Newsletter - April, May, June 2002

Spring has arrived and once again, the livestock on our farm has Spring Fever. It seems every year about this time the animals, one by one, get out of their yards for a spring fling. First one out this year was Louey, short for Kahlua, our Morgan filly. She found a weak spot in the fence and pushed till the rope broke. 5:30 a.m. we were awakened by a phone call from the Sheriff's department. A large black horse was across the road inspecting the grounds of the new school in progress on the land that was once our hay field.

I quickly dressed, went outdoors with Duchess, our German Shepherd Dog, and called Louey. Duchess and Louey are the best of friends and while away most afternoons playing together in the pasture next to our house. When they caught sight of each other the horse came running home and both went directly into the pasture where the horse belongs. I then inspected the fence for leaks, found the errant rope and replaced it. All of our livestock should be so easy to round up!

Next one out was George, our Sicilian Donkey. He's a stud, and Louey is ready for breeding, so George likes to get as close to her as possible. Apparently George is a little smarter than he looks, and one morning was able to work the buckle of his collar open. He lives on a chain about 40 feet long, tethered to a collar around his neck, and we move him from place to place for grazing when the weather is good. Normally he is on one side of the fence and Louey is on the other. Well, George was running free along the fence, back and forth along the length of our driveway, with Louey following along on the other side. When I observed the fun from the window next to my desk I put on my boots and stuffed some sugar cubes into my pocket before I ran out to catch him.

Without his collar on there would be no way for me to hold him once I caught him, so I went first to his chain and unhooked the collar so I'd have it with me. I approached him with a cube of sugar in one hand, the collar in the other. George looked from the sugar to the collar, and took off in a run for parts away from me! So. This donkey is no dummy. I put the collar back near the chain, found a short piece of rope that would fit into my pocket, and tried again. Success! I had hold of him! Now, remember those cartoons where the donkey puts his feet firmly on the ground and leans backward, refusing to move? That would be our George. It took 30 minutes of baby steps and a dozen cubes of sugar to get him back to his chain, but we bonded. I sure do love that donkey. (By the way, for those who have not heard them, donkeys really do say Hee-haw. LOUD.)

I suppose it is only a matter of time before the herd of 40 steers gets out for a spring romp, but I am hoping it will happen while Jim is at home!

We sold our dairy herd two years ago and Jim is now working for the school district in maintenance. He loves his new job, enjoys the students and takes pride in caring for the schools. As janitor he works with the staff to keep the buildings clean, does minor repairs and often participates in school activities. It's not unusual for me to see my husband go off to work dressed as Zoro for cartoon day! Jim takes an interest in the students and often serves a bit of time as judge for forensic meets or spelling bees.

The farm has been reduced from 240 acres to about 190 acres since the land sale for the school. Jim crops approximately half of that, renting out the remaining half to a neighbor farmer for hay. We raise corn, oats and alfalfa for feed for the steers, chickens, my three sheep, George and Louey.

I keep the three sheep (2 ewes and a ram) for their wool, as I am a spinner and a weaver. This early spring I attended my first Spinning Retreat along with thirty women or so all of whom have similar interests. I was a bit apprehensive about spending three days and two nights away form the farm without Jim, but I had such a great time I am looking forward to doing it again! A few days with friends to sit and relax while we all worked on our fiber projects has left me feeling my soul at peace! The project I chose to finish is a hand woven silk and rayon purse I made with a matching scarf, each embellished with metallic beads. I wanted to have them finished in time for a Fiber Arts Show at The Seipple Homestead for the Arts in Beaver Dam, WI. I serve on their board of directors and they asked for some of my work for display. Being self employed as The Soap Lady it seems I rarely make time for the things I enjoy, choosing instead to spend most of my time working. The Spinning Retreat was just the ticket for me! I finished my projects and they will be featured in the Seventh Annual Fiber Arts Exhibit April 13 through May 26, 2002 at The Seipple Homestead and Center for the Arts at 1605 North Spring Street in Beaver Dam, WI.

Now that our children are all grown I have been chosen to participate in The Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program sponsored by The University of Wisconsin Extension. It is a series of seminars over the course of two years, with a goal of helping communities to gain committed, knowledgable and action-oriented citizens to serve as catalysts in promoting positive change.

