window shopping

I'm not going out there. uh-uh, no way. It's cold and grey and you can't make me and this white stuff appeared sometime overnight. I would know these things ahead of time if I wouldn't have boycotted watching the weather.

See where this vehicle is parked? Until Mother Nature sees fit to make the air a little more bearable, it will not move... until tomorrow night that is. Rain, snow, sleet or shine, we hang out with friends Wednesday nights. I sure hope it gets a little warmer!

There is some good news on the weather front: The wind chimes have calmed down tremendously, so I guess the air probably doesn't feel *as* cold today, although at these temps I'm not sure how you could tell, but at least I won't be eating my hair and running to the car sideways if I have to go out there.

make up your mind already

and we're back to white. I decided to stop playing with the colors and graphics for now because I've been putting off where to continue this blog. When I signed up with Blogger and chose host on my own server, I don't recall seeing anything about having to upload the whole blog each and every time a simple change or new post is added. I'll either have to move it to blogspot or choose other blogging software. It takes a veeeerrrrry long time to publish a post.

When I was much younger, I loved learning new techniques, programs, software, whatever... now, not so much. Truth be told, I absolutely hate the techy side. I kept up with things successfully for 6 years after the internet began. My brain had lots less stuff inside of it back then and it was an outlet after everyone went to bed and I had some quiet time. I have got to figure out the easiest way to switch over a blog, not lose your archives... I'm not looking forward to it, but each day, as it takes longer and longer to post something, I'm that much closer to caving in and doing it. And what about all the people who link to you? I'd hate to make more work for someone else.

butterfly news

I joined NABA a little while back and just received my first newsletter. With the horrid cold spell passing through, and me back to hibernation status, it was a welcome gift. It's the Fall 2007 newsletter, so it's quite dated, but I didn't join just for the newsletter, so I won't complain too loudly.

Seriously though... Fall??? I know the past issue of any publication goes out to new members, but how in the past should a publication be before you decide it's too past? I only feel this way in part because it's unsettling to be reminded of last Fall since I'm so onto Spring right now. To think about last Fall means there is a whole winter ahead. I'm so over it and ready to move on. Pretty much any reference to 2007 is unsettling for me, so really, it's not them, it's me... pbbbttttt...

In other Spring related news, since I have this self-imposed-house-bound status going on, I began working on my Spring line of wreaths. I don't have a single one left over from last year, therefore no inventory to get me started. Time to go be productive.

*I lost lots of posting options on blogger? hmmmm.

casual sundays

Do not let the sunshine fool you! It did me today. It is cold and blustery. They're calling for a wintry mix, but it is now almost 7 p.m. and that hasn't started, although the air, if possible, just keeps getting colder and colder. It's crazy windy and it chills you to the bone if you go outside.

So pretty. The first of many new and exciting flowers that will be added to the gardens for 2008. I'm predicting an abundant, productive, and healthy 2008 for the people and the gardens here on our little plot.

I like the smaller print and I like the background. Is it hard to read? I don't think it is, but you know how everything changes from one monitor to the next...

What's for dinner? A delicious combo from the crockpot rounded out the day very well.

The Menu:
Pork Tenderloin, Onions, Green and Orange Peppers in a garlicky beef and tomato sauce
Sauteed Green Beans & Shallots
Mixed Green Salad

This morning I threw the pork loin into the crock pot, opened the cupboard and found a can of organic-low-sodium-99%-fat-free beef broth (I believe I might have needed two of those, and yes, I would write a cookbook if I could figure out how to keep track of ingredients while I cooked!), two cans of lower-sodium-organic tomato sauce, chopped garlic, red onion (although any onion would be just fine), green peppers and orange peppers. Turn the crock pot on low and let it simmer and smell good until dinnertime. Tomatoes, roasted or fresh juicy ones in place of tomato sauce, make this dish even better. In the winter, I use what I have in the cupboard and my family seems to gobble it up in no time no matter how I prepare it.

so, what does hope look like?

Well, it takes on many shapes and forms, and sometimes you can't see it at all, but I believe I spotted a big ole chunka hope right outside my back door...

Before I get ahead of myself, here's how it began:
I'm trudging along this morning, wondering if it will be anything but grey outside, and cold, like it has been, for like ever now, and I'm all about getting to the coffeemaker asap, then off to the basement, and to get to the basement, I must now go out the back door, down the hill, around the herb garden, around the milkweed garden, through some mud, and then as I whack the cobwebs away, I bang loudly on the door in the event there might be something lurking inside and I'm kind enough to give it time to scurry away... I've never spotted anything in the basement, BUT (see how big that but was?!), it's a 200-year-old-partially-unfinished-farmhouse basement. I just know something creepy and crawly must be making a home down there.
But I digress... so I'm all blah, blah feeling and not appreciating the day I was gifted with, when all of a sudden I was like, "OOOO OOOOOO OOOOO." Except there was no one to tell but the dog and he really doesn't care what's popping out of the ground unless it were a steak bone and steak bones popping out of the ground hardly ever happens around these parts.

