What About Pie

Teeny Tiny Doll House Embroidery

2012-02-12T12:57:00.000-05:00

How do you like this teeny tiny embroidery piece? My mom made this years ago for her dollhouse. My mom has made many dollhouse miniatures over the years. So very adorable! The embroidery hoop is made from a small coil from a key chain, and the needle is made from a straight pin with the ball removed from the top. As you can see, there are a couple of rust stains on the fabric. I'm not quite sure how old this is. She probably made it at least 20 years ago. My mom has so many talents it's not even funny. You wanna talk about creative...she's probably one of the most creative people I know.

winner for lucky leaf giveaway!!!!!

2012-02-06T11:22:00.004-05:00

The winner for the Lucky Leaf pie filling giveaway is Suzanne from Window On The Prairie!

Congratulations Suzanne!

I know you will bake up something great with these premium pie fillings from Lucky Leaf!

Please email me your address so your giveaway package can be shipped out to you right away.

Thank you all for participating in this giveaway!

It was a lot of fun!

chocolate covered Bugles

2012-02-03T09:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a sweet treat's that neat! These are absolutely delicious! The salty, crunchy, crispiness of the Bugle, combined with sweet chocolate is just heaven!One bag of Bugles...one pound of chocolate.I use the round, real chocolate wafers that are meltable and shiny...I buy mine from a candy and cake supply store. If you have one in your area, I would suggest buying there. In my opinion, the chocolate is better quality. Also, they are usually independently owned and I love to support local businesses.I melt my chocolate in a double boiler. Just drop a Bugle in the chocolate...flip it around with a fork to get it all coated...scoop it out with the fork...place on a sheet of waxed paper...sprinkle some Valentines jimmies on top {jimmies are sprinkles...that's what we say here in Pittsburgh}...and you are done! Easy peasy! Warning, you can't eat just one!

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****Hey everyone! Stop by my Food Diary!! I've got some great new entries! I've decided to NOT date each entry because I don't always remember to take photos of what I eat...this way, I will just post what I can and give a brief description!****My food diary is located just beneath the header next to "home" and "the story behind the name".****

Lucky Leaf Pie Fillings and Giveaway!

2012-02-01T07:15:00.003-05:00

Have you tried Lucky Leaf pie fillings?

They are absolutely delicious and so easy to work with!

I was recently contacted by a representative for Lucky Leaf, and was asked if I might be interested in baking with their premium pie fillings.

I was very excited about about this, as I know Lucky Leaf has a great reputation and has been in business for many years! I was able to choose the pie fillings I wanted to bake with, and I chose strawberry as well as apple.

Later in my post, read about my Lucky Leaf giveaway!

By the way, Lucky Leaf has fantastic recipes on their Facebook page. Here is the link.

Facebook Lucky Leaf pie filling recipe/videos The recipes look fantastic and I plan on trying each of them.

Inspired to create my own recipes, I decided to make apple hand pies.

They turned out fantastic! Soooo delicious! The cinnamon and apple, combined with the flaky and sugary pie crust was perfect together! It made me think of those golden, sunny days of autumn!

{One 21 ounce can made 12 apple hand pies}

I made the pie crust from scratch, but you can also use unbaked, ready-made pie crust dough from the grocery store. Click here for my double-crust, pie dough recipe.

First I rolled the dough and cut a 5 inch circle with a paring knife using a cereal bowl as a guide.

Place 3 or 4 pieces of apple slices from the pie filling into the middle of the circle.

Wet the edge of half of the circle with water.

Fold the circle in half over the pie filling.

Crimp together dough at edge with a fork to seal hand pie.

Next, brush hand pie with egg white wash...{one egg white beat with 1 Tbsp. water}

Sprinkle white sugar generously on top of hand pie.

Cut 3 small slits in top of hand pie to allow steam to escape while baking.

Place hand pies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes. Hand pies will be light golden brown when done.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

***

The next recipe I created was Chocolate Bottom Mini Strawberry Pies.

These were so fun to make and tasted like heaven!

It brought back memories of the strawberry festivals my mom took me to as a child!

Just look at that!

That is a tiny work of art!

A work of art that I want to eat...right now!

{one 21 ounce can made 8 mini pies}

First, make a double pie crust recipe..click here for recipe...or you can buy ready-made pie crust dough in the grocery store. Roll out pie crust dough and cut 8, five-inch circles with a paring knife using a bowl for a guide. These will be used for the bottom crust. Next, cut out 8, three-inch circles. Use a drinking glass for a guide. Cut a small hole or a small heart in center of each of these circles. These will be the top crust of your mini pies. Set aside.

Ease one 5 inch circle of dough into each cup of a muffin pan. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips to cover the bottom of each dough-filled cup.

Fill with Lucky Leaf Premium strawberry pie filling, mounding slightly.

Next, wet the edges of the 3 inch circles of dough, and place {wet side down} on top of each strawberry filled cup. Press top crust and bottom crust together gently at edges, and either crimp edges with fork or flute edges with your finger tips to seal.

Brush top of mini pies with egg white wash. {one egg white beaten with 1 Tbsp. water}

Sprinkle generously with white sugar.

Bake in 400 degree oven for approximate 20-23 minutes.

Pies will be golden when done.

I am so pleased with how these turned out, and how delicious the pie filling was!

I think I am in love!

Well, I know I am in love!

I will definitely use Lucky Leaf pie filling again.

I was very impressed with the taste of both the apple and the strawberry filling.

Trust me, I am a "from scratch" kind of girl...so for me to say that, you know it's worthy!

I was also very impressed with the minimal amount of ingredients in the pie filling...no high fructose corn syrup and no long list of chemicals and preservatives that I can't pronounce.

Very impressive!

And now for the giveaway!

Lucky Leaf has graciously offered to give one of my readers a fantastic giveaway!

This giveaway includes:

one can Lucky Leaf Premium Apple pie filling, one can Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry pie filling, Apple Crisp mix, recipe booklet and a pot holder!! To enter this fabulous giveaway, please leave a comment below! That's all you have to do! I will pick one random reader on Monday, February 6th, and announce the winner here, on my blog!

Thank you Lucky Leaf!

*P.S. My blog is printer friendly now. Look for the print button at the end of each post. It will bring you to a window where you have the option to eliminate the images so you can print and not have to use up all your ink. Also it gives you text size option. You can also highlight content that you don't want printed by putting your cursor on the sentence. You will be asked if you want that particular part deleted so you don't have to print the whole post. You will be able to just print out the recipe, or whatever it is, specifically that you want printed. Awesome! :)

pumpkin, it's not just for autumn anymore

2012-01-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

Have I got a pumpkin muffin for you!

Not just an ordinary pumpkin muffin, but a healthy pumpkin muffin!

{made mostly with whole wheat flour instead of white flour, sweetened with honey instead of white sugar} **oh yes, and a few chocolate chips thrown in for fun!

I have made this recipe twice...and twice has it been gobbled up by everyone in this house!

We love the taste of the whole wheat and pumpkin together, and the chocolate chips just round it off nicely. Heck, I haven't even mentioned yet...the healthy benefits of eating pumpkin!!

**Pumpkin is a powerhouse for Vitamin A, Potassium, Calcium, Iron, antioxidants, Beta Carotene and Fiber...not to mention the other vitamins: K, B, C, E. It's just all-kinds of good for you!

Now... knowing all that...all the healthy stuff about pumpkin...

there's no reason NOT to make this recipe :)

You will be healthier for it!

Don't delay...buy yourself a can of pure pumpkin puree today!

{I have not been paid by the national council for pumpkin farmers to say that......hee hee!}

WHOLE WHEAT AND HONEY PUMPKIN MUFFINS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 CUP PUMPKIN PUREE

1/3 CUP VEGETABLE OIL OR CANOLA OIL

2 EGGS

1 CUP HONEY

1 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1/2 CUP WHITE FLOUR

1 TSP. BAKING POWDER

1/2 TSP. BAKING SODA

1/2 TSP. SALT

1 TSP. GROUND CINNAMON

1/2 TSP. GROUND NUTMEG

1/4 TSP. GROUND GINGER

1/2 CUP SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

IN A BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER, PUMPKIN PUREE, OIL, EGGS AND HONEY.IN SEPARATE BOWL, MIX TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA, SALT, CINNAMON, NUTMEG AND GINGER.ADD PUMPKIN MIXTURE TO FLOUR MIXTURE AND MIX UNTIL JUST INCORPORATED.STIR IN CHOCOLATE CHIPS.FILL MUFFIN CUPS 3/4 FULL OF BATTER.BAKE IN 325 DEGREE OVEN FOR 25 MINUTES.

ENJOY!

freshly squeezed orange juice

2012-01-28T12:57:00.003-05:00

happy weekend!

just so you know...it takes a lot of muscle to squeeze 9 oranges

just sayin'

LOL!

egg cups

2012-01-25T22:49:00.001-05:00

Well, just when I thought eggs couldn't get any yummier...I discovered egg cups! I found the recipe over at foothill home companion. Her blog is beautiful and always inspiring.

Seriously people...you are probably thinking..."ok lady, it's just an egg baked in the oven"...but I'm telling you, it's really delicious! The saltiness and smokiness from the ham and the taste of olive oil really bring the flavors of this simple dish alive! I ate 2 very easily and mmm'd and ahh'd the whole time!

This is just about the simplest thing you could do with eggs...you don't have to babysit them like you do standing over a frying pan. Just put it in the oven and walk away for 15 minutes. Here's what you do!

Coat a muffin pan with olive oil.

Place one slice, or half slice ham on bottom of each cup in muffin pan.

Crack one egg over each ham slice.

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 to 20 minutes.

When done, yolk should be soft cooked and whites should be completely cooked.

Garnish with chopped chives.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

P.S. Check out the new addition to my blog called "food diary". Click the tab right under my header next to "home" and "the story behind the name". It is a pictorial diary of my journey with eating healthy meals. Healthy food is just so beautiful it can stand on it's own without any words or descriptions. I just started the journal today, so there is only one day worth of photos. I will still be creating sweet treats and pies for my blog, and I will still be sampling them. Sampling is the key! One or two cookies instead of 5 or 6!! I'm excited about this new addition to my blog, and I hope you'll check it out! I plan to post there daily.

sisters and breakfast casserole

2012-01-17T11:49:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was filled with family! All of my sisters were at my house. H. from Florida, E. from New York and K. that resides locally. There wasn't nearly enough time to visit with my sister H. from Florida though. She's the one I rarely get to see. H. brought her little 2 year old daughter A. with her. She's a doll baby! So cute and sweet. Her voice is so tiny...her hair is down right Goldilocks!

She adds the word "honey" to the end of her sentences. For instance,

"Can I have a cookie honey?"

"Let's go play honey."

It is the cutest thing ever. She is imitating what her grandparents and mom and dad say to her..probably at the end of every one of their sentences...

"come on honey"

"eat your broccoli honey"

"brush your teeth honey".

In the 2 short days I had with her, she still hadn't warmed up to me 100%. She won't hug me...I hug her, but no hug in return. She is soooo shy. I ask her questions, she looks at me, but won't answer me.

She does talk, and talk well she does. She talks to her mommy all the time and sometimes she says a few things to us, her aunts. She has taken very well to my boys, especially my youngest.

Well, fortunately, the visiting isn't quite over just yet. H. has gone to spend a couple days with our parents who live a couple hours away from here. She and her daughter will be back here tomorrow evening and then stay on for one more day. I am so grateful for the extra time to spend with her.

H. dazzled us with her great cooking skills while she was here..including breakfast on Monday morning. She easily whipped up a fantastic breakfast casserole with whatever I had on hand in the refrigerator. It was a complete surprise to me as I had slept in until 8:30 am. When I came downstairs that morning, I was pleasantly greeted with the aroma of savory cooking coming from the kitchen.

Not to mention the smell of Starbucks Pikes Place Blend steeping in the French coffee press. Okay, I can get used to this! I never have anyone cooking for me or making my coffee. Pure heaven I tell ya! H. was in charge of the breakfast casserole, but E. was trying to take some credit too! They were competing about who decided on which great ingredients had made it's way into the casserole. Well, one thing is for sure, E. got all the credit for the French press coffee, as H. hasn't a clue how to operate one.

I want to share with you the recipe for H's breakfast casserole. The beautiful thing about it is, you can add whatever you have in your fridge too. Be creative and use up your leftovers.

H's Breakfast Casserole

Using a 9 x 11 baking dish, break four pieces of bread, into chunks, onto the bottom of baking dish.

Beat 8 farm fresh eggs.

Pour eggs over bread.

Over top of the bread, sprinkle the following:

crumbled pieces of bacon
chopped red pepper

chopped onion

chopped tomato

torn pieces of fresh spinach leaves

shredded cheddar cheese

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes

or until egg is set.

Enjoy!

collecting eggs

2012-01-13T09:31:00.001-05:00

We love collecting eggs from our chicken coop. It is so rewarding!

I especially love the colors.

They are so beautiful.

Each egg is unique with it's speckling, spots, shapes and size.

For the most part, the eggs are completely normal.But...on occasion, we find an egg that is oblong and narrow. Sometimes we even find a very tiny egg that's about the size of a large marble. It's so interesting!

I thought I'd show you what's on the inside of these odd shaped eggs...I know you're curious!

Here is the inside of one of the normal shaped and sized eggs.

You are probably wondering if we eat the odd shaped eggs. Well, sometimes we do, but more than not, they tend to get left in the carton and passed over when we are cooking or baking. If I am going to use them, I usually break them open into a small bowl to check them first. If they look like normal, I just go ahead and use them.

I have to say that I have greatly enjoyed being a mamma to these chickens. They are the easiest animals to care for and they are always entertaining.

It's so interesting to watch the pecking order, and who is the bossy one. They fight over food. Once they get their piece of bread or melon (special treat), they take it in their beak and run away to eat by themselves. When we have younger chickens that are ready to be introduced to the flock, they get chased away from the food every time! It's quite sad, but it is what it is. It's the pecking order and it is completely natural. Of course I try to scold the older chickens when they do this...as if they are listening or care one little bit...cause they don't! hahaha!

100 documentaries in 2012

2012-01-10T14:47:00.000-05:00

Taking a break from my baking posts...here's something I'd like to share with you. We've been just a bit addicted to documentaries in this house for the past couple of weeks. I've always liked documentaries, but haven't really sought them out. Well, now we're on a roll.

I'm seeking, watching, and enjoying various documentaries... and not planning on stopping any time soon! You never know what you are going to learn. Sometimes documentaries leave me feeling just a bit smarter than the day before. For me, the best source for documentaries is Netflix.

Oh ya....about the 110 documentaries in 2012 thing...it was just an idea I just blurted out...we should watch 100 documentaries in 2012...my husband said...okay...and I then said...okay...and there you have it.

Here's what we've watched so far,and my own opinion of each:

#1 Ride the Divide http://www.ridethedividemovie.com/about/
the Great Divide Route is a mountain bike route, 2700 miles along the Continental Divide from Canada to New Mexico, USA of which 90% of the route is on unpaved roads ...beautiful scenery, peaceful, extreme endurance, it held my interest til the end, I found myself caring about and routing for participants.

#2 Between the Folds http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/between-the-folds/
absolutely stunning and mind blowing origami designs...like nothing I ever knew existed!!!... beautiful and mesmerizing art mixed with geometry....very enlightening!

