Hey Mom! Let’s Go Outside and Play!

Mom probably likes flowers, perfume and candy.  But you know the gift she really wants  this Mother’s Day is time with you.  Remember when she taught you how to love playing outside?  This year, return the favor.  The Wausau, WI area is flush with great outdoor spots to enjoy.  See what mom needs to make her outdoor adventures complete (we can help if you need ideas ) and cap off a great gift with time together doing something you both love.

Gift ideas (with each photo) and a list of nearby campgrounds, boat launches, hiking and bike trails, disc golf courses and tennis courts is just a click away.  But click quick, then get outside!  Happy Mother’s Day mom, from all of us at Shepherd & Schaller 🙂

 

 

Hip Gifts for Lovers of the Outdoors and Those Who Are Simply Hip

You have discerning taste and we do too.  We know you’re after thoughtfully designed, sourced and produced goods that make your life better while improving someone else’s too.  (American companies, with goods made in the USA a most of the time too!) What’s fresh, hip and trending now at Shep’s?  These and more:

Founded in the Pacific Northwest in 1993, KAVU has been around. Their wide range of men’s and women’s clothing, hats, bags, sunglasses, and accessories are crafted for what they call a KAVU Day – your version of the perfect outing, whatever it is that leaves you exhilarated and fully alive. Durability and comfort are a big part of it, of course.  But they know all about style, too, with outdoor-ready clothing that brilliantly blends function and fashion so you can rough it up all day, then wash out the trail grit and wear it to your favorite watering hole that night – and look good doing it.

In 1990, Kühl® introduced the Jacquard jacket, a signature Euro-styled Polartec® fleece top that featured the first – the original – innovative thumb-loop cuff system and lightweight underarm gussets for comfort and optimal climate control. This top gained cult status in the outdoor community and went on to win the Polartec® Apex Award. More awards and devotees would follow as Kühl® continued to pioneer and produce. Kühl® is independently owned and financed and its ideas are inspired by the founders’ intrepid lifestyle and those with whom they share it. Kühl® currently designs and manufactures top-selling pants, shirts, and more found in the best outdoor retailers nationwide.

Pendleton has a long, colorful history in their well known shirts and blankets.  You can see and feel the Pendleton passion for quality. See it in the intricate patterns of blankets inspired by Native American designs and legends. Feel it in the softness of the lightweight, luxurious 100% pure virgin wool clothing we produce. They’ve been a family-owned business for 150 years, and for 104 of those years they’ve been weaving world class woolens in their Northwest Mills. We like things that are Made in the USA.  You?

Remember the green bottle your dad or grandpa always carried on fishing trips or on his way to work? It probably had a few scratches on it, may have even been dropped once or twice, yet despite the abuse, it always kept coffee hot… for hours. That’s the legendary Stanley bottle.

Today, the Stanley brand offers a wide range of superior food and beverage gear that fuels your adventures from work to play. Committed to our core pillars of durability, relevance and heritage, just as we have been for the past 100 years, we build products that are built to last. Designed to outperform and outlast even in the toughest conditions, we’re dedicated to a simple promise, buy Stanley products, and get quality gear, built for life.

The Stanley brand is headquartered in Seattle, WA, home of Mt Rainier and the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix.  Surrounded by mountains, evergreens, and the Puget Sound, they live and breathe the outdoors and interlock passion for the environment and community in everything they do. Products are designed in Seattle, WA where research and development pioneers innovative designs. Globally distributed, Stanley products are ethically manufactured with partner factories in Asia.

To learn more about Stanley’s parent company, Seattle-based Pacific Market International (PMI), click here.

 

 

 

 

 

The extraordinary journey of two friends, Jim Stott and Jonathan King, who were waiters, cooks and avid gardeners, has captured the interest of many and the loyalty of every employee. From the beginning, the company was based on ideals born out of Maine: unspoiled beauty, wholesomeness, a sense of community. It is a testament to the art of preserve making and the growing public interest in wholesome, quality and tasty ingredients. “If you really produce a high quality item, you’ll be successful.” That’s the secret according to Jim and Jonathan.

