Catching up

Not alot has been happening around here, I'm still trying to get rid of this head cold/ allergy combo and not getting alot accomished with having to blow my nose every 5 minutes, but I'll live! We haven't been able to get our new raised beds ready to plant either, and I'm bummed about that. When I finally found someone to bring us a load of top soil, it rained and now we have to wait for it to dry out before we can fill the beds, and being a dump truck load, it may take awhile since we have a chance of rain everyday this week. But life goes on...

I've been playing with my camera, trying to learn to take better photos. The county fair will be here before I'm ready, I always enter my shots in the photography contest, I've won every spot but first place so that's what I'm aiming for! lol Got any neat tricks you'd care to share?

I'd like to share this fun little game that I woke up to this morning, it just amazes me how it works, try it and see.

The Chocolate Calculator

1. First pick a number of days a week that you'd like to have chocolate, write it down so you can figure this out. ( more than once but less than 10)
2. Multiply this number by 2
3. Add 5
4. Multiply it by 50
5. If you've already had your birthday this year, add 1757, if you haven't add 1758
6. Now subtract the 4 digit year that you were born.
You should have a 3 digit number
The first digit of this number was your original number, and the next 2 numbers are your age!

Amazing isn't it! And it'll only work for this year of 2009, I don't how but someone is pretty cleaver! Well, I need to get a meatloaf put together so enjoy your day, rain or shine! A little of both here today!

Mug Brownie

Have you ever craved something chocolate and didn't want to bake a whole cake or heat up the kitchen? I know, silly question! Well, for times like that or to just treat yourself or someone else, I found a dandy recipe that comes to the rescue, a mug brownie! There is no mess, it's all assembled in a coffee mug and baked in the microwave in a snap! Since all microwave ovens are not the same on speed, you may have to practice with yours, mine took more like 2 mintues, so keep that in mind.

Mug Brownie

4 Tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder ( the real stuff)
2 tablespoons veggie oil
2 tablespoons water
dash of salt
mug
microwave

Place dry ingredients in a coffee mug and mix well with fork. Add oil and water, mix well again. Microwave on high for 1 min. ( could be more or less depending on your microwave) The brownie should be wet in the center when done. Let cool, enjoy!

Wouldn't this make a cute Mother's Day gift idea? And for hot summer nights when you want something sweet and gooey? I hope you will treat yourself to this treat, you'll have too before you make it for someone else! Enjoy!

Vintage Apron Giveaway

Sue at Not Quiet June Cleaver is at it again with another sweet apron giveaway, this time a vintage apron to honor National Wear Your Apron day. Just head over to her lovely blog and leave a comment about aprons of course, and your in! As you know, I love aprons and am collecting them, so whenever I find a way to add to my collection for free, I'm sharing it here with my fellow apron sisters! Good luck to us!

Well, Mother Nature must not own a calendar because our weather is not normal for April, but for June? We hit 82 yesterday and will do it again today, and that mean ole wind is back causing havoc with my head! But it hasn't stopped me from getting out and cleaning out the flower beds as we wait on the arrival of a load of top soil. We've ordered a dump truck full for the raised beds, and we hope to get them in before the heavy rains come early next week. Spring chores are plenty, so many wants and plans. Happy Friday to all!

Happy Earth Day!

I'm such a sucker for a pretty face, I just can't pass up purple flowers! It's Earth Day, are you doing something green for our planet? I'm planting flowers today, finally! The wind has moved on only to return tomorrow so today I'm getting my flowers in the ground, and taking a blogging break here and there. We've warmed up nicely, but with this cold, I'm having to run in more often to blow my nose. But it sure feels good to be outside! Everyday should be Earth Day in my book!

I was reading about a new book that is out, "Throw out Fifty Things" clear the clutter, find your life. Now I don't know about you, but I'm not sure if I could throw out 50 things? I could however go out into my hubby's shop and find at least 50 things that need to be thrown out! I'm finding the older I get, I treasure my things more, not to be confused with possessions, but things that mean alot to me, or make me happy. I think they are important to have, to share and display with pride. I love my collections, photos, china and aprons. I'm not one for clutter, everything in my home is displayed tastefully with reason. I can't imagine living in a house without the owners personality decorating the place, can you? This reasoning has matured over the years, as I have. Could you throw out 50 things?

Take flowers, I can't resist them, they make me happy and they make the world more beautiful, so I buy first and find a spot later, just so I know I have them to enjoy. A addiction, maybe but I could think of worse things to be addicted too! I hope you too are enjoying this Earth Day, and that you will join me in planting more flowers whenever you can, let's make everyday Earth Day!

