Our Little House on the Hill

Homemade Ranch Dressing

2012-01-16T17:09:00.000-06:00

I finally took the plunge an made Ranch dressing from scratch-sorta! I haven't mastered making my own mayo yet but this dressing is delicious.
Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice or 1 packet true lemon
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp dry dill or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh
1/8 tsp garlic powder

In a medium bowl mix the buttermilk and mayonnaise until fully mixed. Add in the other ingredients and adjust for taste. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator. I put it in a plastic squeeze bottle for convenience.

Clouds-Art in the Sky

2012-01-06T23:40:00.000-06:00

Need I say more?

Pecan Pie w/o corn syrup

2011-11-29T14:20:00.001-06:00

I've gone ahead and just copy and pasted this recipe from allrecipes.com. This really is an easy and VERY nice pecan pie recipe. Not syrupy sweet like corn syrup. Use real butter and real vanilla extract.

Pecan Pie V

Rated:

Submitted By: Elaine Helms

Photo By: ALFANN02

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Servings: 8

"Unlikemost pecan pies, this one does not require corn syrup. "

Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts.
3.	Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/15/2011

Diaper Cake

2011-10-21T19:34:00.000-05:00

I didn't come up with this idea but thought it would be a nice change from the usual baby gifts. I did enjoy making it.

Cloth napkins the serger way!

2011-09-18T20:36:00.002-05:00

I finally was brave enough to use my serger. It is always intimidating to use a new machine and a serger is pretty intimidating to thread!!! A friend told me how to thread the serger much more simply and it worked! Well to make this short here are the napkins-

The John Deere are for the Nephews of course!

A day of Painting

2011-05-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

Recently I visited with my friend Lisa and Colleen at Colleens home for some painting fun.

Our subject- a fig, a pear and a leaf

My version and messy pallet

Lisa and her painting, she's a lot neater than me!

A different painting using a painting knife, this gives lot of texture.

Lisa's Pear

Me holding the camera at arms length- need to figure out how to use the timer.


All framed up!

Pigs

2011-05-20T13:45:00.000-05:00

Finally able to post some pics of our RED WATTLE PIGS! I wanted chickens first but we ended up getting pigs and guess what I am enjoying them. They stink but so do chickens and cows. But they have sweet dispositions, love to be petted and each one has his or her own personality oh and they LOVE, LOVE to eat!! I now know what eating like a pig means.

Three little pigs and Duchess(Big Mama)

Breakfast

Olive Oyle and Frank, Olive Oyle is not ours she is just visiting Frank for a while!


Getting some petting, they will just come over to me and lay down to get petted.

Notice the wattle? This is Duchess.

This is Duchess getting petted, yes she will come over and lay down to get petted too and she weighs around 250lbs! I always talk to them and let them know they are good pigs.

Spring Gardening Time

2011-03-07T11:17:00.000-06:00

Well it is cool but Spring and time to get ready for Summer. I started tomatoes, peppers and eggplant from seed this year and it is time to re-pot the seedlings into bigger quarters.


Peppers, Tomatoes and Eggplant. These are only a few of the seedlings		needing transplanting.

Rather than buying the expensive pots for transplanting seedlings I choose to look outside the "box" and see what other choices I had that wouldn't cost a lot and would serve the purpose. Guess what, a dollar sleeve of 66 9oz plastic cups work great! Add a bag of $3 potting soil and I'm ready, set, go!

Next I lined up my seedlings, cut holes for drainage in the cups.

Notice the marker! RULE #1 ALWAYS MARK WHAT IS IN THE POTS.

I cut 4 slits in the bottom of the cups, kinda hard to see here.


Notice the nice roots!

Into the new pot and top off with fresh potting soil.

Put them into their "fancy" new home!

Looking good after 4 days, strong stems and green leaves.


These will be ready to plant in the garden when the weather warms up.

Orchids!!!

2011-01-29T16:06:00.000-06:00

Today I went with my Aunt to see an orchid show! WOW were they gorgeous. So I though I would share some of the pictures-

Pretty Shoe Insoles craft tutorial by Grosgrain

2011-01-29T10:12:00.000-06:00

I love this idea and wanted to share it. Great for when your insoles look shabby or you want to add padding.

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2011/01/shoe-sugar-month-day-16-insole-heaven.html

Fun times at Aunt Viki's

2011-01-15T23:16:00.001-06:00

The boys spent the night and all day Friday with us and did we have fun! Along with the usual riding the 4-wheelers, shooting the BB guns, watching netflix, violin practice, there was painting.......

And then there was the eating.....

MLC " I'm ready to eat!"

