To Boil Or Not To Boil, That Is The Question

Remember the old Paul Simon song, "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover?" Well, substitute "boil an egg" for "the words "leave your lover," sing the song and that is my subject for today- eggs!

Last weekend, while in the mountains with five other youngish, old gals like me, we made a salad to go with the fabulous pork loin cooked by Helen. There were two eggs left over from breakfast and I decided to boil them for the salad. I found the smallest pan in the kitchen, filled it with enough cold water to cover the eggs and turned on the gas burner. I boil my eggs from 15 minutes, plunge them into icy water, crack the shells and let them sit for a few minutes in the water. The shells peel off easily.

One friend said I was doing it wrong. "The eggs should be brought to a boil, removed from the heat, covered and let sit for 5 minutes." Fine! She did it her way, while I adjusted my nose which had come out of joint during the conversation. The eggs were fine, the salad was yummy and the pork loin- perfect.

During dinner we discussed the many ways to boil an egg. I think it was the wine talking because otherwise, who would care? Someone said "You poke a hole in the shell before you boil it." Another said to boil salted water to prevent breaking, add the egg and cook for 10 minutes. (Paula Deen does it this way.) Another friend was sure that you start the egg in cold water. It seemed that everyone had a different way to boil an egg.

I did some research after coming home and several people online said never use a fresh egg. They insisted that a week old egg peels better. Who knew?

One website said to put room temperature eggs in a single layer, cover with water and over medium heat, boil for 4 minutes and rinse under cold water. Test for doneness by spinning the egg. An uncooked egg will wobble. Again, who knew?

One comment from a reader said she cooks eggs until the water runs dry and the pan catches on fire. Of course, she added LOL. Dare I say it again? WHO KNEW?

Seriously, another reader suggested just cooking the eggs all day in a crock pot. My sister has an electric egg cooker and just pushes a button. She gets perfect soft, medium or hard boiled eggs every time. Now that's the ticket! A "Chef" website said this: "Use only room temperature eggs. Carefully place eggs in boiling water and reduce to a simmer. Cook 3-4 minutes for soft boiled, 5-7 minutes for medium boiled and 12-15 minutes for hard boiled." He added that cooking time would vary, depending on the size of the egg and amount of water used. He simmers a very large egg for 17 minutes. (A man after my own heart.) He then chills them in cold water, cracks and starts peeling at the large end of the egg where the air sac is located.

I was overwhelmed by so much egg information so I called my cooking source, my son Travis, who is a Chef. He said with a slotted spoon, he carefully lowers the egg into boiling water, and cooks for 12 minutes. He chills them in the refrigerator and when ready to use, rolls the egg on a flat surface and the shell falls off. Then Travis told me an interesting little fact. It seems the tall traditional Chef hat, also called a toque-blanche, has 100 pleats. It is said that a Master Chef knows 100 different ways to prepare eggs, as many ways as there are pleats in his hat.

So, I guess it "boils" down to this: If you like your hard boiled eggs cooked for 4 minutes or 40 minutes, it is up to you. My mother taught me to boil and egg and I have done it the same way for 50 years. I say "whatever works!" One thing I do know is that an egg (or anything else) always tastes better with a good glass of wine!

One Year But Who Is Counting?

Just a personal note, Dear Readers,

I began writing Some Girl Over The Rainbow one year ago. It started out just for fun, but has become a part of my life. I try to put interesting stories, recipes and pictures in my blog for my family and friends. It is light and fluffy stuff, no politics (although, I sure would like to put in my two cents sometimes) no murder and mayhem (although, I am writing a mystery book and love Forensic Files) and, I hope, nothing too heavy and dark. It is hard to be happy all of the time in such a complicated world so maybe a little bit of fluff and silliness will help the difficult times to be a little easier to bear. You know what Mary Poppins said "Just a spoonful of sugar, helps the medicine go down."

Thank you to all the faithful readers who tune in often. This year, there have been over 1,200 hits to this blog from people all over the world. I don't know how folks from Singapore, France, India or Germany find me, but I am glad that you do.

Please tune in for another year of recipes, travel information and flights of fancy.

Lynn

Louie Armstrong Was Right

Today Andy and I drove to Roanoke. What a beautiful day, 80 degrees and sunny. The song "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong kept tumbling through my mind.

The white blossoms of Bradford Pear trees stood out against the sky of blue. We drove through farmland with green pastures behind white painted fences. Forsythia waved branches of flowing gold at us as we past by. Daffodils raised their little cups of bright yellow toward the heavens.


"And I said to myself, what a wonderful world........ Oh Yeah!"

Isn't That Just Peachy!

I shouldn't have done it, but I did it anyway.

Andy didn't feel well today, some kind of sinus situation, and I wanted to cheer him up. Part of me wanted to do something nice for him but part of me was calculating calories. So, I said "If I make this cobbler, we will just eat it until it is gone." To which Andy replied "Isn't that the point?" Makes sense unless you are on a diet as I am, or at least, as I "SAY" I am. So, to please him, mind you, I took a jar of last years fresh-from-our-own-tree-peaches out of the pantry.

This peach cobbler is so very easy and yummy too. It is almost the same recipe as the Easy Cherry Cobbler from 7/17/10.

Easy Peach Cobbler

1 Cup Self-rising flour

1 Cup sugar

1 Stick butter

3/4 Cup milk

1/4 Cup peach juice from drained peaches

1 # 2 Can peaches, drained, reserve juice **You can use fresh, canned or frozen fruit. **

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the stick of butter in a 8 by 8 glass pan and melt in the oven. Mix flour and sugar and add milk and peach juice gradually, stirring so it doesn't become lumpy. Mix in vanilla. Pour batter over butter. Add fruit over batter. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake until brown. I tested to see if the cobbler was done by inserting a knife in the center and when it comes out clean- it is done.

This cobbler is really good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

** Note: Andy likes more fruit than cake. I like more cake than fruit. This recipe is more the way I like it. Today, I made it his way by adding twice the amount of peaches. I used a round 2 quart casserole dish. It took a little over an 1 hour to bake. About 45 minutes into the baking, I covered the cobbler with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too brown on top.

The Challenge

My friend Margaret (post: "Meet Margaret Adkins," Jan. 30, 2011 ) ask a favor of me. I do love Margaret and her wish is my command! It was her turn to host the program for the senior group at her church. She wanted to read one of her stories but was afraid her voice couldn't be heard. So, she asked me to read a story she had written recalling an incident from her childhood. The story was called "Challenge for the Boys."

The challenge Margaret refers to concerned the rivalry between the girls and boys baseball teams when she was in school. Margaret and her sister Mildred were both on the girls team. They fought for time on the only ball field at the school with the boys team. Finally, the girls gave the boys a challenge: "play a game of baseball with us and who ever wins gets the practice field at recess."

The girls won. Margaret's sister hit the winning homer with the bases loaded. The boys grumbled but came away from their defeat with a new respect for the girls.

Margaret called me the morning of the meeting and said she timed the length of her story and it took only eight minutes to read. "The program should last fifteen minutes" She said. She asked if I would read a story or poem of mine and I told her I would find something. Before the program, I asked her if I could read a little story that had one possibly offensive word in it. Margaret's eyes twinkled as she said "That would be perfect!"

This was the story I read, and I remind you, Dear Readers, that my stories are creative non-fiction. That means: a seed of the truth, some dialog mixed in and a whole lot of "if it didn't happen that way, it sure should have!" (See Feb. 27 post called "Dead Skunks, Buzzards and Being Honest.")

Dolly and Me

It is bluegrass music night at the Spencer-Penn Centre. The lights dim and band after band play their set. Andy and I are listening as the band plays a Johnny Cash song. I start to drift off into a sleepy day dream state.

I have always wondered if I am "normal." People who know me might laugh and say "of course not!" Personality aside, I am talking about my flights of fancy. I take a ride every so often and really enjoy the trip.

Tonight as the band launches into "The Wreck of the Old 97," my eyes close and I drift away into a fantasy world.

I fantasize that a man walks through the door across the room. He walks up to Andy and me and whispers something to us, we rise and follow him out of the building and into the parking lot. We approach a big, fancy motor home and see a woman standing in the doorway. It is my best friend, Dolly Parton! We run to her, hug and jump up and down, so glad to see each other.

