Shoestring Manor

Loss of a Hero, Dr. Anne LaBastille

2012-01-27T09:07:00.002-06:00

Wrapped up in my grief for my father, I did not even know of the passing of Dr. Anne LaBastille. The first book I read of hers was the Woodswoman when I learned of her through an old issue of Mother Earth News. As a kid from Queens, N.Y. I had been to the Adirondacks once and it was beautiful. Here Anne LaBastille made her home (literally) and championed the environmental cause.

Anne was everything I had hoped to be. Intelligent, resilient and fearless. She was also beautiful.

She was passionate for her cause and in my eyes could do it all. After reading Woodswoman, I had to read all of her other books.

I knew she was ailing and had to spend the harsh winters in a more stable environment. I would google her to check up on her from time to time.

Until she had to go into a nursing home, she was always in the company of her German Sheppard. She had German Sheppards throughout her life, a breed she researched and found most dependable. They were real German Sheppards not what is typically bred.

I hope that before her passing, she knew the impact she had. Not just for the environment but for a kid from Queens who was shown a whole different way of life. I am far from the life Anne lived, but I carry her with me everyday. Dr. Anne LaBastille died July 1, 2011. You can read her obituary here at the Adirondack Almanack. You will be missed Anne, and thank you.

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Catching Up and Is Weight Watchers Frugal?

2012-01-26T11:29:00.002-06:00

It's been a little while. I worked on a scarf that I was not thrilled with and have been busy running children to doctor appointments. My son's room is finished and since he has moved in the boys have no need for the old cedar chest the boys shared as a toy box. We had a smaller one stored in the shed for the last seven years that my husband built that is smaller so he was busy sanding it down and putting polyurethane on it. The last coat had to go on in the house unfortunately because the humidity down here has been terrible. My job was to make the cushion. I don't think we did too badly.

My youngest likes how it came out and since it is under one of his windows the cat loves it.

Once upon a time I was married to someone who was not financially responsible. The only thing close to being as expensive as being married to him was divorcing him. I have a credit card, emergency only, 0 balance. Outside of a mortgage (which is low thankfully), utilities and insurance, we have no reoccurring debt. My husband now is much better with money and he also understands my anxiety about major purchases. Why am I telling you this? I joined Weight Watchers three weeks ago. It is $43 a month and it is something just for me. Watching the scale go up and dealing with aches, pains and rolling heartburn, it was time for a change. This is the packet you are given when you join:

And I will admit that I also purchased the deluxe kit on sale $25:

Now if you get the monthly pass online, you get the etools and tracking for free and you don't need anything else but I tried the online etools after the fact and I'm not a fan. The initial packet they give to you for joining isn't bad and will definitely get you going if you cook your own meals. I did try two of the Weight Watcher Meals which was a waste of $6. I will stick with my own cooking, thank you very much! I was surprised by two things, one is how much I really eat ( I pick), and how much it bugs me to have the weekly fee. On the plus side, I have lost 7.4lbs in two weeks, banished my heartburn and have cut way down on sugar.

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Hey! Who turned on winter?

2012-01-13T10:42:00.000-06:00

It was 27 degrees in Mississippi this morning and will be tomorrow morning also. The cover came off the lemon tree but it seems to be doing fine. We had quite a bit of wind yesterday! The end of last week I baked bread in the brick oven. There are no pictures for a reason lol. SO I had this bread that I baked, that wasn't useful, what to do? Make croutons! I cubed the bread and let it dry out for a couple of days:

Now I know I copied down this recipe from the web into my notebook but for the life of me cannot remember where I got it. It calls for olive oil, Italian spices and Parmesan cheese to coat the bread:

I didn't write down what oven temperature either so I baked them at 400 for about half an hour. Some of them did have to return to the oven, and I made three batches:

Everyone liked them! I was reading that it takes time to learn how to bake bread in a brick oven. Frustrating is more like it but in the meantime, we'll have plenty of croutons!

Cast Iron update: I did make cornbread sticks over the Christmas holiday. I need to remember to keep the camera in the kitchen. The Griswold cornstick pan did stick a little because I did not oil it enough. As much as I like the cornstick pans they are annoying to clean.

Money Saving Challenge

2012-01-04T10:00:00.001-06:00

I was reading Rhonda's post over at If You Do Stuff, Stuff Gets Done, and she posted about a Money Savings Challenge over at Frugal Makes Cents. Lately I have been lazy and have been splurging too much. I don't think I did too bad with Christmas shopping but it is time to reel myself in. An example of how lazy I had been is when I was thinking about dinner yesterday. I already knew I was making stew, great for the weather we have been having, but I almost picked up the phone to ask my husband to pick up rolls. I suffered immediate guilt because I was going to make brownies for the kids and just picked up Little Debbie's at the dollar store while I was there. I asked myself, how lazy are you going to get? So I whipped out my Jackie Clay recipe for spoon rolls. You can find it online here. The correction I would make to this recipe is that you need 3/4 cup warm water in the ingredients, first rise is 1- 1-1/2 hours and second rise in muffin tins is about 45 minutes. Cook time for me was 20 minutes not 10 minutes. They always work for me and when all was said and done, homemade stew and rolls did the trick, all the stew was gone and one roll was left. I have misplaced my price book and will have to add cost per serving later.

New Post, New Year

2012-01-03T09:19:00.000-06:00

Did I receive cast iron? You bet! My husband bought me a Cuisinart red enameled cast iron lasagna pan. This is heavy and I have already used it to make lasagna and our Christmas ham. I've never used enameled cast iron before though I have used enamelware.

It is nice and a breeze to clean.

Now on to our favorite gift given to us. Joe, a coworker of my husband, was out shopping with his wife. They were in a gift shop and looked at a goblet glass. It was the Redneck Wine Glass and they wanted $16 for it. Joe balked then went home and got busy. This was our gift from him:

It's a ball canning jar epoxied to a glass candlestick. I love it. Total cost for Joe to make was $2. American "can do" at it's best.

While in Missouri, my niece had on a slouchy hat that she had knitted and has sold several. It looked warm and comfortable. My daughter remarked that I hardly crochet anymore so I should start again. I told her that since they are getting older and prefer store bought I don't crochet that much. Her response was "So, you like it, so do it". My youngest is the only one who request stuff for me to make so I made a couple of things for myself. Here is the crochet version of a slouchy hat:

It is warm and comfortable. My husband was calling me a hippie lol. And the buzz around the crochet boards was about making Scoodies. It's just a new name for a hooded scarf, which I made:

My son requested a slouchy hat with an Angry Bird on it so I have a hat in the works for him and I have hats that I am working on for the homeless. It feels good to work with a hook again.

Now on to bad news. Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act. This enables military to indefinitely detain terror suspects, including American citizens without charge. What can label you a terrorist? Name it, talking about the government, religious beliefs, activism, gun ownership... Ask people or ask your senators and congressman what is considered terrorism, more importantly domestic terrorism and see how many different answers you get.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T16:51:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a wondeful Christmas! I popped in quick to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Stay safe!

