Friday, September 28, 2007
A little Hoot for Amy!!!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Karla's Party from my House to Yours!
Here are some favorite shots around my house.... enjoy the cool days, y'all.
Teacups start my day.... My favorite corner of the kitchen
My Christmas mantel
Color coded books, with a few stuck here and there to make me feel at home... My friends, the books!
My summer faerie mantel..... How I enjoy these little pixies to keep me company!
The belle of the ball!
Gone to Mothers, but this little cot still sleeps like a cloud!
Sally ponders the new French Veterinarie poster! Hmmm... does she know French, as well?
Little pitchers are my passion.
And blue china
Love my red accents and my crows.... I so far haven't used the big cooler, but I have high hopes of a big party yet!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
A wake-up to Autumn!
I dedicated my weekend to creating a lovelier space for sleeping (when I'm home and not at Mom's.) I can't tell you how different it starts my day not to be greeted with piles of clutter and crud.... I am getting ready for a big party this weekend for my son and friends. He starts school October 1st for an intense eight weeks of computer training. We are having a guy friends party with lasagna and that yummy man-kind of food, cheese/sausage dip, little smokies.... etc..... No dainty tea parties here, huh?
Take care, all. I'll look forward to more autumn days and crisp weather all around. Hugs.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
A dream deferred
Friday, September 21, 2007
Pigs in the Blanket (Cabbage Rolls)
(Pigs in the Blanket)
1 egg, beaten
1 can ()8 oz) tomato sauce
¾ c. quick cooking rice
½ c. chopped green pepper
½ c. crushed saltines (about fifteen crackers) optional
1 chopped onion
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
1 can (46 oz) V-8 juice
Salt, to taste
Grated parmesan or other cheese, if needed
Remove core from cabbage. Steam 12 large, outer leaves until limp; drain well; In a bowl, combine egg, tomato sauce, rice, pepper, cracker, and onion. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Place about 1/3 c. meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Fold in sides, starting at an unfolded edge, and roll up completely to enclose the filling. Secure by placing fold side down in large, deep baking dish or in slow cooker. Pour V-8 juice over rolls and bake at 325 for one and a half hours or in slow cooker on low for 6-7 hours. Sprinkle with cheese and salt for last half hour.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Beautiful Soul Friend
The description says this: "Beauty is a gentle but urgent call to awaken. Bestselling author John O'Donohue opens our eyes, hearts, and minds to the wonder of our own relationship with beauty by exposing the infinity and mystery of its breadth. His words return us to the dignity of silence, profundity of stillness, power of thought and perception, and the eternal grace and generosity of beauty's presence. In this masterful and revelatory work, O'Donohue encourages our greater intimacy with beauty and celebrates it for what it really is: a homecoming of the human spirit. As he focuses on the classical, medieval, and Celtic traditions of art, music, literature, nature, and language, O'Donohue reveals how beauty's invisible embrace invites us toward new heights of passion and creativity even in these uncertain times of global conflict and crisis." ------ how could that be anything but healing?
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Paula Deen on Oprah
I'm having a time with my posts and Youtube today. If this doesn't show, just go to youtube and look up Paula Deen Oprah. It's the first one. I should have left my template alone!!! grrrrr...
Amazing Photographer
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Hey, there! Since it's almost fall!!!
End of the Garden Chili Sauce
4 qts. Chopped, peeled ripe tomatoes, drained. (And you can use canned tomatoes if your garden is only in your dreams!)
2 c. chopped onion
1. c.. chopped sweet red peppers
1 c. chopped green peppers
2 c. chopped celery
3 T. salt
2/½ c. sugar
2 1/2 c. vinegar
1 T. mustard seed
1 t. cinnamon
dash celery seed
1 t. allspice (optional)
A kiss of cayenne pepper (very optional and be careful!)
Cook all ingredients slowly over very low to medium heat in huge kettle. We use one with a very large opening for maximum bubbling and evaporation! This wonderful process takes several hours of simmering. Stir often and think about the blessings of harvest. This sauce cans at this time by open kettle method, or it freezes beautifully in little jars. It is delicious in chili, in hamburger sloppy joe, on eggs as a garnish and even mixed in proportions of ½ c. to 1 pkg. Cream cheese and used as a delicious cracker dip. (I have been known to eat it with a spoon as a soup, snack, or consoling bit of YUM!)
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Changes all around . . .
