Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A few more picnic images

The troops in action.
Here are a few more images from last Friday's Stumpjack Picnic at Point Beach State Forest. Click here to go to the Stumpjack Flickr site where I've placed the image set. And don't forget to check out Brian's and Marty's sets, the links to which I've indicated in the post from Saturday, July 11.Keeping them warm.

John gets the bocce ball started.

Molly eating a strawberry.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Big basil plants

We've got 9 basil herb plants growing; 7 sweet basil and 2 cinnamon basil. Here's an image of 4 of the sweet basil plants, which started out as little 6"-8" plants with plenty of room between each one. Now they're around 16" high and so wide that they look almost as a single, large bush, with big, fat luscious leaves. Fresh basil smells wonderful and tastes just as wonderful. This is the stuff that helps make a margherita pizza so darn good...a Stumpjack margherita pizza.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

First Stumpjumpers Picnic in the books

The first annual Stumpjumpers Picnic took place yesterday at the group camp site at Point Beach State Forest. The weather was awesome, the food was awesome, the beer was awesome, the company was awesome. I reckon we had, by my recollection, 26 stumpers enjoying the evening (not counting the grumpy ranger dude). We think we're going to do a picnic again in October for our annual anniversary party, and we'll put that info out there when it draws near.

Below are a few images that Brian took.You can see all of his pics from the evening on his Flickr site by clicking here. My Dad also took a bunch of photos and I'll post those when he gets them to me.
Pat smuggles in some questionable beer (Schlitz, fabulous marketing program, but so-so beer). We brought New Glarus Stone Soup and Dancing Man for everyone. Pat was forced to endure much ridicule and pelting with pine cones.

Pat, Pat, Peggy (looking very hip), Larry and Jayne. I believe they are discussing what would be the proper punishment for Pat for bringing in the Schlitz (you'll notice that Pat, on the far left, looks worried and is starting to back-walk away from the group).

Grilling some steaks I got from a couple of stumpjacks I harvested during a late 2008 northwoods hunting trip. My Dad in the background taking a picture of the ground for a photographic series he's calling..."ground."

Everyone observing the masterful skill with which Larry cuts his steak. The guy is an artist I tell you.

"Who wants the first slab o' stumpjack!?"

The food that everyone brought was fabulous. Who doesn't love potluck picnics.

Kim, I and Bobbi get schooled in bocce ball by Mike. The guy was seriously humbling the rest of us.

After we ran out of pine cones to throw at Pat, we resorted to the bocce balls. Pat is just out of the photo, buried up to his head in the ground. Kim throws the first ball while I mentally measure the distance.

Chillin' round the fire...what a great way to cap off the week.

Thank you, John (right) for bringing the bocce ball set. I think Molly is playing catch football with Glenn in this picture.

Kim placing stones and hard pine cones under the tent on the side where I would be sleeping, while Becky waves a magic wand at Mike to try to turn him into a Taylor guitar.

Great color in this picture by Brian. We got rain around 11:00 or so at the end of the evening. Stayed overnight and listened to the rain dance on the tent.

Mike and Kim. Photo by Marty. Click here to see Marty's pictures from the picnic.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Nathaniel returneth with a vengeance

Thursday Night Live Music
Thursday evening at 7pm
Nathaniel Seer
Nathaniel is from Indiana and is in the middle of an extensive tour. He'll be stopping by Stumpjack Coffee on Thursday evening. This will be his second appearance here and he is well worth seeing. Nathan is one of the more passionate and earnest musicians we've had here. I love his sound, as it reminds me of one of my favorite 80's bands when I was in college: The Call...great powerful vocals, clever songwriting, passionate delivery.
Start your weekend early and come hang with us this Thursday night.

Tonight's wine, pizza, tapas special

From 5:30-8:30 tonight.

Appetizer: Herbed Cheese Bread

Artisan Pizza: Wisconsin Extraordinaire
(A tasteful blend of Wisconsin's finest ingredients including brats and cheese curds.)

Wine: White Zinfindel

All this for one low price of $20.
Make a reservation.

The winner of last month's Wed Night Special drawing is Alice Sheehan!
Alice won a ticket to the most fun concert of the year: Pato Banton and the Now Generation band on Sept 18th at Stumpjack Coffee.

Random images from the last couple weeks

Cheyenne showing off her huge left hand with the kung fu grip.

Nicole and Kent and Nicole's boy, I believe, during Lillie Lemon's gig.

Larry gives the Fat Tire an A-OK; Peggy watches Lillie Lemon.

Kim prepping tapas.

Nic over at Red Bank...I need to get out of the shop once in a while too.

Some fine coffee that Larry and Peggy brought back for me from their trip to Costa Rica.

Jesse holding my smoke-stick during Scott Hanson's gig in Central Park.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Please help make Stumpjack #1

Stumpjack Coffee needs your help, all you Stumpers and Stumpjumpers out there. It's time for the annual Best of Manitowoc County, where you give props to your favorite places and services. Stumpjack would be most grateful if you would take a few minutes online to do the survey and if you would consider nominating Stumpjack for the following categories:
  • Atmosphere
  • Coffee Shop
  • Lunch
  • Beer Selection
  • Ice Cream (gelato!)
  • Pizza
Of course, there are any number of places that serve great pizza or ice cream or do a great lunch...vote your personal favorites. The biggies for us are Coffee Shop, Atmosphere, Lunch and Beer Selection, so please enter us for these categories especially.
The other two categories of Ice Cream and Pizza might be longshots for the Stump (although we do think we do those things pretty well, not as many folks know about it as know about the more popular places that serve pizza and ice cream.

Go to this link and fill out the survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey.zgi?p=WEB229CFA3UUTC

It'll take a few minutes because you've got to enter at least 50 different places for the ballot to count, so grab a beer or a cup of coffee and settle in for a few minutes. It's kind of fun and the places who do win will surely appreciate your support. Support your local businesses and friends.
Finally, please forward this to all of your friends online too and ask them to vote for Stumpjack in those categories too. It is a popularity contest, after all. Thanks so very much.