Here is a fun project that you might want to try: Give oak leaves the Midas touch!

I have Martha Stewart to thank for this idea. She collected oak leaves and sprayed them with silver spray paint. She then made Christmas garlands and wreaths with her sliver leaves to deck her halls.

Martha's silvery leaves were pretty, but I much prefer the warmer tones of gold or copper metallic spray paint.

Whether you spray yours with silver, gold, or copper spray paint, the procedure is the same.

All you have to do is collect fallen white or red oak leaves.

Try to find ones that are relatively flat, clean, and not too beat up.

You can press them between the pages of a book for a few days if you want them really flat.

Get some large pieces of cardboard and metallic spray paint. Take these and your leaves outside.

Lay all the leaves on the cardboard and spray with a generous coat of paint.

Let dry.

Then turn the leaves over and spray again. Once they are dry, you can bring them in the house and let sit overnight. 

Depending on how many leaves you painted, you can tuck them into a fall wreath or arrangement, or make an entire wreath of them. I just added mine to a silk arrangement without glue. They stay pretty well.

When it is time to put the fall decorations away, I gather all my golden leaves and put them in a shoe box until next year.

If making a wreath, dab a little Tacky type glue on the stem to keep them in place.

If you are fortunate enough to find some acorns, you could give them a spray with gold, copper, or even just clear coat and add those to your arrangements.

The golden or copper leaves would also look pretty scattered on your Thanksgiving serving table or added to a centerpiece.

I have tried painting other leaves, but they don't work. (They ripple because they are too thin and become brittle.)

Because oak leaves are thick and leathery, they keep their shape and hold up pretty well. I've had mine a few years.

Every fall I say I am going to gather more and make a garland for my fireplace. (Haven't gotten to that project yet!)

Hope you give this a try. It is really easy and I think they are quite beautiful.

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This Friday at Brookfield Suites Hotel on 1200 S. Moorland Road , The King Arthur Flour company will offer 2 baking classes. Did I mention it was FREE?

Their web page says, No registration is necessary – just come join us! For more information, call 800.827.6836. (The hotel is located on Moorland Road just north of Greenfield Ave. and south of I-94, phone 262-782-2900)

The first class is on Sweet & Savory Yeast Breads at 12:00 noon:

Sweet & Savory Yeast Breads covers basic yeast bread recipes and techniques, from ingredients and mixing, to shaping everything from soft dinner rolls and decadent cinnamon rolls, to decorative loaves and even pizza.

The second class at 7pm is on Festive Cookies & Pies:

In Festive Cookies & Pies, you’ll learn how to achieve the perfectly flaky pie crust, wow guests with beautifully decorated cookies, and even get some of your holiday baking done ahead of time.

In my opinion, there is no comparison between the quality of home made and a commercial bakery. Plus, baking it yourself is one of the best ways to save money on your grocery bill. This is a great opportunity to become more familiar with baking if you find the idea intimidating.

Each session runs about 2 hours.

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Governor Palin returned to her home state, Alaska, after the convention. In watching interviews with the locals, it was pretty hard to miss that they all call her "Sarah." (She does enjoy a 68 to 80% approval rating.)

The ability for the public to relate to a candidate and imagine going out for a beer with in elections is a huge advantage they say. Since I don't drink, I will translate that familiarity to having coffee together.

The everyman appeal isn't new. Remember the Kennedy/Nixon debates where John F. Kennedy crossed his legs to reveal a hole in the sole of his shoe? That was no doubt staged to make him appear more real.

I never really envisioned sharing a cup of joe with any candidate, although maybe President Bush came the closest. Maybe it was his profession of his Christian faith that made me feel a little less intimidated.

But my standoffishness came to an end with Sarah Palin. She just seems like someone I could invite over for a cup of coffee. At my house, that means espresso, hence to meet Silvia, our espresso maker.

I like the fact that some days she might make macaroni and cheese for dinner. What mom can't identify with that?

It is not her working mother status that evokes the desire to talk to her one on one. In fact, my personal choice on that issue was the opposite. (I quit work when I had my son and stayed home to homeschool.) But I do know of homeschool moms who seem to manage a very large family, run a family business, and have very well behaved children. Sarah seems to possess that same gumption.

