Category Archives: Family

Picture Picture

April 8, 2020art, Familysusanmanzke

Wednesday is the usual time I gather with others to do volunteer work. My favorite thing to do is to cut old calendars and make flipbooks for special people in nursing homes. It’s a way to entertain them and to keep calendars out of trash or recycling.

This morning I was looking at a 2018 calendar. It still hangs on my wall, not the dates, but the beautiful photos continue to entertain me.

Every year our daughter, Rebecca makes a photo calendar for us. Her photos are so beautiful, I can’t bear to throw them out or make a flipbook out of them. Now I’ve found a way of re-using my calendars.

I fold them up, using the photo as a decoration on my kitchen wall.

I’m currently enjoying these ducks. They also remind me of the summer vacation we took as a family just a couple of years ago. Seeing the ducks makes me smile.

May you find beauty in your day today, too.

Good and cold

March 23, 2020Family, foodsusanmanzke

Bob and I used to share one banana daily at breakfast. I still like eating a daily banana but only smaller ones.

I am now out of fresh bananas, but not out of bananas.

Some time ago, I peeled a few good bananas, wrapped them tight, put them in a container and froze them. I took one out this morning, sliced my frozen fruit and ate it. The second half will be eaten tomorrow.

One of our daughters laughed when she came across my wrapped bananas in the freezer. “What did you do this for, Mom?”

Now you know. I saved these to eat. (No they are not as good as fresh, but these are what I have.) Anyway, I could also use them to make a smoothy. Now that is yummy.

I have other frozen bananas in the freezer. These went in when they were getting old and still have their skin in place. I planned to use these for banana bread–I might try eating one of these if I get desperate. Maybe I’ll be able to keep the fruit frozen, yet take the skin off with a little warm water–too much defrosting turns them all to mush.

So now I can get by without fresh bought bananas for a while.

It may not be the perfect solution, but it is a solution that will keep me at home for days/weeks of solitude ahead.

Letters going out

March 21, 2020Familysusanmanzke

I don’t feel alone even though I’m the only human living here. I’m reaching out to my family through phone calls and the Internet. Then I thought about sending something to our grandchildren–kids love getting mail.

In a drawer in the kitchen, I found I still had stickers I had gotten over the years from our bank. These went into envelopes today and will get to four families next week. I sent another envelope to Rebecca but she’s not getting stickers. In her envelope is about a teaspoonful of alfalfa seed. Her mailing is a test to see if these actually get to her and will sprout for her. If that works, I may send more later.

I’m expecting letters back next week with drawings and notes from grandchildren–hint, hint.

I have more letters to write to friends. These may turn into phone calls or emails, but I’m still connecting–I do have a few Amish friends who do not get emails or phone calls. I guess I’d better get writing to them–I really don’t know why it is so hard to write a real letter. I haven’t written any since losing Bob.

The photos are a couple of years old, but the letters are new.

Anyway, that’s what I did today. I think that’s a positive start for my letter writing. More will eventually go out, but I think I reached my limit today.

A day for a special visit

March 14, 2020art, Familysusanmanzke

Our daughter Rebecca and our son-in-law Andy came out to the farm for a visit this morning–yesterday they celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary.

Today they were nice enough to carry all the heavy bags out of my car: softener salt, cat food, bird food, cat litter–everything I bought at Fleet Farm yesterday weighed 40+ pounds each.

I thank them for their help and for the visit.

If that wasn’t enough, Rebecca brought a treat for me, one of her copper tree creations.

This new copper tree has stone leaves.

I’m always impressed with Rebecca’s copper tree artwork, especially this one because it is MINE!

More will soon be made and for sale. Maybe you’ll be lucky to buy one of your own.

Saturday Afternoon

March 8, 2020animals, Familysusanmanzke

I was busy with family yesterday, so I didn’t get to post a blog. I’m doing that today.

Our daughter Rachel and her husband, Dave, and their three children, Eli, Arianna, and Wyatt came for a visit.

Instead of sitting home, we went to the NEW Zoo in Brown County. The day was sunny, but the wind was wicked and cold. Still, we walked around the zoo and had a great time together.

Even in winter, there’s a lot to see at the NEW Zoo, like these swans.

The cold kept us moving, but much of the wind was blocked by the trees.

When the cold did get to us, Rachel treated us to hot cocoa. The drinks did take the chill away.

We will revisit the zoo on a warmer day and see all the animals who do not like the cold.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person