A New Year’s Gift

 

At midnight you will be given a New Year’s gift – 8,760 hours to spend however you choose in 2011.  Please use them wisely because you can never get them back.

Enjoy your family and friends, be kind to everyone and everything and live your dream.

I pray for God’s blessings on all of you. . .

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Food

What food says “Christmas” for you? 

Our Italian family tradition was ravioli made by my grandmother and then later by my mother and her sisters.  Thirty years ago when my husband went home with me for Christmas before we were married, he kept looking around for the turkey!  No turkey there!  He wasn’t even sure what ravioli was.  Boy, have I changed him!

We had antipasto, then the ravioli, then the meat and vegetable course and then, of course, dessert.  I also remember the “grown-ups” having wine and roasted chestnuts (I draw the line at the chestnuts).

So, I decided that it was time to try my hand at my grandmother’s recipe for ravioli and today . . . I DID IT!!

Here they are drying before freezing and I will cook them on Christmas Day.

This is a little bittersweet because my mother wasn’t here to see the torch passed to me.  (I definitely felt her smiling down on me.)

Happy Thanksgiving

to you and all of your family. 

May you have many

Lemons – finally!

I showed you my little Meyer Lemon tree in June, with blooms and small lemons.  Well, who knew that it would take this long for them to finally be edible LEMONS?!   I got a dozen off this container tree.  I used the first one in my tea and ate half of it like an orange (in fact, it is a cross between a mandarin orange and lemon) and now I’m wondering  . . . lemon pie, lemon bars, lemonade, lemon cake, maybe lemon chicken.

 

There are about 6 new ones on the tree about the size of a pea and some blooms.  This weekend I will be putting the tree in a new pot and into the greenhouse for the winter.  Maybe by spring we’ll be eating lemons again!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Hope its Spooktacular!!!

 

Shopping with your husband

is like hunting with the Game Warden.

Saw that on a T-shirt yesterday when my husband and I were at Canton First Monday Trade Days.   I guess we could both relate to that one.   It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed spending it with him, but well  . . .  you know what I mean!

My first stop (always) was at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home.  As usual, it was magnificent.  It’s a must see if you are ever there.  Left there happy and sparkling with glitter.

There is always next time (when I will definitely make it a “girls” trip).  Love ya, honey.  x o x o x o

There are only 9 Saturdays

before Christmas!

I heard this yesterday and I had a little anxiety attack!   How can that be true?  Wasn’t it just Valentine’s Day?

Even the flowers

are lovin’ this weather!

Peace . . .

Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing weekend.

The sights, the sounds, the smells . . .

It’s the great State Fair of Texas!!!

Meet Big Tex.

 

A longhorn. . .

Lunchtime for some little piglets. . .

a little petting zoo . . .

my husband fed a baby llama  . . .

 

We rode the Texas Star - $6.00 each to go one time around!

Do you see me on this.  No, I don’t think so – you couldn’t pay me enough!

We didn’t win anything, but I’m sure it’s only because we didn’t try.

 

Had to have a Fletcher’s corny dog – a State Fair tradition.  (Tastes better than this picture looks.)

This is a butter sculpture depicting the rivals, University of Texas and Oklahoma University, who always play during the fair.   These were larger than life sized sculptures.

Really large carved pumpkins.

Jumped in “our” car, and away we went.

 

We had fun, the weather was beautiful, we spent a ridiculous amount of money, but we will surely go back next year!

Please stay tuned . . .

Oh my gosh!  I thought I would change up the look of my blog a little and now here it is many hours later and I cannot get it right.  So, next time you visit, there is no telling what it will look like.    Please come back . . . .

A little camouflage . . .

I’ve always been bothered by the fact that our electrical outlet for the dryer  is above the dryer in plain sight.  My husband did that on purpose when we built the house for easy access.  (Really, what was he thinking?!)

I’ve tried various ways to try to hide it, but here is my latest.   On my visit to IKEA the other day I saw this wire cable “system” that looked like a clothesline.  They had children’s drawings hanging from it over a desk.

It seems like I saw somebody do something like this and a light bulb went off! 
“We” put it up today and I hung some linens on it.   My eyesore is gone at last!

I Love IKEA

You just never know what you will find there.   Besides the great storage options, I love their textiles. 

I saw a really cute pillow in one of the display rooms and headed right to the textile department where the tag said it was located.  Looked and looked (and then finally asked) and the girl had no idea what I was talking about.   Headed back upstairs to get a better look and, as you know if you have shopped there, it is nothing short of a maze.  Low and behold, it was made using their fabric and some of these cute little crocheted “flowers”.  It was a combination of a red and white checked fabric and a ruffle in a coordinating fabric and a few of these on there. 

They are about 4” across with endless possibilities.  I think they would even look cute hanging on a cottage Christmas tree.  But, I have that pillow stuck in my head.   The best thing is that they were $4.99 for all five – so, who knows, I may be back for more! 

(Darn, I should have bought the fabric when I was there, so I guess I will be going back.)

Pecan Pie

 

PECAN PIE

1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
dash salt
1 heaping cup of chopped pecans
pecan halves for top decoration (optional)

Combine all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell.  Decorate with pecans, if desired.   Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.  

(I have recently learned a little tip.  If you have an instant read thermometer, check the center of the pie after baking the suggested time.  The pie is done when the center reads 200 degrees.)

Come on down and we’ll save you a piece – but you better hurry!

Rabbits’ Foot Fern

This may be hard to believe but this fern is at least 25 YEARS old!  I know for certain that it has been in this spot in my kitchen as long as we have been in this house.  I have a vague recollection of it before we moved here and I am trying to find a picture that will confirm it, but 25 YEARS old for sure.

