Tonight we have the Door County Realty Sales Associate of the Year party. The party is at the Ericksons--always a good time and always great food. Can't wait!
Sunday February 20, 2012
Our church had its annual Potato Pancake Supper last night. We served about 40 more people than last year. I should say, I had the easy job of hostess, others spent the day peeling potatoes, frying sausage and washing dishes. My cousin, Jean, has the process of making these down to a tee.
Peel 150 pounds of potatoes.
Run the potatoes through the food processor. Drain the liquid from the ground spuds.
Add salt, pepper, onion, and flour until the mixture seems thick--but not too thick--I think here is the trick, thick enough to hold together when you drop them onto the griddle, but not so thick that they don't spread out (thin, crisp pancakes are the best).
Heat your griddle, use oil or butter to coat, and when it's hot drop your batter on by the spoonful.
Allow to fry until the bottom is golden brown and a little crispy.
Flip to other side and allow to fry until this side is golden brown and crispy.
Serve them with maple syrup, sausage and warm apple sauce.
There were some leftovers so I brought them home. I heated them in a fry pan this morning and the were just as yummy as last night. I think tonight I will try some with sour cream and salsa; the combinations are endless.
These are great and cheap comfort food, I guess not something I should eat on a regular basis or I will need to substantially increase my treadmill time!
Monday February 13, 2012
What to get a seven year old girl for her birthday. After 12 years of all boys, Sienna and Ainsley are a welcome addition for a grandmom--but I've forgotten what little girls like. I'm thinking about big sketch pads with oodles of colored markers and pencils. Has anyone read The Magic Tree House books? The reviews online color them as exciting and adventurous. Any ideas you can provide, contact me here!
Saturday February 4, 2012
Do you remember my story from last spring when the baby pigs got out and Marlie found them hunkered down in the long swamp grass? Today's is almost as funny. Bob went over to take Casey and Ainsley's dog, Zoe, out. Now Zoe is a little fur ball of a dog, the kind that's fast and you don't easily catch. So Bob goes into the house and Zoe runs upstairs, he goes upstairs and she scoots between his legs back down the stairs and out the door (the door he left open).
I get a call at 4:30' "When are you coming home?". Seems Zoe would not come back into the house for Bob. I get there at about 4:40 and we spend the first five minutes coaxing Zoe to get into my car--no way was that working. Then I try bribery with some of the best breakfast sausage from Wayne & Paula's. She seemed to like that but still wasn't coming in.
I suggest we get Sienna, my logic was perfect; the little dog would respond to a little kid. Bob called Mike who stopped off on his way to Bley's, which only caused Zoe to run behind the barn. Wouldn't you run behind the barn if Lurch came after you?
I had to leave to meet someone to see a house. During my absence Bob took my sage advice, got Sienna, and Zoe just sort of followed Sienna into the house. I am so relieved, I am still laughing, and I so want to say, "I told you so". Did I mention that I suggested early on to get Sienna? And did I forget to mention that I suggested Bob take Zoe out on her leash? Did I mention this operation lasted from about 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm? Fun at the Bieri's!
Saturday February 4, 2012
Free is my new favorite word. We all know the best place to get a bite to each is anywhere in Door County--but next time you travel out of the country with kids check out MyKidsEatFree.com. There are over 6,000 restaurants in the USA that offer free meals for kids--be sure to let us know which you find to be your favorites. I am an advocate for local shopping but it does seem that we all make electronics purchases online or at one of the big retailers. If you have a Sam's Club membership, and even if you didn't buy your computer, TV or other electronic device from Sam's you can call their 24-hour tech support for help and actually get some help--a little time on the phone but far less painfull for me than paying the repairman! 1-877-758-4346
Monday January 20, 2012
My gosh, the weeks fly. Huh, I'm sounding like my grandmother--but they do fly by. We are recovering from the disappointing loss at Green Bay on the 15th, and the jerseys and cheeseheads are put away, but only until next August! It's a couple months out until baseball season--so what to do on a Sunday afternoon? Ice skating and sledding are a possibility--but the temps turned warm and have melted the snow and ice :(
OK, enough of that, if the weeks are flying by then we must be busy and active, right? Right. I have been super busy with buyers and sellers--yipee! And did you know garage-saling is alive and well in Door County--even in January. I closed on a house on Friday, the sellers held a garage sale on Saturday and sold almost everything--amazing--all they had left was an older sofa--I am so happy they didn't have to pack up that house-full of stuff and transport it back to their home (far from Door County). Last week I spent Tuesday through Friday in Milwaukee at the Wisconsin School Boards Convention. I just love serving on the school board, there is so much positive at schools, especially at Sevastopol. The convention was thought provoking and inspiring and I enjoyed my time with fellow school board members and getting to know them better on a personal basis. I'll remain busy with real estate this month, but my "January project" is to paint the bathrooms. The painting doesn't daunt me, what does is picking out the color. Even when looking at neutrals there are so many shades--what to do? Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted!
Monday January 9, 2012
Well, the indoor Christmas decorations are down and today Bob will take down the outside wreaths and colored outdoor lights. I really like to leave them out a bit longer, it's so nice to drive by at night and see the lights, but the weather is so mild and there is no snow so I guess I'll go the sensible route and take them down:(
Saving money is on my list for this year. I've changed our satellite TV programing, I am going to try the new Frontier Telephone high speed internet connection, and I've resolved to clip those coupons that come in the mail.
RightAtHome.com is a savings site by Johnson & Johnson. It has some household tips, and they have a "special offers" section where I found coupons for products I normally use like Ziploc bags, bathroom cleaner, Windex,, and more. Hey, this could be easy!
Tuesday January 3, 2012
Where did the holidays go? Where did the year go!? You probably feel the same as I do, sad to see 2011 pass but excited about the 2012 prospects. I have been reading in the newspapers about a possible recovery (slow but moving upward) to the real estate market, and an upturn in the stock market. Wouldn't those two be great. I have my goals for staying organized and for staying in touch with my friends, family and acquaintances this year all calendared, and, I have been diligently exercising since December 15th. That's a pretty good start, right? Well, I know, it's only January 3rd. Whatever the case, thank you for the wonderful memories, support and confidence you have shown me. May 2012 open doors for you of new and exciting opportunities, fill your heart with jyy and bring you beautiful experiences. Here's wishing you happiness, health and lots of prosperity in the New Year.
I have a new Door County Facebook page, Door County Bucket List. Here I will be posting things to do around the county, some video clips I will shoot about favorite places to shop and things to do, and from time to time a real estate update. Will you please visit http://www.facebook.com/DoorCountyBucketList and click the "Like" button? Thank you, I appreciate it so very much. Lisa
Tuesday December 13, 2011
I spent the weekend on a shop-till-you-drop mission in Appleton. Well, I didn't have that much shopping to do but I do think I looked at every shop and store in town. I love the outlet mall in Oshkosh where Eddie Bauer and Land's end usually have some great finds. I am hooked on the Statkin candles at Bath & Body Works and found a nice sale there. I do miss the Liz Claiborne outlet. I am amazed at how many stores will match a competitor's ad. Scheels Sporting Goods for instance honored Dick's Sporting Goods ads and coupons. My daugher, Lindsay, taught me--all you have to do is ask! Tomorrow we bring the tree in--gosh, I hope it doesn't take up the whole living room.
