Valerie's Voice – Page 65 – Musings on Life

A Few Thoughts On Gratitude

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens

“None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.” – Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

“Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.”-Alphonse Karr

On Sunday there was an article in the StarTrib titled, Thanks For Everything. It focused on gratitude and the health benefits of being grateful. Being thankful is not only good for the soul but it is good for the body too. Research has proven the health benefits for years and people have begun taking it more seriously…they’ve discovered it to be true.

Some excepts from the StarTrib Variety section on Sunday, November 18 issue:

“People are looking for simple things they can do to improve their health and well-being,” says Mary Jo Kreitzer, a professor at U of MN School of Nursing. “It’s (being thankful) such a simple process. There’s no cost. It’s accessible; anyone can do it. It takes just a few minutes. And research has shown that this really does make a difference.”

Most people don’t need to be reminded to be thankful for something monumental. It’s the little, everyday things that brighten our lives but are taken for granted and rarely acknowledged – if we’re even cognizant of them – that are the focus of most gratitude programs.” Sarah Gierke, manager of the BE Well program for Park Nicollet Employee Health.

“If you know that everyday you have to write down three things you’re grateful for, you start looking for them. So much of our life is on autopilot. In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to go without noticing things. But we can train our brain to be present.” Kreitzer again.

Kreitzer said that energy is one of the best parts of gratefulness. “It’s contagious.”

Here are two (out of nine) suggestions on practicing gratitude I found on a website when I Googled the word gratitude. (Check here for the other seven ideas at Unstuck.com)

-If you identify something or someone with a negative trait (the cold conference room), switch it in your mind to a positive trait (the conference room with a great view).

-Gratitude requires humility, which the dictionary defines as being “modest and respectful.” Explore where it fits in your life.

Thanksgiving Day has always been a favorite of mine because of the simple message of focusing on being thankful. But I try to keep an attitude of gratitude in my heart all year. I try be mindful of the present moment and see beauty in all things, and in all people around me. May it continue throughout the season and beyond.

Artist: Adam Turman

I’m beginning to notice the interesting artwork of Adam Turman. He is an illustrator, graphic designer, printmaker, and muralist from St Louis Park, MN. I was first introduced to his work when my son hired him to paint a eye-catching mural on his office building, depicting different landmarks of Minnesota and Minneapolis.

Hard to capture the extent of this wonderful mural by Adam Turman, depicting Minnesota and Minneapolis landmarks.

A closer look at part of an Adam Turman mural in Uptown.

The next place I noticed his work was at a St. Paul Classic bike ride, an annual event that we’ve participated in a few times. Turman has designed several t-shirts for the event over the years. A lot of Turman’s artwork includes a bicycle which, he writes, “is one of his favorite outdoor activities.”

And recently, at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN (which Is located right on the Mississippi River) I noticed artwork by Adam Turman on display. It was fun to discover it there. In 2016 he was commissioned to paint three works.

One is a large mural for the museum. It features the Mississippi River in Winona.

The plaque reads: “He painted a push boat frequently seen moving barges right outside the Museum, with a pod of American Pelicans overhead. The dramatic waves are influenced by Japanese wood block artist Katsushika Hokusai’s style while the sky and bluffs are in Turman’s distinct, simple and bold graphic style.”

Titled: *Sugar Loaf* This is the one of two prints in a series, commissioned by the museum.

The museum also commissioned Adam to create a series of two pictures depicting landmarks distinctive to Winona. The originals are on display at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, along with some other prints of Adam Turman’s.

Titled: *Mississippi*
“This is the second print the Museum commissioned and we want to celebrate what makes Winona special. The herons and the boat-house are iconic to Winona, so I made sure to highlight those in the piece.” Adam Turman

The Museum store had several postcards of Adam’s work and I was attracted to this simple design (below) with white birch trees, a red cardinal, and the back of a red bicycle and tire leaving a trail in the snow. I brought that one home with me.

This is a postcard featuring a print of Turman’s, that I purchased at the museum store.
Titled: Cardinal (2011)

As with all artists, Adam Turman has his own unique style. As he becomes more well-known it will be fun to find his art in different places.

Ice Cream Scoop

My husband, Gary, enjoys researching and writing on different topics that interest him. I asked him if I could publish excerpts from his latest on ice cream and he agreed. Any words in italics are mine.