#3 Cycle South http://paracinema.net/2011/07/cycles-south-1971/
Well, what should I say about this one?! It's rather "groovy" and a little bit "far out"! Filmed in 1971, nothing is politically correct in this one. Nothing majorly insulting...just basically some free love and happiness and female stereo type nonsense. It was really quite humorous! This film was about 3 young men taking a motorcycle trip as far south as Panama. Some things were staged and were just silly and hokey. We took a chance on this one, got a lot of laughs out of it, but....not really the kind of documentary I'm looking for. Having said that, I was entertained and found myself shaking my head and my jaw dropping open at times. Enough said. LOL! I mean, I'm not sorry I watched it...it was just....well, groovy, outdated and odd.

#4 Sweetgrass http://sweetgrassthemovie.com/
Montana sheep herders at work, really enjoyed this, scenery was beautiful, very few words throughout film, peaceful, interesting, some foul language at times from the cowboys when they are having a tough time getting sheep to cooperate!!! other than the choice words at times...very good film, held my interest to the end...yes I would reccomend...but not for children's ears!!!

So, do you like documentaries???
Do you have any you would like to recommend???

The bestest, hardest, crunchiest oatmealy, coconuty, dried cranberriest, M &M-y, chocolate chippy, almondyish cookie perfect for dunking in coffee and tea ever!

2012-01-06T12:49:00.001-05:00

Okay!

Will you kill me if I suggest a recipe that tastes fantastic but turns hard as heck the next day?!

Seriously people!

This is a really good, tasty, scrumptious, addicting cookie that I just love!

I'm not gonna lie...one day later and these things get harder than woodpecker's lips!

But you know what?

I don't care!

It's worth losing a filling or two!

Ok, all kidding aside...yes these cookies get hard and crunchy. Are they still edible...yes! Is the combination of chocolate, coconut, oats and cranberries awesome...yes! Should you make these anyhow...yes! Should you put on a pot of coffee or tea...yes!

Here's the recipe...you're gonna love it! Come on, just try it..you'll see.

Hey, every single one of these cookies were gobbled up by both my kids, my husband and me...with no complaints. Well, except one...my youngest thinks the dried cranberries are raisins and he hates raisins...which, dried cranberries, raisins...not much difference there. Ok, fine!

By the way, I used coconut flavored M&m's because that's what I had on hand.

You can use plain M&M's or whatever flavor you have on hand! There are some really great options out there these days when it comes to M&M's.

Here's the recipe. I hope you give it a try!

THE HARDEST CRUNCHIEST OATMEAL -FILLED WITH GOODNESS- COOKIE EVER

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup M&M's

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl, mix oats, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in remaining goodness of M&M's, chocolate chips, chopped almonds, dried cranberries and coconut. Drop by rounded tablespoon or cookie scoop onto greased cookie sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for approx. 13 minutes.

Enjoy!

A dusting of snow

2012-01-02T12:04:00.001-05:00

Well, we finally got a teeny, tiny bit of snow.

Just enough for my youngest son to make a teeny, tiny little snowman.

Let boys be boys

2011-12-29T21:18:00.001-05:00

We are about half way through Christmas vacation and the boys are patiently waiting for snow! In the mean time...it's all about the BB guns and targets. I seriously get a kick out of watching my boys be boys. The neighbor boy who lives across the street from us brought over his Red Ryder BB gun and my son pulled out his brand new BB gun.

They each took turns setting up used tin cans to shoot as targets. The tall handsome kid standing up is my son Everest. Let it be stated that the new BB gun he is holding does not belong to him, but his younger brother Easton. Easton would have a fit if anyone thought the BB gun belonged to anyone but him! The boy kneeling next to him is the neighbor boy.

The little guy you see taking aim here is my son Easton...the proud owner of the new BB gun. Each tin can popped by a BB was closely counted. Of course they HAD to keep score! I have to say, boys are very competitive! They don't get it from me! I am WAY to lax when it comes to sports and competition. Some how that testosterone just shines through and it's always a matter of win or lose. Oh dear!

It's so fun to watch my boys grow up. I really appreciate every moment. They go from Hot Wheels cars to guns in a blink of an eye!

Poppy Seed Cake, a family tradition

2011-12-28T15:29:00.001-05:00

Christmas has come and gone! My little family had a peaceful and sweet day! Each of us exchanged and received such thoughtful gifts! It was truly a warm family day.

It did feel a little like something WAS missing, however! I'll tell you what it was...THE SNOW!! Something ELSE was missing as well...the traditional poppy seed cake! I totally dropped the ball on this one! I waited too long to purchase poppyseed filling and I wasn't able to find it at the store the week before Christmas.

I know better than that, but I was lazy and didn't buy it when I should have! I'm crazy like that...sometimes I throw caution to the wind and refuse to buy baking ingredients when they are fully stocked at the grocery store! (hee hee!)

If you've never used poppy seed filling for pastries or cakes...this is what it looks like. It kinda looks like caviar. It has a thick pasty consistency. I could turn this spoon upside down and the filling would just stick to the spoon! Basically it's poppy seeds that are drenched and softened in corn syrup, sugar and water to create a thick filling for pastries of your liking.

The Monday after Christmas there was plenty of poppyseed filling on the grocery shelf and I was able to bake my cake!

Of course, it must be made in a tube pan like this.

Baking with poppy seed for Christmas as well as Easter, is a tradition in my family that goes all the way back to my mother's grandmother...maybe even further...but that's only as far as I know about. I have been eating poppyseed cake for breakfast on Christmas and Easter morning since I was a baby! Every. single. solitary. year!!! It's like breathing...it just IS! It's a part of our family traditions that I have carried on and will continue to carry on until the day I leave this world!

Here's my kitchen by the way. The day I was baking and taking pics I just felt like sharing a photo of the place where I seem to spend most of my time! Now you know where I am most days..right here..cooking, baking, washing dishes, making coffee and so on.

Anyhow, back to the cake...fortunately, my children love this cake! I anticipate them carrying the tradition on when they have their own families. Gee, I hope their future wives like it!!

Our favorite way to eat it...well the only way I've ever ate it, since I can remember...a slice at a time, smeared with butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar...oh yes!

POPPY SEED CAKE

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

1 can 13 or 14 oz. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. (1 cup) vegetable oil

1 10 oz. jar poppy seed filling

*(depending where you live, you may also find poppyseed filling in can..the size of a soup can..by the brand Solo. I have used that as well)

Mix together dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix well and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees. Check cake for done-ness with toothpick. Let cool in pan. Turn out of pan when cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve at room temperature. Serve plain slices or buttered with a sprinkling of powdered sugar!

Enjoy!

It's finished! yay!

2011-12-20T19:27:00.001-05:00

The painting is done!

Alica, from Happily Married...to the cows....I chose your suggestion for my painting! The idea of the silhouette for the Nativity and the star really caught my attention. I knew I kinda wanted to stay on the theme of the other painting and your idea worked wonderfully. Thank you for sharing the idea with me!

Thanks to all of you for giving me some very wonderful suggestions! They were all great..really, I mean it! I have to say that it was really fun opening this up to my blog friends. I loved the fresh perspectives and clever ideas that I wouldn't have thought of. If I have a creativity block in the future...I just may do this again!

excuses, excuses

2011-12-20T11:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I have underestimated the time that I thought I would have this past weekend and so far this week. It's really not that crazy at all, it's just that adding in a few extra things on top of the usual schedule is just enough to leave me with little time or energy to finish my painting. It WILL be done before Christmas, I can assure you that! I was planning on working on it all day today, but my mother in law called last night to say that she wants to take me out for a little shopping and lunch. Now, why would I turn that down? Ha ha ha ha!

Anyhow, I'm getting there!

Yesterday, I watched my 11 month old nephew for 8 hours, then I baked cookies for Scouts, made dinner, brought in a boat load of firewood with my son, enjoyed the fire, got sleepy because of the fire, started to watch the Steelers get their butt whipped by the 49rs, continued to watch the sad football game and busted up quarterback while laying in bed snuggling up with my youngest son.....and painting just went right out the window!! Oh yes it did!

Also on my mind is the 10 centerpieces I am making for our apple dumplin' ice cream social that will be held at church one hour before we have our regular Christmas Eve service. They are really quite adorable and very easy to make...but I only have 3 done. Here's a photo of them.

The tables we are using in the youth room for this event are really cute and small. They are cafe tables that are only about 2 feet in diameter...so the centerpieces need to be narrow and tall and these just fit the bill...one tree per table.

Well, I'm outta here for now...my mother in law will be here in about a minute or two!

wonderful suggestions!

2011-12-16T14:29:00.000-05:00

Wow! I am so glad I opened this up for suggestions! If you're just catching up, you can refer to my previous post...I was stumped on what to paint to go along with my Christmas subway art I painted for the mantle.

I have decided what I am going to paint, and I will be working on it this weekend. I hope to reveal the painting on Monday. Goodness! I hope it turns out well, or I am going to be mighty embarrassed!

Help!! I need suggestions!

2011-12-13T11:46:00.000-05:00

I am proud of my Christmas subway art I painted yesterday!

I think it turned out pretty great!

However...now I am totally dead in the water!

I don't know what to paint on the other canvas.

It doesn't have to have a Christian theme...

but I don't want it to be Santa Claus-y either.

Don't get me wrong...I love Santa...but it won't seem cohesive.

I am asking you for suggestions on what to paint on the other blank canvas?

Please help!!

I'm going shopping now...when I get back, I hope to see lots of suggestions!

Yay!!

I plan to use someone's suggestion, paint it, and then reveal it on my blog!

Until then, hope you are having as much fun decorating as I am!

Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

2011-12-08T15:19:00.001-05:00

Can we talk???

I am in love!

With a cookie.

This cookie right here.

It is divine.

It is pepperminty.

It is buttery and sweet.

Honestly, if I had no restraint..

I can tell you, that I would pretty much eat about 15 of these..

in one sitting!!

However, I can muster up SOME restraint..

and stop at about 6!!

Forget about it! (Say this in your best Bronx accent.)

If you're curious about just how pepperminty these cookies are...they really aren't over the top at all. There's no peppermint extract...it's all crushed candy canes...and you can control the amount you put in. I use just scant of 1/2 cup in the dough.

You can taste the butter in these cookies as well.

It's like a little cloud of sugar, butter and peppermint...just perfect!

Give them a try...I really can't see how you would be disappointed!

P.S. I found this recipe while perusing Pinterest. I included the link to the blog with the recipe!!

CANDY CANE SNOWBALLS

Recipe from stolen moments blog

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 cups powdered sugar, divided

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup crushed candy canes, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 - 3 Tbsp. milk

Beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and butter. Beat in vanilla and egg. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until well combined. Mix 1/2 cup crushed candy canes into dough by hand.

Roll dough into balls approx. the size of 1 tsp. Next, roll balls in sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely and glaze.

GLAZE: Mix remaining 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 - 3 Tbsp. milk. Use just enough milk to form a thick drizzley glaze. Immediately garnish with crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!

Make a German Paper Star to hang on your Christmas tree!

2011-11-26T13:00:00.003-05:00

Do not fear, the making of the German Star, young Jedi.

With the force, guide you I will.

Wise I am!

Oh yes, the classic paper German star!

Traditionally, these are hung on the Christmas tree.

Recently, I have become the master...master of disaster...I mean, master of the German Star!

Such beauty and bewilderment created with just 4 strips of paper!

From the time I was little, I have been FASCINATED with these works of art, but I never knew how to make them.

If you'd like to try, I will guide you....step by step...photo after photo...showing you exactly what to do.

No sweat man!

Before we start, you will need 4 strips of paper. I use basic 8 1/2 in. x 11 in. computer printer paper. You can use anything you like as long as the paper is not thick and/or stiff. For the smaller star in the above photo, cut 4 strips 1/2 inch x 11 inches. For the larger star pictured above, cut 4 strips 1 inch x 11 inches. Keep your remaining paper scraps handy, we will have to lengthen our strips for the final step. In the future, you can lengthen them at the beginning, or if your paper is longer than computer printer paper that's great. Ideally, you would want about 6 extra inches tacked on to the 11 inch length. The purpose of me extending the strips later is to help you to understand that it is no big deal to extend the strips to complete the star. This will free your imagination to use pretty scrapbook paper or brown paper bags...and not to worry about the size of the paper. Just at least start with the measurements I gave you.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Ok, let's stop for one second. So now your project looks like this.

Ok, moving on!

Step 5

*You can trim the strip of paper if it is giving you difficulty fitting through these small spaces. I always have to do a little trimming here and there throughout.

Repeat with remaining sides.

*Tip, with the remaining sides you will now have a flap of paper in the way that you will just move aside while working and then just lay it back down when done.

Here is the flap I am talking about.

Ok, continue working your way around the star...

and now your project will look like this.

Beautiful!!!

Take a breath, relax, you're making progress!

Step 6

Lift only these 4 strips upward.

For each side, fold flap to the left, covering each point of the star.

Continue on until all points are covered.

Ok, let's stop a second...this is where we are at. Does your star look like this so far?

Ok, good! Moving on!

We now have to lengthen our strips of paper. You actually can lengthen your strips before you start. However, I did this on purpose so you will see that no matter what size you want to make your star...even if your strips of paper are too short...you can make them longer without any trouble so you can finish the job!

Take your additional strip and add some adhesive to the very end.

Attach the strip to the very end of the existing strip.

Ok, the photo below shows the extended strips of paper.

Ok folks...this is the trickiest part!!

Take your time and you will succeed! :)

Continue until your star looks like this.

Trim only the strips that you have just pulled through.

Ahhhhh, now we are making progress!

You have completed one side of the star.

This is what your star should look like at this point.

Take a breath and congratulate yourself!

You rocked it!

Now, flip the star over

and repeat steps 4 through 7

Remember step 4?? Go back and take your time, you can do it!

*Tip: any time you are feeding a strip through, it may be a bit too wide, just take your scissors and trim a teeny tiny bit of the strip and it will go through just fine. I usually run into this a few times while making these stars.

I won't walk you through the rest of the steps again...so now continue on with steps 5 through 7 and you will be done!

Finished product!

*Fun fact..I shot 204 photos for this post. Out of 204, I used only 59 photos!! Sometimes blogging is a labor of love!!

Enjoy making these stars!!

Baking Finnish Fingers

2011-11-17T13:13:00.030-05:00

Finnish Fingers...or as they say in Finland, Finska Pinnar, a classic Finnish cookie!

This is the second recipe I've made from my vintage cookbook "Visions of Sugarplums". This is all a part of incorporating my children's heritage into our holiday season. I'm enjoying these old recipes and the kids are getting familiar with where their ancestors came from. So far, we are really enjoying this!

The Finnish heritage comes in on my husband's side of the family, through his father's ancestors.

I really enjoyed these cookies! They are bite sized, crunchy, nutty and sweet! In my opinion, they are the perfect tea cookies! They're not overly sweet and heavy and they are the perfect size to snack on with your afternoon cup of tea or coffee!

The dough for this recipe really surprised me...just butter, sugar, flour and vanilla...no baking soda, no baking powder, no eggs! Although, an egg yolk wash is used to help "glue" the ground nuts and sugar to the top of the cookie..the perfect finishing touch!

I just LOVE the simplicity of old fashioned recipes. I love the fact that you don't need fancy ingredients or a bunch of steps to make something that tastes really good!

I think our ancestors had the right idea...basic, wholesome, good ingredients..put them together..and it's classic and timeless!