Monday December 5, 2011
20 days and counting...you know..until Christmas. Can you say whirlwind. That's the way the days will fly by, they certainly have since Thanksgiving. I am not a Black Friday shopper, but the day after Thanksgiving I did score a really good buy at Target. I got two Aero beds for $49 each. We really needed some new/additional box springs & mattresses for when Lindsay, Nick & the boys come home and because Luke & Carter usually wind up staying over too. Instead of $300+ on each bed the $49 felt really good. And those beds are amazing--just plug in the pump and in a couple of minutes a comfy mattress; all the boys loved it. When the weekend is over, a few minutes to deflate the mattress, roll it up, put it in its' carrying bag and into the closet. FANTASTIC. Bob & I spent last week deep-cleaning around the house, and on Friday the Deyoungs were back to attend Jason & Casey's wedding on Friday night. We are so lucky, two wonderful new daughter-in-laws and two beautiful new granddaughters in the same year. On Saturday afternoon we found our Christmas tree and I think we'll cut and put it up next week. On Sunday I attended Advent by Candlelight at St. Peter's Lutheran Church as a guest of my friend, Liz. A really pleasant and relaxing afternoon of fellowship, music, and readings--the time absolutely put me in the Christmas mood and reminded me to enjoy the season. Tonight my mission is to write 10 Christmas cards--10 a day for the next week and one-half and I'll get them all out well before the day. Life is good , so enjoy the season!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sometimes we "locals" refer good-naturedly to our visitors from the south (from Illinois) as "turkeys". I don't know how the reference came about or when, but I undoubtedly hear it every summer from someone. Click on the link below to see some turkeys...Door County Style!
Turkeys on Display This Len Villano Photography site is a fabulous spot to go when you long for a bit of Door County but can't get here!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Every winter these pups set up in the park in my town, Jacksonport. The sign says, No Dogs Allowed...and these guys just don't obey! Actually, they are the Jacksonport Polar Bears, but I think they look like big white dogs defying the sign on the tree. There are about three others in the group and this year they shine even brighter than usual. Be sure to watch for them as you travel through town. Let the holidays begin!
Thursday, November 24, 2011 Jacksonport Thanksgiving Day Parade
Since the Packers played the Lions this Thanksgiving Day, my daughter, Lindsay came up with the "Lions & turkey & deer, Oh My" theme. Get it, Lions (football), turkey (Thanksgiving) and deer (deer hunting).
The back of the truck said, "Don't get lost in the Real Estate Forest...Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Door County Realty and Lisa Bieri". You know, like the Emerald City and the Great Oz who solved everyone's problems.
Jack, Frankie, Biscuit (the lion) and I rode on the back of the truck, and Lindsay and Carrie, along with Sienna and Lydia rode inside. We had lots of fun and were home by 12:30 to put dinner on the table and watch the rest of the game.
I am no wizard and there's no magic, but I promise expert advice and excellent service for all of your real estate needs.
I hope your day was blessed with friends, family, and fun.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Our power was restored early last evening at about 5:00 p.m. Thank you Wisconsin Public Service! Door County was hard hit by the wind storm on Thursday night, our lack of power and closing of the state park system in Door County made the news all the way to the Chicago suburbs. Interesting how many inquires I had from people in that area (mostly people considering a home here) as to how often this happens. I can honestly say that I cannotrecall an outage that was so county-wide. I would say I might lose power at my house a couple of times a year, and never for more than one to three hours. Over the next several days I am sure we'll see stories and statistics relating just how big this outage was as compared to the "norm", and I'll be sure to pass those along to you. A power outage is inconvenient, and for some it means a loss of business income, but I will guarantee you this--there's no place better to have the experience than in Door County. Door County, where the fire stations, YMCA and senior center become a place to gather and warm up or get a hot meal, where your neighbors welcome you in, and where you are not more than 10 minutes from the next town where they likely do have power!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
On Thursday night between 9 and 10:00 p.m. our power went out due to the high winds in the county. We had wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour. All those trees with the beautiful leaves you love to see caused havoc with the power lines. We have a lot of downed trees and broken power poles. So many that between customers of Wisconsin Public Service and Sturgeon Bay Utilities about 75% were without power. A lot of people have been restored, but my area (near the east side of Clark Lake) is not scheduled to be back online until early evening.
So, what does one do when you are without power for over 24 hours? Well, you get resourceful. We have a birthday party to attend this evening, so I'll head over to the YMCA to use the locker room facilities there. We got an ice block for our freezer and a smaller one for the refrigerator to help preserve the food. My husband always has batteries on hand so we have a radio. Bob got out the camp stove to cook on, and yesterday Luke and Carter were with us because school was off so we went out at noon looking for a restaurant that might be open and luckily found PC Junction. When my cell phone runs low I drive over to West jacksonport and plug it in at my brother's house.
While we are greatly inconvenienced, it's really not like we are stranded with no alternatives. It's a bit of an adventure. Luke and Carter, who are 11 and 7, are super-creative when it comes to occuping themselves outside, but the high winds through yesterday kept them indoors. So, what do we do? No TV, no Wii. We have had some rousing games of checkers, Hearts and marbles, and last night as a "treat" I look them over to Uncle Phils and Aunt Mary's to watch television. Their dad works for the utility company and has been away since Thursday night; gosh I hope Sturgeon Bay Utilities gets everyone back online soon, I am runnig out of things to occupy the boys.
I found a public wireless connection this morning so am able to answer some emails and write this message. I fyou want to contact me today please call me on 920-493-5472, or email me at Lisa@HomeInDoorCounty.com as I do receive that email on my phone.
Two funny stories, my friend Barb was feeling creative yesterday so thought she would complete a wreath she started. She plugged in the glue gun and waited for it to heat. Duh, it's not going to heat without power! Her husband Mike went over to their bar to vacume. Mike plugged in the vacume...We are so reliant on electricity!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest Lion or it will be killed...
...Every morning in Africa a Lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle,
when the sun comes up, you'd better be running!
We all do get caught up in the chase--to stay ahead, to provide more, and to have more time. The chase is a fact of life...it's what makes life. Today especially we are working hard to keep our jobs, to get ahead or to catch up after a downturn. I, more than anyone, need to remind myself to not get caught up in the chase. I am recommitting myself to taking the time to connect with my family and friends.
I am starting tomorrow night—getting together with friends to plan something fun. Then on Friday night we’ll “execute” the fun. I can’t tell you what it is, but you’ll be amazed, amuzed, maybe even delighted, and might even want to have a little fun yourself. Stay tuned…
Saturday September 17, 2011
How can $1 buy so much fun? My son Mike married Theresa last weekend, and it was a wonderful weekend. We had a fun rehearsal dinner on Friday night, a beautiful ceremony at church, a fun after-church and before dinner reception in the afternoon, and then the reception in the evening.
The reception was held on the ball field in West Jacksonport—so appropriate because Bley’s Bar has been in the Bley family since 1905 and of course, there were lots of Bleys there. Theresa’s mom is a florist so the bouquets and table centerpieces were spectacular; the dresses were lovely, and the men handsome. My sister-in-law, Mary, bought these plastic glasses at the Dollar Store, so when the music began we put them on and started to dance.
From there everyone joined in and wanted a pair of those crazy glasses, and the dancing and the glasses continued until the band stopped at midnight. Oh, the glasses certainly didn’t make the wedding, but they did make for a lot of fun for a few people! What a great day, I wish we could celebrate every month like that. Can't wait for the "real" wedding pictures.
Friday, September 2nd
Labor Day weekend, does that mean summer is over? You wouldn't know it today--it's 80% and humid and the weekend weather promises to be really nice. I had planned to do the Door County YMCA Dualthon tomorrow, but about three weeks ago the dogs ran into me and my knee has been hurting ever since. It do think it is healing, but I also do not want to risk a 2 mile run, biking 12 miles and then running another 2 miles on it...worse yet to not finish. So, I'll keep biking and treadmilling and plan for next spring. I wrapped up my showing appointments today (but will welcome any other calls for the weekend!), and I have a listing appointment tomorrow morning. After that I plan an afternoon of fun with a fish boil and time at Rehberg's Clark Lake cottage. Well, it's hardly a cottage any more, Dan did a really nice job of recreating it. American Folklore Theatre is admitting school aged kids free tonight to see Guys on Ice. What a fabulous opportunity for kids to see live theatre and a funny, family-friendly play. The annual Bieri-Brauer boys camp-out is tonight in the woods behind our house--so glad it's the boys sleeping in those tents on this hot night!
