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Showing posts from May, 2012

From the Archives - When Life Hands You Lemons

http://www.whitedovebooks.co.uk/blog/2012/03/when-life-hands-your-lemons/comment-page-1/ This is a link to my guest blog with White Dove Books - it seemed like a good day to bring this one back as we had an abundance of lemons and not quite enough sugar around this household today. Good news is that tomorrow is a new day! ~Crystal

The Hardest Words To Hear

And this my friends, is my submission to the 2012 Spring Flash Fiction Contest. All characters and the story line are completely fictional - enjoy! (and wish me luck) The Hardest Words to Hear It was another busy day at the office. Portia was off to another meeting in a few moments and as she grabbed her water from her bag she saw the crumpled bills that Klaus had tossed at her the night before. She didn't remember how the fight had begun, but it ended with him throwing the bills in her direction and muttering “go buy some shoes or coffee or something tomorrow”. They both knew that all the money in the world wasn’t going to fix their broken marriage, but Klaus knew that a little retail therapy would go a long way in brightening Portia’s mood.  And after all, they had plenty of money now. Unfortunately, it didn't bring back their baby. Portia got pregnant early in their relationship. It just took that one time on the lake up north. Neither of them could believe it, a...

Fine Dining in Manitowoc, Wisconsin at 8th and York Restaurant and Lounge

It was overcast and cool on the Lakeshore today, but at the intersection of 8th Street and York Street in Manitowoc, Wisconsin it was anything but dreary. It didn't take me long to find a parking spot. I eased my SUV in, locked up, and headed excitedly to the historic building that recently became one of Manitowoc's busiest restaurants. The building is anything but new though, the historic building started as Bank First National in 1927 and was recently renovated and is now an expertly decorated restaurant called 8th & York Restaurant and Lounge. I've been excitedly awaiting an opportunity to check it out for myself. At 11:02am I pulled open the heavy doors and my senses were awakened by the smell of fresh basil, lemon, and jasmine. The shiny marble floors and high ceilings were very impressive and each piece of furniture seemed expertly chosen and arranged. I was greeted warmly and seated immediately with a glass of ice water. The menu had plenty to choose from but I...

To My Son

Dear Andre, It felt like just yesterday that I brought you home from the hospital. You were very tiny and cried a lot. You wouldn't sleep unless you were in my arms or lying next to me in bed. And now...I took you fishing and watched you with joy and pride. You aren't afraid to do things by yourself and soon enough you won't have time for kisses and hugs and snuggles. It makes me want to cry when you hold the door for me and say "here you go my lady" or when you say that your mommy is the prettiest girl in the whole world. The last four years have gone by so quickly and in no time, you won't have time for your mom...and you'll realize that I'm not so smart or pretty. I love being the center of your world and I am so thankful to have you and your sister in the center of mine. You'll always be my baby. Love, Mom

None of Your Business

A sweet (and brutally honest) friend shared the following quote with me on Friday afternoon and it's still bee-bopping around in my head - which usually means I am meant to share it. So here is your gift from me this Memorial weekend:  "What people in the world think of you is really none of your business." ~Martha Graham This conversation came about because I have a lot of self doubt because I have always cared too much about what other people think, how they feel, and what they are saying about me. I can say that I don't care what other people think, but deep down inside, I want to be like-able. I try to never offend, treat others the way I would want to be treated, and if I have to deliver bad news...I try to do it as tactfully as possible while pointing out as many positives as possible. I try to see the good in others and I hope they'll do the same for me. When I find a fault I try to fix it, and I believe that people are always well-intended. I trus...

Finding Clarity

Finding Clarity - a fictional lesson in communication. The scotch burnt his throat in a good way. He balanced the sail plan with the tiller lashed so the sailboat would rest quietly for the night. Her name was Clarity, written in lovely script across the bow. She was only 12 feet. Some might call her a dingy, but Jeremiah was in lust with her. Others questioned his sanity because he couldn’t swim a stroke. She was just what he needed when he dragged himself out of the office on rare occasions. Tonight was his night to sleep on the boat, several miles off shore. He was alone. He was lonely. As the last drop of the malt whiskey trickled down his throat, Jeremiah was reminded of the small red droplets on the living room carpet so long ago. He closed his eyes to block out their past; after all, exactly a decade had passed. He poured another glass. He had promised his sponsor that he wouldn’t let this anniversary shake his sobriety, and then he promised himself that just one glass...

