Life In The A-Frame

Comfy on the Couch

2012-01-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just have to find yourself a comfortable spot to lie down and observe the world.

Granny's Green Shake

2012-01-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

My Mother likes to make a shake out of vegetables and fruit. She goes outside and picks fresh ingredients from her little garden area and adds edible native plants. Then she peels and cores an apple or peels an orange and blends it all together. This is a picture of my first shake. I used lettuce and kale from my porch garden and added an apple. I blended that with enough water to make a pint. I drank half in the morning and half in the evening. It is a good way to drink enough water for the day and get a few servings of vegetables and fruit at the same time. You can make enough for a pitcher and keep it in the fridge. I am trying to make it may new habbit. Does anyone else do this? Any suggestions?

Falling trees

2012-01-11T05:04:00.000-08:00

We are losing several large oak trees around our house. Mike cut down the tree closest to the house and the very next day this happened:

a completely healthy-looking tree fell. While Mike cut down the first tree, we parked the car right here, next to the basketball goal. We are very thankful that the tree didn't fall at that time.

The tree had looked healthy to us but when we looked at the roots after it fell, we could tell that it had been rotting underground for a long time. Now, we are very aware of where we park, or stand.....

I'm afraid that we have at least 2 more trees to remove, and those are just the ones we can see are dead.

Here was a Man

2011-12-22T05:43:00.000-08:00

No one can narrate a story like Johnny Cash. When he speaks, I listen. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Activities of the Season

2011-12-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

I know how busy everyone is this time of year, but I wish you all many peaceful moments as well. Here is a glimpse of my Holiday season so far.

Christmas with my Mom and relatives on my side of the family-so fun.

My daughter has been working on crafts since her college semester has ended.

There was a major malfunction with my oven. I thought it was me, but it was the thermostat!

This is cornbread after 15 minutes!

It was too cold to grill outside, so we tried cooking steaks in the fireplace. We need a little more practice.

My soon to be daughter-in-law has the cutest little niece, and I love being with her.

We decided to turn the Children's Christmas Program at church into a dinner theater-very successful!

We had to use an artificial tree for the first time at church because of the drought. The children made the snowflakes to decorate it, no one minded the "fake" tree and now there is no rush to take it down.

It has been interesting, and challenging, but fun around here.

I hope it is the same for you!

Merry Christmas!

A Very Enjoyable Story

2011-12-03T04:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time. I understand that it has been criticized on several levels but keep in mind that it is FICTION. The movie also comes out on DVD next Tuesday. I will be watching it.
I hope some of you will try this book. I expect you to enjoy it as much as I did!

From Widipedia:
The Help is set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi and told mainly from the perspective of three women: Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter. Aibileen is an African-American maid who cleans houses and cares for the young children of various white families. Her first job since her own 24-year-old son was killed on his job, is caring for toddler Mae Mobley Leefolt. Minny is Aibileen's confrontational friend who frequently tells her employers what she thinks of them. Her actions have led to her being fired from 19 jobs. Minny's most recent employer was Mrs. Walters, mother of Hilly Holbrook. Hilly is the social leader of the community, and head of the Junior League. She is the nemesis of all three main characters.

Miss Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is the daughter of a prominent white family whose cotton farm employs many African-Americans in the fields, as well as in the household. Skeeter has just finished college and comes home with big dreams of becoming a writer; her mother's big dream for her is to get her married, although Skeeter is not interested. What does interest her is that Constantine, the maid who raised her, is nowhere to be found: Skeeter's family tells her that Constantine abruptly quit and went to live with relatives in Chicago. Constantine had been writing to Skeeter the whole time she was away at college and the most recent letter had promised her a surprise upon her homecoming. Skeeter does not consider Constantine's unexplained absence a good surprise and wonders what happened, but nobody will discuss Constantine.

This discussion awakens Skeeter to the realization that her friends' maids are treated very differently from how white people are treated. She decides that she wants to reveal the truth to the world from the maids' perspectives by writing a book about it. Written in the first person from the perspective of Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter, the struggles Skeeter experiences to communicate with the maids and gain their trust is revealed, as well as the issues of overcoming long-standing barriers in customs and laws by all of the characters. The daily lives of Southern homemakers and their maids during the early 1960s in Mississippi are explored. The dangers of undertaking writing a book about African-Americans speaking out in the South during the early '60s hover constantly over the three women.

A few things I loved about the Texas Renaissance Festival

2011-11-15T04:31:00.000-08:00

My daughter (on the right) and two of her cousins enjoyed these adult sized swings.

I enjoyed the "magic garden" with these unicorn statues.

I loved watching the elephants. Thank you to this family (that we didn't even know) for letting me photograph them.

My daughter and I loved sharing this apple dumpling with ice cream.

Since my family's name is Griffin, I especially loved this majestic statue.

What I loved most of all: being there with my family. Here I am with my baby sister. Such a fun day!

not the sun!

2011-11-11T04:27:00.000-08:00

No this is not the sun. It is the full moon rising over the trees in the same spot as the morning sun. So beautiful to step out into the cool evening yesterday and see this glorious yellow moon rising to take its place in the night sky.

Making my indoor garden

2011-11-06T03:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I started some plants outdoors. The weather has been very warm over all but we did get a few nights with temperatures in the 30's. I moved the plants inside and hope they will continue to produce.

I have mixed lettuces.

Basil

Kale

and spinach

I picked a variety of the greens. I got a surprising amount for the first picking.

I cooked some hot Italian sausage, onion, mushrooms and garlic together. Then I added the greens I picked and some crushed tomatoes. For supper, we had lentils topped with sausage and greens. It was wonderful-and fun to add the fresh greens that I grew myself. I still need to pick over half the lettuce and a lot of the spinach. That means we will have a fresh salad tonight.

Sweet/Salty Butterscotch cookies

2011-10-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems as if all I am doing lately is baking. That is probably the last thing I need to do, but.....I love it.

These cookies are basic butterscotch chip cookies with a little twist. I made them sweet and salty by rolling them in a mix of 1/3 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon salt before baking. You can do this with peanut butter cookies or chocolate chip-just about any kind would be good, I think. I just used the recipe on the back of the butterscotch chip package and added my little secret topping. They were so good!

Freshly Baked Bread

2011-10-14T04:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you Kathy for this wonderful bread recipe. I made 2 loaves the day before yesterday and they are almost gone. Here's the link for the original recipe Grandmother Bread

Nothing is better than the smell and taste of freshly baked bread. Try it!

Pecan Pie Cake

2011-10-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Our local volunteer Fire Department had their annual fundraiser and I made this cake for the auction. It is a Pecan Pie Cake from Southern Living. It is actually easy to make and really good.

Pecan Pie Cake

Three layers of cake and 2 layers of filling

Pasty leaves made from refrigerated pie crust

Packaged and ready for the auction

Lee's new puppy

2011-09-29T05:18:00.000-07:00

This is Cole. My son and a group of police officers found him and his 5 siblings on the road near the Law Enforcement Center. They were covered with fleas and hungry. My son brought this one home and added him to the 2 other dogs he adopted. Cole is growing, and he is fiesty, and he is one of the family now.

Time to Shred

2011-09-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

It is day 3 for me...on the 30 day Shred. I wasn't as sore yesterday, so that is good news. I am going to do it every other day for now and while I'm exercising, I'll turn off the audio and listen to music instead. I just have to get off of the computer and start. I'm going.

Am I too old?.....

2011-09-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

I did level one last week. Level one, modified version (easy). I had to modify it more, and stop and rest while the instructors continued. I was very sore for 2 days. This morning, I'm giving it another try. I really want to tone up and walking has been unappealing because of the heat. Level One is a 20 minute circuit of exercises that features cardio and strength training-wish me luck!
It is supposed to be 103 degrees this afternoon, and you know where I'll be....resting my sore muscles in a cool pool.

Busy, busy, busy.

2011-09-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy...with wedding plans for my son.

I've been so busy...working at the church.

I've been so busy...working in my house.

I've been so......

okay, I have only been reading or relaxing in the pool.

It has been hot, and dry, and Texas is burning all around us.

I feel like I am just holding steady, waiting for the weather to cool, and waiting on some rain.

I am planning some things for the wedding though-in my head.

The Official news

2011-08-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

My son Lee and his girlfriend Peggi are now officially engaged. Congratulations to you both!