Homemade Strawberry Marshmallows

2011-01-15T21:44:00.001-06:00

I made regular marshmallows a while back and they were really easy but oh too sweet! After surfing the net I came across a thread talking about different flavors of marshmallows-strawberry flavor with REAL strawberry puree was something I wanted to try. I love making/cooking with real ingredients so I know what I'm feeding the family is better than store bought. Mind you not always 'good' for you but not full of ingredients I can't pronounce or know are bad.

I didn't take pictures of the whole process but hit the wow stuff!

My Little Helper

whipped to the max

The kinda pretty strawberry marshmallows!

I followed this recipe with the following change: Use 1/2 -3/4 cup strawberry puree with the gelatin.

http://mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com/2010/12/marshmallows.html

Ode to Scarlett

2011-01-07T21:06:00.000-06:00

Scarlett 2000-2011

Our dear Scarlett left us today, she will be missed. You had attitude and definitely stood your ground. You were loved and loved us back. You'll be missed.

Me and my buddy-MLC

2011-01-07T13:33:00.000-06:00

Recently I had a chance to spend the day with MLC, we went shopping and found this cute Policeman outfit- $2 at the Humane Society's Second Chance thrift store. MLC states " this is my favorite store".


"Breaker, Breaker, any one out there?"

We then came home and made some ginger cookie dough and guess who licked the spatula?!

Yummy!


Look I have a ginger cookie mustache and beard!

All and we had a great day!

Aspartame and GMO

2011-01-07T12:32:00.000-06:00

Just some info that I found enlightening and wanted to pass on.

Aspartame exposed - GM Bacteria used to create deadly sweetener

by Anthony Gucciardi, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) The manufacturers of the most prevalent sweetener in the world have a secret, and it`s not a sweet one. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in thousands of products worldwide, has been found to be created using genetically modified (GM) bacteria. What's even more shocking is how long this information has been known. A 1999 article by The Independent was the first to expose the abominable process in which aspartame was created. Ironically, the discovery was made around the same time as rich leaders around the globe met at the G8 Summit to discuss the safety of GM foods.

The 1999 investigation found that Monsanto, the largest biotech corporation in the world, often used GM bacteria to produce aspartame in their US production plants. The end result is a fusion between two of the largest health hazards to ever hit the food industry -- artificial sweeteners and an array of genetically altered organisms. Both have led to large-scale debate, with aspartame being the subject of multiple congressional hearings and scientific criticism. Scientists and health advocates are not the only ones to speak out against aspartame, however. The FDA received a flurry of complaints from consumers using NutraSweet, a product containing aspartame. Since 1992, the FDA has stopped documenting reports on the subject.

The process in which aspartame is created involves combining an amino acid known as phenylalanine with aspartic acid. First synthesized in 1965, aspartame requires bacteria for the sole purpose of producing phenylalanine. Monsanto discovered that through genetically altering this bacteria, phenylalanine could be created much more quickly. In the report by The Independent, Monsanto openly admitted that their mutated bacteria is a staple in the creation process of aspartame.

"We have two strains of bacteria - one is traditionally modified and one is genetically modified," said the source from Monsanto. "It's got a modified enzyme. It has one amino acid different."
Multiple studies have been conducted regarding genetic manipulation, with many grim conclusions. One study found that the more GM corn was fed to mice, the fewer babies they had. Another study, published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences, found that the organs that typically respond to chemical food poisoning were the first to encounter problems after subjects consumed GM foods. The same study also states that GM foods should not be commercialized.

"For the first time in the world, we've proven that GMO are neither sufficiently healthy nor proper to be commercialized. [...] Each time, for all three GMOs, the kidneys and liver, which are the main organs that react to a chemical food poisoning, had problems," indicated Gilles-Eric Seralini, an expert member of the Commission for Biotechnology Reevaluation.

Consumer groups are now curious as to whether or not other products secretly contain genetically modified ingredients. Due to the fact that the finished product`s DNA does not change when using genetically modified bacteria, it is hard to know for sure. With the FDA ruling against the labeling of GM salmon, it is becoming more of a challenge to determine whether or not a product contains GM ingredients. Consumers are voicing their opposition for GM ingredients going incognito, with the largest growing retail brand being GMO-free products.

"The public wants to know and the public has a right to know," said Marion Nestle, a professor in the Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health Department at New York University.
Unveiling the secret process in which aspartame is created acts as yet another reminder to stay away from artificial sweeteners, and one should choose natural alternatives such as palm sugar, xylitol, or stevia.

Just because I thought they were pretty!!

2010-10-09T12:33:00.000-05:00


Some HOT peppers ready for drying and pepper sauce. I love the bright colors.

And here are some of the peppers!

I liked this display. The Goldenrod was growing in the asparagus bed so I picked it and brought it inside to enjoy it's bright colors. The painting is of a dear friends garden, painted by her daughter and given as a house warming gift.

Bread The Staff of Life best served with Butter!