Let's Face It - I LOVE Agriculture, but Agriculture LOVES branding!

I'm sure you noticed in my recent post that I LOVE Agriculture, and you've heard me say that we need a blog dedicated solely to the farm (filled with pictures of the hills and meadows, of course). Tonight I am giddy with information about marketing and branding in the agriculture market, but more important, I am inspired by those I met this evening and those included in the presentation. Let me back up - The Economic Development Corp of Manitowoc County received a grant which enabled them to put on presentations relating to agriculture. Tonight's presentation was given by the lovely Andrea G. Neu who owns her own business and has spent nearly two decades on Wisconsin's Milk Marketing Board. She is more dedicated to dairy than most farmers I know - and she's inspirational. At her class, I met business owners such as Rick Braun from Braun Electric that provide barn equipment, excavation, manure management, septic and plumbing, etc...( http://www.braunelectricinc.co...

Press Release: Manitowoc County Dairy Team Receives Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture for $5,000 as Part of the Dairy 30x20 Initiative

Press Release: Manitowoc County Dairy Team Receives Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture for $5,000 as Part of the Dairy 30x20 Initiative   Manitowoc, WI – Keeping the family dairy farm alive and growing is important to the two families running the dairy operation near the Branch River on Hershau Road in Reedsville. The view is great, the animals are healthy, and now the dairy team of Otto and Herrmann have some extra help with financing and planning the future plans to transition the operation, thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced recently that a grant was available through the new Dairy 30×20 Initiative. The team applied for the Planning and Preparation Team money for up to $5,000. The team of Mark Otto and Mark Herrmann found out about the grant monies from Cari Sabel, Manager with the Manitowoc Farm Service Agency and Scott Gunderson, Dairy Agent with the Manitowoc...

How Does Love Feel?

I didn't know how love felt until I have children, but it was years later when I figured out how being in love with a partner feels. And this is it - he is the wind in my sails, the one who is there to pick me up and push me forward when I don't have the strength to move forward on my own. He makes me a better person and he completes me. Yup...the thought of living without him takes my breath away. He is my other half. May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and many happy breaths of fresh air with the one who completes you! ~Crystal

Getting Full of Passion and Happiness

"Follow your passions and hold tight to your dreams and don't give up until your life is full of dreams, passion, and happiness" ~Crystal As I was watching the winter rye being cut and blown into the chopper wagons yesterday I was thinking about a lot of different things, but something worth sharing is the thought about life being like a chopper wagon. Be patient with me - I find farming incredibly amazing and rewarding in so many ways. The tractor pulls into the hilly field with the chopper and blower attached to it. The driver backs the unit(s) up to the waiting chopper wagon, then puts the pin in. At this point, the machinery becomes one - all the pieces work together to glide gracefully up and down the hilly field filling the wagon. When the wagon is full it is detached and another one takes it's place and this process continues until the field that was once lush and green with vegetation is ready for the next crop. The field looks like a carefully knit blan...

What's in Your Rear View Mirror?

What's in Your Rear View Mirror? To your left, you'll see exactly what was in my rear view mirror today. It's a load of winter rye fresh off the field and on it's way into the silo. It's nourishment for the cattle at my fiance's farm and I spent the day hauling large (and heavy) wagons from the field, across the highway, and back to the farm. It was an incredibly rewarding day. I was able to experience life through the birth of a new calf, watch the amazing process of hoof trimming, and most important - I had an opportunity to reflect. My rear view mirror was important in the literal sense today as I was carefully backing up to the load in the trailer but in the metaphorical sense, it is important to know where we have been in order to know where we are going. If we shut out what is behind us, we will make the same mistakes we made in the past. As I was driving, I was certainly looking forward, but I was constantly aware of what was going on behind me. And ...

Alternatives to Those Three Forbidden Topics

Alternatives to Those Three Forbidden Topics By  Crystal J Casavant Unless you are 100% certain that the other person/people share your beliefs or you are 100% certain you want to risk alienating people, you should not talk about sex, religion, or politics. This doesn't mean you should not have opinions on such matters, my father just believed strongly that we should talk about the things that unite us instead of the things that divide us. The difference between other topics and the three forbidden topics are that our beliefs about sex, religion, and politics are core beliefs and core beliefs cannot be changed by others. You may be able to change my mind about eating more fiber, wearing green, or shopping at a particular store. However, only I can change how I feel about having sex, worshiping God, or voting conservative. The more you try to convince me otherwise, the more I will resist. If someday I come to agreement with you, it must be on my own accord. Now t...