August 28th, 2011
Ah, the quiet of Sunday morning. Yesterday was a long day, but a fun day. It began with meeting two new clients at a fantastic home for another viewing. I think that the home will be a really nice buy so I hope it works for them. From there Luke, Carter and I had lunch at Mike's Port Pub in Jacksonport. My burger and deep fired mushrooms were done to perfection, and Luke's cheese curds looked pretty good too. From there we headed to pick up Jack and Frank for our afternoon of adventure.
We first hit Horseshoe Bay Farms for Egg Harbor's 150th birthday celebration. Of course the boys immediately gravitated to the old firetruck on display in front of the main barn. Frank Cowles had the 1932 Seagrave truck fully restored a number of years ago and it comes out periodically for parades and special occasions. Mr. Crowles is no longer living but his family's legacy does live on at the Farm. The boys took turns in the driver's seat, rang the bell and I took pictures with my phone--but now I do not know how to get them off to post here. Maybe one of my techie kids will help me. We toured the barns, watched some old movie footage of work on the farm, and the boys climbed the ladders to look in each hay loft. It may not have been the educational experience I thought, but I think they had fun exploring.
Next we headed over to the Egg Harbor Fun Park for minature golf. Four little boys, three of them super-competitive, and almost every hole with a water hazzard equals, well, a lot of refereeing and, "Don't go in that water with your new shoes". After golf they headed for the arcade and each spent the next hour playing games and collecting tickets. With those tickets they got the usual arcade treasures like squishy balls, those Chinese finger games, whoopee cushions and an assortment of penny candy. We finished up at the fun park with Blue Moon and Superman ice cream.
Next a little quiet time at home, or so I thought. The bigger boys played baseball and Frankie drove the Gator from fort to fort. Church at 7:00 p.m. and then home for pizza and bed. Needless to say, I am looking forward to a quiet day--yes, I have a tone of real estate work to catch up on--but that will be quiet as compared to yesterday!
It's 7:50 a.m. and I hear stirrings upstairs so I guess they are all up. Time for breakfast and then to pack up for the trip home. Gosh, it was fun, can't wait to do it again.
Thursday August 25th, 2011
Another week with fantastic weather. We had a great, and much needed, rain on Tuesday night and the weekend forecast is for clear skies and great temps.
If you are in the Door this weekend a fun event to take in will be Egg Harbor’s 150th Birthday Celebration on Saturday, August 27th.
Saturday is Carter’s birthday, and because all of the guys will be off at Mike’s bachelor party/golf outing, I will spend the day with Luke, Carter, Jack and Frankie.
First we will hit the Egg Harbor Fun Park for some miniature golf and of course some time in the game room.
Then we will head over to Horseshoe Bay Farms and they can experience where their great grandfather grew up, and where their great-great grandfather managed the farm where outstanding cattle were bred for distribution throughout the United States. The Egg Harbor Historical Society will offer tours of the historic barns on County G/Horseshoe Bay Road and help us learn how a large farm was operated during a time when horses and laborers did watch tractors and huge pieces of machinery do today. They have even unearthed home movie footage from the 1920s showing the working farm.
It is going to be a great day-fun and a day full of discovery.
The guided tours of the historic barns run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. At noon to 2:00 p.m. there is a square dancing demonstration (you must remember learning to square dance in grade school!), and from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. there will be a Native American ceremonial dance celebration (if you grew up in Door County you must remember the dancers at Chief Oshkosh’s).
Throughout the day there will be music and great foot, a tradition at any Door County event.
Pick up a copy of the Peninsula Pulse and on pages 8 and 9 you will find a really nice story about Egg Harbor. My favorite part of the whole piece was this recollection from the children of Harvey and Helen Haen who ran a service station in Egg Harbor, “We never knew who was coming to dinner. When Harvey was working on someone’s car or machinery at noon, that person was invited to eat with the family.”
Have a fantastic weekend.
August 17th, 2011
This came across my desk this morning and I thought, "What a great thought, I should share this with everyone!".
When I woke up this morning lying in bed I was asking myself: What are some of the secrets of success in life? I found the answer right there in my very room...
The Fan Said..... Be Cool
The Roof Said.....Aim High
The Window Said.... See The World
The Clock Said.... Every Minute Is Precious
The Mirror Said.... Reflect Before You Act
The Calendar Said....Be-Up- To-Date
The Door Said....Push Hard For Your Goals
And Not To Forget The Carpet That Said...
KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY!
August 6th, 2011
Do you remember the last time you went to the fair? I spent a good part of yesterday at the Door County Fair with my grandson's, Luke and Carter. We arrived at the fair grounds at 11:30 a.m., paid our gate fee of $5.00 each, and I bought the boys each a wrist band that would allow them unlimited carnival rides. We headed straight to the Farm Bureau stand and had a lunch of hamburger and nachos. The carnival rides did not open until 1:00 p.m. so we spent some time looking through the cattle barns where we saw bovine of all sizes and colors. Next we checked out the pigs, who were all lying down taking a long afternoon nap. A few stalls had sheep--so cute. And of course we looked at the horses, I just love the smell in the horse barn, although this year they have a fantastic new barn with brand new stalls and great ventilation so the "horsey" smell isn't quite so prevalent. Now it was 1:00 p.m. so we hit the midway. The guys played some games and won prizes--things I would call junk-but, hey, it's a learning experience for them. And they rode to their heart's content--so much so that at 4:30 they said they were dizzy and ready to go home. I had a great time watching them and saw lots of people I knew. Oh, and when we left, we made sure to walk out with a huge bag of cotton candy and a few carmel apples!
July 21st, 2011It's hot and so tempting to head to the Lakeside Park and the beach every day. I swear it's so hot we can fry eggs on the sidewalk in downtown Jacksonport! I'm not complaining though. Despite air and fans my office does get a little muggy, and the in and out of the car and houses is a constant temperature challenge, but at least I do not have to work constantly outside in the heat and sun. I think of the guys at Bay Shipbuilding working on all that steel and how hot it gets, I watched some farmers in the field today baling hay, I even worried about the girls weeding the flower gardens at Mariners Pointe. The national weather service says this is the hottest spell in 10 years for Door County and that we will not have relief from the temps until next Monday. In the meantime though the humidity will ease and we should get some rain showers. Yesterdeay I picked a five-quart pail of raspberries, and there are more to pick tonight. I may have to try my hand at making some of my Grandma Bley's raspberry jam. There is a field of green beans across from my folks house so I'm going to raid that for some fresh veggies (fortunately it is owned by my brother!), in another week the peas should be ready to pick. In the meantime, I think I'll walk the dogs to the pond and take a ride in the paddle boat
July 11th, 2011 - the Door County Fish Boil
Search the words, fish boil, on the web and you’ll find the first page filled with links for Door County and something fish boil. I attended, and ate heartily, at a fish boil at my church yesterday. The fish were probably good for me, but add the boiled potatoes and onions all smothered with melted butter, some rye bread smothered with more butter, and an array of salads and deserts…well, my training for the duathlon took a step backward.
I never understand why people are so fascinated or will wait in line for an hour to eat at a fish boil. They are so common here, but not so everywhere else. I sat across the table from a gentleman from Montana—no fish boil there. They say the Door County fish boil is the answer to New England’s clambake. The festive atmosphere of mingling in line with other guests and sharing your meal at a picnic table has been a custom around the Great Lakes for over a hundred years. As the story goes, the Scandinavians brought the tradition—and because Whitefish and Trout were so plentiful in the lakes, the fish boil became an easy way to prepare a meal outside by boiling fish, potatoes and onions in a large pot.
Fish boil purests cook their fish in a black iron kettle over a fire of slab wood or logs. Today, stainless steel kettles and propane fueled fires are being more commonplace. The overboil is the climax—when the fish are done a pint of kerosene is added to the fire and as flames shoot skyward the flash of heat causes the pots to overboil and flush the frothy water from the surface of the boiling, churning water. The roar and flash of the overboil is somewhat dramatic and the announcement that the food is ready.