2010-10-04T01:31:00.000-05:00

Bread is important in this home, homemade sourdough to be exact! Even better if it is whole wheat!

A couple of loaves of whole wheat sourdough bread. Behind in the jars is some home canned pear juice and home made canned chicken stock. The makings of a good lunch or light supper.

Oh, where is the butter? The bread knife was a very thoughtful gift from by Brother In Law- Thanks Ted I've used it countless times over countless years!!!

A little over the top, but what every bread baker wants, a nice high rising loaf of bread. One of my prized baking dishes, approx. 9"x5", an old Westinghouse refrigerator dish that even has a nice glass lid!

Our family pets

2010-10-04T01:06:00.000-05:00

This is Cleo- caught her at the Church about 13 yrs ago. When she is really happy and purring she drools just a little!!!

This is Scarlet-She has an attitude like her namesake!! We got her and her sister from a litter of tailless kittens.

This is Prissy, Scarlet's sister. She is by and far the friendliest cat, even lets the little ones pet her and tolerates our littlest dog, Patches wallowing all over her!!


This is Patches, our very newest, probably less than a year old. Very sweet and lovable. Being the littlest dog she is always whining for attention and jumping up, which is a bad habit, especially when you live on a dirt road and want to stay clean.

All four dogs! Duke, Duchess, Patches and Prince.


Duchess and Prince. It is one of our coolest nights this season and they are sharing the mat in the fairly warm garage. I made them nice doggie beds but they seem to like the mat better. Duchess showed up in our yard about 2 yrs ago and Prince showed up about a year ago. Duchess loves to chew on twigs and Prince, well he is a very old dog, just passing his remaining years with us on the 'farm'.


This is Duke, he showed up as a half grown pup nearly 10 yrs ago, all humble and please let me stay with you? He is super sweet and stays around the house even when the others wander off!!

All the cats we found or adopted, the dogs all found and adopted us!!

Ben Stein Commentary

2010-09-24T21:05:00.000-05:00

Our only hope is that we find GOD again before it is too late!

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning   Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees... I don't feel threatened.. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.   How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.   Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did.   But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards,  honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

"Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount."

OMAR BRADLEY

What kids do when using their imaginations!!

2010-09-21T13:40:00.000-05:00

A few weeks back I had the privilage of keeping the Great Nephews, when the tv was turned off this is what they did!!

The Decleration of Independance

2010-09-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

With all the political talking going on I thought a brief history lesson would be nice.

Declaration of Independence

Here is the complete text of the Declaration of Independence.
The original spelling and capitalization have been retained.

(Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776)

The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Source: The Pennsylvania Packet, July 8, 1776

We are building a new house

2010-05-13T22:36:00.000-05:00

Just so you know we put in a whole house filter-it was white! We have lots of clay and sand so this baby is doing the job!!!!

I will just post the rest of the pictures as they give you an idea of what the house looks like now. We haven't yet moved in but I AM taking advantage of the amenities ;-)

House building update-finally

2010-04-04T23:42:00.001-05:00

The footers have been poured and the foundation is being laid

A closer view of the blocks

The chief block inspector at work!

The bracing blocks

Pouring concrete into the blocks

After the 12 loads of dirt and a lot of tamping down! I was gone when the concrete was poured.

The walls are going up

The roof is on!

We are sorta rain proof!

A look from the inside

Plumbing is installed

Shingles are being installed

Wrap has been applied

Another view from the inside, this is the front entrance

Bricks are being laid

The electrical supply

Insulation installed

Duct work being installed- in sun room

Steps!!

Ceilings in garage

The beautiful chimney

Vinyl siding in a lovely shade of sand

The trim work is white around the garage

The texture of the walls and ceilings is called orange peel

The front entrance

The kitchen dining area

The sun room or Florida Room

The wood stove alcove. The wood stove is under all those covers, see how much dust!

The front entrance

A new back view

Himself looking happy about the progress so far

The deck

Oh I can hardly wait for the cook outs that are to be enjoyed on this deck

Just another view, see how we sit on the hill!

Garage doors!

with openers. In the background is the air conditioning unit.

Then you enter the utility room from the garage.

Then you come into the kitchen/dining area.

The dining room light

A look at the"Beams" in the vaulted ceiling that runs from the front door to the kitchen.

The living room flooring being laid with the hearth in the back corner.

Snow in Gulfport Ms

2010-02-12T12:45:00.000-06:00

I'm in Gulfport MS visiting my Aunt and today we had SNOW. For my friends in the Northern Regions this is nothing but HERE it is an event! So I decided to take some video.
Snow in Gulfport, MS

Individual Pot Pies

2010-01-31T20:24:00.000-06:00

I love pot pie, who doesn't? Years ago I came across a cookbook at the Library titled "Make Your Own Groceries"by Daphne M. Hartwig, sadly it is out of print :-(( But on a good note there are many recipes that you really can use to make your own groceries and one favorite is individual pot pies. The recipe seems daunting but the results are fabulous. Or you could just buy the ho hum ones from the grocery store but these are much better!!