Believe in Yourself

Believe In Yourself - there are enough people out there ready to knock you down or kick your a__, why do it for them?  Now don't go thinking that based on this title I am back to driving the bus...I definitely believe that God is the bus driver. Now that I've offended some, onto today's point which I'll get to via a story. I previously worked in a large office that had an IT department with several incredibly helpful people who would replace, repair, reboot, computers and could fix network problems, understood firewalls, etc... I was a bit more techy than some, but less than most, and when I got home at the end of the day I had trouble installing anything (including virus protection) on my home PC and went for years without a printer at home because I thought it was too confusing to get it networked correctly. Last week I paid $6.75 to have 9 pages scanned to a PDF and put on a memory stick. That was it for me, I knew it was time to upgrade my printer. I had a ...

Thanks Mom & Happy Mothers Day!

What's a Giraffe Got To Do With It?

I just put the finishing touches on an article about the three subjects you shouldn't talk about at a family gathering or in the work place. Then I came across this great picture and it's going to go fabulously with the article. Any guesses on what a giraffe has to do with sex, religion, or politics? It usually takes a few days for the article to be approved, so use this time to place your bets on how the giraffe fits in. Anyone who submits a guess will be entered in a drawing to win a Starbucks Gift Card for $10. Enter as many times as you like. Facebook guesses or blog posts are equally acceptable. ( http://www.facebook.com/successwithrelax?ref=tn_tnmn )) May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and laughter! ~Crystal and the answer can now be found here (added 5/14)  http://ezinearticles.com/?Alternatives-to-Those-Three-Forbidden-Topics&id=7058554 Alternatives to Those Three Forbidden Topics By  Crystal J Casavant Un...

Are We Stronger?

The days go by too quickly. It's hard to believe how much of my 'to do' list doesn't get done. Some days it's hard to believe everything that has transpired - at times I feel defeated and sometimes I amazing myself with my strength. For the last few weeks, as the sun goes down, only one song comes to mind. These lyrics are amazing, and Diana Krall's performance is even more amazing. If you have a chance, she will be performing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 16th at 6pm at the Riverside BallRoom. To learn more about Diana, visit her site:  http://www.dianakrall.com/news.aspx And now for those touching lyrics that ring oh so true and sometimes bring a tear to my eye: Narrow daylight entered my room shining hours were brief winter is over summer is near are we stronger than we believe I walked through halls of reputation among the infamous too as the camera clings to the common thread beyond all vanity into a gaze to shoot you through ...

Calling All Writers!

Greetings from the shores of Lake Michigan! It is a lovely morning with sunshine, a light breeze off the lake, birds chirping, and fresh brewed coffee with just the right amount of vanilla creamer. This peace and piece of mind brought forth an idea. So many people have stories and they don't have a place to share them. So...here's the idea: I am actively seeking guest writers/bloggers who would like to share their stories. Do you have a lemony story to share? A time when life gave you lemons and you turned them into the sweetest tasting lemonade? Do you have a poem about life's trials, love, misfortune, struggles, and a happy ending? Contact me directly at: crystal@relaxconsulting, or casavantcrystal@gmail.com and I'd be happy to take a look at your work. If it fits with the Bring On Lemons 'mantra', you could be a featured guest author! Don't wait, we all have a story to tell:  http://ezinearticles.com/?Every-Life-Is-a-Story-Worth-Telling&id=69372...

I Am

I AM I am quiet and thoughtful I can be loud and funny I am thoughtful and kind I can speak too quickly I am beautiful inside and out I can be hurt easily I am a daughter and more I can be anything I want I am sexy and curvy I can be too hard on myself I am every woman I can be broken If you love me, you will respect ALL that I am

The Great Debate

So...at the Casavant house we sit around and talk about things. Tonight's conversation began while cleaning rhubarb and ended with an agreement to disagree. No, we weren't trying to figure out what came first, the chicken or the egg...we were talking about building your brand and whether or not a dairy farm needs a website. The Economic Development Corporation of Manitowoc County ( http://www.edcmc.org/ ) is offering a totally FREE $$$$ course on May 22nd and I signed up for it. Here's the scoop about the course: BUILD YOUR BRAND Agriculture Product Marketing Seminar **Wondering how to set your products apart? **Want a consistent image from logo to label? **Need a web and social media strategy? BRANDING - IT'S NOT JUST LOGO'S with Andrea New, CEO, Image Maker Who's Eligible: Farmers, ranchers, home gardeners, and agriculture-related businesses. How Much: FREE! When: May 22, 2012 3:00pm - 8:00pm Where: EDC Offices, 202 N 8th...

