Inside My World

Where I do most of my studying, creating and dreaming.

My AWESOME (and quite old) carpet.

This tree picture I copied from a post card.

Because my room is small I have to be efficient with my space.
Therefore I have created a bookshelf underneath my desk.
It is proving to be quite useful.

The South wall...

Three random pictures...
the bottom is a very famous WWII picture and a favorite of mine,
the middle is an "album" cover for the "Guacamole Girls"
(a CD that Jae, Emily and I made back in '07),
and the top (which is hard to see) is a doodle by Jed of a cowboy.

A part of the view from my bedroom window. As you can see it was taken in the winter.

The very pretty and colorful flowers that I held in my sister's wedding.

A shelf.... with assorted notebooks, penny collections, and paint brushes.

My dresser top.
btw.... the mirror is not cracked, and
the Band-aid box holds wallet sized photos of friends/people that I've collected. =D

The lid to an old shoe box that I thought was neat/fascinating.

An aloe vera plant that is baby from the original that used to be my great-grandma Meyer's.

A good deal at Borders that I stumbled upon. 32 Shakespeare books? I couldn't resist.
I have only read Romeo and Juliet though... I'll get them all read eventually. =)

I copied this out of one of my history books.

A collage of pictures that I cut out of travel magazines.

A Ralph Waldo Emerson quote.

I have this on the outside of my bedroom door
...so that when I sleep in my mom will know why.

The dead flowers that I arranged in a vase to adorn my desk. =)

A random drawing on my wall.

This is a picture my brother Daniel painted (his first painting).
He hadn't intended on giving it away, but I fell in love with it and he didn't mind giving it up.
He was just glad somebody admired it.

My many writing utensils. =) Very necessary.

The verse I have written below (in case you couldn't make it out) is Ecc. 11:7.

On the head of my bed, I have part of the chorus to the famous hymn "the Solid Rock".

I copied this lighthouse picture from a birthday card.

A reminder in case I'm caught up in the worries of this life.

The only thing I didn't draw in this picture was the leaves on the tree.
The leaves were thanks to Isaac (who has quite a talent for drawing leaves and vines).

This drawing was inspired by a view of the land to the South East of my home.

My dear friend Courtney was so kind as to grace my wall with her wonderful "stick figures"!!!
♥ THANK YOU COURTNEY!!

...Just a reminder in case I get carried away by in the downward spiral of this world.

I took this out of a book.
It has been a very helpful reminder of what is important to me.

A B-17 factory in WWII. I bought this picture at a WWII aircraft exhibit.

This is taped to my door as a reminder.

This is a pastel picture my brother Jed drew.
I found it among some other random pictures that had
long been neglected and hung it on my wall.
The shed is very similar to one we have on our farm.

My West wall.... quite covered in random drawings and pictures. =)

This is a picture my sister Emily drew.
She was showing me how to draw a sunset it's reflection on water
(because I was doing it backwards).
She didn't care to keep it so I hung it on my wall.

This is a picture my brother Jed drew... and it floated around the house for a month.
Finally I framed it and now it hangs on my wall.

This is a picture that my brother Isaac drew.
He wasn't going to do anything with it and I liked it so now it's on my wall.

The book shelf that was in my room when I moved in. The books on the top are mine.

My guitars (actually they're more like family guitars but they stay in my room)!

Did you see what I saw?

My dear friend Courtney (also a fellow blogger) wrote in one of her recent posts of a gift her brother gave her: a musical saw. I'd never heard of such a thing, so I had to ask her what in the world a musical saw was!
She told me that, "It is a saw (like a handsaw for cutting wood) and you play on it with a violin bow!"

In disbelief I decided to search the web to see if it was just some inside joke or something, and low and behold it was a real thing!

If you don't believe me or if you're simply a fan of the musical saw yourself then you should check out this rather comical and yet amazing youtube video:



If you can make music with a saw, then there really must be no limitations to what you can make into a musical instrument!

On the note of interesting musical instruments, a very inspiring story is the one of Andy Mackie. You can read it on his website or watch the youtube video:



Life through Andy Mackie's eye's is a view that most people spend their whole life trying to find. He creates joy through the simplest gifts and no doubt spreads the love of music to millions of people around the world.