As we walk back into the auditorium with Dolly, the room explodes with applause. We are invited to the stage and Dolly agrees to sing with the band. I am her back up singer (Never mind that I have a terrible voice. This is MY fantasy, isn't it?) The audience screams and claps and we harmonize beautifully as we sing "Coat of Many Colors." Andy plays the guitar. The audience is on their feet. "Encore, Encore!" They cheer as we give them another song.

After the show we drive back to our house. Carl, Dolly's husband, is waiting for us. While Andy and Carl discuss cattle and the price of hay, Dolly and I reminisce about the past. We laugh about working together in the movie "9 to 5" (I played the Jane Fonda part.) I tease her about funny old Burt Reynolds flirting with her on the set of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (I played one of the Chicken Ranch girls.) Burt was always talking about Dolly's "obvious attributes!"

We try on old costumes and wigs, laugh and have a champagne toast to our friendship.

This is so cool! Dolly and I are best friends. Wow.

What? Hey, wait a minute. I feel a nudge. Huh?

I feel Andy touch my hand. He says something and I am jolted back to reality.

Dolly is gone! Carl, the fancy motor home, and my music career are just brief memories. Darn.

The band is picking an old Eagles song, "Peaceful Easy Feeling" while a few couples dance to the beat. After a Creedence Clearwater Revival tune done with a bluegrass twist, the band closes with a gospel song.

You never know what will happen at a bluegrass concert.

Little Kitty Named Tabby Grey

I have been thinking about my grandmother a lot recently. She was a important influence in my life. She is gone now and I miss her very much. This is a children's poem she recited to my brother, sister and me when we were children. I think it came from the 1920s, 30s or 40s.

I do not know the author and have tried to find the title and words on the Internet. I have Googled, Poem Finder and Poem Hunter, with no luck. If anyone has heard this poem before please let me know.


Little Kitty Named Tabby Grey

I am a little kitty, my name is Tabby Grey.
I live out in the country, some twenty miles away.
My eyes are black as hazel, my fur as soft as silk.
I banquet every morning on a saucer full of milk.
The milk comes sweet and foamy, from the good old cow,
After I have drank it, I frolic you know how.
Sometimes when I am naughty, I climb up on the stand,
And eat the cake or chicken or just anything I can.
Oh! Then they hide my saucer, no matter how I mew,
And that is the way I'm punished for the naughty things I do.

Remembering Melly

When I think of my friend Melly, I think of many things but two adjectives describe her best: brilliant and gracious. Melly passed away on March 1st, and she will be greatly missed.

Born Mary Newport Taylor, she was called Melly by her two adoring older sisters. They convinced her that "Melly" was the Chinese pronunciation for Mary. It stuck. She was Melly to her friends and sisters. To her many nephews and nieces, she was called Port.

Melly was a member of the same church all of her life. She was an accomplished singer, an alto, and sang in choir. Many songs were performed with her sister, Edith. Melly studied at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and was a piano teacher who instructed many fine young pupils. She was a patron of the arts and loved music. Other joys in her life were animals, her community, family and friends.

I met Melly when I joined the Piedmont Writers Group in 2008. She was a gentle, soft spoken lady but when she read her poetry, we listened! Poetry came easily to this former music teacher. Her love for music was evident when she read her "songs." One was a waltz set in 3/4 time. It was about a girl who had a cold and it read something like this: "I would dance with you, but I have the flu," and it goes on to say "If I only had a tissue, ACHOO!" The poem flowed like a sweet, humorous song and we never tired of hearing it.

Melly wrote fantasy and science fiction, love poems and humor. I call her writings brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I hope there is a way to compile her work so the world can enjoy her poems and stories. The way she turned a phrase or effortlessly constructed a sentence was pure art.

I would also describe Melly as gracious. If anyone did the slightest thing for Melly, she would thank them profusely. And she meant it. She was always grateful for any small favor: a ride, phone call or a plate of cookies. She loved cookies.

I think Melly was the epitome of a Southern lady. Proud of her family and its rich history, she lived in her family home from age five until her death at age seventy six. I wish I had known her as a young woman but I was privileged to know her these last few years.

At Melly's funeral, Margaret Adkins read a poem she had written for her dear friend. It was a lovely memorial to Melly called "Goodbye To A Friend." She read, in part, "She might sing but you won't hear her" And then spoke of "angels drawing near her."

I imagine she is also writing poetry. We will miss you, Miss Melly.

Treasures at The Cellar Chest

I took some items to the Cellar Chest today. They will be for sale and someone else can enjoy my treasures.

I sat down over a cup of coffee with the manager, Tania Riddle, and admired all the work she and her staff have done since I was there a week ago. Tania has a flair for decorating and has been working hard on the back room, expanding the available space and making room for more paintings and antiques. One corner is reserved for Christmas! I love Christmas all year and if you are looking for ornaments or decorations to add to your collection, The Cellar Chest is the place to go.

In the front room there are little cozy areas such as the love seat and trunk shown in front of the piano (see picture.) On another wall is a large china cabinet full of blue and white Blue Willow patterned china. There is beautiful glassware, jewelry, books, furniture and collectibles.

Go in and see Tania and tell her that Lynn sent you. You will really enjoy poking around in this interesting shop. You never know what treasure you will find!

The Cellar Chest: 6620 A.L. Philpott Hwy (58 E.) Martinsville, VA

Dead Skunks, Buzzards and Being Honest

Last night, coming back from a bluegrass concert out of town, we drove miles and miles through the distinctive aroma of skunk. It must be mating season because where ever I go, I smell the unmistakable "perfume" of skunk. They are usually dead in the middle of the road.

I was wondering today, coming back home from church and getting yet another whiff of you-know-what, if buzzards would eat a nasty smelling old dead skunk. Of course, buzzards eat nasty smelling corpses of, I guess, just about anything. So, it stands to reason that a buzzard will eat a skunk and not worry about the smell.

So, I typed in the question into trusty old Google. I found one website that answered just about any question on the subject and in graphic detail. And, I might add, in so much detail that I came away feeling a little nauseated and disgusted. Ah, on the positive side, this might be a good day to start a DIET since I can't imagine eating anything after reading what I read.

On the other hand, I wonder how much of the skunk article is true? Maybe as much truth as is on the Internet? I figure (my own estimate and I am such a skeptic) that only part of what we read on the Internet is true. You know what "they" say, "You can't believe everything you hear (read or even see.)"

In writing my own stories, about 80% is actually true. Now, I am going to be 100% honest: I take a "seed" of what really happened, add a bit of creative fiction and a whole lot of "well, if it didn't happen that way, it SHOULD have!" I think 80% is a pretty close estimate.

Take my story "Nightmare," posted back in April of 2010. On the truthful side: I really did have an Uncle Bucky and all of the other names are correct. We really did ride the roller coaster named "Nightmare" and the twists and turns were just as I remembered. Joyland, the amusement park, was just as I described it.

Now, on the not-so-truthful side: it is "rumored" that Uncle Bucky swallowed his cigar (I have heard that story all my life) and the dialog "could" have gone as I wrote it. So, there you are, 80% truth. The rest is fiction.

So, whether you are talking about dead skunks, buzzards or roller coasters, when YOU hear a good story and pass it on, don't you want to make it just a little better? Now be truthful !

Comments answered

Hey Readers,

For some reason, I cannot figure out how to post a comment on my own blog. Does anyone know how to do this? If so, please send me an e-mail at writingonarainbow@gmail.com Thank you.

To Ann, I appreciate your comment about my poem about the hole in my sock. It was silly, but I am glad you like it. My sister in Kansas and my brother in California enjoyed it also (even if Brother called it "Corny but Cute.") They are both sweet about my little stories. Also, yes, I have seen the movie "Trip to Bountiful" many times. I love Geraldine Page and think she made wonderful movies.

Speaking of old movies, I am addicted to them. TCM is one of my favorite channels and I watched "Lost Horizons" the other day (had not seen it for years) and remembered how much I loved that movie the first time I saw it. Being from Kansas, another favorite is "The Wizard of Oz" and sometimes refer to it in my stories, especially in earlier posts. (I love going home to Kansas and need to write more about it soon. It is a wonderful state. I guess we love our home state and town the best. It is familiar and comfortable.) Back to old movies, I love old horror movies (really old ones) with Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney. I love the old Topper movies, the Three Stooges, Our Gang Comedy, and of course, since I am a transplant in the South, "Gone With The Wind."

I have listed just a few of my favorite movies. What are your favorites?