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Sunshine Apron

2011-12-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

Today was a day for mending. I have had a growing pile on my sewing table. I had started this pattern a few weeks ago and never finished:

This is from eBay seller sewingvintagememories. This is the auction link. Having to move things around from the construction going on here I misplaced the directions but I think I have it put together right. I decided to put it together without bias tape mainly because I told myself I had to use what I had to make it, which didn't include bias tape. Here it is:

I know that it looks rather plain but it suits me. It went together rather quickly with the serger and sewing machine and is made out of blue and white linen. Bridget McGrath (my dress form), was more than happy to be of use!

Window Farming

2011-12-11T13:06:00.001-06:00

With the loss of my garden plots, I am always looking at other ways to produce food. This video shows great promise and I wish there was something like this when I lived in New York!

The "how to" site is here at Our Window Farms.

A Post--Finally

2011-12-07T08:51:00.001-06:00

The one thing I dislike about going away is that I am swamped when I get back. I have been meaning to post for over a week.
We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with my in laws in Missouri. My sister-in-law outdid herself and everything tasted wonderful. The 12 hour trip was eventful. My daughter had a competition in North Mississippi, the following day we visited overnight with high school buddy of my husband's and his wife and the last leg of the trip we stopped to see my step-daughter. When we landed at my sister-in-law's house we unpacked and my husband went out with a rifle and his orange on. Now before we left my brother-in-law told my husband if I wanted deer meat I was going to have to shoot it myself since he hadn't much luck. I don't think my husband was going to take a chance on our yearly supply of deer meat resting in my hands. My Bil's dad shot a doe that morning and contributed it to our deer supply already. Well, 20 minutes into the woods my husband got a doe. I will spare you the pictures, but we had our supply of deer meat. Thankfully my BIL is a good natured man and wasn't chapped by how quickly my husband bagged a deer.
My BIL and his family run a farm, one of the top 3 in the state. After Thanksgiving dinner we went over (gift in hand as a thank you for the deer) to my Bil's parent's house. They are incredible, warm hearted people. Ms. D is about to turn 80 and Mr. J is 84. Mr. J has a quiet way and works just as hard on the farm as he did when he was young and Ms. D is right there with him. We had a nice visit and I should title the rest of this post, My Son's Secret Life on The Farm. My youngest is 10. Since he was 4 he has been going with his Uncle in the mornings on our visits there. He had weak muscles in one of his legs and couldn't climb but at 5 he showed his Uncle when he climbed 40ft. up the silo. I am not privy to the chores that he helps with because they are afraid I'd have a heart attack. But Ms. D has filled me in a little. He helps feed the cows, he can drive the big tractors, he finds things that are lost. He drove the truck as they tossed hay out and he helps fix things. He also helps herd the cows. While we visit he is inseparable from his Uncle and is sad when we leave. My BIL has the patience of a saint. It was nice to hear and the expression on Ms. D's face when she described my son to me, I could tell he was a favorite. I mentioned to my BIL the things his mother had told me and he smiled. He said the first time he brought Liam to the farm, his mother was baking pies. He was so small then, he walked into Ms. D's kitchen and informed her he was there for the pie. Well that cemented things between him and Ms. D.
Here he is riding the pony:

Of course it wouldn't be a trip to Missouri if I didn't visit my favorite thrift store, Those Were the Days. I was looking for another corn stick pan and wouldn't you know it only took me two booths to find one. Then I found another one. The first one is the same one I just bought but cheaper and the second one was a Griswold at a cheap price. Which one to buy? Well here is the word problem: If Aggie travels 12 hours in a minivan with 3 children at around 70mph and has to go back with the same way with the same amount of children, which pan does she buy? Both! It's my reward lol. I splurged $25.
They need some work but here they are:

The bottom pan is just like the one I just bought. The top pan is the Griswold. The sticks on the top one are slightly bigger and it needs more work. I plan on burning that one out on a fire first to see if I can get most of the rust and bumps burned off. We went to my Mother-in-law's house afterward and she asked what I bought. She has one like the one on the bottom that belonged to my husbands grandmother and she also has a larger one that makes shorter sticks but double the amount she said she was keeping those but took out two that I could have.

I am not usually a fan of shaped cast iron because of all the grooves but I was excited to have it and think it generous of my MIL to give it to me. The fish pan probably hasn't been used in 20 years and needs work. Another candidate for the fire. The corn ear pan has been well seasoned and needs a mild cleaning and seasoning. I had a cast iron Thanksgiving lol. Well, we loaded up our deer, cast iron, kids and headed home. It poured rain down on us the whole way. Now to get ready for Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:59:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a great holiday. I will post again on Monday.

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T07:01:00.001-06:00

My father passed away April 20, 20ll and was a Vietnam Vet. He treasured his service time so much he asked to be buried at sea by the Navy. He also sent me a gift. This is how the tree that faces my yard and I see every morning has changed, a gift from my Dad.

This is the first Veteran's day that I will not be calling him while he is getting ready for the parade to wish him well and thank him.

So, Happy Veteran's Day Dad, I miss you and thank you. Happy Veteran's Day to all the Veteran's out there and thank you!

Fall Back

2011-11-06T06:15:00.002-06:00

The clocks went back but the internal clock of my dog did not. At 4:30 a.m. I woke to find her standing over me staring down. She then proceeds to push me with her head, the day begins.
It's been another week of running here and there and class projects. I am tired of looking a poster board.
After faithfully baking bread for a while my traitorous husband bought bread. Not just any bread, the white fluffy bread, the kind we used to mix with glue in art class and make shapes out of it. Yuck.
On a happier note, I made chili in my new dutch oven.

It may not look pretty, but it tasted great! Best of all it didn't stick to the bottom so I seasoned it well. Chili is always a good thing to cook in a newly seasoned cast iron dutch oven. Marica over at Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life suggested this, check her out!

One Down...

2011-11-01T11:06:00.001-05:00

That is how I think of Halloween...one down. The kids had a multitude of activities and parties and I can finally say I have gotten my money worth out of costumes this year. Next is Thanksgiving. I have to can some homegrown frozen produce to make freezer space for my deer. Construction has ground to a halt for a week and I have to finish up in the greenhouse for winter. One good thing is that I have stopped buying all commercial bread since I've been making more of an effort to keep on top of it and having convenient memory loss when they ask me to buy some. I baked another loaf this weekend and will be making rolls today.

We have a small mom and pop hardware store here. There are actually two, one in my town and one in the next, that have survived two Walmarts, Ace, Lowes, and Home Depot. The one in the next town I have to avoid for the most part because they have a huge supply of cast iron. My local hardware store has a smaller supply and I am still tempted. I try to frequent there as much as possible and while there last a corn stick pan caught my eye. This is the kind my MIL has and I've been on the lookout for one at a decent price. The price was right and of course I didn't notice it before because I am short and it was hanging high over my head.