The latest Palin flap was over her wardrobe. The RNC spent $150,000 on new clothing for her because, well, she needed it. The clothing is actually on loan to her and she returns the outfits to the RNC after a few wearings. Sean Hannity interviewed her last week--one of the subjects covered was her wardrobe. She said she and Todd live very simply in Alaska. Her favorite clothing store in there? A consignment shop: "Out of the Closet."  I can relate!

Which candidate would you most want to share a cup of coffee with and chat? For me the order is: Sarah Palin, John McCain, Joe Biden (you have to say he is entertaining), and least of all, Barack Obama. How about you?

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Two very talented ladies hold a wonderful sale every October in a home in my neighborhood.

This year their sale is Friday evening, Oct. 24th from 7pm to 10pm, and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Together they transform artist Heidi Dutcher Bohn's Brookfield home into a shoppers wonderland. You have to see it to believe it!

Heidi specializes in hand painted items: Seasonal decorations for fall and winter, picture frames, and tiles.

She paints kitchen items as well.

I believe artist Kim Keays' specialty is wire art, wire decorated glassware, and jewelry work.

Every room is features beautiful displays of their creations.

Many ceramic items are available too.

Seems like a great way to start your Christmas shopping or get something new for your home.
 

The Holiday Marketplace house is located at 13645 Tulane Street, Brookfield, WI  53005.

Tulane crosses Sunny Slope Road  2 blocks north of Greenfield, or about 3/4 miles south of Bluemound. Turn east on Tulane. The house is on the south side of the street, almost to Edwards Street. Just follow the signs.  

If you need more information, just call 262-352-5939 or 262-366-5565.

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Most people I know are thoroughly disgusted with the Milwaukee Journal's liberal bias. One woman canceled her paper after the Journal failed to quote Governor Palin accurately in a headline...it was her last straw.

Now the paper asks, do you still want to receive the TV Cue section on Sundays?

Want to still receive it? That is one of the reasons we get the paper! ;-) Oh, the Sunday ads are good too. (The articles are online after all and I hate the piles of newspaper that gather in the house.)

Actually, I find so little worth watching on TV these days, I think I could do without the TV Cue. (However, I am outvoted.)

People who don't have cable TV or who are not computer savvy, use the TV section.

If the TV Cue on Sunday is important to you, you can either give them a call on the TV Cue hotline 24 hours a day at 1-866-616-5072, or register online.  

REMEMBER: IF YOU DON"T DO ANYTHING, YOU WILL NOT GET A TV CUE SECTION BEGINNING NOVEMBER 16th.

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There was a buzz of excitement amongst the adults in my aunt and uncle's Brookfield home, as they laid their treasures on the kitchen counter. The grownups had just returned from a mushroom hunting expedition at Kinsey Park and the 2 neighboring homes and had struck pay dirt.

Boxes of Puffball and Morel mushrooms were their prize.

This was back in the late 1950s and I was just a kid. What was so exciting about mushrooms I wondered? They were good to eat! (I was a picky eater back then and wouldn't touch even a button mushroom with a ten foot pole!)

About 10 years ago, the puffballs were out again en mass in the park and adjoining yards. They looked like volley balls strewn about the hillside. Since then I always looked for them but haven't seen any.

They are interesting and edible. BUT BE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING BEFORE YOU CONSUME THEM!!!  Check the websites below. They have good photos and compare the true puffball with the deadly, smaller look alike.  

Puffballs

Lycoperdaceae: The True Puffball Family

Wikipedia

American Mushrooms: Gem-Studded, Pear-shaped and Giant Puffballs 

Kids often like to find very mature Puffballs. They get quite large and more tan in color. When kicked, they spew a cloud of spores into the air.

Let me know if you have ever eaten them. I have never quite had the nerve to give them a try.

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One of my favorite Ronald Reagan quotes is, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

I spotted an artful new twist on that same theme on a Drudge Report ad,

"GOVERNMENT: If you think the problems we create are bad, just wait until you see our solutions."

