Batty for Austin

My husband, Ben, and I recently visited our daughter in Austin, TX. Amanda works near there, and couldn’t wait to show us the town. Surprisingly, one of the highlights was seeing the bats that roost under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Every night around dusk they emerge in search of dinner, and, on a typical summer evening, they downing more than 20,000 insects! Not only do the bats help tourists who don’t like bug bites, but they play an essential role in controlling insect pests that damage crops.

On a hut, muggy evening, we joined a crowd on the bridge, listening in on various bat stories as we waited for the bats to make their appearance. We weren’t disappointed! Hundreds of them seemed to fly right from under us, as you can see in the photo of them leaving the city for the nightly feast.

Besides bats, Austin is home to the state capital and known as the music capital of the world, so it offers a little bit of everything for everybody. It was a wonderful trip, all around.
–Wendy Stenman

Author Update

Longtime readers may remember the feature we published about Christian author Wanda Brunstetter of Wapato, WA. Wanda, a pastor's wife, especially enjoys writing about the Amish, and her novels feature Amish heroines and their down-to-earth suitors.

Back then, Wanda was testing recipes for an Amish/Mennonite cookbook, and we were delighted to see a copy of her Amish Friends Cookbook, Volume 2, arrive in our office this week from Barbour Publishing, Inc. It features recipes from the Amish across America along with household tips and bits of wisdom: "To ease another's burden, we need help to carry it."

You can learn more about this and her other books by visiting www.wandabrunstetter.com. In the meantime, I'm filing away this apple cream pie recipe, from Mandy R. Schwartz of Portland, IN, to try after my family's annual apple orchard trip this fall!
–Lori Grzybowski

Apple Cream Pie

• 3 cups apples, finely chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 rounded tablespoon flour
• 1 cup cream
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix apples, brown sugar, salt, flour and cream. Put in unbaked pastry shell. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees for an additional 30 to 40 minutes. When pie is about half done, take a knife and push top apples down to soften.

Glad I Asked!

They say the first rule of travel is: Don't be afraid to ask. I might add: Ask a Country Woman reader! Recently, while perusing the Chit-Chat community forum on our CW Web site, I came across an entry by a reader named Jill. She happened to mention that she lives near Stratford, Ontario. That's just the area I'm planning to visit on my upcoming autumn vacation.

I figured it wouldn't hurt to E-mail Jill and ask for suggestions on what to see and do in her area. I was thrilled to receive a response from her the very next day, with ideas on where to stay, eat and shop—along with local attractions and side trips that might be of interest. She even offered to help me make reservations. It was like having my own personal tour guide!

In a few follow-up E-mails, I learned that Jill grew up a dairy farmer's daughter and that she enjoys reading about other rural-rooted women in CW. Neighborliness and hospitality obviously come naturally to her, too.

If you haven't checked out the CW Chit-Chat I'd highly recommend it. You can post a question about crafts, recipes, travel, decorating, good books…you name it…and will likely get an answer in no time. Who knows? Maybe you'll make a new friend in the bargain.
—Sharon Selz

One for the Scrapbook

My internship with Country Woman has taught me new things every day. Whether writing feature articles, talking with readers, or tasting recipe contest entries, I’m learning the process of putting a magazine together in a way that you just can’t in a classroom.

Recently, I got to model a cute beribboned T-shirt planned as one of next summer’s crafts. I never knew it took so much preparation to get a picture!

A stylist did my makeup, and put me at ease for the camera. Then the photographer took a ton of pictures, asking me to adjust the pose slightly every time. I was surprised to see how much the smallest movement affected the overall look of the photo.

It was an eye-opening look at what goes on from the other side of the camera! I was glad to have the opportunity—it’s picture-perfect proof of a memorable summer working at Country Woman.
—Samantha Cavallo

Wrapped in Love

Knitting is wonderful medicine. I discovered that recently when one of my family members received a comfort shawl as a get-well gift. The ladies in a local church, who call themselves the Cro-Knitters, stitched together and presented it along with the story behind it.

This story touched my whole family so deeply, I thought I’d share it:

“Please use this shawl as a mantle of love and wrap it around you as you go about your daily activities—when you go out, when you feel down, when you sleep, whenever you feel a need for love and support.

“Always remember that the knitter wove prayers for healing into the shawl to create a vessel for love in the life of the recipient—YOU. Loving hearts and hands make up this simple gift for those challenged in body, mind and spirit. Our prayer is that the shawl might comfort you and remind you that the Creator’s healing presence is with you every step of the way, every day.”