Dire situation

2011-08-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: It was time to water the few planters I keep on my porch, just to have a spot of life and color to cheer us up. This malabar spinach climbed around an ornament and caught my attention. So pretty! But the background revealed the lack of green vegetation in my yard. Because of the extreme drought, there's plenty of brown dust and dirt, as well as leaves that are drying on the trees. Can you believe that 106-108 degrees is forcast for each day this week? It's kind of "the nail in the coffin" for the last of our water and pasture. I decided to photograph the situation.

The tank has about 3 weeks of water left in it.

Lack of rain, 105 plus degrees, and the hot wind = dying catfish.

At first, I tried adding fresh water but soon figured out that it was a losing battle. So Mike got his big bait net and for the next 4 hours, we caught and cleaned as many fish as we could.

My freezer is full of fish and we are exhausted. I feel good that these fish were not wasted, but I'm really sad that today there are at least 20 dead fish in the tank. I'm afraid that's the last of them. Now I am worried about all the other animals finding a water source. Our tank was one of the last ones around here to have water. I'm thinking of buying some children's swimming pools and keeping them full of water in the edge of the woods. I pray that the heat breaks and the rains come. In the meantime, I will do what I can to feed and water the other living creatures.

Mike's power muffins

2011-07-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

We are trying to lower our cholesterol. That means an improvement in our diet. Mike has been making these muffins, he calls them "power muffins", and eating 2 every morning for breakfast. I have been eating 1 because I am afraid of what my stomach would feel like after 2. He doesn't use a recipe but some of the ingredients that he incorporates are: bananas, raisins, oat flour, oat bran, flax seed, spelt, wheat germ, agave or stevia, sweet potatoes or carrots, apple, applesauce and spices. I like to have a spoon of organic, natural peanut butter and a tall glass of skim milk with mine. They are packed with fiber and are very delicious. In a couple of months, maybe we will see some results...lower cholesterol.

Easy, Delicious White Pizza

2011-07-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

I made these to go with a spaghetti supper one night for everyone on our beach vacation. They were really delicious, so I made them again for movie night at church. Those were even better because a friend of mine gave me some of his homemade mozzarella to use. If you would like to have a supper quick and delicious meal.....here you go.

White Pizza
1 refrigerated thin pizza crust (I used Pillsbury and it was wonderful)
garlic oil
3 cups grated mozzarella
8 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
grated parmesan cheese
chopped fresh oregano
chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

Make garlic oil by placing 2 chopped cloves of garlic in 1/2 cup olive oil. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave. Let the garlic infuse the oil for at least 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350. Place the crust on a parchment lined cookie sheet (oiled with the garlic oil). Spread garlic oil over the crust as well, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and prebake for 5 minutes. Layer the mozzarella cheese and fresh oregano (you could use dried). Dollop the ricotta cheese on top. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese, then salt and pepper again. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Add chopped fresh basil and drizzle with the garlic oil. Cut into squares and serve. The plain cheese ones are our favorite but you can add any additional items you desire. I made one with fresh chopped tomatoes and one with pepperoni, so good!

25 years

2011-07-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary to my husband....25 years with you. It has been amazing.

Helping Out

2011-07-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Fudge balls.

In Bible School this year, we focused on helping others. We made 50 packages of this peanut butter fudge to give to the local Community Kitchen. We are a small, rural area but the need to feed the hungry is large. This community kitchen feeds 400 people twice a month and also distributes food boxes to them. I wanted the kids to feel like they helped in some way. Rest assured that we only sent the completely "clean" batches-those of you who cook with kids know what I mean. If you would like to try this with a group, here is the recipe I used:

1/2 stick softened butter

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar (you may not need all of it, add it a little at a time).

Mix all ingredients together and knead it with your hands when it becomes too thick to stir. Make into one inch balls or pat into a rectangle and cut into squares. For really little kids, it is fun to make the fudge ahead of time and let them use it for "play dough" before they eat it.

We made 4 batches and divided it into 50 packages of 3 balls. And they had some left to eat of course!

It was nice to focus on making something to give away.

4th of July-Celebrate!

2011-07-04T04:12:00.000-07:00

I think this is one of the best celebrity performances of "The Star Spangled Banner" that I've ever seen. I hope you enjoy it. Happy 4th of July!

South of Broad

2011-06-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

This is the Pat Conroy book that I am reading and it is getting good!

Excerpt from Chapter One:

On June 16, 1969, a series of unrelated events occurred: I discovered that my mother once had been a Roman Catholic nun in the Sacred Heart order; an Atlas moving van backed into the driveway of a nineteenth- century Charleston single house across the street from ours; two orphans arrived at the gates of St. Jude’s Orphanage behind the cathedral on Broad Street; and the News and Courier recorded that a drug bust had taken place on East Bay Street at the Rutledge- Bennet house. I was eighteen, with a reputation as a slow starter, so I could not feel the tectonic shift in my fate as my history began to launch of its own volition. It would be many years before I learned that your fate could scuttle up behind you, touch you with its bloody claws, and when you turn to face the worst, you find it disguised in all innocence and camouflaged as a moving van, an orphanage, and a drug bust south of Broad. If I knew then what I have come to learn, I would never have made a batch of cookies for the new family across the street, never uttered a single word to the orphans, and never introduced myself to the two students who were kicked out of Porter- Gaud School and quickly enrolled at my own Peninsula High for their senior year.
But fate comes at you cat-footed, unavoidable, and bloodthirsty. The moment you are born your death is foretold by your newly minted cells as your mother holds you up, then hands you to your father, who gently tickles the stomach where......

I have to get back to the novel...the main character has been confronted by a psychotic stranger in an alley, who is apparently the father of the new girl next door. And...he has a knife.

Contemplating the full moon

2011-06-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2011 Cooks Point Texas

“The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to.
Carl Sandburg

“There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.”

George Carlin

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

Mother Teresa

“The moon's an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun.”

William Shakespeare

“Don't tell me the sky is the limit, there are footprints on the moon!”

Dorothy Parker

“Yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun.”

John Lennon

Wild, Native Sunflowers

2011-06-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

These native sunflowers voluntarily came up in our Church garden. They are easily 6-7 feet tall. I'm glad we left them where they were. They are providing shade to some of the cucumbers and squash and we've tied some of the tomatoes to them for support. Now they have all bloomed and the seeds are ripening and will soon draw lots of birds to this area.

The Albino Zucchini

2011-06-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

One of our zucchini plants in the church garden yields albino zucchini. According to the internet, they are not all that rare but they are to us. They are really pretty, a creamy light green-another "wonder" to observe.

Scenes of Serenity

2011-06-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

The listening vessels

2011-06-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

These amazing concrete structures are called listening vessels. They are made in such a way that Mike and I sat 100 feet apart and could converse quietly with each other. We also sat quietly and listened to the sounds of the park, magnified by these vessels. It is an amazing addition to this beautiful park located in the busy downtown area of Houston.

Memorial Day, Discovery Green, Houston

2011-06-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

I thought I would show you a very thought provoking display in the park during the Annual Conference-in reference to Memorial Day I'm sure.

Hello Houston!

2011-06-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

Mike and I spent a good part of last week at the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This year, it was held in downtown Houston. I am a country girl and enjoy living in my tiny community, 30 miles from any large city. At home, I'm so isolated that I can shower outside! I have a serene "bubble" of woods and pasture land to live in.

There are just a few more people here:

Was it silly for us to pull our chairs up to the large window in our hotel room and just sit there, looking at the bustling city?

Or, were we obvious "country bumpkins" when we had our morning coffee at the same window. I'm serious, we did not watch TV until the last night-when the basketball playoffs were on (go Dallas!).

The hotel was beautiful and the park was a welcome green area in the middle of all the tall buildings. The conference was awesome and it was a good experience for us. But, I'm very happy to be back in the quiet, calm of my country home.

The full moon's morning greeting. Foto Friday challenge

2011-05-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/

The theme this week for Rebecca's photo challenge was : Beauty in the Ugly.

I didn't see any "ugly" when I stepped out of my house early one morning. How about a photo whose theme is "Beauty in the Eerie".

5:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 18, 2011.

What a cool summer morning....but a Halloween sight.

Setting the mood for the mystery of this day.

