Well.....my surprise did not want her picture taken!

But here she is......the newest member of our family!

  I was not intending on getting another cat after my dear Patches died last year but a series of events let me know this cat was meant to come live with us.  I've always said my pets choose me, I don't choose them and it was certainly true in this case! I was outside working on,  guess what,  "caulking" and a friend pulled in the driveway.  She said she was on her way to put up an ad for this cat to be adopted at our local grocery store.  She said for some reason she decided to pull in my driveway.  I said absolutely not as I could not afford any more animals.  She told me that for this particular cat they were waving the adoption fee, having her spayed and all her shots and were throwing in food for a month and a litter box!  I took a look at her picture and she had the same exact coloring that my Patches had.  So, I finally said yes as it was the cost that was keeping me from getting another and also if I traveled I had no one to take care of her.  The dogs always go with me.  Barb, the friend, said  "I will take care of her if you ever need to go out of town"........so what could I say....she was needing a home so badly and all the doubts and obstacles were overcome!  She was spayed the other day and Dave, from our Animal Rescue organization here in town, even took her back this morning to the vet as he wanted to ensure she was doing okay before I picked her up.  Her name is Missy but I'm not sure how long she's had that name.  She's about 4-6 months old.  Usually I don't like to change their name if they are older and have become used to it but in this case I might.  The problem arises because all my "girls" have names ending in "y" and they get confused when I call them because "Nitty" and "Annie" sound pretty much the same to them.  I've started calling Nitty, "Nit" to alleviate the confusion so another animal with a name ending in "Y" may not be something I want!  Hopefully, I will get better pictures of her but for now she is residing in the messy guest room where she ran after I let her out of her carrier.  She's slept all afternoon pretty much and so I will leave her be in there with her food and water and litter box and maybe tomorrow she'll feel like venturing out.  The poor thing has been through a lot this past month so we'll give her her space and let her come to us when she's ready.  The sad part is, when I brought her in and put her on my bed, Nitty got so excited and was wagging her "stump" of a tail and whining as she thought it was Patches (come back from the dead, I guess!).  I kept telling her it wasn't and of course poor little Missy felt threatened and that's when she bolted to the guest room!  I can't say I blame her but Nitty is so confused....I KNOW she thinks it is her old friend Patches, not that they were ever bosom buddies, but Nitty is friends to everyone even if they don't return the sentiment.
So, that was my exciting news for today.  You'll probably be hearing updates as we move forward with our new little family member and hopefully some better pictures down the road!
Hope you enjoyed your Saturday, it was a gorgeous day here...warm and sunny!  TTYS!    

Oh Happy Days!!!!!

Look what I got in the mail today!!!!!! Oh!  I'm so excited!!!!

I ordered a wool applique ornament kit from Alicia Paulson at Rosy Little Things   I love her needlework and her color sense and her decorating and anything and everything she does...oh yeah....her recipes and cakes too! LOL!  She's an amazing young woman and SO talented!  Hopefully, if I follow the instructions and stitch well it will turn out looking like this..........

She has several ornament kits and you can also just buy the instructions and download them but I wanted the full kit for my first one at least.  Aren't they just precious?  I know I needed another stitching project like a hole in my head but for some reason it seems like when I am the most overwhelmed with unfinished projects there is nothing that motivates me like a new one! LOL!  I'm sure a therapist would have a "hay day" with that one! 
I spent the day paying bills, going through paperwork and clearing off my desk so what a reward I will be enjoying this weekend for all that boring work that doesn't really look like you've done a thing all day!
Did you notice the blanket under the kit?  I snagged this baby from a friend who was on her way to the thrift shop with it!  I took everything off her hands and she didn't have to make the trip! LOL!  I placed it on my bed and love it especially the pattern.

It's throw size but it adds a layer of warmth and color on top of my quilt.  See the divet in the bed.....that's where I "nest" every night! LOL!  I have a feather bed topper and by the end of the week you can see where I've "nested".  I fluff it up every Sunday when I change my sheets and then it is like climbing on top of a cloud again.  I LOVE my feather bed mattress topper!  Here's a bigger view of the pattern which I would like to replicate.  It looks like whoever crocheted this used a variegated yarn for the "flower" and then a rust color for the background and yellow for the borders and more rust for a big outside border.  If anyone has or recognizes this pattern I would appreciate any info on it as I want to make one like it in a different color scheme(s).