If that sentiment made you say, yes, you can get a coffee mug, print, T-shirt, etc. with that statement on it from DESPAIR, INC. :-(   Click the link, the photo of the Capitol is spectacular.

I know nothing about the site, but from a brief look at their web pages, they had all sorts of products with negative humor, such as a pessimist's mug with a half empty mark on the side, "It makes everything taste bitter."

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Last July my high school girlfriends and I lunched at an interesting restaurant in Shorewood, the ANABA TEA ROOM.

It was a beautiful day and we opted to have lunch up on their roof garden.

The setting was delightful and the food good. This weekend promises to be glorious. If you are on the east side, give the tea room a try.

ANABA TEA ROOM is located at 2107 E. Capitol Drive in Shorewood (east of Oakland Ave, in the vicinity of St. Roberts Church and Atwater School.) 

They serve salads, sandwiches,  traditional tea sandwiches,  sweet treats, and of course...tea! Their complete menu and prices are online. 

With all the bad news about the economy,  dining up on the roof just might lift your spirits! 

You may also dine in the regular restaurant on the lower level.

There was an interesting garden/home shop on the main floor. Be sure to check that out as well.

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Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Mark Levin,  Vicki Mckenna

 

 

It's the old typo problem again. Barack 'Osama" on Rensselaer County ballots! Hundreds of the absentee ballots were mailed out in that county.

"Is it a Freudian slip, intentional act or a mistake? Voters are sure to have opinions, and one pol pointed out that the letters 's' and 'b' are not exactly keyboard neighbors.

The election officials from both parties said it was a typo. 

Go figure. 

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Here is something fun to do this weekend...stop in at the Balistreri Sendik's stores and celebrate fall!

The brochure said there were drawings over the weekend, chef demos, samples, and great values. "Each time you shop you can enter to win one of several fabulous prizes": 2 Midwest Express tickets, Golden Guernsey Milk for a year, a Sendik's shopping spree and an entertainment package.

It sounds a lot like their Anniversary Party last spring. 

Stop in, what do you have to lose?

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Between the voter fraud issue and yesterday's stock market, sometimes a body needs a little comic relief!

Here it is: How well do you know your Presidential Candidate? Match-o-Matic II

It's a quiz from ABC News. The graphics are cute, but there is something to think about too. If you click on the above link, you see a cartoon of the White House and Obama and McCain on a teeter totter.

The object of the quiz is to pick between 2 statements, made by the candidates on various issues, that you most agree with. It then matches the quote with the candidate. At the end, it shows which candidate's philosophy you agree with most. (No big surprise here on my quiz, McCain bounced Obama off the teeter totter. I missed 1 out of 13.)

Have fun!

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The weather promises to be beautiful this weekend. How about a short trip to the north?

My sister and I recently took a little jaunt to West Bend. Our mission was to visit the Museum of Wisconsin Art and hopefully do a little digging into some background information on Wisconsin artist Francesco Spicuzza.

Our grandfather was a friend of the artist. We did not find what we were looking for that day...must dig deeper!

The museum features Wisconsin artists. Their main collection is of Carl Von Marr's work. He painted in the late 1800s and his work is quite remarkable. I love his use of light in his paintings, and his people have a real sense of life to them. If you are in the West Bend area, the collection is worth seeing.  

The museum is located at 300 S. 6th Ave. (6th and Poplar St.)There are some playful frogs sitting on a bench on the north side--be sure to take a picture with them.

Museum Hours: Wed. - Sat. 10 am - 4:30 pm, Sunday 1 - 4:30 pm. They are closed on holidays. 

Just a half block east of the museum on Poplar Street is a restaurant, the Poplar Inn, 518 Poplar Street, 262-335-6302. It is in an old brick house and it was very charming.

We had a delicious lunch there--price range was from $5 - $11, I think. The menu offered sandwiches, salads, soups, and great desserts. We shared a chocolate gannache dessert after our lunch. Very tasty, especially when paired with the Alterra coffee they served.

The restaurant decor featured antiques and faux painting. There was a bar upstairs, but we did not venture up there.