*An electric ice cream maker, my gift to my husband.*

My Scoop on Ice Cream

Some say chocolate is the food of the gods, but I say it is ice cream. I have always loved ice cream. When I was a kid, I remember we had ice cream in the freezer most of the time. Perhaps this was a luxury associated with my growing up on a dairy farm. My parents bought our ice cream from the same dairy in town where we sold our milk. So the ice cream we ate was (possibly) made from our own milk. The dairy packaged ice cream in both ½ gallon and 2 ½ gallon sizes, and best of all they had delivery routes. The ice cream truck would come to our farm on a set schedule every few weeks. It was like a Schwann’s truck, but only had dairy products.

In the summer we would occasionally make our own home-made ice cream. Our ice cream maker was a wooden stave container in which a metal canister would be placed. After my mom prepared the mix she poured the liquid ice cream mixture into the canister and inserted the scraper (called a dasher). Then ice and salt was packed between the canister and the wooden vessel. The device was powered by an electric motor. The metal canister would rotate and the dasher inside was stationery – so it continuously scraped the surface as the ice cream mix froze. It worked really well and only took about 30 minutes and we could hardly wait until it was ready. I have a lot of good memories of this ice cream making process, and eating it of course.

Now 6o years later, I still love ice cream. There are many types of ice cream available these days so I started doing a little research to learn more about the industry.

What is ice cream?

In non-technical terms ice cream is a frozen blend of dairy ingredients and sweeteners, plus a small amount of emulsifiers and stabilizers. Various ingredients and inclusions are added to create specific flavors.

For some intensive hands-on learning about the science and technology of making ice cream one could attend a well-known 7-day short course at my alma mater, Penn State. They offer the course once a year and limit the class size to 120. The course entitled “Cow to Cone” sells out very quickly despite it costing $2,300. First started in 1892, it is believed to be the first continuing education course offered in the country.

*Ice cream cones in the cupboard…I like the cone, Gary likes a dish.*

In the USA, to be legally called “ice cream” the USDA regulations state it must contain a minimum of 10% dairy milk-fat and weigh no less than 4.5 pounds per gallon, plus it must not exceed 100% overrun.

What is “overrun”? Overrun is the amount of air whipped into the ice cream base during freezing. It is expressed as a percentage increase in volume of finished ice cream greater than the amount of mix used to produce that ice cream.

For example 100% overrun means 1 gallon of base mix will become 2.0 gallons of finished ice cream. Similarly, 60% overrun means 1 gallon of base will become 1.6 gallons of finished ice cream.

In essence we are buying a lot of air! However some air is needed to give the proper texture and taste. Without any air introduced the ice cream would be like a frozen ice cube.

More expensive brands have much less air than cheaper brands. This can be seen by looking at the density (weight per volume). Expensive brands may be 90 or 100g / ½ cup whereas low cost brands may be 50-60g / ½ cup. This can easily be seen on the ingredient label and it is best to compare a simple flavor like vanilla, which does not have added ingredients impacting the density.

In 2017 the number one brand ranking of all ice cream sales in the US was Breyers and number two was Ben & Jerry’s.¹

Consumption

According to one source⁵, the per capita consumption of ice cream in the USA is 20.8 liter (5.5 gallon). Let’s see how I am doing.

If I average 2 bowls a week at say 3 scoops per bowl and my scoop is ½ cup size; then 2 bowls x 3 scoops x 1/2cup/scoop = 3cups per week.

If I practice this ritual for 44 out of 52 weeks a year (this is an 85% rate- I’m trying to improve upon this) that makes 3cups x 44weeks / 16 cups/gallon = 8.25 gallons.

So I guess I am doing my part.

Sources: 1. Top ice cream brands of the United States in 2017, based on sales (in million U.S. dollars) Statista.com Accessed 11/8/2018 and 5. Chart: Ice cream consumption per capita around the world. Businessinsider.com Accessed 11/9/2018

I hope you’ve enjoyed the (partial) scoop from my husband, on ice cream.

Veterans Day

Flags are given at military funerals…my mom received two: one for her father and one for my father which she in turn handed down to my brother and me.

As we observe Veterans Day today (actual date- November 11), I am grateful for our service men and women in all walks of the military and honor them today.