Therefore dear strum stick players, saw players, jaw harpists, yodelers, trash can beaters, and all you other musicians around the world.... a round of applause to you. ;)

Catalpastry (which is not really a word, fyi)

As I brewed a cup of delicious Red Flower Jasmine Tea this morning, I found a dried pod (seeds dried inside) on the counter top and I asked my mom what it was. Apparently my baby niece, Meadow, had been sucking/chewing on the pod, which my brother, Jed, assumed was from a Catalpa tree (and later found it to be otherwise).
Jed, concerned that his child may have been eating something harmful, was wondering whether it (the Catalpa tree seeds, pods... etc.) was safe/nontoxic.

This, therefore, inspired me to climb onto my handy-dandy Google search engine to do a bit of digging. The results are rather fascinating and exciting as well (since we have a Catalpa tree of our own in our yard... they happen to be quite common in this area).

Catalpa trees, originally known as Catawba trees (the spelling was accidentally changed in a translation error), can be found all over the United States. You may have also heard of it by the name of Indian Bean tree, Cigar tree or Fish Bait tree (fishers plant Catawba because it attracts caterpillars used for bait).

Catalpa trees were utilized by the Native Americans long before they were used pioneers (who, when they discovered them, spread them about the continent as they migrated across the frontier).
Today they are used in many medical remedies.

One website said this about the Catalpa tree:
"European settlers planted it to produce fence posts. The wood is lightweight, and the heartwood is resistant to deterioration when placed in the ground for several years. Railroad companies grew plantations of it for use as track ties and fuelwood. It was also used for making packing materials. Carpenters commonly used it for interior trim in houses. Craftsmen used it to make furniture. It has also been used as telephone or powerline poles.

Ethnobotany: In some of the older medical journals (19th century) there were speculations that catalpa gave off poisonous emanations. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove those speculations.

Pioneer doctors used the seed pods and seeds to make a decoction for chronic bronchial affections, spasmodic asthma, labored breathing and heart problems. The juice from either the leaves or roots was used to treat swelling of an eye or cutaneous affections. Green leaves were crushed and placed on swollen lymph glands. The bark was dried then ground up to powder and taken, or brewed in a tea and taken for swollen lymph glands."

Another site had this to say on it's medical properties:
"A tea made from the bark has been used as an antiseptic, antidote to snake bites, laxative, sedative and vermifuge[222]. As well as having a sedative effect, the plant also has a mild narcotic action, though it never causes a dazed condition[7]. It has therefore been used with advantage in preparations with other herbs for the treatment of whooping cough in children, it is also used to treat asthma and spasmodic coughs in children[7, 254]. The bark has been used as a substitute for quinine in treating malaria[254]. The leaves are used as a poultice on wounds and abrasions[222]. A tea made from the seeds is used in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis and is applied externally to wounds[222]. The pods are sedative and are thought to have cardioactive properties[222]. Distilled water made from the pods, mixed with eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) and rue (Ruta graveolens) is a valuable eye lotion in the treatment of trachoma and conjunctivitis[7]."

And another site said this:
"Though these ornamental trees are widely used for decorating the gardens and for shades, they do have many medicinal benefits too. The tea made from the barks of the Catalpa trees is a very effective antidote for snakebites. When combined with other medicinal herbs, the parts of the Catalpa trees are proven to be effective remedies for whooping cough. Different parts like the bark and leaves are also used in the treatment for asthma. The Catalpa seeds have medicinal benefits too. Drinking the tea made from the Catalpa seeds has proven to be the best, effective treatment to asthma and bronchitis. Moreover, the tea made from Catalpa seeds can be used for healing external wounds. This tea made from the Catalpa seeds can be applied directly to the wounds. Great cardio active properties are found in the Catalpa pods. The pure distilled water collected from the Catalpa pods are used for the treatment of many eye health problems."

I tried to find a website that would explain how to make tea from the seeds, but was unsuccessful. I did find a site with a short article that had to do with the prevention of cancer by drinking herbal teas. Although it does not mention tea made from Catalpa seeds, it is very interesting and I recommend that you read it.

Another interesting site is the Indiana Medical History Museum. They give a simple, clear definition of the Catalpa tree, along within many other recognizable and useful plants in their "Guide to the Medical Plant Garden".

My brother Jed summed up the information I'd told to him about the Catalpa tree:
"So if you get bitten by a snake, have asthma and are constipated you should pretty much eat Catalpa."