Even the ladies room was decorated in a clever way. They used an old copper wash tub and wringer to hold folded sage green fingertip towels!

By the way, this was not a ladies only type place--there was an extended family there and also another table with a married couple in addition to a few tables of women when we first arrived.

I got the sense this was a place visited by the locals. I like supporting good restaurants that are not part of a chain.

Our next notable stop was a very cute shop called Somedays: simple luxuries for life at 305 W. Kilbourn, 262-334-3480.

If you leave the Poplar Inn and walk east, you will run into it (where Poplar meets Kilbourn and South Main.)

The owner, Kim Hahn, was a former teacher and we quickly were chatting about this and that.

I enjoyed the way she displayed her inventory; Kim did it in a very artistic way. I really didn't need anything, but a tiny 6 inch old fashioned wire hanger with hanging clips somehow popped into my hand. It was only $2.50, but what could I use it for?

Ah, I know! I could hang vintage postcards from it as a unique way to display them on the wall instead of using a frame. Sold!

Now for the fun part. Kim gave my little purchase all the attention a $100 purchase would have commanded! She gave me the full treatment: printed tissue, mini shopping bag, tag, and ribbon bow!

My sister and I continued looking in various shops on South Main, but we did not find any as fetching as Kim's Somedays.

Ah, time to head home. It was a pleasant way to spend the day. Let me know if you have a favorite shop or restaurant in West Bend. We might have to go back for more "research."

Post Script: Kim from Somedays emailed me with this restaurant suggestion: Cafe Soeurette. It is located at 111 N. Main Street. 262-338-2233 She recommended giving them a call first, because their hours vary.

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I went to school with the Zucker brothers. Jerry was in my class; David was 2, maybe 3 years ahead. Although I really did not know them, I remember they were funny even back then.

You may be familiar with David Zucker's work from the 1980s movie Airplane. He and fellow Shorewood grad. Jim Abrahams wrote and directed that movie The rest as they say is history. 

This Friday, An American Carol opens in theaters. It is the creation of David Zucker and is a spoof on Dicken's Christmas Carol.

This time instead of Ebenezer Scrooge, we have an "Anti-American 'Hollywood' filmmaker" (ala Michael Moore) who "sets out on a crusade to abolish the 4th of July holiday. He is visited by three spirits who take him on a hilarious journey in an attempt to show him the true meaning of America." It looks like John Voight portrays George Washington, one of the 3 ghosts.   

I had first heard about the film on Vicki McKenna's radio program a month ago. It captured my attention when she said that David Zucker, who called himself a John F. Kennedy Democrat became a 9/11 Republican after the terrorist attacks.  

American Carol is a Zucker look at American history. One funny bit from the trailer went something like this: A a terrorist saying that good suicide bombers were getting hard to find--all the good ones are gone!

I don't usually go see movies until they hit the budget theater, but I just might have to make an exception. If I do, I will post my impressions of it, because a lot of the Zucker movies are not suitable for children or even teens. They usually push the envelope if you are a conservative parent.

PS Last July, John Voight wrote an editorial for the Washington Times: VOIGHT: My concerns for America  If you have not read it, take a look.

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The question of the day is, will Sen. John McCain go to the debate tonight? (UPDATE: Yes)

If he does not go, here are 2 possibilities:

1. Send Governor Palin. She seems to have done well impressing the various leaders at the UN meetings:

The presidents of Iraq and Georgia gushed over Palin as they met with her yesterday. And Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai told an audience Tuesday night after meeting Palin earlier that day that she asked all the right questions.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed great joy in meeting her during the short photo session at the start of their meeting that was viewed by reporters and cameras.

"You are even more gorgeous than you are on the [inaudible]," Zardari said.

"You are so nice. Thank you," Palin said.

"Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you," Zardari said, as his handler told them to shake hands for the cameras.

2. Last night Ann Coulter quipped, Barack Obama could debate Joe Biden!  ;-)

I will be watching tonight to see what develops. Even if John McCain shows up, it will be disappointing to me. For some reason, I thought teleprompters were not allowed at the debates, I now know differently. (No wonder only the Town Hall meeting invitations were declined.) 

