" Get out of town!" ..........and I did!

I went to Mountain Home yesterday for lab and doctor and it was a gorgeous day!  I wish I could have taken pictures of Lake Norfolk which is HUGE and going over the HUGE bridge that spans it.  I used to "white-knuckle" that bridge driving over it but I'm better now....not much but I get over it and back! LOL!
Of course, when you drive over an hour up and down and around mountains and hills it is VERY tiring but I managed to squeeze in a little shopping.  It was reward for going through it all! LOL!
I got a new book.........

 

I needed a new book like I needed a hole in my head but..........I was totally drawn in by the illustrations and the story sounds interesting too.  It is a best seller and  I got the impression it is along the lines of Harry Potter or one of those books that both children and adults enjoy.  Of course, I do love children's books so who am I kidding!  I looked the artist up on the internet and lo and behold the author and illustrator are husband and wife!  This is the first time they are collaborating on a project.  I have visions of designing some needlework along these lines as I love her artwork....well mostly the creatures and woods. Let's put it this way...I'm not going to trace her artwork but it is inspiration for a project I have in the works...along with Snow White and a few other inspiring tales from my youth.  They all have to do with animals.  Unfortunately,  I find inspiration every time I turn around I just need to DO something with it all! LOL!

I also picked up a couple magazines.....who can resist when there are no book stores near me and as long as I had to spend the gas money I needed to make the trip worthwhile, right?

Ruth, are you out there?  Do you see this? Ruth is a blogger friend who is REALLY Irish (not just wannabe) and lives there.  She also does beautiful needlework of all kinds and has a big family and another on the way.  Please check out her lovely blog at Ruth's Little Leprechauns .  I'm so excited!  I was especially interested in the article...."The Last Witch Burned in Ireland"...hmmmm.....I thought my relatives left because of the potato famine but now I'm beginning to wonder!?!?!  And of course "an Irish Christmas"...I'll be having one of those for sure this year!

 And who can resist this precious gem from Stampington and Jo Packam.............

I was so tired from all the driving and shopping (the 2 things that literally tire me out the most) that I got my jammies on right after supper and slipped beneath the covers with my new treasures and this........

ahhh....a caramel pumpkin spice latte (decaf)...yum.....life is good!  I was asleep by 9:00 p.m.! LOL!

I hope you had a great Friday for yourself and a wonderful Saturday today!  TTYS!

 

Happy Halloween!!!!!!

All set for the Trick or Treaters!  In fact, I've already re-filled the bowl!  They're so cute....I just love them when they come to the door!  Halloween was always a BIG DEAL at our house when my children were growing up.
Tonight my Halloween will be a nice fire going in the fireplace..........

A little needlework.................

And a nice pumpkin latte...recipe compliments of Barbara over at 21 Rosemary Lane




Please go visit her for the recipe..........I felt bad enough copying the picture but trust me I could never make one as pretty as hers. Her website is FAB and she does great decorating and makes yummy lattes!  I'm on my second now! LOL!
Have a great evening and stay safe!
P.S.  I EARLY voted today too!  It feels so great considering when my Mother was born women did not have that right.  Please, women, use your vote!  There are many issues concerning women this year so make your voice heard whichever way you lean!  Guys....you get out and vote too!

Still praying for those affected by Sandy.........

I think the concern gave me extra energy and extra appreciation for the simple things in my life....I remember when we had our ice storms here and I went 8 days without power.....I know what those people are going through to some extent and I pray they remain warm, dry and safe.   I haven't been scared too many times in my life but I was then!  All alone, dark, cold, couldn't get out, nothing in the local stores when you did and green wood that wouldn't burn for 8 days.  It was an ordeal at my age and several of the elderly around here didn't make it.

 So today I got busy and did a little more decorating for Halloween..............

 

I baked some bread.............

did a little needlework................

 and had some REALLY GOOD hot cocoa!  It is Starbuck's Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa......YUM!!!!

I actually got it at Wal-Mart......you go Wal-Mart!

I wish I could be there to help in some way....all I have anymore are prayers and well wishes.  But I know there are other Arkansan's on their way there as I type!  And I KNOW I'm not the only one praying by a long shot....I live in "the Bible Belt" after all!  LOL!

Happy Halloween to all and to all a good night!

Cooking up a storm.....no not Sandy!

 I started with squash seeds....no not pumpkin but squash!  You can use them just like pumpkin seeds just wash and clean off any squash material, spray a pan with some butter flavored oil, salt and bake at 300 degrees for 10-20 minutes or until golden brown.