As you can see it has some surface rust that scrubbed right off and seasoned beautifully. I will have to take an after picture and I still could use another one so the hunt is still on!
I hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather.

Cast Iron Porn

2011-10-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

I took off yesterday for my favorite outdoor flea market. I was looking for a larger 12" cast iron dutch oven. Unfortunately I didn't find one, and didn't find a lot of cast iron in general. I hit the last aisle when I found a cart full of the rustiest cast iron I had ever seen. I dug through to see if there was anything that could have been saved. It seemed to me that most of the pots there if dropped on a hard surface would have just crumbled into orange dust. It was a shame. I did manage to make a small pile and if the man didn't ignore me completely I would have made an offer. Getting near the end I saw some nice cast iron. A large frying pan caught my eye, nicely seasoned no rust and no bare metal spots. I have quite a few, I forced myself to look away and that is when I saw the dutch oven. I opened the lid and someone had placed a realistic toy of an animal in there that made me step back. The booth owner and I had a good laugh, he didn't know it was in there. It was before pre-seasoned and had the drip lid or self-basting lid if you prefer. Great shape. I tried to be semi-interested as I browsed the the rest of the booth then thought, who the hell am I kidding, it's getting late in the afternoon, I've dug through this whole place, I'm ready to go home. I picked it up, paid the man (he took $5 off the price and I didn't even haggle) and off I went. I paid $30 and retail is $55.95. It is a 10 1/4 4.75 inch 5QT.

I am happy with my new addition. I have a Wagner that is the same size that I have had for the last 14 years. Here they are side by side:

I told myself I no brooches when I went....I bought two. They were cheap but I am so disgusted with myself that I am not posting pictures. Today I will be cleaning and seasoning both of the dutch ovens, I do that when the weather starts to cool. What to cook to christen my new to me dutch oven?

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Busy, Busy

2011-10-20T09:02:00.000-05:00

Between running errands, football, dance, and boy scouts things have been pretty busy. The kids have been enjoying make your own pizza nights in the brick oven. I have had to talk to contractors, building permit people, and now since we have a permit, contractors looking for work. I don't think that a phone number should be made available at the permit office just because I have a permit. We pour cement tomorrow for our foundation. My husband said it should go quick after that but I have my doubts. We also have sweet potatoes growing in the garden and I am hoping we didn't plant too late in the season.
We finally purchased a new dining room table. We have had a small one for a while which did not seat our large family easily. Recently a consignment shop for furniture opened in our area. This set is a Rooms To Go set that was less than a year old. I purchased it for less than half the price:

It is nice and it extends to 108" with both leaves in.
They have an antique server that I would love to have also but my husband has plans to build something for the back wall that would serve both as a hutch and a server.
I used to be an avid doll collector and seller. I do not buy a doll that often but one of the dolls I sold and wish I didn't was an American Character Butterball from 1961. My mother found one at www.shopgoodwill.com for $6. Here is her before picture:

She has already been cleaned and is waiting for a wig and clothes. I didn't want to root her head because in doll collector circles she is known for being Little Miss Fathead, she takes a size 16 wig! But I am excited to finish her.

I am lucky to have the neighbors I have. One morning the magazine fairy left a gift on my front porch bench:

I went through it and immediately started the potato sourdough. I then called my neighbor (she is the only person who is a bigger magazine junkie than I) and thanked her. I also made her bread out of the sourdough and brought it over to her. I had a picture of the bread but cannot find it. It is the Sourdough sandwich bread and the kids love it. My youngest told me this is the only bread I should make. I also made the cast iron sourdough biscuits a couple of times but did not turn out as well. It is not just sourdough, and I have made the soft pretzels and the bagels with success.

Above are the bagels that my mother, myself and my middle son have been enjoying lunch on.

The weather has cooled down quite a bit and I am looking forward to fall activities and cooking. I also bought a new apron pattern I am itching to sew. I hope all is well and thank you for stopping by!

Extreme Couponing---Not!

2011-09-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago they had an Extreme Couponing Marathon running on TLC. I managed to listen to a few shows while I was doing things around the house. One thing that I kept thinking is, who is going to eat all that junk food? I can understand buying canned food for preps, personal care items and cleaning items, but in some cases it seems to be a sickness. Donating cases of soda doesn't help any one's health, but other things could be useful. One woman had a coupon room? On average I save between $10-$20 in coupons and I still spend way less than the USDA average for a family my size. I am mainly a perimeter shopping kind of a gal, and I do have a supply of canned goods. Coupon binder? I don't own one, I thought about it a few times. As you can see from the picture above, that is my system. The coupon holder are the small file type that is typically sold in supermarkets. I've had this one for years. The price book is roughly the same size as my coupon organizer so they get strapped together. I do not have every store in my area listed in my price book. I have shopped long enough to know which store has the cheapest prices for the items I buy often, the couple of items that are not cheaper I have a star next to. When I am in another store that is running a sale I check the price against my regular store. It works for me.

I do see people at my regular store with their binders. One woman I see occasionally seems to float down each aisle with her binder open, smiling serenely in her super organized state. We smile and nod at each other when we pass each other and I get this whole Stepford Wife creepy feeling. Then on busier days I run into two sisters that are there. They are a lot of fun to watch. They have their binders open, sometimes they have one cart, other times two. They are there to do battle. They yell back and forth to each other between aisles, "You did pick up five bottles of that mustard, didn't you?" They are also try to help other shoppers. When my husband went pick up cat food (I was already loading up at the check out and realized I forgot it) they stopped him. "Oh no Baby! You are about to pay too much, here is a coupon for $1 off, here you go, I just saved you money". My husband thanked them. When he brought it to me it was for the wrong cat food, the kind that makes her sick, but it was nice all the same and I put the coupon on the shelf for someone else to use.

Never Forget

2011-09-11T09:05:00.001-05:00

MaryJane's Farmgirl Sisterhood

2011-09-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

I bought the latest issue of MaryJane's Farm Magazine and after leafing through it and trying a couple of ideas from it, I decided to give the Farmgirl Sisterhood a try. The message boards are friendly and after joining for the year I was given a number and received some goodies in the mail. First was the water bottle:

Then the certificate:

The bumper sticker:

Last, but not least, the Henrietta Hen badge for membership. This you can embroider or decorate:

You can also earn more badges as you complete different projects in different areas. I'm just starting out so if you would like more information go to site here: MaryJane's Farmgirl Sisterhood.

