#3730 -- Go to the Labyrinth Garden Park in Appleton

Like many of things on my bucket list, this I saw a sign for this while driving by it one day and thought it would be cool to check out. However, the Labyrinth Garden is not really a park. It is a peaceful path to spiritual rejuvenation. The Labyrinth Garden was a gift to the city of Appleton from the First Congregational Church of Christ. Once I discovered what the Labyrinth Garden really was, I wasn't too keen on heading over there any time soon or go out of my way to visit.

Yesterday, however I was in the neighborhood and I checked it out. Now, it probably didn't help that I had Great Ball of Fire playing on my phone while I was trying to connect to my spiritual side. I tried to follow the path. I really did. Although they say there are no tricks or dead ends, I seemed to walk the same quarter of the circle back and forth. If I followed the path of the circle, I never got very far before I was back where I started. Maybe that was a sign that I need to start over and try again until I get it right, whatever it is. I took it to meant, it was time to get out of there.

If Jerry Lee Lewis wasn't blaring in my ears and I wasn't on a time crunch, maybe I could truly discover my spiritual side. The wind chimes do provide a calming effect.

The Labyrinth Garden is a true hidden gem. I appreciate that there is this spiritual spot in the middle of the city where you can go to reflect and find whatever you need to. Not once did I feel silly for trying the labyrinth. I am grateful that I took the time to explore it and try to get in touch with my spiritual side. Next time I will leave Jerry Lee Lewis at home.

#5995 -- Do a Glo Run

Glow Sticks?
Black Lights?
Fun obstacles?

Sounds like a big o'd party.

Sounds like fun.

And that was what the Glo-Run was supposed to be. There was supposed to party zones and fun obstacles not to mention an after party. That is not what we got. It was LAME. I was not impressed. It was not worth the $30 entry fee. It did go to a good cause -- SOAR but it was not as advertised. My first clue should have been the packet pick up -- a cheap plastic US Cellular bag, a cheap t-shirt, 2 safety pins instead of 4, and no chip timer. I can live without it being timed but everything was not as promised.

Glow sticks -- 1 necklace and 1 bracelet came in our race bag. I picked up some additional necklaces and bracelets at Target. We did get a couple more necklaces and bracelets on the course but not enough to make me glow.

My pile of glow rings after the race. Most I bought.

Black Lights -- Pretty sure I didn't see any these.

Fun Obstacles -- Unless you count trying not get ran over by the firefighters as they arrived at the Fire Station for a fire call at the beginning of the race or avoiding the other runners as they were on their way back (the course doubled back), there were no fun obstacles.

Party zones -- there was a couple "music" stations at various points but no partying. The biggest one was at the halfway point but again no partying was going on.

After party -- I was promised lasers, glow sticks, and black lights. Maybe if we stuck around after everyone finished, there would have been that but like most people, we had our beer and headed home. Every one got 2 drink tickets -- either beer or soda. It was Budweiser products.

The start of the race was not very organized. Even when the firefighters were trying to get to the station, they didn't stop the runners and let the cars into the station. The cars had to dodge people. We were past the station before the first truck left so I don't even want to imagine that fiasco. The whole doubling back wasn't a great idea as the path over the highway got very congested. The last mile or so was not very lighted. They had a glow sticks stuck in the ground leading the way but it was still very dark.

My unofficial time was 50:38. Not too shabby despite the lackluster event.

Fox Cities Book Festival -- Part 3

This afternoon, I took an hour of PTO and went to check out one last author at the Fox Cities Book Festival. Will Schwalbe, the author of End of My Life Book Club, was going to be at the Neenah Library at 3:30. If realized this earlier in the week, I could have flexed my schedule and won't have had to take PTO but such is life.

Let me start of saying how much I love Neenah Library. I had free 2 hour parking on the street and they had cookies and beverages. Nothing fancy, just Oreos and water and hot water for coffee and tea. This is first event that I saw refreshments. And they have band-aids so when you cut your finger on the book drop or the door, you don't have to leak blood everywhere.

