Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Week 64 Tuesday (3/31/15)




A Visit to the Farm

         I truly want to foster animals when I move to Kentucky, so today I spent some time in Maple Park on the farm. I needed to see if my allergies would flare, when I was in a barn or around horses.  I am so happy that I didn’t react. A big thank you to Dr. James Lee for finding Judy and her wonderful animals for me. I am so happy and relieved that it all worked out well.


I passed this co-op on my way out to the farm

There's the farm in the distance
Oops- driving and photographing!

 
This is the horse I brushed, groomed, and
rub my face on to see how I
would react. He was a sweet old guy. 




Wearing my old oversized clothes and coat doesn't
make for a good picture - but I ended up covered
in horse hair, so it was a good choice. 



You will notice I was talking to Judy the entire
photo time, but here I was sharing my love
with this beautiful horse. 

Tall, dark, and beautiful



I was literally surrounded by horses,
and loved every minute of it.


I could have stayed there all day.



This one snuck up behind me

Aren't they amazing?


Jeez Louise! I love them all!

I think my hair smelled good.
The one I am petting is young.

I love the stalls. Judy's family is the
fifth generation on this farm.
The stalls are so awesome.

They also had four dogs, so I took
this picture on my way to the car.


My Gorgeous Girls

         I love this plaque that I saw on the wall at the Veterinary Clinic. It is a reminder that our pets are with us forever, even in Heaven. I believe that even if I have never read it in the Bible. I think I believe this because I need to think and believe that I will be reunited with all of my girls when I get to Heaven.



 
I don't know who Buddy Olson
is, but I adore the plaque.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Week 64 Monday (3/30/15)




Recipe Review
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Mediterranean Orzo Salad        
Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

            This is one heck of a salad. It has so many ingredients that you can barely see the orzo.  Now, I have never tried orzo, so I don’t have a clue what it even tastes like. The ingredients are so varied and colorful that this is a pretty salad.  I would love the cheese and onions, but am not a big fan of the two types of tomatoes. I think I would take this salad to a party, however.


Random Reflections - Bucket List #52

         I would love to host a luncheon for my neighbor friends Nicole and Trisha. We never see each other in the winter, so a summer luncheon would be a really nice idea.

invite my neighbor women to a tea luncheon
submit an article to a magazine
Host a family brunch
Talk a walk or dance in the rain
I want to create units for teachers to purchase
Write a book on organizing a home
Using my dogs and possibly my great-nephews, and design a series of          greeting cards
Plan my funeral
Spend a fun day with each of my nieces/nephews (Alaina has          volunteered          to be first!)
Take a formal cooking class
Organize and host a Christmas Caroling Party
Watch the IMBd list of the best 250 movies
Vacation in Colorado
Create a list of home repairs
Prepare to teach a new course at Aurora University
Visit Brookfield Zoo and photograph the animals
Have absolutely no debt
Set up a schedule for next summer to visit area cities
Organize and purge the basement
I am going to learn as much as I can about large animals
Make repairs in each and every room of my home to prepare to sell
Research Hadrian’s Wall for visit to Scotland
Enter a quilt in a local fair
Write a book about school for parents
Host a game party
Purchase a truck
I would like to learn more about fostering animals
Visit the narrowed list of Kentucky towns each for a weekend
Have a B.M.I. of 24.9 or lower
Return to Florida/Alabama and see old friends
Play tennis again
Learn to play bridge
Have an in-ground pool
Finish writing a book on the Scent Family
Save up enough money for a down payment on my Kentucky house
Research every town in Kentucky in hopes of relocating
Work on learning calligraphy and bettering daily penmanship
Begin making my own clothing using a mannequin
Volunteer at an animal rescue
Visit all 50 states
Photography courses
Complete all of Mom’s and my scrapbooks
Go skiing again in Colorado
Meet the Duggar family
Watch every nominee and winner for the Academy Awards to date
Remodel my kitchen
Take piano lessons
Write 2 books for my great-nephews
Travel to Wales
Travel to Scotland
Alaskan cruise


Wants and Wishes

         One of the things that I want in the future is a home with a wonderful view. Having lived in a subdivision for more than 15 years, I want a home that faces the wide, open spaces, and not neighbors. I love my neighbors, but I am ready for a change.