Wisconsin Poem

We all live on a back 40
And wake up at the crack of dawn
Most all of us could drive tractor
Since we had diapers on

Every kid who’s grown up ‘round here
Knows how to milk a cow
A when it comes to treatin’ mastitis and milk fevers
We don’t call a vet, ‘cause we know how

We raise soy beans and green beans
We eat black beans on rice
We like huntin’ and fishin’
Way back in the pines

My friend Tim is a pro-fisherman
Or at least that’s what he wants to be
Uncle David’s up and started
A microbrewery

Aunt Karla’s a social worker
And has four kids homeschooled
My mom has every job under the sun
She’s a teacher, a house keeper and a chauffer

My daddy is a farmer
He’s living his life-long dream
He works hard outside all day
And at night has a bowl of ice cream

If you’re the drinkin’ type
Then this is the place for you
‘cause just ‘round every corner in town
You’ll find a bar (or two)

You won’t feel alone here
When it comes to politics
We’ve got the rights, the lefts,
And confused out here in the sticks

We sure have style
We also have class
We serve the world’s best cheese on our crackers
And homemade wine in your glass

Now if the things that you’re readin’
Are scarin’ you half to death
Don’t get preachy on me
‘cause I’ll teach you ‘bout the 5th

If you want me to hear your side
I’ll listen up and sit real still
But just you remember
I still have my story as well

With these low milk prices
A man can barely keep the family fed
And when it comes to grain prices
There’s more to be said

Here in the country we have little need
For inflated dollar$ and cents
I’ll trade you composted manure
For some of your sweet, banana bread

My home town is bustlin’
Population: 1669
We’ve got the nationally-known Norske Nook
They’re famous for their pies

Out here in the country
You sure can see the stars
But the best part is hearin’
The coyotes howlin’ from not too far

Sure we get carried away
And get a bit rough
But just like it says on that penny
It’s in God that we put our trust

When it comes to sports
We’re die-hard fans
You may even catch some of us prayin’
“Dear God, please let the Packers win!”

When it comes to the Vikings
...well I just won't go there
Everyone already knows who's best,
Rubbin' it in just wouldn't be fair

The weather is exciting here
On any given day
It can be 80 in the sunshine
And snowing in the shade

90 degrees is boilin’ for us
We’ll go swimmin’ at 50
40 degrees is mighty fine
But we’re used to 30… below zero

Forget Global Warming
What a ridiculous craze
For ¾ of the year
We live in an ice age!

Tsunami’s and hurricane’s the other ¼ of the year
Ain’t a problem for us
We just get a tornado now and then
And an occasional flash flood

Freezin’ cold winter weather
Doesn’t never stop the fun
We have ice fishin’, curlin’ and the favorite
Of course is the Polar Plunge

At the winter Olympics
We’re chaps for sure
‘cause when a winter storm rolls up here
We just ski or luge to work

And the summer Olympics?
We win gold every once in a while
‘cause every country kid can run to town
Which is of course, is a good 5 miles

As for my job, I have two words
Udderly delightful.
This must be the land of milk and honey
They mentioned in the Bible

Around here it ain’t unusual
For a stranger to lend a hand
And everyone will smile and wave
As if you were an old friend

Out here we sure do like our trucks
Ford’s, Dodges and Chevy’s aren’t bad
Not souped-up short-beds for “slickers”
We like our diesels and chrome stacks

At harvest time dinners the best
With homemade apple pies
Produce straight from the garden
And grape juice fresh off the vine

If you’re a loser or a winner
It ain’t gonna matter
If you’re a saint or a sinner
We’ll still have you to dinner

Just last Friday
We had Billy to dinner
Your average uptown boy
He’s straight from some city “innards”

He’s traveled the world
From Greece to the Gulf of Mexico
But it was clear right up front
That he’d never heard farmin’ lingo

‘cause we were talking ‘bout Betty
Who we’d kept as long as we were able
And he asked, “Where is she now?”
I said, “Why, she’s here at the table!”

Then he surveyed the platters
Of carrots, cornbread and steak
And that’s when he realized
Betty was there on his plate!