Happy Birthday America! This has been a FUN weekend. On Saturday night we enjoyed a pig roast at our friends, the Birnscheins, and some fantastic fireworks. Yesterday we took in the Door County Baseball League game between Egg Harbor and West Jacksonport--:( West Jacksonport lost, but hey, you can't be great every year! There were fireworks all around us last night. The usual fireworks over Clark Lake, plus fireworks by someone over year Lake Michigan and another set at the Frelk Family Compound. This morning we stayed in rather than heading to Baileys Harbor to the parade...I took the dogs to the pond and they swam for an hour. Heading out now for Egg Harbor. Training for the Duathlon was hard yesterday--my muscles are sore, plus the food on Saturday night was incredible and we ate way too much. Back to it today with another one hour bike ride and some weight training. Have a fantastic day!
July 2nd, 2011
Yesterday was super windy and at times a bit cold. But today, true summer weather. Already in Jacksonport it is 73 degrees and getting warmer. I have work to do at my desk this morning and an open house this afternoon--it's hard to concentrate because outside I hear the kids riding the four wheelers, the dogs chasing them and just plain fun going on.
Yesterday I began my training to compete in the Door County Duathaonover Labor Day weekend sponsored by the Door County YMCA. Well, maybe not compete, but participate at least. The Duathalon is run two miles, bike twelve miles, run two miles. Surprisingly I am more concerned about the 12 mile bike ride than I am about running four miles. I have a workout schedule to cover the next eight weeks, and since I've announced my intent on Facebookand here I now have all of you to hold me accountable. My workout yesterday consisted of a one mile walk down Jorns Road to Lake Michigan and 20 minutes of weight training--and that equals sore today. Today I've done my 30 minutes of aerobics but will need to get in a one hour bike ride, I think I'll ride up to Cave Point. Have a fantastic day!
July 2, 2011
Empty Nest...Door County Style
June 22, 2011 - This Little Door County Piggie
My son Jason has 7 little pigs over at the farm. Farmer Jason built a poor fence for them so sometime today the 7 little pigs got out. About 5:00 p.m. Bob came to say we needed to look for them. Well, where to you begin to look for pigs in about 160 acres of woods? Of course Jason was at soccer with the boys, so Bob and I headed out on the four wheelers in search of the pigs. After about an hour Mike came home to help. I took a ride down Cave Point Drive while Bob and Mike stayed in the woods. Bob had our little Rat Terrier, Marlie, with him, at one point Marlie jumped off her seat on the four wheeler and headed to the swamp. There were the 7 little pigs wallowing int he mud and eating swamp grass. About now Jason and the boys get home so we surrounded the pigs and herded them the 1/2 mile back to the barn Never a dull moment at the Bieri Southport Ranch. This would have been a great photo op, but of course I did not have my camera or phone with me!
One other funny thing about this year's pigs--our neighbor Freddie brought over boxes and boxes of expired chips to feed the pigs---all kinds--Doritos, Cheetos, TGI Fridays Potato Skins, Cracker Jack, you name it we have them. The pigs love the chips. I don't know that they'll get fat on them, but it's great fun watching them swarm to the feeder when Luke and Carter fill the trough. So the pigs this year are named after our 7 favorite chips: Dorito, Cheeto, Cracker Jack, Pringle, Friday, Lays, and Cheddar (for the white popcorn).
June 19th, 2011 There's No Crying In Baseball!
Our summer Sunday afternoon ritual has been to go to the Door County League baseball game and the West Jacksonport Ports. It’s a fun afternoon of visiting, watching baseball, and the kids have a great time shagging foul balls. I don’t particularly like baseball—I am really afraid of the ball. But I like watching the Door County League. Today, I was across the road with George and Frankie keeping an eye on them while they chased foul balls. I was so intent on watching them and the road, at one point I forgot to watch the ball and it hit me in the shoulder. I can’t believe it—me who is afraid of the ball and who would run under the bench to stay away. Well, it hurt a little, man it hurt a lot, but I didn’t cry because as Tom Hanks said in a League of Their Own, “There’s no crying in baseball”. A League of Their Own is I think my second favorite “sports-type” movie. I have to save the story about my first for another day.
May 7th, 2011 - Mothers Day Weekend I received this little tribute to women from no less than three people--and two of them were men--so I thought I would share with you. This most definitely describes some of the women in my life--my mom Eunice, my sister-in-law Mary, it was my grand moms Lydia and Norma, my great-aunt Sylvia and my friend Ruth Anschutz. I watch my daughters Lindsay and Theresa, and my nieces the Bley girls developing the same wonderful qualities. Love you all.
ONE FLAW
IN WOMEN
Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy. And laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe. They stand up against injustice. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member. Yet, they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you-- to show how much they care about you. They don’t take "no" for an answer-- when they think there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to a doctor with a frightened friend. They cry when their children excel-- and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about-- a birth or a wedding. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give. However, if there is ONE FLAW IN WOMAN… It is that they forget their worth!
Thank you, Woody, for sharing!
April 28th, 2011
I guess I've know this for years, but something that struck me last night was how food is a centerpiece at almost every gathering I attend--or host for that matter. On Sunday we celebrated Easter at my brother Phil's house with brunch Of course one can expect a feast on this special day so my sister-in-law, Mary, prepared prime rib, ham, baby red potatoes, an egg and chicken bake, fresh fruit salad, fresh veggie salad, our family's staple curly noodle & crab salad...I cannot even remember today everything but, needless to say the buffet line went on forever. It was a fun day with about 40 people ranging in age from 2 years old (and enjoying an outside egg hunt) to five people aged 80-91 who enjoyed visiting and sharing remembrances with the rest of us.
Last night we attended a celbration for Al Birnschein, Jacksonport's new town chairman. Al won his seat in April and will do a great job in leading Jacksonport through challenging financial times. We celebrated at Bley's Bar with about 75 other friends and neighbors. Food again topped the evening with the ususal vegetable, cheese and cracker trays, and standard bar-fare--canable sandwiches. For you who don't know that's ground sirloin served raw on rye bread and topped with salt, pepper and raw onion. The sirloin came from Wayne & Paula Bley's grocery in Jacksonport--Wayne and Adam raise their own beef, it is fed naturally, and then sold in their grocery store. Ordinarily I might pass on raw beef, but knowing how the beef is raised and fed and how it is handled after slaughter left me with no qualms--except the raw onion, I had to pass on that!
Great food, great friends and lots of family...that's what makes living in Door County so special. How does this happen? I had great photos from Sunday and a few from last night--this morning they are gone from my camera. I promise, photos and video in future posts! Have a great day.
Sunday February 20, 2012
Our church had its annual Potato Pancake Supper last night. We served about 40 more people than last year. I should say, I had the easy job of hostess, others spent the day peeling potatoes, frying sausage and washing dishes. My cousin, Jean, has the process of making these down to a tee.
Peel 150 pounds of potatoes.
Run the potatoes through the food processor. Drain the liquid from the ground spuds.
Add salt, pepper, onion, and flour until the mixture seems thick--but not too thick--I think here is the trick, thick enough to hold together when you drop them onto the griddle, but not so thick that they don't spread out (thin, crisp pancakes are the best).
Heat your griddle, use oil or butter to coat, and when it's hot drop your batter on by the spoonful.
Allow to fry until the bottom is golden brown and a little crispy.
Flip to other side and allow to fry until this side is golden brown and crispy.
Serve them with maple syrup, sausage and warm apple sauce.
There were some leftovers so I brought them home. I heated them in a fry pan this morning and the were just as yummy as last night. I think tonight I will try some with sour cream and salsa; the combinations are endless.
These are great and cheap comfort food, I guess not something I should eat on a regular basis or I will need to substantially increase my treadmill time!