My favorite poet says it so well.:

The Freedom of the Moon

by Robert Frost

I've tried the new moon tilted in the air

Above a hazy tree-and-farmhouse cluster

As you might try a jewel in your hair.

I've tried it fine with little breadth of luster,

Alone, or in one ornament combining

With one first-water start almost shining.

I put it shining anywhere I please.

By walking slowly on some evening later,

I've pulled it from a crate of crooked trees,

And brought it over glossy water, greater,

And dropped it in, and seen the image wallow,

The color run, all sorts of wonder follow.

The Pool Deck-almost finished!

2011-05-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

Remember when I showed you the first bit of construction on the pool deck Mike was building? He has almost finished the deck and walkway that connects to our front porch.

Here he is, back in April.

Do you want to see how it looks now? I'll walk you up...

Turn the corner and go toward the top deck.

One step up..

View to the pool.

View to the garden.

Now, look back down, toward the house.See the rectangle next to the windows? That is where our outdoor shower will be.

The last part of the project is to finish the handrail along the deck and complete the shower.
The new deck and walkway are not only a practical addition, but an interesting "architectural" feature as well. I think it is awesome. Mike works very hard, improving our property, and I appreciate it so much!

Change the World event update

2011-05-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

We gathered at our Church garden yesterday for "Change the World" day. We have a small garden, but we gave all it has produced so far to the Community Kitchen. They serve meals to as many as 350 people, 2 days each month. I pray that the garden continues to produce vegetables to donate. We were blessed by 2 inches of much needed rain this week and it has already made such a difference. The tomatoes have green fruit and so do the zucchini. It has been such a joy to work on this project!

Easter Revisited

2011-05-12T04:45:00.000-07:00

I came across this picture this morning. I fully intended to include it in my Easter post but I had put it in a different folder for some reason. I thought it was a cute idea, which I stole and simplified (from Martha Stewart). I took some pretty cupcake wrappers, shaped them with scissors and turned them inside out. Then I took half of a plastic egg, stuffed it with peanut butter-marshmallow cookies, and hot glued it to the wrapper. Little flowers! I also filled some with Easter candy to hide with the eggs at our Church Easter egg hunt. I thought they were bright and eye catching. Easy and cute.

Change the World Day: a church project

2011-05-10T04:35:00.000-07:00

We decided this year to have our very first Church garden. We wanted to grow fresh vegetables and donate them to local food kitchens. So far, it is doing very well, considering the weather around here. The United Methodist Church is having a "Change the World" weekend (May 14-15) and our potatoes happen to be ready to harvest. You can get more information about this event here:
Change the World

What if one weekend all around the world, 11 million United Methodists focused on finding sustainable solutions to hunger? Change the World: May 14 - 15, 2011

Let's see if we can make a difference.

Tomatoes and squash are growing and starting to bloom. The largest plants are voluntary wild sunflowers, and we just left them where they were.

Onions and potatoes are ready to harvest.

Mike and I are retired, so we spent quite a bit of time helping with the garden. Mike is so good about doing a lot of the heavy work like moving dirt and mulch with the wheel barrow and using the tiller. Here we are adding more mulch to the rows. A soaker hose system makes it a lot easier to water the plants. We are trying to do this as environmentally efficient as possible. We don't want to waste water and other resources. Also, we want the garden to be organic, so we don't use pesticides or herbicides either.

If you would, please pray for the success of the garden, so that it can produce much needed, healthy food items. Also, please pray that the ideas behind "Change the Word" weekend will spread across the world. That way, with the help of many others, we can make a difference.

Thank you! I'll report back after next Saturday and let you know how our potato harvest went.

Foto Friday: April Showers (oh how I wish)

2011-05-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/

I can't show you any April rain....

I can't show you any May flowers..

but I can show some different creatures who come to the water dishes and bird feeders that I keep out.

I like to provide extra water and food for the animals in drought conditions like Texas is experiencing.

A fairly large lizard....

A copperhead that came a little too close for my comfort...

A beautiful painted bunting...

As a matter of fact, one of my favorite things in the whole world is to watch a bird bathe in the bird bath. I love how they splash the water over their backs and preen their feathers. I also love to turn the sprinkler on low and watch from a distance as the birds fly through it.

Deer and bobcats come regularly to my tank, as do the wild pigs. My only problem is trying to keep my eye on my little dog Amos. I don't want him to suddenly disappear. I just want to help the animals who are looking for water, it's getting hard to find. Maybe we will get May showers.....soon.....

Dear Rebecca, I'm sorry that you are sick of the rain. I know how you feel. I remember one year that it rained almost every day and I felt stuck with 2 kids under 3 years old. We made a game of putting on rain boots and going to throw rocks into the many huge puddles. I kind of miss that right now. Hope you get a break soon.

Welcome news

2011-05-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

I got to be there when this U-Haul pulled into the drive not far from my own house. He is back! My son, 22 years old, had been living across the state of Texas from me. He had recently completed his 1 year, mandatory training and probation for his job, right there close to the Mexican border. And you know what? He made it just fine and so did his Dad and I. But now he is back in his hometown and hopefully will complete the rest of his career in our County.

It is really good news and I'm thrilled to welcome him back.

Scenes from my country Easter

2011-04-30T05:13:00.000-07:00

I loved my Easter Holiday. We attended the Easter Sunrise Service at church. Butterfly decorations were used in the Sanctuary and live butterflies were released during the service. The weather was beautiful and so was the ceremony.

Roses adorned the cross.

The rest of my weekend was spent at my childhood home. My sisters and I took 2 tours around the property that day. Both were lazy, slow drives and I was able to take lots of pictures.

We checked on the progress of a camp house my nieces and nephews were building.

We checked on the cows to make sure all of them were where they were supposed to be, and not in the neighbor's pasture.

This butterfly loved my sister.

We startled a deer in the woods and she stood very still, allowing me to take her picture.We also saw a raccoon, 3 armadillos, a hawk, and a very long, fast snake.

As the sun began to set, an airplane caught our attention by reflecting the last of the light.

This was such a nice way to enjoy our time together.

Eagerly waiting

2011-04-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the "girls" and their calves. Waiting. As you can see, there isn't much grass because of the drought. It looks pretty and green under the trees but the green is mostly weeds (or cactus like in the pictures in the last post). They are waiting for some extra feed. They respond to any vehicle that comes by. I'm sorry, but I was just riding around taking pictures. My brother-in-law came later to feed them. The cows are still in good shape but they will require extra hay and range cubes through the summer...since there is little grass.

A few years ago, the farmers and ranchers had a hard time getting enough hay. The hay is usually baled in the Spring and Summer and saved for the Winter. But in the extreme drought, not much hay was produced. And with little pasture, what hay that was saved had to be used in the summer. Some hay had to be brought in from other states. Looks like we will be in that situation again. At least our area hasn't had the huge wildfires that burn for days. But that is a worry in the next few months.

Texas blooms in the midst of drought

2011-04-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

A great part of Texas is burning and all of Texas is in a drought, but there are several things you can always count on. Mesquite trees and Prickly Pear Cactus, which you can see in these pictures. Did you know that cattle and humans can eat mesquite beans? And, that you can eat the cactus leaves and the "pears" that form after these blooms?

Another thing to remember is to watch for Rattlesnakes. We always have those too!

Foto Friday challenge: WHITE

2011-04-22T04:46:00.000-07:00

http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/

Perhaps it was the idea of the 92 degree temperature forcast for today, or just because I was sweating during the large amount of cooking I did this morning. But, the first thing that came to mind when I thought about the theme for today's WHITE photo challenge was: snow.

We actually have had two or three good snow days in the last 2 years here in my part of Texas. That is unheard of!

We put out a lot of bird seed during this snow in February. Look at all the tiny little prints that remained after the feast. I remember how quiet, still and clean it was when I took my afternoon walk. The air was so cold and the ground was mostly an undisturbed field of crisp white snow. Everything felt and looked so fresh and pure. It was a joy to experience....so much white.

Pets! Friday's Challenge (Foto Friday)

2011-04-15T04:30:00.000-07:00

I have 4 pets and I really enjoy them. I'll have to figure out how to photograph my two fish. Last week, I featured my cat Anderson and all of his sleeping positions. He came up with a new one this week and he was very lucky that I hadn't cleaned off that table yet. He looks very comfortable here and why shouldn't he be? He has fruit, books, a bottle of water, and if you look right by his tail-a movie that just came in the mail.

