Downed Tree Turned Sculpture

OK...

Remember that huge tree that

was downed in the park a few months ago?

Someone was very creative!!!
Till next time,
Bonjour

Rural Texas, Is It Disappearing?

SO....

I've been playing Taxi to my youngest daughter Ginger.

Her 1995 Honda is on the fritz and since she's on the way to my day job

I've been  transporting  her to and from her employment at Target.



Cotton



I noticed this scene several days ago and thought it was photo worthy,

just didn't have the time to stop, (I also drop my husband Steve at his job). 

Anyway,

This stretch of highway is mostly farmland but I have noticed,

FOR SALE SIGNS!!!

Seems highway frontage is more valuable than farmland.

Glad I can grow some of my own stuff!!!!

Notice the neighborhood in the background, the movie theater sign?

Soon my ride to work will be nothing but neighborhoods and businesses.

I'm sad!

All I can do is preserve my little 10!

Do you notice subtle changes in your landscape?

Is modern society creeping up on you also?

Till next time,

Bonjour

Garden Goodies



The Plum Tree



Cayenne

                                                                     

Hurry Up...Turn Red



Freesia or Lilly?



Peppers and Tomatoes



Pickled Beets and Green Tomatoes



So...

  The computer crashed on Sunday,

just now got it up and running.

We were out in the yard tonight and

I thought I would share the view.



We canned the beets and tomatoes on Sunday,

 unfortunatelywe didn't plant very many 

so we only got two jars canned.

They're  for Steve's Mom and

she will appreciate whatever we give her.

The green tomatoes were a gift from

Steve's workmate Rollo and

he's promised some okra so

I'll pickle that for Steve's Mom also.

The garage sale-ing went well and

 I found a bike for Nathan....

photos to follow (hopefully).

Sorry this post is so terse

but I'm expecting the computer to crash at any moment.

I know, positive thinking.....



Happy first day of summer!!!

 Till next time,
Bonjour

 P.S.
It rained this morning and it's raining tonight. I can hear thunder outside...
SUPER!!!!!
I'm gonna check it out.
We're in a drought you know....TEXAS

Sue's Cabbage Slaw And Thievery!!!

So.....

I'm hearing Rambo First Blood in my background,

(Steve)

while I'm thinking about tomorrow's agenda.

My daughter Ginger, her son Nathan and I have plans

to garage- sail tomorrow.

We need to replace his bicycle that was stolen.

Hopefully we can find one that's not to expensive.

 I also need to school him on the proper security of said bike!!!

Where and when I grew up this was not an issue, times have sadly changed.

Anyway...

Sue, here's the recipe.....

Jerry's Ramen Salad

Ingredients:

1 small head cabbage

1 diced bell pepper (any color)

3 stalks diced celery

4 chopped green onions

1 cup toasted nuts (any variety)

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

2 packages ramen noodles, lightly smashed

4 Tbsp. sugar

6 Tbsp vinegar (any variety)

1 cup oil (any variety)

salt and pepper to taste

2 ramen spice packets

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Sometimes I add grated carrots, raisins, chopped apricots ETC... Use your imagination.

Till next time,

Bonjour

My Morning View Today



Sunrise/ The Sage/Oregano Bed



Sunrise Almost Over The Mesquite Tree









 



Wild Sunflowers Shading The Herb Bed



Smile





These views put a smile on my face

as I was leaving for work this morning.

Made going in a little less......Well you know!

I didn't plant the sunflowers, I think the birds did.

They come up every spring, lots and lots of them!!!

Till next time,

Bonjour

Karma

After the break in down the road

we've been trying to

better secure the property.

Steve had been buying T posts here and there in preparation for the fence,

 but it's time to step things up a bit!! 

SO... 

Today after work I was in my local Home Depot

purchasing a few more T posts.

I was in the line waiting my turn when the man behind me said,

"I have about six of those in the back of my truck if you want them".

"No way I say", "way" he says. "Awesome" I say.

"Funny how Karma works out" I say.

He just laughed.

I purchased three and got nine total.

At $3.89 per post  I was in the positive at

$23.34!!!

How cool is that?

Turns out he's a rancher from Avalon who raises Black Angus.

Thank you Randall, I'll be talking about you for quite some time!!!

People can be, and, are generous.

I wasn't even going to stop at the Depot because of time issues,

I wanted to check out at the complete opposite end of the store,

Karma had other ideas!!!

Got to go,

Steve got the new lawn tractor stuck and I have to

try and pull him out!!!

Till next time,

Bonjour

Time For Me?

Oh My, Busy, Busy Bee....

Soap shows are over till fall, no more late night product making....

I'm out of, or near out of several soaps but that can be rectified in a day or two!