It was a total attitude adjustment! I got over myself real quick and erased the shame from my head so that I could enjoy my little discovery.

My husband stopped in around lunchtime and I showed him and told him the great news, and he's all like, "You're too easy. " He tells me that a lot and thinks he's a very lucky man. And I'm just saying that he'll be a lucky man if I let him be my date tonight because right before he left at lunch, he informed me that the daffodils come up quicker there because it's right beside the dryer vent. I told him to get out. He tried to hug and kiss me but I told him that him and his little fund raiser could just go back to work now. They weren't appreciated here in Sunnyville.

I'm sorry, but I was a parade and he the rain. What else can I say? He had to go.

a time to mourn - a time to dance

Yesterday marked our 2nd funeral in just six days. Both funerals included mostly the same people. Two different friends in our circle had family members pass away.
Last Wednesday we attended the funeral of one young man, just 37 years old, who died after battling cancer for the past year and a half. His family grieves but I am in awe of their strength and courage. My friend lost his son and I just can't imagine the pain he must feel.
Another friend lost his mom and yesterday she was put to rest. She was a tiny, frail, little thing. So beautiful still at 88 years old. My friend is the last of his immediate family, having lost his sister about 20 years ago to an undiagnosed heart condition from birth and then his father after her. Now he is without his mother and feeling the pain.
I find it a blessing that I was able to be there for both families... just knowing that someone else would find comfort in my presence... it warms my heart. Funeral services are strangely comforting to me and I am more at peace with death when at funerals than I am at any other time.
Yesterday turned out to be one of the good ones (as in days. not funerals) after all, despite our feelings while we were preparing to leave and then driving there. After the services, my husband and I attended a luncheon, ate great food, reminisced, cried and laughed with our friends. We then came home, thought we'd relax, watch a movie and then cook dinner, but we both fell asleep for about 1/2 an hour, had all kinds of energy when we awoke, so we did some shopping together and looked for things to wear for a Valentine's Dinner Dance we'll be going to. Then we decided it was too late to want to go home and cook and we both wanted a really nice meal, so we went to a favorite place of ours and ran into a lot of the same friends we had lunch with. Two bottles of Pinot Noir later (don't worry, we didn't drink all that ourselves! we share) it was time to get ourselves to bed.

I haven't figured out what I'll wear to our Valentine's Day Dance, but hello!? What's not going to look good with these hot new red shoes I found!!

Yesterday involved just about every emotion there is and it may be draining, but to realize you are so very alive and have a good life, good friends to share it with and the marriage you dreamed about as a little girl...

winter tree blight

A couple years ago this strange-looking disease started showing up on random trees throughout our yard and surrounding wooded areas.

It just so happens to occur at that time of year when the resident and neighborhood teens are coming down with a blight of their own. Winteritis. Cabin Fever. It goes by many names and with the mass-marketing of paintball guns some years ago, this new symptom started to occur. The color of the blight varies depending on the color of bulk paintballs on clearance at your local Wal-Mart or paintball store.

This blight does not discrimate against type of tree, or other vertical object that gets in the way of flying paintballs. The first time it does occur, you will most likely have to sit the questionable teens down and have a little talk about the appropriateness of where said paintballs should/should not land. Heavy rains or blasting hoses will cure any problem spotting, however, the speed at which the paintballs travel will likely cause damage to certain surfaces. For example, a tree (not a sapling mind you) is very sturdy and can withstand the power of a fast-travelling paintball. House siding... no. Clothes line poles... yes. Younger children who want to hang out with and impress delinquent teens... no. Cars... no. Mailboxes... no.

This has been a public-service announcement from one mom of teens to another. If this blight should begin to show up on your trees, I hope I have been helpful with the diagnosis as well as yet another talk about what is/is not appropriate behavior with your own teenager(s). This mainly affects boy teens... I'm sure girl teens have a whole other set of issues and lectures parents must deal with. Some days I think I'm happy (and lucky) to deal with the tree spots!

super bowl menu

We will be enjoying:

--Steamed Shrimp
--Blue Cheese Dip
--Crab/Parmesan/Asiago Dip
--Guacamole
--Pico De Gallo
--Red, Orange and Green Peppers
--Celery
--Cucumbers
--Baguette
--Blue Corn Tortillas
--Asiago/Parm Multi-Grain Crackers
--Baked Whole Wheat Triscuit Style Crackers
--Part Skim Swiss, Asiago, and Cheddar Cheeses

As for the game... well, don't tell but I don't know both teams involved. Sorry. I do know the Patriots are playing and that they have not lost this season. I certainly don't hate football or anything. It's a regular TV viewing choice with all the boys around here. You could call me neutral. Anyway, it's more important for me to have everyone enjoy the food that I have lovingly prepared.