Monday February 13, 2012
What to get a seven year old girl for her birthday. After 12 years of all boys, Sienna and Ainsley are a welcome addition for a grandmom--but I've forgotten what little girls like. I'm thinking about big sketch pads with oodles of colored markers and pencils. Has anyone read The Magic Tree House books? The reviews online color them as exciting and adventurous. Any ideas you can provide, contact me here!
Saturday February 4, 2012
Do you remember my story from last spring when the baby pigs got out and Marlie found them hunkered down in the long swamp grass? Today's is almost as funny. Bob went over to take Casey and Ainsley's dog, Zoe, out. Now Zoe is a little fur ball of a dog, the kind that's fast and you don't easily catch. So Bob goes into the house and Zoe runs upstairs, he goes upstairs and she scoots between his legs back down the stairs and out the door (the door he left open).
I get a call at 4:30' "When are you coming home?". Seems Zoe would not come back into the house for Bob. I get there at about 4:40 and we spend the first five minutes coaxing Zoe to get into my car--no way was that working. Then I try bribery with some of the best breakfast sausage from Wayne & Paula's. She seemed to like that but still wasn't coming in.
I suggest we get Sienna, my logic was perfect; the little dog would respond to a little kid. Bob called Mike who stopped off on his way to Bley's, which only caused Zoe to run behind the barn. Wouldn't you run behind the barn if Lurch came after you?
I had to leave to meet someone to see a house. During my absence Bob took my sage advice, got Sienna, and Zoe just sort of followed Sienna into the house. I am so relieved, I am still laughing, and I so want to say, "I told you so". Did I mention that I suggested early on to get Sienna? And did I forget to mention that I suggested Bob take Zoe out on her leash? Did I mention this operation lasted from about 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm? Fun at the Bieri's!
Saturday February 4, 2012
Free is my new favorite word. We all know the best place to get a bite to each is anywhere in Door County--but next time you travel out of the country with kids check out MyKidsEatFree.com. There are over 6,000 restaurants in the USA that offer free meals for kids--be sure to let us know which you find to be your favorites. I am an advocate for local shopping but it does seem that we all make electronics purchases online or at one of the big retailers. If you have a Sam's Club membership, and even if you didn't buy your computer, TV or other electronic device from Sam's you can call their 24-hour tech support for help and actually get some help--a little time on the phone but far less painfull for me than paying the repairman! 1-877-758-4346
Monday January 20, 2012
My gosh, the weeks fly. Huh, I'm sounding like my grandmother--but they do fly by. We are recovering from the disappointing loss at Green Bay on the 15th, and the jerseys and cheeseheads are put away, but only until next August! It's a couple months out until baseball season--so what to do on a Sunday afternoon? Ice skating and sledding are a possibility--but the temps turned warm and have melted the snow and ice :(
OK, enough of that, if the weeks are flying by then we must be busy and active, right? Right. I have been super busy with buyers and sellers--yipee! And did you know garage-saling is alive and well in Door County--even in January. I closed on a house on Friday, the sellers held a garage sale on Saturday and sold almost everything--amazing--all they had left was an older sofa--I am so happy they didn't have to pack up that house-full of stuff and transport it back to their home (far from Door County). Last week I spent Tuesday through Friday in Milwaukee at the Wisconsin School Boards Convention. I just love serving on the school board, there is so much positive at schools, especially at Sevastopol. The convention was thought provoking and inspiring and I enjoyed my time with fellow school board members and getting to know them better on a personal basis. I'll remain busy with real estate this month, but my "January project" is to paint the bathrooms. The painting doesn't daunt me, what does is picking out the color. Even when looking at neutrals there are so many shades--what to do? Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted!
Monday January 9, 2012
Well, the indoor Christmas decorations are down and today Bob will take down the outside wreaths and colored outdoor lights. I really like to leave them out a bit longer, it's so nice to drive by at night and see the lights, but the weather is so mild and there is no snow so I guess I'll go the sensible route and take them down:(
Saving money is on my list for this year. I've changed our satellite TV programing, I am going to try the new Frontier Telephone high speed internet connection, and I've resolved to clip those coupons that come in the mail.
RightAtHome.com is a savings site by Johnson & Johnson. It has some household tips, and they have a "special offers" section where I found coupons for products I normally use like Ziploc bags, bathroom cleaner, Windex,, and more. Hey, this could be easy!
Tuesday January 3, 2012
Where did the holidays go? Where did the year go!? You probably feel the same as I do, sad to see 2011 pass but excited about the 2012 prospects. I have been reading in the newspapers about a possible recovery (slow but moving upward) to the real estate market, and an upturn in the stock market. Wouldn't those two be great. I have my goals for staying organized and for staying in touch with my friends, family and acquaintances this year all calendared, and, I have been diligently exercising since December 15th. That's a pretty good start, right? Well, I know, it's only January 3rd. Whatever the case, thank you for the wonderful memories, support and confidence you have shown me. May 2012 open doors for you of new and exciting opportunities, fill your heart with jyy and bring you beautiful experiences. Here's wishing you happiness, health and lots of prosperity in the New Year.
I have a new Door County Facebook page, Door County Bucket List. Here I will be posting things to do around the county, some video clips I will shoot about favorite places to shop and things to do, and from time to time a real estate update. Will you please visit http://www.facebook.com/DoorCountyBucketList and click the "Like" button? Thank you, I appreciate it so very much. Lisa
Tuesday December 13, 2011
I spent the weekend on a shop-till-you-drop mission in Appleton. Well, I didn't have that much shopping to do but I do think I looked at every shop and store in town. I love the outlet mall in Oshkosh where Eddie Bauer and Land's end usually have some great finds. I am hooked on the Statkin candles at Bath & Body Works and found a nice sale there. I do miss the Liz Claiborne outlet. I am amazed at how many stores will match a competitor's ad. Scheels Sporting Goods for instance honored Dick's Sporting Goods ads and coupons. My daugher, Lindsay, taught me--all you have to do is ask! Tomorrow we bring the tree in--gosh, I hope it doesn't take up the whole living room.
Monday December 5, 2011
20 days and counting...you know..until Christmas. Can you say whirlwind. That's the way the days will fly by, they certainly have since Thanksgiving. I am not a Black Friday shopper, but the day after Thanksgiving I did score a really good buy at Target. I got two Aero beds for $49 each. We really needed some new/additional box springs & mattresses for when Lindsay, Nick & the boys come home and because Luke & Carter usually wind up staying over too. Instead of $300+ on each bed the $49 felt really good. And those beds are amazing--just plug in the pump and in a couple of minutes a comfy mattress; all the boys loved it. When the weekend is over, a few minutes to deflate the mattress, roll it up, put it in its' carrying bag and into the closet. FANTASTIC. Bob & I spent last week deep-cleaning around the house, and on Friday the Deyoungs were back to attend Jason & Casey's wedding on Friday night. We are so lucky, two wonderful new daughter-in-laws and two beautiful new granddaughters in the same year. On Saturday afternoon we found our Christmas tree and I think we'll cut and put it up next week. On Sunday I attended Advent by Candlelight at St. Peter's Lutheran Church as a guest of my friend, Liz. A really pleasant and relaxing afternoon of fellowship, music, and readings--the time absolutely put me in the Christmas mood and reminded me to enjoy the season. Tonight my mission is to write 10 Christmas cards--10 a day for the next week and one-half and I'll get them all out well before the day. Life is good , so enjoy the season!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sometimes we "locals" refer good-naturedly to our visitors from the south (from Illinois) as "turkeys". I don't know how the reference came about or when, but I undoubtedly hear it every summer from someone. Click on the link below to see some turkeys...Door County Style!
Turkeys on Display This Len Villano Photography site is a fabulous spot to go when you long for a bit of Door County but can't get here!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Every winter these pups set up in the park in my town, Jacksonport. The sign says, No Dogs Allowed...and these guys just don't obey! Actually, they are the Jacksonport Polar Bears, but I think they look like big white dogs defying the sign on the tree. There are about three others in the group and this year they shine even brighter than usual. Be sure to watch for them as you travel through town. Let the holidays begin!