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow as I have a BIG little surprise to share with you and I am SO excited about it!  Hope you all are healthy and happy and have wonderful plans for Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is my mode every day....just look around you or watch the news and you'll realize how much we all have to thankful for!  Happy Friday!

Back in the 'groove" I'm hoping.............

Whether it was allergies or a cold...I guess I'll never really know but I struggled through it and never went to bed but I didn't blog either....sorry.  I took a lot of breaks and kept slogging along trying to get the "caulking" done but it's still ongoing....what a slow arduous job!  I did manage to cook up some Fall food though and apple cheddar treats for "the girls"!  I think I am in hibernation mode...moving slower, wanting to curl up in the blankets and eating comfort food...a lot!

This was for me with some cornbread on the side..........made with this..............

I'm trying to eat local which saves energy, helps the local economy and promotes local farmers.  Also, for health reasons as I don't really trust our food supply much anymore with corporate farms and how they treat the animals too so I try not to give them my business.  Bison/buffalo is very much like ground beef only there's a little sweetness to it but it is healthier as they are allowed to live naturally by grazing on grass.
I'm not a big meat eater but I have some old favorite recipes that just wouldn't be the same without meat.  Does that mean I'm too old to change?
I made the girls apple cheddar biscuits that they seemed to like (my girls love cheese!) but they only get minute amounts.

Here's the recipe for the Apple Cheddar dog biscuits compliments of Martha Stewart...........

·                            YieldMakes about 16

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Ingredients

·                            2 cups barley flour

·                            1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

·                            1/3 cup shredded cheddar

·                            1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·                            1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

·                            2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1.                           Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

2.                           In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients and about 3 tablespoons water to form a dough. Roll out mixture between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thick; remove plastic wrap and cut out biscuits with a 3 1/2-inch bone-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll scraps and continue cutting out biscuits.

3.                           Space biscuits 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until nicely browned and firm.

4.                           Transfer biscuits to a wire rack. Turn off oven and place biscuits on wire rack in oven overnight. Remove from oven and store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

I've also discovered a new, improved breakfast.  I usually have yogurt and toast but then I went from Yoplait etc. to Greek yogurt which is healthier and has more body to it and I LOVE the taste of it....Chobani, Stoney Field and then I found Fage!  Oh, it is the cream of the crop , literally when it comes to yogurt!  YUM!
I was buying the flavored which is pricey so I decided to buy a big container of the plain and "dress it up" myself.  I think Tammy of   T's Daily Treasures
was the one that gave me the idea of honey and walnuts which are quite a healthy combo with the yogurt and it is out of this world delicious!

Of course I have to have a couple slices of my homemade bread toasted with a little jam..........

I must be "bulking up" for the long Winter as it seems all I think about lately is FOOD!  I had better watch myself or this could be a long, fattening Winter! LOL!  I hope everyone is fine and dandy and that people who had devastation in their lives are able to move forward a bit and pick up the pieces...literally.  Good thoughts and prayers go out to all of you!
P.S.  Stay tuned as I have a surprise coming Sunday and I'm also going to start making my own yogurt! 

Cleaning and clearing...........slow boat to China!

 I'm on a cleaning foray right now.  I spend so much time outside during the Fall (really our Summer) that I basically ignore my house!  I got going yesterday though and got the bedroom done.  It's pretty "blah"...not carpeting or wall color that I would chose.  I plan on selling though so my first objective is to get it ready to "show" and then if I have time I'll paint, etc.

 I'm so bad, i just hung pictures on nails that were already there just to get them off the floor.....LOL!  You can tell can't you.  It's funny though........I'm noticing things that need to be done before I list it....#1  rehang the pictures in more appropriate places! 

 The dresser above was my Mother's and the one below was given to my by a friend years ago. 

 

Today I repotted all those plants I brought inside...what a mess that was!

I just can't let them die though........and the geraniums will have some propagating done this Winter where I "multiply" them!

Last week when I went to Mountain Home I visited the organic/natural food store they have there and picked up these precious, delicious, addictive treats........  

