Sunday, January 29, 2012

Cooking and Driving

GREETINGS!

A pleasant Sunday to you. Things are pretty laid back around here today. I've got a pork butt in the crock pot so we can have pulled pork, mashed potatoes and cole(d)? slaw for supper. To go with what's left of this georgeous apple pie - that will NEVER come out of my kitchen again!


I made this from a recipe on the Pioneer Woman cooking show. You talk about making a mess! I usually don't make my pie crust - why should I when it comes in a box all rolled out? - but decided to give it a whirl. I'm sorry I didn't capture the "mess" while doing this! The filling was great, using brown sugar and white sugar and lemon juice and the spices. But the crust was/is sinful! 3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 sticks of cold butter, 3/4 cup of shortening, an egg, some water and salt and vinegar. I think that's it.....my arm got tired breaking the butter and shortening into little gravelly pieces so hubby had to come help. Then I had to wash the rolling pin cause it's been in a bucket on top of the fridge for 2 1/2 years as decoration. Then try and roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper to save a mess on the drain board. It was so rich it was very hard to turn over and especially hard to pick up and put in the pie pan. Which wasn't supposed to happen anyway, it was supposed to just be a circle of dough on a cookie sheet and then folded over the apples. The recipe made for 2 big crusts to do this with, but 2 cookie sheets wouldn't fit in my oven at the same time and they didn't have edges, so I knew that would be a sticky mess in my oven! whew So that's why I made a regular pie out of it! Also had some dough left over and made little sugar/cinnamon things that melted in your mouth!

Bottom line is it's very, very good but very, very rich and very, very messy! My daughter made it the right way, but she's young and maybe has more patience and know how than her mother. :) So I'll stick to what I'll call Corporate Woman pie crust and like it just fine!

Now, you are probably wondering what cooking an apple pie has to do with driving?! Well, the answer is........nothing. It's just that I had to take my beloved van in to the Ford garage one day last week for an oil/filter change, a new cabin filter and a new motor/regulator for the passenger side window that quit working. All that lovely maintenance was $300 +. And then they tell me I need new brakes and rotors to the tune of $308 + more! I said that's nice, I'll see you next month or so or whenever my brakes are totally gone, which ever comes first!

I love my 2002 Ford Windstar van. I have over 100,000 miles on it now and hope it will keep running for a long time. We talked about what we would do when it give out, and that was interesting! Like do we really need 2 cars and the Jeep? Will it be another van, or pick up or what? Only time will tell.

That's all I know for now. Until next time, take care and Gob bless you. And give thanks for all the things big and little that shape your life!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Winter

GREETINGS!

Even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it, I think Winter is here around us. I was awakened about 2:00 a.m. this morning by the sound of thunder and lightening and a rain downpour! We've gotten about 2 inches so far, which we really need after the Summer's drought.

Another thing that reminds me it's Winter are the naked trees. Some in our back yard are all naked except for their "jewelry", which flashes in the sun at times. (You might have to enlarge pic to see jewelry! It's hanging from the tree almost dead center of the picture.)


I think this Spring I'm going to try and get some supplies and make some more jewelry for my trees. I love it, and it doesn't look very complicated!

Last Saturday I filed our State and Federal taxes on line - emailed them. Anyway, it appears that our State refund has already been deposited in our account! That's only 4 days, and 2 of those were a weekend! I'm in shock!
Maybe there are some good things about all this modern technology! Ha.

That's all I know for today. Hope yesterday's post didn't break your computer screen. :) Until next time, take care and God bless you.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Price of Beauty!

GREETINGS!

When I speak of the "price" of beauty, I'm not really referring to the actual dollar cost. More of what we go through to maintain what we think is beauty! I went to my hairdresser's today and got another perm, as my first one had grown out. I've still not decided why I am growing my hair out from my "spikey" short do, when it looked good all the time; well except for upon waking in the morning! Oh well, here's how it went............

Beginning


Middle


The End


Hmmmmmmm, looking at these pictures, I was better off before I got permed!
Too funny. You can totally tell I'm not one of those photogenic people; I mean really! I'm much better looking than those pictures!! :) Hope you all got a good laugh today....

We are still having mild weather - it's almost 60 out now, but rain is supposed to come tonight. We really need the rain too, as we've had no snow yet this year and not much rain. That's for you Carolina Nana! :)

That's all I know. Until next time, take care and God Bless you.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Chicken Barns Update & Other Stuff

GREETINGS!

This may not be interesting to any of you, but I've been reporting the progress on the chicken barns since the beginning and it's been awhile since I posted anything.

So here is the latest pictures. The 2nd building is about done now also. The feeding bins/towers are up and I don't know what all has been done inside.



I don't know what the projected date of chicken occupancy is, and I wonder after it gets here if I'll still eat chicken! Moving on.........

