I love you Mr. Produce

Everytime I see a video about a grocery store I think of you... It helps if the music is fun and catchy too!!! ... yea for Sugarland

Food Fun Friday-Strawberry Sauce

easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-easy-
Strawberries were on sale for a dollar.
I used 2 boxes (2 pounds)
1/3 C white sugar
1tsp Almond extract
Wash and cut off stems of strawberries and put in pot. If you're feeling ambitious you can roughly chop them... but unnecessary.
combine all three ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for five minutes stirring and breaking up the strawberries.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. transfer mixture to a blender and pulse until desired consistency.
THAT'S IT!!!
now for the yummmmmmy part.
get a couple of plastic squirt bottles, fill 'er up.
This sauce will keep in the fridge and you can use it:
over angel food cake- with whipped cream of course
over a banana split
over ice cream
stir into LEMONADE
the concoctions are endless!!!!!
I think I will make some more of the Lavender scones from a couple weeks ago. We have company coming so.... this will be our desert!!!
WHAT are you going to use your strawberry sauce on??????

I found this idea over at our best bites

blogville- top 52 home decorating blogs

ok, get comfortable... and get ready to be lost in blogville for AWHILE... no reading this while you are work (hmmm I wonder who does that???????)

The site is homeownerinsurance.org... I know it sounds kinda boring...BUT they have way cool stuff, of course the Home Decorating Blog is what brought me there... but they also have listed on their sidebar...

Top 50 Landscaping Sites for Help and Inspiration

The 4 Worst Neighbors You Can Have

15 Things Your Should Know about Caffeine

But really THIS is THE best.....this post has 52, COUNT them... 52 wonderful Home decorating blogs:

Top 52 Home Decorating Blogs

http://www.homeownersinsurance.org/top-52-home-decorating-blogs/

and they are all AMAZING, and fun and some are HUGE commercial blogs and some are just random blogs that have great ideas and pictures... let us just take a quick look at some of the things I found:
Blog -N- Bake.... come on what could be better (this is in Canada)
and a beautiful bedroom, you ALL know I need help with my bedroom... So I am on a mission to REVAMP it, and looking for inspiration.
ahhh, if only my front door and entry looked like this!
and something fun to make for our trip to Hawaii...
and something to make for Christmas (and maybe teach for Super Saturday in September)
And this site was full of eye candy... just look at THAT crown:
I could go on and on.............52 TIMES... but frankly I need to go back and look, and drool and follow and just be in awe at the talent out there.

Wednesday Wisdom

sigh

A GIGGLE FOR TODAY

I don't know about you... but getting a good laugh always cheers me up.
OVER AT: http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/
KAREN WROTE THE FUNNIEST STORY
AS A MOTHER... YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR CHILD IS LISTENING.I Was Trying To Be Martha Before Martha Was Martha...

This is a story that might only be funny to a certain age group, but still funny none the less. If you are old enough to remember sanitary napkins that came with a belt and those waxed paper bags to throw them away in...you are my target group. All others will still enjoy! I know sanitary napkins??? Bear with me...it's a good one.
space
Here is a little background for the story. I am the youngest of 5 children, my father career military retiring in 1970, my mother the perfect base commander's wife and military hostess extraordinaire. Always hosting the perfect party even after they were out of the military.
space
Enter me...1973 or so, 8 or nine years old. My mom and dad were having a very big party. You know the fancy ones...china, crystal, silver and in the DINING ROOM. The table was mostly set and the guests were ready to arrive soon, but I wanted to help. What was the safest job my mom could give me..."Oh Karen, how about you put the cloth napkins on each plate".
space
Ooohhh!!! I was so excited to decorate each plate with a napkin. But wait...I remembered something my mom told me one time in the bathroom, "Oh honey, put those little bags back in the box, those are just for napkins"
space
Those pretty waxed blue bags are just for napkins. How perfect...and mom said they WERE for napkins. So up to the bathroom I went, gathered up a handful of the plain blue waxed bags from under the sink.
space
I carefully folded each napkin and placed it in it's very own special bag and then placed one on each plate. I think I still remember how excited I was when I finished.
space
I will end the story here with you just picturing the look on my mom's face when I called her in the dining room!!!
space
I think I was trying to be Martha, before Martha was even Martha.
space
I think I just made my mom laugh in heaven

thinking of changes

I feel a little like this picture.
A little fuzzy.
Not blue, but beigie-pink
More and More we are talking about making changes.
Job changes
Move changes
Money changes,
Scary changes
Lifestyle changes
how does one go about making big changes!
too hard to think about.... so.... we will float along the Denial River.