It's a little less heart healthy than is my usual cooking habits, however, most ingredients are organic, including the chips, breads and veggies. Most of the cheese are part skim. The sour cream is fat free and the cream cheese is lower. The crackers and tortillas are both lower sodium.

I've learned to throw away all containers before my guests arrive because when they see lower fat cheese labels they tend to think of less taste and dieting. Not what I want my guests to be thinking about before putting food into their mouths. Now I keep my mouth shut and offer nothing until after the food is being inhaled and someone wants a recipe.

If you run into anyone that will be attending our Super Bowl Affair, mum's the word, k?

weather report

Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.

As you might have heard, celebrations throughout Pennsyltucky, led by men wearing tuxedos and top hats, took place this morning. Crowds gathered around the habitats of groundhogs, while towns without their own groundhog mascot chose to rise before the sun and meet at their local lodge, all anticipating the prediction of how much longer this winter will continue. Some folks may rely on Super Doplar Radar, but Pennsyltuckians still choose the instinctive, scientific technology that these fine furry creatures possess. Many were dismayed to hear that there will be six more weeks of wintry weather ahead.

Wal-Marts and Sam's Clubs are packed with shoppers this weekend as they batten down the hatches and stock up on paper and canned goods. Alarmed residents were overheard discussing the purchase of a cow and chicken as milk and eggs are about to become rare commodities.

fluffy tenants

Meet our front porch tenants enjoying a little afternoon snack.

One orange and white kitty is missing from the photo, but he's probably out hunting, so we're going to leave him be. You see, we have this little arrangement where I let them live, rent-free under the front porch, in the barn, in the garage, wherever they choose (they just so happen to like it under the front porch because it's closest to the food emerging out the front door) and they take care of any unwanted critters that attempt to make a home inside of mine. i.e. mice, snakes, etc.

Of course, then there's that whole cute factor involved... we always seem to have the friendliest outdoor kitties around. People comment on it all the time. We've had our fair share of ferals and did get overrun by them at one point years ago, but all in all, we've had the coolest cats I've ever met.

I taught the boys all about the birds and bees through our kitties. It's so much easier for them not to get embarrassed if you're referring to the animals as opposed to themselves. There were times we'd have company, my parents one time, and you'd hear the kitties "making noises" so to speak, so then the adults would just glance at each other with that look, you know the one... kids are in the room, but we're hoping they don't ask questions. Well, mine didn't need to ask questions, my youngest would just pipe up with something along the lines of, "Oh, don't worry, they're not fighting, it's mating season and Molly has lots of boyfriends." His serious face, having just made a matter-of-fact statement, coupled with the look of, "did he really just say what I think he said," on the adult faces, then me on the sidelines, trying not to smile too much so as to not make my little one self-conscious about what he just said, well, it was all very priceless.

We used to let the females have a litter or two before having them fixed -or more normally, on a farm, as is usual, mother nature took care of this matter for us. This allowed me to explain the whole pregnancy thing, the birthing process, and with a few of our friendly females we got to view the blessed event. Nope, no books with black and white line drawings for these boys... they witnessed the real thing with their very own eyes like it was something that happened on a regular basis to everyone. To this day, the boys all love animals, especially kitties, proven by the fact that one has a record which stems from trying to save a neglected kitty while on senior week. A whole 'nuther story for a whole 'nuther day.

Disclaimer for worried parents and angry peta people:
To the parents who are thinking I might have explained too much, let me assure you, I did not have to go into much detail about the whole mating process while they were young. I gave them what they asked for, when they asked for it and when the opportunity arose. Yes, I taught them the word 'mate', but they really had no idea what it was (at least I didn't tell them, but they rode a school bus). 'nuff said. They turned out great.
To Peta all I have to say is, no we didn't always spay or neuter our kitties. There would have been no money left over to feed the family at times. If we'd have called the SPCA, they would have been killed anyway, so they were better off here. Most of them were drop-offs, some even tiny newborns when we found them... not all having survived until we noticed they were lying there wrapped in towels.

So you see, my boys didn't just learn the birds and the bees through all the kitties that have come and gone on our little farmette, they also learned about life and death.