Changing

2011-09-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was "one of those days". I was up at 3 a.m. (thank you PMS) with no chance of going back to sleep. I forgot to grab the Kindle on the way out of the bedroom and didn't want to go back to get it and risk waking up my husband, who would ask why I was awake. If I could sleep, why wouldn't I be asleep? So I fiddled around straightening up quietly, rereading the newspaper and drank three cups of hot tea before having to wake everyone up to start the day. The day had me running errands, visiting a neighbor and picking up one child from an activity. We split it, my husband picked up another one then headed off to a leader meeting at boy scouts. By 8:30 p.m. with everyone fed, showered and winding down, I tried to retreat to my room. I felt like I was going to fall on my face. When did this happen? When did I have to go to bed soon after the sun goes down? When did I have to be awake before sunrise in order not to waste the day? Why am I growing into naps and my children have outgrown them?
I thought I was in the clear when I heard "Mama?". It was my 10 year old. My husband gave him his mp3 player and he wanted me to put the music he likes in it. O.k., I could have put him off but the older two get to do a lot more than he does, so I set up the mp3 player. He was happily singing away when I made my way down the hall to my room. I made a quick stop to my daughter's room to let her know we would do her online sportsmanship test tomorrow after school. My, smarter than her mother, 12 year old looked at me like I had lost my mind. What test? She had only badgered me about the test earlier this afternoon into the evening and now had no clue. Never mind, I will remind her today when her brain isn't on shut down mode. I made it to the bedroom, success! I'm in comfy jammies and I am settling down with a book. It shouldn't be long now and I'll be out cold. How many hours was awake anyway? I can't even bring myself to look at the clock. But I can hear footsteps, running down the hallway....to my room. It's the 13 year old. What is this???? You have to look at this??? I have a lump in my lip!!! Off to the bathroom to look at a blind pimple. Some zit cream and admonishing him not to squeeze it, I turn to go back to bed....wait, is that hair on your lip? Did you know you had hair on your lip? How could you not know you are growing hair on your lip?? He doesn't bother to answer the last question because he happened to be on the phone when he noticed the tumor like growth on his face and left whoever was on the phone hanging. It was his girlfriend...which is a friend of the 12 year old, which causes all sorts of joy now that they notice each other's friends. My husband and I have been through puberty with our children before, just one at a time. My oldest son wasn't too bad, he kept me informed of every step of the process whether I wanted to know or not. My oldest daughter was a whole other issue. She heard a horror story that someone decided to share with her about getting her monthly for the first time. That prompted a strenuous activity plan which also involved her not eating any solid foods. She was convinced that if she tried to stay below a certain weight she would never suffer the "curse". That lasted until the first time she passed gas and had to change her underwear. Everything was drama. Now we have two going through it, one of each, at the same time. We should be old pros at this but having two of them just means they have joined forces more or less to conspire against us. The 10 year old had better skip over it altogether. To add to the daily chaos, they are all going through a growth spurt. All of them. I am going through food, toilet paper and personal care products faster than I can keep up. I think about the older two off on their own. They don't ask us for anything. Don't you need...can I send?? No mom, I'm fine, I can do this on my own. I am thankful they want to be independent but they are putting me out of a job. I make my way down the hallway to my husband who is immersed in a t.v. show. "Did you know he was growing hair on his lip?" My husband looked at me and said "He's probably growing hair somewhere else too, dear". I'm tired and achy and I snap "Couldn't you let me lament without bringing that up?" I realize I just gave credence to every PMS comment made by a man, but I don't care. I went down the hall crawled into bed and pushed my clock down on it's face. Just another day.

I've been holding out...

2011-08-30T15:21:00.000-05:00

I am a hopeless flea market, thrift store, yard sale junkie. I can't help it. I haven't taken pictures of my loot the last couple of months but hopefully I will have made up for it today. This was from some of the shops in Bay St. Louis during Bridge Fest. I am a huge brooch/pin collector:

This Fleur Dis Lis is rather large at almost four inches wide as it is tall.

This looks much nicer in person with different shades of green with white stones. It is two inches in diameter.

This is all from my favorite flea market a couple of weeks ago:

Large bow, over four inches wide.

Porcelain pin, excuse the sideways shot.

Sorry this is blurry, an inch and a half in diameter.

This is an odd pin. It is almost two inches wide and an inch and a half long. The facets go from pale white to pale yellow to pale pink. It is pretty interesting and looks much nicer in person.

Also I found an aluminum bread baker that I will probably repaint to hang on the oven:

I don't know if you can see it but he is holding a long loaf of bread. On my way out I spied this yarn carrier full of crochet thread with steel hooks for $4 so that came home with me also:

I get carried away at this flea market so I try not to go too often, but it's fun!

We have hired a contractor for the new addition and once that starts there are several projects we will be finishing in the house at the same time. Part of me is dreading this, the other part is anxious to get started. I went out window shopping and found a dining room set I would like at a consignment store. More on that later, but since I was out and about and had my mother with me we went to look at what I call the "crappy indoor flea market". The name says it all. I found a couple of little things there:

I apologize again, my photo editor decided it did not want to read the file so it is sideways. But this cute little mirror was made in Italy and has nice detailing around the brass frame. It is about five inches long. And who can resist a Cherub:

I have no idea where I will use this yet but it will have to wait until other things are finished before I decide. My husband put the roof on the oven so I'll have plenty of options as to where to hang the bread baker.

I think I am caught up now on my loot!

Hot Enough?

2011-08-23T12:13:00.000-05:00

Today our heat index might go up to 117 so it is not a time for working outside. The oven is working nicely. I have yet to bake a loaf bread. We have added insulation to the bottom and will add more to the top before I attempt this. Here are some pictures of the flat bread we made:

The recipe is from Healthy Bread in Five minutes a Day. This has a zucchini spread on top. In it goes!

Finished! We took a risk considering I haven't made this before in a brick oven by taking it to a neighbor's house for a BBQ. Everyone liked it and the neighbor's son took a few home with him. We have made pizza in it twice and sent some down to a neighbor when he told me he was going to call for two pepperonis to go! As you can see I have a ways to go when shaping flat dough.

We had an unwelcome guest on the back porch a week ago.

He was actually at the back door and I walked out past him, then I turned around and saw the back of his tail. It is a water moccasin. He was located under a chair under my patio table so there was no clear shot for me behead him with a shovel. Luckily my husband came home soon after I found him and took care of it. He is about 2 and 1/2 feet long. This is a first for us to have one come up on the porch and hopefully the last time. I am glad I got the dogs in before they spotted him.

We will be adding on to the house soon. The addition will include a bedroom and a bathroom. My sons are at the point where they each need their own space, I don't look forward to them having a bathroom, but I guess I can buy one of those radiation suits to go in and clean it. It will also be a first for me to deal with a construction crew on a daily basis for a little while (I hope)! I am looking on the bright side, the boys fighting less and moving closer to renovating our bathroom and bedroom. My husband will be handling the renovation to our rooms, to do the addition would mean taking too much time away from work.

School has been keeping us all busy. We have had parent meetings and open houses. My son's first official football game was yesterday and they won. All of them have practices of some sort so we have been on the go for the last couple of weeks.

I am on week two of chemo cream and so far so good. Thanks for stopping by and I hope all is well with you!