Thursday, November 24, 2011 Jacksonport Thanksgiving Day Parade
Since the Packers played the Lions this Thanksgiving Day, my daughter, Lindsay came up with the "Lions & turkey & deer, Oh My" theme. Get it, Lions (football), turkey (Thanksgiving) and deer (deer hunting).
The back of the truck said, "Don't get lost in the Real Estate Forest...Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Door County Realty and Lisa Bieri". You know, like the Emerald City and the Great Oz who solved everyone's problems.
Jack, Frankie, Biscuit (the lion) and I rode on the back of the truck, and Lindsay and Carrie, along with Sienna and Lydia rode inside. We had lots of fun and were home by 12:30 to put dinner on the table and watch the rest of the game.
I am no wizard and there's no magic, but I promise expert advice and excellent service for all of your real estate needs.
I hope your day was blessed with friends, family, and fun.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Our power was restored early last evening at about 5:00 p.m. Thank you Wisconsin Public Service! Door County was hard hit by the wind storm on Thursday night, our lack of power and closing of the state park system in Door County made the news all the way to the Chicago suburbs. Interesting how many inquires I had from people in that area (mostly people considering a home here) as to how often this happens. I can honestly say that I cannotrecall an outage that was so county-wide. I would say I might lose power at my house a couple of times a year, and never for more than one to three hours. Over the next several days I am sure we'll see stories and statistics relating just how big this outage was as compared to the "norm", and I'll be sure to pass those along to you. A power outage is inconvenient, and for some it means a loss of business income, but I will guarantee you this--there's no place better to have the experience than in Door County. Door County, where the fire stations, YMCA and senior center become a place to gather and warm up or get a hot meal, where your neighbors welcome you in, and where you are not more than 10 minutes from the next town where they likely do have power!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
On Thursday night between 9 and 10:00 p.m. our power went out due to the high winds in the county. We had wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour. All those trees with the beautiful leaves you love to see caused havoc with the power lines. We have a lot of downed trees and broken power poles. So many that between customers of Wisconsin Public Service and Sturgeon Bay Utilities about 75% were without power. A lot of people have been restored, but my area (near the east side of Clark Lake) is not scheduled to be back online until early evening.
So, what does one do when you are without power for over 24 hours? Well, you get resourceful. We have a birthday party to attend this evening, so I'll head over to the YMCA to use the locker room facilities there. We got an ice block for our freezer and a smaller one for the refrigerator to help preserve the food. My husband always has batteries on hand so we have a radio. Bob got out the camp stove to cook on, and yesterday Luke and Carter were with us because school was off so we went out at noon looking for a restaurant that might be open and luckily found PC Junction. When my cell phone runs low I drive over to West jacksonport and plug it in at my brother's house.
While we are greatly inconvenienced, it's really not like we are stranded with no alternatives. It's a bit of an adventure. Luke and Carter, who are 11 and 7, are super-creative when it comes to occuping themselves outside, but the high winds through yesterday kept them indoors. So, what do we do? No TV, no Wii. We have had some rousing games of checkers, Hearts and marbles, and last night as a "treat" I look them over to Uncle Phils and Aunt Mary's to watch television. Their dad works for the utility company and has been away since Thursday night; gosh I hope Sturgeon Bay Utilities gets everyone back online soon, I am runnig out of things to occupy the boys.
I found a public wireless connection this morning so am able to answer some emails and write this message. I fyou want to contact me today please call me on 920-493-5472, or email me at Lisa@HomeInDoorCounty.com as I do receive that email on my phone.
Two funny stories, my friend Barb was feeling creative yesterday so thought she would complete a wreath she started. She plugged in the glue gun and waited for it to heat. Duh, it's not going to heat without power! Her husband Mike went over to their bar to vacume. Mike plugged in the vacume...We are so reliant on electricity!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest Lion or it will be killed...
...Every morning in Africa a Lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle,
when the sun comes up, you'd better be running!
We all do get caught up in the chase--to stay ahead, to provide more, and to have more time. The chase is a fact of life...it's what makes life. Today especially we are working hard to keep our jobs, to get ahead or to catch up after a downturn. I, more than anyone, need to remind myself to not get caught up in the chase. I am recommitting myself to taking the time to connect with my family and friends.
I am starting tomorrow night—getting together with friends to plan something fun. Then on Friday night we’ll “execute” the fun. I can’t tell you what it is, but you’ll be amazed, amuzed, maybe even delighted, and might even want to have a little fun yourself. Stay tuned…
Saturday September 17, 2011
How can $1 buy so much fun? My son Mike married Theresa last weekend, and it was a wonderful weekend. We had a fun rehearsal dinner on Friday night, a beautiful ceremony at church, a fun after-church and before dinner reception in the afternoon, and then the reception in the evening.
The reception was held on the ball field in West Jacksonport—so appropriate because Bley’s Bar has been in the Bley family since 1905 and of course, there were lots of Bleys there. Theresa’s mom is a florist so the bouquets and table centerpieces were spectacular; the dresses were lovely, and the men handsome. My sister-in-law, Mary, bought these plastic glasses at the Dollar Store, so when the music began we put them on and started to dance.
From there everyone joined in and wanted a pair of those crazy glasses, and the dancing and the glasses continued until the band stopped at midnight. Oh, the glasses certainly didn’t make the wedding, but they did make for a lot of fun for a few people! What a great day, I wish we could celebrate every month like that. Can't wait for the "real" wedding pictures.
Friday, September 2nd
Labor Day weekend, does that mean summer is over? You wouldn't know it today--it's 80% and humid and the weekend weather promises to be really nice. I had planned to do the Door County YMCA Dualthon tomorrow, but about three weeks ago the dogs ran into me and my knee has been hurting ever since. It do think it is healing, but I also do not want to risk a 2 mile run, biking 12 miles and then running another 2 miles on it...worse yet to not finish. So, I'll keep biking and treadmilling and plan for next spring. I wrapped up my showing appointments today (but will welcome any other calls for the weekend!), and I have a listing appointment tomorrow morning. After that I plan an afternoon of fun with a fish boil and time at Rehberg's Clark Lake cottage. Well, it's hardly a cottage any more, Dan did a really nice job of recreating it. American Folklore Theatre is admitting school aged kids free tonight to see Guys on Ice. What a fabulous opportunity for kids to see live theatre and a funny, family-friendly play. The annual Bieri-Brauer boys camp-out is tonight in the woods behind our house--so glad it's the boys sleeping in those tents on this hot night!
August 28th, 2011
Ah, the quiet of Sunday morning. Yesterday was a long day, but a fun day. It began with meeting two new clients at a fantastic home for another viewing. I think that the home will be a really nice buy so I hope it works for them. From there Luke, Carter and I had lunch at Mike's Port Pub in Jacksonport. My burger and deep fired mushrooms were done to perfection, and Luke's cheese curds looked pretty good too. From there we headed to pick up Jack and Frank for our afternoon of adventure.
We first hit Horseshoe Bay Farms for Egg Harbor's 150th birthday celebration. Of course the boys immediately gravitated to the old firetruck on display in front of the main barn. Frank Cowles had the 1932 Seagrave truck fully restored a number of years ago and it comes out periodically for parades and special occasions. Mr. Crowles is no longer living but his family's legacy does live on at the Farm. The boys took turns in the driver's seat, rang the bell and I took pictures with my phone--but now I do not know how to get them off to post here. Maybe one of my techie kids will help me. We toured the barns, watched some old movie footage of work on the farm, and the boys climbed the ladders to look in each hay loft. It may not have been the educational experience I thought, but I think they had fun exploring.