If you’d like to consider making a similar gift for someone as a “hug of healing,” you’ll find a pattern on our Country Woman Web site. Just click the “Crafts” link, and it will take you to some 40 fun make-it-yourself projects. Look for the “Comforting Shawl” link.

—Sharon Selz

Bedroom Makeover on a Dime

With our teen-age son making the transition from a twin bed to a full-size, my husband and I needed to redo his room with a grown-up, masculine look. But we didn't want to spend a lot of money, so I was hunting for creative, low-cost ideas.

I spied a headboard made from coffee bean bags, and realized it would make a perfect focal point in a tropical themed room. So we bought a great mattress and box spring on sale, with frame included. My husband and daughter built a headboard frame from plywood and 2 X 2s. A local coffee roaster was happy to give us burlap coffee bean bags, which my daughter cut out and pieced together, backing them with an old quilt. She stapled the pieced coffee bags to the frame and the remaining wood was covered with scraps of burlap from the bags.

The best part? We spent just under $50 for a unique fun headboard. Now, it's on to the master bedroom. Any ideas that you'd like to share?

—Wendy Stenman

Bagging It

We’re all busy saving money these days. But you still need some place to put it, right?

No, not like stocks or CDs–I’m talking about what’s slung over your shoulder, or clutched in your hands. The wallet or purse that holds your money, your driver’s license, keys, glasses, tissues, etc. All your “stuff” that you need, but don’t have enough pockets for.

Designer handbags have never been my “thing”. But even I was oohing and aahing over the hundreds of entries in our recent Crafty Bag contest. We saw everything from wallets to beach totes, in a rainbow of colors and materials. You see a good selection of them in our Aug/Sept issue, with directions planned for future issues.

Making them means you’ll have your very own designer bag, perfectly suited to your needs. And since it comes at just a fraction of what you’d pay to buy one, you’ll have more to put in it, as well!

—Lori Grzybowski

Meet CW’s New Intern

Hi! I’m Samantha Cavallo, and I’m Country Woman’s summer intern. I’m going to be a senior at Marquette University in Milwaukee this fall, and I’m double-majoring in journalism and writing-intensive English.

I’m so excited to have the opportunity to work with the CW staff! After just two weeks, I’ve already learned a lot about how a magazine is put together. I got a sneak peek at the pages of the Aug/Sept issue before they went to the printer, and I think it’s beautiful!

Other highlights have been the laughs I’ve gotten reading through Most Embarrassing Moments for future issues, and taste-testing some scrumptious recipes the Test Kitchen is working for Dec/Jan.

I also had a chance to sit in on a location photo shoot for a décor story—that’s me, trying to observe from a spot where I’m safely out of the crew’s way. It was so interesting to see them set up the lights and position the camera just so, all while sidestepping an excited Labrador retriever! The home was lovely, and so were the preliminary shots I saw. Watch for it in the Oct/Nov issue.

—Samantha Cavallo

A Tattoo Just for Fun

When my husband, Louie, and I went to Panama this spring (I was the company host on one of our World Wide Country Tours), I got a tattoo! It wasn’t permanent, but it was fun. We visited an Embera Indian village, where the children offered to tattoo their traditional designs, drawing them on with a natural dye made from plants that would wash off in a few days. This little gal was so sweet and deliberate applying it on my arm.

They did some of their native dances for us, then invited some of our travelers to participate in the dance. That’s Louie shaking a leg!  

What a great trip it was! Of course, our ride through the Panama Canal was a highlight, as was an up-close visit to the Miraflores Locks at the Pacific entrance to the Canal. We have this tour planned for next winter, too. If you’re interested in more details, go to www.countrytours.com.

— Ann Kaiser

One Sweet Centerpiece

Looking over entries in our Fun With Flowers contest recently, we came across this inviting photo from Carol Douglas of Dublin, Ohio. Her gorgeous centerpiece caught my eye because we’d featured it in Taste of Home with step-by-step directions.

“I took this picture at the wedding of my nephew Charles to his bride, Sarah,” Carol noted on her entry.

“They were married outside on the porch steps of a 105-year-old farmhouse in August. The reception was held under a tent, and my sister, Glenda Reynolds, made this beautiful fruit centerpiece for the cookie table, using instructions she found in Taste of Home. The sunflowers are from Glenda’s gardens.”