Will was another fantastic speaker. He talked about his mom, books, and life. It was mostly about his mom and antidotes about her like how her dying wish was to build a library in Kabul, Afghanistan.

His message was simple. A book should make you want to do something when you finish reading it. That something doesn't have to big or flashy but the book should motivate you in some form. It might be taking the time to learn more about the topic you just read, not skipping over an article on Afghanistan or some other unknown place, or talking about the book. Your motivation could be bigger like writing your Congress person or donating time/money to the cause in the book. I have to agree. Books, even those summer beach reads, are more than just words on a page. They make you think, hope, dream, and pray. Books can take you places. They can help you discover new places, new ideas, new things about yourself.

Will's other message was just as simple as the first. Books are great conversation starters. "What are you reading?" can be a way to connect to people and maybe find something new to read. Maybe you have a relative/friend/co-worker you don't talk to much because you don't have much to say but if you ask them what they are reading, you may be surprised how the conversation will flow from there. I'm pretty sure this won't work on all people because the hubby is not a reader. If I asked him that question, the response I'd get would be the sports page or some rule book. However, the sports page can be a good topic of conversation and just maybe it might get him to read a sports book. Doubtful but I can try.

So my friends, what are you reading?

Fox Cities Book Festival -- Part 2

While paging through the book festival flyer, looking at upcoming events, I spotted a cooking demonstration.. Free Food. New tastes. Down the road. At at time I could go. Free Parking. What's not to like? I texted my friend asking if she wanted to join me. She did but ended up cancelling at the last minute for the fear of little boys trying to become superman... So I went to check out Shana Corandt's Cooking Demonstration myself.

When I walked into the Thrivent Lobby at UW-Fox Valley, my first reaction was "I feel like I'm on a cruise". If you ever went to one of the chef demos on a cruise ship, you know what I'm talking about. The chairs set up in a public area. The banquet tables covered with white table clothes. Older ladies standing around waiting for it to start.

Private Chef Shana and her partner, Liz, are featured on Fox 11's Grilling With the Girls (when it's actually warm enough to grill) and have their own business, Make Me Hot Meals. Since it is Earth Day, they talked a little about sustainable food sources before touching on nutrition. She showed us a Ritz Cracker box and a Brenton Cracker box and asked which one we thought was healthier. The Brenton box had veggies on it, we figured it was "healthier" and when she read the first 3 ingredients it was pretty much the same thing as Ritz..processed flour and other not so healthy stuff. Then Shana held up Organic Shredded Wheat Crackers and Triscuits. The first three ingredients on both were whole wheat flour, salt, and soybean/sunflower oil. My beloved Triscuits had real ingredients and were pretty healthy for you. I guess I will keep eating them at work

After our cracker talk, Shana and Liz started the cooking demonstration portion of the afternoon. They made for us grass-fed beef sliders on spring mix. The beef came from Jacobs Meat Market in Appleton and we were instructed to go there even if it was just for the conversation. The spring mix and pea shoots came from the Free Market in Appleton. All organic healthy stuff I normally don't eat. All the spices came from Penzey's. I love Penzeys. On top of the sliders, was spicy ketchup made with ketchup and chili garlic paste. Then it was topped with pea shoots.

Amazing little snack. I'm not sure the hubby would go for the Chili Garlic Paste but I liked it even though it left my lips burning the entire drive home. Pea shoots were something I never tried and are absolutely amazing little greens. I could gobble those little buggers up all day. I may have to go get me some this summer.

It is amazing to see the different kinds of events the book Festival puts on. There is something for everyone and this one proves that you don't have to be a reader to enjoy the Festival. If you like to cook this one would be the one for you.

Oh and Jay Busch from Busch's Baked beans lives in Appleton.