Next we headed over to the Egg Harbor Fun Park for minature golf. Four little boys, three of them super-competitive, and almost every hole with a water hazzard equals, well, a lot of refereeing and, "Don't go in that water with your new shoes". After golf they headed for the arcade and each spent the next hour playing games and collecting tickets. With those tickets they got the usual arcade treasures like squishy balls, those Chinese finger games, whoopee cushions and an assortment of penny candy. We finished up at the fun park with Blue Moon and Superman ice cream.
Next a little quiet time at home, or so I thought. The bigger boys played baseball and Frankie drove the Gator from fort to fort. Church at 7:00 p.m. and then home for pizza and bed. Needless to say, I am looking forward to a quiet day--yes, I have a tone of real estate work to catch up on--but that will be quiet as compared to yesterday!
It's 7:50 a.m. and I hear stirrings upstairs so I guess they are all up. Time for breakfast and then to pack up for the trip home. Gosh, it was fun, can't wait to do it again.
Thursday August 25th, 2011
Another week with fantastic weather. We had a great, and much needed, rain on Tuesday night and the weekend forecast is for clear skies and great temps.
If you are in the Door this weekend a fun event to take in will be Egg Harbor’s 150th Birthday Celebration on Saturday, August 27th.
Saturday is Carter’s birthday, and because all of the guys will be off at Mike’s bachelor party/golf outing, I will spend the day with Luke, Carter, Jack and Frankie.
First we will hit the Egg Harbor Fun Park for some miniature golf and of course some time in the game room.
Then we will head over to Horseshoe Bay Farms and they can experience where their great grandfather grew up, and where their great-great grandfather managed the farm where outstanding cattle were bred for distribution throughout the United States. The Egg Harbor Historical Society will offer tours of the historic barns on County G/Horseshoe Bay Road and help us learn how a large farm was operated during a time when horses and laborers did watch tractors and huge pieces of machinery do today. They have even unearthed home movie footage from the 1920s showing the working farm.
It is going to be a great day-fun and a day full of discovery.
The guided tours of the historic barns run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. At noon to 2:00 p.m. there is a square dancing demonstration (you must remember learning to square dance in grade school!), and from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. there will be a Native American ceremonial dance celebration (if you grew up in Door County you must remember the dancers at Chief Oshkosh’s).
Throughout the day there will be music and great foot, a tradition at any Door County event.
Pick up a copy of the Peninsula Pulse and on pages 8 and 9 you will find a really nice story about Egg Harbor. My favorite part of the whole piece was this recollection from the children of Harvey and Helen Haen who ran a service station in Egg Harbor, “We never knew who was coming to dinner. When Harvey was working on someone’s car or machinery at noon, that person was invited to eat with the family.”
Have a fantastic weekend.
August 17th, 2011
This came across my desk this morning and I thought, "What a great thought, I should share this with everyone!".
When I woke up this morning lying in bed I was asking myself: What are some of the secrets of success in life? I found the answer right there in my very room...
The Fan Said..... Be Cool
The Roof Said.....Aim High
The Window Said.... See The World
The Clock Said.... Every Minute Is Precious
The Mirror Said.... Reflect Before You Act
The Calendar Said....Be-Up- To-Date
The Door Said....Push Hard For Your Goals
And Not To Forget The Carpet That Said...
KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY!
August 6th, 2011
Do you remember the last time you went to the fair? I spent a good part of yesterday at the Door County Fair with my grandson's, Luke and Carter. We arrived at the fair grounds at 11:30 a.m., paid our gate fee of $5.00 each, and I bought the boys each a wrist band that would allow them unlimited carnival rides. We headed straight to the Farm Bureau stand and had a lunch of hamburger and nachos. The carnival rides did not open until 1:00 p.m. so we spent some time looking through the cattle barns where we saw bovine of all sizes and colors. Next we checked out the pigs, who were all lying down taking a long afternoon nap. A few stalls had sheep--so cute. And of course we looked at the horses, I just love the smell in the horse barn, although this year they have a fantastic new barn with brand new stalls and great ventilation so the "horsey" smell isn't quite so prevalent. Now it was 1:00 p.m. so we hit the midway. The guys played some games and won prizes--things I would call junk-but, hey, it's a learning experience for them. And they rode to their heart's content--so much so that at 4:30 they said they were dizzy and ready to go home. I had a great time watching them and saw lots of people I knew. Oh, and when we left, we made sure to walk out with a huge bag of cotton candy and a few carmel apples!
July 21st, 2011It's hot and so tempting to head to the Lakeside Park and the beach every day. I swear it's so hot we can fry eggs on the sidewalk in downtown Jacksonport! I'm not complaining though. Despite air and fans my office does get a little muggy, and the in and out of the car and houses is a constant temperature challenge, but at least I do not have to work constantly outside in the heat and sun. I think of the guys at Bay Shipbuilding working on all that steel and how hot it gets, I watched some farmers in the field today baling hay, I even worried about the girls weeding the flower gardens at Mariners Pointe. The national weather service says this is the hottest spell in 10 years for Door County and that we will not have relief from the temps until next Monday. In the meantime though the humidity will ease and we should get some rain showers. Yesterdeay I picked a five-quart pail of raspberries, and there are more to pick tonight. I may have to try my hand at making some of my Grandma Bley's raspberry jam. There is a field of green beans across from my folks house so I'm going to raid that for some fresh veggies (fortunately it is owned by my brother!), in another week the peas should be ready to pick. In the meantime, I think I'll walk the dogs to the pond and take a ride in the paddle boat
July 11th, 2011 - the Door County Fish Boil
Search the words, fish boil, on the web and you’ll find the first page filled with links for Door County and something fish boil. I attended, and ate heartily, at a fish boil at my church yesterday. The fish were probably good for me, but add the boiled potatoes and onions all smothered with melted butter, some rye bread smothered with more butter, and an array of salads and deserts…well, my training for the duathlon took a step backward.
I never understand why people are so fascinated or will wait in line for an hour to eat at a fish boil. They are so common here, but not so everywhere else. I sat across the table from a gentleman from Montana—no fish boil there. They say the Door County fish boil is the answer to New England’s clambake. The festive atmosphere of mingling in line with other guests and sharing your meal at a picnic table has been a custom around the Great Lakes for over a hundred years. As the story goes, the Scandinavians brought the tradition—and because Whitefish and Trout were so plentiful in the lakes, the fish boil became an easy way to prepare a meal outside by boiling fish, potatoes and onions in a large pot.
Fish boil purests cook their fish in a black iron kettle over a fire of slab wood or logs. Today, stainless steel kettles and propane fueled fires are being more commonplace. The overboil is the climax—when the fish are done a pint of kerosene is added to the fire and as flames shoot skyward the flash of heat causes the pots to overboil and flush the frothy water from the surface of the boiling, churning water. The roar and flash of the overboil is somewhat dramatic and the announcement that the food is ready.
Happy Birthday America! This has been a FUN weekend. On Saturday night we enjoyed a pig roast at our friends, the Birnscheins, and some fantastic fireworks. Yesterday we took in the Door County Baseball League game between Egg Harbor and West Jacksonport--:( West Jacksonport lost, but hey, you can't be great every year! There were fireworks all around us last night. The usual fireworks over Clark Lake, plus fireworks by someone over year Lake Michigan and another set at the Frelk Family Compound. This morning we stayed in rather than heading to Baileys Harbor to the parade...I took the dogs to the pond and they swam for an hour. Heading out now for Egg Harbor. Training for the Duathlon was hard yesterday--my muscles are sore, plus the food on Saturday night was incredible and we ate way too much. Back to it today with another one hour bike ride and some weight training. Have a fantastic day!
July 2nd, 2011
Yesterday was super windy and at times a bit cold. But today, true summer weather. Already in Jacksonport it is 73 degrees and getting warmer. I have work to do at my desk this morning and an open house this afternoon--it's hard to concentrate because outside I hear the kids riding the four wheelers, the dogs chasing them and just plain fun going on.