Glenda surely did a masterful job on the centerpiece. Thanks, Carol, for giving us a peek. If anyone else would like to make one for your party, get the Cascading Fruit Centerpiece how-to. —Ann Kaiser

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Quilting Time!

This has always been my favorite time of year to quilt. It’s warm and cozy inside, but cold (really cold this year) outside.

When I found myself procrastinating lately, I realized that I needed some inspiration to get me going.

Since selecting fabric is the most difficult task for me, I turned to a kit that I had on hand. That was all I needed. I pieced the kit’s table topper and the momentum just propelled me to piece six more small projects.

Now all I need is inspiration to layer, quilt and bind them before warmer weather returns! —Jane Craig

Oldies but Goodies

The family heirloom is priceless in my heart. But still I wondered what an antique expert would say about the delicate dragonfly pin my granddad brought back from his WW II duty in Burma.

I found out at an antiques appraisal fair here in Greendale, Wisconsin. It featured Barbara Eash, who writes an antiques appraisal column for both CW and Reminisce.

Barbara looked at my pin through a magnifier, then told me it was hand-wrought of fine metal wire, circa 1895. “It’s art nouveau jewelry,” she explained. “The style was the craze in that era and featured nature themes like your dragonfly.”

Such pieces are “hot” among jewelry lovers these days, she told me, and it would be worth a nice sum on E-bay. Since it came from my grandpa, I’ll always love my pin and don’t plan to part with it. Now that I know some of its history, I cherish it even more.

Want Barbara to consider your piece for an appraisal in CW?  Visit “Ask the Antiques Expert” to learn how.
—Sharon Selz

Happy Newly Organized Year!

I don’t know about you, but I was thrilled to see Sue DeRoos’ tips on getting organized in the current issue. Such a simple premise she offers—first decide how much space you’ll allot for something and then eliminate the extra when that space, or container, gets too full!

I gave it a try when the Christmas decorations came down. I knew I’d collected more than I needed, and they were taking over my storage area!

First, I undecorated the tree and packed the decorations I wanted to save in my designated Christmas storage boxes. Then I sifted through decorations I haven’t used in the last few years. Some got packed into boxes labeled for each of my children, for use when they get settled into their own homes. And some went to charity.

Looking at my neatly stored boxes felt great, and I loved having the extra space. Best of all? I now have the confidence to tackle some more challenging areas. Computer room, here I come!
—Wendy Stenman

Manatees-Up Close and Personal

On an interesting boat tour recently, I got to see about a dozen manatees up close and personal! It was especially fun and exciting, because we’d just finished our Dec/Jan issue, where our “Gifts that Give Back” feature mentioned the opportunity to “adopt” one of these gentle, endangered sea cows.

My husband, Louie, and I had accompanied his mom to Florida, where she spends the winter. I remembered seeing an ad for a “Manatee Watch” boat ride on the Banana River near Cocoa Beach. So we got on board and our captain found a group of the huge, gray aquatic mammals resting in an inlet. The adults weigh 800 to 1,000 pounds! We saw a baby, too—probably a mere 150 pounds.

It was fascinating to watch them come up for air—their heads and faces all wrinkled with whiskers—then slowly roll back under. “Only a mother could love that face!” Louis said with a chuckle. —Ann Kaiser

Company's Coming!

We’ve had a number of VIPs here in the last few weeks. And though you’ll read more about them in coming months, we’ll share a little of our excitement now.

You probably know that our cover gals aren’t professional models, but real women eager to share their rural or small-town way of life with our readers. Often, we send our photographer to their home, but this summer we photographed three 2009 covers close to ours.

That’s always fun, because we show each one around our Test Kitchen, photo studio and visitor’s center, and hear more about her family and home. These three—Kama, from Texas; Shayla, from Florida; and Brandy, from Virginia—all had charming accents. (That’s Kama getting ready for her close-up, with photographer Jim Wieland and his assistant.)

We enjoy getting to know each on her expenses-paid visit.  Want us to consider you or someone you know as a cover gal? Let us know here! —Lori Grzybowski

Taste of Success

Husband Randy and I were thrilled to attend a “Taste of Success” reception this summer at the Wisconsin Governor’s Executive Residence, home to Governor Jim Doyle and his wife, Jessica. Farmers, food processors, promoters and agriculture leaders from across the state were invited to the event, and the governor spoke about the growth in state agriculture and thanked us all for our efforts to promote it.

Randy and I visited with other guests and sampled a variety of tasty appetizers—all from Wisconsin, of course.  I especially enjoyed the artwork and the landscape quilt in the living room.

