Wednesday, August 31, 2011

~simple little pleasures~



"I believe the nicest and sweetest days 
are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, 
but just those that bring simple little pleasures, 
following one another softly,
 like pearls slipping off a string."


— L.M. Montgomery

Monday, August 29, 2011

Menu Plan Monday

Supper Menus
August 29-September 3

Monday
chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried okra, marinated tomatoes, texas toast
Tuesday
mexican frito salad
Wednesday
out for supper
Thursday
tortellini with marinara sauce, caesar salad
Friday
mexican lasagna
Saturday
tba

Thursday, August 25, 2011

I admit it -

the members of my family are complete and total...
tortilla snobs.

We DO NOT eat the flour tortillas that are sold in the bread aisle at the grocery store.
If I brought those home, 
Mr. H. might use one as a coaster,
he might throw one like a frisbee,
 but he would never, ever eat one. ;-)

We are lucky enough to have a tortillaria inside our local grocery store.
The tortillas are delicious and fresh every day.
And I have been very happy to buy a bag every other week or so to meet all of our tortilla needs.

But, I've been wondering for awhile now,
could I make some at home???
I remember my parents making them often when I was growing up.


So...we gave it a shot tonight.


I rolled them out and Mr. H. manned the griddle.
And I immediately realized why it always seemed like my parents made tortillas TOGETHER.
It's much easier as a two man job. :-)


Twelve tortillas were eaten in record time.
We all agreed they were better than the tortillaria's. 
And my daughter requested only these from now on. 
I don't think I'll argue with her. :-)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Kittens are Growing Up!


The kittens, from the latest litter that hangs around these parts,
are getting bigger.


The little gray and white one is a sweetie and very cuddly.


The calico is the hunter...
or huntress...


I have no idea if they're boys or girls. 


I never know when they'll be around.


They just come and go as they please.


I can never get many pictures of the gray,
 because as soon as it sees me it
comes to hop in my lap or crawl up my back.


The calico is a little more skittish.


Always watching.



They're very happy to be given a little fresh water.



~ode to the clothesline~


"The Clothesline Said So Much"


A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.


For then you'd see the 'fancy sheets'
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the 'company table cloths'
With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth 
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.


The ages of the children could
So readily  be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.


It said, 'Gone on vacation now'
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, 'We're back!' when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors  carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.


But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's  guess.

I really miss that way of life 
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
 By what hung on the line!

by Marilyn K. Walker


"The Backyard Clothesline"


You'll say I'm 'quaintly countrified,'
Old fashioned as you please.
But I love the sight of fresh, clean laundry
Tossing in the breeze.


To suspend each garment on the line,
Then give the wind full play;
To caress and gently fragrance
In that sweet 'outdoorsy' way.


To bask in sunny radiance,
Towels neatly hung in rows;
Snowy linens snapping crisply,
Darling dancing baby clothes.


And when at dusk I gather them
If feel extremely blessed
That line-dried and sun-kissed cleanliness
Clothes the ones that I love best.

by Juanita M. Vernon



Miss Daisy knows the path to the clothesline,
and thinks I can't find it without her. ;-)


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

More baby steps...


I have really been pleased with the results of making 
After using the detergent exclusively for four months now,
 I truly believe that I will always make it.
It works and I love it.  

I am ready to move on and make another change!


I've been wanting to try homemade "windex".
I've always used Wal-Mart brand Great Value Glass Cleaner.

The homemade recipe calls for 1 part vinegar to every 5 parts water.


Now Mr. H. does NOT like the smell of vinegar.
He has an aversion to it.  
He loves to eat the pickles and pickled okra that I make,
but he doesn't like to be around when I am making them 
because of the vinegar smell in the kitchen.
So I was a little concerned that the smell might bother him.


I mixed up 1/2 cup vinegar with 2 1/2 cups water.

~the test~

I decided to clean the glass on our storm door.
Our storm door that is right next to Mr. H.'s home office,
I might add. ;-)
I was more than a little bit doubtful of the effectiveness of the vinegar and water.
But, boy, let me tell you.  It did work well.
I might even go so far as to say it worked better than my Great Value.

I think Mr. H. could tell I was cleaning the door,
 but he didn't look up or say anything about smelling vinegar.
He even went out that door a few minutes later and didn't notice anything.
I think you can smell the vinegar, which I don't mind at all,
as you are cleaning, but within a minute or two the smell is gone.


