And, all the way from L.A., here's Greg and Howard's fangtastic entry: Fang. Greg wrote:
"We hope you don't find our little creature too scary. All Fang wants are his tricks or treats and maybe a small drop of blood!!!"
In other pumpkin news, I'm pleased to announce that Ivana realized her dream and won the employee pumpkin contest this afternoon: 15 Susan B. Anthony dollars. Sweet!
I made these while Lenore was dozing after her surgery. Just envision how fabulous these Halloween potholders would look in your abode. We've gotten a few interesting entries here at PPH headquarters. Lenore's entry came with a subtle moniker: Ivana Winaprize. I think Xena has hidden all of Lenore's potholders (is that a commentary?), so Lenore needs more. Ivana didn't fare too well in the local contest -- let's just say she didn't live up to her name. You can see pics from that contest here. Other entries posted below for your viewing pleasure. Entries still being accepted. It's not too late...yet...
The resemblance is striking!
Ivana Winaprize
A dejected Ivana Winaprize after the Dundee Depot Great Pumpkin contest. "Dahling, please to just take me home, I vant a drink and to put my feets up...Oh damn, I don't have no feets. Please, no pictures!"
Technically, Lynda did make this little pumpkin, so her entry has been accepted by the judges, who are suckers for a cutie.
Spidergraeme! I think he may be a little taller now, but I could be wrong.
OK, so this has nothing to do with pumpkins, but it's kind of cute and creepy all in one. Hoops likes snuggling up to her new friend, Charlie, because he doesn't play with her ears like certain humans do when she's trying to take a nap.
Will post perky pumpkin contest pics soon, promise! In the meantime, here's a cool jack-o-lantern site where you can carve your own virtual pumpkin. Thanks to my cousin Becky for sending it! :)
My parents came over for a pasta making and eating party. Little did my mom know she'd be put to work. We had fun making the noodles and even more fun eating them.
My photographer thought it would be funny to pretend the dough was a big long tongue.
I also got my new table back, and it looks fabulous in the newly painted dining room. This was the $25 bargain found at the Hysterical Society garage sale. My cousin's husband happens to be handy with the woodworking, so he made me two leaves and refinished the table. Sweet! I like the way the legs look -- they have a definite show girl flair to them, don't you think?
I like the feet, even though one of the poor little feet is broken. It may be fixable. I've located a replacement cap on the Internet, just not sure how to splice it on there. Maybe raw pasta dough...
This view shows off the paint job better and also the painting I got at the Farmer's Market. It's a view in Carpentersville by the river. It was the IL Iron and Bolt company, now Otto Engineering. The couch is now gone -- I sold it to a co worker. I'll put the money toward some decent dining room chairs.
I also had my upstairs hall and bedroom painted. Been wanting to do that since I moved in, but never got around to it, so I finally hired my painter friend Bruce to do it for me (he also did the dining room). The professional touch certainly makes a difference. The picture I took of the bedroom is dumb, so I'll try and remember to take a better one.
And here's perky prize winner Lynda, sporting her avant-garde tie dyed shirt. Did you know fashion has its own language? Neither did I. But all we really need to know about this shirt is that it was created in an Atelier (ah-tell-yeah),a studio or workroom where high fashion garments are made. Make a note of it.
Graeme also got a TDT (tie dyed T) for his b.day, though it's somewhat blocked, overshadowed and otherwise preempted by the Portable Play Station that's hogging the spotlight. I suppose that's understandable. :)
I know what you're thinking: "Holy cow, how can I get one of those TDTs??" Simple, gentle reader, just enter the Perky Pumpkin Contest! You could win a TDT *and* a Perky Potholder. I know -- almost seems too good to be true!
I will, in the meantime, be making NOODLES! I got me one of those newfangled (actually, it's old fashioned) pasta maker machine thingees on e-bay with the help of Laura's b.day $, and boy is it fun! Hoops likes the noodles too -- I'll have to try making some catnip flavored pasta.
