Category Archives: creativity

National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work/School Day

October 9, 2019creativity, fun, photographysusanmanzke

I almost missed this monumental day. I think it’s a good day to remember my good friend, Wendel T. Bear–the T. stands for Teddy.

Years ago, I had a slide show of Wendel. He went to school, the doctor’s office, grocery shopping, and a ton of other places.

Wendel did all kinds of fun things, like go shopping with his little friend, Pookie.

I started digitizing Wendel photos. Maybe someday, I’ll have a PowerPoint to take on the road again.

Wendel is waiting patiently for his new digital debut.

Freshly made coffee

September 20, 2019crafts, creativity, funsusanmanzke

I’ve been working on my alcohol ink tiles so I have more to bring and sell at Oneida Apple Fest in Green Bay tomorrow.

Here’s the latest I’ve invented.

I hope you like coffee.

I will bring some over to Sissy’s to sell soon, too.

Bob’s Home remedy

September 19, 2019Bob, creativity, food, worksusanmanzke

Bob was the first one to tell me about this clotting agent. Years ago he asked me to save the pepper packets from our fast food order. He wanted them for his toolbox.

Black pepper will stop bleeding when applied to an open cut.

Many mechanics, farmers, and others who work with tools may know this trick,

Black pepper is naturally antibacterial so that’s another positive for this helpful aid.

I do not recommend this for a large wound, but those pesky small bleeding cuts seem suitable, especially when working far from other help.

I’ve known Bob to wrap a dirty rag around a cut and continue working after cutting himself. It had to be something big to get him in the house for help–oh yeah, if a cut was bloody when he got inside to help he often fainted. He hasn’t fainted at the sight of blood in a long time, so maybe he’s outgrown it.

Google for additional informational pepper uses–I’m no doctor, but I thought I’d pass along Bob’s suggestion.

Enjoying the season

September 18, 2019creativity, Farming, photography, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

Too much rain has put a damper on the best of days. Water and mud block our farm lane. Yet I am enjoying today’s warm, windy weather–I’m trying to take it all in, even the humidity, and keep it in my heart. That way I can bring it out mid-January and remember.

Last evening I raced outside with my cell phone to take a photo of the sunset. It was another day I’ll set in my heart.

As I was enjoying the sun setting over the cornfield, I saw another view of the sky.

I stepped down into the ditch and used the tops of the corn to frame the evening sky colors.

Hope you enjoy my view.

Bob doing some fixing

September 2, 2019Bob, creativity, Odds and ends, Sunnybook Farmsusanmanzke

The Manzkes brought up two wooden picnic tables from Illinois some 40 years ago. They had them for years in Illinois and we still use them in Wisconsin.

The thing is that they aren’t exactly as they were many years ago. Wood doesn’t last forever and when Bob finds some wood rotting he replaces it.

Last week Bob thought these picnic tables had finally come to the end of their lives. He was ready to make a bonfire out of them, but I talked him out of that drastic measure.

Bob searched out some wood scraps and patched the heavier table back together.

Never fear, after his patching, the picnic table is usable again–maybe for many more years to come.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person