But I don't want to neglect featuring my little dog, Amos. He took a walk out in the grass, can you tell?

And after a dip out in the tank, he cleverly rolled in all the dry, powdered clay and turned his face to the wind to dry off. He looks very satisfied with himself.

I've shown Amos in these photos before, but I smile everytime I look at them. I thought maybe they would make you smile as well.

Nine Lives (for Foto Friday)

2011-04-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

He is Anderson. You know how they say cats have 9 lives? He does. Here they are:

1. sleeping on the living room couch

2. sleeping in the office chair

3. sleeping in a basket on the porch

4. sleeping on the sunroom couch

5. sleeping on the sunroom floor

6. yawning to try to wake up

7. eating

8. eating again

9. eating some more

He wants to stay out all night (yes he is fixed!). I think he has more lives that I don't know about....

Thanks to our host, Rebecca

Art Bras for Breast Cancer Research

2011-04-06T05:31:00.000-07:00

It is time to make art bras again! This is really fun. They will be photographed to make a calendar for fundraising and also will be autioned off at the big event in October. All the money goes to the cancer resource center in a nearby county. Here are my entries this year.

This is my "Jungle Trophies" entry. Did you notice the play on words? I hope it isn't too subtle. That's as suggestive as I want to get....

I actually finished this bra for a friend of mine. She started it but lost confidence. She's 91, so I think this activity is a little out of her comfort zone. She took apart what she had started, so I took her idea and added to it. Those are tiny jingle bells glued on the cups, and there are little Christmas trees on the trim. I call this one "Jingle, Jangle, Jiggle". Hopefully my daughter will have time to make one once her semester at college is done.She made 2 really pretty bras last year and I'd love to see what she comes up with.

There are a lot of Art bras on the internet and you might enjoy looking some up. Quite entertaining!

First Fish

2011-04-04T05:04:00.000-07:00

A year and a half after enlarging our tank, and restocking it with catfish, we can start harvesting the fish. I caught 2 nice sized ones last week. Within an hour, I caught them, Mike cleaned them, and then I cooked and served them. I'd call that pretty fresh-wouldn't you?

The "Shoe" Challenge

2011-04-01T04:34:00.000-07:00

This week's photo challenge was "shoes". I happened to remember this little red number....from about 50 years ago. You call that "vintage" right? It it a single shoe, a survivor if you will....

Shows a little wear and tear...

Look a the stylish details...

Tiny enough to hold in my hand. Tiny enough to fit a 2 year old little girl. Yes, it is mine, or my middle sister's-my mother doesn't exactly remember. To me, it is precious either way. Now, if I only had my little white cowboy boots with the fringe.......

Visit Rebecca again to see more interesting pictures.

Mike's new project

2011-03-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Now that our major project at church is done, Mike is concentrating on a project here at home. He is putting a deck and a ramp by our pool. This part of the deck will be level with the top of the pool.

It doesn't look like much, but this is where we will have a ramp from the front porch to the pool deck.

See the rounded part of the water hose spool on the lower right? That will be an outdoor shower area so that we have a way to shower off before and after getting in the pool. I don't like walking through the house in a wet suit. And the ramp will keep us from walking through any grass or dirt before we get to the pool. I am really, really looking forward to this!

Unfinished Business: Friday's Photo Challenge

2011-03-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

The theme for the photo challenge this week at Renaissance was "unfinished business". Bread, after rising on the counter overnight, but not yet baked is unfinished right?

Now it is baked. You could say it is finished. However, the fact that we still need to eat it renders the whole process unfinished still. I say, time's wasting....get the butter....let's eat.

A look underneath

2011-03-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, the ordinary becomes extraordinary when observed from a new perspective. I wanted to see if I could capture the translucence of the light from the sun.

Translucent means"Transmitting light but causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct images". Yes, I looked that up too.

Lemon petunia. Very translucent.

Those specks are on the inside of the flower.

A marigold. Not as translucent as the petunia.

This view did allow me to see the receptical and the sepal, which is the bulbous, green part by the stem of the flower. My camera allowed me to see a little more-and a little more clearly. And...I saw beauty.

A look inside

2011-03-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

I took a close-up look at my new lemon petunias. I think they are so pretty, a fresh lemon color.

I marveled at the veins in the petal and the tiny pistil and stamens. I looked it up and found out that this green part in the middle is the pistil, which contains the stigma, style and ovary. The brown edged structures are the stamens. They are made of the anther and filament. These are the reproductive parts of the flower.

Isn't it amazing that even a small flower is actually an intricate, well designed, living organism!

Friday's Photo Challenge: Green

2011-03-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

I photographed this little frog last summer and chose this picture to illustrate the concept of "green". He definitely is!
Visit Renaissance to see more pictures.

Another lucky find, a local restaurant, The Lemon Wedge

2011-03-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

Downtown Bryan, Texas.

Gorgeous table settings.

Today's starter: Zucchini bread with cinnamon butter.

Green and yellow decor.

Lemon themed paintings and painted quotes are showcased.

We both ordered the asparagus, canadian bacon, brie and ciabatta sandwiches with homemade potato chips and fruit.

Our waiter suggested that Ky and I needed a photograph together. I agree!

Ky finally had a little break in her schoolwork, so we went to see "The King's Speech" and it was excellent . Afterwards we treated ourselves to lunch at The Lemon Wedge. I had wanted to try it for the longest time. It is a little more expensive than we are used to, but the food was so good and the atmosphere was so interesting and refreshing....it was worth it. I will definitely be returning soon.

Grandpa's table

2011-03-09T05:01:00.000-08:00

While we were visiting my son, Lee, we accidentally started a home improvement project. He has my grandpa's table and it had cheap veneer glued to the top. It was so cracked and had chunks flaking off. We were talking about the table and feeling of it when we discovered that we could peel off the veneer fairly easily. What didn't peel off right away could be chiseled off. So we all started working.

Lee

Mike

The veneer is gone and underneath is a pretty wooden top.

Now, the guys do a lot of sanding-all by hand.

Time out for a little horseplay...

Lee and I put on Linseed oil as a fnish, and Peggi photographs us.

Mike takes a break.

I think Grandpa would like how the finished table looks. I think it looks really pretty.

I remember him, sitting at this table with a cup of coffee, reading and talking or working on something...and talking. I also remember huge, magnificent meals prepared by my Grandmother-covering this entire table. We sat together many times, right around this table. It was a joy to get it refinished a bit. We will remember...and enjoy...for many years to come.

Peggi makes Pickle Chips

2011-03-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

My son's girlfriend made us pickle chips on our last visit. Take dill hamburger slices, dip them into a mixture of milk and egg, then in seasoned flour, back into the milk and eggs, coating them finally with seasoned bread crumbs. Deep fry them until golden brown. Yes, they were extremely delicious. Thank you Peggi!

I missed getting a picture of the finished pickle chips. We started eating them right away and I forgot.

Next time, I'll take a picture of them AND the chicken strips she made to go along with them.

Photo Friday, a Feast for the Eyes, Mouth, and Soul

2011-03-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

If you are ever in Castroville Texas.....eat here. We were 3 1/2 hours into our drive, on our way to visit my son Lee. We left our little dog home this time so we were actually able to go inside a restaurant to eat. It is always fun to leave the main road and look around the town square when you travel. We found a gorgeous restaurant on the edge of the block.

My meal: a grilled pork chop, green beans with garlic, sweet carrots, roasted potatoes, brown gravy and a homemade roll with real butter.

We didn't see the restaurant at first because it looked more like an antique store in a restored house. Isn't it pretty?

Here's a clue!

We were seated and a beautiful cat came to sit outside our window.

The view was wonderful through the other window too.

Each room in the house contained small, private tables. Little lap blankets were placed on each chair. We sat by this fireplace.

The entrance hallway is in the center of the house. The door leads to the kitchen.

We were hungry and a bit tired. This wonderful food, served in such an inviting atmosphere refreshed us....and nourished us in more ways than one. It was an unexpected experience in this small town, almost in the middle of nowhere.

Just a little, light meal

2011-03-02T04:48:00.000-08:00

I came across this picture of the meal I fixed on Valentine's Day. Bacon wrapped hot dogs.