Gift of Time - A Daughter's Love - Guest Blog

The Gift of Time & a Daughter's Love Today's Guest Blogger is Rebecca Markvart  http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.markvart - she is a special friend and an amazing woman who shared a great story about her mother as part of our mother's day blog challenge. I truly believe that this is my mother's last mother's day here on earth. My mom is the strongest most beautiful woman I have ever met! Somehow I want to make her understand how special I think she is to me. She's been struggling to live for years now - somehow smiling through it all. Recently she has been put on hospice because she's dying from congestive heart failure along with many other health issues. I will miss her tremendously but she deserves to be done being in so much pain. I will most likely be spending this mother's day at the nursing home trying to make her understand how special she is. I know everyone feels that their mother is the best, but knowing that we're not sure h...

Love, MOM

My child, You wonder why I hug so tight and why I'm always kissing you, Someday you'll understand. I realize how quickly you have already grown and I know, Soon you'll be an adult. You once couldn't wait to sit on my lap or softly kiss my cheek, Those moments are fewer. I love each of our milestones and I couldn't be prouder of you, You amaze me each day. No matter how big you get, I'll always want just one more moment, To love and hold you close. Love, Mom

A Mother's Day Treat - From Our Family to Yours!

Mother's Day began as a way for families affected by the Civil War to gather and share ideas about promoting peace - the idea was began around 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts and eighteen cities in American participated in the day for peace in 1873. Over time, people lost interest. In 1907 the idea came up again by Anna Jarvis of West Virginia to celebrate her mother's life (and death in 1905). The larger event Jarvis organized took place in 1908 at Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia which is why there is now an International Mother's Day Shrine located there today. The idea began catching on and in 1914 was declared a national holiday by then President Woodrow Wilson. Some of us think of mother's day as a 'Hallmark Holiday', but it's origins began as a way to share, and as a movement toward Peace. What will you do this mother's day? Please share your thoughts and ideas below, or use the comments of this post as a way t...

Possibly Better Than Lemonade - Lemon Meringue Pie (and love)

When life gives me lemons, you help me make them into a big delicious slice of lemon meringue pie! ~Love Crystal (those were the words of a love note I left for Mark a few weeks ago) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And that's just what we did...our upstairs bathroom needed a face lift and we happened to have a can of lovely yellow paint. Here's the outcome: And the note has now been framed and is a piece of art for this 'new' room! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As for you dear friends - May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine and meringue! ~Crystal

From the Archives - Some Sunshine for YOUR Day!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-a-Lemonade-Attitude-Is-a-Must-Have&id=6952000 Why a Lemonade Attitude is a Must Have   Do you want to see your glass as overflowing instead of half full or half empty? Wouldn't it be even better if your glass was filled with lemonade instead of water? You'll want to learn more about achieving a Lemonade Attitude where there are plenty of lemons, sugar, sunshine, and smiles!   First, I suppose we should talk about a Lemonade attitude and exactly what that is...I could start at the beginning, but I don’t want to bore you and I assume only a small portion of readers and friends can read my mind. So, here's the scoop. I was raised by old fashioned parents who had a great work ethic, and who among other things wanted me to have a positive attitude. When I would complain, they would remind me that God gives me lemons so I can turn them into lemonade. I refer to myself as a lemon because I recently lost my job and I felt like I ha...

Creating More Birthdays and Saving Lives!

Did you know that the American Cancer Society saves lives and creates more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back? Learn more at:  http://www.cancer.org/  or call 1-800-227-2345. This year on July 27th, I (and my children) will be participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. The relay for life is a life-changing even that brings together more than 3.5 million people every year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and empower individuals and communities to fight back against a disease that takes too much from too many. If you would like to join me, or donate to me and my team, please see below, or click here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=28672165&pg=personal&fr_id=39357 I just registered online for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. When I registered online, I was issued my own personal fundraising web page It...