Anyhoo, here's some chicken soup I made accessorized with homemade noodles (though actually, these noodles were made before I got my machine, so they're not quite as pretty).
Here's Hoops wishing for a diversion so she can score some noodles.
"Oh no...anything but that!" Photo courtesy of Extreme Pumpkins dot com.
It's a Perky Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest! Send me a photo of your artistic Halloween pumpkin (preferably by Halloween), and I'll post entries here. There will be valuable prizes! What kitchen doesn't need a Halloween Perky Potholder? Plus...
Lenore gave me a hearty selection of tie dye suplies for my birthday, so it's only fitting that we here at Perky Potholders incorporate more tie dye into the next contest. What does this have to do with potholders? Nothing. But really, what does this blog have to do with anything?
Several alert readers have been asking about the trip to Wilton, WI. It was splendid. We biked to and through the old railway tunnels on the Elroy Sparta bike trail, ate pie, kayaked the Kickapoo river for 4.25 hours, ate more pie, biked again and ate more pie. The pie was good. This is where we ate the pie, Gina's Pies Are Square. It's awesome, and currently for sale, lock stock and barrel, for $195,000.
Here's Lenore, Gina and some pie. We are on a first-name basis with Gina. The pizza there is also square and excellent.
Most people who ride the Elroy-Sparta trail tend to stay in Elroy or Sparta. However, we prefer to stay in Wilton, which is right in the middle and offers the best access to the two best tunnels. And pie. This is the teeny four-room hotel where we stayed ($45/night with a kitchenette). The town also has a nice campground, a pool, two bars, a Latvian jeweler, and there are B&Bs around too.
Here are some shots from our rides. The weather was perfect, though the trail was in rough shape from all the rain they had (had). The big tunnel is so long you can't see daylight at the other end. Inevitably, there's always some joker who brings a bright, bright light and a train whistle...
Here's a picture inside the really long tunnel -- I think it's a mile long, but I could be wrong.
This is Hardware Hank's.
I love this store. It's your basic old-fashioned hardware/general store, and it has absolutely everything. If there was a hardware store in Harry Potter, this would be it. Whatever you need, it's in the next aisle over. They don't take credit cards though. Only cash, checks and maybe Galleons. Check out the inside of this store. Could you not spend hours in here? Lenore bought a bike seat and a t-shirt and had a key made. I bought some candy, a new jug to make iced tea in, and a part to fix my hose.
So then we went kayaking... We like to rent kayaks from Titanic Canoe Rental in Ontario (1-877-Get Sunk). They only charge $20 per boat for as long as you want to paddle. We went about an hour too long. But it was still a lovely day, and we had a nice picnic along the way. The Kickapoo river is very bendy and scenic -- I took way too many pictures and had a hard time deciding which ones to post. I thought maybe I could pick three, but ended up with five. So there you go.
We also visited Lenore's godmother Anna, who gave us a tour of her fabulous house and performed a weaving and spinning demonstration. The rugs Anna makes are both functional and beautiful -- she uses shirts or end bolts from a linen (bed sheet) outlet that she rips into strips and then weaves into intricate designs of all different patterns and colors. Hence the term "rag rug," which are, like quilts, often works of art. Needless to say, I didn't bring her any potholders.
The big loom -- it's a work of art itself.
Anna spinning wool into yarn.
Wood dyed with natural dyes made from flowers.
Anna's husband was a woodworker and made beautiful furniture and sculptures. This is a rocking chair he made to rock their babies.
Here are the two little movies I made of Anna spinning wool into yarn.
Where else would you go for the quintessential American breakfast experience than Denny's? Juergen arranged for a breakfast get together so I could see Leni, who was in town from Dortmund, Germany. I got to practice my German a little bit and score some breakfast, thanks to JL! Roland rode his bike over to join us, and we all had a lovely visit. It was SO nice to see her again! For those who don't know, Leni is Roland's aunt -- his mom's older sister. It's been a long time since she's been to the U.S.!
She had not experienced this type of pancake before, and pronounced them "gut!"