I baked the squash after that.......at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a fork inserted pierces the skin easily.  I scrape out the flesh after cool and put in a container for using as a side dish throughout the week.

I made a recipe from a book I'm presently reading and it was perfect for a Fall dinner.  The recipe was Cider-braised pork loin with apples and onions.  I couldn't find a pork loin so I bought a pork butt roast instead and it was DELICIOUS!!!!  The best Fall dinner ever!  Here's the recipe compliments of Robin Mather, the author........

8 C cider
3 large apples
1 (3-5 pound) bone-in pork loin
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly ground)
1/4 cup cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Pour the cider into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil the cider until it reduces in volume by half, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
Core the apples, but do not peel.  Cut the apples into eighth's.  Put the pork in a Dutch oven or heavy pot.  Surround the pork with the apples and onions.  Sprinkle everything with the thyme, salt, and pepper.  Pour the reduced cider over all.
Bake the pork, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting once or twice with the cider, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F on a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast.  Transfer the pork, apples, and onions to a platter, cover and keep warm.
Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the juices to a boil.  In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in a little cold water and whisk the mixture into the juices in the pot.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.  Slice the roast and serve immediately, passing the sauce at the table. 

The picture above is just before I placed it in the oven.....I was so hungry when it finished cooking and salivating over the smell that I forgot to take a picture of the finished recipe!  I served it with brussles sprouts and the squash.   
This is the first time I am doing a review BEFORE I finished the book.........

Robin was living in Chicago, working for the Chicago Tribune and married but within several months her husband asked for a divorce and she lost her job.  She retreated to a cabin on a lake in Michigan and The Feast Nearby is her journey and since she was trying to be frugal she allowed herself only $40 per week for groceries.  Robin is a food writer so eating well was part of her life but her book shows how you can eat very well, healthily and locally within a budget!  She  is not only a great writer but her recipes are amazing, not complicated and not requiring complicated or hard to find ingredients.  She has recipes and instructions for making your own sauerkraut, hard cider and even roasting your own coffee beans!  I just started reading it and I look forward to it every night....I hope she keeps writing!
I will be praying for the people in the path of Sandy and blessings to all of you!  Stay safe!

Laundry detergent making day.........

I know this doesn't look like laundry detergent and trust me it isn't.  But they opened a new coffee shop in town and I thought I'd mosey on over there and see what they had.  Lo and Behold!  Pumpkin Spice Latte just like Starbuck's!  OMG!  I thought I'd died and went to heaven!  I haven't had one of those for years as the closest Starbucks is 2 hours away!  What a great start to my Saturday and a real treat for me!

 Okay....on to the laundry detergent making since I am now motivated and wired.........
I know I've shared this recipe before but just in case someone is new to my blog I'll reiterate as it is so simple.  These are my backup supplies and what you'll need to make your own laundry detergent for pennies and much gentler on your clothes and you.  You can also use essential oils of your favorite scent to make it smell however you want.

These old cereal containers are what I now use for my ingredients.

I usually use castile bar soap but they didn't have any so I bought Fels Naptha bar soap but I wouldn't recommend it as there is a warning on the label that says "eye and skin irritant".  Now why would you want to wash your clothes in something that was a skin irritant?  Never again but for purposes of demonstration that is what the yellow soap is...........Castile is white.
 You only need 1 bar of soap per batch and I used to slice it like this and then put it in my food processor and it would grind it up into a fine powder consistency but my food processor broke and I am trying to do without it so I just hand chop.

\

  Once you get the bar sliced up the chopping is really easy.  It practically falls apart by itself.

I use a rectangular Lock N' Lock container for holding it all.  You can get them at Walmart or QVC     online.  QVC has a better selection with colors and sizes.  The reason I like the Lock N' Lock is because it is spill proof and water proof.

Once I have all the dry ingredients and the chopped up bar soap in there I add some essential oil.  This time I used lemon grass but I've used lilac and pine scent and somewhere I read that tea tree oil has germ killing properties.  You don't have to add any if you want scent free but I for one always love a good scent.
Then because the Lock N' Lock is spill proof, I close it up, lock it down and shake it like crazy.  So much so that I'm sure it qualifies as exercise!  It breaks up the hunks of borax and baking soda which tend to have clumps and mixes everything together and spreads the scent throughout.  This is what it looks like after mixing and shaking.