Self explanatory.

Delicious.

Splurge.

Amos and the sunny spot

2011-02-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

It is windy and cold today. I discovered Amos in a sunny spot...one where he is not supposed to be. I sneak in with my camera.

I've never caught him on my cedar chest before. I don't know what he was thinking.

He looks sweet lying here with the warm sunshine showing through his hair.

Yep, I caught you!

He decides to play innocent.

He lies back down but keeps his eyes open and his ears perked....just in case I might be mad.

Photo Friday

2011-02-25T04:29:00.000-08:00

If you don't already know about Rebecca at http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/ you might want to check out her blog. I think it is awesome. She hosts Foto Friday and this is my first opportunity to participate. I have shown these photos before, but they are some of my favorites. I was so glad to see that Rebecca's theme this week was "Hands". I teach a craft class at our local nursing home and one day I photographed closeups of their hands, so worn, aging, persistant, patient...symbolic of a lifetime of hard work.

His hands are stiff and activities like this cause him pain but he comes to craft class every time. When he works on his crafts, he stops and helps others who can't see well or who have the use of only one hand.

These young hands belong to an aide who paused in her duties to help someone having trouble placing the flower petals on the pipe cleaner stem.

Her hands are still very dexterous. She has no trouble manipulating the pieces of her flower craft.

She was a tailor for many, many years and she was also very dexterous at the time this picture was taken. The last 2 months, however, she did not participate and I could see a very marked decline. It is a reality that I have to face. It hurts to see them "wind down" but it is the way of life for all of us.

I lend my hands, and help them creatively pass the time. It gives them, and me-a time of fellowship and fun. It is a time to cherish....

My Big Lee and his Big Tucker

2011-02-21T05:47:00.000-08:00

I visited my son recently. Early one morning, he "cuddled" with his young puppy. As you can see, this puppy is over 70 lbs. already. Lee is a big guy, and so is Tucker, who is half Great Dane. And....he is only 7 months old.

Tucker is a very gentle, calm puppy. He is going to be awesome when he is grown. Huge....but awesome.
Just like Lee.

Things to do when it's too cold outside (okay, it is warm outside now) #4

2011-02-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

Make chocolate dipped candies for the Valentine's Day Luncheon at Church!

The heart shaped ones are vanilla and the coconut ones have a "C" written on the top.

I used a little buttercream frosting to decorate the tops.

The coconut ones are my favorite....they are all gone now. Want to make some?

Chocolate dipped cremes

Cream together: 1/2 stick softened butter

1 cup of Eagle Brand milk

Gradually add:

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

When the mixture gets too stiff for a mixer, knead the filling while you add the rest of the powdered sugar.

I divide the filling into halves and make one half coconut and the other vanilla. I added a bit more vanilla to increase the flavor of the vanilla half. Then I kneaded in 1 cup of sweetened coconut to the other half. Make the dough into 1 inch balls or roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets and freeze until the chocolate is ready for dipping.

Over a double boiler: melt 1 package of chocolate chips with 1/2 block of paraffin. (Look for paraffin by the canning supplies.) The paraffin allows the chocolate to harden more and keep its shape. When the chocolate and paraffin are completely melted, use a fork to set the candy on and dip it in the chocolate to coat. Allow a little excess chocolate to drip off, then set the ball back on the parchment to harden.

This makes a large amount of candy but it keeps forever. I just keep it in a tupperware container on the counter. It might sound complicated, but it is so easy. Try it!

Things to do when its too cold....#3

2011-02-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

Make homemade English muffins! Mix up the dough, shape and let rise overnight.

The next morning, cook the muffins on a griddle or an iron skillet. Very nice treat on a cold morning!
Here's the recipe I used:

• 1 cup Milk

• 3 Tablespoons Butter, Separated
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 cup Warm Water
• ¼ ounces, weight Yeast
• ¼ cups Cornmeal
• 5-½ cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

Combine milk, butter, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Warm until butter starts to melt, then whisk briefly. Remove pan from heat and allow liquid to cool to lukewarm.

Pour water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Stir gently with a fork. Set bowl aside for 10 minutes, or until yeast has dissolved.

Line baking sheets with waxed paper and sprinkle with a generous amount of cornmeal.

Pour cooled milk mixture into yeast mixture and gently stir until well blended. Add 3 cups flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in remaining flour and salt until the dough is no longer sticky. Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and dust with flour. Flour hands and knead dough for 3-4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes.

Roll out dough with rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into circles (a tumbler or mason jar does well). Transfer muffins to prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover with a dry, lightweight towel and let rise until doubled in height, 35-45 minutes. I let mine rise overnight.

When muffins have risen, heat a skillet over medium heat. Carefully lift muffins from the pan and place on the ungreased skillet. Cook about 10 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip them. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before splitting (with a fork) and toasting them.

Things to do when it's too cold....#2

2011-02-13T03:34:00.000-08:00

Photograph birds...through the window...without scaring them

They were so excited by all the extra birdseed that they stopped paying attention to me, so I just sat and watched. The male cardinals tend to "rule" and run off the littler birds. The cardinals are very protective of their females and sometimes they fight their own reflections in the window. I watched this scene a long time, marveling in how fluffed up the birds were, and feeling very thankful that we could put out some feed for them.

Things to do when it is too cold to go outside #1

2011-02-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

What can you do when you are stuck inside and your house cleaning is all done (for once!)? You can crochet some baby hats! Here are some that I "free handed" so to speak because I'm not skilled at following a pattern. I know 6 basic stitches. You can actually make a lot of crochet items with limited knowledge. My kind of craft!

The first one is a newborn sized hat with a brim, for a baby boy. It looks narrow because of the way I have it posed. It is for a specific baby at that-his mother is being induced tonight!

This "Scottish beret style" is for a bit larger child.

I'm not sure what to call this. It looks a bit colonial to me. It is also for a little older girl.

This is a fringed hat for a 3-6 month old. I hope the fringe isn't too bothersome for someone's little face.

I'm still working on my crochet hats and I am usually able to finish one per day. I would like to find a market for them, but in the meantime-I need the practice. Any suggestions?

A Little Summer in Winter

2011-02-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Last August, during another drought, I tansfered a couple of tomato plants from the garden into some containers on the porch. When Fall came and the weather got cold, I moved the plants into my sunroom. Well they kept growing....and producing.

I was trying to get a little perspective in these photographs. I don't know if you can tell, but these tomato plants are now over 6 feet tall.

Here's my crop from the other day. The cayenne peppers are producing too. It was enough to add to our salad for supper. In additon to the tomatoes and peppers, I also have a large sweet potato vine and a spinach vine.The green plants and the colorful little crops brighten some fairly gloomy days. Later in the Spring, I'll replant them in the garden.

If I am organized enough,

I'd like to have an entire Winter garden in my sunroom next year. Anyone else?

The Gap is Closed!

2011-02-04T05:15:00.000-08:00

We have been working on a foundation problem for several weeks. It seems that the large pole in the front shifted when the concrete sunk a bit. The pole itself was keeping the side of the house from being repositioned completely. Mike and our neighbor jacked up the side of our house, cut the main foundation pole to size and repositioned it. Then they set the pole in concrete and let the jack down. That allowed the winch to be tightened more and the gap to be completely closed.

One benefit, other than making our house sound again, is that when the tax appraisers came to measure and evaluate our house, they saw the chains holding the front of our house together. They classified us as "needing repairs". TAX BREAK!

Quilted Memories

2011-01-31T04:53:00.000-08:00

Mike's parents passed away a couple of years ago. Since then, two of their grandchildren became parents of their own. I am so glad that I kept a few items of Meemaw and Papaw's clothing. That way, I can incorporate some of the fabric into quilts for those great-granchildren they didn't get to see. I have items from my great-grandparents and I treasure them. I like to think of those great-grandbabies lying on quilts that are made of fabric that Meemaw and Papaw actually touched.

I started with strips of a pretty cream colored shirt from Meemaw that had red and brown patterned squares. I then cut strips from Papaw's shirt that had blue, brown and rust colored squares. I filled in with some soft, rust colored, suede type material. I intended to tie the fabric layers together with this ribbon rather than quilt it with stitches. The ribbon turned out to be too thick, so I used rust colored embroidery thread as ties.