#6333 Read a Fox Cities Read Book

Every year as part of the Fox Cities Book Festival, there is a book chosen for Fox Cities Read. Fox Cities Read is a program where "the public libraries of the Fox Cities have come together with the goal of building a larger sense of community and to promote literacy"-- Fox Cities Reads website.

This year the book chosen was Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. The ladies at the cookbook club were talking about it one night saying it wasn't as depressing as it sounds. I decided to reserve it for my Nook. It was a phenomenal book. The basis of the historical fiction book was to shed light on orphan trains that took orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children off the streets of New York and other Eastern cities and transported them to new families in the Middle West, usually as indentured servants. However, the book wasn't entirely devoted to Vivian, an orphan train rider. It was also about Molly, a teenager that was coming to age in the Foster Care system. Molly is volunteered to help Vivian clean out her attic as part of a community service sentence. During the time they spend together, Molly learns about Vivian past and in turn Vivian helps Molly through some difficult times.

Before reading the book, I did not know such a travesty occurred in our history...just another piece of history that would rather have been forgotten by the masses. I was quite interested in learning more about Orphan Trains and why Christina decided to write about an Orphan Train rider. 

Because Orphan Train was the Fox Cities Reads book, Christina made several appearances at the Festival including a meet and greet cocktail reception at the Appleton Public Library. I was lucky enough to find one that wasn't during the day or conflicted with Jessie Garcia. Tonight, I went to the History Museum at the Castle to hear Christina's final presentation. It was standing room only. I got there about 6:10 for the 6:30 presentation and there were only a few seats left. I did offer my chair to one older woman, who declined and stood the entire time. At least I offered.

My burning question "Why did you decide to write about an orphan train rider" was answered within the first 5 minutes. It turned out that during a blizzard while visiting her in-laws over Christmas in Fargo, ND, her mother-in-law pulled a dusty book off a shelf to try to entertain her grandson when she discovered an article written about orphan trains in Jamestown, ND. (The book was a publication celebrating the town's 100 year anniversary or something.) Her mother-in-law turned the page in that book and discovered her father and his siblings were train riders. No one every talked about it. After extensive research, Christina found this to be common, as the children were instructed to forget about their old lives.

What surprised me was the number of people int eh room that knew an orphan train rider. Like I said before reading this book, I never heard of orphan trains, yet at least 5 people in the room crossed paths with an orphan train rider or a relative of an orphan train rider. Okay so most of those people were much older than I am. 

Other surprising tidbits about how Orphan Train Riders were hiding in plain site throughout children's classics:

- An orphan train rider was mention in the Little House on the Prairie Books. She didn't say which one but now I must reread them to figure this out.

-- One of the American Girl book girls' best friend was an orphan train rider. Again not sure which one but based on the time frame of the Orphan Trains (1850s-1920s), it could be Kristen.

--There was a whole children's book series devoted to orphan train riders probably in the 1960s-1970s judging on the lady who mentioned it age.

Thank you Christina for opening my eyes to Orphan Trains and writing such a great book. 

#3756 Go to the Fox Cities Book Festival

For the last 8 years, the libraries of the Fox Cities have held a book festival aptly named Fox Cities Book Festivals. It is a seven day Literary Bonanza that includes many author visits over various genres, workshops, and children's activities. I love to read and to hear an author speak is always interesting.

Last year was the first year, I went to the book festival. I wanted to in the past years but never made the time. Debbie Macomber, one of my favorite authors, was speaking at UW-Fox Valley to close out the festival. Yarn Teacher and I went and it was a full house. We were lucky to get a seat in the front row of the auditorium. Some people sat on the stage and some were even turned away. It was a great experience. After Debbie was done speaking, like all of the festival authors, she signed her books. Now my autograph copy of her Cedar Cove Cookbook sits in my kitchen.

This year there are a few authors, I wanted to hear speak. Like years past, many of them were scheduled during the day when I'm at work all day. One of the authors, Jessie Garcia, was speaking at 7:30 at the Appleton Library on tonight. Since the hubby was supposed to be at far games this week, I figured I'd go to this event. Plans changed and the hubby's game was cancelled but that didn't affect me going. He actually dropped me off so I didn't have to pay for parking.

