cabin treasure and 6th snow day...

When we bought the cabin on Snowbank Lake, we knew it was special, and it became even more special. While Brad, Anders and Nate Weaver-Olson are up exploring the cabin this week, I am posting a very special letter the 93 year old former owner wrote to us during December. Her script is absolutely flawless and the stories are heartwarming. I have written back to her but I hope we can correspond via mail more often. 

Dear Karen and Bradley, 

I am Dorothy Baumgarten, Eric's mother. I have been meaning to write to you since you bought our cabin on Snowbank Lake. We are all hoping you enjoy it as much as we have. 

I keep thinking of things to tell you, then I think "will they be bored" by hearing them. One thing you may want to know is that we didn't nail the riser to the bottom step to the attic, so it comes out, and you can hide a few things (radio, wallet, etc.) when you don't want to take them when you aren't in the cabin. Another place is the bottom right hand drawer in the kitchen, a nice space when you pull the drawer all the way out. 

We never had a bear try to break in. We were very careful to put garbage into a plastic sack inside the closed can, inside the closet. 

When we first went up to Ely, there was a Greyhound bus station on Sheridan, that had a restaurant inside. I used to go into Ely, once a week, to do laundry. With six of us, there was a lot of laundry to do. I would treat myself to a piece of pie or cake. (Since I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, I never heard of blueberries). Well, the blueberry piece there was wonderful. Thus the recipe. I mentioned it to the Burlinski’s  (who owned Snowbank Lodge,) and they shared it with me. I've tried with the big, fat, tasteless ones from the store and it doesn't compare to the wild. 

Another thing I thought of is the bird-feeder pole you probably found to the left of the desk. There is a hangar, in the front closet, with streamers on it, that we put out when we were expecting guests. There are two bolts on the S side of the dock, that the pole fits into. It made it easy for people to find our dock. 

My husband taught organic chemistry at the University of Nebraska for many years, so we were able to spend 2-3 months up there. The experiences there, were really good for our kids. When Karl, our oldest son passed away, last December, I knew that it was time to give it up. I'm 93, and when my husband passed away in 2006, Karl and I spent a couple of months there. I apologize for not having keys to anything. When Karl was in the Air Force, he learned locksmithing, and always carried his tools, so he could open locks without keys. We found a box of about 40 keys, but not what they belonged to. When sons, Eric & Kurt and I were up there in July Eric tried the keys in every padlock and they didn't fit. Karl was a geologist, and did his master's thesis on the pluton in Snowbank. 

I've rambled on long enough--I hope that you have met some of the neighbors by now. If you think of anything else, my address is: 3325 Hillside Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68506, phone number 402-489-6441. Sorry I don't use a computer or cell phone. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  

Sincerely, 

Dorothy 

This was written on one double sided paper...I don't think I would ever be able to get that much information in such a small space. 

Later, we received a lovely Christmas card and the registration information for the Kevlar canoe left in the kitchen area. Her sons had worked a paper route in Nebraska to purchase the canoe back in the 1960s.

Blueberry Pie Recipe

Easy Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 t. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 c. oil

2 T. cold milk

Sift dry ingredients into pie pan. Combine oil and milk in measuring cup. Whitp with fork and pour at once over flour mi. Mix with fork until flour is completely dampened. Press evenly and firmly with fingers to the bottom of the pan, then press the dough up sides and partly cover the rim. Fill as desired and bake in a hot (350) oven until filling is done. For baked shell--prick crust all over and bake in a hot oven (425) for 12-15 minutes. Cool and fill as desired (use the baked shell for blueberry pie)

Berry Pie

 

1 baked 9" pie shell -- 1 quart berries (wild blueberries best!)

Bring to boil - 2 C. berries -1 C. water -3/4-1 C. sugar with blueberries, 3/4 enough)

Add 1T. butter (red coloring for strawberries or raspberries

Mix 4T. cornstarch and 1/4 C. water-add to berry mix-Cook until thick and clear, then add 1/3 C. lemon juice Sice remaining berries (2 C.) or more into the pie shell and cover with boiled filling. Refrigerate. Serve with whipped topping.