My niece opened the gift at her shower and it meant a great deal to her and the family.

My goal is to make one for each of the great-grandchildren-on both sides of my family, as they come.

Purple

2011-01-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book. It is very different from the movie version (that I've seen about 10 times). There's a lot to think about in this book. I haven't decided if I would really recommend it to everyone. I might recommend to someone I knew very well. There are some odd concepts, I guess I mean "foreign concepts to me" that are brought up. I know nothing about being so poor, uneducated, black and female during the 1930's. What a hard life. But....the main character does triumph. Hmmmm, a lot to think about....
Did you know that purple can be the color of brutality and violence, and it can be the color of beauty and joy?

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

2011-01-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

Anyone who comes to help me sew tomorrow can have some of these:

(Martha Stewart's) Chocolate Crackle Cookies

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/favorite-chocolate-crackle-cookies

Don't be fooled by all the white powdered sugar.

Underneath is a rich, extremely dark chocolate cookie.

While the cookies bake, they spread and the sugar cracks, revealing the truth-chocolate and butter.

I used some of my usual shortcuts but followed the recipe fairly closely. I am really pleased with the result.

Tomorrow, we will sew more curtains for Camp For All, http://www.campforall.org/, drink coffee and eat these cookies. Of course, the other helpers will bring treats too. You're welcome to join us.

"Waste not...."

2011-01-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

This pretty pumpkin has lasted all through October..November..December..and had no signs of deteriorating. All through December, it even sat out on my porch. I asked my Mom what she thought I should do with it. She told me that's why people always used to grow pumpkins-because they last and store very well for winter. She said that I could eat it or put it in the compost pile in the garden to let nature take its course. I actually did a little of each.

I cut it up and scraped it out. That left the seeds, the top and the bottom to go in the garden.

I roasted the pieces with salt and olive oil. I removed the peeling and cut the flesh into chunks. Then I put one package in the fridge for later and cooked half of the pumpkin with bacon and one clove of garlic.

It tasted really good. I think I'll blend up the other package and use it for muffins.

I was proud of using this pumpkin for its real purpose.

Closing the Gap: The project continues

2011-01-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

The bull dozer didn't make an apearance today but a bigger tractor did! The gap is now only about 1 inch wide and they are working on it as I type.

Mike looks on as our neighbor, Randy, gently nudges the house with his tractor.

They took a break for lunch (chicken and dumplings remember?) and now there is a discussion going on about moving the winches and somehow lifting up the side of the house. They also assured me that I am not in danger as I sit here in the living room.

The next step apparently is to reposition the winches and bolt the beam to the joist, or maybe to the foundation. I'm not sure what they decided. I do know that the weather is beautiful now and the sun is out, but I'm still staying inside...

Come-along? Come again?

2011-01-16T05:37:00.000-08:00

When I say that we built our house, I mean that Mike and I were the ones who manned the hammer, pounded in the nails, and used the measuring tape and level. Yes, we had other people help, especially when it came time to hoist up each 20 foot, 4x6" beam. The main construction, plumbing, and electrical work were our own handiwork. We've had some repair work to do over the last 25 years but I don't think it was any more than a commercially built home. A while ago, Mike discovered that the side wall of our A-frame

was separating from the front. This week, Mike and a neighbor worked to fix the gap.

The repair work started with a heavy chain and a "come-along", which is a pulley type hook and chain that you winch to tighten.

A lot of digging and chiseling concrete has taken place. My neighbor brought a tractor and I have heard rumors of a bull dozer coming tomorrow. The two of them also made a trip into Bryan/College Station to purchase a 4000 lb. come-along. The last I heard, the gap was down to about 2 inches (from 5 1/2!).
It has been extremely cold this week, for Texas that is. And, it has been raining lightly for 2 days. It won't deter them...
I'll just make a dutch oven full of something warm to eat and make a pot of coffee to sustain them. I'm thinking chicken and dumplings. What do you think?

I'll keep you posted.

January's book club choice

2011-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and join me at my book club site:

http://readers-haven.webs.com/thismonthsbook.htm

You won't regret it!

Southern roots, Southern food traditions

2011-01-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

Being from the South, New Year's Day celebrations include making this meal for dinner. And by dinner, I mean lunch. If I say supper, I mean dinner. Yep, that's the way it goes here in Texas. I did a little research to find out what each item represents. It seems that it all started during the Civil War:

The green part of the meal is for money. The hope was that you would have a few "greenbacks" in your pocket during the coming year. I usually make collard greens but this year I baked cabbage with slices of bacon.

The cornbread represents something humble. The old saying is "Eat poor the first of the year, eat richly the rest of the year".

The salted pork is for prosperity. Having a little meat preserved in salt left for winter was definitely a sign of prosperity.

Black eyed peas show humility and good luck. Peas and cornbread are "soul food", probably something the poor people and slaves were likely to have. This meal would be welcome by any family during those terrible times.

During the Civil War (which is when most of these traditions were started) it was lucky to have enough staples this time of year. One theory is that Northern soldiers weren't familiar with the dried peas or with the collards growing in the fields. They may not have recognized these as food sources. Therefore, the soldiers didn't confiscate these items. That meant that Southerners who had these left to eat were "lucky".

Today, for my family, it means a hearty, extremely tasty meal. Fried pork fat, two vegetables seasoned with bacon, and a pan of hot cornbread can't be topped. Try it!

Sigh of Relief

2010-12-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

I have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns and......I'd like to recommend it to you all. I almost didn't pick it because of my experience with the author's first book but I am so glad I did. It had a wonderful ending, even though the journey was tragic and unbelievingly realistic. It was worth becoming an empathetic voyeur for a brief time. The story of how these two women, from different backgrounds, became "family" is a universal theme that I couldn't ignore. So, I have spent several hours doing research on Afghanistan and I'm completely intrigued. I'm learning about the history,culture and food. I wonder where this leads?

I would welcome ideas.

Oh, and I would really be interested in some book suggestions. What do you recommend?

I'm still reading and still holding myself together

2010-12-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

I am 3/4 the way through my book and I still have things in perspective. Yes, some of the events have been tragic, and there is foreshadowing of extremely heartbreaking situations, but I am beginning to really cheer for the 2 main characters. They have just received potentially good news ( a return from the dead so to speak). However, the Taliban has just come into power.
Dare I hope?

I figured out why this book has not been such emotional torture for me, the way Kite Runner was. In Kite Runner, the main characters are children, totally helpless, vulnerable children, with their entire futures shaped by the events in their childhood.

This book has a major difference for me. The 2 main characters are women, still vulnerable in the Afghanistan society, but not completely helpless.

I have a glimmer of hope for them. I'll finish the book this morning, so I'll let you know soon.

It's time for: an intense experience

2010-12-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

I picked up this book from the library yesterday. I read the author's first novel, Kite Runner, a few years ago. He is an amazing writer but the plot was very hard to handle emotionally for me. It left me heartbroken and despondent the entire time I was reading. I experienced grief and hopelessness as if the events were really happening in front of me. That is a mark of a great storyteller. I never wanted to experience that again but......here I go. On the cover, this book is proclaimed as "the saddest story yet". Great, wish me luck.

I read about 100 pages yesterday and I've been sad but I'm still able to put the story in perspective (as in,....fictional). I have a feeling that I'll be in trouble (deep empathy) when the Taliban comes into power. Why do I do this to myself?
Here's some information if you think you'd like to read this novel as well. Experience it with me if you will.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a 2007 novel by Afghan author Khaled Hosseini, his second, following his bestselling 2003 debut, The Kite Runner. It focuses on the tumultuous lives of two Afghan women and how their lives cross each other, spanning from the 1960s to 2003. The book was released on May 22, 2007, and received favorable prepublication reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reaching #2 on Amazon.com's bestseller list before its release.
The title of the book comes from a line in the Josephine Davis translation of the poem "Kabul", by the 17th-century Iranian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi:

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Time magazine's Lev Grossman placed it at number three in the Top 10 Fiction Books of 2007, and praised it as a "dense, rich, pressure-packed guide to enduring the unendurable". Jonathan Yardley said in the Washington Post "Book World": "Just in case you're wondering whether Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns is as good as The Kite Runner, here's the answer: No. It's better."

^{A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them. http://www.khaledhosseini.com/hosseini-books-splendidsuns.html}

What's for Christmas Dinner?