Story of a Mole

2011-08-16T08:02:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago I noticed it. A very light, small, brown patch like an age spot on my thigh. It got bigger and darker but I wasn't alarmed. Though I saw it everyday, and noticed it growing, there were other things to do. I have a family to take care of and a sick Dad, no time for a mole. Except it got bigger. Now a half an inch long and a quarter of an inch wide, I called a dermatologist. I still didn't lose sleep over it even though it looked like every cancerous mole I have seen on websites including the one from my dermatologist. She was nice, did a mole check on my body and for the first time I worried when she said it looks like a cancerous mole but there is another that looks like that which is not cancerous. I don't blame her for trying to calm any fear I might have, though I didn't express any. She said since it's growing anyway we might as well remove the whole thing. O.k.... The test results would take a week and she apologized that I would have to wait that long and didn't want me to be anxious. I got the results three days later ..... Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most diagnosed skin cancer. It is not Melanoma. Squamous can spread but is more easily treatable. Squamous kills 2,500 people a year vs. Melanoma that kills one person an hour. I started a six week Chemo cream treatment today. I had two bad sunburns as a teenager, the last one being over 26 years ago. I don't do tanning beds..ever. For me, flesh color is tan. I am the person you would tell to get some sun ( don't do that), and now I had a cancerous mole. Day one results of the chemo cream: area is a little red and sore. I go back to the doctor in eight weeks. So, don't neglect your skin, if something doesn't look right, get it checked. The bigger it gets the worse off it'll be. I wished I would have went sooner, my incision is an inch long and about half an inch wide, I hope the cream does it's job but I have the voice of the technician still playing in my head "we are going to try to treat it topically...first".

School!

2011-08-02T08:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting much. School starts the end of the week for the children so I've been busy getting things ready, plus the children I babysit for are back also. My husband has been diligently working on the brick oven and we have fired it up:

Right now he is working on a roof. I have yet to bake in it, we hope to have pizza by this weekend and hopefully bread. I am still waiting on the door. This was a splurge for us and building it slowly has kept it more affordable. It is also smaller than other brick ovens that people have built. That coupled with the fact that we were able to receive bricks from a friend for the outside has helped.

School shopping has been an adventure. I received a coupon for one of the more popular stores and with an additional discount we saved 48%. We had a tax free weekend this past weekend but I did shop before that. We added up the tax savings against our budget and decided that the savings were not big enough for limited selection, crowds and overall lack of patience. I also shop in stages. Right now it is summer items since we dress light well into fall. Most things for summer are on clearance. When it starts to get cool enough for them to dress warmer is when fall clothes go on sale. Boys are easier than girls, even when they hit teenage years. I am trying to show my daughter that you can purchase things to extend your wardrobe rather than have a huge wardrobe....it is sinking in slowly. Athletic shoes are a status symbol. I generally tell them what I am willing to spend on a pair of sneakers and if they want something over that they pay the difference. My 13 year old has a job mowing lawns and the other two can make money buy doing odd jobs around here at any given time. If they choose to do that is a whole other matter.

Rain has no longer been an issue, we have been flooding on and off now. The garden is finished for now until we plant again next month and I have bags of tomatoes in the freezer to can.

Sluggish

2011-07-08T13:11:00.000-05:00

Have you ever woken up feeling completely drained? Today is one of those days. I pulled myself out of bed when I should have been finished with most of the errands I had to run as I am usually up early. Needless to say I am behind. I did manage to pick up the clay flue for the brick oven. I did receive a compliment from a foreign exchange student yesterday and it was after I refused to buy something from her. I was picking tomatoes when she stopped by and asked for one. I gave her two and she ate it like an apple. She said that it tasted so good and didn't know where the supermarkets got their produce but it didn't taste the same. That was nice! We have had no rain this week and the garden has had enough of hose water.
I was looking at an auction and I came across this song listed on one of them. It's pretty and I hope you enjoy!
Dream by Priscilia Ahn

Brick Oven Update

2011-07-05T12:52:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report we have a 40% chance of showers every day this week. I picked up what I hope is the last of the bricks needed for the oven. Here it is so far:

It is about half way finished. I am still hoping I won't burn everything. Besides the recipes and tips from the two oven building books I bought, I decided I needed more. I really don't need my arm twisted to buy more recipe and how to books. So, this is what is on the way:

The Art of Wood Fired Cooking by Andrea Mugnaini. I read nothing but good reviews and look forward to receiving it. The next one I have had my eye on for a while and decided now is the time:

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. & Zoe Fracois. Since I will not be able to use the oven for a couple of weeks, I'll have plenty of time to read up!
In addition to the books, I have had my eye on a wheat grinder. I have been putting off buying one for years, I think this gives me the perfect excuse!

Sewing Lingerie

2011-06-29T10:10:00.000-05:00

After looking at numerous books on how to sew lingerie, I purchased this book from the Singer Library, Sewing Lingerie. This book does not have patterns and is out of print but is easily picked up cheap. I think I paid $1.50 plus shipping. It offers numerous tips on how to sew lace, hems, and offers a couple of projects you can sew without a pattern. I also had a big AHA moment when reading about bust alterations. I'm not sure it showed anything different than websites I had visited on full bust alterations, but it finally clicked when I saw this in the book. So if you would like to jump into the world of sewing slippery fabrics, this book is handy to have. What this book does not do is give you information about more constructive garments such as bras, girdles, merry widows, bustiers, garters, etc.

Why lingerie? I think it makes you feel better to an extent. Even on a jeans and t-shirt day you can feel more feminine I guess. If you don't want to venture into sewing lingerie The Lingerie Addict has numerous resources on purchasing lingerie, I subscribe to her newsletter. She also has great articles on undergarments to make your vintage outerwear fit better. Her link is under my links on your right. While I am on the subject, when is the last time you had a bra fitting?

Brick Oven

2011-06-28T11:22:00.000-05:00

It has been HOT! A while back we had planned to build an outside brick oven. The slab was poured a year ago but life got in the way. My husband decided to push forward and the base and floor of my oven is finished:

We had to decide between a brick oven and an earth oven. I ordered two books one was The
Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott.

The second was, Build Your Own Earth Oven by Kiko Denzer.

We are going with brick and my husband is building a smaller scaled version of the plans in The Bread Builders book. It will be more expensive but considering we are in hurricane territory it would be for the best. This is no small endeavor but we are looking forward to using it when it is finished. Neighbors have commented they can't wait to smell bread baking, I hope they don't smell burnt bread!

Simmering

2011-06-17T13:52:00.000-05:00

We are not just simmering from the heat, but the tomatoes were ground down this morning and are simmering on the stove. I have a grinder that eliminates the need for blanching and chopping. Here it is in action:

It makes things easier.

On a side note, I have been trying to leave comments on other blogs and respond to those on my own blog to no avail. When I go to post a comment it brings me to sign in and round and round it goes. So I have seen the comments I just hope whatever this glitch is clears up!