The Ingredients
6 cups cooked chicken or turkey diced
4 1/2 c chicken or turkey broth
2 1/4 c potatoes diced 1/4"
2- 10 ounce each frozen mixed peas and carrots thawed about 3c
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
7 1/2 tbl flour
1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1 tbl cold water
A few drops Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master-optional for color
12 round, foil, pot pie or tart pans: 5 inches across and 1 1/4 inches deep
1 recipe pot pie crust-see below

Crust
3c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2/3c shortening, chilled
5 1/2 tbl butter, chilled
About 9 tbl ice water

Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives cut shortening and butter to get mixture to look like coarse meal. Sprinkle on 2 tbl of the ice water, stirring with a fork so that all water is absorbed before adding more. Add more single tbls of water until dough can be gathered into a ball.
Knead the dough on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Make some indentations in the dough, sprinkle on another tbl or so of water and knead it in. Knead in as much water as the dough will take without it sticking to the surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls, set them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more. This is for a single crust pie, if you want a double crust just double this recipe.

Filling
Bring 3 1/2 cups of the broth to a boil; stir in diced potatoes; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the thawed peas, carrots, salt and pepper, simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Do not overcook any of the vegetables they should be no more than just tender. Remove from stove and add the other cup of broth. cool mixture in a sink of cold water stirring now and again til just warm or tepid. Strain out vegetables and set aside, make gravy with the broth by mixing the flour with a little broth in a bowl or jar til smooth then add to rest of broth in pan, add the dissolved gelatin, stir over low heat until thickened, stir in a tiny bit of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master for coloring. Cool gravy in sink of cold water, stirring constantly to prevent a film from forming. Measure the gravy and add water to make 4 1/2 cups add vegetables, stir in chicken or turkey; add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the filling mixture evenly among the 12 foil pans, giving
a little over 3/4 cup to each.

On a floured surface roll out the chilled balls
of dough into 5 inch circles or to fit the top of each pan.
Instead of trimming off any excess dough that hangs past the pan's rim, crowd it back into the flat rim. fluting where necessary.

Use floured fork tines to press the crust edge all around the pan's flat rim.
Make 3 knife slashes in the top of each crust.
Set finished pies on a cookie sheet
and place in a freezer overnight or until solid

Package frozen pies, stacked, in plastic bags. Label with cooking directions

Cooking directions

Preheat oven to 450F. Place desired amount of frozen pies on the middle rack of the oven with aluminum foil beneath. Bake 35 minute or until crust is golden. Allow about 5 minutes longer when heating 3 or more pies.

House Building Progress

2010-01-20T11:34:00.000-06:00

The cold weather has now behind us I hope for a while, and there has been a lot of progress

Digging out the footer base getting ready for the concrete truck and blocks

This is showing where the elevation changes, there is a 5 foot drop!!

The footer has been poured.

Blocks have been laid

The chief inspector of blocks!

More walls and that is not my Mr Pipp!

Now it is starting to look like a foundation.

It is all laid out ready for the concrete truck

Looking down the hill at our wall for the Florida Room. When it isn't so foggy we have a real pretty view.

The oh so wonderful double car garage.

Gingerbread Spiced Coffee Syrup

2010-01-09T20:49:00.000-06:00

I found this great recipe for gingerbread spiced coffee syrup at allrecipes.com. It made the best tasting coffee and was very easy to make. I highly recommend it.

We are building a new house

2010-01-06T16:36:00.000-06:00

The construction started this week but the cold weather has slowed things down. Maybe next week there will be more progress. Yea we are so happy!!!

It is COLD outside but I'm keeping WARM inside

2010-01-03T20:55:00.000-06:00

I moved south for a reason- I don't like being cold!!! But it does get cold in the South but really 24degrees tonight and 21degrees tomorrow night and freezing temps for the next 10days at night what is a girl to do???

She has a really nice fireplace to keep her toasty except when she has to get more wood from the frozen tundra!

Bless my dear husband who split a lot of wood for me so I wouldn't have to do it myself and loaded the front porch with a great supply so I wouldn't have to venture to far into the frozen tundra. He is thankful for the fancy electric wood splitter that he finally was able to get fixed!

PS: Any thoughts on global warming cuz I'm just not feeling it here ;-)

Salmon Patties-quick and easy

2009-12-23T13:18:00.000-06:00

I don't have a picture but trust me these are the best and easiest Salmon Patties, I've also made them with canned Tuna.