The phone rang the other day and it was the lady from the Quilt/Fabric shop in the little town of Gore. When I first started wanting to learn to quilt I went into her store and left my name and number with her, hoping for what, I'm not sure. Anyway, she told me they were starting a beginners quilting class on February 1, and would I like to join in. I was so excited! I can hardly wait to go. It's going to be on Wednesday mornings from 10 to Noon, and only cost $5 a class. It's exciting to know I might learn how to make something the right way! :)

Had lunch Friday with my dear friend Judy. We get together once a month for lunch, but missed December in all the Holiday rush. So, we went to the Tea Room in Gore and had a great lunch, walked around the antique mall in the same building, and then went over the river to Webber's Falls and the new Mission Thrift Store and looked around. Was a very nice, relaxing time. We see each other in church, but don't have the time to visit like when we go to lunch!

I've been doing a lot of reading; just finished The Secret Life of Bees. A very good book, not unlike The Help in story line and setting. Don't know what's next, but will dig in my private box of books from my friend Kathy and find another good one I'm sure. Baked a cherry/berry pie a bit ago, so it will go nicely with a book this evening!

That's all I know for today. My kids are surviving the snow storms out in the Seattle area, and that is a good thing. Take care and God Bless you all.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Road Trip Treasures

GREETINGS!

After we discovered Belle Starr's "home" on our road trip, we continued on to the little "wide spot in the road" town of Whiteside. They have a pretty big "junk" yard/store there, with stuff sitting all around outisde and rows of stuff inside. So of course we had to stop and do some digging!

I've been looking for an old metal headboard for my double bed for about a year now, and my goodness! I found it outside leaning up agains the wall. Of course I'll have to refinish it, but that's half the fun! Right now its black with red rose decals on it..........yuck.


I also found a bunch more baskets inside, way in the back. Had to dump some junk out of some of them, but what a find. They were really cheap, and you never know when you'll wish you had a basket to put something in!
Here's some of them..............................


These two I've already put to use in the kitchen: one for bananas and one for tomatoes!


Ronnie found a baby stroller with the kind of wheels he's been wanting to use to make himself a new gun cart. So we both got stuff.........yay!!

After loading up, we continued on the Stigler and did some grocery shopping at WalMart and Shelton's, and stopped at a Mexican restaurant for a late lunch. Ronnie has been looking for real, home-made tamales for a long time, and lo and behold, he found them! We've decided this is our new favorite Mexican restaurant. And the name of it is -- Reubens! How crazy is that?! Anyway, it was very good, the waitresses were very friendly, and I'm sure we will go there again. Oh, you can also order tamales to take home for $8.95 a dozen; but you have to give 2 days notice! That's fair...

After all that, we headed for home and the task of putting everything away. I was tired, but it was a fun day. I'm glad my husband likes to do road trips!

Until next time, take care and God bless you.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Hair Thingy's

GREETINGS!

If you have ever tried to grow your hair out from an extremely short "do", you know how maddening it can be to try and make yourself look presentable.
I am in the process of trying to "grow out", and am even ready for my 2nd perm which will hopefully help.

In the meantime, the hair products aisle at WalMart has caught my attention and coerced me into buying all these items, thinking they would help! So far the most help are the little barrette type clippys.


Even old standbys are not much help............................


So what's a person to do?? Just try to be patient I guess, and remember that you should not be so vane! But I'm really looking forward to my next perm! Or maybe I should make myself some kind of cover-up scarf ????

Until next time, take care and God Bless!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Belle Starr

GREETINGS!

We went on a little road trip today to see if we could find where Belle Starr - the outlawess from last post - had her home. And we got lucky and found it right off. It's only about 25 miles from our house, and very close to the Canadian River. The river is damned up now and makes the Eufaula Lake which furnishes power to a HUGE portion of Eastern Oklahoma; us included of course. I wonder what Belle would think if she could see all that now!

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures I was able to get. They are building a replica of her home fairly close to the road, but the gate was closed and we couldn't get up close to it. Will have to go back later. We did find the trail that leads to her gravesite and the place where her original home was.

This picture is at the entrance to the drive off the highway. Belle called her place Younger's Bend in honor of her first outlaw husband, Cole Younger.


This sign marks the beginning of the trail to Belle's grave and home site.
I can't remember what it says beside don't block the driveway! :) But I think it was something about a small fee and the dates the trail was open.


In a way it was disappointing not to get to see more, but it was also neat to see what we did, and try to imagine the outlaws galloping around the area! So much for my history lesson.

More on the road trip, perhaps tomorrow. Until next time, take care and may you be aware of God's blessings for you.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Queen of the Outlaws

GREETINGS!