Canning

2011-06-16T07:38:00.000-05:00

This is a busy time of year for me. We have already dug up bushels of potatoes and are enjoying them. Tomatoes, summer squash, peppers and cucumbers are all coming in. Yesterday was dicing up squash, peppers and onions for zucchini relish. It was brining all night and will be cooked and canned today. The rest of the week will be grinding and canning tomatoes and I finally get to use the new pressure canner I received for Christmas! I have been keeping up with pen pals and working on my wedding sampler inbetween and trying to squeeze in a book or two.

Warm and Buggy

2011-06-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

It has been hot and we need rain. There are burn bans and many of the projects my husband and I wanted to accomplish had to be put off. Mosquitoes are abundant. On the bright side we had some baking going on one morning. Banana muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Little man will be 10 on Saturday and can practically make a whole batch by himself. Here he is:

And I have been going through the May issue of Burda Style again. There are several things I want to make. They have 50's, 60's styles as well:

I love this skirt:

The dress which is a variation of the skirt:

There is a shirt dress, capris and a couple of other things. They have an island collection and I have a few things marked off there as well one of which is this blouse:

I have been buying fabric for these patterns and I finally broke down and bought myself a bathing suit. Since gaining weight I refused to buy one but it's too hot for me to care. Making one myself would give me an excuse not to wear one so I ran to Walmart and just picked one up:

It's not bad for the price, plenty of support up above and ample coverage down below! I also finished reading Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools by Victoria Tweed:

Victoria and her husband retire to the Spanish countryside for a new adventure. There are mishaps and misunderstandings with a lot of laughter. A nice read and only $2.99 on Kindle.

Kindle Sleeve

2011-06-02T12:34:00.000-05:00

Maybe I should have made the title "Oh no, you brought home more fabric!". This was my husband's response when I came home from the Methodist Church rummage sale a few weeks back. I didn't get too many things, a packet of wood scroll patterns that would work for making appliques, a plate and fabric. The fabric is old upholstery samples that were each much larger than a fat quarter, four pieces at a quarter a piece I grabbed them. Two of the pieces were silk, and a nice deep green. They still had the company tags on them and were from 1958. I couldn't believe they hadn't faded or torn over the years. Well, not to be complained about, I made use of it and still have plenty left over. My DH bought me a Kindle for our anniversary. It was a wonderful present and a lifesaver when it came to sitting in airports, planes, and hospitals during my father's illness. My cousin, accidentally knocked my purse to the floor twice and thankfully no damage but it made me realize I needed something to help protect it. So, here is my Kindle sleeve:

The colors are actually a more vibrant. I didn't use a pattern, I left 1/2 seam allowance and more than three times the length. I only wanted to use what I had so for padding I used a few layers of flannel. I think it took me an hour to complete. It made my husband smile.

This is what it looks like closed. The pin in the center belonged to my Dad:

Over a Month..

2011-05-25T09:45:00.000-05:00

I know I promised more attention to posting. My father passed away April 20th at 63 years of age. He had congestive heart failure. I miss him. I think it was easier to tell people when I was still numb right afterwards then now. The one month mark hit me like a ton of bricks. It takes time, I know.
I also had to think about how precious time is. So I cut back on a lot but I want to forge ahead with Shoestring Manor. It's difficult to post about this here. This blog was named after the bungalow my father's father built and that my father helped with. I am comforted in the fact that there were no last minute things to iron out with my dad. I spent the last days with him giving him what he needed and frequently exchanging "I love you" back and forth. Those were his last words to me.
My blog hasn't been much lately but I hope to improve upon that.

So Sorry!

2011-03-01T09:42:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I have posted. There has been a lot going on. I have picked up a couple of things here and there. While in Missouri these cuties had to come home with me:

And I am a sucker for these Pyrex casseroles. This is the large one, never been used:

Last but not least, I am working on a Love is Patient wedding sampler I hope to have finished before my anniversary:

More soon!

Introducing Bridget McGrath

2010-09-20T14:45:00.000-05:00

Yes I named my dress form. Bridget McGrath was my Great Great Grandmother who immigrated here from Ireland in 1820. She was a servant to Lillian Russel and was probably the only seamstress in my family.
I ordered Bridget Labor Day Monday and it arrived that Wednesday. There were a lot of complaints to how cheaply the twin fit was made, but I was pretty rough on it turning the dial to adjust it and it held up just fine. It took me about 10 minutes from start to finish, which not only included putting it together but adjusting the dress form.

After I opened up the dials to my measurements, I was quite depressed, lol. I only have one or two clicks left and I will be too big for this. On the website it instructs you to put tape over the gaps. I just took some jersey knit material and made a cover. I think it looks better, will be easier to pad and adds to the pin able surface.

I also got two top patterns but since I have to do FBA on both I have been putting it off. But look how great Bridget looks!

Dritz Twin Fit

2010-09-06T05:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't wanted to sew for myself and part of the reason was weight gain the other was I needed an extra set of hands. Hancock Fabrics is having a sale this weekend so I ordered a Dritz Twin Fit dress form.
I know it received bad reviews from a lot of people but I don't think I would have the patience to shape a dress form by myself and I think this is fine for my needs. I don't need an exact double and for the price, $75 shipped, I'm not going to be too picky.

Zelda Magazine

2010-08-06T10:48:00.001-05:00

Vintage Nouveau fan? You might want to check out Zelda Magazine! I allowed myself a small splurge and bought both issues. Zelda is published twice a year at $5.99. Don't let the size (think comic book) fool you! This little mag has a lot packed inside.
You can check out their website for more information on what is in each issue but it has it all. Interviews, research, music, artwork, cocktail recipes, shopping and a bit of risque! My interest mostly lies in depression era but I was happy with Zelda and can't wait to see the new issue when it comes out!

Relaxing

2010-07-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

Here everyone is relaxing after swimming at a lake. My Aunt and Uncle are in the front and as you can see she has her hair down, one of the rare pictures of her doing so. She didn't cut her hair until she was much older. This is the last of the beach pictures that I have for this time period. I hope you enjoyed them.

Showing Off

2010-07-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

This is my great uncle and the sexy lady posing in the background is my great Aunt Rita. I never got to me her husband in theis picture because he was diving not too long after this was taken, hit something under the water and he died. But here they are now showing off.

Another Bathing Beauty

2010-07-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

This picture was found with the picture of my great grandmother. None of the pictures have been labled so I have only to guess that she is a friend or a niece.
I don't know if you can make it out but there is an older woman on the dock with a child eating an icecream cone.

Hot Enough?

2010-07-27T12:49:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in my last post that I had been going through old pictures. Here is my Great Grandmother taken in the late 20s - early 30s. There are lots to scan and most of the pictures I will be showing will be from the late 1920s to the 1940s. I am very fortunate to be the keeper of these wonderful photos.

Talk About A Long Break

2010-07-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

I'm still here. I have been busy with the garden, summer vacation and toting my daughter to her competition cheerleading practices. The heat pretty much thwarts any outside efforts during the day, today our heat index is 110. It finally got me to dig out an old box of photos and I found a photo album belonging to my great aunt full of 1920-1940 photos!! I'll try to get the scanner going so I can post some they are wonderful! Stay cool!