 

  Here's the actual recipe if you don't already have it........

Homemade Laundry Detergent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 bar Castile soap chopped
2 C Borax
2 C Washing Soda
1 C Baking Soda
Essential oil is optional

I use 1/4 C per load and it is safe for front loading HE washers as that is what I have.  I've been using this for years now and wouldn't go back to the "pricey" and chemical laden variety.  It only takes minutes to make and lasts me a long time.  Of course I only do about 2-3 loads a week if that much.
I hope you're having a great Saturday!  It's gorgeous here and cooled off into the 50's but I'm loving it! 

My bookie came through for me today!

Yep!  She gave me another bag full of books and guess what I found....the 4th book in the DIY series that I was going to order! Yippee!  I did start another book but now I have 2 more of the DIY mysteries to read....I am a happy camper!  Thank you, Sue!!!!!  I have enough books to keep going until Spring and they're all  "cozy mysteries"...my favorites!
My home is filled with flowers and plants tonight as there is a frost warning!  The first indication that Fall is truly here and Winter is on it's way.....let the coziness begin!

I cut the last of the roses and they were just starting to come back after that burning Summer!  I just can't leave the plants out there to die although most won't make it in the house either but I can't help myself so they're all over the kitchen tonight.............

I hope you had a great Friday and I think I'll be curling up with a good mystery tonight....now.......which one do I chose????  TTYS!

Finished 2 books and going for more!

  This book was PHENOMENAL!  If you want to know how to be "green" in every area of your life either a little bit or a lot...Sophie Uliano can take you there!  This book is fun, well written and contains the most resources and website listings than any book I have ever read.  It is a keeper for sure and a reference book for a green alternative for anything in your domestic life.  One of the things I was most impressed with was the listing of organic makeup, moisturizers and bath products.  I have had problems with a lot of these types of products and she tells you what chemicals you need to steer clear of and how unregulated products are when it comes to dangerous ingredients.  She also lists and explains the recycling numbers on plastic and so much more.  She has a website with much more information and keeps it updated.  It took me a while to read this book as it is packed with so much information I couldn't absorb it all at once but I highly recommend it and I will be sharing some of the websites and products I find helpful.  Sophie is friends with Julia Roberts who wrote the foreword to the book.  Granted, some parts of the book were hard to relate to as these people have money and lots of it!  But for the most part, we all have a vested interest (or should) in protecting our planet and preserving it for the next generation(s).  

 While Gorgeously Green has been my non-fiction book, Jennie Bentley's DIY murder mysteries have been my fiction choice.  This is the 3rd book in the series and they just get better and better.  Her plots are really good and keep your attention.  I went to read the 4th book and discovered it was the 5th book!  Oh no...you know how anal I am.....I'll have to order the 4th book before I read the 5th!  Don't worry...I have plenty of other books to read in the mean time! LOL!

Below is the boring, not very interesting or blog worthy  but necessary work I have been doing outside.....
BEFORE removing old white caulk

AFTER but before I have re-caulked with transparent caulk..........

 

 This is not something I would wish on anyone...it is boring, hard on my hands and slow going....I use a putty scraper, 2 different screwdrivers and a hammer.   There is no FAST way to do this unless you get a chemical solvent which would not be healthy for me or the environment so I will do it "the old fashioned way".  Persistence is the only thing that will get this job finished and some good old "elbow grease"! LOL!

I hope you are doing more fun-filled projects than I so I can go look at them after my above drudgery is done for the day!  I have miles to go before I sleep or rather days.  TTYS!

Whoa Nellie have I been busy!!!!

I don't know about you but Fall is quite the busy season for me and this year is even busier.....watching the debates and all the election info plus all those "robo calls"!  I've been dealing with financial, retirement, physician, legal and all sorts of other issues this month when all I really want to do is ENJOY this gorgeous time of year and maybe get a few outdoor projects done! LOL!
I got my flu shot and "the girl's" got their annual shots plus their nails clipped and an allergy shot for Nitty.
They slept quite a bit yesterday when they got home but today they were "up and at 'em".....they have to keep a close eye on those sneaky squirrels!

The flowers are doing better than they have all Summer!

I finally managed to get some Halloween and Fall decorations up outside.....

The school bus goes right by my house so I always like to have the decorations up outside for the kids to enjoy.  In fact they know my girls better than they know me! LOL!   They refer to me as Nitty and Annie's "MOM"!  Ha! Ha!