2010-12-26T06:05:00.000-08:00

Here's what we had for Christmas dinner last night. What did you have?

Mexican shrimp cocktail with large chunks of avocado.

Rib eye steaks that Mike grilled outdoors while it was 35 degrees. Thank you, honey.

A gift to myself: I spent a quiet Christmas morning in the kitchen making authentic Sticky Toffee Pudding while Ky played the piano then drew at the kitchen table. It was one of the best cakes I've ever made. I had always heard of it but had never tasted it. I cooked the toffee sauce until it was a little too thick but of course, it didn't change the taste. I will be making this again. Tell me about your special meal this holiday.

Merry Christmas from the Griffin house!

2010-12-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas shoebox swap: Joy!

2010-12-18T02:43:00.000-08:00

It is really joyful, especially this time of year, to make a new friend. Thanks to All That I've Been Given at

http://watibg.blogspot.com/ I got to participate in a Shoebox Swap. My new friend Helen https://sites.google.com/site/thelifeboatinfo/home ) and I were matched to swap gifts. This was a lot of fun! Look at the sweet items I received.

Everything came in a pretty tote. I'm sorry to say that I sent her things in a plain shoebox. I hope what was inside made up for it. I was making gingerbread the day I received this and look at these 2 gingerbread garlands. Helen, how did you know?

Look at this sweet face!

The tote itself is a beautiful gift.

Yes! This is a Starbucks card and a coffee cozy. I've already used them Helen...and there was a Starbucks chocolate bar included but I bet you can guess what happened to that. I forgot to take a picture before I ate it----while I was reading these:

Little Christmas books in the Mitford series. Thank you!

I already have been using my candy cane soap and Vanilla hand sanitizer.

Thanks for this opportunity, and Merry Christmas to all my friends, old and new!

Christmas Treasures

2010-12-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

This little family of snowmen decorate one of our shelves for Christmas. My daughter made all four. They have a lot of personality, don't they? Look at the one on the right. Her beautiful ponytail cascades over her shoulder as she sweetly gazes down upon Mr. Santa Bear.

The large one in the middle stands there, very sophisticated because he knows he was made by the "older" artist. Ky had gained a lot of experience and technique by then, making him entirely from paper mache. The tall one with the jaunty hat is not jealous. He is special too, made at a church event.

This little guy is one of the oldest, made by the artist when she was a second grader. Look at his shiny green eye. The other eye is missing but still twinkles from tiny drop of dried glue. The little body is a painted baby food jar that used to contain hot cocoa mix.

This picture is the perfect background. Of course, you can tell that she had not yet developed a love for Santa Claus. Don't worry, she spent a total of 5 seconds on his lap, just enough time for her to start to cry. I love that the photographer snapped the picture quickly, before I even knew it, and didn't torture her by trying to get her to smile. I also love that my son sat there, not scared just patient, with his little hands folded. That is very precious to me.

A Perfect Moment

2010-12-12T04:55:00.000-08:00

You can bask in the peace if you want to.....I did. Shhhhhhhh, don't wake anyone up, especially the cat.

How I spent my birthday

2010-12-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful night for my birthday celebration.I enjoyed supper at my favorite restaurant, warmed on the outside by a fire and warmed on the inside by the Christmas decor. I tried the fettucini alfredo with chicken (I'm definitely having that again!). Then we went to "Central Park" and looked at the lights. I posed for pictures there but my favorite part was standing still, listening to nothing while the lights shone above me. In that quiet moment, we noticed the dozing, floating family of ducks and geese. I didn't disturb them by flashing my camera. We had dessert at home. I decided not to get a picture of us eating ice cream, on the couch, in our pajamas.

Birthday Cross

2010-12-07T05:10:00.000-08:00

A really pretty cross arrived in the mail for me! My son and his girlfriend gave it to me for my birthday. I couldn't get the colors to show very well but it has a very pretty blue background. I now have it hanging in my kitchen window to remind me of them, and my birthday. I feel very loved.

Ky makes Baked Eggs in Phyllo Squares

2010-12-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

My daughter made her own version of a recipe we saw on Martha Stewart. It was really delicious and easy. Our version is much simpler but if you would like Martha's original recipe click here: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/phyllo-squares-with-baked-egg-spinach-and-cheese

Baked Eggs in Phyllo Squares
6 sheets of phyllo dough (found in the freezer section)
1 stick melted butter
8 oz. whole milk ricotta
10 oz. box of frozen spinach, thawed (squeeze out all the moisture you can)
1 small clove of peeled garlic
salt to taste
6 eggs

Place the ricotta, garlic and spinach in a food processor and mix until you have a smooth paste. Salt to taste.
Unroll the phyllo sheets and keep covered with plastic wrap while you work so the dough doesn't dry out.
Brush a cookie sheet with butter, place 1 phyllo sheet on the pan, brush with butter.
Make a stack of 3 sheets layered with butter.
Cut the stacked layers into 6 squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
Place 1/3 cup ricotta filling in the middle of each square.
Use a whole egg to press an indention in each mound of filling.
Place an egg yolk into each indention (save the whites for another use).
Make another 3 sheet stack of phyllo brushed with butter. Cut it into 6 squares and place over the egg and cheese. Our mounds were very large and our squares were over stuffed. My daughter folded up the edges to cover the mounds of cheese. We found out that the cheese doesn't melt and run, so you really don't have to worry about enclosing it in dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes. You can leave the eggs soft or cook them hard.

Bake until the pastry is golden.

We wanted soft eggs but overcooked them a little because we wanted the pastry to be browned. The eggs were firm and it was really good.

We heated up the left overs the next day and it worked well. I think this dish would be very impressive for a Holiday brunch.

Nice and Cozy

2010-11-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

My dog and cat shared a warm, cozy spot for their nap. There was still a little room for me! The trick is drinking coffee and trying to use the computer at the same time. They were so calm and peaceful, I didn't want to disturb the moment. The cat is actually a little bigger than Amos now. The two of them are more likely to be wrestling than resting together. It was great while it lasted.

Pre Thanksgiving exercise-or-I can still bat!

2010-11-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

I knew my nephew and my son could do it...

I knew my niece could do it...

And I was happy to find out that I could still do it, too!

I rarely missed a pitch. Of course, the pitches were thrown by my son and another one of my nieces (why does it look like she is laughing here?). In other words, the pitches were delivered very gently. Then I briefly played first base and was I ever thankful that no one had to throw me the ball. I guess I'll have to find out if I can still catch during the next game.

Holiday in the Country

2010-11-25T06:03:00.000-08:00

We are having a very nontraditional meal today with just 3 of us. We currently have 80 degree weather but by 3 pm, a strong cold front is supposed to blow in. We have moved in some wood and cleaned out the fireplace in anticipation of our first indoor fire this fall. Tomorrow night, the forecast is 29 degrees. Mike's side of the family comes on Saturday for our "real Thanksgiving". We have a niece and a nephew who have never been here and we are going to show them a COUNTRY, good time. That means a visit to the shooting range and a fire in the outdoor firepit, and maybe a hayride to the cemetery way up on the hill. We will have meat to grill and a whole bunch of dogs running around. Sounds like Thanksgiving to me!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Preview: Thanksgiving menu!

2010-11-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

Cream biscuits

Pumpkin cake roll

cornbread dressing

Just a few contributions to family meals that I've cooked this week. All of it was extremely rich. All of it was very tasty. I'm likely to make these dishes again. What are you cooking this week?

Outcome of the game

2010-11-21T15:34:00.000-08:00

The Texas Aggies beat Nebraska last night!

Gig 'em Aggies!

The 12th Man

2010-11-19T05:05:00.000-08:00

I'm proud of my Alma Mater . And now, my daughter is attending Texas A&M, and she loves it. I couldn't resist posting this "advertisement". Gig 'em Aggies!