Now, my problem.  It started out in a plastic (I think) pot that I put in a wicker container.  Unfortunately as it really started growing, all the little “feet” were sticking through the wicker.  Well, now it is all one thing – wicker, “feet” and fern as one.  What do I do?   The bottom of the wicker has rotted out, the plant is still growing, but I’d love to fix it.  No telling how well it would be doing if it weren’t a tangled mess. 

Maybe I better leave well enough alone.  I’ll keep you posted.

Have a sunny weekend. . .

I went out to the barn today and saw that some sunflowers
had been lucky enough to have been missed by the tractor!  So, I thought they needed to be in a place of honor in the kitchen for us to enjoy.
Texas has the best weeds wildflowers!!

Have a great weekend.

Cheesy Okra Fritters

I tried a new recipe today and I think it is a great alternative to plain ol’ fried okra.   Hope you like it too.

Cheesy Okra Fritters

1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup flour
2 cups coarsely chopped okra
1/2 small onion, diced
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup shredded cheese
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
salt and pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, okra, onion and cayenne and toss to coat.  In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk together.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the okra, stirring to combine.  Add the cheese and stir again until fully incorporated.  Salt and pepper conservatively.

Working in batches, drop batter in small mounds into the oil.  (I used a small ice cream scoop.)  Using a spatula, gently press each mound until slightly flattened.  Fry the fritters until golden, about 4 minutes per side, flipping once.  Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

(I made 15 with this recipe.)

 

Keep on truckin’

Sad day at our house today

Our sweet little parakeet, Pete, passed away during the night last night.  We were shocked – he was a little quiet yesterday, but nothing to indicate something so drastic.  We had him for 3-1/2 years and he was such a delight.  He talked like crazy, greeted us daily with “Good Morning” , and just kept us entertained.  He will be sorely missed . . .

Some like it hot . . .

and I guess it’s a good thing!  It would be a drab world if there weren’t some flowers that didn’t care that it is 100++++ degrees.

Fall can’t get here fast enough for me, but these little brown-eyed Susans in my garden are happy just like it is – HOT.

Best decision I ever made

was to marry my husband.  Today is our 29th anniversary.  I can’t imagine life without him – he is a real sweetheart.

(Hope he is prepared because I expect something BIG for our next anniversary!)

Home Sweet Home

There is nothing like it. 

We just returned from a nice vacation with a friend from high school and her husband.  They live near Atlanta, Georgia and every couple of years we plan a trip together.  This time we met in Tennessee and stayed in this cabin for a few days . . .

overlooking this river that had lots of entertaining wildlife around it.

Then we moved on to Cherokee, North Carolina where we stayed here

overlooking the Smoky Mountains.

We took a day trip to the Biltmore house in Asheville and it is truly awesome.  Unfortunately, it rained while we were there and I wasn’t able to get any pictures.  It is a must see if you have never been – a 250 room house built in the late 1800’s and they say it is the largest home in America.

I tried to remember why in the world we planned a vacation in July and was reminded by my husband that it was because we wanted to see the drama “Unto These Hills” in Cherokee and it is only performed from June through August.   The play was absolutely worth it and we learned a lot about the Cherokee history, but I was hoping for some mountain cool air on this vacation.  That didn’t happen.  Oh well, there is always next time and it will definitely be in the spring or fall!

Ouch!!!

Yikes!!

I fell down about half a flight of stairs yesterday.  Oh so sore today!

I feel very lucky that I didn’t break anything and that the entire fall was on my butt and not my head (I have lots more padding there),  but we are leaving in about 4 days for a looooooooong car trip.  Think I’ll go see my doctor to see if he can give me something to make sitting a little easier.  When I think how much worse it could have been, I feel better.

Happy 4th of July

Well said!   Have a safe and happy holiday.   Celebrate America.

Blackberries

from the garden.  I think I see a cobbler in our future!

Could I turn this

little 8 x 10 playhouse which is currently listed for “FREE” on craigslist (and not too far from me)

 

into something like this?

This morning I saw this post on Garden Antqs Vintage blog and the timing is perfect.  I had just come across the craigslist item and asked my husband if we could get it.  For some time I have been looking for a “free” shed or something that could be converted into a little cottage to be put at at the end of my herb garden. 

The article which was done by the New York Times on this little cottage and the owner is really fascinating.  You must read it – my husband must read it!  (Her blog is My Shabby Streamside Studio and it is a joy to look at, too. 

Of course, hubby dismissed my silly idea because he said this was so “rotten” it would fall apart when he tried to move it.  So just what is he trying to say?!  Is that a problem?

Oh well, I can dream.  Doesn’t everything start that way anyway?

Hydrangeas

My hydrangea blooms are turning a beautiful color as they age on the bush.  When they were fresh and a bright pink, I cut some and tried the glycerin method of drying – didn’t work for me. 

Now, I would love to dry them in this stage, but hate to keep experimenting.  Anyone out there with firsthand knowledge of a surefire way to dry these beauties?   Help……….  If it works, I’ll send some to you!

Mucho Macho

ferns, that is.   I have several of these Macho Ferns and I just love them!!   I have two that I have kept over the winter (for two years) in my little greenhouse.  They don’t come out of “hibernation” quite this pretty, but still macho in my book!

I missed my Daddy today . . .

My sweet Daddy passed away 35 years ago at the young age of 54.   I miss him so much even to this day.  I hope you were able to spend your day with your father, grandfather and/or the father of your children.   Cherish your precious time with them.

In this picture taken in 1949 I was standing on Daddy’s shoe – shoes that no one could ever fill.