How can you go wrong with basic baking ingredients like real butter, sugar, molasses, oats, honey, farm fresh eggs, pure vanilla extract, semi sweet chocolate, almonds, walnuts, lemon rind, raisins, dates...I could go on, but I will stop...my mouth is watering as I type!!

I guess I'm just an old fashioned girl!

By the way, here's a couple of interesting facts about Finland's flag! Once again, simplicity..I love it!

Here's the recipe:

FINNISH FINGERS
FINSKAR PINNAR

1 c. unsalted butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

2 1/2 c. flour

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 Tbsp. cold water

1/2 c. finely chopped almonds

sugar for sprinkling

Cream slightly softened butter with sugar.

Add vanilla or almond extract.

Mix in flour.

Roll into ropes the thickness of a little finger.

Cut into 2 or 3 inch lengths.

Press top of cookie lightly with the back of your finger.

Brush with egg wash.

Sprinkle with almonds.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes in 375 degree oven.

Enjoy!!

Brandy Ring Twists, a traditional Swedish Christmas cookie

2011-11-11T17:33:00.001-05:00

I've got the bug to bake!

I've pulled my vintage "Visions of Sugarplums" cookbook off the shelf and now I want to make everything in it's content!

What I especially love about the book is the traditional Christmas recipes from around the world.

Most of the recipes are from Sweden, Italy, Germany, Finland, France and a few from the Pennsylvania Dutch, which were German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania.

I have German ancestors who settled in Pennsylvania.

It got me to thinking!

This holiday season, why don't I make recipes that honor my children's heritage. On my husband's side, there's Finnish and Swedish...and on my side, there is German and Polish. My kids can join in on each recipe so they can feel a part of their heritage.

The first recipe we made was in honor of their Swedish roots. It is a cookie called Brandy Ring Twists.

Let me tell you...I love them! They are buttery, crisp and sweet.

My youngest son had the day off school and I had already made the dough the day before. The dough should be chilled while working with it. We had fun making these and they were quite easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the process, romanticizing the possibility that my children's great grandmother had stood in her own kitchen, mixing this very same recipe, creaming the butter eggs and sugar, adding the flour and such, then rolling ropes of dough to twist into beautiful sweet wreaths.

I wish I could see through a tiny window into the past...maybe I'd see a strong, handmade, wooden table for a work space, a fire crackling in the kitchen warming the drafty home, flour on Great Grandma's apron, her hands working the dough.

As my sweet little boy and I worked side by side, questions about his Great Grandma filled my mind...Wonder what kind of person she was? Wonder what kinds of hardship she's endured? Wonder what were the great moments of joy in her life?

This is why I keep a journal. So far, I have four journals to pass on to my children, my grandchildren and future generations.
I include simple details of daily life and I know one day, someone will appreciate it.

Here is the recipe for Brandy Ring Twists.

I hope you enjoy making these for your family.

Maybe this recipe will inspire you to look up traditional Christmas recipes from your ancestor's homelands.

If you do, I would love to hear about it.

BRANDY RING TWISTS

1 1/4 c. unsalted butter
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
3 Tbsp. brandy (you can substitute rum)*
3 1/4 c. flour, approximately
cinnamon sugar (3 Tbsp. cinnamon mixed with 1 cup powdered or granulated sugar)

Cream butter and sugar. Beat egg yolk with brandy or rum and mix into creamed butter. Gradually mix in just enough flour to make a smooth but soft dough. (I used 3 cups total) Form dough into 2 balls and chill for 1 to 2 hours. When dough is chilled, pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into 5 inch, pencil thin ropes. Pair 2 ropes together and twist around each other. Bring ends together and pinch to form a ring shaped wreath. Dip cookie into cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 13 minutes. These cookies will stay fairly light in color when fully baked.

*If you don't want to purchase a full bottle of brandy or rum just for 3 Tbsp. in a cookie recipe, you can buy tiny 50 ml. bottles at the liquor store for $1.99 a piece. They measure out to be about 3 1/2 TBSP, perfect for one recipe.

Mr. and Mrs. Fiddler Crab come to stay

2011-11-08T10:18:00.001-05:00

My son's 4th grade class is studying fiddler crabs. The students created habitats and are observing their behavior. In nature, fiddler crabs live in salty water along sea beaches as well as inter-tidal mud flats, lagoons and swamps. With a parent's permission, the children are allowed to "adopt" the crabs. Just yesterday, I went to the school and picked up a male and female fiddler crab. The crab in the photo above is Mrs. Fiddler...both of her claws are small.

Here is Mr. Fiddler..he has one large claw. He uses it to fight and to attract Mrs. Fiddler.

"Hey baby, check out my claw!"

The male crab will try to impress the female crab by waving his large claw high in the air then bringing it down to tap on the ground.

"You like that, don't ya?"

Males crabs will fight over a female crab using their big claw. If the big claw is lost in battle, the smaller claw will grow large to compensate, and the other claw will grow back and stay small. Pretty awesome, huh?

These crabs will grow a little, but within their different species, the largest grows to be only 2 inches across. Like all crabs, they will shed their shells as they grow. It will be fun to save the shells!

The welcome back sign is for when the crabs return back to the beach after going for a swim in the salty water...it's a "welcome back to the beach" sign, as my son would put it.

You may be curious about whether Mr. and Mrs. Fiddler will have babies....well, I was curious too. I have read that it is next to impossible to produce baby crabs in an aquarium. Although, IT IS possible for them to produce eggs and the female will carry them on the underside of her shell...it is not likely the eggs will survive as in the wild, the larvae grows in deep ocean waters and then returns to shore at maturity.

I pray we can keep these little crabs healthy and happy. They can live up to 3 years in captivity...usually about 2 years in the wild. We'll see!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

2011-11-04T07:15:00.000-04:00

When you're in the mood for a simple, sweet, soft, chocolate cookie....look no further than this! These cookies are SO good...made with unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder...they just hit the spot.

One thing I like about this cookie is the simplicity of it. If you're a baker, you will undoubtedly have all of the ingredients on hand...no running to the store for the ONE specific ingredient.

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. softened butter {1 stick}

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. vegetable shortening {Crisco}

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In electric mixer, beat butter and sugar.

Next beat in the vegetable shortening.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

Finally, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.

Use a one inch ice cream scoop, or melon ball scoop to portion out cookie dough onto baking sheet.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

When completely cooled, sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar on cookies.

Enjoy!

{Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart}

My personal version of pizza dip!

2011-11-03T08:12:00.001-04:00

Pizza dip is awesome..especially when you tailor it to your owns tastes! Here is my version of a good pizza dip..complete with black olives, anchovies and pepperoni. This is the perfect snack for watching the Steelers play football on Sunday. {Cause that's the only team anyone routes for. LOL! hahahaha! Just kidding!! Hey, I can't help it we have Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward! Hee Hee!!}

PIZZA DIP

4 oz. softened cream cheese

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. pizza sauce

whole black olives

pepperoni

anchovies

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo. Spread in bottom of pie pan.

Next spread pizza sauce on top.

Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.

Top with chopped pepperoni, whole or chopped black olives and anchovies.

Sprinkle a little more mozzarella over toppings.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Scoop dip with your favorite crackers or tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

P.S. Yes! I do love anchovies!

**Don't forget to stop by my journal...located on the right of my blog just above my profile picture. :)

Mayhem and Flo are dating

2011-11-01T19:29:00.004-04:00

Here's the photo of me and my hubby dressed as Mayhem, from Allstate Insurance, and Flo, from Progressive Insurance. We had a lot of fun with these costumes and everyone really loved the idea! We received a lot of compliments! I had fun with my make up...especially the "cat eye" eyeliner! I even gave my hubby a shiner on his left eye with some pink, blue and purple eye shadow.

My husband roughed up this thrift store suit jacket by being dragged, on purpose, cause he's crazy, behind the quad! How's that for dedication! Well, at least he wore a helmet for heaven's sake! He told me that when he was a kid, he always wanted to be a stunt man...well, I guess he finally made his dream come true...all in the name of Halloween! Oh my!

I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween and trick or treat! Moving on...I am ready for Thanksgiving!

P.S. Don't forget to stop by my journal!! Look for the link in the upper right hand side of my blog, just above my profile picture! I am committing to writing daily in the month of November! I really enjoy that little part of my blog because it's just random thoughts about my day! Stop by!

Going to a party

2011-10-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

We've been invited to a Halloween party.
At first I had no clue what to dress up as.
I was just ready to cut up old pillow cases to make a blue skirt and use my son's red bedroom curtains for a cloak so I could be Red Riding Hood. My hubby was going to dress as a wolf.
But.....I found a much easier, no sewing involved, quick and very fun costume idea!!!!

Flo, the Progressive Insurance gal from T.V.!!

I love her!
My hair is brown...I can do a bump, wear some bright red lipstick and find a blue hair band at the Dollar Store. Also, I have a pair of white pants, a white t-shirt and can make a name tag that says Flo and a round pin that says "I love insurance". Oh, and the white apron...I know they sell those plain white aprons at Michaels craft store for about $6.00. I will use a blue marker and carefully write as in the correct font "Progressive" across the front.

Yes!
Easy Peasy!

And....it's going to be a very, very comfortable costume...not something that is itching me like crazy or a mask that I can't keep on for very long. Fun!

My hubby has decided that he is going to be Mayhem from the Allstate Insurance commercials.

We are going to the thrift store tonight to buy a cheap suit that we can rough up on the concrete, cut a few holes in and such.
We can put a few band aids on his face and that should do it!

Yes!
Easy Peasy!

Usually, when the hubs and I get invited to a costume party...we are like...ugh...I don't want to dress up!! Whining and whining...we just whine! LOL! But...I think this will actually be fun and easy and everyone knows and loves these characters, so I don't think we run the risk of "Hi, what are you supposed to be?"

hahahaha!

I'll take some pics of us in our costumes and share with you guys soon!

Pumpkin Dump Cake

2011-10-19T17:09:00.000-04:00

Oh man! You have got to try this recipe!
Not only is it delicious, it is very easy and fun to make!
I don't mind a recipe with many steps...but sometimes I just feel like making something simple, and this totally fits the bill!

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
10 oz. evaporated milk
1 C. light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 box yellow cake mix
1 C. chopped walnuts
1/2 C. Heath Toffee Bits
1 C. melted butter

In a large bowl, dump in the pumpkin puree, evap. milk, brown sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Dump mixture into a greased, 9 x 13 baking pan.

Next, evenly sprinkle yellow cake mix over top of the pumpkin mixture.

Sprinkle nuts and toffee bits all over the top.

Finally, pour the melted butter over top of everything.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Enjoy!!

P.S. The bottom of this cake will turn out to the consistency of pumpkin pie.
Beware! You will want to eat and eat and eat...it is irresistible!!!

Fall

2011-10-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

It is Fall!

Glorious Fall!

I haven't been posting very much lately and I want to get back to it!

Just wanted to pop in and say hi!

Here's a pic of my hubby gathering firewood he had just chopped...I love how it turned out!

I will be back later today or tomorrow to share a recipe with you.

Pumpkin dump cake!

Oh it is so good!

You'll see!

I see myself in my son

2011-10-07T21:16:00.000-04:00

Do you ever see yourself in your children?

I saw myself in my son today.

His appreciation and awareness for everything that is around him...that is JUST like me!

This day,
right here in this photo,
he had decided to do his homework on the swing.

Why??

He had come in from swinging and told me it was so peaceful there. He said he could hear the birds chirping, the crickets, and a squirrel that ran behind him. He also described how the sun was coming through the trees and how nice it was.

I'm thinking, wow, he is 9 years old and he "gets it".

It's just funny because that is exactly how I think.

When I'm in a place and I am overwhelmed with the simplistic, organic beauty of it all...I want to just hang out there. I want to get my journal and write there...I want to read a book there...I want to lay there and take a nap...basically, I want to be in it, of it, with it, a part of it. It fills me with inner peace and a happiness...not a, jumping up and down, kind of happiness...but a smooth, calm, fulfilled, warm, love life, kind of happiness.

When I looked out the back door and saw him on the swing doing his homework, I knew I wanted to capture this moment. It was so precious and beautiful.

See?
I really am, into the "moments" of life.
It seriously gives me a kick.

I am absolutely the person that stops to smell the roses. For that matter, I will actually closely examine the rich, deep blood red color, the velvety smooth texture of the petals, the faint sweet smell.

As far back as I can remember...as a child...I used to sit and look...I mean, just look...at a flower...deep inside...the stamen, the pollen...and just marvel at how each flower would grow to be just like it's other...almost identical. I studied the clover, the blades of grass, the bark of a tree, the big blobs of sticky sap, how the sunlight glowed through it, turning it a golden amber when you looked at it at just the right angle.

Maybe everyone does this...I'm not sure.

I haven't noticed this so much with my first born son...but my second born son...I catch him studying things up close...just like I remember doing...like I do still.

I smile to myself when I see this.
It makes me happy.
It is SO cool to see traits of yourself in your own children!

What you don't realize: daily duties of a librarian assistant

2011-09-29T10:59:00.003-04:00

I love the public library! It is one of my favorite places to be...all of the books at your fingertips just waiting to be read...all of that knowledge...and it's free, provided you return it on time and not spill your coffee on it!

Of course there is a lot of work that goes into the library so people like you and I can enjoy this wonderful freedom. We must never take the library for granted...especially the librarians. It might seem like they have an easy job. You may think that all they do is check books in and out and put them back on the shelf. Well, that is just not so!! There is so much more to their job than that!

Recently, I have been enlightened about the responsibilities of a librarian assistant. I have a wonderful friend named Kathy, whom I know through the blog world who is a librarian assistant. Her blog is Kathy's Trip Through Life I always enjoy reading her posts, as she always has something interesting going on at the library or in her daily life.

I asked Kathy if she would write a post about the daily doings of a librarian assistant. I was so curious about her work, as she was always saying that sometimes it's hard to get all of her work done in her shift. I was often wondering what was the work that she couldn't get done. I knew there was much more to her job than I as a patron knew or realized. She so graciously answered my request and wrote about her job.

Please click on the link I have provided to read about her daily duties at the library.

Kathy's trip through life: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LIBRARY ASSISTANT

*When you leave a comment on her blog, please let her know that I referred you.

*If you remember, please comment here and let me know you read her awesome post!

I know it will give you a greater appreciation for your local librarian!! It certainly has for me!

P.S. For some reason the link to her post puts you at the very bottom of her post..please just scroll up to the top of her post...I am SO not good at creating links!! LOL Either way it gets you there! Thank you!!

Apple Cozy

2011-09-26T10:33:00.000-04:00

An apple cozy.

You need this!
Don't deny it.

I am completely smitten by my new apple cozies!
I saw the idea on Pinterest...and immediately messaged my friend who crochets.
She whipped up about 20 different cozies for me to pick and choose from.

I bought 8.

I could have bought more.
I wanted to buy more.
I will buy more!

I'm taking an apple in a cozy to my son's teacher for open house.

I gave one to my friend as a hostess gift when she threw a campfire weiner roast for our Bible study group at her home.

I'm going to give one to my mother-in-law today when I deliver a home cooked meal for their dinner because my father-in-law just got out of the hospital/rehab from a very painful back injury.

I'm giving one to my neighbor today when I return her travel mugs she lent my hubby and son for a backpacking trip so they could make tea and oatmeal and what-not.