...SPEAKING OF CHANGES, my little grandbaby- Carson, remember him???
Here he was just a newborn.....
And NOW... such a big boy!!! and I get to see him in 5 1/2 weeks, I can't wait
and maybe the big changes in life will be made clear-er.
and yes I know... how to make big changes work???
pray

Something I need to remember

Food Fun Friday-Lime Pie and Strawberry-Lime with Coconut Cream

Sometimes for desert I like to make things I don't like... that way I won't eat them!! (well it sounds good in theory)
I don't really like jello
I don't really like key lime pie
I don't really like pie
so put them all together and you get:
Cool N Creamy Lime Pie from Hoosier Homemade
(their picture, not mine)
Mine did not turn out this pretty....
There is a trick to getting the ICE measurement right.
Still, Mr. Produce loved it and it is almost gone!
Cool N’ Creamy Lime Pie Recipe:

• 1 box (4 serving) Lime Jello
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime peel
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup cold water
• Ice cubes
• 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip or whipped topping, thawed
• 1 prepared Graham Cracker crust

Directions:

Add Jello to boiling water and dissolve completely, stirring about 2 minutes. Stir in lime peel and lime juice. Add enough ice cubes to the cold water to measure 1 1/4 cups, add to Jello, stirring until all the ice has melted.

Stir in whipped topping with a wire whisk until smooth. Refrigerate 10 – 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and mounds. Spoon into crust. Return to fridge and chill about 2 hrs until set. Garnish with more whipped topping, lime wedges and/or fresh fruit if desired.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
And for Saturday when we are having family over...
I am going to make this from Our Best Bites:
(although I did not buy the coconut extract... at $4.99
NO WAY will not pay that much for something i may never use again!)
I'll let ya know how it turns out!
I am going to make Angel Food Cake Cupcakes. and use my new Cupcake Holder.. ok -ok- Since you begged, I'll take pictures!
Strawberry-Lime Shortcakes with Coconut Cream

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Angel food or Pound Cake

4 C sliced fresh strawberries
½ C white sugar
4 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

For the Coconut Whipped Cream:
1 C whipping cream
½ C powdered sugar
2 t coconut extract
1 t vanilla extract

¾ C toasted coconut

Mix sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside. Stir occasionally over about 15 minutes. You want the sugar to dissolve and form a light syrup.

For the cream, place whipping cream in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about one minute. Slowly add in powdered sugar, and both extracts. Continue beating until soft peaks form.

Slice cake and spoon a layer of strawberries on top. Include the lime-syrup! Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with coconut

Blogville - The Party dress

I just love all my friends out in Blogville!!! I mean it you guys. I can ask questions and actually get answers! (other than from my own head!) It really is great. There is so much interest, compassion and genuine concern for each other. I have several BBF's that are really going through a lot, and when I see the positive responses they get from others it really warms my heart too! It seems we are all in this (life) together, lets lift each other up!!!
Thanks for being you! All of you who stop by to read my ramblings I sure appreciate it.

So for todays slice of life in Blogville.... let's have a party. I just love all these BEAUTIFUL party site's!!!
Today we have THE PARTY DRESS
and just look at just one of the beautiful parties they've put together:
and for a birthday party.... candy*candy*candy*candy
I like all these pictures for the ideas.. just look at the umbrella and the tear drops coming off of them.....
and the lights under the table cloths---dreamy
and who can resist a sunflower...AND decorating with jars (which I am going to do when I decorate for our Super Saturday in September... yep its coming up fast)
ummmm I love all the beautiful pictures--- Thanks for visiting- I appreciate each and every one of you!
http://www.thepartydress.net/

Wednesday Wisdom

Hard work is important.
Choose what exhilarates you,
not what exhausts you.

You have now been updated

Here are the updates for you:

Remember this lamp... GREAT aqua/turquoise color, but the lampshade was a humongous drum shape. I found a suitable substitute.
Much smaller and more proportionate. I glued on turquoise trims.... but it still needs something.
What about those fun rolled flowers that are all the rage?
too light? what about the darker ones??? Sometimes taking a picture of things makes the view different, and clearer! so what do you think? flowers??? light ...dark????
Onto the next project. A - FAMILY- plaque that has ripped up paper on it... (obviously taken from the wrong side)
I found some great light colored paper with writing and VIOLA

Another Update:
My mother has decided on the female lawyer (she just felt better about it and she was the cheapest) We have an appointment Wednesday. One more thing we can check off the list. (no, not the bucket list!!! the Preparedness List)

Another Update:
This is a picture of the Davis Family Home as it looks today. It has been sold, escrow has closed and another family has taken their place. Grandma Katherine made it to her 90th Birthday. (pictures not included... because she is so weak and frail... well frankly the pictures make her look even worse than she is). She is a tough woman to survive all these years without her beloved Elvin. She is tiny, thin, not eating much and sleepy tired all the time. Poor thing. You know it is really hard seeing your mom get old and in poor health.