April's Cupcake Challenge

April showers bring May flowers but you can bake these flower pot cupcakes anytime of the year, but spring is best! These are so easy, all you need are clay pots for your baked and decorated cupcakes, you can make them into anything that reminds you of spring, pop in a clay pot once done and they can be used for so many things. Aren't they the cutest! I think they would fit right in at a tea party.

I don't know if I'm just wore out from my sister's visit or if I'm catching a bug, but I've been so tired and woke up with a sore thoart this morning. The weather isn't helping either, very windy with a slight chill, not warm enough to get out and plant my table full of flowers, not worth fighting the wind over! But I hope to get them planted in the next day or so, we are expecting a big warmup, 80 by Friday!

I hope where ever your reading this from that you are enjoying some nice spring like weather, planting a garden and flowers and just rejoicing in the new season. Don't forget tomorrow is Earth Day, do something special for our planet, I will!

GeoCaching

My sister's visit was so much fun, she turned us onto GeoCaching and now I'm hooked! While she was here we found 4 caches and I hid my first one in a nearby nature park. For those of you who don't know what GeoCaching is, and I never heard of it till my sister got involved can be best described as real life treasure hunting! You need a handheld GPS (which I"m looking for a good used one if anyone has one for sale or trade) where you punch in the coordinates of the cache and you begin your hunt to find it. They do provide a map, some hints and photos that do help in the search. I found my first one just by a photo and knowing the area it was hidden in. Once you find the cache, you fill out the logbook, you may take a item from the cache but if you do you must replace it with something, a little trinket, coin or whatever you have. Take something, leave something. And you hide it where you found it for the next person to find. My second cache was out in plain sight, so that was a easy find but a little disappointing for the hunt. The next one we went on, we walked for almost a mile and never found it, we were losing daylight but we will try again.

The photo here shows my third cache, a ammo box full of neat stuff, this cache held a travel bug, my first. I had to place it in my next find, which I did. What I love most about this new hobby of mine is it's another excuse to get out and explore nature plus hunting for treasure is just plain fun! This would be a great idea for a children's group like the Boy and Girl scouts, many caches are geared for kids only. They get to explore plus learn about the area they are geocaching in. I'm anxious to get out and find another one, once I find a GPS that is. Thanks Allison for the new hobby! If your interesting in learning more about GeoCaching check out their offical site, it's free to join in on the hunt!

Tea Party Book Winner

I bet you all thought I forgot about this, didn't you? Not a chance! I'm just recooping from my week long visit with my sister Allison. It was a little sad watching her head for her plane, but I know she must get home to her family and job, but we had a wonderful week. She wasn't feeling 100% for a few days plus the weather wasn't 100% either but we crammed alot in on the good days. And she got me hooked on GeoCaching, a post to follow soon.

Now, back to the giveaway, after compliling all the names, some twice, some three times, I pulled a name from the teapot. When I read to see who won, it was pure fate. The winner and new owner of this book is Allison from "A Little Shabby, Always Chic" blog! Congrats Allison! Funny, a fellow Allison won when this giveaway was in honor of my sister's visit who is a Allison too! So, Allison send me your mailing info so I can get this wonderful book in the mail to you on Monday. Enjoy it and let us know when you have a tea party of your own!

I want to thank all who entered, I really enjoyed reading all your lovely comments of the tea parties you've had or wanted too. Got some neat ideas that will be filed away! And the giveaways aren't over yet, I'm planning a big one for when my followers hit 100, just a way to say thanks! I love you all!

Day Trippin

Saturday proved that spring time in the Ozarks is a treat to savor and we did just that, we went day trippin! I took my sister and daughter in law out to find the tree houses, a beautiful resort on the North Fork river where cabins are built on stilts resembling tree houses, and they did. This cabin wasn't on the resort but by the mill below. I love old cabins and would of loved to known the history behind this rustic cutie? At one time, this place was out in no where, still is, kinda. But I can't imagine living so remotely.




Down by the ole mill stream......comes to mind when you stand in front of this historic mill, one of many in my area. I can't help but to think of all the flour and grain milled here, makes you appreciate the simple act of baking today.