Yesterday I began my training to compete in the Door County Duathaonover Labor Day weekend sponsored by the Door County YMCA. Well, maybe not compete, but participate at least. The Duathalon is run two miles, bike twelve miles, run two miles. Surprisingly I am more concerned about the 12 mile bike ride than I am about running four miles. I have a workout schedule to cover the next eight weeks, and since I've announced my intent on Facebookand here I now have all of you to hold me accountable. My workout yesterday consisted of a one mile walk down Jorns Road to Lake Michigan and 20 minutes of weight training--and that equals sore today. Today I've done my 30 minutes of aerobics but will need to get in a one hour bike ride, I think I'll ride up to Cave Point. Have a fantastic day!
July 2, 2011
Empty Nest...Door County Style
June 22, 2011 - This Little Door County Piggie
My son Jason has 7 little pigs over at the farm. Farmer Jason built a poor fence for them so sometime today the 7 little pigs got out. About 5:00 p.m. Bob came to say we needed to look for them. Well, where to you begin to look for pigs in about 160 acres of woods? Of course Jason was at soccer with the boys, so Bob and I headed out on the four wheelers in search of the pigs. After about an hour Mike came home to help. I took a ride down Cave Point Drive while Bob and Mike stayed in the woods. Bob had our little Rat Terrier, Marlie, with him, at one point Marlie jumped off her seat on the four wheeler and headed to the swamp. There were the 7 little pigs wallowing int he mud and eating swamp grass. About now Jason and the boys get home so we surrounded the pigs and herded them the 1/2 mile back to the barn Never a dull moment at the Bieri Southport Ranch. This would have been a great photo op, but of course I did not have my camera or phone with me!
One other funny thing about this year's pigs--our neighbor Freddie brought over boxes and boxes of expired chips to feed the pigs---all kinds--Doritos, Cheetos, TGI Fridays Potato Skins, Cracker Jack, you name it we have them. The pigs love the chips. I don't know that they'll get fat on them, but it's great fun watching them swarm to the feeder when Luke and Carter fill the trough. So the pigs this year are named after our 7 favorite chips: Dorito, Cheeto, Cracker Jack, Pringle, Friday, Lays, and Cheddar (for the white popcorn).
June 19th, 2011 There's No Crying In Baseball!
Our summer Sunday afternoon ritual has been to go to the Door County League baseball game and the West Jacksonport Ports. It’s a fun afternoon of visiting, watching baseball, and the kids have a great time shagging foul balls. I don’t particularly like baseball—I am really afraid of the ball. But I like watching the Door County League. Today, I was across the road with George and Frankie keeping an eye on them while they chased foul balls. I was so intent on watching them and the road, at one point I forgot to watch the ball and it hit me in the shoulder. I can’t believe it—me who is afraid of the ball and who would run under the bench to stay away. Well, it hurt a little, man it hurt a lot, but I didn’t cry because as Tom Hanks said in a League of Their Own, “There’s no crying in baseball”. A League of Their Own is I think my second favorite “sports-type” movie. I have to save the story about my first for another day.
May 7th, 2011 - Mothers Day Weekend I received this little tribute to women from no less than three people--and two of them were men--so I thought I would share with you. This most definitely describes some of the women in my life--my mom Eunice, my sister-in-law Mary, it was my grand moms Lydia and Norma, my great-aunt Sylvia and my friend Ruth Anschutz. I watch my daughters Lindsay and Theresa, and my nieces the Bley girls developing the same wonderful qualities. Love you all.
ONE FLAW
IN WOMEN
Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy. And laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe. They stand up against injustice. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member. Yet, they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you-- to show how much they care about you. They don’t take "no" for an answer-- when they think there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to a doctor with a frightened friend. They cry when their children excel-- and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about-- a birth or a wedding. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give. However, if there is ONE FLAW IN WOMAN… It is that they forget their worth!
Thank you, Woody, for sharing!
April 28th, 2011
I guess I've know this for years, but something that struck me last night was how food is a centerpiece at almost every gathering I attend--or host for that matter. On Sunday we celebrated Easter at my brother Phil's house with brunch Of course one can expect a feast on this special day so my sister-in-law, Mary, prepared prime rib, ham, baby red potatoes, an egg and chicken bake, fresh fruit salad, fresh veggie salad, our family's staple curly noodle & crab salad...I cannot even remember today everything but, needless to say the buffet line went on forever. It was a fun day with about 40 people ranging in age from 2 years old (and enjoying an outside egg hunt) to five people aged 80-91 who enjoyed visiting and sharing remembrances with the rest of us.
Last night we attended a celbration for Al Birnschein, Jacksonport's new town chairman. Al won his seat in April and will do a great job in leading Jacksonport through challenging financial times. We celebrated at Bley's Bar with about 75 other friends and neighbors. Food again topped the evening with the ususal vegetable, cheese and cracker trays, and standard bar-fare--canable sandwiches. For you who don't know that's ground sirloin served raw on rye bread and topped with salt, pepper and raw onion. The sirloin came from Wayne & Paula Bley's grocery in Jacksonport--Wayne and Adam raise their own beef, it is fed naturally, and then sold in their grocery store. Ordinarily I might pass on raw beef, but knowing how the beef is raised and fed and how it is handled after slaughter left me with no qualms--except the raw onion, I had to pass on that!
Great food, great friends and lots of family...that's what makes living in Door County so special. How does this happen? I had great photos from Sunday and a few from last night--this morning they are gone from my camera. I promise, photos and video in future posts! Have a great day.
, so enjoy the season! 
If you are in the Door this weekend a fun event to take in will be Egg Harbor’s 150th Birthday Celebration on Saturday, August 27th.
Happy Birthday America! This has been a FUN weekend. On Saturday night we enjoyed a pig roast at our friends, the Birnscheins, and some fantastic fireworks. Yesterday we took in the Door County Baseball League game between Egg Harbor and West Jacksonport--:( West Jacksonport lost, but hey, you can't be great every year! There were fireworks all around us last night. The usual fireworks over Clark Lake, plus fireworks by someone over year Lake Michigan and another set at the Frelk Family Compound. This morning we stayed in rather than heading to Baileys Harbor to the parade...I took the dogs to the pond and they swam for an hour. Heading out now for Egg Harbor. Training for the Duathlon was hard yesterday--my muscles are sore, plus the food on Saturday night was incredible and we ate way too much. Back to it today with another one hour bike ride and some weight training. Have a fantastic day!
Yesterday I began my training to compete in the Door County Duathaonover Labor Day weekend sponsored by the Door County YMCA. Well, maybe not compete, but participate at least. The Duathalon is run two miles, bike twelve miles, run two miles. Surprisingly I am more concerned about the 12 mile bike ride than I am about running four miles. I have a workout schedule to cover the next eight weeks, and since I've announced my intent on Facebookand here I now have all of you to hold me accountable. My workout yesterday consisted of a one mile walk down Jorns Road to Lake Michigan and 20 minutes of weight training--and that equals sore today. Today I've done my 30 minutes of aerobics but will need to get in a one hour bike ride, I think I'll ride up to Cave Point. Have a fantastic day!
My son Jason has 7 little pigs over at the farm. Farmer Jason built a poor fence for them so sometime today the 7 little pigs got out. About 5:00 p.m. Bob came to say we needed to look for them. Well, where to you begin to look for pigs in about 160 acres of woods? Of course Jason was at soccer with the boys, so Bob and I headed out on the four wheelers in search of the pigs. After about an hour Mike came home to help. I took a ride down Cave Point Drive while Bob and Mike stayed in the woods. Bob had our little Rat Terrier, Marlie, with him, at one point Marlie jumped off her seat on the four wheeler and headed to the swamp. There were the 7 little pigs wallowing int he mud and eating swamp grass. About now Jason and the boys get home so we surrounded the pigs and herded them the 1/2 mile back to the barn Never a dull moment at the Bieri Southport Ranch. This would have been a great photo op, but of course I did not have my camera or phone with me! 
