Personal Stories

We all have a story to tell. Yup, each and everyone of us. Want to learn how to put those stories down on paper?

Consider enrolling in the one-day workshop I'm teaching at The Clearing in Door County Wisconsin. The date is Saturday, September 15. Give The Clearing a call at 877-854-3225 for registration details. The title of the workshop is "Writing From Your Life."

Cheese and the History Channel

Want to learn a bit more about cheese? More interesting than you think. Tune in the History Channel on Wednesday, June 27 9:00 p.m. Central (10:00 p.m. Eastern). Folks from Los Angeles flew out here to Madison a few months ago and interviewed a bunch of Wisconsin people, including yours truly. I suspect I'll be on for all of 30 seconds, but the process was fun.

Wisconsin Eye Interview

Something new in Wisconsin. The State's answer to C-Span. It's called Wisconsin Eye. I recently did an interview with them, which you can listen to, or watch online. Their Internet address is www.wisconsineye.org. Once you reach their home page, click on video archives, then on book programs.

Joan Sanstadt, with Wisconsin Eye, queried me about my book, LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR. All kinds of background stuff about the book, as well as life on the farm when I was a kid. Joan knows how to pull out details I don't ordinarily share.

Give it a listen.

Ringling Brothers Circus History

Interested in learning more about those famous Wisconsin boys who ran the great Ringling Bros. Circus?

I'll be sharing some circus history at the following:

Barnes & Noble Madison East June 26, 2:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble Bayshore (Milwaukee) June 27, 1:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble Madison West, July 11, 1:00 p.m.

Bring the kids. Each child will receive a free circus clown red nose.

Strawberry Pie

Oh, how tasty those Wisconsin strawberries. Tonight I enjoyed strawberry pie, first one of the season.

Check LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR for the recipe. It's on page 113. All that's needed is one quart of fresh strawberries--and a few other things. Easy enough to make. And the taste, well I don't have the words.

Rain in June is a Silver Spoon

The home farm was quite sandy and it seemed we never had quite enough rain to grow our crops. Dad had a series of sayings about the spring rains that I have never forgotten:

April showers bring May flowers
Rain in May is a barn full of hay
Rain in June is a Silver Spoon.

Upcoming Events:

Chilton Public Library, Chilton, WI 6:00 p.m. June 20.
Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 23. (Sponsored by Apple Blossom Books)

June is Strawberry Month

When I was growing up, we had a big strawberry patch on the home farm. June was strawberry month. We ate strawberries three times a day, and I enjoyed every mouthful.

My favorite was my mother's strawberry pie; the recipe is included in my new book, LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR.

We also enjoyed strawberry sandwiches. To make a strawberry sandwich, start with two thick slices of homemade bread. Cover each slice with butter. Then put three or four or more strawberries on one of the slices. Smash the strawberries with a kitchen fork. Sprinkle on a little sugar before putting the sandwich together. Take a big bite--don't worry if a little strawberry juice slips down the side of your face. Now, that is living!

Jerry's Appearances

Upcoming appearances, featuring Living a Country Year:

Barnes and Noble, Racine, WI Thursday, June 14, 6:30 p.m.

Chilton Public Library, Chilton, WI, June 20, 6:00 p.m.

Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, WI, June 23, 10:30-1:30 (Hosted by Apple Blossom Books).

"Some People never let grass grow under their feet because they never move out of their tracks."

Living a Country Year.

Leaf Lettuce Salad Recipe

I cut the first leaf lettuce of the season from my garden this past weekend. And pulled the first radishes as well. Home grown garden produce has always been a treat for our family--especially the first crops of the season.

My mother had a special recipe for leaf lettuce salad, which is in my LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR BOOK. Here is her recipe, which she had never written down.

4-6 cups of leaf lettuce
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon sugar
5 teaspoons vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Wash and dry lettuce and place in serving bowl.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the milk and sugar.
Add vinegar to the milk mixture and stir until mixture thickens.
Add pepper.
Pour mixture over lettuce and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6 people.

Enjoy!