Salmon Patties
1 can(15-16oz) salmon or mackerel, drain setting aside 2 Tb of juice
1 egg
1/3 c minced onion
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Drain salmon, remove skin and bones if you want to. In a medium bowl mix salmon, egg and onion; stir in flour. Add baking powder to salmon juice, it will foam up a lot; stir into salmon mixture. Form into patties and fry until golden brown. Serve with tartar sauce.

Homemade Tartar Sauce
Mix together Mayo and chopped pickles(sweet or dill) varying the amount of mayo to pickles that makes you happy. I mix about 3T mayo to 1tsp of sweet pickles myself. Any leftover sauce will keep in the frig for a while. Much cheaper than that little bottle you can buy at the store!

Rising Waters

2009-12-15T20:03:00.005-06:00

We have had A LOT of rain lately. My DH let me know the creek had risen so I decided to take some pictures of the event. Don't worry we are on high ground with chance of flooding. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KLtDVxrotQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiYZLK4Sz00 www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9UjlfUCRZs

Lasagna Recipe

2009-11-15T19:00:00.000-06:00

I made lasagna for lunch at Church and had 2 requests for the recipe so I thought someone else might enjoy it too!

Easy Lasagna-

1#ground beef
3 1/2c (32oz jar) thick spaghetti sauce
1 1/2c water
2c (15-16oz) ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
2c (8oz) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2c grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4c chopped parley ( I use dried)
1 tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
8 oz lasagna noodles uncooked

Brown beef in a 3qt sauce pan; drain off excess fat. Add sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients, except lasagna noodles, for filling. Pour about 1c sauce in a 9x13x2 dish. Layer 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna over sauce; cover with about 1 1/2c sauce. Spread 1/2 of cheese filling over sauce; repeat layers of lasagna, sauce and cheese filling. top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. Remove foil bake about 10 minutes longer. Allow to stand about 10 minutes before cutting for easier handling. 8-10 servings.
The lasagna will expand to fill empty spaces.

This freezes and reheats very nicely !!!

It's Snowing! Nope it's cotton picking time in the South

2009-11-03T20:28:00.000-06:00

This time of year the cotton fields are ready to be harvested. I like to refer to the cotton as " Southern Snow". When it is harvested little bits of cotton fly around in the wind and get scattered along the roadways much like snow flurries up North.

The cotton boll(pronounced bowl) is a pretty sight but although I have never picked cotton I have been assured it is not a pleasant task. The bolls have very sharp thorns or edges.

Picking cotton now is all by machine. There is the harvester, and when it gets full it dumps its load into what I call a tamper( I don't know what it really is called) which tamps the cotton down real hard. When the 'tamper' is full it raises up and leaves a 'brick' of tamped cotton behind.

The farmers cover the cotton to keep it dry until a special truck comes by to carry it off to the cotton gin. At the cotton gin the cotton seeds are removed.

Cotton seeds have many uses- they are pressed for cotton seed oil, ground into meal for use as a soil amendment and of course some are saved for next years crop.

Turkey Stock

2009-11-01T20:19:00.000-06:00

Every 1st Sunday our Church eats together after morning services. Last week the ladies were trying to decide what we would have and it was suggested that we would do a "Thanksgiving Meal". It was that and so much more! I volunteered to bake the bird. I bought a 24# bird! No pictures, well you all have seen what a cooked turkey looks like right.
Anyway, I brought home the leftover meat for pot pies and sandwiches and the bones to make turkey stock.

This is how to make turkey stock: Put all the bones in a large crock pot and cover with water and add 1/4 c vinegar( that's so you get calcium from the bones), and cook on low all night. Or you could use whatever pot you have that the bones will fit in cover with water, cover and simmer on low - med low for about 4 hours, watch the water level and add more water if the bones are not covered.

This is my 8.5 qt crock pot full of the bones and water

In the morning let cool slightly and strain, pick out any good meat. You can then put the stock in the refrig and when it gets cold the fat will be on the top and you can remove it. Heat the stock to boiling and then pour the hot broth into quart canning jars and pressure can at 10# for 25min, if you want to can in pints just pressure can at 10# for 20minutes. I've canned ham, chicken and beef stock the same way, always better than store bought.
This stock can also be frozen.

Canned Stock

Sausage and Creamed Potatoes

2009-10-25T17:05:00.000-05:00

Sausage and Creamed Potaotes

Made this recipe last night, yummy. Just click on the name and it will take you the blog with all the pretty pictures and directions.

Winding Down the Summer

2009-10-24T17:20:00.001-05:00

In May I posted my summer garden pictures so I felt it fitting to post some of the garden pictures for the end of summer. I have 4 heirloom pumkins yet to pick and am anxiously waiting for the citrus to ripen before a hard frost hits. Hubby has graciously tilled my small fall garden plot for me, usually I plant several garden areas for fall but we plan on starting to build our dream home in January. The other areas will either under the foundation or will be trampled by busy builders.