Billy learned just how often
We farmers thank God for a meal
And sit down to a dinner
Main dish: homegrown steaks or veal

Did I mention my brothers
All write country songs?
On the radio you might hear ‘em
If you’ve got “the B” turned on

We make special cheeses
As I’m sure you have heard
But you can’t die without tryin’
Our fresh, squeaky cheese curds

As for where I live
It’s a better place than the rest
I can tell if I’m dead or alive in this cold
Because I can see my breath

So don’t be afraid to come visit us
We really are nice, friendly folks
If you can get past our looks
You can come on in our home

If you can respect us for who we are
Then you’re very welcome, friend
To come and see the land of cheese
Most commonly known as Wisconsin

Piano Contest and 50 Years!

Hey, so I had a contest today. Actually it was more like... I play, a guy judges me, the end. I played Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven with the music and then two other shorter pieces (that you probably wouldn't recognize) by memory. There's a rating of up to 5 points per song... and I got 13 so I'm pretty pleased with that. I'm actually surprised I got such good marks because I really slurred my way through the Moonlight Sonata. :P But hey, that's fine with me!
I also had to take a theory test. I don't know how well (or poorly) I did yet, but I'm not to hot when it comes to theory. Especially... when it comes to key signatures!!! You know like all those little #'s and b's and where they're supposed to go (and in what order) on the lines/spaces.... and then you're supposed to be able to tell what key they represent!!!! Terrible stuff.

Needless to say, I'm pretty shot after all that excitement/stress.... so I'm just going to sit back and relax for as long as I can. Unfortunately, I have to milk the cows tonight. =S My dad is really sick... he was going to milk, but I've got it covered this time.

Speaking of my dad, he's 50 years old today!!!!! Whoooohoo.. half a century!!! That's pretty sweet, if I may say so myself. ;)

Well... I'll be back eventually.

Makes Me Wanna Dance

Something to Think About

In a recently established, conservative paper "The Eau Claire Journal" I read an article titled, "The Census, Getting Personal" by Jerry Day (Matrix News Network).
Day wrote about a list of questions that he sent to the Census Bureau Media Relations Department and how he asked for a telephone interview; request granted. Unfortunately after reading his questions in advance, the interview was "reneged."

What were some of his questions?

"The Constitution authorizes government to count people but it odes not authorize the takng of private information or even the names of individuals. From where does the Census Bureau derive authority to demand our private information?"

"Is there any limit to the amount and type of private information that the Census Bureau may demand and collect?"

"Under what Constitutional authority does the Census Bureau collect information now from 250,000 people per month of every year?"

"Since presumably Census data may be subpoenaed by law enforcement, may individuals refuse to answer questions according to the Fifth Amendment?"

These were just a few of his questions, but it does make you wonder how many people in this country have never thought about such things. How many people out there blindly do whatever they are told?

Then of course there's the real question... "What does the Bible say about government?"

That is a much debated topic these days across the nation, and that was the topic of the 2010 Mid-Winter Retreat/Conference.

If you are interested in how the body of Christ is supposed to deal/cooperate with the government or whether we should or not I would definitely encourage you to listen to these messages. Especially if you are lucky enough to have spare time to be wondering what you should do with it.

The main speaker Richard Jordan, I recently discovered, has a blog as well. The link is in my list of blogs to check out. He's a great speaker and teacher and his blog is one worth visiting.

The 2010 Mid-Winter Retreat

The conference was pretty much, amazing. =) Here are a few pictures of all the fun:

These are the Schmoll brothers doing a little skit.

This is Ashely, a really cool chick I just met!!! This was her first time to our conference...
she's really nice. =D

Charissa and Christine....!!!

This is Sandy!!! ;) ...of course.

Isaac in the back of Sandy's car on the way to the conference.
He and I were crammed in the back with a bunch of instruments...

Stephan Kappes!!!! ...a cool guy I met back in 2007, I think.

Me on the way to the conference.
I've been told I look gansta' here... I'm not so sure about that. lol

Kevin, with a mustache... he didn't come to the conference
but he hung out with everyone during the "after parties."

Karen Sanders... another really cool gal. I met her last year at our conference.

Micah, Isaac, and Cody, were having a little Bible Study w/ Karen, Charlie and Rochelle.

Charlie and Rochelle who are engaged to be married in Sept. of this year!!! =D


This is Bret Hatch... another cool guy. He's the guy who takes videos of everything. ;)
He's actually Stephan's coz. ;)

Those of us who weren't Bible studying...
We made a lot of noise... and had too much fun. ;)

This is the Berean Bible Church in Chippewa Falls, WI, where I fellowship with my family.