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The rumor mill is churning out that Sen. Joe Biden will step aside for medical reasons* and that Sen. Hillary Clinton step in as VP. Never mind that her husband just said yesterday that Hillary never wanted to be Vice President.

Obviously, Sen. Obama wasn't thrilled with the idea either, or he would have picked her. (The thought of a Hillary VP, who only has presidential aspirations, is daunting.) Besides, wouldn't that be the ultimate flip-flop? That Obama couldn't even make up his mind on who to pick for VP?  No, I think Obama is just stuck with Biden and his bloopers. (They have added a unique bit of entertainment to this election.)

Plus, Governor Sarah Palin stole Sen. Clinton's thunder by being the first Republican** woman nominated for VP.

But in politics, you never know what will happen next. Time will tell. 

*Not so serious that they keep him out of the senate though. 

**Correction: I did not mean to forget Geraldine Ferraro. She however did not generate the same excitement and anticipation that Palin has as a possible presidential candidate in the next cycle. 

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Around this time of year, I usually start thinking of vacation destinations for the coming year. How about this one?

Walt Disney World just announced their new theme for 2009, "What will you celebrate?" They are giving a free theme park ticket to visitors who come on their birthdays. So if someone in your family has a birthday when you are thinking of going on vacation next year, you might consider Disney World or Disneyland. A little planning now could save you a bit of money later. 

From the Orlando Sentinel: 

Next year everyone will be able to come to a Walt Disney World's theme parks on their birthdays and get in free.

That's the cornerstone of the 2009 national promotional campaign, "What will you celebrate?" announced today by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Anyone showing up with a valid ID including proof of birthdate will get a free ticket on that day in 2009 for one of the theme parks at Disney World or at Disneyland in California.

Disney officials announced the promotion as their effort to cash in on what they described as a growing trend called "celebration vacations" -- trips to vacation spots that people take to celebrate big birthdays, big anniversaries, honeymoons and other momentous personal occasions.

We have been at Disney World on my birthday. I got a free cake when we ate at Mexico, a favorite lunch stop at Epcot. But free dessert pales in comparison to a free theme park ticket! (Hmm, could we go next fall?) 

Of course if you go to Disney, wouldn't some free Disney money to spend be nice too?

If you apply for a Disney Rewards Visa credit card from Chase bank, you can earn free Disney money! Each month the card awards points to your account in proportion to the money you charge. When you are ready to use the points, you call them and they change the points to dollars and load them onto a Disney debit type card. You can then use that card's dollars to purchase theme park tickets, food, gifts, etc. in the theme parks and stores. The longer you have the card, the more points you can rack up.

We have had this card for years and used our points for free tickets and food. (Mine has Mickey on it.) Just make sure you pay off your balance each month so the dollars truly cost you nothing. (The only way to use a credit card.)

The Disney Rewards Visa card also carries an excellent buyer protection insurance plan on your purchases. (We have collected on that too.)

So if a visit to the Kingdom of the Mouse is in your future, plan now to save later. Free is good.

Brookfield District 7 Info meeting, Wed., Sept. 24, 2-3pm or 6:30-7:30pm

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Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Mark Levin,  Vicki Mckenna

Last night about 40 of my fellow MyCommunityNOW bloggers and I met at the Journal Sentinel building downtown for a bloggers' meeting. Although I have been blogging on BrookfieldNOW since Feb. of 2007, this was my first meeting. 

Various Journal Sentinel staff told us about some coming changes at the paper. For one, a new platform is coming to better manage the MyCommunityNOW websites and JSOnline. They said they are implementing the million dollar system sometime in Oct., so that they can better be at the forefront of breaking news.

JSOnline will include more photos with the story titles. They will incorporate a better search component (Yippee) and a shorter load time. 

The MyCommunityNOW blogging software will be improved too. (Coming sometime in Oct. or Nov.) Surprisingly, they told us that about 80% of the traffic on NOW sites is blog generated! In other words, most people come to the various NOW websites to read the blogs. 