I want to give one to my son's principal because she rocks.
She's a tough bird, but a fair bird who somehow naturally commands authority and trust.
She is exactly what elementary school students need.
I'm sorta scared of her, but not really.
LOL
Does that make sense?

The opportunities for giving apple cozies are endless.
It's like giving a smile you can hold in your hand.

Oh and did I mention...the girl that makes these only charges $2.00.
She's already planning to make jack-o-lantern faces and Santa faces for teacher gifts.

P.S.
I'm purchasing a small, chubby pumpkin today.
I've asked her to crochet a cozy for my pumpkin..
Solid black with a big brown button!
I'll be sure to share a picture when it's done.
I think it will be absolutely beautiful!

Brown Sugar & Thyme, Roast Pork with Apples

2011-09-24T21:24:00.000-04:00

I have to tell you about the dinner I made the other night!

It was....SO DELICIOUS!

Brown sugar & thyme roast pork with apples...yes please!

I have a bit of leftovers in the fridge, and writing about this makes me want to go eat what's left!

Ok, this is easy, easy, easy!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place pork roast in a casserole dish.

Peel and rough chop 3 or 4 apples.

Place apples around the roast.

Drizzle olive oil over roast.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over roast.

Sprinkle handful of brown sugar over roast and apples.

Dress roast with fresh sprigs of thyme.

Cook in oven for 50 to 60 minutes depending on size of roast.

Discard sprigs of thyme after cooking.Enjoy!

Presque Isle State Park

2011-09-20T12:37:00.001-04:00

A few weekends ago, we took the kids for a day trip to Lake Erie. We live in PA, so this would be the part of the lake that borders PA. Lake Erie is huge! It is the 4th largest lake in the 5 Great Lakes in the U.S. It is 241 miles long and 57 miles wide at it's widest point. The lake extends to the north where it meets Canada and to the south where it borders Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York...to the West, Michigan. Fortunately for us, we only live a couple hours south of Erie, so day trips are totally possible. And you know what??? I can't wait to go back!

We visited Presque Isle State Park, which is located on an absolutely beautiful peninsula! Presque Isle is actually French for "almost an island".

Can I tell you....I love Presque Isle State Park! It is absolutely gorgeous! The park is so beautifully maintained. I grew up going there every year for family vacations. My parents, us 6 kids, aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents would all go for one week every summer.

It was incredibly fun! We would all stay in these quaint little cottages just outside of the park. The cottages are still there and that makes me very happy. Every day, each family would load their kids, laundry baskets full of beach toys, and coolers full of food and head out to one of the 7 beaches on the peninsula.

The memories I have of this place....oh the memories...wonderful! It's one of those memories that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and nostalgic inside.

There is also a Coast Guard station and 2 lighthouses on Presque Isle. I've only been to one lighthouse which is located on Lighthouse Beach, but the next time I go back, I am definitely scoping out the other.

Just before you get to the park, there are a couple of very fun, very quaint, family diners. Excellent food and great prices.

I loved it! You can also get ice cream there. Yes, we were there twice that day with the kids. Once for lunch, and later after swimming, for ice cream cones.

If you ever get to visit Lake Erie on the PA side, you HAVE to visit Presque Isle State Park and the town of Erie.

There's a number of things that I could go on about...especially the quaint, nostalgic, small amusement park just before you get to the park, called Waldameer.

I grew up riding these rides...the old metal boats in a foot of water that went in a circle....the wooden roller coaster called The Comet. The haunted fun house that my mom insisted I go into...traumatizing me for the rest of my life!! {I just knew we would go in, but we would never come out!} Memories of that amusement park play through my mind like an old 8 millimeter film strip. The cottages, the beaches, and Waldameer are some of the best memories of my life.

I don't know if you will ever find yourself in northwestern PA close to Lake Erie...but if you do, visit Presque Isle State Park and make some sweet sun-kissed memories of your own.

I'll never be the same again

2011-09-08T10:46:00.001-04:00

Hello my friends.

It is I, Bonnie.

I am a changed person.

I am trying to get a grip.

5:00 am this morning I heard a sound.

I checked the hallway...nothing.

I looked downstairs...nothing.

I went back to bed.

Ok, let's rewind a minute here.

My 9 year old son came into our room at about 4:45 am.

He told us he heard noises.

Ok, it's nothing, go to sleep.

He stayed in our bed for a little while.

Fine.

This is not too unusual...

He is usually telling us there might be an alien outside his window.

What if Big Foot is real.

and the latest...

Apocalyptic zombies might really exist.

So...this is par for the course around here.

Ok, back to the story.

I heard a crinkle of a plastic grocery bag.

Turned on the light....checked the bag...nothing.

Turned off the light.

Heard a bump on the wall.

Turned on the light...nothing.

Wait...not nothing!!!!

A bat is flying around my room!"

Holy Crap!

I scream "It's a bat!"

My husband hops out of bed.

He says "stay calm, stay calm."

I get down on the floor and cover my head with the blanket.

Sure enough the damn thing LANDS ON THE BLANKET ON THE BACK OF MY HEAD!

I say "I think he landed on me! I think he landed on me!"

My husband comes around the side of the bed...

wait....

He can't see a thing without his glasses!

He goes back around the bed to get his glasses.

I can hear my 9 year old son saying

"Oh! Hi bat! Awesome! Hey bat! That's cool!"

I then see my hubby coming towards me with a T-shirt.

He says "Don't move, don't move, don't move."

He throws the T-shirt over the bat..

the bat screeches in my ear!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a sound I ever planned on hearing in my lifetime!

More of "don't move, don't move."

I can't take it any longer!

I wriggle out from under the blanket...

I try to stand and run, but sorta stumble to the floor.

I proceed to crawl and and basically scratch and claw my way

to the bathroom looking exactly like someone in a horror movie

trying to escape the masked chain saw murderer!

I make my way to the bathroom on all fours and close the door.

I do not move from that spot.

I am in the dark, on the floor, eyes wide as saucers!

Hubby folds bat up inside blanket, takes blanket downstairs and throws it outside.

Bat flies away into the darkness.

Hubby comes back upstairs into bathroom to console me.

I ask him several questions...none of which I can even remember right now.

He says "I'm sorry, but I'm trying so hard not to laugh, but I can't help it!"

He starts to laugh but tries not to.

I am not offended by his laughter.
My hubby loves me so much, but he is not easily shaken.
He knows I am a spazz.

Hubby continues to console me and eventually we go back to bed.

I don't sleep.

I cry a little...

and think...a bat landed on me.

Seriously!
Did I really have to go through that?

I keep asking God..

"God, why did the bat have to land on me?"

"What are you trying to teach me?"

P.S. No animals were harmed in the horrifying-ness of this situation!
My hubby even said he tried to be delicate while folding the blanket over the bat so it's wings did not get damaged.

P.S.S. No one was bit by the bat...no one was hurt...thank goodness!
And my 9 year old son had an awesome story to tell at school!

:)

just an update

2011-09-06T12:01:00.004-04:00

The kids are back to school and the weather has cooled...54 degrees this morning with a steady downpour of rain. However, I'm snug as a bug in a rug on the living room floor...large mug of coffee to my right. I've got one window open just a bit...fresh air flow and the sound of rain drops are SO therapeutic.

On Saturday, the hubs and I..as well as the boys, wandered through IKEA...inspiration for a living space in our master bedroom. I've got some great ideas a'brewin in this little head of mine. Thank goodness for my husband...he is very creative and can carry out any idea we come up with. By the way...have you ever had the $1.00 cinnamon rolls from IKEA?? HoLy CoW, they are crazy good!

Sunday afternoon found our family perusing Barnes & Noble. Man do I love that place. I really, really LOVE a really, really good book store! I only wish there wasn't a toy section to distract my kids from enriching their minds with reading. Don't get me wrong...Barnes& Noble has THE BEST toy selection ever! In fact, I already have my nephew's 1 year birthday gift picked out! It's just hard to get the kids interested in looking at books when in the corner of their eye they spy the coolest doo-dad you've ever seen! Once they've spied the toy section, it's all over.

Sigh.

I've been working on cleaning up and cleaning out. More specifically...my master bedroom. Over a period of 2 days, I hauled out 3 bags of trash and 3 bags to give to the thrift store. I have plenty of room in our master to have a "living area". This will be what you all know as "decorating on a dime"...but I am still excited as my hubby and I have come up with some great ideas.

Until next time....I'll be sewing up a storm...I bought fabric for curtains for the master bath.

:)

Farmer's Wife

2011-09-02T19:24:00.002-04:00

Trying my hand at charcoal sketching.
My second drawing.

She's a tired old girl.
She rises early to make biscuits and gravy for the Mr.

:)

Tomato Sausage Pie

2011-08-25T19:51:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

If any of you are overflowing with tomatoes from your garden or your neighbors keep giving you more and more tomatoes...this is an awesome recipe! I ate the entire pie myself over a period of 4 days. I had it for dinner the first night...fell in love...and then had 2 slices for lunch every day until it was gone! No one else in my house is into tomatoes, so it was my pleasure to eat the entire thing! Man that really makes me sound like a hog..that's a little embarrassing! LOL! Well, it's not like I ate the entire thing in one sitting! Ha Ha!

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 9 inch uncooked pie shell, 1/2 pound sausage, 1 c. chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 c. light cream, 2 c. shredded mozzarella, about 3 tomatoes sliced.

DIRECTIONS:
Cook sausage in fry pan in small amount of olive oil. Chunk sausage into pieces. Add onion and garlic. Careful to not burn garlic.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 egg and 1/2 cup light cream. {I used half n half.} Stir into cooled sausage mixture.

Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella in bottom of uncooked pie pastry shell. Pour sausage and egg mixture on top of mozzarella.

Make a layer of sliced tomatoes covering the entire top of sausage/egg mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle top of pie with a bit of dried basil and oregano.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in 375 degree oven. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Locust or Cicada?

2011-08-21T20:58:00.001-04:00

Why do I love finding these ugly, little, lifeless, fragile skins of a bug?

I guess it's because it's reminds me of childhood when I thought they were the coolest thing ever!

I grew up calling them locust shells...but in doing some research, I've found that they actually belong to that of the cicada!

It is true that people often refer to cicadas as locusts. I've heard people say "Aren't they the same thing?"

Locusts are actually a member of the grasshopper family, and look very much like a grasshopper. They are quite destructive, swarming and eating their way through crops, sometimes causing such devastation that leads to famine and starvation.

On the other hand, cicadas aren't really destructive like locusts. Here's a little information about cicadas. They have a stout body, broad head and beautifully clear membrane wings. Their distinct large, shiny eyes bulge from the sides of their head.

image from cicadamania.com

I love the sound that cicadas make! The males vibrate their abdomen producing a buzzing, clicking sound. To me, it's a rather soothing, hypnotizing sound to fall asleep to on a hot summer night.

Here's an amazing fact...there are over 2,500 species of cicadas!! Holy cow!

I'm sure all of you have heard of the "17 year cicadas", living in their nymph stage, in the earth and then emerging in force. These are known as "periodical" cicadas, but they aren't destructive like locusts. Although, it is true that locusts can cause some damage to crops, shrubs or trees...but only by way of "scarring" left on tree branches while females lay their eggs deep in the branches.

The most common cicada that most of us are familiar with is the "dog day cicada" that reappears every year, mid-summer. They are what's known as "annual" cicadas. To me, it just wouldn't be summer without these little critters singing their songs in the trees. That sound is a key essential to summertime!

Do you find empty, shed cicada skins in your neck of the woods??

stick pencils and Shaker Woods

2011-08-16T17:26:00.000-04:00

Show and Tell!
Just wanted to show off my new treasure
that I lah-uvvv! love}
These very rustic, naturey pencils.
When I write with them, I feel like a woodland gnome!

Wouldn't a woodland gnome write with a stick pencil?
I thinking yes!

Acquired these lovelies at a craft festival in the woods.
A craft festival to end all craft festivals!
Shaker Woods in Columbiana, Ohio.
The kind of festival where a man strolls the paths strumming on a bango.
Where hand-built miniature houses pose as stores where artists sell their creations.

Clog dancers tap, tap, tapping...and pound, pound, pounding on a wooden stage.
Smokey BBQ pork, roasting...scenting the air all around.
Artists dressed up, all old fashionedy-like.
Shade, glorious shade...under massive oaks...sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Freshly cut, fried potato chips, all salted up nicely.
Pottery, wooden dolls, hand carved spoons, natural soaps and herbs
Canned jellies, salsas, mustards, and butters.

I want to go again!

just for fun

2011-08-14T18:20:00.003-04:00

I'm
blogging

crafting

creating

sewing

reading

:)
oh, and eating chocolate!

Pennsylvania the beautiful !

2011-08-08T00:06:00.205-04:00

What can I tell you about Pennsylvania?

How can I describe to you how beautiful it is?

How can I convey the feeling I get

when earth meets rock

rock meets water

water meets sky?

How can I describe the feeling of cold air on your legs

when it's seeping from a cave

coming out from under a huge bolder.

Is it possible for me to convey

the heat and humidity

entrapped within the woods?

Can I relate to you

the smell of moss

earth and dried leaves

that blanket the the floor of the forest?

I wonder...

if you close your eyes...

can you imagine what it feels like

to touch the face of a bolder

that's been warmed by the morning sun?

If you close your eyes

can you see the golden sun

pushing through the tree tops

shimmering on the surface of the water?

How can I describe the sound of rushing water

splashing against rocks

swooshing around boulders?

Is it possible to understand the awe and appreciation

I feel in my heart

with all that's around me?

I was thinking

I wish

I could bring

everyone I know

everyone I've met

all of my blog friends

to this very spot

to experience

the great beauty

of this valley.

I wish

you too

could wash your face

in the cool fresh water

flowing down this magnificent river.

I wish you too

could walk about

on rocks of every size

to explore and investigate.

Our hike would begin and end

at this old covered bridge.

A beacon of hope

when your legs get weary.

A bless-ed sight

when your water bottle is empty.

You would know you made it

That you completed the 2 mile hike

A mile down

then across the river on a bridge

A mile back

And there it is.

The covered bridge

welcoming you back to civilization

and your car

not that you want to leave the serenity

of the woods!

Before heading back to our car

we could tour the old flour mill.

McConnell's Mill

that was powered by

the natural force of water

using a paddle wheel

in the basement.

You could throw a line

if you wish

catch a fish!

Ha Ha, that rhymes!

And as we drove away

past glorious

giant

rocks

your mouth would fall open

and you'd have to get out of the car

and take a picture

so you could remember

just how beautiful

Pennsylvania is.

portabellas, cherry tomatoes and an egg

2011-08-05T11:16:00.001-04:00

MUSHROOMS
*low fat, low sodium, low calories
*rich in fiber, selenium, potassium and B vitamins
*one medium mushroom has more potassium than a banana or glass of orange juice

TOMATOES
*high in Lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight against cancerous cell formation
*rich in vitamins C, A and K {vitamin K is good for bone health}
*vitamin A in the form of beta carotene great for eye health and preventing night blindness and macular degeneration
*high in potassium
*Lycopene is also connected with preventing heart disease
*high in fiber which is good for lowering cholesterol and blood sugar

EGGS
*studies show eggs do not affect cholesterol levels in most people
*6 grams protein
*9 essential amino acids
*5 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
*Lutein, found in yolk is good for eye health
*Choline found in yolk stimulates brain development and performance

***Free range chickens produce healthier eggs higher in vitamins, lower in fat and cholesterol due to plenty of exercise, a healthy diet of grass, leaves, berries, insects and worms, plenty of fresh water and fresh air and almost no stress.
The yolks of eggs from fee range chickens are a deep orange color compared to eggs laid by chickens confined to small cages that produce a pale yellow yolk. The healthy, orange yolk has 7 times more beta carotene than the pale yellow yolks that aren't free range

OLIVE OIL
*monounsaturated fatty acid, a healthy dietary fat, but should be used in moderation

P.S. The egg in the photos above is from my free range chickens. We have six hens that produce the most beautiful, healthy and delicious eggs. If possible, consider raising hens for eggs for your family. It's easy, economical, and fun...not to mention the healthy fresh eggs you'll have year round!

