Happy Happy Joy Joy

Wow, it’s been over a month since my last posting.  Sorry about that!

Our washer went on the fritz which was no huge surprise since it’s about 15 years old.  So we bought a new set which I absolutely love, love, love! 

My dear man checked with consumer reports and the one we were interested in just happened to be on sale at that time AND it was the number ONE on the best top-loading washing machine list ~ Score, score, double-score!  

So once the delivery and install was complete – the new ones sat out from the wall a little further than the old set which meant my short arms couldn’t reach the shelf.  Not a good thing. But have no fear Super Husband was here to come to my rescue.

He added a lower shelf.  I added a little domestic flair and all is well in my world once again! Curtains hide all the household cleaners - which I can now reach ... 

and the electrical and water hoses are also hidden. 

Happy happy, joy, joy! 

Bond Falls

Living in the U.P. (yes, we're Yoopers) we like to occasionally take a little ride to see some of the waterfalls in our area. 

 click on pictures for close-ups

Michigan is said to have nearly 200 named waterfalls, all but one located in the Upper Peninsula. 

However most of those falls are quite small. 

This week we went over to Bond Falls and I have pictures to prove it.  They've built a wonderful boardwalk since our last visit so it is now wheelchair accessible as well. 

Beautimous!

Beauty beyond the Green Garden Gate! 

 This is one of the prettiest plants I’ve ever seen in my garden.  It’s from an old Hubbard Squash seed that I planted earlier this spring.  I can’t believe it’s just now blossoming in hopes of producing an edible delight. 

Per my past posting, I’m hoping to use this pic in some creative form.  Maybe I'll set it into a fairytale setting or sketch it or who knows what ~ all I know is that it’s my newfound inspiration and therefore I’m happy. 

Awesomeness!

I had to borrow this pic from the internet.  It really got me to thinking – what is it that other people see in me that I don’t? 

Ever since I was young it seemed that people believe there is more to me than what I see.  Through the years I’ve heard that I’m so talented and still I don’t see it.  I’ve been told I should be writing children’s books, cook books, creating artistically and still I can’t seem to find the motivation.

Today I pulled out some art supplies and shortly after I tucked them away in frustration.  What happened to my so called talent?   

Please don’t misunderstand this as a pity party because I appreciate that I’m blessed beyond belief. I honestly just wish I could see what others see in me - yet it eludes me.

For those few of you who may have been checking my page; I’m back. The saying is that time flies when you’re having fun, well … it hasn’t all been fun but time did fly by since I last posted.

A little over a month ago I dislocated some ankle bones and some of the bones on the top and side of my foot. And although the x-rays showed no breaks, I severely sprained my foot at the same time. Oh, and I have heel spurs forming. Wasn't that nice of them to tell me?!

After laying around after ice bath soaks for the foot and ankle, elevation and the use of an air cast, I am finally on the mend.  Yesterday was my first cast free day after overdoing what I thought was healed.  Over use put me back at square one for a bit.

In the mean-time the flowers boomed while the weeds flourished.  The vegetable garden seems to be slow because of the wet, cool weather. So be it!   

We outsmarted the deer this year 

by fencing in all the flower beds. 

Color My World

Following such a long ‘white’ winter, 

it does my heart good to see some 

color fly into our corner of the world. 

Indigo Buntings & Goldfinches

Brown Thrashers

and Baltimore Orioles.  

Joined by all the other little

 ‘tweet-hearts’ 

who have been visiting daily.

Bunnies

Yesterday I went to loosen the top layer of some mulch to let it air dry a bit before removing it from my flower bed.  As I did so, the mulch suddenly erupted with a bunch of bouncing baby bunnies.  

Trying to catch them again gave the neighbors a good laugh. Those bunnies are so dang cute - ready to leave the nest for sure!  They are about the size of the little one pictured below. 

Disclosure: No animals were harmed however when they startled me I thought I might have a heart attack!

 photo found online 

Yum Yum

I tried this recipe today

And I actually squeezed

real lemons and limes –

it makes a difference!