A Stitch In Time

I was inspired to write this little ditty when I took off my shoe last night and saw my big toe sticking out from a hole in my sock:














A Stitch In Time

A stitch in time saves nine, is what Grandmother always said.
I didn't heed her advise, there is a hole in my sock, instead.

Now, I'll look for a needle and thread I need to match,
A darning egg would be nice, so the problem I can patch.

I could throw out this holey sock and toss it in the trash,
But it is kinder for the planet to fix rather than to smash.

My toe is sticking out of my sock, what am I supposed to do?
I could cover it up, conveniently, and hide it with my shoe.

Ah ha! I found a needle and a thimble and now the thread.
I will fix the hole in my sock, and do as Grandmother said.



Dear Readers,


This is about the silliest thing I have ever written, but don't we need a chuckle or two when the world is so crazy? AND.... it was absolutely true, as you can see from the photo. I used to have a darning egg.... hmmmm.....I wonder what the heck I did with it?


Love,
Lynn

Dinner in 30 Minutes

Last Saturday night, we were going out to a music show at 6:00. I thought!

I was on the computer when Andy called out "Do you want to grab something to eat at a restaurant before we go to the show?" "No, I am going to cook tonight," I returned. "Well, you had better start, we only have an hour." He said.

"What!" I thought! It was only 4:00. As it turned out, we had to leave at 5:00 instead of 6:00 and I had to hustle in the kitchen. There was no time to panic. Get busy, Girl!

My rice cooker takes 20 minutes so I threw in a package (you know, the long skinny one) of yellow saffron rice in the cooker with butter and water. It started cooking right away. Good.

I sliced up steak, orange and red peppers and a large onion into strips and started to saute in a pan. When almost done, I tossed in a package of Fajita mix and a 1/4 cup water, covered and steamed until tender.

Meanwhile, I chopped up some Romaine lettuce, peeled a kiwi fruit and sliced. I peeled and sliced an avocado and arranged all on a plate and drizzled with Raspberry Walnut dressing straight from the bottle.

I warmed two tortillas, stuffed them with the meat/pepper/onion mixture and topped with freshly shredded cheddar cheese, plated up a generous scoop of yellow rice, brought the salad plates to the table and served my Mexican meal to my husband all in under 30 minutes. Not bad for a hurried up dinner and best of all- he loved it.

Some Updates and Things to Come

Hello Dear Readers,

I am working on some interesting, I think, stories to post soon.

Andy and I went to the boondocks last Sunday afternoon. We love to drive in the country and we had to drive through a lot of it to get where we were going.

Have you ever been to a town called "Tightsqueeze," Virginia? Neither had I but now I can say I have. I love that name and in a soon-to-be-published post, I will tell you how Tightsqueeze got its unusual name.

Also, Chatham,VA is a most interesting place with grand old homes and interesting architecture. I am going there for the day (or maybe two) this week and do a little poking around. Will be bringing, for your enjoyment, lots of pictures of this lovely little place.

Lets see, oh yes, the writers group book is in its final proofing and I should know more about its publishing date soon. I am looking for it to be out in a couple of months but, since many have asked about it, I will be sure and post that date and how to order it soon.

I spent a fun day in Greensboro, NC yesterday. Years ago there were six of us who worked together in a wonderful shop called: Potpourri Press the Company Store. Janet was the manager, I was the floral designer, Trish: the one who transformed the store into a thing of beauty. Helen, was the office manager and Becky and Marie wore many hats from cashier, to greeter to make-the-store-pretty employee. We all loved The Company Store and, even though it hasn't been in business for years, Greensboro remembers it also.

I digress. Anyway, We all met for lunch at one favorite place, The Pavilion. We all ordered the Julianne Salad with dressing on the side and garlic toast. Oh my goodness, you have never seen such a salad. I call it "The Big Salad" (remember Seinfeld?) and even the small salad is huge. I have been dreaming of The Big Salad for months. It was so good.

A quick trip to a few stores close by and home again. Andy has been out seeding, fencing and doing some front loader work on the farm while the weather holds out. The cows had gotten in a little fenced off area where we planted 50 little trees last year and made a mess out of things, so he was cleaning up that (and cussing a little bit too.) I can't blame him for that, they are a problem sometimes.

That is all the news on Tues. more later from South side Virginia!

Friday notes

Dear Readers,

I am happy to say that as of today, I have received 1,010 hits on my little blog in the past 9 months! While that may not be a lot for big important blogs, but I am thrilled. I especially love the fact that many people from all over the world visit my blog.

I have received a few comments about Chili Con Carne, other recipes and the book that some of my short stories will be in and coming out soon.

To Ann, I hope that recipe helps, although without the chili powder and hot spices, it will change the taste. After all it is: Chili :-) I still think it will be good, though, and please tell me how you like it. The masa harina that you buy for the recipe is the main ingredient in tortillas, tamales and a lot of other good Mexican food. Since you will have a bag of it leftover, you might want to try your hand at making your own tortillas. You can find all kinds of recipes in the Internet.

The Book is a mix of essays, short stories and poems written by the PAA Writers Group in Martinsville, VA. We are partnered with the Piedmont Art Museum and are quite an interesting bunch of people, if I do say so myself. Since I have no way of contacting people who leave comments, please continue to check back from time to time and I will post the information concerning how to purchase the book. Thank you for asking and I think it should be out in a couple of months.

To Ann, I think you will love that Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. Mother made it when I was a kid, I made it for my family and my children bake it too. I am not sure where my mother got the recipe, but I've always loved it. What is not to love about good, quick and easy!

Thanks for the comments and keep 'em coming!

Lynn

Chili Con Carne- for Anonymous

Hi Anonymous,

After a lot of research, and asking my son, Chef Travis, I have come up with an answer to your question about Chili Con Carne. Don't know if it is the RIGHT answer, but here goes:

Meaning "chili peppers with meat," there are as many Chili Con Carne recipes as there are hairs on your dog's head. And that, Dear Anonymous, is a lot of hair.

I think if you go back to my post "She Shot Him Over Chili Beans," and then scroll down to the recipe called "Chunky Chili" and make as directed but with the following additions: Add 2 more Tablespoons of Chili powder and a little more Oregano. Now, cook two hours on low on top of the stove, or up to 6 hours in a slow cooker.

The last hour of cooking, add 3 Tablespoons of Masa Harina instead of the 2 Tablespoons of cornmeal. You can find Masa in the flour/cornmeal section of any grocery store. Take the 3 Tablespoons of Masa and mix it with 1/4 Cup of water stirring until smooth. If stiff, stir in a little more water. Stir in the chili and cover again. Cook the last hour, stirring occasionally until thickened. (Note: Masa IS made from corn and so is, obviously, cornmeal, BUT Masa is ground finer and has a little different taste.)

Anonymous, I think this is the secret of Chili Con Carne- it is thicker (using Masa) than other chilis. I hope this helps and I hope you like your chili. Top with a little shredded cheddar cheese and saltines. Yum, I am hungry.

Consignment Shop and on Being Frugal

Being frugal has become a way of life to most folks these days. This is especially true if you are on a fixed income as Andy and I are. So, there are ways to cut back with discretionary spending, say with food, getting creative and using what is in the pantry/ freezer and just filling in with weekly shopping at the grocery store. Coupon cutting/trading/online couponing/store sales, I do them all. I heard recently that being frugal is the new "chic." So, I guess we are in the "in crowd."

Still, sometimes I like to shop for a few hours at my favorite places, just to see what is new, even if I don't buy a thing. It is fun and relaxing to me and I love to talk with the people in the stores.

One shop that I have blogged/facebooked about is The Cellar Chest. This is the manager's, Tania Riddle, description: "Consign, Repurpose & Collect. Furniture, Gifts, Accessories and Collectibles. (The Cellar Chest) Breaks from the traditional consignment mold, we offer a unique, eclectic mix of furniture, decorative items, antiques, gifts, collectibles and handmade treasures."

Indeed! It is large space with several rooms, decorated well with plenty of light to search for those treasures. The staff is informative and helpful and the prices are amazing. I saw a 46 piece blue and white Blue Willow set of dishes (lots of serving pieces and the cutest oriental figures for the salt and pepper shakers) for $80. Amazing, amazing price.