Buttermilk Falls, Homewood PA

2011-08-03T17:07:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, I took my children on a hike to Buttermilk Falls, located in Homewood, PA. I had expected to take photos and maybe dip our feet in the cool water. Well! I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that we could swim in a beautiful, natural swimming hole at the base of the falls.

Long ago, the area was a stone quarry.

The height of the falls is a whopping 35 feet.

We weren't aware of Buttermilk Falls and were happy to learn it was just 25 minutes from our home...approximately 11 miles away. What a beautiful, natural sanctuary! A place to get away, cool off from the 90 degree temps, get back to nature and restore our soul!

We went on a Saturday and the kids talked me into going back again on Sunday!

<

My favorite part was swimming towards the falling water, looking up and getting closer and closer...it's just an incredible perspective.

You'll notice, I swam in my clothes. We weren't prepared with bathing suits, although we did bring a couple of towels in case we got just a little wet. Of course, with my permission, my boys kicked off their socks and shoes and jumped right in. At first I sat on a big rock and watched, but soon I could not resist! I just had to go in. I knew the ride home would be uncomfortable...but I knew it would be well worth it!! I have to say, we all had a blast. It was the most incredible experience I've had in a long time!

Getting back to a healthier, natural, economic and easier way of life

2011-07-29T23:51:00.004-04:00

Once upon a time, I was more earth friendly. Once upon a time, I was a better recycler. Once upon a time I ate healthier. Once upon a time I loved to research which foods were "super foods" high in antioxidants and great for cancer fighting. Once upon a time I did my best to buy organic foods and was really succeeding. Once upon a time I was thoroughly intrigued with homesteading and the idea of living off the grid. Once upon a time I exercised. Once upon a time I did beginners yoga.

Well lately, I have found myself slipping further and further away from these important things. What has happened to me? Why have I slipped away from these things that I loved so much...that excited me...that stimulated my every brain cell?!

Well, there are a couple of reasons that may be the culprit...but I need to move past this and get to steppin'! I used to love this stuff...I thrived on this stuff...and it's really good stuff to thrive on!

I remember when I wanted to go organic and provide the healthiest possible food for my family. Of course it was overwhelming...but I didn't let that stop me. I just started out very, very slowly. I started with one or two things at a time and made a vow to continue with those things until I was ready to add another thing. Soon it became fun thinking about the next wonderfully healthy item I would add to my grocery list, or the next organic veggie I would incorporate. It was so easy this way. I was not 100% organic by any means, but let me say this, some organic is better than no organic...and I was completely satisfied with that. My husband was totally on board..he has always been interested in making our lifestyle healthier and being more earth friendly. The kids put up a struggle with choosing cereal that was healthy. I pushed and pushed {gently} but didn't give up. Finally..slowly but surely...they found cereals that they loved and I was happy. I didn't go totally off the deep end either...I actually allowed them one box of junky cereal every once in a while. By junky, I mean Lucky Charms, Apple Jacks, Count Chocula...stuff like that. Don't get me wrong...I really l.o.v.e. these cereals!! They taste delicious and I have fond memories of eating them as a child..and as an adult. I really didn't want to be some kind of extremist and have my kids eating monstrously at a friend's house because they couldn't get it at our house. No, no, no. I was not about that. I was level headed, firm and I followed through...and...once in a while, we ate something "bad".

I still baked. I made everything from scratch and tried to use the right products. My thought was this...making cookies homemade...you know exactly what's in them, and usually for that matter, you're talking about 6 ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, egg and so on...and not a single chemical or preservative!!! I liked that...no...I loved that. I used to make chocolate chip cookies that were the best in the world! They were not cheap as I used organic butter, flour, eggs, sugar and dark chocolate chips. I believe everything in that cookie was organic except for the vanilla. I wasn't quite ready for that splurge. I would get the butter on sale and buy the flour in bulk and it wasn't that expensive. The only thing that was expensive was the organic dark chocolate chips. There was a certain store I used to buy them at and I could buy just as much as I needed, no more, no less. There was nothing funky or odd in these cookies, I cannot stand carob, so I would not even go there...they were just plain good.

Well, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I have been feeling that I need to slowly, but surely get back into what I used to be all about. I don't know that I can afford those organic dark chocolate chips anymore, but....it's okay!!! That's totally beside the point. I will do what I can with what I have and whatever my budget is. This is not about spending crazy amounts of money at fancy specialty grocery stores. It's about going back to what our grandmothers and grandfathers did years ago. They were the original "green" people. Part of the World War II generation, they lived simply, grew their own food, raised chicken for meat, re-used, re-purposed, and re-cylced because it was what they knew, how to survive, the right thing, ...it was a way of life...it's what you did. They were "green" and didn't even know it.

I have a confession to make. Please don't hold it against me because I am vowing to never do it again. Lately, I have been throwing empty baby food jars in the regular trash! I know! I know! Not every time, but here and there, and it's not right! Why? Because I am getting l.a.z.y.!! Plain and simple. As I mentioned, I am slowly but surely slipping further and further away from everything I was and it is not acceptable. It is time. It is time to get back into diligent recycling, taking the cardboard to the recycling center, getting that yoga mat out {dust it} and putting in that DVD, eat a handful of blueberries because it fights against Alzheimer's, drive to the local dairy weekly for milk...

{that's not all my milk, I used to go once a week with 2 of my friends}

...because it's wholesome and good and hasn't been tainted with preservatives or traveled thousands of miles in a truck from California that burned hundreds of gallons of fossil fuel to get here.

So, I have decided to take it one little step at a time as to not get overwhelmed....pick up one good habit at a time, and slowly but surely get back into it. It's the best for my family, for myself, for the earth. I have already started and have introduced two new things back into my world. I bought Seventh Generation liquid dish soap because it is all natural. I bought it at WalMart for just about $2.80. That's not so bad...I can handle spending a little more to know that I am putting less chemicals down the drain every time I wash the dishes. Also I researched how to make my own dish soap and am thinking of doing that in the future. For now, this is the first step. Slowly...surely.

The second thing I have been thinking about, is taking better care of my skin. I researched sugar scrubs for exfoliation and found how easy and inexpensive it is to make at home. I can use products I already have in my home and it costs pennies! I tried it today and had great results!! I am going to make a post on my sugar exfoliating scrub very soon, so I will leave that recipe for another day. Keep an eye out for it!

No doubt, you will still see plenty of recipes on my blog, as I intend for my family to continue eating! LOL!! I'm still the same me, I haven't gone off the deep end or anything, I'm just getting back to the old me. Just getting back to doing right by my body, my family's bodies, the earth, and living simpler like my forefathers and foremothers. I'll be posting some of my changes and I am looking forward to hearing your response. Til then!

I'll leave you with some photos of my lunch yesterday. It is an old time favorite of mine that I haven't had in a long while. You should try it, you'll love it!

*Organic blue corn with flax seed tortilla chips
*Cubed avocado sprinkled with lime juice and a smidgen of salt and pepper.
{corn chips bought at Target. It's by their signature food brand "Archer Farms"...$2.50 for a huge bag..the same size bag as would be Doritos, so you're really getting your money's worth here, not a skimpy little over priced bag just because it's organic}

Seriously, I can feel my saliva glands working right now just looking at this picture!!! This is one of my favorites!! If you don't like lime juice, give lemon juice a try.

P.S. Just wanted to mention that I place more importance on eating local than I do eating organic. I have no desire to go to the grocery store and buy organic produce that has been trucked in from California. That is a huge turn-off to me.

my journal

2011-07-27T19:23:00.020-04:00

I'd like to introduce a new feature on my blog.

It's called "just daily observations".

If you look to the right side of my blog just above my profile pic, you will see the link.

I'll be writing about things other than what's on my blog.

Basically, just daily observations...what's in my head.

Sometimes it may be a note about how beautiful the clouds look...

or how delicious those organic blue corn chips from Target are.

These entries are not meant to be the key to my soul or an in depth look at my personal feelings.

no no no.

I'll save that stuff for my personal journal that I write in most nights before bed.

Hope you enjoy it.

anyone for pizza?

2011-07-27T08:14:00.000-04:00

I am tired...more mentally than physically. We've had family staying with us for 11 days. Everyone is gone now...and it's time to get things back to normal. My children's cousin from Maryland came to stay with us for one week. Here she is in the photo below.

It was a great experience for the kids. They had so much fun and no one fought. surprisingly! On the day that their cousin left, my cousin from Florida arrived. I mean down to the minute. There was no time in between to straighten the house or take a nap. All went well though and we had so much fun. My cousin stayed for 4 days and out of 4 days, we had pizza for dinner 3 nights. Don't ask me how that happened. None of us are quite sure. It just kinda happened. But we are talking really good pizza here people! And, each time it was different. The first time was white pizza with lots of veggies ordered from a local place. The second time, we were in down town Pittsburgh, getting hungry, were on foot, and choices were limited. But...this place has really good pizza. So, we had pizza for dinner! LOL! The third night we didn't really have dinner because we were at an amusement park...all day...in 90 degree weather. Yes, we closed the park down. But, we always do that when we go there! We all ate a variety of amusement park food that day! Then the last night he was here...umm, I tried to go Greek, I tried to go Chinese, I tried to go Thai, I tried! I even tried to get calzones...sorta like pizza. Somehow, that Prima Vera pizza with the capers, red onions, green olives, hot peppers, and garlic looked really, really good...and well, that's what we ordered! OMG!! Too funny! It. was. delicious! I even had leftovers for lunch the next day. I have problems! Pizza problems! LOL. Okay, no more pizza for at least a month!

{my sister and my cousin}

Collecting Bok Choy Boys

2011-07-20T18:12:00.000-04:00

Do you know what Bok Choy Boys are?

Have no clue?

Have a look at these cute little guys! These are what's called Bok Choy Boys. They are made of vinyl and stand about 1 inch high. There are 12 different characters, all a different color. Each Bok Choy Boy dons their own Chinese symbol atop their large bulbous forehead. On the back of their head, a corresponding sign representing: fire, water, sky, peace, luck, power, day, love, moon, night, snow, and star.

My 9 year old son started collecting these little guys at the end of the school year. These adorable little figurines could be found throughout his class...in student's desk, pencil boxes, back packs and pockets. Boys and girls were trading back and forth and talking about the best places to buy them. Soon my son was asking me if we could go to the bowling alley so he could get a "ninja guy"...that's what the kids first called them before they knew what they were.

Bok Choy Boys can only be purchased in bubble gum machines at 50 cents a piece. The machines we frequent are located at The Dollar Tree, Giant Eagle grocery store, the bowling alley, K Mart, and our local Chinese buffet.

My son is still trying to get the moon, and luck {four leaf clover}.

Getting a duplicate in the gum ball machine is a little disapointing...but...you can use these to trade.

I have recently discovered that you can order the complete set of 12 on Amazon.com for $5.00...but that's not quite as fun as trying your luck at various machines around town.

My son and I chose to have our photography session down by the creek. This part of the creek is my favorite spot. It is about 10 degrees cooler down here and is not visible from the road or our house. The rocks are a constant cool temperature since they never see sunlight. I like to sit on the rock bed and kick off my flip flops and revel in this cool sanctuary.

My son decided the Bok Choy Boys should take a swim.

Ok, what's he up to?

Well, apparently Bok Choy Boys can breathe under water...so...it's all good.

It's always fun to see what kids collect. My son also collects rocks, bottle caps, and Beyblades {a battle spinning top toy}. If it was possible, he would also collect craw fish from the creek!

Stay tuned for my next post. I'll be featuring my niece's collection. I'll keep it a secret for now. She has over 1,000 pieces in her collection.

Mixed Berry Clafouti {klahfooTEE}

2011-07-17T18:55:00.000-04:00

Well, I have to tell you that I absolutely love this dessert.

It's French.

I like French.

I like dessert.

It is actually a classic French breakfast dish...or brunch.

But...also, can be a dessert as well.

I just wanted to say...

it is sweet

it is tart

it is dense

it is moist

it is very

very

easy to make.

What I've been up to

2011-07-10T08:12:00.000-04:00

haven't been posting very often.

the reason: lots going on!! :)

housework {yuck, uck, boo, hiss, boring}

still life robot sculptures with the kids

embroidery

my birthday

shopping 80% off sales

making "to do" lists

drinking iced tea

writing in my journal

learning about art/sketch journals on YouTube

babysitting my 6 month old nephew 3 times a week

reading

watering the garden

the drive in theater

other misc. stuff

i do have photos to share with you...

in no particular order

i"ll be back soon...

having lots of fun!

book review: How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill

2011-07-05T00:07:00.001-04:00

Ahhhhhhh...summer reading...I love it!

Here is a book I happened to bump into at The Book Tree {my local book trade store}.

Perusing the store, I happened to look down...and there, laying flat...not sitting upright and shelved properly...I spied the catchy title of a paperback "How Starbucks Saved My Life". Naturally I was drawn to the book, as I love Starbucks coffee. The book was white and trimmed in kelly green...the traditional Starbucks colors. "Hmmm" I thought.."now what could this be about?"

Picking up the book, I read the back and was instantly hooked! I was already holding a copy of Anne Frank's, Diary of a Young Woman, and was basically on my way out of the store...but making one final round to see if I missed anything. I'm so glad I did make that one final round.

To my pleasant surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read and the pages just flew by. The book is a true story written by Michael Gates Gill based on the details from his journals at a time when he was down on his luck...cast aside by the younger, up and coming executives of a company he had been so tenaciously loyal to for over 20 years. So loyal in fact, he always put the company and it's interests before his own wife and children...a mistake he realized a little too late.

The book starts at the point where he is fired from his job and has to find his way looking for a new career. He was in his early 50's and all of his experience was in advertising. For a while, he made his way, starting his own consulting firm, but soon found life spiraling out of control. His wife divorced him, business dried up, clients seemed to fade away, no one was calling anymore, money was tight, and even more scarier than that, he recently found out that he had a brain tumor.

Financially and emotionally broke, he found himself sitting in a Starbucks...drinking a latte...in his $2,000 suit, with his expensive leather brief case and his cell phone..still trying to look the part of a successful businessman...when he was suddenly asked a simple question..."would you like a job?" Much to his own surprise he found the word "yes" coming out of his mouth. The woman that asked him the question was a manager of Starbucks. She was conducting interviews that day hoping to find potential employees.

The story goes from there. This man, once a money hungry, pompous, Mr. Powerful Big Shot advertising executive, now had to humble himself...lower himself...and work a real, honest to goodness job! He had completely ran out of options. He was used to being served, and now he was doing the serving. He was used to calling the shots and giving orders, now he would have to do what his boss told him to do...someone 35 years younger than he was! A definite culture shock for him...but soon he becomes aware of what life really means...what's really important.