Church Rummage Sale

2010-05-01T16:47:00.001-05:00

This morning there was a huge rummage sale at the church today. I have to warn you the pics are lousy and I have taken and retaken them and I think I need a new camera. But one was a pale pink nightgown that was never worn:

I know the picture isn't great but here is the close up of the yoke:

This will go great with the pale pink summer chenielle robe I got from their last sale:

Another bad picture but here is the closeup of the embroidery work:

I also found a pale pink handbag with the store stuffing still in it:

A new flour sifter, my flour sifter has the squeeze handle, which irritates both my husband and I:

Then before I left I grabbed this Jacket:

Leather and wool, fully lined, in school colors, it is wonderful. The woman who checked me out commented a couple of times on it. It was in the mens section.
I also got some neat pins but I put them down somewhere and cannot find them right now. If you want to lose something just give it to me because all I have to do is put it down. Thank you for stopping by and putting up with my rotten pictures lol.

Flea Market

2010-04-15T11:21:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I hit the flea market. It's open all year round but with how cold this winter was this is the first time going this year. There were a lot of vendor and people, it was a beautiful day. There were many things that caught my eye but since it was Antique dealers month, there were prices I just wasn't willing to pay. Nothing really screamed buy it you have to have it. There were a couple of items I did come home with.

She was a rescue lol. When I got her home I didn't realize her pointer finger had chipped and one of the flowers on her dress. It is actually a chip behind the flower so you really can't see it, I'd like to know how that was done lol. I did know that some of her gold was rubbed off already and once cleaned up she still shows nicely. I'm not one for knick knacks so she might have to find a new home. She is starting to grow on me though.

I am a sucker for dolls. This is a dress me doll that Woolworths and other places sold in the 60's and 70's. It has a hard plastic head and blown plastic body. I have a smaller version, all hard plastic walker similar to this from the late 40's, early 50's. This doll still has on her original tights, her body very clean it should be fun to fix her head and hair and give her a new dress. I bought her for a whopping $.25.

I found this Golden Harvest canning jar pitcher at another booth and I know I have some canning jar handled mugs floating around here someplace....well no matter I think it goes well with my old canning jars such as the ones pictured in my header above. Not bad for $3.

This is the item that interested me the most:

People who love vintage know that shade of pink even if it is dirty. It was in a pile of vintage cookbooks...definitely my weakness. Laugh at me if you want to, but I already had the other vintage cookbooks she had in the pile lol. I went through the binder and if was all these handwritten notebooks inside, six in total. It was a life time of collected recipes in there. And written on the cover was Rebecca Chapman from Dennis.

Someone had transferred all these recipes to notebooks and put them in the binder. Not only that they were originally done in pencil, 4 out of the 6 books were gone over in pen. It bothered me that this was left there after someone painstakingly kept these recipes and what happened to Rebecca and Dennis? How come no one wanted to keep this? My husband knows me well, as we were about to leave, he asked "aren't you forgetting something?" I looked at him and he said, "go get the binder".
Some of the recipes are from restaurants from the 50's and 60's that are no longer around and in different parts of the country. There is a large sorted array in there. I'll post the recipes of the things I try out in the future.
So, Rebecca and Dennis, your binder has found a good home and keeping with it's preservation....

I am going over the last two books of recipes in ink. I am in the middle of one right now.

Vintage Apron Pictures

2010-04-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

I am very lucky to have grown up with my grandparents and great aunts, uncles and cousins still alive. I am also lucky that my family documented their lives early on with pictures and am the inheritor of these photos. I have to do something better to preserve them rather than have them sit in a box. After going through I found these apron picture from the 50's.

This is my Nana with my Uncle Charlie in her lap. She is at my great grandmother's house and has an apron tied around her waist. I would love to have the shoes she is wearing.

Here is my Nana again with a full apron in their apartment in the Bronx. My Aunt Peggy is in the behind her, my Aunt Barbara Beside her and she is holding my Uncle Charlie. I like the dress she has on. When my grandmother got older she retired from aprons and went on to house dresses. Also gone were her everyday dresses in favor of pantsuits.

This is my grandmother's sister, my Great Aunt Mae. I was very close to my grandmother and she died when I was twelve. I also was fortunate enough to have a close relationship with my Aunt Mae also who died when I was in my late twenties.
Here she is at a summer house they used to rent to get out of the city in a full apron.

Here she is again, the same apron in her hand as she is pushing around a carriage.

And if there wasn't a spare apron available, use a sheet! This is my grandfather's cousin at my great grandmothers and she really didn't want anything to happen to her dress!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures, I will post more as I go through them.

Vintage Cookbook Win

2010-04-02T14:26:00.001-05:00

Vintage cookbook about my favorite meal...Soup! I saw that on ebay and knew it had to come home to me. It's The Master Book Of Soups by Henry Smith. This book printed by Spring Books of London is "Dedicated to all studens of cookery in every land." It also has a quote from Shakespeare, "Be not the first by whom a thing is tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside". No year but clearly 50's. It has the original price stamp in the back, it was sold through The May Co. for a whopping 88 cents.
It looks to be very thorough on the subject of different soups.

Busy Getting the Garden Ready

2010-03-15T09:04:00.000-05:00

I've been busy, the weather is finally starting to warm up a bit. We decided on a paint color yesterday and I cannot wait for the rest of it to be finished. I have been getting the garden beds ready and have been puttering around the greenhouse with seeds and starts. I am hoping for this year to bring:

Blueberry Bushes:

Avocado Trees:

Basil:

Cilantro:

Dill:

Marigolds:

and Roma Tomatoes:

That is just to start we will be expanding our beds this year to add another larger one and I haven't hit the nursery yet. Tomato plants do better than starting out from seed but I thought I would try some from seed again this year.

Not Sewing For Myself

2010-03-06T08:16:00.000-06:00

I have a much easier time sewing for others than myself. I have been gaining weight steadily for the last 3 or 4 years. I get excited by plenty of patterns, sure! When it comes down to making something and I have to see how much fabric I need...then I get depressed. This winter is a long cold one, even here in the south but I can't keep using that as an excuse. Changes have to be made and hopefully in a few months I can get enthused enough to sew something, anything, for me.

Catching up just a little bit...

2010-02-27T08:06:00.000-06:00

The weather had given us a teaser of 60 degrees last weekend and it was nice to be outside only to drop back down in the 20's at night and in the early morning. In hopes of spring I bought some blueberry bushes. It has mostly been a baking week, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies and I made this wonderful bread from Alicia Paulson. The bread had a wonderful rise to it and I would have taken a picture to share but I timed it unintentionally with the arrival of my children from school then my husband a little while later. They loved the bread, I will be making it again and I hope to take a picture of my next loaf lol. Hope you are all having a nice weekend.