There are sofas, interesting side chairs, tables, mirrors, glassware, books, nice (some really good pieces) jewelry. Arranged everywhere are decorative pillows, dishes, Christmas items, framed prints as well as original paintings. There are several boxed sets of silver flatware. I saw nice lamps, new and still in the box gift items, garden/outside items and antiques. Many nice pieces of furniture including one metal twin sized bed frame that would make a great day bed. Anyway, too many items to remember. Go see for yourself.

The Cellar Chest is located at 6620 A.L.Philpott Hwy, Martinsville, VA. in what used to be the Old Yeatts Nursery Bldg on 58 East, in the Laurel Park area. They are open Tues - Fri. from 10 am to 5 pm and Sat. 10 am to 2 pm. The nicest part is that they are an affiliate of MARCWorkshop Inc. and the proceeds go right back to MARCWorkshop.

Y'all go check it out. I recently bought two cute decorative birdhouses (see picture above) trimmed with interesting "found" items such as doorknobs, locks and keys. I also left with an armload of current hardback books. Join the frugal fun and go on your own treasure hunt.

A Few Updates

Now that the Valentine holiday is over, it is time to look forward to spring. Here in Southern Virginia, we are getting a taste of it. The sunny days approach a lovely 60 degrees and would feel nice a springy if not for the blasts of wind! I cannot complain, however, because it all feels good after a long cold winter.

An update on Feb. 14th: Andy loved his grilling utensils. He was tired after a busy day at the livestock market (how romantic is this?) We decided not to go out to dinner because Monday is our favorite TV night, I am talking about Harry's Law and Castle! (How old are we anyway?) And, we ate P.F. Chang's Orange Chicken from the freezer, (which is quite good.) I made the rice and we ate chocolate cake. No wine, saving that for another time. Andy fell asleep in his chair. Again, how old are we anyway?

For the person who would like a good Chili Con Carne recipe- I am looking through my recipes. I will also consult my son who is a chef for any terrific ideas he might have. So, "Anonymous", check back in a few days for one or two recipes.

I am working on a few stories for a book due out in about two months. It is a book of short stories and poems from my writers group and should be quite good. We are proofing now and will turn it in, hopefully, in a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in this book, let me know. I will have 3, 4 or 5 pieces in it, depending on how things go. It is all a slow process and driving me crazy.

Let's see, my sister just painted her kitchen and has ordered all new stainless steel appliances, my brother, in California, is doing great, my sons are happy, working hard, and my grandchildren and all beautiful and brilliant. Andy and I are gearing up for lots of work on the farm this spring. Our cows are all pregnant with the help of our very busy (and happy) bull. All is as it should be.

The Hopeless Romantic

Andy had the table set when I woke up this morning. He had to leave the house early to take cows to market. He was hoping to sneak out and surprise me but I caught him in the act ! After he left, promising we would celebrate this evening, I added the cake, plates, napkins and tablecloth, but he did the rest. What a hopeless romantic.

Now if I can just find that "Do Not Disturb" sign !

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone !

The Blind Date

February 16, 2006:

Andy and I met on a blind date two days after Valentines Day in 2006.

We decided to meet at a restaurant in Winston-Salem. we parked next to each other in the parking lot and, stepping out of his car, a tall, lean man said with a big grin, Well, hi Honey!"

We enjoyed a comfortable hour and a half talking and laughing, just getting to know one another over a nice Italian meal. After lunch he walked me to my car and said "Just a minute, I have something for you." He grabbed something out of his car and handed me the biggest box of candy I had ever seen. It was five pounds of chocolates.

"I thanked him and said "Would you like a piece of candy?"

Andy just grinned and said, "I'd rather have a kiss!"

Well, he got a kiss, a chocolate truffle and, three months later, he got me. We were married on May 31st, just 3 months after we met. We decided that when you are over age 60, you can't wait too long- just go for it.

Actually, he had me from "Well, hi Honey!"

This Takes the Cake

Hey there cupcake!

I discovered a very sweet blog site that is so delicious that I want to take a bite out of it! www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/ has all kinds of information about, what else, CUPCAKES. Anything you ever wanted to know about cupcakes can be found in the blog.

There are yummy recipes and pretty pictures of cupcakes around the country and all over the world. Another interesting feature is a list of cupcake bakeries all over the USA. What a fun trip that would be. How many pounds would I gain? Who cares! There are many subjects to visit, such as: "Popular Posts," "Mail Order Cupcakes," "Tips," and "Cupcake and Foodie Blogs."

I love cupcakes, they have just enough sweetness to end a meal. I even love the name "cupcake." How cute is that? On this site, you can even learn about unique "Bacon Cupcakes," and "Sea Salt Carmel Cupcakes." Who knew there was so much to learn about cupcakes?

Valentine's Day is around the corner so whip up a batch and give your honey a sweet treat.

My homemade butter cream icing follows, and isn't icing the best part? You bet!

Butter Cream Vanilla Icing

1/2 Cup softened butter, not margarine

2 Cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or lemon, strawberry, etc)

a few drops of food coloring, if desired

Cream butter and sugar, slowly add the milk and beat to the consistency that YOU like. I like it soft and smooth, but not so soft that the icing will slid off the cake. If it isn't just right, add a little more milk or powdered sugar. Add the vanilla (and food coloring) last. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Will ice 12 cupcakes.

Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air

It is almost here! Love is in the air, can you feel it? Four more days to the biggest chocolate eating, rose smelling, card sending and most romantic day of the year. I am, of course, talking about Valentine's Day.

I have several gifts for my husband, wrapped up in red and white paper with pink tissue and tied with miles of flowing ribbon. They are filled with candies and little momentos and one big gift bag is filled with new grilling utensils! Practical and not very romantic, but he really likes to grill in the spring, thus the utensils. I am giving him a beautiful card with lovey, dovey wording, kisses and hugs, Love, Lynn. You get the picture.

As for my husband, (I would bet you $100 right now) with only four days left until Valentine's Day, I don't think Andy has gotten me anything, (nada, zippo and zilch). So far, that is. He really is a very romantic guy, but he will purchase my gifts on Valentines Day. Not before.

Last year, he bought a dozen long stemmed red roses and kept them in the half bathroom off the garage. That is his space and I rarely venture in his man-cave bathroom. The problem was that for 6 hours the roses had no water source. Hummm..... don't know how they survived, but they were beautiful. I was a floral designer in a former life and would not recommend treating roses in this manner.

The picture shown was taken after a glass of wine or two. Look how much fun you can have with one perfect rose. Speaking of one perfect rose, read my next post tomorrow about just that.

Mom's Hot Fudge Pudding cake

I was thinking today about the "fast" food that my mother used to cook. Fast because it didn't take much time and used ingredients that she had on her shelf. My mother worked outside the home, and after a long day, she would usually cook a big dinner. I remember plates piled high with fried pork chops, deviled eggs, friend chicken or roast beef. There was always some kind of dessert. I don't know how she managed all the cooking, cleaning, caring for a family and working full time. She also helped with school activities, brownies and girl scouts.

I am giving you a yummy and fast cake recipe called "Hot Fudge Pudding Cake." Serve it with vanilla ice cream for a real treat.

Mom's Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Sift together:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 Cup sugar

Stir in:
1/2 Cup milk
2 T. veg. oil
1 Cup chopped pecans

Spread mixture in a greased, 9 inch square pan and sprinkle with:
1 Cup brown sugar
4 T. cocoa

Pour 1 plus 3/4 Cups hot water over the batter in the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The cake will be done and crackled on top and but there will be hot fudge pudding inside.

Serves 6-9

Grandmother's Flower Garden

I wrote this story a few years ago. It has appeared in four quilting magazines and will be published in the Piedmont Writers Group 2011 collection of stories and poems due out later this year.

Grandmother's Flower Garden

A few years ago, my mother gave me a quilt for Christmas. It is very special to me because it was pieced by my grandmother and quilted by my mother. It hangs on my bedroom wall because, to me, it is a work of art.

The pattern is called "Grandmother's Flower Garden" and contains hundreds of hexagon shapes. The fabric is from the 1930's and each small scrap bursts with bright pastel color and tiny floral prints. My grandmother loved fabric with miniature roses and violets and searched through piles of cotton material to find each perfect little gem for her collection.

Grandmother was a great seamstress, making clothes for herself as well as her two young daughters. The scraps were saved, cut, carefully stacked in a box and stored on a shelf in the closet. When she finally had enough shapes to form the pattern, she pieced the design, alternating floral and solid hexagons. The quilt top remained in a cedar chest, never finished, until my mother found it, quilted it and added a border. She gave the finished quilt to me as a surprise Christmas gift.