Sunday, March 29, 2015

Week 63 Sunday (3/29/15)




Recipe Review
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Chicken Broccolini with Mustard Sauce        
Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

         Yeah for mustard sauce! I love Ree’s sauces so much. She has ones that are spicy or sweet, and creamy or rich. The Broccolini part is not for me, but I think I would love the sauce and the chicken.  Yum !  Just a side note – what the heck does the word broccolini mean???? Do you know?? Don’t pretend if you don’t have a clue.  Come on – I cant be the only one who has never seen that word.  Am I???
      


Trivial Triffles

Sycamore Murder

         I was watching one of those “solve the murder” shows when a portion talked about a killing in Sycamore, Illinois.  This happened when Sycamore was a small town. A man abducted a little girl.  Here is the link about the story. Mom - did Uncle Gene live in Sycamore in 1957?





Memory Musings

The job had I held for two to three years prior to moving to Florida, was at Grimms Pharmacy. I worked in the pharmacy and the cosmetics counter most of the time. I loved working at this store, because like the Andersons, this was a job where I had many friends.
Nancy Anfinsen, Henry Funk and his brother-in-law, Paul were the pharmacists. Annie Matthys worked the front register and greeted each and every person who entered the store. She was always happy and friendly and I loved her dearly. I attended school with her daughter Sue.
          Verneda Walsh was in charge of the Hallmark section. She put a lot of pride in her department. I loved working with Verneda and became a friend of her son David. Carol Vial, Mary Birkett, Phyllis Brown and I all worked in the pharmacy together. Mary Birkett was the mother of a childhood friend named Kathy. I recently heard that Mary passed away. The world is a little bit sadder without Mary.
Bunny and Dar Regelbrugge, as well as Phyllis Brown, ran the gift store next door. Bunny also worked in cosmetics. They were a lot of fun. Bunny’s grandson was in the classroom next door to mine last year. The world is a small place.
         Austa was the Queen of cosmetics. She was the full-time employee and I learned a lot from her. She was very good to me.
         Rudy worked in stockroom and was basically a jack-of-all-trades. I can’t remember his wife’s name but she worked in cards with Verneda.

         I am truly shocked that I remembered all of these people after all of these years, but I just focused on it one night. All of these people made an impact on my life and etched ideas in my memory.  I loved them all.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Week 63 Saturday (3/28/15)



Recipe Review
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole        
Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

         Are you looking for a great side dish for your Easter table tomorrow?  This one may just fit the bill. Broccoli and Cauliflower would go great with a ham dinner.  It is so nice to be able to make a casserole ahead to save time on a holiday. Many of us spend Easter morning in church, so a make ahead side dish saves time and reduces stress.

                 

Random Reflections

         I began working on the biggest item on my bucket list this week. First, I printed out the list of all Academy Award nominees for best picture since the onset in 1927/28. This list is monstrous! To date, there are 513 movies.  I went through the list and I have watched only 102.  I guess I have a big task ahead of me. At least it is something I enjoy doing.


Helpful Home Hints

         This is a major cooking week so I decided to do a little spring cleaning. I began by cleaning out the refrigerator, inside and out, with mild detergent. I took out all trays and shelves. I washed them, and let them dry thoroughly before putting them back in. I did remove the old ice from ice trays.

         

Friday, March 27, 2015

Week 63 Friday (3/27/15)




Recipe Review      
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Veggie Scramble
Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

         There is nothing I love more than breakfast. I love to eat eggs and sausage on the weekends.  I feel like it is a true treat. This recipe looks so pretty and delicious, but the spinach and cherry tomatoes are a big no to me. What I like most about this dish is the onions and cheese that would take this one over the top. This would be a great special Sunday or Saturday breakfast for your family.  Try it, you may love it.


Fabulous “Family and Friends” Food

Nieman Marcus Cookie Wannabees
No name on the recipe card

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 teasp. baking powder
2 cups brown sugar
2 teasp. baking soda
4 eggs
5 oz. chocolate chips
2 1/8 teasp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) Hershey bar (grated)
4 cups flour
2.75 cups chopped nuts
1 teasp. salt
5 cups blended oatmeal

Directions:
First, combine the butter and sugars. Then add the vanilla and eggs. The next step is to add in the flour, oatmeal, salt, and baking powder and baking soda. Now grate the chocolate and add it and the chips and nuts into the mix. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes at 375 degrees.  This recipe makes over 100 cookies.