I grew up watching Jessie Garcia grow into her role as a sportscaster for TMJ4 in Milwaukee and was excited to hear her speak. I did not get a chance to read her book, My Life with the Green & Gold: Tales from 20 years of Sportscasting. I figured that didn't matter; she would still be interesting to hear speak. She did not disappoint. Jessie talked about getting into sportscasting as woman in the early '90s, some of her experiences as a sportscaster, and showed us some behind the scene clips of a day in the life of (inset Packer/Badger/Brewer Coach). If the library wasn't closing, she probably would have talked all night as she was a very interesting speaker and had many stories to tell.

I also plan on going to events on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Friday afternoon. Look for me book Festival fun in the coming days.

#903 -- Visit the Horicon Marsh

On the way back from a UW-Whitewater Softball doubleheader, the hubby took a detour so I could see the Horicon Marsh. I've been bugging him that I want to see the marsh. I had a couple of trips planned last year to explore the Marsh but weather, baptism, and laziness overrode those plans.

We got off WI-26 in Horicon and took WI-33 through Horicon to see the southern end of the Marsh. Let me tell you, I.Was.Not.Impressed. I was expecting it to be much bigger. The grassy, marshy areas between New London and Green Bay on 54, not to mention the paths I found I Hatten's Park in New London, were more impressive. Maybe in summer when it was green, it would have been better. I was thinking, I wanted to see THIS? I figured that was all there was to see of the Marsh but the hubby wasn't done yet.

The Southern End of the Horicon Marsh to the left.

After leaving Horicon, he headed up some county highway and followed that to WI-49. The marsh was off in the distance and we could only see bits and pieces while on the County Highway. Once we turned onto WI-49, the northern end of the Marsh was exposed to us and it was much more impressive. Sure it was half-dead from winter yet but at least it stretched for several miles on both sides of the road. It was turning into dusk as we got to the Northern End which meant we could get out and explore the Marsh but we did some geese as we drove through the Marsh.

The Northern End of the Horicon Marsh stretching in the distance

I can officially say I've seen the Horicon Marsh and if we've had time to stop and truly enjoy it, it would probably be one of those "Been There, Done That, Don't Need to Go Back". It was neat to see but I have come to the conclusion that I'm more of woods and tress type girl than marshes and wetlands kind of girl. Maybe once I explore the it, my impression of it will change but right now I'm not overly impressed. I'm grateful that the hubby took the time and opportunity to help get this off my bucket list but as he has always said "There's not much to see."

# 760 Complete a New York Times Crossword Puzzle

I like doing crossword puzzles. They challenge my brain. When I first moved up here, I would have mom save me the crosswords from the Milwaukee Journal and give them to me when I saw her. Then I discovered online crossword puzzles, first through USA Today and then the LA Times. I do both daily but I have always wanted to try the New York Times Crossword ever since my PolSci Professor in College said she does them and they are not easy.

I recently won a free 4 week subscription to the New York times through one of my apps and decided I might as well as try to do the crossword. After searching all over, I discovered the link to the crosswords hidden at the bottom. Then I discovered, I had to have an additional subscription for the crossword puzzles. Not coo...oh wait what is this...archived puzzles for free. Score. I picked the one from 1998..not realizing it was a Friday puzzle (the later in the week, typically the harder the puzzle).

30 minutes later and a lot of Google searching later, I completed my first New York Times Crossword puzzle. I managed to solve several clues initially without any help. As I found answers on Google, I was able to complete the longer clues without any help. It wasn't easy and it doesn't highlight the letters you got wrong in red automatically. In order to make sure my answer was correct, I had to click check word. I really only got a few words truly wrong -- anything with a black triangle in the picture below is what I initially got incorrect. It was a nice way to pass some time on a Friday Night. Maybe one day I will try a New York Times Sunday Crossword