I did a quick search on the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day and this is what I learned from Wikipedia:

“Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial day…Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.”

First Snow

First snow is always pretty…whether we are ready for it or not!

And I can enjoy the blossoms on my hibiscus plant indoors.

Passover and FiftyNorth

Last spring, we took a three week road trip to the east coast. One stop was in Washington DC to visit neighbors that used to live next door to us in Northfield. We happen to be in DC during Passover, and they happen to be Jewish, so they invited us to stay in their home and to partake in the Passover meal with them, along with five other people from their synagogue. We were delighted, and excited, to sit down and experience this Seder meal with our Jewish friends.

The cherry blossoms were in bloom in Washington DC.

We were offered Kippahs (caps) to wear, and spent the next five hours at the dinner table with our friends and five wonderful folks we had never met. We ate large amounts of food – most with symbolism attached. We read through prayers and texts, and sang songs that go along with the story of Passover in the Torah (and Old Testament). We enjoyed sweet fellowship while participating in a completely different religious experience than our own. It was wonderful.

Two friends participating in the Passover meal.

So, when the newsletter for FiftyNorth (previously Northfield Retirement Center) came out with its November offerings, one class in particular caught my attention: Jewish Holidays: Backgrounds and Traditions. Stacy Beckwith, a Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, and the Director of the Judaic Studies Program at Carleton College presented it. The class filled, with 25 people attending. The course was a general overview, and well done.

One of the slides from presentation… a picture of a Haggadah from the 14th century. Haggadah is the text book for the Seder meal.

This is the Haggadah we used at our friend’s house.

Another slide from her presentation showing a Seder plate for six symbolic foods.

Our hostess compiled a Seder plate – 6 symbolic foods which include shank bone of lamb, egg, vegetables, two types of bitter herbs and a sweet paste called haroset.

I have attended classes at FiftyNorth but was surprised when I drove into the parking lot for my class on a weekday afternoon, that the main parking lot was full. When I entered the FiftyNorth lobby it, too, was full of people, and there was a rather long line to check-in for all the different activities going on in the center.

FiftyNorth is a very vibrant place for Northfield seniors (seniors defined as age 50 and older, and North as in north – or in, higher than, age 50). It has a lot to offer including informational and fitness classes, a pool, workout equipment, rooms for bridge players or ping pong tournaments etc. In the lobby coffee is always available and tables are set up for puzzles, reading the newspaper, or just visiting. It is stimulating and invigorating place and a real gem for our small town, Northfield.

I was pleased to be in the bustling center this week, learning about Jewish traditions. I was among many others…there for so many different reasons. And that is a good thing.

Schaar’s Bluff

On one of our last, beautiful autumn days, Gary and I drove to Hastings to check out a bike trail, and we discovered a park.

A view overlooking the Mississippi River from on top of the bluff.

Spring Lake Park Reserve is part of the Dakota County Park system and includes one long bluff, overlooking the Mississippi River.

Schaaar’s Bluff derived its name from the Schaar family who owned and operated a family farm on the site from the late 1890’s until 1973, when they sold it to Dakota County to be included in the Spring Lake Park Reserve.

The park offers fantastic views of the Mississippi River. There is a picnic area, campfire rings, a playground, a Gathering Center, and lots of paved and unpaved trails for hiking and biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. There are oak trees to form wooded areas, lots of open spaces, and some prairie portions.

The beautiful, wooden fence along the bluff.

While looking at an overview map of the area, a woman directed us to some unpaved trails along Schaar’s bluff. The trail was covered with leaves so it was not obvious to find the path. The trail went along the river and was very scenic. There was a significant drop-off to the river.

The obscure trail-head for path along the bluff.

We hiked on a few trails that day. One trail took us across a steel bridge that had a short, sharp jog in it…really? That’s not something you see very often.

A bridge with a sharp corner halfway across.

The Gathering Center was in use, for some company’s retreat. The funky building design was fun and inside, in the women’s bathroom, was a plaque explaining how the Center is “harvesting rain.” It states “Schaars Bluff Gathering Center is gathering rain from our rooftops for the toilets in our restrooms.” It makes me happy to know they are recycling rain water.

A fire pit outside the Gathering Center.

