drove the thirty minutes to the dealership and looked around as the salesman had said the car would be ready and waiting for us at the door. We didn't see any car matching the description of the one we planned to test drive but we confidently asked for the salesman Rex had communicated with. He sheepishly announced he had left a message on our home answering machine. The car was not available; it was on "an extended test drive." 

Question: The car you planned to look at isn't available.

Answer:  What is an extended test drive?

I was the first to ask what exactly does this mean? The salesman said "it means it won't be back for awhile." Rex showed him the printed email he had received from the Internet salesman, a different person from the one we were talking with. The buck was quickly passed and the second man came out to talk with us. He had the same strange answer as to where the car was. Rex asked "what if they want to buy it?" The salesman's response "Oh they won't." The plot thickened and the two salesmen were squirming. They were telling us they were calling the people to bring the Jeep back right away. It might be at least two hours and since we had driven some distance they would even bring the car to our home when it was returned. By this time it was obvious these men were not being forthright.   Finally, one admitted why the car was unavailable. A customer had brought in her car for repair and the car we planned to look at had been given to her as a loaner until her car was repaired.  With that we decided to take our business elsewhere. 

Across the street was the dealership we had already bought two new cars from. We asked for the salesman we had worked with before and was told he had retired two days before. This was turning out to be a crazy day. It all worked out though. The man helping us looked and looked for a car for us. He finally said a car had just come in that weekend and it hadn't even been cleaned up and processed yet but it was available. All he said was that it was the color of my shirt but didn't say anything else about it. To our amazement it was a 2012 red Escape-four years newer than our totaled car. Except for a few new upgrades it looked just like Rex's beloved Escape. I said our neighbors won't realize it's not the same car in our driveway. I keep smiling when I think about how our prayers have been answered. Our car has risen from the ashes. It's also keeping up with the tradition of red cars in the family; our 7th! The salesman told us that he's found that 90% of his customers end up buying a car the same color they are wearing. (Next time you go car shopping, be sure to wear your favorite color). Oh and two days later when the first car dealers emailed to say the Jeep was back and we could come see it, I suspect it was with a certain bit of delight when Rex told them he had already bought a car elsewhere. 

Rex and his red Explorer