If you want to find out how this man fairs at his humbling job at Starbucks...at the age of 63...working with people much younger, stronger and quicker than he....and you want to see how a working a good, honest job at $10 an hour changes his life..then pick up a copy of "How Starbucks Changed My Life"...you won't be sorry!

P.S. After reading the book, I recently found out that this story is to become a movie! Tom Hanks is to play the main character of the story. Apparently, he was very interested! I tried to find a release date, but things seem a little unclear as to when it is due to be out. The only thing I can find is that it is "still in development". I hope it all pans out and that we will get to see this on the big screen. I would love to see Tom Hanks play this part! It would be fantastic!

Sasquatch's flowers

2011-06-28T17:12:00.000-04:00

I have been an embroidering fool these past few days and I am loving every minute of it!

I started this Sasquatch embroidery piece many months ago...maybe even a year ago...I don't even remember now. I have lately been in the mood to go back and finish little lonely projects that have been left for the dust bunnies! I have pulled old Sassy {aka Sasquatch} off the craft table...or should I say, out from under a heap of scrapbook paper...and picked up the needle and embroidery thread once again.

I know the basic embroidery stitches but, have been also learning some new ones. I am very excited as the new stitches are turning out very well.

Take a gander at what I've been working on.

What you see in the photo above is called "turkey work"...{the fuzzy part of the flower}. It's a series of many, many big loops that stand straight up. You then cut the loops, trim it to the height you like. Run your needle over the cut thread a few times and it fluffs up wonderfully. I wanted to create a dandelion and thought this to be a fantastic stitch to use. This was my first time at turkey work and I loved it. For the outer part of the flower, I used lazy daisy stitches. This was my first for that stitch as well.

In the photo above: This precious little flower...well, I don't quite know what it is, but I have seen something very similar in the grass. We used to pull the pink top part off when we were kids and they would fall apart into tiny little balls. {probably just a flowering grass} I used french knots for the pink part of the flower and am quite smitten with the results!!

And here is Sassy's name, all pimp-like, in gold metallic floss. That floss was a bit tricky to work with. I was surprised, I didn't realize that it had a tendency to untwist into a few very, very thin threads. Oh ya, and it knotted very easy while pulling through the fabric. I love the look of this metallic floss though...it's just one of those "slow and steady" things.

Well, that's all I'm going to show you for now. I will keep you updated on Sassy!

me and my boys

2011-06-24T23:27:00.000-04:00

Just a photo I wanted to share with you
taken last month on Mothers Day
Me and my boys, Everest and Easton

book review: A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott

2011-06-21T10:52:00.000-04:00

Ok, I've been in the reading mood lately. I think because it's summer...and you always hear the phrase "summer reading".

Well, I went to one of those book exchange kind of places...if you're not familiar with the concept..here's what it is. You bring in your old books, any kind of book...paperback, cooking, history, childrens, etc...and they will give you "credit" for half of what the original price of the book was. Usually, you can find the price printed on the back. When you want to make a purchase from them, you can use your credit on 50% of your total. I love that place!! I find books that I wouldn't normally come across at a normal book store.

While browsing in the "classics" section, I found what I thought seemed to be the perfect, enticing summer read! The book is called "A Long Fatal Love Chase" by Louisa May Alcott. She is also most known for her famous book "Little Women". I found this book to be a quick read...I could never put it down! I always felt like I wanted to continue on. I don't think there was a boring part at all. The book was written in 1866...which, I thoroughly enjoy how they spoke back then...so proper! Also, men were men and women were women...men were gentlemen and women were put on a pedestal and treated with so much care and respect. It is really just amazing how our society has changed so drastically. I just really enjoy reading novels from that era...there's just such an innocence about it that I dearly love!

I will not give anything away, but here's a little tid bit:

A lonely young lady, just 18 years of age, lives with her aging grandfather. Having no friends or other family, she is dreadfully bored. Her days are spent reading and spending time with her grandfather who seems to care less of her presence.

One day, an unexpected visitor comes to visit her grandfather. The young woman is very intrigued by this man, for he has traveled the world and has had many wonderful adventures. The young lady soon finds herself drawn into his carefree life...a life of travel and riches...wanting nothing more than to feel free herself...to leave this lonely world all behind...to loved and be loved.

But...is this man someone she can trust? Is he a man of character? Can he make her happy all the days of her life? Wanting a life of excitement and adventure may be exactly what she gets...maybe a little more so than what she asked for!

************************************************************************

Ok, that's all I'm going to say...read the book if you want to find out what happens to this young, passionate, naive woman. You won't be sorry!

Enjoy!

Next book review: "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill
It's not what you think..it's not about a cup of coffee that is so good it changed someone's life...no not at all. It's actually a true story...I am almost half way through the book and very much enjoying it!!

Happy Fathers Day

2011-06-19T09:52:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to my Dad!

Yes, he is my biological Dad, despite the difference in our skin tones!

My Mom is very white and burns easily, and that is who I took after.

I just love this photo we took comparing our arms!!

Too funny!

Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you that I have the world's best Dad.

For real.

I'm not joking.

Apparently there are T shirts and coffee mugs that you can buy for Dad's at the
store that say "World's Best Dad"....

but I am confused...

Didn't they know???

my Dad won that title!

What's up with that?

Remember the Seinfeld episode about the #1 Dad t-shirt that Jerry gave to his father? I always loved that one! Here's the clip! Enjoy!

June, a poem by John Updike

2011-06-13T14:50:00.000-04:00

The sun is rich
and gladly pays

In golden hours
Silver days

And long green weeks
That never end

School's out
The time is ours to spend

There's Little League
Hopscotch, the creek,

And after supper
Hide and seek

The live-long light
Is like a dream

And freckles come
Like flies to cream

*Poem from the book "A Child's Calendar" written by John Updike*

I absolutely love all of the poems from this book. I can relate to every one of them! Each month, starting in January, I have posted his monthly poems from the book, but never did get around to posting April and May {will have to do those next year} Anyhow, I'm back on track and I hope you enjoyed "June".

Neapolitan cake

2011-06-12T11:57:00.000-04:00

My son Everest turned 13 on Saturday. I wanted to bake him a special cake and asked him what he would like. We started discussing the possibilities and finally came up with an awesome idea!

A triple layer Neapolitan cake!

One layer of chocolate, a layer of vanilla and a layer of strawberry! Oh and don't forget the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frosting in between.

I used boxed cake mix and purchased the corresponding tubs of frosting. I used a 9 x 13 pan and baked one cake at a time. I leveled each baked cake by shaving the rounded top off with a long serrated bread knife.

Everyone agreed, it was a pretty spectacular and yummy cake!

Polaroid moment

2011-06-06T10:01:00.000-04:00

Reclaiming my childhood summer

2011-06-03T10:02:00.000-04:00

It's June 3rd.

It's June 3rd!

Wait...it's June! It's summer!!

Now...of course...according to the calendar...summer doesn't officially start until June 21, at 1:16 PM....but that's beside the point. By the way, what that means is:

The first day of summer: the summer solstice—is the longest day of the year, the Sun reaches its most northern point in the sky at local noon. After this date, the days start getting shorter. {*copied this from Farmers Almanac website}

So, this "it's summer" thought popped into my head this morning as I was getting fresh feed and water for my chickens. I told myself to "think summer" from now on and to try to put myself in that childlike mindset of what summer is, what summer means and really enjoy it!

The first thing that came to my mind was how I would have already been out of school by now {if I was a kid} and I would be waking up with a smile on my face knowing that the day was mine!

The day was mine to play, swim, lay in the grass, climb trees, ride bikes and skateboards, swing and climb all over the swingset like a monkey, roam the woods behind the house...basically to spend the ENTIRE day outside.

I found myself longing for those days. To just have one day like that as an adult...it would be so good!

Even if I tried to have a day like that...which... actually...I could come pretty close...as an adult...there are things you just can't escape.

I have to feed my kids and hubby, the bills and the mounding laundry will inevitably sneak their way back into my mind...people will stop by, and I will have to entertain, or at least be cordial.

The dishes will pile up and I will look at the Kool Aid spills on the kitchen floor until they dry and our bare feet are sticking to the floor..ugh, I hate that feeling. I am no neat freak by any means...I want to be a neat freak...I am a neat freak wanna-be....but it is just not in me...but anyhow, the mounting mess would still get to me because I will think about how much I have to do later. And for some reason, that overwhelms me.

So...I'm wondering...is it possible to have a carefree summer day?

I mean...a for real...really, really...for real...childlike, carefree, no responsibilities...carefree day. I think if I plan ahead, it just might be possible. How funny is that. There has to be planning to do something that's carefree!
Ha Ha Ha!!! LOL!

I have to plan everything out ahead of time so I can try to have one "childlike" summer day. I would have to make dinner the day before...something easy that everyone can just grab when they get hungry.

My kids are 9 and 12 so that should be no problem. We can use all disposable plates and silverware. I can get all the dishes and laundry done...or done enough...the day before. I don't have to answer the phone...I can screen the calls...wait...screening calls is still acting responsibly. Darn!

But, one thing I can't change..I don't think I can convince my kids to not fight or get into any disagreements on what's fair and not fair

I don't think I can convince them to not come running to me to solve the problem of how someone stayed too long on base during tag, or how someone never goes to get the ball when it goes too far, or how someone counts too fast during hide and go seek or he hit me for no reason, or he's hogging the tree house swing! Dear Lord...please help me on this one! So if I can get them to solve their own problems for one day...and believe me, I try to get them to do this anyway...I just might be able to pull this off.

Even if this completely carefree day never comes for me this summer...
I vow..{repeat after me}
I vow...
to take time...
this summer...
to do anything and nothing...
to consciously make the effort...
to have a child's mindset...
to lay in the grass...
look up at the clouds...
read a book in the shade...
drink some Kool Aid...
go swimming at least once a month...
ride a bike...
catch lightning bugs...
eat popsicles...
and take a walk in the woods.

It's summer!
Slow down and enjoy this beautiful earth
and the time you have been blessed to be able to appreciate it!

Blue Ribbon Pie Contest

2011-06-01T19:24:00.001-04:00

We held our 3rd annual Memorial Day picnic at our house this past weekend. I decided to include a Blue Ribbon Pie contest at the picnic as well. I have been wanting to do this for years and finally got the notion to just go for it. We had a turn out of 5 pies which included mine. Here's a list of the pies in the contest.

Oreo Creme

Caramel Apple

Double Bottom Blueberry Lemon and Pecan

Strawberry Rhubarb

Banana Creme

I picked 5 random judges....lucky them!!

We numbered the pies 1 through 5, and each judge was given a small sampling of each delicious pie...one at a time...to taste, savour, and judge. When the tasting was done, each judge cast a secret ballot. The ballots were read as they came out of the bag.....and so a winner was declared!

How can I humbly say it...but, I actually won the Blue Ribbon with my caramel apple pie.

It was funny because, it was my house, my contest, I handmade the ribbon, and then...I won first place. As I put on the ribbon I jokingly said, "I feel like I fixed this thing." But really, it was fair. It was up to the judges, and they could have voted any way they wanted to.

After the contest was over, the pies were open to everyone to taste. I think pretty much everyone who tasted them had a sampling of each...I know I did!

Each pie was so good...they all deserved a ribbon! I mean, it's pie...how can you go wrong!

I am so glad we had the contest! It all played out very well. There seemed to be a lot of interest and a lot of laughs. I definitely plan to do this again next year. I hope that this year's contest has generated a lot of interest for next year, and that we will see new contestants next time!

Click here for all of the recipes for each of these wonderfully delicious pies!
http://whataboutpie.blogspot.com/p/2011-pie-contest-recipes.html

How to make patriotic garland

2011-05-25T09:24:00.000-04:00

It's so fun to decorate for the holidays...
but I don't love to spend the money!
What I do love is creating decorations using materials I already have on hand! Since I'm a scrapbooker from way back when, I have plenty of red and blue paper scrapbook paper on hand.

Here's a tutorial on how to make a patriotic garland perfect for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. I used standard 12 inch by 12 inch scrapbook paper...various patterns of reds and blue. For the white paper, I had to be a little more creative and used plain white printer paper. I created simple designs with red and blue crayons.

Materials needed: decorative paper, scissors, clear tape, stapler and string

After cutting 12 x 12 paper in half, I cut about 1 inch off the top of each half leaving 2 pieces of paper approx. the size of 11 x 6. You can make 2 stars from this.

Position patterned side of paper facing toward your right hand when cutting angle 1 inch down from top, cutting up to the top left corner. Depending which way you have the folds facing when you cut will determine the shape of the star. You can do it either way. But be consistent with all the stars. After you cut one end, turn the other end upright and do the same thing.

This gummy blue stuff that you use to hang posters on a wall works perfect for surfaces like brick. Make sure you remove any dust on the surface or the gummy blue stuff won't stick.

I am so delighted how this turned out!! It is perfect for my Memorial Day picnic and Blue Ribbon pie competition I am hosting at my house this Saturday. It just adds that finishing touch to my mantel.

Out takes:

As I was hanging up the garland on the mantel, one of our hens flew up and perched on the window sill outside. It scared me half to death because there's not much room for her to perch and she was flapping her wings and scratching and trying to clutch the window sill. It was pretty comical. She finally got a good hold and stayed there for a while. I swear...my chickens are the NOSIEST things ever! They make me laugh!

Butchering Chickens

2011-05-20T23:12:00.001-04:00

Well, we did it. We butchered our first meat chickens. There were 3 of them. They were given to us about 6 weeks ago from friends who could no longer keep chickens. The chicks were 2 weeks old when we got them and they were huge already. They are bred to be that way... grow fast, bulk up quick and ready to be butchered at 8 weeks old. They won't live much longer after that anyway, so if you feel bad about it, it may help to realize they don't live much past 10 weeks and are then susceptible to a heart attack because of their size.

It was a little nerve racking for my husband and I, for this was our very first time to process chickens. Process sounds a little better than butcher, and butcher sounds a little better than slaughter...what can I say. It was one of those things...it had to be done...it was time...and there was no turning back. We took the whole process very seriously, researched the process on the Internet and watched tutorial videos on YouTube prior to the big day.

We did everything as respectful and humanely as we thought we could. It is not as if we take pleasure in killing a chicken, but this is how our forefathers lived and we have a lot of respect for learning how to live without Mr. Grocery Store. It is definitely an interesting process and I have much respect for people who lived off the land...and there, of course, are still people who live off the land. There's something to be said for learning basic survival skills. I love it.

This photo makes me laugh because the little 8 week old egg layers came over for a look at the pot of steaming water over the fire. If they only knew what this pot of water was going to be used for, they wouldn't be hanging around. For some reason, this makes me think of Bugs Bunny and the episode where he is about to be made into "Hossenfeffer". I don't know how that is spelled. But does anyone remember that. The cook lures Bugs Bunny into the pot of hot water and Bugs doesn't realize he is about to be cooked. Do you remember "Bring me my Hossenfeffer!"

The photos I am about to show you are not meant to offend and be cruel. Also, I kept the more graphic photos away. Like, there are no photos of the chicken getting it's head cut off, so don't worry! I wanted to share with you the process of butchering a chicken. There is one part that was not photographed and that was the part where we gutted the chicken. Mostly the reason for this is our photographer which was our 13 year old neighbor took off with our boys to go ride bicycles. I was the one taking photos in the beginning, and then once I started to help with pulling the feathers, he took over.