"When it rains, it pours," my gramma always said. And it's raining here, it seems. With all the changes in living arrangements and life purposes around here, you'd think I'd quit tinkering with the stuff that didn't need to change??? But no... I haven't mentioned my little shop for a while, but it is undergoing a dramatic switcheroo. The evolution of Shady Peanut Lane is quite slow, almost "stunted" I might say.
First, about twenty years ago the dream hit my cousin and me to create a little shop in my grandmother's two story home. We bought the wallpaper and mentally filled it with all kinds of treasure rooms--- a kitchen gadget room, a tea room for little ladies' lunches, an upstairs room for Christmas, a cool back porch for Halloween... We had our dreams. In our minds we named it Prairie Sampler, and my dear friend (the one who never fails to support my dreams, the baked Alaska one.... ) even bought me pencils with that name printed on them for inspiration. Well, the pencils are all that ever happened. The wallpaper found its way to my dining room walls, where I love it daily. The beautiful old, two story home was claimed as right of way for a four lane highway... The walls and boards became a barn for my father, and needless to say, Prairie Sampler did not happen.
Then, for two years I rented a ten foot square space in a consignment business, and another friend (a former teacher) split the cost (which was really high). We didn't do much in there... Something about the sterile concrete walls and the proximity to other booths with tire tools or laundry soap really depleted our pizaaz. About the only cool thing I had was an absolutely fabulous old walnut primitive armoire... It was in pretty shabby shape and unfinished state. I put a wild sum of 600 dollars on it, and it sold in about a month.... Then all our stuff was on the floor a bit... Finally, We had industrial looking shelving and just barely existed until this business, too.... made a little demise. Finally about four years ago my friend opened a little shop called "My Cup of Tea." So cute, so full of teapots, china, fabulous tea, Department 56, and other treasures. I was thrilled for her... AND PEA GREEN.
Amazingly, in only about five months the little shop space next to My Cup of Tea became available. Yes, I could rent it. Yes, I could take possession in May. Oh! Shady Peanut Lane was born. The name came from the beautiful little stretch of land on our farm with overhanging brush and a little tractor path underneath. Whenever little girl me (where did she go?) was lucky enough to ride behind my grandfather on his little tractor to check cows, we used to find this little part of heaven, stop, drink our bottle (we split it) of Double Cola and eat a couple soda crackers with "bitey" (very sharp) cheddar cheese. Absolute bliss. He called that little patch Shady Peanut Lane, so I thought no more lovely place name could exist for a little shop. My cousin, son, father, and I painted, papered, wired and heaved our wares inside. We managed to fill it with the most delicious candles you have ever smelled, lovely coffees, sweet primitive and shabby treasures, a few antiques... just the this and that kind of shop I've always wanted.... And it is a place for my friends to come and just sit and visit... with My Cup of Tea lady next door, we just party all the time!
Until yesterday. Due to a big relocation in her future, my cousin came yesterday and had to pack all her goodies away to sell in another place. Ugh... you should see my shop. It will be alright, I keep repeating to myself. I will find other cabinets, fill them with my own treasures, create a shop that speaks even more of my own heart... But with what? The name remains, and the work done on the place itself. I still have my lovely little kitchen cabinet and the cubby hole nest display my ex brought home from a bowling alley, no less. My dad saved it, washed it at the car wash, and brought it over one boiling hot July day to put in the shop.
My college writing teacher used to glory in the part of our writing he called "the floundering stage." It was the early agony when we couldn't get it all together in our minds to say what we hoped to say. I think this is a floundering stage for Shady Peanut Lane. Once I "see" it in my mind, it will happen in the world... won't it??? Meanwhile, I'm going to grab my book for inspiration today, Where Women Create. It's an amazing brain-igniter... As are all of you! I always dreamed of opening an online branch of Shady Peanut Lane... Who knows... sometimes when I am the busiest (translate full time school teacher, curriculum writer for senior high, helping with Mother's house as well as mine), I am the most fruitful.... ???? I'm kind of an all or "nuthin" kind of person. Hang on to your seats.... We may be in for a bumpy ride... (or not.) Have a good week.
P.S. Once a long time ago before I knew about blogs and before I realized not to "take" a photo off the internet without getting directions about who put it there... I found this photo of a shop. It looks a lot like my shop on the outside ---except mine has no florals, no sparkle like this right now... Anyway, it is an inspiration. If any of you own this shop or knows who does, please let me know... I would love to give credit to such masters of the art of Wow!!!! Isn't it pretty????
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Good for a little laugh!
What a cutie bug. I can't watch this without either laughing or crying???? What a cute baby.