We had a lovely day in the Ozarks, it felt good to get out and soak up some sun, nature and history. It rained on our Easter plans here, but the kids still got to hunt eggs in the house, time was spent together and no one left hungry. I hope you had a blessed Easter like I did. Today, we plan to get out and do a little treasure hunting, weather permitting. Remember, you still have the rest of the week to get entered in my giveaway below. A good Monday is wished for everyone!

Hoppy Easter!

As my grandson used to say! I just love this photo, it's him all the way! I'm so glad to see so many get signed up my giveaway, remember you have till the 18th to do so, just leave your comment on the post below. I've really enjoyed reading all the comments, tea parties galore, what fun! I'm gonna have to have a tea party soon, sounds like so much fun!

Well, tomorrow is the day my sister flys in for a week, so if I'm not here much you know why. She lives in Nevada so we don't get to see each other very often, about every 3-4 years or so. Were looking forward to this special time together.

I played outside yesterday and got some flowers planted, finally and today they are getting some rain so they should have a good start. Spring is here which means spring storms too, and we have a chance of some severe weather tonight, so I hope whoever is in the path of these storms stays safe. Blessings to all for a peaceful Easter and a wonderful time spent with family and friends.

Afternoon Tea Giveaway

High tea, Fireside Tea or Sweet Sixteen Tea, no matter the occasion, this book has everything you need to host a tea party, complete with recipes and lovley photos of fine china. And, I'm giving it away! In honor of my sister's visit next week, a sister who loves tea and thanks to a special friend who gifted me a copy of this book but I had already had one, so I'm keeping the one she gave me since she wrote a little something in it and I love to get books with a note written inside. So, this is how it'll work, are you keeping up with me? Just leave a comment here, and here only, to make it easier for me to count names, and tell me if you've ever had a tea party? Don't panic, if you haven't yet, just tell me what kind of tea party you'd like to host someday? Now, to make the odds even better, post about my giveaway on your blog and I'll add your name twice. Wait, I'm not done yet, if one of your readers leave a note telling me where they came from and you posted about my giveaway, I'll enter your names in three times! Do I have your attention yet? I love hosting giveaways! I'm leaving this open through out my sister's visit and will draw a name from the teapot on the 18th so you have plenty of time to get cracking!

Winter has returned to the Ozarks once again, with 40 for a high today and another night of frost warnings. Now, I know the calendar says it's April but it sure doesn't feel like it and so many plants and trees are blooming. I hope Mother Nature has a plan for this tug of war with the weather? I think I'll make a cup of tea.....Good luck!

Green Spring Giveaway

A fellow Sue over at "Not Quite June Cleaver" is having another giveaway of one of her lovely aprons plus 3 other "green" goodies to celebrate the arrival of spring. So, since spring is playing tug of war with winter and losing, I thought I'd share this fun giveaway with you, just pay Sue a visit and leave a comment. While your there, check out her yummy recipe for meat pies, they remind me of something my Mom used to make. Good luck and stayed tuned, I too have another giveaway in the works, they are so much fun!

Bedroom Done

Well, almost! As you can see I still have some free wall space, I'm looking for some white shelves or may have hubby make some, not sure yet. And I'm not sold on the layout just yet, but I'll keep playing with it till I am. I got rid of a old chair that used to hold the pillows from the bed while we slept, so I'm having to put them in a basket till I find something else. But it all works and I like it so much better.

Just one week to go before my little sister flys in for the week, it will be our first Easter spent together in decades so that will be nice. I have alot of sister time planned, flea markets, yard sales, day trips and a cookout with the family, not to mention a Easter feast and egg hunt! So, this next week is full of spring cleaning, yard work and waiting anxiously....have a wonderful weekend, I'm heading south today to Home Depot and Lowes for flowers. I can't wait till we get our Lowes, due to open in December, till then, we have to travel a bit, but the drive is worth every mile!

Recipe Box Swap

April is pasta month for the monthly recipe box swap hosted by Randi at
I Have to Say and I'm sharing my family favorite, Rigatoni. This is so easy, so good and so gone by all!

Rigatoni

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. pasta, any kind
2 cans or jars favorite spaghetti sauce
onions & peppers, chopped, optional
oregano
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese

Cook ground beef till done, with onions and peppers if used. Drain if needed. While meat is cooking, boil water for pasta,cook and drain. In a big oven proof bowl or dutch oven, combine meat, pasta and sauce, mix well. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, with oregano and parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 oven for about 30 min. or till cheese has melted and is steaming. Enjoy!

If you're looking to upgrade your recipe stash, check out this fun idea of sharing recipes on a monthly post. We'd love to have you!