The old fashioned fabric takes me to a time before I was born, when my mother was a child and her mother was a young woman. The thread that weaves through families is both delicate and strong. It holds us together gently but firmly through time. This is the thread that sews the fabric of our lives as we intertwine with the past. One generation comes after another, held together by the past but looking forward to the future. I think of the two women who created my quilt and whisper a promise to keep it safe until I pass it on the the next caretaker.

Margaret Adkin's Oriental Quilt

This handcrafted quilt was made by Martinsville author Margaret Adkins.

Meet Margaret Adkins

This is Margaret and me standing in front of a painting of her family homeplace in Fieldale, VA. Thank you for the visit Miss Margaret!

A Morning With Margaret

Margaret Adkins is a Southern Virginia treasure. She is a lady of "a certain age" with a very full life; mother, author, friend and much more.

I visited Margaret on a recent morning and as she spoke of her parents, late husband and family, it was clear to me that family is very important to her. The old saying "trouble comes in threes" may be true for some, but in Margaret's case, love and joy have come in threes with three children, three grandchildren and three wonderful great-grandchildren. That love and joy spills over to other family members and many friends.

I met Margaret several years ago when I joined the Piedmont Writers Group. She has been with the writers group for years, written a handful of books, many short stories and poems and is a loyal contributor to The Readers Diary in the Martinsville Bulletin. When I was president of the writers group, I once introduced Margaret as "Martinsvilles most famous author." She is that, although she didn't start writing until about 9 years ago, "when the words began to flow" as she says.

Some people may not know, but Margaret has made beautiful quilts, ceramics and stained glass in her lifetime. She also knits, and in her younger years, was a seamstress and gardener who loved to grow little fingerling carrots. She is also a pretty good bowler from what I hear!

So, when you see a white haired little lady driving around town in a fire-red Toyota Echo, give her a wave because it just might be the famous Martinsville author, Margaret Adkins.

She Shot Him Over Chili Beans

It was Jan. 13, 2011, and the story on the evening news reported that a Virginia woman, allegedly, shot and killed her husband over chili beans. Apparantly, he brought home the wrong kind of beans for the chili she had been cooking all day. She is now under arrest.

Wow! That woman was really picky about her beans! The story would be funny if it were not so tragic.

But it brings up the subject of Chili, or "Chili Beans" as they call it here in Southern Virginia.
Chili beans? Really? I have lived all over the USA and chili has always been called, what else but CHILI. To me, chili beans are spicy beans. Period. According to my husband-from-Virginia, I am wrong. Chili beans, to him, is meat, onions, spices and beans cooked in a pot. If the beans are absent, well, that would be plain ol' chili.

Ha! I disagree! So, I looked up "chili beans" on various websites and settled on Wikipedia's explanation. After reading through six pages of chili information, there was the sentence that I was after. "As chili moved east (from Texas) where beef was more expensive, chili made with beans became more prevalent. In some eastern areas, this dish is referred to as "Chili Beans." OK, OK, so it seems this is a regional issue.

Whether you call it Chili Beans, Chili Con Carne, Cincinnati-style Chili, Chili Verde, White Bean Chili, or plain old Chili- it is good.

Here are two of my favorite chili recipes.

TRADITIONAL CHILI

2 pounds of lean ground beef, or you can use ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
4 T. chili powder
1/2 t. cayenne powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 can, 15 oz. tomato sauce
1 can, 28 oz. diced tomatoes, (I use fire roasted)
1 T. sugar
2 T. tomato paste
1 t. salt
1 can green chilies
1 can, 15 oz. kidney beans

Brown beef (or turkey) in a large pot, add onion, pepper and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in spices and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the beans, and cook over med. low heat for about one hour. (I use the crock pot, throw everything in and cook for 4 hours.)

About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the kidney beans and heat through.

You can garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onion or even a little jalapeno (if you are brave.)

This recipe makes quite a lot and leftovers can be frozen.


CHUNKY CHILI

2 t. vegetable oil
2 pounds round steak, cut into cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can beef broth
1 C. water
2 t. sugar
2 t. oregano
1 t. ground cumin
2 dashes paprika
2 t. chili powder
2 bay leaves
2 dashes hot sauce
1 can, 8 oz. tomato sauce
1 can, 4 oz. green chilies
2 T. cornmeal

Heat oil in skillet and add steak, onion and garlic. Cook until beef is browned. Add beef broth, water, sugar, spices and hot sauce. Mix well. Cover and cook over low heat 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and cook an additional 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves serve over rice, if desired. You can also top with sour cream and green onions.

The Little Boy with the Spoons

Andy and I went to the bluegrass show at the Rives Theater in Martinsville Saturday night. Before the main attraction/guest band, there is always an hour of The Potluck Band. The Potluck Band is a mixture of interesting musicians playing all sorts of instruments. Basically, it is whoever wants to join in and jam. As usual, there were banjo, mandolin, dobro and guitar players. There was also a big upright base and a fiddle or two. Last night we noticed a new addition to the Potluck Band. On that big stage stood a cute little boy playing the spoons.

He was introduced as Jordon and he played along with the band on every song; foot tapping bluegrass tunes, gospel and a few slower songs too. He looked right at home on stage while wiggling around like little boys do; scratching his nose, yawning a few times and smiling shyly at his family in the audience. He smacked those spoons against his leg and hand keeping time with the music. He was entertaining the crowd for sure.

When the Potlucks finished their set and the scheduled band was setting up, I saw Jordon and his dad head toward the the back of the theater. I caught up with them in the lobby and asked if I could "interview" him. Jordon and his dad agreed and I started asking questions.

"Jordon, how old are you?" I asked.

"Six years old." He answered.

He told me he had been playing the spoons, and a little guitar, for two years and it was not hard to do. He said he does not get nervous on stage, and that he was in the first grade. He was a little shy but very sweet and when he moved away to look at something a few feet away, his dad told me that Jordon's favorite music is by Elvis. From the first time he heard Elvis, as an even smaller child, Jordon had loved and imitated Elvis and knew the words to all of his songs. His mother even made Jordon a jumpsuit just like Elvis wore in Vegas, but it was now a little too small.

I was very impressed with Jordon and was so glad that he let me talk to him for a few minutes. I hope he does continue with his music and wish him much luck.

"Hope to see you back on stage, Jordon!"

ps: I looked up "How to Play the Spoons" on the Internet and one article claimed that "it only takes 10 minutes to learn!" There are pictures and instructions teaching one how to play. I tried, but failed miserably. There is not a musical bone in my body. I cannot play the keyboard (a gift from my husband) or dulcimer (a gift to myself) or even sing. In fact, when my children were young, I would sing to them and they would politely ask me to stop! Andy thinks I have a great voice. I know better. He just likes me a lot. So neither singing nor the spoons are my thing. Spoons are great to eat with, but I will just leave "playing" them to Jordon.

My Sister's Yo Yo quilt throw

I made this yo yo throw for my sister for Christmas. I have been trying to write the directions to post ever since. So far, the directions make sense to me, but I don't know if they would to anyone else- yet! So, give a look back in a few days and maybe they will be posted.

Thanks,

Lynn

one-one-one,one

Our New Year didn't start out with a bang but more of a sputter, sputter fizz! I will explain.

At ten minutes after midnight, we were sitting in our warm living room, fitted out in sweaters and sweats and cuddled up in our chairs. The ball dropped in Time Square as we toasted to the new year with champagne-like liquid (actually it was Raspberry Sparkletina by Verdi- very good, fruity and bubbly- and inexpensive!) when Andy said "Lets go to the IHOP for breakfast." "Right now?" I asked.

Actually, I was ready to go to bed but he really wanted to do a little celebrating so I said "OK, but I will need to change clothes." Changing clothes included a little make up, a little hairspray and whatever else I could do to make myself presentable.

Off we went in spite of my worries about a) deer on the road, b) drunk drivers on the road and c) me falling asleep on the road. None of those things came to be, so it was all good.

As we drove the 25 minute trip to Danville (the closest IHOP), we noticed 4-5 churches who were, obviously, holding midnight New Years Eve service. The doors were open, people streaming out, cars pulling away from the parking lot. We didn't know it then, but they were all headed for, you guessed it, IHOP.