(Like Tomorrow and Sunday).

Time to concentrate my energies on other endeavors!!!

Cooking, painting, redoing?

Let's start with cooking.



Nathan holding his cookbook



As I've had time Nathan and I have been working our way

through the cookbook 

Rachel Ray 30- Minute Meals For Kids.

A gift from his Aunt Heather.

We've done several recipes in the book but Nate keeps going back

 to the Shrimp Scampi recipe.

Nathan, shrimp is $6.99 a pound, let's try it with chicken!

OK then!

Today we tried altering the recipe to use chicken.

The original recipe goes like this.

RECIPE

1 pound angel hair pasta/ we used thin, whole wheat spaghetti

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsps EVOO

3 tbsps butter/ we just used more EVOO

1 lb. shrimp/ we used 1 lb. cubed chicken breast 

1 cup chicken stock/ we had canned turkey stock

4-5 blades fresh chives, snipped/ we used dried, ground rosemary, dill, lemon balm and chocolate mint

A hand full of fresh parsley/ we used fresh lemon balm

tablespoon or two of flour, (not in the original recipe)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot of water to boil, add pasta.

Cook pasta aldente. Drain.

Heat oil in saucepan and add dried herbs.

Sautee herbs about 2 minutes then add cubed chicken.

Cook chicken until almost done then add chopped garlic. 

Sautee about 2 minutes.

Add flour and cook for another 2 or so minutes.

Add the stock and  raise heat up to a boil.

( May need to add some water to mixture depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce to be).

Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained pasta.

Stir/toss to incorporate.

Garnish with fresh snipped/chopped lemon balm.

Serve with toasted, buttered herb bread.

YUMMO!!!!!

Chicken was $1.97 lb., boneless, skinless.

Pasta was $1.00 lb.

Surprisingly inexpensive for several gourmet lunch box treats.

What do you think, would you make this recipe?

Would you change anything?

I think we'll make chicken toes next!

Till next time...

Bonjour

Trouble With Blogger

Seems blogger is having issues.

I've lost my recent comments and my followers.

Drat....

The Pitfalls Of Verbal Communication

OH MY!!!

It's not just a potato, patato dilemma.

It involves tone, accent, inflection, body language......

You're saying one thing and the recipient is hearing something completely different.

I've lived in Texas since the late 1970's

 BUT,

 I still  have a definite Midwestern accent and style of speaking.

No amount of ya'lls and fixin have

fooled anyone here as to my origins.

I try to speak this language,

I say the correct words, it's that vocal style I have

that gets me into trouble on occasion.

Example:

Steve & Ginger

My girl Ginger helps me with the soap shows, she's a Texan

so I let her do most of the talking.

She's a great little salesperson,

friendly, outgoing and speaks the language correctly.

Today she was helping a lady pick out soaps,

explaining the different scent categories, botanical additions etc....

The lady had several soaps in her hands and Ginger said,

'I can put those up here for you while you choose more".

The lady was good with that but then said, "let me see those".

I said to Ginger, "she doesn't remember what she has".

I've seen it happen time and time again,

they smell so many, pick out some,

and then forget what they chose.

However I said it, my tone my accent,

my body language, I don't know,

pissed her off. She put down the soap,

mumbled something and walked off!

It's never my intent to hurt anyone with my words,

I really think before I put any words to print lest I offend someone.

I would never overtly intend to make anyone feel bad.

What it all boils down to is,

REGIONAL LANGUAGE AND INFLECTION MISHAPS....

If I have offended anyone with my style of speaking,

 I am truly sorry, and be assured it was not done in malice.

That being said,

how about we all lighten up just a bit and give each other a break!

I'm out here in 96 degrees plus heat trying to sell soap, why would I piss you off on purpose?

Oh well, nothing I can do now,

maybe some Duct Tape across my lips is in order?

We had a great show,

sold lots of soaps etc. so apparently I said a few things correctly!

Round two tomorrow,

where did I put that Duct Tape?

Till next time.

Bonjour

Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival

The Gnomes' Place



Steve

Nathan

 We do like our Renaissance Festivals.

These photos were taken last weekend at Scarborough Faire.

We used to purchase season passes, but since we bought this property there's no time to be lolling about. There's work to be done!!!!

Now, once a year has to be good enough!

The venue is quite pretty, with a creek, pecan trees and plenty of shade all situated on about 33 acres.

Nathan & I

Jousting, belly dancers, knife throwing,
comedy shows, camel rides,
what more could you ask for?

Me

As I was standing in line to purchase our tickets
 this woman came up to me and gave me a comp ticket.
Three for the price of two!
How cool is that?

Got a soap show for the next two days, so.....
Till next time..
Bonjour