I was one of 650 applicants, 40 of whom qualified for interviews, and 29 of whom were chosen. I will attend 8 instate seminars, each three days long, 2 seminars out of Wisconsin one week each, and one two-week seminar somewhere overseas. This will be my first experience with formal post secondary education, as Jim and I married when I was just 18! We have been married 28 years. I am looking forward to experiencing many new things.

The Zahn household is planning a wedding! Our daughter Sara is engaged to marry Brady and we love him. They are planning a summer 2003 wedding. I am hoping Sara will choose to wear the headdress I wore when I married Jim. It could be her "Something Borrowed", or maybe her "Something Old"?

Each Spring wild roses bloom in fence lines along the pastures on our farm. I know Jim thinks of me while he is out in the fields when he comes home one day in the Spring with a bouquet of delicate wild roses for a vase on our kitchen table. They scent the room with their light fragrance and make me smile each time I look at them, thinking of my husband picking them just for me! The wild roses are a tradition in our household, just as dandelions are the tradition in his mother's household for her early May birthday. Yes, Jim still picks dandelions for his mother every year for her birthday!



		Something New! Quarterly Newsletter April, May, June 2002 Recipes, hints, ideas, new books, whatever... Fiesta Eggs for Two 3 or 4 large eggs 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 3 tablespoons salsa 1 tablespoon butter Melt butter in small frying pan. Crack eggs into pan, add cheese and salsa. Scramble with fork till cheese is melted and eggs are cooked tight. Serve hot, with buttered toast. Serves 2. — from the Zahn family recipe box Cast iron cookware adds iron to your diet. Serve with Orange Juice for a complete breakfast. Substitute fresh chopped onion, tomato and green pepper for the salsa. Sauté in melted butter before adding eggs. April 2002 Hello! Spring has arrived and once again, the livestock on our farm has Spring Fever. It seems every year about this time the animals, one by one, get out of their yards for a spring fling. First one out this year was Louey, short for Kahlua, our Morgan filly. She found a weak spot in the fence and pushed till the rope broke. 5:30 a.m. we were awakened by a phone call from the Sheriff's department. A large black horse was across the road inspecting the grounds of the new school in progress on the land that was once our hay field. I quickly dressed, went outdoors with Duchess, our German Shepherd Dog, and called Louey. Duchess and Louey are the best of friends and while away most afternoons playing together in the pasture next to our house. When they caught sight of each other the horse came running home and both went directly into the pasture where the horse belongs. I then inspected the fence for leaks, found the errant rope and replaced it. All of our livestock should be so easy to round up! Next one out was George, our Sicilian Donkey. He's a stud, and Louey is ready for breeding, so George likes to get as close to her as possible. Apparently George is a little smarter than he looks, and one morning was able to work the buckle of his collar open. He lives on a chain about 40 feet long, tethered to a collar around his neck, and we move him from place to place for grazing when the weather is good. Normally he is on one side of the fence and Louey is on the other. Well, George was running free along the fence, back and forth along the length of our driveway, with Louey following along on the other side. When I observed the fun from the window next to my desk I put on my boots and stuffed some sugar cubes into my pocket before I ran out to catch him. Without his collar on there would be no way for me to hold him once I caught him, so I went first to his chain and unhooked the collar so I'd have it with me. I approached him with a cube of sugar in one hand, the collar in the other. George looked from the sugar to the collar, and took off in a run for parts away from me! So. This donkey is no dummy. I put the collar back near the chain, found a short piece of rope that would fit into my pocket, and tried again. Success! I had hold of him! Now, remember those cartoons where the donkey puts his feet firmly on the ground and leans backward, refusing to move? That would be our George. It took 30 minutes of baby steps and a dozen cubes of sugar to get him back to his chain, but we bonded. I sure do love that donkey. (By the way, for those who have not heard them, donkeys really do say Hee-haw. LOUD.) I suppose it is only a matter of time before the herd of 40 steers gets out for a spring romp, but I am hoping it will happen while Jim is at home! We sold our dairy herd two years ago and Jim is now working for the school district in maintenance. He loves his new job, enjoys the students and takes pride in caring for the schools. As janitor he works with the staff to keep the buildings clean, does minor repairs and often participates in school activities. It's not unusual for me to see my husband go off to work dressed as Zoro for cartoon day! Jim takes an interest in the students and often serves