One change was met with audible groans and complaints, however: There will be no view counter in the new platform! That might seem trivial to you, but as the blogger next to me stated, that is why we write. (Said in a tongue in cheek manner, but there was a grain of truth to her statement, given the crowd's reaction.)

At this news, there was a twitter of mock mutiny in the audience. Ego aside, view count totals, although not accurate, at least provide a number (for comparison purposes) which posts generate the most interest. In other words, if I post something on crab grass control and it only gets 100 some views, I would know that subject is not of as much interest as 4K at 1,000s of views. The view count helps the writer to determine interest levels.

Once the shock wore off, the staffers quickly explained they would try to get a view count installed a.s.a.p.

I asked after the presentation if picture posting would become easier. The tech. said, yes, and that is good news indeed. I like to post pictures, but it is always a dicey, time consuming process at best (for me).

After the meeting, we were invited to tour the newsroom. We saw some writers, copy proof readers, and editors in action.

Mark Maley, the NOW Online Editor (in red shirt) is pictured showing us how the front page is being set up for today.

(They monitor 6 news feeds here. We saw that the House energy bill passed on C-Span.)

When we walked between the Journal building and Sentinel building, there was this old mural painted on the wall, showing progress in the news business. The "high tech" image on the modern end of the time line maybe is the Linotype machine?

It was a pleasant enough evening. Wish it would have been more geared to how to, but that will come once they change systems.

In any event, I came away with a new coffee mug and 2 tickets to the zoo. Who says this job pays nothing! :)

Brookfield District 7 Info meeting, Wed., Sept. 24, 2-3 or 6:30-7:30pm

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Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Mark Levin,  Vicki Mckenna

And now for a little comic relief. Remind my pet (heart worm medication email reminder) presents a Presidential candidate lookalike poll.

 Vote on which cat and dog most resembles the candidates. Results will be posted on their site on Sept. 24.

Too bad they did not have the Vice Presidential picks too. I could see a perky Yorkie with a top-knot as Palin and maybe a Golden Retriever as Biden?

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Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Mark Levin,  Vicki Mckenna

One of the things I love about living in our City in the Countryside is the variety of wildlife here. Last year, it was not unusual to see a Red Fox or the entire Red Fox family out and about in our neighborhood. This year I saw a coyote in my back yard.

Birds also abound here. When the fruit trees are in bloom and when mulberries are ripe, Baltimore Orioles are regular visitors to my yard. Hummingbirds frequent my perennial flower garden. I love it!

Kinsey Park pond (at the end of my street) often has Blue Herons fishing at the pond's edge. It is fascinating to watch them.

  But yesterday, for the first time, I saw a Green Heron. 

Two girls who were frogging at the pond edge said they saw it there last week too.

I often walk my dog past the park and pond, but this time this bird startled us by flying out from the weeds at the edge. At first I did not know what kind of bird it was--it did not seem large enough to be a Heron. Maybe a Kingfisher of some sort?

But then it stood in the shallows and stretched its neck out. Pretty comical looking, but not Kingfisher-like. This bird looked like it was all head and neck atop of a too small body! It also had a top knot. What was that bird? Wouldn't you know I did not have my camera with me. (This photo was from RioRVPark.com)

Once back at home I got out my trusty Audubon bird field guide and narrowed it down to the Green Heron. I also read that suddenly flying out from a weedy water's edge was a characteristic of Green Herons. But what about the long neck?

A look on the internet confirmed it. Cornell Labs All About Birds site explained that Green Herons often held their long necks close to their bodies. That clarified why the photos showed a short, stocky neck, but the actual bird had a long one.  

The Great Blue Heron's may have been in the news lately, but don't forget to look for the Green Herons too next time you are near a pond or wetland. After all, Brookfield's wildlife is one of the perks of living here.

Links: 

Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Mark Levin,   Vicki Mckenna

They come from all over the country; people from all walks of life--from Rich Urban BikerS (RUBS) to hardcore bikers. The one thing they have in common is that they love their machines. Customizing is part of the love affair. I snapped this picture near Sturgis, South Dakota early in August. Many bikers, just lik