In the photo above, the chicken is placed through a plastic milk jug. The bottom of the milk jug is cut off and the neck of the milk jugs is cut wider for the chicken's head to fit through. Putting the chicken into the plastic milk jug helps to keep his wings from flapping around like crazy after you cut the main artery in his neck to bleed him out. Also the handle on the milk jug is very helpful. You can have one hand on the handle of the jug and the other hand is holding the chickens legs just above the feet.

In the photo below, you can see my husband trying to feel for the pulse in the chicken's neck. This was a tip we found on the Internet. He never could feel it and had to go with gut instinct. As I mentioned, this was our very first time doing this and everything was a learning process.

I'm not going to show photos of the chicken hanging upside down and bleeding out...no...no...no...I'm not going to do that. So, I moved on to the next step. Once the chicken is pretty well bled out and completely dead, you dunk them in very hot water for about 8 seconds making sure to get all of their feathers wet. This process will insure that the feathers will come out very easily.

Here's me plucking feathers which, to my surprise, came out very easily. Notice the look on my face. That's pretty much how I looked from beginning to end of the whole experience.

Out of respect for the chicken, I blurred out his face and cut neck. I feel like this chicken is on an episode of "Cops". We hadn't cut off his head at this point, but we could have.

You can see behind me is a garbage can where we threw all of the feathers.

My husband hosed off the chicken after we felt we felt we got all of the feathers off.

In the photo below, we had started on our second chicken. This time I was the one holding the chicken in the milk jug instead of my son. I wanted to be part of the experience and I wanted to learn. However, I did not do any of the cutting. I could have if I wanted to. I kinda wanted to because like I said, I want to learn and have the experience of doing the whole process. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so all of that was up to my husband.

Here you can see we threw the chickens in an ice bath in a cooler. There were completely plucked of all feathers and their head cut off.

By the time we got to the third chicken, we realized we should have cut the bottom half of the legs off before we put them in the ice bath. My reasoning for this was because of the dirt on the chickens feet. I just think it would be cleaner. So we pulled the other chickens out and cut the bottom of their legs off and then put them back in the cooler.

The only other thing we didn't do, which isn't a big deal is...we didn't singe off the tiny little hairs that are on the skin of the chicken. You can do this with an outdoor gas burner. You just quickly and briefly hold the chicken over the fire and singe off any tiny hairs. We decided that since we would be cooking our chickens on the grill, we didn't need to do this step.

At this point, the chickens had not been gutted. We decided this would be a good time for us to take a break, throw away the gloves, go in and wash our hands, and get something to drink.

We had no idea how well it would go with the gutting process, but it went just fine. There are no photos of this process, but that's ok, I have photos in my mind. It was a little gross and freaky pulling out the intestines and stomach and the heart and lungs and kidneys...etc. Basically you cut a slit in the anterior of the chicken at his bum big enough for you to put your hand in there. You have to be very careful to not cut into the intestines. If you do, it's not a bad thing, you just want to make sure you rinse the chicken very well. Anyhow, my husband did good and never cut the intestines.

As strange as it may seem...all you do is put your hand inside the chicken and start pulling everything out. It comes out fairly easily, but there is some suction working against you. Once everything comes out, and you look inside, it looks just like you would think....just like the chickens or turkeys you buy at the store that have already been cleaned for you. The very last thing to come out of the chickens were the lungs. My husband had me check each chicken to see if I could feel anything left. I did, but I could barely tell, I kinda had to dig my fingers down into the rib cage far up inside of the bird. There I found the lungs and kinda had to dig each one out with my fingers. I only knew this from watching the video I saw on YouTube. I am so glad we watched that video. It was very helpful.

In the photo below, you can see the finished product. What a beautiful bird! Once inside, at the kitchen sink, I rinsed the bird well and dabbed it dry with a towel. I then double bagged it in two one gallon freezer bags and placed them in the freezer.

I was very proud of us when it was all over. We researched how to do this and actually did it! It was a good feeling. I felt like an Ole' farm wife! Well, you've read my profile...I'm a wanna be farm girl! Now I'm one step closer!

Vitamin D and the view from down here

2011-05-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

So far this Spring, we have had about 3 days of sun.
Pittsburgh and it's surrounding area is known for it's gray skies and rain...all year round. It's unfortunate, but true. And so..by the end of winter, beginning of Spring..I am feeling the lack of Vitamin D we get from the sun. Last week, we had our first day of sun in a long while. A sunny day that was warm enough to sit outside.

I was feeling rather sluggish and extremely lazy and depressed. I don't think I had any good reason for it...but that was my mood. I picked myself up off the couch, opened the front door, and sat on the front step of our house. Here's exactly what I remember.

The sun was on my face. I closed my eyes and pulled the elastic band from my pony tail and let my hair fall into the warmth of the sun. I took a deep breath and inhaled the smell of everything Spring: fresh cut grass and damp earth. I put my hands on the top of my head and felt the warmth. Hanging my head down, I rubbed my neck with my hands, opened my eyes and looked at my feet in my son's flip flops. I wondered if the concrete walkway was warm from the morning sun. I kicked off the flip flops and was pleasantly surprised to feel the warm, rough texture under my feet.

I lifted my face to the sky, my eyes still closed. Orange light permeated my eye lids. It felt kind of uncomfortable, the feeling you get when your eyes are closed, but you're facing right into the sun...but I didn't budge.

I could take it.

Ahhhh, the heat was dry and warm...almost hot. It felt so good, like heaven on earth.

The stagnant, unwelcome chill of winter slowly left my body. It's been hiding in me, in my bones, stiffening my joints...infiltrating my psyche. Be gone winter chill...leave me alone...I don't want you anymore! Summer sun is my new best friend.

While the front of my body was in the sun, my back was in the shade of the roof over my front step. Looking down at the concrete walkway, it was more than I could resist. I shifted my body and sat on the walkway, turned around, and faced my chilled back to the sun. Ahh, the heat from the sun slowly permeated my sweater right through to my skin. It felt so good!

Ok, didn't need the sweater anymore. Shed the sweater. Felt the soft warm breeze with just a light undertone of cool. The sun was on my shoulders. Hadn't felt that in a long time!

I sat awhile, taking in everything...dandelions and fresh, newly grown grass to my right, flat landscape rocks and a bush to my left. Teeny tiny ants zigging and zagging across the concrete. I was relaxed and warm and it felt good. The kids were at school and the husband at work..it was peaceful. I thought to myself, I wish I could just lay down on this sidewalk here, it would be so comfortable, laying in the sun, right here.

But, if someone saw me laying here on the ground in front of my house, what would they think? Look at that weird woman. Is she hurt? Is she dead? What is she doing?

I said to myself..why can't I just have this simple pleasurable moment right on my own property...who cares what they think and so what if there are teeny tiny ants, what could they possibly do to me anyway.

And so, I layed back on the warm concrete.
It was wonderful!
It felt good!
I was relaxed.
I looked up and I thought, what a pretty picture, I should take a picture.

Do I have to take a picture of everything?

Yes.

The sky was so tremendously blue.
The clouds were so tremendously white.
The sun was so tremendously beautiful and warm.

Beautiful in that way, that you can't really see...because you can't really look at the sun even though you really want to.

And so I did.
As best I could.
For a split second.

About 20 feet from where I was laying, I could hear the water from the creek trickling and flowing over rocks...winding it's way past our house. I love that sound...just about one of the most soothing sounds in nature.

I looked across the yard, just over the creek to the field beyond...a massive spray of dandelions peppered one particular area.

How pretty, I thought. That's pretty.

All was right with the world...
at that spot...
at that moment...
well, even more than just one moment.

moments {as in plural}
many moments

And so these were the photos I took to share with you.
to remember...how good it feels to sit in the sun
on the first warm day of Spring.

I hope you enjoy my photos.
It is what I saw
from where I was
a different perspective
from down there
laying on my back
on the concrete walkway

with people driving by
and my neighbors wondering if I was ok
or just plum crazy.

They probably never even saw me.

white garlic broccoli pizza

2011-05-03T17:38:00.000-04:00

Oh man, I love a garlic and olive oil pizza! Well, this time I decided to add some broccoli. I like to use an inexpensive pizza crust mix, Wal Mart brand, 49 cents a packet.

It's quick and easy! Follow the directions on the back of the packet to make the crust. Basically, you par bake the crust first. Don't burn it like I did!! I heard the timer go off and then I went on to do something else...and forgot about it!!

So, anyhow, after the crust par bakes, in my case...completely bakes..overbakes..brush the crust with extra virgin olive oil. Smear crust with a very thin layer of ricotta cheese.

Season ricotta with salt and pepper and a tiny bit of oregano. Next add minced garlic. I cooked my garlic in a little olive oil first to soften. Then sprinkle with chopped cooked broccoli bits.

Next, cut thin slices of fresh mozzarella and place all over pizza.

Finally, brush the mozzarella slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake pizza for about 10 minutes under cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.

Oh my gosh! This pizza was sooooo good! If you like a white pizza, give it a try! Next time I'm going to add slivers of sun dried tomatoes! Mmmmm!

eggy breakfast

2011-04-30T21:12:00.000-04:00

This is currently my favorite breakfast.

It's quick and easy to make.

Here' what ya do.

Saute some sliced mushrooms in melted butter or margarine. I use margarine because it won't burn so doggone fast.

Crack one egg over top of the mushrooms...right in the same pan.

Cook on low heat until egg whites are cooked...then cover egg to cook yolk to your liking. I like my yolk thick and just a little bit runny.

Slide the whole thing onto a plate.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper!

Enjoy!

green is life

2011-04-21T15:58:00.001-04:00

Green has begun...and I am me again.

Bye, bye old man Winter...you have worn out your welcome.

Hello, Green Goddess...won't you please stay awhile?

daffodils in my dining room

2011-04-19T21:45:00.000-04:00

It rained all day today.

In between the showers

thunder

and lightning

I ventured outside

to cut daffodils

from the hillside

in the forest

behind our house.

I placed them

in an antique canning jar

filled with cool clean water.

I marveled

at their beauty.

I breathed in

their faint but sweet fragrance.

I closed my eyes

and smiled.

a perfect breakfast

2011-04-18T12:44:00.000-04:00

Oh, zee time fliez when joo are having fun. I'm not sure what kind of accent that was...I think it was French. Hee Hee. It's been a week since I last posted. I wanted to share with you, what I had for breakfast this morning.

fresh blackberries
baguette slices shmeared with goat cheese and rosemary cream cheese
and..freshly steeped black raspberry and sage tea with honey

With the warm glow of sun coming through my window this morning, the blackberries tasted all the more sweeter. The honey was perfect..unbelievably delicious..

..the first drizzle from a new jar with the honey comb inside..and..the blackberry sage tea was mild and smooth and pleasant.

Mmm. A perfect morning.

Bathing Chickens

2011-04-12T07:44:00.000-04:00

Chickens like to take "dust baths". Over the weekend, the weather was warm and beautiful. It was actually 80 degrees. Our hens decided it was time for a bath...in my herb box.

I haven't got around to cleaning up my herb box for the season yet, and the hens were more than happen to get in there and turn over the soil for me. My husband found them in there twice and chased them away both times.

I found them in there once myself...of course, I ran to get my camera before chasing them off.

They were probably thinking, "ok, what's up with this lady, first she takes a photo cause we're so cute..and then she chases us away."

After I chased the chickens away, I got out my little spade and fork and turned over the soil and added a fresh bag of potting soil.

Three of my herbs actually grew back from last year and are already sprouting leaves: tarragon, chives, oregano and thyme. I'll be adding basil, parsley, cilantro and dill...also another couple of thyme plants. I've noticed that I use thyme a lot and I ran out of thyme in November. Ugh. Can't let that happen again.

By the way, here is what my herb box looked like in all it's glory last summer. I even grew a little lettuce in there as well. It's just quicker and easier for me to pick it for lunch and dinner when it's right close to the house. I can't wait until it looks like this again.

P.S. Even after I made my herb box beautiful and ready for planting, on Monday afternoon, I found our white Americauna bathing. Well, she hates it when she's spotted bathing. I am not kidding. She hopped up so fast, squawed and bawked and jumped out of my herb box. Her feathers were covered in black soil. As she ran away shaking out the dirt and sqwaking at me, I told her "no, I am not going to apologize, your on my turf baby." Ahhhhhh, chickens are so funny!

Part 4, the final post of, my father's story

2011-04-09T22:48:00.000-04:00

This is the final post of my father's story. I'll wrap it up by giving you the basic points that I wanted to convey about my Dad and some of the reasons why I love and respect him so much. Basically, what I wanted to share is that he came from nothing...and yet he rose above it and prevailed. He was a successful contractor for 40 years, owned his own business since he was a young man, got married, is still married to the same woman for over 50 years, had six children, raised us right, excelled in most everything he did, received trophies for competition for figure skating (roller skating), trophies for competition in flying model airplanes, and many trophies for competition for racing snowmobiles on water (yes...on water...you strip the snowmobile down to bare bones and basically ride across the water...known as watercross) He is a success. He has enjoyed many hobbies including model trains, model airplanes, dirt bikes, snowmobiling, fishing, water skiing, and scuba diving.

Also, I want to say that my father can build anything. He spent a lifetime building room additions and remodeling for people...everything from roofs to patios, decks, garages. He does electrical, plumbing...you name it..everything has been self taught.

Of course my father is not perfect, I don't claim him to be, nor would he claim himself to be. Doesn't matter though, I have learned so much from him. What's amazing to me is his advice has always been "spot on". I feel like I can hear him in my head saying "you don't do that, that's not right" or "that's what you do, it's the right thing"

and...

1) If you can't pay cash for it, then you don't buy it.
2) You don't go into a bar, you go into a bar, you're looking for trouble.
3) You don't ever pick up a gun, you pick up a gun, you better be prepared to use it.
4) Don't ever loan anyone money, you give it to them. If you can't afford to give it to them, then you don't do it.
5) You got homework? (I would tell my Dad "no") You got straight A's? (I would then say "no") Then you got homework.
6) The party's over. (That could pertain to many things..playing music too loud, bad grades, friends are over and it's late and past the time they should be there, haven't been doing chores like you should...and so on and so on)
7) Whatever you need or whatever you want, tell me, I'll buy it for you, but you don't get an allowance. You get an allowance, then you buy things you shouldn't be buying...cigarettes, booze. (he says this as a generalization, not meaning that I was doing that, just meaning that teenagers can do things they shouldn't do..and he's right)
8) Once you're out, you're out. (That means, once you move out, that's it, you're out, you don't come back, you make it, there's no other option, you can do it, you're grown, you do it...and I have to say, all 6 of us kids heard that since we were little, it was understood, it didn't bother us, we grew up, some went to college, one went to military, couple of us moved out and starting working, whatever, but not a one of us ever had to move back home because we couldn't make it on our own. Also, I might add, my father has always generously helped every one of us with money whenever we really needed it to pay bills, or a down payment for a house, whatever it was. He is very helpful and very generous and jumps at the chance to go to any of our houses to help remodel, reconstruct, new bathroom, new kitchen, new floor, vinyl siding etc. For the kids that went to college, he paid for college 100%, for the kids that didn't go to college, he bought them a brand new car 100% paid for. But.....Once you're out, you're out. It's simple. It it's not mean, I think it's a good thing. It really never was a question for us kids. You grew up, you moved out, you did what you did, and you made it...sometimes with a little help from Dad!
9) That's a bunch of happy horse shit. (That means something is not the way it seems, or blown out of proportion, or basically, a bunch of baloney! )
10) You do a good job because you are supposed to do a good job, not so you can get a pat on the back.