It sounds so trite... but be thankful for your health! Be thankful that you CAN feel every ache and pain. Be kind to your body (does that mean feed it what it wants?)... ah no... It means take care of it, it is the only one you are going to get!!

WHAT? The weekend is over???

Man that was fast! 48 hours I'll never see again! They were busy hours too... but gone too fast for my liking.
The Lavender Festival has also come and gone. Millions of people (ok, not millions) but Thousands of people invaded our town to see purple. These are just a couple of shots I took at the end of day on Saturday. They were as close as I wanted to get.. because if I really wanted to I could go to these farms any time (although they don't always have live bands, and craft booths and famous cheifs making gormet food)
Here is Purple Haze, which is just down the road and messes up MY travel time.
(you may remember this same view last fall for this is where the elk love to roam)
And Olympic Lavender farm:
ok, that's enough Lavender/Purple for the year.
Saturday is always a run run run day... I usually start it out by doing my grocery shopping at about 7:30am. Then on to garage sales. Then back home to have lunch ready for Mr. Produce at 10am, then clean-laundry-yard stuffs.. then take my mother where she needs to go.. THEN... IF THERE IS TIME before Mr. Produce comes home at 3pm, I try to fit my creating time in.
There was not much time for that on Saturday. But I did find some things I could "re-purpose"
I have had this beautiful turning rack for quite a while. I used it in my shop, and then at craft fairs. I tried once to sell it on craig's list and a garage sale or two, but no takers. It has been sitting over in my mother's garage.
When I had the bright idea to take my paper supplies out of the box and display them and maybe I would be inspired--- to make tags, or cards or journals or pictures or one of them-there collages I see so much of:
And then I remembered these 'holders' I have used for years... just sitting on top of my amour gathering dust:
ahhhh a ribbon holder!
I also had a little visitor, see him?
ok, here's a better view?
Mr. frog. My supervisor is DEATHLY afraid of frogs, I mean more than creeped out, really truly afraid of frogs. Snakes I get, mice I get, spiders I get, but she really really is "run screaming" and "don't you dare even mention them" afraid of frogs.
hmmmm, wonder if I brought him to work as a pet if I'd get fired?
(probably screamed at! ha)

Food Fun Friday-Lavender

THE LAVENDER FESTIVAL IS HERE!
I have tried different food at the festival...but I really don't like the taste of lavender. It is realy bitter... So I am trying to make something that doesn't taste bad..
You use Culinary Lavender. These are the buds:
When cooking with them you want them ground... put them through a small grinder (like a coffee grinder or a bullet) Here they are ground up in the bullet glass.
Lavender Scones

1 tsp. chopped dried lavender buds
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda.
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium size bowl , mix the dry ingredients together.

Add the sour cream and stir with a large spoon until the dry ingredients are damp. (about 20 seconds)

This dough is very light. Turn onto a floured surface and knead very gently, 8 to 10 times. Roll or pat into a round shape that is 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
Flour your bowl scraper or spatula and cut into 4 pie shaped pieces.
Flour your spatula again and gently lift each scone onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

from www.joys-of-lavender.com
They were really good, they didn't last long!
REMEMBER:
NOTE: Adding too much lavender to your recipe can be like eating perfume and will make your dish bitter. Because of the strong flavor of lavender, the secret is that a little goes a long way.

Honey Lavender Butter

1 stick softened butter
4 tsp. dried lavender (pulsed or chopped)
4 tsp. honey

Mix together and enjoy!

blogville- The Farm Chicks

I think I'm late to the party!!

The Farm Chicks = big, I mean BIG!!!

The blog, the web site, the book, the show...
well here's what I know!
Serena writes a great blog = all about Serena here
Lots of eye candy... creative items:

Lots of hupla about the FARM SHOW (every June)

Then there's their book:

lots and lots and LOTS of yummmmy deliciousness

and always about living on the farm and the beautiful nature photos...

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/

go-read-enjoy-