As we approached the IHOP, cars were circling the restaurant like sharks circling their prey. We joined in the line of cars and after a few trips around, we found a parking place. We literally ran, as fast as our four old legs could run, through the doors. Inside was chaos. People crammed like sardines with more coming in.

Andy went ahead to sign the waiting list. "45 minutes" he said on return. "Maybe it will go fast," he said hopefully.

A voice to my left said "Y'all been out dancin'?"

I honestly turned to look back over my shoulder to see who she was shouting at, and it turned out to be me.

"Oh, no, we were at home in Martinsville watching the ball drop and thought this would be a good idea" I said

"So, Y'all didn't go dancin'?" she asked again.

"No" I repeated, her breath was 90 proof and her eyes a little bloodshot.

"Martinsville, Huh? I live in Martinsville too" she continued. "I live on Pissed Off Lane-where everyone who lives there is pissed off!" (sorry dear readers, I usually never cuss in my blog, but that is what she said.) I was sure there was no street in Martinsville by that name and I am now getting dizzy from her breath fumes. She is getting obnoxious, I cannot move and things are getting tighter in the little entry area.

Her friend, with a stack of Hawaiian leis around her neck, joined in with "We need to go to the Huddle House or the Waffle House or somewhere else."

I was hoping they could get a cup of coffee before they drove anywhere.

They left, arguing about their next stop and Andy and I fell into conversations with some of the others standing and waiting for a table to open up. Our 45 minutes stretched to an hour. We started noticing that people sitting in the dining rooms had no food in front of them. Not a pancake or omlet in sight. Not even a Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity! They had water but no food. There was one waiter per 30 people! Apparently, the restaurant staff had all gotten sick, or some kind of mass walkout had occurred. They were very, very short handed on New Years Eve.

The Manager locked the front door, telling folks that if they were not on the list, it would be a very long time until they could be served. She said again, "A very long time." This was not a good sign of things to come.

I looked at Andy and said " If you are hungry, I will fix you some eggs and sausage at home!" He said "Lets go!"

That was our big exciting 1-1-11. Hope yours was just as interesting.

"The Queen of the Nile" 47 years later

Over the New Years weekend, Sy Fy TV ran a Twilight Zone marathon. I do love the old Twilight Zone series and have seen almost every episode at least 100 times. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but it is close, very close.

One favorite episode from 1964 is called "The Queen of the Nile" starring Ann Blyth. She plays actress Pamela Morris who, amazingly, never seems to grow old. This "ageless beauty" puzzles writer Jordon Herrick who stumbles into her web of deceit. "Will you walk into my parlour said the spider to the fly" wrote Mary Howitt, but in this case, Pamela uses a scarab beetle to do her dirty work.

Pamela's "mother" (who has a weird accent of some sort while Pamela has none - what is up with that?), is actually Pamela's daughter and tries to warn Jordon Herrick to stay away, but the handsome young man falls under the spell of the lovely Pamela with dire consequences.

Remember that scarab beetle? It drains the life out of Jordan, leaving a pile of dust and clothing on the floor for the maid to sweep up. Is this a nice way to treat a guest? I think not. Pamela "energizes" herself with the scarab beetle and, except for her old "mother," no one is the wiser.

Mediocre plot, of course. Predictable, yes, but it occurred to me that life was, in a way, imitating art in "Queen of the Nile." Ann Blyth still appears as young and beautiful in 2011 as she was in 1964. Ann seems as ageless as Pamela Morris, forever young, in the re-runs of old TV shows as well as in the archives of her movies such as "Kismet," "The Helen Morgan Story," and "Mildred Pierce" with Joan Crawford.

Ann Blyth is in good company. Many actors starred in The Twilight Zone over the five seasons it was a regular in our living rooms. Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Lee Marvin, Gig Young and Cliff Robertson starred in episodes. Child star Billy Mumy of "Lost in Space" fame as well as most of the cast of Bewitched (Elizabeth Montgomery- "Two" in 1961, Dick York- "A Penny for Your Thoughts" in 1961 and Agnes Moorehead- "The Invaders" in 1961) will all remain youthful in re-run TV. Jack Klugman, James Coburn, Jack Weston, Sebastion Cabot, Art Carney and Inger Stevens are all alumni of "The Zone."

Many of us, of a certain age, remember these wonderful actors. Even Leonard Nimoy ("A Quality of Mercy" in 1961) and William Shatner ("Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in 1963 and "Nick of Time" in 1960) -good old Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk, had roles on T.T.Z.

In "The Queen of the Nile," murderous Pamela sacrifices her prey for her own selfish gains but regardless of the morality, there is Ann Blyth on screen at the end of the story. She will always be age 43, glamourous and, like Pamela, forever young. At least as long as there are TV re runs.

Lets Hash It Over!

Lets hash it over, Christmas-dinner-leftover hash, that is. On the morning after Christmas, watching The Today Show, with coffee in hand, I saw a chef making roast beef hash. The beef was left over from his Christmas dinner as were the roasted potatoes. It looked good. I jotted down the recipe.

I have never had hash in my life. My family didn't eat it, I have never ordered it or prepared it. I have never given much thought to hash. Still..... I thought, what a good way to use up leftovers.

I didn't have a roast beef, but I did have a steak in the fridge, some roasted potatoes, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper and wine. Maybe the steak would work. So I cut the steak in bite-sized pieces and sauteed in olive oil. The onions, peppers and mushrooms were sauteed also and combined with the steak. Everything was steamed until tender. Then, because the chef on TV had used it, I stirred in 2 large tablespoons full of sour cream and about 1/3 cup of white wine and salt and pepper. It smelled wonderful.

I was not sure if this hash was "hashy" enough and then remembered that one of the the key ingredients was the roasted potatoes but then thought how mushy they would be if I put them directly into the meat/sauce mixture. The chef had, but he was using stringy roast beef and I was not. So, I spooned the meat/vegie/ sauce over the hot roasted potatoes and served it to my husband. I waited for his response. He thought it was really good.

My husband grew up eating hash. His mother prepared it often. Roast beef, lots of potatoes and onions but he liked this version. I thought the meat/vegie/sauce would be better over noodles or rice, skipping the potatoes altogether, but that would make it sort of Stroganoff-ish.

I looked up hash in some cookbooks and found out that most people make hash for breakfast with baked eggs. There is ham and cheese hash, turkey or chicken hash, corned beef hash, pork hash or heavenly hash (which is something completely different.) The ingredient they all have in common, except for the heavenly hash, is potatoes. That is the part I would skip.

So, if I ever make hash again, and it is a great way to use up leftovers, I would make a Hashganoff. Half hash and half Stroganoff. Yum.

Two Little Boys

Two little boys came to our house today. Henry, age 2, rushed in like a whirlwind and into his Grandpa's arms and heart. He is a cutie, soft spoken and very busy. He stripped off his shoes and socks and headed for the spiral staircase, causing all the adults to worry a little bit. Adventure was what he was after and he was off to explore.

Baby brother, Adam, age 7 months was watching every move Henry made. A whirlwind in training, Adam cooed and giggled his way into our hearts. Grandpa played peekaboo and got wet from Adam's kisses.

Henry, his dad and Grandpa went to see the cows after lunch. A farmer in the making, Henry made the mandatory MOOOOO sounds and saw Grandpa put out the grain and hay. It was cold but Henry explored the automatic water feeders and saw how very large those moo cows are.

Back in the house, Adam was fed, changed and, with Binky firmly planted in his little mouth, looked with fascination at the lights on the Christmas tree. Awe and wonder, curiosity and happiness all glowed in Adam's eyes. His first Christmas, what a wondrous thing!

Two little boys headed home, all bundled up against the December cold. Their parents were loaded down with diaper bags, toys, snacks and sippy cups. Grandpa was all worn out and headed for his chair for a nap. It was a very good visit.

Cranberry and Apple Casserole

Here is another wonderful, quick holiday recipe. I am trying to remember where I got it last year. Maybe it will come to me around 2 am in a dream! Very sweet and could even be used as a dessert. Enjoy!

Cranberry and Apple Casserole

4 cups diced apples
1 pound whole raw cranberries
1+1/2 cups sugar

Mix and place in an ungreased casserole dish or square pan.

Combine:
1 +1/2 cups uncooked oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

Spread over cranberry and apple mixture and bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

Sara Mason's Dessert Pumpkin Bread

This is a good breakfast, brunch, dessert or with coffee bread. My late mother-in-law, Sara Mason baked this at the holidays for gift giving. It smells really good while baking.