They are so crispy and delicious and made with olive oil so how bad can that be?  These happened to be sweet ones with orange but there are cinnamon and also savory ones with other spices and herbs.  They're imported from Spain and made by hand so they're not cheap but it was a special treat.  I decided to Google Spanish Tortas and lo and behold I found a recipe at Wild Yeast blog.  I haven't tried it yet but thought I would share it with you in case you wanted to give it a go.  I was going to copy it here but she asked that I get permission from her first.  What I find strange is that she copied it from a Spanish Cookbook that she refers to in her post.....hmm.....sounds like a double standard to me! LOL!  I'll definitely post when I get around to making them and vice-versa.  If you try them let me know.  They are out of this world delicious!

I hope you are safe and I'm still praying for our neighbors out East who just keep getting hit with bad weather.  I wish I could just go across the street and start helping but I can't, all I can do is pray and pray and pray.  God Bless you all!

Settling in for a long Winter's nap.......NOT!

But at least things are settling down a bit.  We had our national elections here in the U.S. yesterday and the girls and I stayed up late watching it all unfold.  We're not used to staying up so late thus the following scenario even though it is almost noon! LOL!  They went outside earlier but it was "back to bed" after that!

 

Annie (below) gets so chilled...it must be because she's so close to the ground so I finally gave in and put her dog bed on my bedroom chair and "tuck her in" with an old towel every night.  Maybe Santa will bring her a nice blanket for Christmas......she has been a really good girl this year.  Nitty (above) on the other hand is just the opposite....she loves the cooler weather and wants nothing to do with covers or blankets or sweaters but she could probably use a bigger bed from the looks of it! LOL!

 

I finished a great cozy knitting mystery.........LOVE this author too!  I think I've found my niche...cozy mysteries for sure........Maggie Sefton writes a great mystery!  She always includes a knitting pattern or 2 in the back of the book and a recipe.  It was a great read and she has a Rottweiler named Carl!  Too bad Nitty can't read...I bet she'd enjoy reading about Carl! LOL! 

While watching the returns come in last evening, I made up a batch of blueberry dog treats for the girls.  They're natural and healthy and since most overweight dogs get their calories from commercial "treats" I decided to start making my own.  Plus, there's no wheat involved which has been an issue of concern with some pet owners.  I had to special order my flours from Red Mill via Amazon but they will last me a year I'm sure and no more buying those expensive dog treats in the store!  Here's the recipe that I got via Martha Stewart website.............

BTW.......it says it makes about 30 dog biscuits but I got 2 trays of these by using a small heart sized cookie cutter.  A bite size snack is what I was going for with my girls as they get them frequently.

Blueberry Dog Biscuits

______________________

 1 1/2 C oat flour

2 1/2 C quinoa flour

3/4 C flax meal

1/2 C frozen, unsweetened blueberries

1/4 C olive oil

1 large egg

 Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F  Line a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.  In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients with 1 C water.  (I used my Kitchen-aide mix-master with the mixer attachment as it is a fairly heavy, moist and sticky type dough).  Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick.  I divided the dough into 2 hunks first as there is a lot of it!)  Cut out the biscuits in your cookie cutter of choice and lay about 1 inch apart (although they don't spread at all so you can put them closer actually) on your cookie sheets.  Bake for 30 minutes, turn off the oven and leave them in the oven overnight to dry out.   I was fortunate to be able to get both sheets in the oven at the same time ( 2 different racks but it worked) and when the timer went off I turned off the oven and toddled off to bed! LOL!  Thus the reasoning behind making them in the evening.  You're not tying up your oven for an all day project.

The girls seem to like them, of course not as much as the bacon, artificially flavored, calorie ridden, pricey commercial treats but we are ALL cutting back in this family and it must be joint sacrifices across the board! LOL!  These treats are very healthy for them too. 

I picked up my knitting again with a new yarn as the other yarn was getting VERY tired so I put it in "timeout" for awhile and started on my first sock AGAIN for the zillioneth time but one of these days.....I just might get all the way to the finish line!  I get farther along and better at it each time I pick up the sticks so here's to perseverance!  Hip Hip Hooray! Or just plain stubborness............LOL!

I hope you've all been well and happy and enjoying life where ever you are!

  

" 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!