Yum yum - tart and tasty ! 

click on picture for recipe

Cravings!

I’ve noticed that over the years, my taste in food has changed.  When I was a kid I hated cheese, any and every type.  But now I love it all - any and every type.

And when I was pregnant with my first child about a hundred years ago (okay, so I exaggerated a little – it was 43 years ago) I craved three things – nectarines, Snicker bars and pickled pork hocks! Strange I know – but that’s what I craved! 

And now that I’m full growed (as my Daddy used to say) I can pass on the pickled foods, but I have a sweet tooth the size of Alaska and I still love, love, love fruits! 

What made me think of this is that my husband love, love, loves pickled foods.  So after Easter I pickled him some eggs and today I pickled him some Polish Sausages. 

 

Oh and he likes that extra flavor that comes from adding onions, garlic and hot peppers! 

Happy Easter!

Take the time; not only today but every day, 
to reflect on what Christ has personally done for you! 

Happy Easter! 

Beans, Beans and more Beans ~

Someone was so helpful last night ~ when he asked "Should I soak some beans for tomorrow?" I answered "sure- go ahead, I'll bake up a batch of beans" ... little did I know he would soak FOUR pounds worth. Folks, that's a lot of beans!!

Boston Baked Beans and

 Navy Bean Soup ~ Yum! Yum! 

  

Forcing Forsythia

If spring is going to be so stubborn and not come to the outside ~

I will force it to come on the inside! 

A week ago we had glimmers of hope for spring to arrive ~

But that was lost again with our latest snow. 

However; during last week a neighbor arrived with hopes of spring ~

Some forsythia to force!  So I put them in a vase in our bedroom window

And today I have a little color beyond the white of snow! 

Backyard Birds

Sweet Tooth

My sweet tooth starting aching today ~ aching for some sweets that is!  Because of my head cold it’s the first time in a while that I felt like baking anything, but today I got the urge.  So I baked the easiest thing in the world to make – I call them “Sinfully Delightful Seven Layer Bars.”  Part of the sinfulness is just how easy they are to make, let alone the calories they contain.  Thank goodness I have a magic wand that makes those nasty calories disappear. 

 Sinfully Delightful Seven Layer Bars

1^st layer: Melt one stick of butter in 9”x13” pan

2^nd layer: 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs

3^rd layer: 1 package of chocolate chips - 12 oz.

4^th layer: 1 package of butterscotch chips - 12 oz.

5^th layer: 1 can of sweetened condensed milk - 14 oz.

6^th layer: 1 cup of coconut

7^th layer: 1 cup of chopped nuts

Simply layer in pan in order given. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  

I also whipped up a batch of Peanut Butter Cookies.  You’ve just got to have the “crunch” factor sometimes! Don’t you agree?

Yucky!

Thanks to those of you who stop by my blog.  Sorry I haven’t been on lately but I’ve been busy feeling miserable.  I’ve had the “head-cold-from-hell” complete with chills, fever, coughing, gagging, runny nose, burning eyes, headache and you name it.  Had I known this was coming I would have bought stock in kleenex and chicken broth!  

The good news is I now feel slightly better than a blob-fish looks! 

images snagged from the net ~ almost like fishing! 

Asparagus Soup

Still thinking “spring” here; so I made some ~ Homemade Creamy Asparagus Soup!

I only use recipes as a guide and almost always alter them to my own liking, that’s just the way I roll.  So if you want the recipe there are plenty of them out there – google yourself one!  

However; to give you a little guide, I cooked some of the asparagus, onion, celery and seasonings in chicken broth, then I used an immersion blender before adding the roux and milk mixture.  And then because we like to sink our teeth into our food I added some additional chopped fresh asparagus at the end.  Oh My Goodness - did it turn out good!

Here are some pics of our tasty dish! 

White is Alright but ...

White is alright but … I need some color in my life.

So I searched the web and I found some!