Sara Mason's Dessert Pumpkin Bread

3 Cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Cup vegetable oil
2 Cups canned or fresh pureed pumpkin
3+ 1/2 Cups flour, unsifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1+1/2 teaspoons salt
1+1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 Cup water
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 Cup raisins.

Mix sugar, eggs, oil and pumpkin. Combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients alternating this with the water. Fold in pecans and raisins. Pour into 4 greased 1 pound coffee cans (half full.) (* note: I use loaf pans.) Bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Test with a toothpick. When done, let cool for 5 minutes then shake bread out of cans. Can be frozen.

"It Looks a Little Naked!"

Now y'all don't get excited! I said "It looks a little naked" when I looked at my undecorated Christmas Tree. I know what you people thought.... but this is all about Christmas decorating.

Our tree is 12 feet tall and huge. It is a "faux" tree and comes in 4 parts. It is pre-lite, thank goodness, and is stored in a big box in the garage. My husband had pacemaker surgery a month ago and is not supposed to lift more than 10 lbs with his left arm. That meant, I was on my own. Now, I have to explain that as a floral designer, in a former life, I decorated Christmas trees sometimes 8 hours a day... for years! But... now, I am 64 years old. Need I say more? It is hard work, especially with a 12 foot, very heavy tree. Besides, I want to do it myself, no husbands allowed. Selfish? Maybe, but I am very fussy about my Christmas tree.

So, it took hours to bring each piece in, assemble the stand and tree parts, and fluff it. I was taught to "touch" every single tip of every branch. Make it look real and full. That is what "fluffing" means. It takes time but is worth it.

Our house is a cedar home with lots of wood and stone. There is a vaulted 26 foot ceiling in the living room, which requires a tall Christmas tree. The house is decorated in a western style with modern furniture, leather and even long horns over the door. The Christmas tree is "woodsy" with one hundred red and gold balls, red bird houses, bird nests with cardinals (the Virginia state bird) and pine cones hung with red ribbon. I spiral pine garland and berries all around the tree and put a woodland rustic-looking Santa on the top. Red glass bead garland goes on last. When I put on the garland, I do it in a "messy" way. It is not perfect. It dips up and down, crossing the garland above. The tree takes two days, considering my many coffee and computer breaks.

I love Christmas decorating. Candles are everywhere and Santas sit or stand among brightly colored packages. Red throws and Christmas plaid pillows make the sofa comfy and with a warm fire in the fireplace and a cup of cocoa, who would want to be anywhere else?

The First Snow Day

I went to Martinsville today for a little shopping at several open houses downtown. My first stop was Studio 107 on Church Street where I chatted with Mary Powell, watercolor artist. She was demonstrating her painting technique while two dulcimer musicians played somewhere in the back of the studio. I followed the sound and, of course, the smell of refreshments and found the source of the music which added to the festive atmosphere. All over the studio were lovely handcrafted quilts, jewelry, handbags and Christmas ornaments. Carolyn sort of "runs the show" and everyone is always so nice there.

My second stop was a great consignment shop also on Church Street called Consignment Corner. I am not a stranger to this shop and love to poke around to see what is new. In the past I have found many blue and white china treasures to expand my already huge collection. Today I hunted Christmas items and was delighted with the tin Santa advertisement and two new (with the tags on) red and white sets of pot holders, apron and mitts that I can use for gifts. Then I spied the treasure of the day, a set of 8 clear glass cup and saucers to use for cider. The prices are incredible! I read somewhere that being frugal is the new "chic." Stop in and talk to Dave and Becky, the owners. They are friendly and knowledgeable. They offer furniture, antiques, books, quilts, pictures, lamps, dishes.......on and on and on.

On to The Southern Virginia Artisan Center for a look at some gorgeous hand crafted art items. I saw my friend, Iris Gillispie's photography there, interesting jewelry, pottery, painted gourds, paintings, bookmarks and even a handmade turkey call box. You name it, they have it. Even Santa Claus showed up! The visitors center is also in the same building.

My last stop was Martha's Baskets, Gifts and More on Ellsworth Street where I started a little pile of merchandise to purchase. I bought the cutest little round soaps that look like peppermint candy. Martha's has great gourmet items such as Wind Willow cheese ball/dip mixes, wine, Virginia peanuts, crackers, preserves, Nancy's fudge and mulling spices. A wonderful tasting honey mustard was there for tasting. And I did! For you Paula Deen lovers, her products are for sale at Marthas.

While at Marthas, I spoke to artist Susie Pool who works with fused glass. The plates with reindeer on them were darling. OMG! I need to go back and get one for my Reindeer Chow, why didn't I think of that? Anyway, Susie gives classes upstairs, but you can purchase her ornaments, sun catchers and all kinds of beautiful glass.

As I left my last stop, it started to snow. The first snow of the season! As I approached my car, my hair and red coat were covered with white snowflakes. It was such a happy feeling to be standing in the snow, the cold nipping at my already pink nose and feeling really happy, which is something I have not felt very often since my mother died last September. Life is good even though bad things happen sometimes. I pulled my coat a little tighter and hurried to my car.

As we approach the Christmas holiday, please let us all remember people in nursing homes, shut-ins and those who are, through no fault of their own, having a difficult time making ends meet. It is fun to run around, shopping and enjoying the Christmas rush but there are some of our neighbors who won't have a happy Christmas this year. If we have a little extra to give, let us give it.

A little Christmas Cheer- GSO Style

The Christmas party was a huge success! Wonderful friends, food and gifts! Here is a picture of the GSO Girls singing you a Christmas carol.

We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

The GSO Girl's Christmas Party

Well, the diet isn't going very well. I do realize that the holidays aren't the best time to diet. I have shed one pound, which is pretty good considering all the Thanksgiving food I managed to consume. I am trying to do well because.......

It is Dec. 1st with 24 days left until Christmas. In a few days I will go to a party in Greensboro with a group of women I worked with years ago. I call us the "Greensboro Girls" although none of us could ever qualify as "girls" again and only one of the six lives in Greensboro.

What a diverse group of women we are.

There is Helen, originally from Holland. I talked about her in the post called "Some Girl Talk." She is a gourmet cook. She has things like truffle oil in her kitchen! I am so impressed! Helen cooks everything from scratch and doesn't bat an eye. She has her own business, works full time, entertains, takes care of her grandchildren, and scrapbooks. She is amazing.

Becky may be the oldest, but she is the youngest in spirit. She is also amazing! Works rings around people half her age, is always doing or cooking something for someone, in fact, I'll bet she has fried a ton of chicken in her life. Does her own yard work too. She is little but mighty. Becky always brings dessert. What a great baker she is, although she always complains that we fill up on the meal and won't eat dessert, so.... we are eating heavy hors d'oeuvres and LOTS of dessert.

My diet will suffer and so will my thighs!

Marie has recently moved from a lovely, large house to a smaller, easier to manage beautiful home. Downsizing has enabled her to expand her social life. She is in a retirement community that anyone of any age would love. Swimming pools, bridge games, dining rooms and on and on. Lots of fun things to do. She loves it. One of Marie's special dishes is sweet potato souffle- to die for!

Janet is a tiny little lady but feisty as can be. She is sort of the glue that holds this group together. She has objected to being the "plan maker" of the group but continues to do it because we think she should. She is a steadfast friend, one of those people who are always there for you, no matter what the circumstance. Janet is the center of her family also. There isn't anything she wouldn't do for a friend or family and she makes a heck of a shrimp mold.

Tricia is a whirl wind with red hair. She is always on the go, sings in the choir at church, loves to decorate for every holiday and event. She makes the best french onion soup and pimento cheese ever, but it is her decorating skills which delights us. We are always blown over by Tricia's style. She is the hostess with the mostess!

I live in another state- but close enough that I can travel once in awhile to see everyone. I miss not being close enough to go out to lunch or go shopping at the drop of a hat but I manage to see the girls several times a year, especially our annual Christmas party. The girls gave me a lovely bridal luncheon at a tea room before I married Andy four years ago. We had tea, scones and wonderful little finger sandwiches. Then I moved away, but not too far and.... there is always the phone!

We have been through a lot together, this band of sisters. Whether it be births, marriages, deaths or illness, we are there for one another. The good, the bad and the ugly hair days, we were there.