Thursday, March 26, 2015

Week 63 Thursday (3/26/15)



Recipe Review
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Zucchini Noodles
Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

         I know so many people that just love zucchini, and Lord knows that it is wonderful for you.  Of course, a lot of people like it fried (my Southern friends), and then there are the people that love it as a side dish or hor de oeuvre.  Me – I will pass.  I am so lucky that I am on Coumadin, which limits the green food I can eat, however to be honest, I have always hated anything green. I am not even a fan of green Jello.  I do have two exceptions to that rule. The first exception is a new favorite, which is guacamole.  Chipotle Guac is just fabulous!  The other is M & M’s. There is nothing more wonderful than an M & M.  Go figure!


Random Reflections              

       This past Sunday we had a pretty mello afternoon. I was working on this blog and cooking. After playing Frisbee several times, the girls could be found sleeping or watching the world go by.


Could Sage look any more comfortable?



Willow is so exhausted, she
actually rests her head on the ledge.



      
Irksome Ideas and Images

         How do you feel about static cling?  It bugs the heck out of me. During the winter I have static cling every time I take my coat off entering my classroom. Thank Heavens for Static Guard or the day would be extremely frustrating. Maybe we just need to invest in a humidifiers or vaporizer to keep the cling to a minimum. It would also help with a dry cough and an irritated dry nose. OMG – I am brilliant – even though it is a little late in my career.



Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Week 63 Wednesday (3/25/15)



Recipe Review
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Homemade Tortillas        
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays
                  Pages:  143 - 145     Copyright:  2013  Harper Collins         OR

         I decided to skip these because why would I make these when I can easily buy them?  Of course, maybe they taste better than the store bought version, but the time and machine it takes, seem too much for this wanna be country girl. I hate to invest in a machine, when I am not sure if I would even notice the difference.  Oh well – on this one I am taking the easy way out.
      

Gabbin’ About Gratitude

         Being a saver, is something that I am extremely grateful for in my life. I think this is one of the most important life skills that a person can learn. It is so much easier to go out and spend impulsively, but the excitement of delayed gratification, when you have saved for a long time, is so much greater. I feel fortunate that this is one of my strongest skills.

Memory Musings

         From 1976 – 1986 I worked for Capt. Anderson Sightseeing in Panama City Beach, Florida.  I loved working the Anderson family. I began working for them at 19 years of age. I was initially hired as a waitress aboard the Capt. Anderson, a dinner boat. As time progressed, I also worked for Pam and Ken Anderson in the office during the day. They became dear friends, and I have only positive things to say about the family and the business. Some of my friends and coworkers from my time with the business were: Gigi Gosenheimer, Maggie Biggs, Rusty McMann, Rick Whitehouse, Walt Fitzpatrick, Johnny Jones, Gary Molina, Jeff Bottorf, Rachel and Harold Campbell, Midge Tandy, Lori “Eyes” Casler. By writing this blog, I am also basically writing my life story, but out of order. I realized that if I put all of these memories together, I will have my life in a memoir.  How cool! Have you ever thought of writing down your memories of your life??????


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Week 63 Tuesday (3/24/15)



Recipe Review      

No blog today either – what is wrong we me???  I think I am tired and need a couple of days break from the stove.  Stay with me - I always bounce back....I hope.

Craft Corner

         One of my goals over Spring Break is to spend some time working on a craft. I do not care what it is, but I truly miss crafting and need to begin a project or continue working on an old one.  Anything will do for me.


My Gorgeous Girls

Check out this website:


         This made me so sad, and at the same time happy.  As a person who has struggled with their weight an entire lifetime, one thing I do correctly is make sure that my dogs maintain a perfect weight. This poor dachshund was so overweight, that it couldn’t move well. It does end happily however, as an ideal was reached eventually. I can’t believe that dachshund went from 65 to 12 pounds.


Monday, March 23, 2015

Week 63 Monday (3/23/15)



NO COOKING TODAY - MAYBE TOMORROW



Random Reflections - Bucket List #51

I have absolutely no idea what I would write about, but it would be fun to write an article and actually try to see if anyone wanted to publish it.