After I use up this last bottle of Great Value glass cleaner I have in my cleaning closet,
I believe I'll continue to use the homemade.

And of course, for the cost run down -

Original Windex Glass Cleaner 32 oz. (at Wal-Mart)
$2.87

Great Value Original Glass Cleaner 32 oz. (at Wal-Mart)
$0.99 

Homemade Vinegar and Water Glass Cleaner 32 oz.
$0.15

Great Value Distilled White Vinegar 64 oz. $1.18
for 32 oz. of homemade cleaner I will need 8 oz. of vinegar


Another change for the healthier, the safer and the cheaper...
bring on the next homemade cleaner!!  Stay tuned. :-)

Monday, August 22, 2011

Menu Plan Monday


Supper Menus
August 22nd-27th

Monday
favorite individual meatloaves, mashed potatoes, homestyle macaroni and cheese, homestyle green beans, buttered corn, glazed baby carrots, salad greens and creamy sweet dressingfluffy dinner rolls
Tuesday
homemade pizza, olive garden salad
Wednesday
braided sandwich loaves, chips and ranch dip
Thursday
homemade burritos, tortilla chips and salsa
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
hamburgers, baked beans, potato salad
repeat of Thursday's meal because we liked it so much!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

~another summer salad~


I tried out another new salad recipe tonight -
 from Our Best Bites.

It was very tasty.
And, it's a make ahead recipe, 
which I love during the summer time!

School Days, School Days...


Dear old Golden Rule days,
Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic,
Taught to the tune of the hick'ry stick.
You were my queen in calico,
I was your bashful, barefoot beau.
And you wrote on my slate, "I love you so,"
When we were a couple 'o kids.

Ahhhh, school days!
New school supplies!


Coloring pages
(who remembers the smell of the purple mimeographed ones??),
pearl pink erasers,


perfectly sharpened pencils,
chalkboards,


 and brand new crayons. :-)

New clothes,
the promise of fall,
football games and bonfires...

I've always loved back to school. :-)



We've had different traditions over the years.
We've public schooled, 
home schooled for four years,
and we're back to public school now.

I have a 6th grader in intermediate school
and a 9th grader starting high school this year!
Exciting times ahead.


A special breakfast and first day pictures 
are traditions we always have no matter where we are going to school.
And for some reason when we were homeschooling,
we always liked to have Frito pie for first day lunch!


The year the children went back to public school
I made this banner to celebrate!

Happy back to school and happy fall -  it's just around the corner!

I'm linking up today at Kelly's Korner
for Show Us Your Life Friday - Back to School

Also linked to Back to School Traditions Link Up.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

.:preparing farm fresh eggs:.


Favorite Breakfast Eggs
serves 3-4

1 tablespoon butter
6 fresh eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
a sprinkle of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet. Add eggs and milk. Scramble with a wire whisk. Add cheese, rosemary, and seasonings. Cook until done and enjoy! So easy, so delish!


Tuesday, August 16, 2011

~trying out some new salads this week~


First up was tonight's 


The salad is topped with a sweet asian dressing.

Every single time I make homemade dressing,
I wonder...
why do I ever buy salad dressing at the grocery???

Homemade is so much better,
so much easier really, 
(I rarely even have to buy a special ingredient - 
it's all in my pantry already)
so much better for you,
and...so much cheaper!


I left the chicken out of the recipe, 
because I wanted it vegetarian for me,
and I served the family
chicken egg rolls and fried rice.

Because as we all know,
if I served just a salad for supper...
well, it just wouldn't be pretty. ;-)

Monday, August 15, 2011

Menu Plan Monday


Supper Menus
August 15th-20th

Monday
spaghetti and meatballs, caesar salad
Tuesday
asian wonton salad, fried rice, egg rolls
Wednesday
swiss steak, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls
Thursday
southwest pasta salad, bean and cheese burritos, taquitos, tortilla chips, picante sauce, guacamole
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
bbq ribs, potato salad, pinto beans 

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

S'mores...in a jar!


Did you know that August 10th is 
National S'mores Day? :-) 


How about celebrating this year with some 
S'mores in a Jar?


In a one quart mason jar layer -

1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows


Use a cute ribbon to tie on the instructions.


Yummy!


Campfire s'mores goodness...


in a jar!