The fuzzy stuff is stevia seeds getting ready to fly off the their new home.

Hamburger Soup

2009-10-24T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's cool outside and time for soup! Today it is Hamburger Soup, it is comfort food. I've been making this soup for years starting with 1 1/2# of hamburger. Here is the recipe :
Brown:
1 1/2# of hamburger in a stew pot(dutch oven for those in the know), drain
Add:
1c of chopped onion
1c chopped celery
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced,about 1c
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed,about 1c
28 oz can or jar of tomatoes plus juice
2tsp salt
1/4-1/2tsp ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8tsp dried basil leaves
3c water

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer just until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Now you can get creative with this soup, today I added a handful of chopped spinach, 1/2c of field peas, 1tsp of pureed garlic, fresh ground pepper and Italian seasoning to taste and some leftover cubes of sweet potato. Yummy!!!!

Play Dough

2009-10-23T21:14:00.001-05:00

I've made this play dough many times for the nephews with great play reviews.

Play Dough- No cook
1 cup flour- any kind of plain flour, not self rising
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp food color- experiment with mixing colors, the new neon ones are fun.
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

In a small mixing bowl add the flour. In a measuring cup mix water, food coloring and oil, add to flour in mixing bowl. This will be very messy and sticky not very good for the kiddos to get into. Mix with a spoon or your hands, the hands work better for this. Keep mixing and kneading until it reaches the consistency of play dough, will take maybe two minutes. If the play dough seems sticky add a little more flour. I haven't tried doubling or tripling this since each nephew wants a different color. This play dough keeps up to a week if refrigerated in a baggy or other sealed container. Don't try to dry any "creations" the oil in the play dough will prevent it from getting hard enough.

Enjoy-Viki

Slow cooker Smothered Round Steak

2009-10-23T20:50:00.000-05:00

A great recipe for a family. I use this recipe for those days that I'll be gone all day shopping and going to orchestra. Works great with noodles or rice. Happy cooking-Viki

Smothered Round Steak Recipe

Slow cooker recipe

4 Servings
Prep: 20 min. Cook: 7 hours

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds beef top round steak, cut into 1-1/2-inch strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 large green pepper, sliced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
Hot cooked egg noodles, optional

Directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef and shake to coat. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker.
Add the onion, green pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce and molasses.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with noodles if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/4 cups (calculated without noodles) equals 337 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 96 mg cholesterol, 1,585 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 43 g protein.

Made it in October 09, it was great, would be a good Sunday Supper

Mennonite girls can cook: Almond Puff

2009-10-06T16:52:00.001-05:00

Mennonite girls can cook: Almond Puff

Shared via AddThis

Pound Cake

2009-10-06T08:04:00.000-05:00

I know this recipe works cuz I've made several. I'm posting because there has been a request for the recipe so here goes:

1# (3 1/4c) AP Flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1# butter-softened
2 c sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
9 eggs-room temp.

Preheat oven to 325F. Butter two 5X9 loaf pans. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high until pale and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium and add vanilla. Lightly beat eggs and add in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scrape down sides. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops. Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completel on wire rack.

Variations:
Cinnamon raisin- toss 2 cups raisins in 2 T flour, fold into finished batter. Divide batter in half and fold 2 T cinnamon into 1 half. Scoop batters into 2 prepared pans, 1/2c at a time alternating between plain and cinnamon. Swirl with a knife.

Blueberry- Sour cream- Use 1/2c sour cream in place of 1 stick of butter. Toss 2 c blueberries in 2 T flour, fold into finished batter.

Chocolate Chip- Fold 2 c semisweet or bittersweet chocalate chips into batter.

Pan options: Use a bunt or angel cake pan in place of 2 loaf pans.

Front to back blueberry sour cream, left back- chocolate chip, right back- cinnamon raisin.

The two front cakes were baked in Demarle pans.

Sweet Potatoes!!

2009-10-06T07:14:00.000-05:00

This year we were given some sweet potato slips to plant. We've never grown sweet potatoes so didn't really know what to do or expect out of the harvest. First of all we were told that they LOVE a hot and humid climate-got that here. Second the vines grow very fast-check that's true. Third dig them in the first week of October-did that. Didn't know how they would turn out, not to bad for beginners. Some of those sweet potatoes are big enough that one would feed several people. I just wish a picture was taken before we started digging. Here are a few after pictures with my helpers!!

Macaroni and Cheese

2009-09-18T07:40:00.000-05:00

This one is a favorite of the nephews!