submit an article to a magazine
Host a family brunch
Talk a walk or dance in the rain
I want to create units for teachers to purchase
Write a book on organizing a home
Using my dogs and possibly my great-nephews, and design a series of          greeting cards
Plan my funeral
Spend a fun day with each of my nieces/nephews (Alaina has          volunteered          to be first!)
Take a formal cooking class
Organize and host a Christmas Caroling Party
Watch the IMBd list of the best 250 movies
Vacation in Colorado
Create a list of home repairs
Prepare to teach a new course at Aurora University
Visit Brookfield Zoo and photograph the animals
Have absolutely no debt
Set up a schedule for next summer to visit area cities
Organize and purge the basement
I am going to learn as much as I can about large animals
Make repairs in each and every room of my home to prepare to sell
Research Hadrian’s Wall for visit to Scotland
Enter a quilt in a local fair
Write a book about school for parents
Host a game party
Purchase a truck
I would like to learn more about fostering animals
Visit the narrowed list of Kentucky towns each for a weekend
Have a B.M.I. of 24.9 or lower
Return to Florida/Alabama and see old friends
Play tennis again
Learn to play bridge
Have an in-ground pool
Finish writing a book on the Scent Family
Save up enough money for a down payment on my Kentucky house
Research every town in Kentucky in hopes of relocating
Work on learning calligraphy and bettering daily penmanship
Begin making my own clothing using a mannequin
Volunteer at an animal rescue
Visit all 50 states
Photography courses
Complete all of Mom’s and my scrapbooks
Go skiing again in Colorado
Meet the Duggar family
Watch every nominee and winner for the Academy Awards to date
Remodel my kitchen
Take piano lessons
Write 2 books for my great-nephews
Travel to Wales
Travel to Scotland
Alaskan cruise

Wants and Wishes


         I want to locate a town in Kentucky where I can feel safe. One of the areas that I am particularly interested in is the crime rate in the towns that I am investigating in Kentucky. I want to live in a town with a low crime rate. Many cities have drug issues and the crime rate is very high. I am not interested in a town like that, or one that is near a river. Avoiding flooding is another major area for me. So, I will continue to thoroughly check out all of the towns in Kentucky.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Week 62 Sunday (3/22/15)




Recipe Review      
Today’s Recipe and Location:           Krispy Eggs        
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays
                  Pages:  96 - 97     Copyright:  2013  Harper Collins

I figured out that there are 167 calories per serving, if 12 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

         If you are a fan of Rice Krispies treats, then this is a recipe for you. They only take a few minutes to make, and they would be cute on an Easter table. Ree added multiple colored sprinkles, but I only used red and pink. I took 11 over to the Serpicos and the results were:  3 out of 3 ate them in a minute or two. They liked the surprise on the inside, too.



I began by getting out all of my ingredients

Melt the butter



Add in the marshmallows and melt'em


Remove from the heat and
add in the Rice Krispies


Use a plastic egg and fill each half after
sticking a jelly bean surprise in the middle
Remove it quickly


A perfect egg with a surprise inside

 I used the egg carton as a holder

Don't they look like a fun food?






Trivial Triffles

         Yesterday, I was watching the extreme couponing show on T.V.  I used to be an extreme couponer and loved it. I saved a lot of money. I just wanted to reach 90% or more, and when I did, I stopped.  I set this goal and I am extremely driven to achieve all of my goals. Watching that show made me want to do it again, IF they have double coupon stores in Kentucky, then it would be so much fun to see how many grocieries I could get for over 90% free.  Oh to dream……



Memory Musings

         Denise McKeon was a student at ECC that I met in 1981. She was a foreign exchange student from Sydney Australia. Denise was so much fun. She wanted to experience everything she could in America that was different from her homeland. For instance, eight girls decided to go camping at Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin. Of course, none of us were campers, and we didn’t know that it was the first day of deer hunting season. So, basically it was eight girls and the rest were men who all seemed to have a dead deer hanging out of the back of their trucks.         
         Denise was in charge of bringing our dinner. She brought spaghetti.  Who brings spaghetti on a camping trip? We drove in vans, so it isn’t like we had supplies.  Denise came up with the great plan of asking the men in the next site if we could borrow a burning stick to start our fire. It was hysterical, but it worked.  We used “clean” snow and boiled up our spaghetti.  It was freezing that night, so my van left at 2 a.m. and the other followed an hour later.  It was a fun adventure, and one I will never forget.
         Another Denise adventure was going Trick or Treating. I guess I thought this event was held in Australia, but I was wrong. So five college girls decided to go out. We dressed up and everything.  What we weren’t ready for was the reception from the people.  They were actually hostile, until we explained,  why college students were in the neighborhood. One house suggested that we change our motive, and go trick or drinking to houses where we knew the people.  The owner gave us all shot glasses, and we continued on our way.  It was much more fun with our shot glasses.