Really, he has lived a pretty good, full life. These days, he has slowed down. He has gone snowmobiling in Montana in recent years past...just not riding hundreds of miles a day..no cannot do that anymore...he has a bad back and has had both hips replace, has arthritis and osteoporosis.

Now he spends his time tinkering with Lionel trains and building and flying model airplanes. He bakes chocolate chip cookies and cakes as well as roast beef and a few other choice meals. My Mom has stopped cooking...I think she has had her fill.

And so, that's my Dad. He is retired now and lives in the country with my Mom. I invite them to my house for Thanksgiving dinner and Easter dinner. My Dad comes to visit now and then in between the holidays. He's trying to get my boys interested in flying model airplanes.

Thanks Dad, you've been a good Dad. I would not trade you for all the chocolate in the world. I'm glad God gave me you to be my Dad.

Part 3, my father's story

2011-03-25T21:58:00.001-04:00

As far as school went...my Dad completed the 9th grade, started the 10th grade and then dropped out of school. After dropping out of school he worked a few different jobs. Finally, one of the jobs he took worked out very well for him. He worked for a contractor who did aluminum siding. He started out earning $2.00 an hour. He and another guy worked for the contractor for 5 years until they both decided to go into business for themselves. Ok, finally....steady work...and making good money.

OK...Let's side step here for a moment and talk about something really fun!!! I know you're gonna like it...I can't help but like it! When my Dad was a young man, he spent a lot of time at the skating rink. He learned how to figure skate! He was good...like really good! Just like those figure skaters you see on TV. You're not going to believe this...but my Dad was so good...he ended up competing!

He competed at several rinks, depending on where the competitions were. These photos are priceless!! How do you like these costumes?!!

And then.....!
Enter stage right....my Mom!!!

Probably the cutest little thing on skates in the whole county. My Mom would always watch my Dad skate and thought he was so handsome. My Dad recalls the day he met my Mom. She and another girl came up to my Dad out on the floor. The one girl knew my Dad already and said "Hey, my friend here wants to know if you'll teach her how to do a "3 turn". He said "ya sure".

As he tells me the story the other night..this is how he talks, he says "I takes her by the hand". Instead of saying 'I took her by the hand'...he says "I takes her by the hand and proceed to show her how to do a 3 turn. Well, she's giggling and laughing and messing around. I told her, no, you're not being serious here, so no, I'm not going to show you if you're just gonna giggle and carry on." So he just left her there on the floor and skated away. As you can see, my Dad was serious about his skating. I asked my Dad, "Well, did you think she was pretty or cute?" He says "Oh ya...she was sharp...she was definitely...right there." And so, from then on they saw each other all the time at the skating rink and were together ever since.

My dad asked my Mom to marry him. She said yes.

He told me he asked her father for permission to marry her. He said yes. Here's the part I like...he said "her Dad had to sign for her because she was only 20." He said back then, if you were under 21, you had to have a parent sign for you.

They moved into their first apartment. My Dad's Grandmother moved in with them. They began building a family...the first 2 children were born...they bought their first house...then next 2 children were born. My Dad's Grandmother lived with them until it was no longer possible for them to care for her. They moved her into a place called Heart Home for the elderly, and eventually she went into the hospital where she passed away at age 89 or 90. He doesn't remember her exact age, but she sure did live a long time. I'm glad she got to see her grandson have a family and get to see some of her great grandchildren. I just remembered...they used to call her "Mum". That's what my Dad called her and my Mom did as well.

Like any young couple, in the beginning, money was tight, but eventually, years later, my Dad's business was doing well. He bought one acre of land in the suburbs northwest of Pittsburgh. He began building his dream home with his own two hands. With the house complete, they sold their house in Pittsburgh to my Mom's parents (my Grandparents) and moved into their new home. Then...guess who was born next? Me! Yes, I was child number 5, born in July of 1970. That's me there in the stroller, and those are my brothers and sisters.

The first 4 children were born consecutively...then there was an 8 year span of before I was born. Three and a half years later, my little sister was born. And then....they were done...she was the last born...the baby...(little brat! Ha Ha! Just kidding!)

I've got a few more things I'd like to share with you about my Dad. I will save it for Part 4, the final post...not the final chapter...he's still alive and well. He's 75 and is very much into building and flying model airplanes. He even joined a club last summer. He calls them "a bunch of old guys".

End of part 3...stay tuned for the final post of my father's story

Part 2, my father's story

2011-03-25T20:49:00.001-04:00

Before writing part 2 of this story, I called my father to get more details about his time in the orphanage. What I thought was going to be an informational and interesting conversation turned out to be so much more...more than I had anticipated. My Dad opened up about his father. You have to understand, this is a big deal being as I am 40 years old and this is the first time in my life that my Dad has spoken a word about his father! It is true that my Dad's father never had him or raised him a day in his life. However, I about fell on the floor when my Dad told me he saw his father once or twice a year until he was 6 years old. When he was 6, his father moved out of state and that was the last time he ever seen or heard from him. I had no idea! I grew up thinking my Dad never met his father. The visits he had with him were not heart warming or special. My Dad did share some details that just broke my heart! I asked if he remembered what his father looked like and he said "no, nothing". I just wanted to clear up, and amend what I wrote about his father leaving at the time of his birth.

And so...picking up where I left off...my father was shipped off to Hershey Orphanage for boys. He said he really cannot remember the details of how he got there but, he thinks his uncle may have drove him. An interesting detail...my Dad was 13, about to turn 14 in one or two weeks...once a child turned 14, they could not get into the orphanage...my dad got in just under the wire. Once a child got into the home, they could stay there until they graduated high school. At that time, they were given a brand new suit and $100 dollars.

The orphanage at Hershey was started by Milton S. Hershey in 1909. We are all familiar with Hershey chocolate, and this is the Hershey I am talking about. Milton Hershey and his wife Catherine were not able to have children of their own, so they started a school and orphanage for boys.

Here is a picture of the original homestead that housed the first orphans. Later there was a whole building and school for the orphans. My father did not come to this school until 1949. I have searched the internet for old photos of the orphanage or school and cannot find any photos from back then. The school is still there today and helps underprivileged boys and girls get a good education. It is no longer an orphanage.

The orphanage was on a dairy farm and daily life included chores. The children woke early every day at 5 am and worked the farm before school.

They milked the cows and cleaned out the barn before they even had breakfast. After breakfast they would clean up, change clothes and go to school. As soon as they came home from school, they returned to the barn to milk the cows again. At last after milking and other chores they went in to eat dinner. After dinner they had one hour to do their homework, and then would have an hour of free time to themselves to do what they wanted. Bedtime followed free time and then it would start all over again in the morning. It was a very structured life. Everything was scheduled by time.

On Sundays, the orphans children rode a school bus into town and were permitted to wander around for one hour. They each received an allowance of 40 cents per week, and were able to spend their money as the wanted. My father told me, "you know, you could get an ice cream cone or whatever." I can only imagine how much that time meant to them. Can you imagine, 40 cents and 1 hour of free time? It's definitely a strict life and I wish that kids today would have such an experience.

When I think about the over abundance children today receive compared to what children received back then...it is no wonder this generation feels entitled to everything! It's really astounding when you really think about it! Older generations are more thrifty and conservative...they save everything and make the most of everything they have. It's the more recent generations that have dumped every possession they have into the landfills because they were just bored with it, or it wasn't the right color, or they just deserved a new one. As I write this, I am incredibly humbled and ashamed. Even now, I am learning from my Dad.

My Dad did not like living at the orphanage at all. He said he felt very lonely. It was hard work, but it was honest work, and they were compensated for their labor with a roof over their head, food, an allowance and an education. He never said he was mistreated there, just that he did not like it...and I can undertand! My father was there for about three or four months before his Grandmother sent him money for a train ticket back to Pittsburgh. He took his money and ran away! He did not tell anyone he was leaving! He stole away to the train station, and for $5.24 he bought a one way ticket to Pittsburgh. re-creation--not actual ticket

From the train station in Pittsburgh, he proceeded to take a street car (trolley) the rest of the way home. The street car cost 10 cents to ride, and you paid when you got off. All my father had left in his pocket was a penny! But here's the best part...it was an old silver penny! He was hoping to pass off the silver penny as a dime because that's all he had! When the street car stopped, he put the silver penny in the machine and ran like the wind! He doesn't know if it worked, and he didn't stick around to find out. He just laughs when he tells this story, and I love it!

Anyhow, the orphanage did call the next day to say that he was gone. His Grandmother informed them he would not be coming back. My father told me they didn't have a phone until he was 17 years old, so I am assuming the call must have been made to his uncle's home.

At this time, my father went back to school and life continued on as usual. Living on welfare, my Dad's grandmother received only $30 dollars a month to live on. In my Dad words, "We had zero...nothing". He remembers going to the welfare office for his clothes. He would go up to the counter and they would hand him 2 pair of pants, 2 shirts and underwear. He describes the pants as something like "Dickies" work pants. I asked if he got shoes from them as well...he doesn't remember...but he assumed he did, because there wouldn't have been any other way for him to get shoes. His memories of the clothes are not good memories. He really despised those clothes! As he told me the other night, the clothes were "plain jane garbage". He said they were made of very cheap fabric and very poorly made. The pants and shirts were navy blue. He said he kinda feels like his clothes caused some of the problems he had in school with the other kids. He was very self conscious about his clothes while the other kids had "nice stuff like blue jeans". He said his clothes stuck out like a sore thumb! Now let me tell you, for my Dad to open up about feelings like this is astounding in itself. I am so glad that he shared being self conscious about his welfare clothes. It just makes me love him all the more. And to think when I was a teenager, I complained about not having expensive designer jeans such as Gloria Vanderbilt and Jordache! I had no idea of what it meant to have nothing!

As I write this, I'm getting choked up a little and tears are forming in my eyes. We grow up thinking our parents are this tough brick wall and cannot be crumbled...strong and sturdy...and they are...but we don't really think about who they were and what they felt like as a child...that they had hurts and wants as well.

end of part 2...stay tuned for part 3 of My father's story

my father's story, Part one

2011-03-18T10:30:00.000-04:00

Today I'm taking a break from the usual posts of recipes and the daily happenings in and around my house. I have decided to write about my father's life because I think it is quite interesting. Well, of course, his values and morals and life experiences have had an impact on how I turned out. My Dad is 75 years old and I am still learning from him. I love my Dad...and here is his story.

August of 1936, my father became an orphan shortly after he was born. His mother died from complications from child birth. She had lost a lot of blood and tragically died before ever seeing or holding her newborn son. His father left and never had contact with him again. Such a sad way to come into life.

Here is a photo of my Dad's mother when she graduated high school. It is the only picture we have of her.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...my father's Aunt and Uncle and Grandmother, on his mother's side, took him in and cared for him from birth. His Aunt and Uncle also had children of their own. They all lived together in the same house until he was 5 years old.

One day, he and his Grandmother moved out of the house and into their own apartment. They lived in a building that housed 3 families and there was only one bathroom that all the families had to share. He remembers there was no hot running water. In fact, he never had hot running water until he was 10 years old. His Grandmother used to heat water in a big pot and pour it into the tub. She would then take a pot of cold water and add it to the tub to make the water temperature just right.

Struggling through The Great Depression during World War II, he and his Grandmother were very poor and lived on welfare for years. His Grandmother worked every Thursday. She would ride a street car, (trolley) to work where she ironed clothes for a woman and earned $2 dollars week. During the war everything was rationed. They received pressed cardboard coins that were colored red and green; these were used to buy things like butter and meat. One could also purchase gasoline with the coins.

My Dad told me about the street vendors that worked the neighborhoods. He remembers the ice man would come every day. My Dad would hang a sign in the window to let him know how much ice they needed. One side of the sign said 1 lb., 25 lb. and 50 lb. They other side of the sign said 75 lb. and 100 lb. Depending on what they wanted, he would rotate the sign to designate the pounds they needed. The ice man would use giant tongs to clutch the chunk of ice and carry it into their apartment. The icebox was used to keep food cool so it wouldn't spoil. The ice went on top and it would slowly melt and drip down into a pan that he would empty once or twice a day.

There were other colorful street vendors in the neighborhood as well. He remembers a man that would sharpen knives and scissors on a big wheel. Another man used to come around and fix umbrellas...can you imagine that? One vendor had a wooden cart that he pushed around calling out "rags, old iron...rags, old iron". People would bring out their rags and scrap iron instead of throwing it away. The man would then take the rags and iron and sell it for money.

As everyone knows, times were tough back in the early 1940's, and my father began doing what he could to earn money as well. At age 8, he used to pull a little wagon through the neighborhood and he too, would collect people's old rags as well as their newspapers. He would sell them to a junkyard for money. He was able to earn 15 to 20 cents for 100 lbs. of scrap newspapers and the rags.

Life continued on until my father was 13 years old. His Uncle had made the decision that he should be placed in an orphanage on the assumption that he was too much for his grandmother to handle. Of course, we don't have all the details and facts to this story, but this is all that my father remembers. Much to my father's disappointment, he was shipped off to Hershey Farm Orphanage for boys. He was unhappy there and felt very lonely. I can only imagine how sad he felt. Can you imagine being uprooted from the only life you know, from a Grandmother that loves you, to being thrown in an orphanage?

End of Part 1...stay tuned for Part 2 of My Father's story.

Fat squirrel

2011-03-12T16:31:00.000-05:00

While walking around the yard this afternoon, I came upon a chubby squirrel sitting in the sun. He was snacking on an acorn, turning it over and over in his tiny little hands. He was so cute! and fat! Goodness, this squirrel did not go hungry this winter!

handmade exchange

2011-03-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, while visiting the blog happily married to the cows, I signed up to be a recipient of a hand made item made by the author of the blog. Playing by the rules, I, in turn, was to offer the same deal to my readers...a handmade item, made by me, going to the first 5 readers who comment. So, today, I am making this offer but...I am changing it up a bit. Here it is!

Would you like to participate in a handmade exchange? The first 5 readers to comment on this post will engage in a handmade exchange with me. Get your creative juices flowing! You and I will both make something with our own two hands. It could be anything you like, but keep it a surprise!

Mail your handmade item to me and I will mail mine to you! There is no deadline...except please, let's keep this within the year 2011. Hee Hee! I think this will be a lot of fun! You can also start a handmade exchange on your blog as well, but I won't hold you to it. If you just want to participate in mine, that's fine. But think about it...I'll be getting 5 wonderfully handmade surprises in the mail (in exchange for my own of course). You could have the same too!

Within a couple of days, I will contact the willing participants via e-mail to exchange address information.

Hope some of you are interested!

a poem for March

2011-03-09T10:17:00.000-05:00

March

The sun is nervous as a kite,
that can't quite keep it's own string tight.

Some days are fair and some are raw.
The timid earth decides to thaw.

Shy budlets peep from twigs on trees,
and robins join the chickadees.

Pale crocuses poke through the ground,
like noses come to sniff around.

The mud smells happy on our shoes.
We still wear mittens which we lose.

Poem by John Updike

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Part 4, the final post of, my father's story

Part 3, my father's story

Part 2, my father's story

my father's story, Part one

Fat squirrel

handmade exchange

a poem for March

Mixed Berry Clafouti {klahfooTEE}