Here's the wreath on my front door...............

and of course I had to put up my ceramic pumpkin in the window.....I have 2 of them that my Aunt Alice made when she was alive......... they always remind me of her, she was a wonderful Aunt and had no children of her own so she spoiled her nieces and nephews, one of which was MOI!!!

I finally got a bit of time to work on my applique quilt block and now I just have a little enhancement embroidery to do on it and this block will be done!

I should be back blogging on a more regular basis now that I've gotten all the "not so fun" stuff taken care of and that gives me more "fun stuff" to blog about!!!!  Hope you've had a great week so far!

Finished another DIY mystery & received the other snowmen blocks!

This is the 2nd book in the DIY mystery series by Jennie Bentley.  I know these books are good because I stay up late reading them! LOL!  Usually when I get tired I put the book down and turn out the light but with these last 2 books I've been staying up later not wanting to put them down.  I have 2 more of these books and according to the publishing dates,  she's written one every year since 2008.  So, there should be one more written in 2012.  If you want to know the order in a series you can look it up on your computer by searching for the author's name or if you're not near your computer you can look at the data in the first few pages that gives you the publishing date and thus the order of the series.
Here are the blocks I received yesterday.  I didn't go to Guild but one of the gals was nice enough to drop off the other blocks although I realized I'm missing one.  There's supposed to be 10 including mine but I only received 9 totally.  But without further ado....here they are!  They are so cute but mine really stands out for it's unusual color scheme.....there are mostly blues although I was not told there was a rule for color.

   The guy above reminds me of the Michelin man!  Cute juggling the stars....and below is the jolliest!

This one is perfectly sewn and so sweet!  I love the background fabric too....just like a snow storm!

Another one in a snow storm...they DO like snow!

I love this guy with a green scarf and stars shining brightly!

At first I thought this one was a ghost (I have Halloween on the brain right now) but then I realized it was a "melted" snowman!  What a great idea.....but poor snowman.

It amazes me how with just a ruler and angles quilters can make anything! 

  Love this little guy!  Too cute! 

Now, you can all give me suggestions on what I can do with all these.  They all look fine together except mine! LOL!  Oh well, maybe I'll make a Christmas throw with the others and turn mine into a picture or pillow.  Hope you had a great day!

Quilt blocks done and carrot cake being consumed in celebration! LOL!!

Ta Da!!!!!  Drum roll please...the blocks are all done and yes he/she is "armless" and will remain so but in my defense I did add a little jingle bell to the end of the stocking hat to make up for not having any arms.  LOL!
A hint to all you quilters out there or novice ones at least.  Square up your block BEFORE you add your embellishments.  I have a plastic square which makes it so easy to "square up" your block at the end.  I had made the background blocks 14" to be safe but the finished size needed to be 12 1/2".  Usually, I could just lay my plastic transparent square over the block and zip, zip with my rotary cutter and it would be done but oh no.....I couldn't be smart about it until it was too late.  I realized that with all that "stuff" sticking up on the block there was no way I could use my square so, of course, I had to do it the "hard way".....evidently, that seems to be the only way I know how to do things! Ha! Ha!   But they're done and I dropped them off yesterday as I have an appointment today so I won't be able to go to Guild.  I hope they like them!
I also got my carrot cake baked and frosted and partially eaten!  My reward!  The cake is good but the frosting is TOO sweet in my mind.  Whoa Nellie.....I can barely taste the cream cheese! 

I got the recipe from All Recipes website which I can't seem to link to the exact recipe but it is carrot cake by Marc Boyer and it is 5 stars. Just search for carrot cake. I will definitely change the sugar requirement.....I can't take things that are super-sweet.  I must not be used to it.  I thought it was a lot of sugar but I went with it but next time I will cut the sugar in half for the frosting.  I have a sweet tooth but it's not THAT sweet! LOL!  The cake itself is very good and moist though.   The cake batter has crushed pineapple in it in addition to the grated carrots and nuts which helps keep it moist.  The batter was so soupy I thought I'd made a mistake and it wouldn't bake up but it did!  Miracle!
I had some great herbal tea to go with it too.  I love this tea it is SO tasty.  I also love the fact that there are "no strings attached"! Ha! Ha!

Now that the blocks are done, hopefully I can get my life back to a semblance of order and normality but that might be an oxymoron!  Have a great Wednesday and stay safe if you're in the path of severe weather like it is predicted for us later today.  (Part of the reason I wanted to get this post out early).  TTYS!