Another unique highlight of the park was a Tobacco-Free Zone sign posted, informing smokers there are designated smoking areas in the park…one can smoke only in the parking lots and along the roadways. That was a first for me. I have not noticed that sign in other parks.

This is the first time I’ve noticed a no smoking sign in a park, but I assume they are posted in all Dakota County parks.

I’m grateful for the Schaar’s who offered their land to the county, to make this wonderful park along the mighty Mississippi River, with it’s scenic beauty for others to enjoy. We will visit it again.

The silo still stands near the park entrance.

Cows

I have always loved the beauty and tranquility of seeing cows grazing in a field. Although I was born and raised in the city, I have always loved the country. But the only cows I knew about growing up were the black and white Holsteins. My husband however, grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. They milked Holstein cows, but he also knew about the other types dairy cows such as Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Jersey and Ayrshire. He was not aware of the kind I saw the other day.

I was traveling on a country road familiar to me, and although I do not travel it on a regular basis, I travel it often enough to be surprised at seeing these cows for the first time. I caught a glimpse of black and white cows. I assumed they were Holsteins, but as I got closer I noticed they all had the same markings. Unlike Holsteins that are black and have splotches of white in various places all over their bodies, these cows were black with a wide, white band around their midsection. Everyone one of the them. All 20-30 of them in the field looked identical. I took a double take, then stopped to take a picture of these unusual cows.

I checked Google…they are either Belted Galloway or Dutch Belted cows. Both breeds have similar patterns. The Belted Galloway comes from Scotland, also nick-named “Oreo cows”. They are primarily raised for their quality marbled-beef. The Belted Galloway survive well in much colder weather but their coat is longer and thicker. The cows we saw in the pasture had short hair, but maybe because we’re coming off summer – it may grow longer and thicker as winter settles in.

A second breed with the same markings is the Dutch Belted cow, from the Netherlands. They are raised primarily for dairy. In the Netherlands, the cows are know as Lakevelder, a term that means a sheet or blanket around the body.

Here are links to the two different breeds:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakenvelder_cattle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belted_Galloway

When comparing pictures off the internet I believe the cows I saw were Dutch Belted, but I am not positive.

It was a fun discovery. They were a beautiful sight. I had never seen this kind of cow before. I will start asking around to see if others have.

Turtle and Lego

Two words…turtle and Lego… captured my attention last week when scanning through the newspaper. Two words for two different, but interesting, entities…together in one title. It may have caught my attention because we encountered two large turtles on Northfield’s bike trail this past summer, and because of my fondness for Legos.

The article reported of a turtle fitted for wheelchair made of Legos. Now that’s creative!

Article in newspaper that caught my attention.

The article states: “A wild turtle with a broken shell is rolling around on a wheelchair made of Legos while he’s on the mend at the Maryland Zoo.”

The eastern box turtle had fractures to the underside of his shell, and according to the article, keeping the shell bottom off the ground is important for healing after surgery. The zoo’s veterinarian asked a friend, who is a Lego enthusiast, if he would create a custom, turtle-sized, Lego wheelchair to help the turtle mend.

A photo of one Lego town (not on the bed downstairs) made by my boys. Of course I thought I had many pictures of the creations they made, but it turns out, I don’t.

My two boys played with Legos for hours when they were young…it was a favorite play time of theirs and I do believe they have good memories of building cities together, and all the vehicles and buildings that go along with that. We set a piece of plywood on top of a bed we had in our finished basement as a platform for Lego towns and Lego creations. I used to joke that at one time our Lego collection was the most valuable item in our house. We still have Legos, sorted by color, in plastic boxes, ready for the grandchildren to play with someday.

Recently we were at the Mall of America and walked past the Lego store. It’s always fun to stop and look at their displays of oversized figures and vehicles and space ships.

Huge action figure at the LEGO store in MOA.

Legos have always made me smile…to see the many different creations, and also, to remember the special memories of my two little boys playing together with their Legos.

I hope the turtle heals quickly…it has no idea of the wonders of Legos.

Approved!

Today our daughter-in-love was approved for an immigrant visa. This means she can be a permanent resident of the United States. And, this also means our son and his wife and our two grandchildren, ages 4 and 2, will be moving back to the US soon. The process has taken over a year so we are over-the-top excited for this good news.

Praise the Lord!