The demand soon outpaced the production capacity of the small cottage kitchen, so they purchased an old 1700s barn in Kittery, Maine which they renovated to become the company’s “headquarters” for a short couple years before they moved to an even larger space in York and renovated an old community grocery store. A buzzer announced customers in the retail area of the facility. All day long it would clamor: “buzz, buzz, buzz,” while Jim and Jonathan were busy mixing and pouring ingredients out back, packing boxes, and answering phones. Then someone mentioned they should attend the Fancy Food Show in NYC. Having never been to New York City, they literally were two fish out of the [Maine] water when they made their first appearance at the 1995 Fancy Food Show — a tradeshow that attracts 1,100 exhibitors and 36,000 buyers, the Oscars of the specialty food industry. But low and behold, Stonewall Kitchen brought home an unprecedented award for first time attendees: Outstanding Jam for Roasted Garlic Onion Jam and a second highest honor award, for Outstanding Product Line. They left NYC with 500 orders from retailers across the country.

 

Chandler 4 Corners:   Chandler 4 Corners is about life… and life styles. Their hand-hooked wool pillows, rugs and furniture accent homes with items loved in a quick moment then destined to become honored heirlooms. Everyone at C4C lives the lifestyles portrayed in their designs: hike, ski, fish. They spend sunny afternoons on the lake, delight in families, dream of Santa, and of course, cherish dogs.  Celebrate the tender moment. Remember the past with a bit of nostalgia, but also a gigantic smile. Rejoice in the small, and the familiar.

Man Candles:  Masculine scents in recycled soup cans.  “Bacon” “Grandpa’s Pipe” “Sawdust” “Campfire” “Coffee” “Fresh Cut Grass”  Which to try first?  Man Cans was started in November of 2010 by then 13-year-old Hart Main based on a unique idea that came to him when his sister was selling candles for a school fundraiser.  The thought was “Why don’t people sell candles with scents that men like?”  Little did he know that an idea of selling man scented candles would lead to an opportunity to feed so many people.  The can was his choice for a container because he didn’t want a manly scented candle in a glass jar, just like everyone else was doing.   The company buys cans of soup which are donated to soup kitchens, washed and returned to be filled with the uniquely scented wax.  When you buy a Man Can you get a quality candle made of natural wax and you’re helping feed people who need a little extra help.

Trails Natural Soap:  Giving back is something we all can do.  So says the founder of Trails Natural Soap who created a line of products that not only nourish your skin with all natural vegan ingredients that are good enough to eat, your mind through the benefits of aromatic essential oils, but also our communities with 10% of their profits from each bar being donated to support a particular charity that bar has been specially handcrafted to honor.  The Appalachian Trail.  Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Hospice Foundation of America. Heifer International.  Crossfit for Hope.  The Girl Scouts of the USA.  And more.  Athletes (CrossFitters, Hikers, Runners, Bikers, Skiers, etc.) spend so much time eating right, supplementing bodies with protein shakes, amino acids, and fish oil, that we sometimes fail to realize the importance of treating our skin the same way.  Trails Natural takes care of your skin for you.  And campers – check out the Outside the Box- Bug & Outdoor Soap with Citronella, Eucalyptus, and Tea Tree oils to naturally repel bugs and make you smell great! 10% of the profits go to support Heifer International.   Soap for Hope, one bar at a time.

 

 

The Little Things Mean A Lot: Bike Accessories Are Necessities!

A bike is just a bike until you make it yours with accessories that serve a purpose whether you’re commuting, touring, into mountain or road riding, upgrading the safety profile or adding some serious style.

Shepherd & Schaller has the Wausau area’s largest selection of bike accessories and is trusted by athletes of all levels to select, install and service them.  Get 20% off and free installation of accessories when you buy a bike at Shep’s, or visit our website or Facebook page for coupons.  Let this list get you started thinking about ways to improve your ride:

Bags & Baskets, Bar Tape, Bottle Cages, Child Carriers, Clothing, Computers, Fenders, Gloves, Helmets, Lights, Locks, Mirrors, Pumps, Racks, Repair Stands, Saddles, Storage and Display, Tools, Tires, Trailers, Extras and more….

Add safety, performance, function and style with accessories from Shep’s!

 

Pocket Disc Games

 

Pocket Discs, Soft Footballs & Swirl Balls, and Foot Bags now in stock in our Wausau store!!

Pick up a Pocket Disc and it’s pretty obvious that it can be used for just about anything. (I think that was a challenge: make a list of all the things it can be used for.)