Here is a tale of the Legend of Belle Starr, aka Queen of the Outlaws. Born Feb.5, 1848 and died Feb. 3, 1889 at the age of 41........almost. This was a really good little book, especially since it is centered probably within a 50 miles radius of where I live. So the town names, etc. are very familiar. She was a pretty tough cookie! She was married several times, lived her latter years around the Canadian River in Cherokee land(Oklahoma was all Indian territory at that time), had 2 children by different husbands, was quite a bank robber and excellent shot. Her daughter was a famous Madam in Fort Smith, AK, following in some of her mother's footsteps!

Anyway, for a little history and an interesting read, give it a try. Author is Stoney Hardcastle.

That's all I know today. Until next time, take care and God's blessings to you.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

My Blossoming Hobby!

GREETINGS!

My daughter finally got the potholders and hotdish pad I sent her, so I can show the picture now! See below.


The potholders are all machine done, but the larger hotdish pad is hand quilted. I think it's pretty cool. But wouldn't you know, after I was all finished I learned how it SHOULD be done so the tieoff knots don't show! Well I guess it's all about learning isn't it? I'm glad I know the right way to do it now. I'm sure my daughter won't hold it against me having a few knots on the underside of the pad! I really think I'm ready to tackle a table runner now.............. soon!

Yesterday we went to Fort Smith, Arkansas and had lunch at Olive Garden. My oldest daughter had sent us a gift certificate for Christmas so we were cashing in! Also went to a huge Hobby Lobby and spent the gift certificate I had for there. Once back in Oklahoma territory, we stopped at WalMart in Sallisaw and did our grocery shopping for the week. Since we have to go through there, it only made sense to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak! Again, we were tired out by evening.

That's all I know for now. Until next time, take care and God bless us all.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Rainy Day Doings

GREETINGS!

It was raining when I got out of bed this morning! Probably why I went back to sleep and didn't get up until 7 a.m. -- which is late for me! We haven't had a nice rain for quite awhile, so we enjoyed it.

At least most of us enjoyed it......they did too once they got in the house.


Not too much of a "mess" to deal with considering what we got!


And what we got was a nice chocolate bundt cake with chocolate frosting! Tried twice to post the picture, but blogger poster went on strike I guess.
Anyway, Ronnie couldn't wait for supper to be over so he could cut a piece. He went about 4 days without a dessert and I think he was having withdrawals! :)

I was motivated to clean the refrigerator inside today, so had Ronnie pull it out from the wall so I could get at the underneath of one of the vegetable crispers. The way the fridge sets, the door can't open far enough to pull the drawer all the way out. It felt good to get that done. Also emptied the plastic containers (3) of about an inch each of cereal that was months and months old and stale and no one was eating. Scrubbed them up and they are ready to go!

I wanted to share this thought with you too. I think it was titled "Passing Through". "Just beyond our last heartbeat lies eternity. That's where our Savior is pointing us. The path may not be clear to our eyes, but Jesus is leading us there with a steady and sure hand. Our part is to follow in obedience so that we may reach heaven and hear the Father say, "Well done." " So you see, we are just passing through this place called earth, on our way to the most wonderful place we can imagine.

That's all I know for now. Until next time, take care and God bless you.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

So Far............

GREETINGS!

Happy New Year! Although we are not long into it, I hope yours has been good so far. Mine has been pretty laid back so far. I've spent a lot of time reading - 2 books at once even - and can't wait to finish them and move on to the box of books loaned to me by my friend Kathy. They look/sound so good! Right now one of the books I'm reading is about Belle Starr, the famous - or infamous - Queen of the Outlaws. Very interesting, especially since she resided in my area of Oklahoma quite a bit.

This is my other vice taking up a lot of my time again this year..........


Since I can't find anyone in the neighboring countryside that plays pinochle, I play on line. It's not the same, but you do play with real people from all over the world and can chat with them while you play. I've talked to several older people here in Oklahoma about the game and no one seems to know what it is or how to play. The concensus was that it must be a Yankee game! Guess that makes me a Yankee........... The going game around here is dominoes...........go figure!! They don't play cribbage either!


This is our resident Cog. Sitting on the porch rail like he is King of the Mountain. "Cog" is cat who thinks he's a dog. Maybe you have one too.

Got my hair cut the other day and it sure looks better. I had a perm on the 4th of October and hadn't had anything done since then. Is only a matter of a couple of weeks and it will be perm time again. I wonder if this growing out thing is worth it??!! Also finished the pot holders and hot dish pad for my daughter and got them in the mail. Will post a picture as soon as I know she got them. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise!!
Our weather has been pretty mild. High 60's during the day and high 20's at night. I'm sure it won't last and not sure I want it to..........it's too nice to be winter and do winter things, but to cold to get out and do spring things.

That's all I know for now. Take care and God bless. See you on the bus!