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked macaroni, I use whole wheat myself
2 cups milk- whole works best
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups grated cheddar cheese- this equals an 8 oz block*

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400

Cook the macaroni until al dente, drain and place in a buttered casserole - 13X9 is a good size. Melt butter in saucepan then add milk,1/2 tsp salt, and flour stirring often until thick. Add the 1 tsp salt, pepper, dry mustard and grated cheese, mix well and heat stirring until the cheese is melted and well blended. Pour over the macaroni in the casserole. Bake for15 minutes.
Or
Follow the recipe above but place in a greased crockpot and keep on low.

* I use a medium cheddar for the kiddos but have mixed cheddar and pepper jack with great reviews from the adults. I find that grating and freezing in 2 cup portions is a great time saver,especially when cheese goes on sale.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2009-09-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful recipe for you to try. It will be one I make again and again.

Savory Chicken Noodle Bake

User Rating (3 Reviews) Write a Review

By Diana Rattray, About.com

Chicken Noodle Bake

Diana Rattray

This tasty chicken noodle bake makes a great weeknight meal for the family.

Ingredients:

6 ounces thin egg noodles, cooked, drained ( I used wide egg noodles)
6 tablespoons butter
6 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
6 tablespoons flour
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 cup pimiento, drained, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed under hot water
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for topping

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F°. Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.

In large skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt butter; saute mushrooms until tender. Blend in flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth, milk, pimiento, and salt and pepper; stir constantly until sauce is thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and the cooked noodles. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over top. Bake chicken noodle casserole 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Serves 8.

Easy Potato Soup

2009-08-30T20:20:00.000-05:00

I found this Potato Soup Recipe that is so easy and thought I would share it with you.

Unbelievably Easy Potato Soup
From www.recipezaar.com Recipe #74275 | 30 min | 5 min prep |
Ingredients
1 large potato, per person
1/4 cup chopped celery, per person (include leaves)
1/4 cup chopped onion, per person
1/4-1/2 cup milk, half and half or cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Peel and cube potatoes.
Put in a saucepan along with the onions and celery.
Add water, but don't quite cover the vegetables.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are very tender.
Using a potato masher, coarsely crush the potatoes, but don't mash them--you want chunks left.
Add enough milk or cream to thin to desired thickness and add salt & pepper to taste.
(It will take a lot of salt!).

Putting up fig leather!

2009-08-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

First you must aquire your figs, mine came from a wonderful family that lets me pick as many as I want. Bring them home and wash and stem them. A small paring knife works well for this task.
Next I get out my handy dandy VitaMix. I tried doing this with a regular blender and the results were much better with the VitaMix. A food processor might work I just don't have one.
Puree in batches of a cup or two making sure there isn't big lumps. Sometimes there are some figs that haven't been chopped up and I just add them to the next batch.
Spread the puree on a teflex sheet or plastic wrap making sure the edges are slightly thicker than the middle, don't stress this isn't an exact science. The idea is to make sure that it is thin enough that it will dry evenly.

Place in the dehydrator that has been preheating at 135F. It takes about 10-12 hours to dry. Make sure that the leather is just tacky and not still coming off on your fingers. A good test is to peel some off and if it comes off in a sheet its is done, if some still sticks to the teflex or plastic wrap let it dry some more.

When the leather is dry-it will be darker than the puree, peel it off and lay it on a sheet of wax paper or platic wrap and roll it up. I prefer wax paper but didn't have any at the time. I like to cut the rolls into 1 to 2 inch pieces and vacuum seal in bags or jars.

Dehydrators and teflex sheets can be ordered on the internet. I bought mine through ebay.

What happens when the bugs don't like you.

2009-08-08T21:31:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when you don't know that walking up the ramp will make the wasps angry!! I was minding my own business when bam I get nailed several times- I really don't know if it was two or three times. I screamed really loud, I mean really loud. I imagine that if anyone was around they would have thought that I was being mauled or something. Anyway I ran into the house and quickly put baking soda on my foot then went for the bug spray to nail those boogers. Can you guess what foot got stung? It doesn't hurt but in a day or so there will be a lot of itching. The swelling is making my foot real numb, there won't be any shoes on this foot for a while.

Wildlife up close!

2009-08-08T21:01:00.000-05:00

One thing about living in the country is the amazing amount of times you encounter wildlife up close. In my case I actually get to see animals up close which just thrills me. I am always admiring how much God has created such diversity in nature and how blessed I am to see so much so often.

Just driving down the paved road and here come the Momma turkey and her clan. Wish I could enlarge this picture, just can't quite figure it out yet.

Found this baby hummer laying on the porch. I put it on the feeder, had to do it several times! The poor thing was so hungry and weak but it did finally get full and flew off a happy camper. I like to think it is one of my regulars at the feeders now.

I was going out the drive and noticed this turtle. I always try to avoid running over them! I slowed down to see what was going on and lo and behold egg laying was in progress. I feel so blessed to be able to witness this. I have since marked the location and made a note on the calendar to start watching for the hatchlings in three months. Hopefully I'll be there to take some baby pictures.