Here are a couple of games Pocket Disc recommends, but the best part is: you can make up all the games you want!

iGolf

If you know how to play Frolf, then you get the idea, but this is indoors.

Standard Rules

  1. Set up your holes around the house (9 or 18).
  2. Holes can be:
    • existing objects, such as ceiling fans, TV, chairs
    • hooks made specifically for iGolf.
  3. Each player starts with their own Phd.
  4. Players rotate who is the First Thrower at each new hole.
  5. The First Thrower for each hole defines:
    • the starting throwing location
    • whether throwers have to touch the hole with their Phd (Touch hole) or get their Phd to land on the hole (Land-on hole).
  6. For Land-on holes, players remove their Phd from the hole once they get it to land on the hole.
  7. Holes can be either Straight shot or Blind:
    • For “straight shot” holes you are throwing from the same position until you hit the hole.
    • For “blind holes” you throw from the spot where your previous throw landed.
  8. Score by counting the number of throws needed to hit or land on the hole. (3 throws on a hole scores a 3; there is no “par”)
  9. Winner at end of the round has the lowest total score.
  10. For a tie on a particular hole the First Thrower on the next hole is the person who has not been First Thrower for longest time.

iGolf Variations

  1. Winner throws . . . . The winner of the previous hole gets to be the first thrower on the next hole.
  2. As you go . . . . there are no predefined holes. The First Thrower makes up the hole and any special rules for that hole.
  3. Land-on Bonus . . . . For a hole where throwers are just hitting the hole, you can subtract two points from your total score if you get your Phd to land on the hole.
  4. All Blind . . . . Set up throwing positions for all holes so that you can’t see the hole from the first throw spot. (You’ll need a spotter in case someone hits the hole from the first throw spot.)
  5. 3 D . . . . Each player has up to 3 different Phd’s in their bag, which they can use interchangeably through the game.
  6. Duck Hunting rules . . . . one or more players can use their Phd’s to knock the thrower’s Phd out of the air to prevent it from hitting or landing on the hole.

Want something else? Here are a few other game recommendations:

Duck Huntin’

Phd – Peacefully hunting ducks. This is a test of your marksmanship which leaves no creature harmed. The object is to knock the ducks — Pocket Discs — from the sky with your own Pocket Disc. Good for both indoors or outdoors.

Pocket Disc Bowling

Line up 10 cups and knock ’em down. Keep score as you would in bowling.

Ceiling Fan Tetherball

Turn the fan off and turn on the frenzied madness. Throw the Pocket Discs at the blades so the fan turns towards your opponent, while your opponent is throwing from the opposite direction to spin the fan the other way. Works great with multiple Pocket Discs but should not be played with more than 2 players.

Bounce and Toss

Best with trampolines with a safety net. Tricks, diving catches, and more laughs with your kids than you can imagine.

Perfect Helicopter Descent

Call your shot and land it. Best when played as a Peaceful Hibernation Depriver – your buddy’s asleep and won’t stir. . . field day – steak on the eye, yamulka shot, the medallion, icing the knee, the cup, the list goes on and on.

Ceiling Fan 500

Spread out around the room, toss a Pocket Disc in the fan and hope it zings your way so you can snag it before your opponent does. Be sure to cover up or protect any delicate items in the room.

Monkey in the Middle

Just like it sounds, but if the Pocket Disc hits the ground the monkey switches with person who made the error, not always the thrower. Great on the trampoline.

Juggle Tossing

One Pocket Disc per person. Toss it to your person and look quick b/c one’s coming your way. Make the pair, triangle, square, etc as close or far as you like.

Solitaire

Toss it as close to the ceiling as you can without touching it. You must catch it to have the toss count.

William Tell

Ever read Caps for Sale with your kids? Stack em high on your head and your buddy tries to knock em off.

Jamb Jam

Try to get the Pocket Disc to slide under the crack in the door when its shut. Careful, avoid a traffic jam.

Pillow Catch

Get a pillow and hold it out in front of you. Your friend gets 20 Pocket Discs and throws them to the player with the pillow with the goal of catching as many as possible on the pillow. Players should stand about 15 feet apart, and the thrower throws the discs in rapid fire. Ellie holds the world record, catching 15 discs on one pillow.