The impressive three-story residence, also known as the Governor’s Mansion, sits on 3.7 acres along the shore of Lake Mendota in Madison. It’s open for public tours in summer and in December, and if you’d like to tour it, you can call 1-608/246-5502 for information. —Jane Craig

Squeally Proud

As the mother of six girls and three boys, I’ve had a lot of surprises over the years, and a lot of proud moments as well. My latest is learning I’m the mother of a champion pig-catcher at the Sauk County Fair!

My youngest daughter, Mary, and her two sisters-in-law were one of only two women’s teams that managed to capture the pig and place it in a barrel within the required 45 seconds. Their time was 29.7 seconds—well ahead of the other team’s 43.5 seconds.

Adding to the fun, Mary’s husband, Andy—that would be my son-in-law—earlier helped sweep the male team division. Working with his brother and his sister’s boyfriend, their team turned in an outstanding time of 7.6 seconds.

Here are both teams showing off their trophies—that’s Mary at far right and Andy next to her. And to think I never suspected any of them had this kind of talent! —Joanne Wied

At the Farmers Market

With so much fresh produce available, this is the season for foodies. I love visiting farmers markets on weekends and recently tried a different one.

As I surveyed the stands for prices and quality, everything looked so good that I really had to control myself! It’s all too easy to buy more than I can ever use, and I’ve learned the hard way to bring a list. It usually keeps me out of trouble.

Happily, I spotted this farmer, who I knew from another market—her veggies always look great. I bought some beautiful sugar snap peas—perfect for my planned stir-fry, with enough left to throw into a salad.

Some huge kohlrabi also caught my eye. This veggie’s only available in summer, but would these big ones be woody? She assured me that doesn’t happen with this new variety, so I bought three and creamed one with fresh parsley for dinner last night. Turns out, she’d steered me right again!

The only other thing I bought was honey, and I left feeling pretty proud of myself for staying in control—at least, until next weekend! —Wendy Stenman

An Intern’s Interview

By Lisa Regall

Being able to work at Country Woman is like a dream come true for me. Editing is exactly what I’ve wanted to do after college and being part of a successful magazine is an honor. (I was touched when the staff helped me celebrate my graduation!) I’ve enjoyed a wide variety of tasks, but my favorite so far was interviewing Sue Whitney for a feature about junking—taking old objects and reusing them a new purpose.

This was my first formal interview and my first feature story. To be honest, I was a little nervous! Sue is a celebrity in the junking world. She’s already co-written two books on junking and made numerous appearances on HGTV. This was a lot bigger than anything I’d ever worked on!

When the big day came, Ann let me use her office for the interview. Questions in hand, I called Sue, who cheerfully answered them all—and then some! Her passion for her what she does came through loud and clear.

It was a great experience, one that gave me tons of great information to use for the feature. Watch for it in the October/November issue of CW! —Lisa Regall

CW Crosses Borders

What a small world! Recently, I vacationed in Stratford, Ontario to take in the Shakespeare Festival. Before one performance, I got to chatting with Shirley, the woman next to me, who pegged me as an English teacher. I shared that I’m an editor for Country Woman.

“Why, I’ve been a subscriber for years!” said Shirley, who hails from Niagara Falls, Ontario. “I love reading about the interesting women you feature, and I always get excited when I see the ones from Canada. We appreciate you remembering us.”

Shirley told me she especially enjoys the country kitchens featured, the “Most Embarrassing Moment” column and the “Our Kids” quips and photos.

Getting to know Shirley was a highlight of my trip. Over the years, I’ve “met” many fascinating readers—from Alberta to the Yukon—by mail and phone. Our circulation department tells me Country Woman has around 81,000 subscribers from Canada. We’d love to hear more from our neighbors to the north…so keep sharing your stories with CW, eh? —Sharon Selz

Prayer Shawls Revisited

Here at Country Woman, we often receive review copies of new books. The Prayer Shawl Companion (The Taunton Press) really caught my attention because in CW June/July, we had a story about a group who knit a shawl for a recently widowed friend.

We didn’t point it out, but I was part of that group (that’s me fourth from left in the photo). Our friend, Holly, has told us time and again what a comforting gift it’s been.

You’ll find the easy pattern for that shawl and a poem we gave with it in our crafts archive here. But for more options, The Prayer Shawl Companion is a neat book. Authors Janet Bristow and Victoria A. Cole-Galo are founders of shawlministry.com.  —Ann Kaiser