a bit of time as judge for forensic meets or spelling bees. The farm has been reduced from 240 acres to about 190 acres since the land sale for the school. Jim crops approximately half of that, renting out the remaining half to a neighbor farmer for hay. We raise corn, oats and alfalfa for feed for the steers, chickens, my three sheep, George and Louey. I keep the three sheep (2 ewes and a ram) for their wool, as I am a spinner and a weaver. This early spring I attended my first Spinning Retreat along with thirty women or so all of whom have similar interests. I was a bit apprehensive about spending three days and two nights away form the farm without Jim, but I had such a great time I am looking forward to doing it again! A few days with friends to sit and relax while we all worked on our fiber projects has left me feeling my soul at peace! The project I chose to finish is a hand woven silk and rayon purse I made with a matching scarf, each embellished with metallic beads. I wanted to have them finished in time for a Fiber Arts Show at The Seipple Homestead for the Arts in Beaver Dam, WI. I serve on their board of directors and they asked for some of my work for display. Being self employed as The Soap Lady it seems I rarely make time for the things I enjoy, choosing instead to spend most of my time working. The Spinning Retreat was just the ticket for me! I finished my projects and they will be featured in the Seventh Annual Fiber Arts Exhibit April 13 through May 26, 2002 at The Seipple Homestead and Center for the Arts at 1605 North Spring Street in Beaver Dam, WI. Now that our children are all grown I have been chosen to participate in The Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program sponsored by The University of Wisconsin Extension. It is a series of seminars over the course of two years, with a goal of helping communities to gain committed, knowledgable and action-oriented citizens to serve as catalysts in promoting positive change. I was one of 650 applicants, 40 of whom qualified for interviews, and 29 of whom were chosen. I will attend 8 instate seminars, each three days long, 2 seminars out of Wisconsin one week each, and one two-week seminar somewhere overseas. This will be my first experience with formal post secondary education, as Jim and I married when I was just 18! We have been married 28 years. I am looking forward to experiencing many new things. The Zahn household is planning a wedding! Our daughter Sara is engaged to marry Brady and we love him. They are planning a summer 2003 wedding. I am hoping Sara will choose to wear the headdress I wore when I married Jim. It could be her "Something Borrowed", or maybe her "Something Old"? Each Spring wild roses bloom in fence lines along the pastures on our farm. I know Jim thinks of me while he is out in the fields when he comes home one day in the Spring with a bouquet of delicate wild roses for a vase on our kitchen table. They scent the room with their light fragrance and make me smile each time I look at them, thinking of my husband picking them just for me! The wild roses are a tradition in our household, just as dandelions are the tradition in his mother's household for her early May birthday. Yes, Jim still picks dandelions for his mother every year for her birthday! Letters! I get Letters! Recently I began to receive letters from readers of the Keepers At Home magazine, requesting copies of my catalogue. When letters from readers of that magazine continued to come to me, I returned my catalogue to one of them along with a postage paid envelope requesting a copy of Keepers At Home. Shortly a copy arrived and I delighted in reading it cover to cover! It seems one of my customers from Pennsylvania, Sandy M., wrote a very complimentary letter about my soaps to the editor of that magazine and included my address. Hundreds wrote requesting my brochure. Thank you, Sandy! Keepers At Home is a magazine published for Christian women, with a goal of encouraging mothers in the various duties of motherhood, as written on their title page. The magazine has no ads, and appears to be written in large part by the readers. The table of contents indicates features of recipes, poetry, tips for the garden, kitchen, home safety. There are articles of pleasant memories, birth announcements, and a delightful section called Care to Share. For your very own subscription at $10 per year, call Carlisle Press at 800-852-4482. They also publish several cookbooks, books on gardening, a series of children's books and a magazine for children featuring activities with a nature theme. As a result of an article I wrote in a past newsletter about antique sock knitting machines, Barbara O. called to ask for help in finding a machine of her own to make socks for her husband. I was able find one for her and she had it mailed out pronto! Barbara was so thrilled with her purchase she sent me a lovely hand crocheted afghan as a thank you! Wow! That was completely unexpected and totally unnecessary, but I love it and will treasure the sentiment it came with. Thank you Barbara! And finally... Thank you for your wonderful notes and letters included with your orders. I read them all and enjoy hearing from you.