What is this flower?

2009-08-01T00:09:00.000-05:00

I thought this was an amaryllis until it bloomed. I love the look of this flower, my Aunt kindly shared this with me and told me it is from the amaryllis family but has no idea what it is called. If anyone knows the name please let me know.

Everything is coming up green

2009-05-27T13:20:00.000-05:00

All this rain is such a blessing and it has been coming down in manageable amounts, yesterday we had about 1". I wish it could be spread throughout the summer but God knows best.

The tomatoes are doing great with such promise for the up coming harvest.

The volunteer eggplants and summer squash love where they sprouted. Wonder what they will look like since both are cross pollinated, what I mean is that the summer squash crossed with zucchini which last year produced squash that had the shape of a zucchini and the color of yellow squash, they tasted great! The eggplant was a cross between a black beauty and a white that produced a beautiful lavender and white striped fruit that tasted great and boy did it make a lot. Please be kind and ignore the weeds that are also loving this bountiful rain.

The first planting of carrots is coming along nicely
and the second planting is coming up.

The second time I planted I scattered a few radish seeds,
it's supposed to help aeriate the ground for the carrots when you harvest the radishes.

The stevia plants are loving this rain as are the parsley and chives.

A Garden Update

2009-05-24T20:23:00.000-05:00

Well it has been a while since posting so here are some updates:

The vegetables have been growing a lot since last posted.

The rains have been a blessing for all of us. Some things that really have grown are the mushrooms!! I don't know what kind these are but don't eat these please.

These are where fairies hide right?

A half moon fairy ring found in our front lawn. I don't know why there is one here but it is an interesting formation.

It's twins! There is a lovely pattern in the
center of these mushrooms.

The Muskadine Vines have grown and they
look like they will bear a lot this year.

Just look at those lovely little fruit clusters.

The bean patch has grown a lot. I've been trying to grow green beans for several years without much success. Last time I had a good stand of beans I put up almost 100 jars. Most years the beans die out when the hot weather gets here but that year they kept on producing through August.

I had my fill of canning beans and tilled them under. To bad I didn't know it would be a while before I had a nice bean crop again.

Here is a nice stand of green beans.
My first try at growing butter beans.
They look so healthy.

Cheery Flowers

2009-05-08T23:48:00.000-05:00

This hardy Hydrangea Bloom survived
the killing freezes by growing very low
to the ground. Alas it may be the only
one I get to enjoy this year.

My Lovely Pinks made it through the cold
Winter to cheer me on with their showy
blooms and spicy scent.

Our garden

2009-05-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

I want to keep a record of the gardens this year with progress and failures.

Tomatoes and their towers

green beans, butterbeans

asparagus

Our Little House on the Hill

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Clouds-Art in the Sky

Pecan Pie w/o corn syrup

Diaper Cake

Cloth napkins the serger way!

A day of Painting

Pigs

Spring Gardening Time

Orchids!!!

Pretty Shoe Insoles craft tutorial by Grosgrain

Fun times at Aunt Viki's

Homemade Strawberry Marshmallows

Ode to Scarlett

Me and my buddy-MLC

Aspartame and GMO

Just some info that I found enlightening and wanted to pass on.

Aspartame exposed - GM Bacteria used to create deadly sweetener

Just because I thought they were pretty!!

Bread The Staff of Life best served with Butter!

Our family pets

Ben Stein Commentary

What kids do when using their imaginations!!

The Decleration of Independance

With all the political talking going on I thought a brief history lesson would be nice.

Declaration of Independence

The Unanimous Declarationof the Thirteen United States of America

We are building a new house

House building update-finally

Snow in Gulfport Ms

Individual Pot Pies

House Building Progress

Gingerbread Spiced Coffee Syrup

We are building a new house

It is COLD outside but I'm keeping WARM inside

Salmon Patties-quick and easy

Rising Waters

Lasagna Recipe

It's Snowing! Nope it's cotton picking time in the South

Turkey Stock

Sausage and Creamed Potatoes

Winding Down the Summer

Hamburger Soup

Play Dough

Slow cooker Smothered Round Steak

A great recipe for a family. I use this recipe for those days that I'll be gone all day shopping and going to orchestra. Works great with noodles or rice. Happy cooking-Viki

Smothered Round Steak Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Mennonite girls can cook: Almond Puff

Pound Cake

Sweet Potatoes!!

Macaroni and Cheese

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Another wonderful recipe for you to try. It will be one I make again and again.

Savory Chicken Noodle Bake

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Easy Potato Soup

Putting up fig leather!

What happens when the bugs don't like you.

Wildlife up close!

What is this flower?

Everything is coming up green

A Garden Update

Cheery Flowers

Our garden

The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America