The Legend of the 12th Man:
In January of 1922, Texas A&M took the field against mighty Centre College, the No. 1-ranked team in the country, in the Dixie Classic (now known as the Cotton Bowl). The Aggies fought hard and kept the game close, but as the game wore on, the strength and power of Centre was literally taking its toll. Before long, Aggies coach Dana X. Bible realized he was running short on players. Desperate for bodies, the coach recalled that a deep reserve by the name of E. King Gill had been sent to the press box before the game to help reporters identify players. Bible sent word to the press box that Gill was needed.
Gill responded. In dramatic fashion, he descended the grandstand, reported to the sideline and even suited up--just in case he was needed. Gill never actually took the field that day, and the Aggies pulled off a stunning 22-14 upset. But the great symbolism of Gill coming out of the stands to stand alongside his Aggies struck a chord with the Texas A&M faithful. Just like that, the 12th Man legend was born. "I wish I could say that I went in and ran for the winning touchdown, but I did not,” Gill said afterward. “I simply stood by in case my team needed me."
When coach Jackie Sherrill arrived at Texas A&M in the mid 1980s, he seized on the 12th Man legend by creating the 12th Man Kick-Off Team, a special teams unit made up completely of student walk-ons. Besides being ridiculously popular with Aggies fans, the idea actually produced on-field results: Sherrill’s 12th Man unit held opponents to one of the lowest kick-return averages in the old Southwest Conference. After Sherrill’s departure, coach R.C. Slocum changed the tradition by allowing just one 12th Man on the kickoff unit. Later, Dennis Franchione revived the 12th Man unit, but only used it on rare occasions.
It’s unclear what new Aggies coach Mike Sherman will do with the 12th Man tradition. But this much is certain: Aggies fans will continue to take it very, very seriously. A large sign running along the upper deck of A&M’s massive Kyle Field proclaims the stadium as “Home of the 12th Man,” and visiting teams aren’t likely to take issue with that. Aggies fans take pride in standing throughout the entirety of their home games and making as much noise as humanly possible. As a result, Kyle Field is recognized as one of the loudest stadiums in college football and one of the toughest venues for visiting teams to play.

Anderson Ambush

2010-11-18T05:24:00.000-08:00

My cat, Anderson, has such a hard life!

Cats Sleep Anywhere

Cats sleep anywhere, any table, any chair.

Top of piano, window-ledge, in the middle, on the edge.

Open draw, empty shoe, anybody's lap will do.

Fitted in a cardboard box, in the cupboard with your frocks.

Anywhere! They don't care! Cats sleep anywhere.

Eleanor Farjeon (1881 - 1965)

Aunt Pam's Delicious Pie

2010-11-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

Pam is Mike's sister. On our last visit, she had made this apple pie in a cast iron skillet. It was so delicious. That is her pie in the pictures. I didn't get the recipe from her then but I believe that this recipe is the one she used.

Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Servings: 8

"A modern version of an old-time favorite uses premade pie crusts to make this three-layer apple pie, baked in a cast iron skillet."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

5 Granny Smith apples -- peeled, cored,

quartered, and thinly sliced

3 (9 inch) refrigerated prerolled pie crusts

1 cup white sugar, divided

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon butter, cut into small chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place 1/2 cup butter into a heavy cast iron skillet, and melt butter in the oven. Remove skillet and sprinkle with brown sugar; return to oven to heat while you prepare the apples.

3. Remove skillet, and place 1 refrigerated pie crust on top of the brown sugar. Top the pie crust with half the sliced apples. Sprinkle apples with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon; place a second pie crust over the apples; top the second crust with the remaining apples, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Top with the third crust; sprinkle the top crust with 1/4 cup sugar, and dot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cut 4 slits into the top crust for steam.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/13/2010

Traveling buddies

2010-11-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

Our little dog Amos is our most loyal friend.Wherever we go, he goes most of the time. If he can't go, it hurts him. He doesn't understand why he can't go with his group. When he does get to go, his behavior is excellent, especially in the car. I took some pictures of him while we were traveling. Here, he already has figured out that we are on our way to see "Aunt Pam".

We put a large, black cushion on the seat so that he can see out of the window. Occasionally, he stands on the cushion and rests his head on Mike's shoulder. That way they can both watch the road.

He is patient at this point but as soon as we arrive in Pam's town, he gets very excited and starts looking out of the windows and groaning occasionally as if to say "aren't we there yet?" And when we arrive, he is the first one out of the car.He is our little traveling buddy (and Mike isn't bad either).

A Song for Veteran's Day, Poignant

2010-11-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

I was very affected by this song by my friend, Dean Ferrell. The video and lyrics will touch you.
One more chance to think about the Veterans today.

Veteran's day

2010-11-10T16:57:00.000-08:00

A small man, quietly smiling stood outside of Walmart. He wore a hat and a vest with some type of insignia. I exchanged a few dollars for this Memorial Poppy. I thought of my Grandpa for some reason, and of Mr. Cox who was on the beach at Normandy on D Day. They were veterans of the same war. My Dad and Uncles, Mike's Dad and Uncles, friends at church and two of my nephews are also veterans. Several members of my family never came back from WWII. They all hold a place of honor in my heart.

Remember Veteran's Day. November 11.

Reader's Haven pick for November

2010-11-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Join me at my book discussion site http://readers-haven.webs.com/ for my November discussion. The Pillars of the Earth sweeps through 12th-century England in an era of raging civil war, telling of a group of men and women whose fates are linked to the building of a great cathedral, a site of bloodshed and treachery. A masterpiece of raw courage and passion from the author of Eye of the Needle (from Google books).

Excerpt:
They sat down by a stream at midday. They drank the pure water and ate cold bacon and crab-apples which they picked up from the forest floor.

In the afternoon Martha was tired. At one point she was a hundred yards behind them. Standing waiting for her to catch up, Tom remembered Alfred at that age. He had been a beautiful, golden-haired boy, sturdy and bold. Fondness mingled with irritation in Tom as he watched Martha scolding the pig for being so slow. Then a figure stepped out of the undergrowth just ahead of her. What happened next was so quick that Tom could hardly believe it. The man who had appeared so suddenly on the road raised a club over his shoulder. A horrified shout rose in Tom's throat, but before he could utter it the man swung the club at Martha. It struck her full on the side of the head, and Tom heard the sickening sound of the blow connecting. She fell to the ground like a dropped doll.
Tom found himself running back along the road toward them, his feet pounding the hard earth like the hoofs of William's warhorse, willing his legs to carry him faster. As he ran, he watched what was happening, and it was like looking at a picture painted high on a church wall, for he could see it but there was nothing he could do to change it. The attacker was undoubtedly an outlaw. He was a short, thick-set man in a brown tunic with bare feet. For an instant he looked straight at Tom, and Tom could see that the man's face was hideously mutilated: his lips had been cut off, presumably as a punishment for a crime involving lying, and his mouth was now a repulsive permanent grin surrounded by twisted scar tissue. The horrid sight would have stopped Tom in his tracks, had it not been for the prone body of Martha lying on the ground.
The outlaw looked away from Tom and fixed his gaze on the pig. In a flash he bent down, picked it up, tucked the squirming animal under his arm and darted back into the tangled undergrowth, taking with him Tom's family's only valuable possession.

Reason why I like October #2: Halloween

2010-10-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

I still love Halloween. Especially the memories: 3 little sisters dressed as pumpkins for the Halloween parade, trick-or-treating in "town" and going to all the houses (even to people we didn't know), visiting both sets of Grandparents while we made the rounds in their neighborhoods, stopping at the neighbor's house to sit by their fire and sample a tiny taste of their homemade pear wine, acquiring a whole paper grocery bag full of candy each.
Even at my age, I still like to dress up in costume. I like to go into "town" and hand out candy to little kids. If we can't do that, then I like to have a wiener roast and then watch a scary movie. I like to pretend. I like to feel a cool breeze on a completely dark night. I like to remember.....

The Hunter's Moon

2010-10-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Cooks Point Tx Oct.22

From Wikipedia:

Oct. 22, 9:36 p.m. EDT -- Full Hunters' Moon. The hunter's moon—also known as blood moon or sanguine moon—is the first full moon after the harvest moon, which is the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox.

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.
With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it's now time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, as well as other animals, which can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest.

The Extraordinary Light of the Morning Sun

2010-10-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Very ordinary things become beautifully illuminated and extraordinary in the first burst of morning sunlight.

Wild, native Persimmons

Johnson Grass with full seeded heads.

A broad Mesquite tree on the fenceline

Perennial, beautiful purple native Liatris

Native grass in full seed that is my lawn

The morning colors are vivid and the shadows are intense. The first sun hits the tops of the trees, leaving the rest in dark coolness.