We have taken some memorable trips over the years. The North Carolina beaches have felt our presence many times. We have danced the chicken dance (with the help of a margarita or two) in Myrtle Beach and not everyone can say that! We have boiled and eaten pounds and pounds of shrimp. The hours spent playing Taboo and spoons are legendary. We also got kicked out of the parking lot of our hotel in Myrtle Beach after singing our theme song (Friends by John Denver) and I guess we got a little loud. But.... the acoustics were really good in that parking garage. We were leaving anyway. We do have our little coffee arguments though.... two of us like coffee as thick as mud.... that would NOT be me. And.... some of us snore... but, I won't go there.

One trip to Abbingdon, VA was lots of fun. Janet drove her big van. We stopped at every gift store, boutique, festival and pottery along the way. Tricia was decorating a new house and needed lamps, among other accessories, and found two beauties at one shop. We loaded the car and all climbed back on board and someone started laughing. We all turned around to the third seat in the van. There sat little Becky with packages piled all around her, under her feet and a lampshade on her head. The car was loaded to the gills. We saw the play Oklahoma at the Barter Theatre (Marie slept through the whole thing) and ate dinner at The Martha Washington Inn. There is a live-in (sort of) ghost there and I want to go back, spend a night and see it. Tricia does too. The rest are chicken.

So, at our annual Christmas party this week, we will all bring food, dessert and wine. We will play the dirty Santa game, and will actually grab the best gift if necessary- dirty is the name of the game, right? We will catch up with each others lives, family, challenges, good and bad times. It is a relaxing time with old friends, a tradition; with good food and, most of all, sisterly love.

Cow College

My daughter-in-law was visiting last weekend and was fascinated by our black angus cows. She asked if they had their own personalities and I said "Yes, absolutely!" I have studied them, in fact, and have found that they are most interesting creatures and that some traits are quite human.

I recall several years ago when our first calf was born. I named her April because that was when she was born: in April. I discovered the second year that naming the cows was probably not a good idea. They come and go.... I was hoping they would COME and not go. That wasn't very realistic. Anyway, April was only a month old and Andy and I were sort of sitting in the middle of the herd, watching them when suddenly, they all started running. Something spooked them, we didn't see or hear anything, but they panicked and took off with tiny April in tow. I was sure the cows and huge bull would trample her, but when the dust cleared and we moved closer to them we saw an amazing sight. They adult cows had circled April like a wagon train would have before battle. They were going to protect their newest member of the family. I thought that was just wonderful.

We had a female who couldn't get pregnant. We kept her for over a year, hoping she and the bull (his name is Bucky) would fall in love and produce a little one. They didn't and she began to be aggressive with us. We would call them to follow us when we moved them from one pasture to another and we always gave them sweet feed at the end of this adventure. This female started to run next to us and kick up her back legs trying to kick the golf cart or us. She did this repeatedly until Andy punched her in the nose and she would calm down a bit. After several punched noses, she was broken of her habit, but she had to go to market eventually due to indifference to our rather studly bull.

"Grandma" is an older cow. She has produced several nice calves for us and we are not sure how old she was when we bought her. We think that several years were shaved off of her papers. But, she is a good old girl and a wonderful babysitter for the babies. Grandma will stay with all the little ones, like a nanny while the mamas and daddy graze and wander around. She is starting to limp a little and walk slower than the rest, but for the time being, we will keep her because she has such a big heart.

The babies, I call them, or calves are so much fun to watch. They actually "frolic" during the first few months. They "hang" together and even get in trouble together. Two of them used to wriggle under one area of fence and go roam around on someone Else's property. Then when their mama yelled at them, they would try to crawl back, but couldn't figure out the way to do it. They would cry, I would cry and Andy would have to run them back through a gate.

Bucky Bull is a gentle giant. He is a little bit skittish when we are around, but has never, ever tried to charge or well, BULLY us. He is a good looking guy too, worthy of any ladies' admiration. I have a healthy respect for Bucky Bull and never turn my back on him. Just saying!

Andy and I went to Cow College for a day a couple of years ago. It was a class toward certification in quality assurance. There were tests and demos, hands on work and at the end of the day, Andy had graduated but I had not. We had to give immunization injections, which he had done a million times. I hate needles and so I failed at shot-giving. Andy graduated from Cow College. I am happy with being the assistant to the professor.

Andy had a pacemaker installed a couple of weeks ago and cannot lift more than the weight of a gallon of milk for 6 more weeks. Now that it is getting winter, the grass is not growing- obviously. So, we must put out huge hay bails for the cows. We also give the calves small square bales of good hay that we cut ourselves. It is still green and they love it. Those bales are 40 - 50 pounds but are tied with twine and I can handle them very easily. The grain that we give them everyday comes in 50 pound bags. The bags are slippery and I have a hard time just gathering it up to put in the trough. I have been struggling with these bags ever since Andy's surgery. My son helped one day while here over Thanksgiving and got a little taste of farm life. Other than the cow pies in the field he did very well. They cow pies are everywhere and I told him that one time I went to help Andy with the cows but forgot to change my shoes. My motto quickly became: NEVER GO TO THE COW PASTURE IN SANDALS! New sandals at that.

So that is a little look into the personalities of our cows. We give them a very good home while they are with us and try not to think about their future too much. They have a good home, food, clean water and a very amorous and charming bull to keep them company. We think they are a happy bunch.

Tomorrow is Turkey Day! No dieting allowed!

Well, really, the diet hasn't been too bad so far. I have had so much to do to get ready for Thanksgiving that I haven't had a chance to sit down and think much about eating food. I have been preparing a lot of it, though.

I baked a chocolate cake with mousse between the layers and a chocolate glaze, two pumpkin pies, sweet potato casserole (topped with a pecan/brownsugar topping, it is as good as dessert.) Lets see.....the ham is baking right now.

Tomorrow I will roast the turkey breast, bake the dressing, rolls and broccoli casserole. Also on the table, of course, cranberrys! Andy will do his bit by making the gravy, which is much better than mine.

The table will be set, the turkey and ham carved, the buffet laden with goodies and the glasses filled.

Then, we will sit down with my son and his family from North Carolina, give thanks for our blessings and eat.

Where it has taken hours to prepare dinner, it will take only 15 minutes to fill our tummies so full we may pop!

The women will clean up and put away, while the men put their feet up and groan in front of the TV. My granddaughter will get right back on the computer.

I am grateful for our family, home and good food this Thanksgiving. I give thanks to God for all I have and my many blessings. I think about the people in this community who don't have a nice meal or a warm bed. I think about people out of work and down on their luck. It doesn't take much to lose your home these days. It doesn't take much to lose your security and future. This is the season to help our neighbors in whatever way we can.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

REINDEER CHOW GIFT TAG - FREE!!!!!!

I found the cutest little gift tag for my Reindeer Chow (recipe below) on a fun little site: www.organizedchristmas.com Check it out for instructions on Gifts and Crafts, including: gifts in a jar, Sew Simple Gifts and Stocking Stuffers. Also click on: Holiday Tips and Recipes! You can print out a darling little hang tag for your jar of Reindeer Chow. Just print it out, three tags to the page, cut out and fold over. There is a blank space inside to name the lucky recipient of your gift.

REINDEER CHOW

This is a wonderful little sweet snack. I was going to wait until before Christmas but my sister called and asked for the recipe so I thought I would get a jump on the season and post it for you. You can change the fabric for Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy. If so, please leave a comment.





Reindeer Chow

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup real butter
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1 tsp. soda


4 cups of Rice Chex cereal
4 cups of Corn Chex cereal
2 cups pretzels
2 cups mixed amounts of: Crispex and/or Cheerios cereals, nuts: Mixed, Almonds,
pecans, or salted peanuts


Bring sugar, butter and syrup to a boil for 1 + 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add soda. Mixture will be foamy. While the sugar mixture is cooking: SPRAY WELL two large roasting or baking pans (9" X 13") with Pam. Divide cereal/nut/pretzel mixture between the two pans. Pour hot sugar mixture (divided into two parts) over the cereal mixture and stir until mixed together. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely, an hour or two, then break into pieces and store in air tight plastic bags or jars.

TIP: Let the pans cool for 15 minutes and then lift the edges of mixture to prevent sticking to the pan as it hardens. Do this again in 15 minutes.

To decorate the jar: cut a round from seasonal fabric two inches larger than lid and secure with a rubber band. Tie ribbon around neck or jar and with a pretty bow. You can also make a cute label on the computer and tape to front of jar.