Apron Shirts

2010-02-17T07:08:00.000-06:00

Monday I got to work on finishing up some apron shirts. These shirts would have normally been donated or used for something else. My father-in-law passed away two years ago and my mother-in-law sent them home with me last visit for my husband. He didn't want to wear them to work so now they have a functional use and we get to keep something that belonged to his dad. I think Pop would have liked the fact that I made his shirts into aprons. As you can tell by the striped shirts, when Pop found a shirt he liked, he bought one in every color.

Vintage Housecoat Pattern

2010-02-15T09:45:00.001-06:00

One of my latest vintage wins for 1.25. I see a couple of these made in my immediate future. This will be perfect for summer. I haven't been sewing as much as I would like but I do have some of my father-in-law's shirts cut to make more apron shirts. The recycled apron shirts are becoming my fast favorite for day to day aprons. The longer aprons I have are great during gardening season since they also act as a gathering basket.

This month has been a little hectic and I am anxious to get back to my daily routines. A plus note has been that my children, newly teens, decided to opt for a combined party this year and we had a lovely homemade party at home. Not too shabby considering there were 21 in attendance and they all had a good time.

Saints!

2010-02-07T09:12:00.000-06:00

Who dat? Geaux Saints!

JD Salinger

2010-01-29T07:47:00.000-06:00

January 1, 1919 - January 27, 2010

Besides Catcher in the Rye, the only thing I remember about JD Salinger was that he was a recluse and chose to remain that way.

This article in the Washington Post by Bart Barnes, talks about his life. What is concerning people most is if there were unpublished manuscripts laying around which is addressed in the article by Hillel Italie titled What's in Salinger's Safe?

I remember the lawsuit he had in the 80's over a book but I remember thinking that if he wants to be left alone, leave him alone.
I'm a bit curious to see what he had left behind, maybe he had manuscripts to be published after his death so he wouldn't receive any attention. I guess we will find out over time. RIP JD Salinger.

Burda Style Magazine

2010-01-28T14:22:00.000-06:00

I was in the bookstore and came across the January issue of Burda Style Magazine. I guess they are usually sold out but I happened to buy my first one! I can't believe how many patterns they have packed into one magazine! What caught my eye initially- I all but skipped to the checkout with it, are the two dresses pictured below:

There are also sheath dresses, pants, etc., just jam packed. The new spring issue due out will have 50's fashions according to the website. Finding this made up for Office Depot not having the pens I want.

Sympathy for Aspiring Writers

2010-01-26T11:00:00.000-06:00

In a Wall Street Journal article form 1/22/10 titled The Death of the Slush Pile, Katherine Rosman paints a bleak picture for future authors. Book publishers and magazines cannot afford to hire someone to go through unsolicited manuscripts and movie and t.v. poducers are refusing to look at anyone new. Nothing will be looked at unless recommended by an agent. Another mountain to climb, since agents have been hit hard with layoffs. What a sad day it is for avid readers like myself not to have the thrill of reading a book by an unknown and enjoy it regardless of if it rises through the best seller ranks or not.
Smaller publishers, and self publishing will be the wave for the unknown writer if money will allow.
I have also been looking at book readers; nothing takes the place of holding and reading a real book. I suppose someday I might cart one of those things around but it's not going to be anytime soon. Also as our government is spending trillions, the trickle down effect is now hitting state governments hard. Support your local libraries, they will be the first to go. I know in counties above where I live they have already closed quite a few down.

Vintage Win

2010-01-21T14:44:00.000-06:00

I know I am a bad blogger. I think the freeze froze my brain. In any event here is a bad picture of a great pair of shoes I won on ebay. Since I hadn't posted in a while I just took a quick pic to post before the kids got home from school. The shoes are near perfect and the spot on the toe is just from the flash. I got lucky.

Freezing

2010-01-05T14:30:00.001-06:00

Wow did winter turn on with full force here in the south! No snow along the coast but that might all change Thursday. That being said, seed catalogs have started to arrive and it makes me wish for warmer weather. Right now I am hoping to keep my lemon tree alive in all this. I picked off all the ripe lemons so the tree can concentrate more on staying warm. We wrapped it and put a lamp at the base and hope to re wrap it better tonight.

Happy New Year Everyone

2009-12-31T17:50:00.001-06:00

Christmas eve's eve!

2009-12-23T16:09:00.000-06:00

The kids are so excited and almost everything is done. I always marvel at how fast Christmas comes....

One Week!

2009-12-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

One week until Christmas! Boxes have been mailed out, shopping done and cards go out tomorrow. I know, I dragged my feet on the cards. We still have cookies to bake for home, we baked for school this week and the Christmas ham has been bought. Dh is away for business and will be home tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T19:18:00.000-06:00

I am cross posting from Mississippi Prepper:

I'm posting this early in case I don't get to do it in the morning.

On this Thanksgiving lets think a little bit about the pilgrims. I pulled this off of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute Forum:

Enjoy this brief history:

On August 1, 1620, a ship called the "Mayflower" left England with 102 passengers bound for the New World. The manifest included two groups. The Separatists, led by William Bradford, had fled their homeland and the oppressive Church of England under King James I in search of a home where they could live and worship God according to their own conscience. The Strangers sought the New World for other reasons. Together they formed the Pilgrims.

Their intended crossing to Virginia strayed off course, and they instead landed on Cape Cod -- outside the territory covered by the King's Charter. Thus, the Pilgrims were responsible for their own governance. Following the nine-week journey, the Pilgrims composed an agreement that would establish just and equal laws for all members of the new community. Indeed, the revolutionary ideas expressed in the Mayflower Compact were derived from none other than the Holy Bible.

Only then, on November 11, 1620, did the Pilgrims leave the Mayflower. A cold and barren wilderness awaited them. There were no friends to greet them, no houses to shelter them, nor stores of food to sustain them. That first winter was perilous, as half the Pilgrims died of starvation, sickness, or exposure.

When spring arrived, an Indian named Squanto taught the settlers how to plant corn, fish, use fertilizer, and stalk deer. Bradford wrote that Squanto was "a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectations."

In October, following their first harvest, Governor Bradford set aside a day of thanksgiving. Squanto, his chief Massasoit, and other members of the tribe were invited to the thanksgiving feast. The Indians brought deer and turkeys, while the Pilgrim women cooked vegetables and fruit pies. The purpose of the feast was not to give thanks to the Indians or Mother Earth, as contemporary history textbooks commonly report, but as a devout expression of gratitude to God.

What modern history texts also omit is that the contract the Pilgrims brokered with their merchant-sponsors in London specified that everything they produce go into a common store, with each member entitled to one common share. In addition, all the land they cleared and the structures they built belonged to the community.

William Bradford, Governor of the new colony, realized the futility of collectivism and abandoned the practice. Instead, Bradford assigned a plot of land to each family and permitted them to market their own crops and other products, thereby unleashing the power of free enterprise. What Bradford had wisely realized was that these industrious people had no reason to work any harder than anyone else without the motivation of personal incentive.

Thus, what can only be called the Pilgrims' attempt at socialism ended like all other attempts at socialism -- in failure. What Bradford subsequently wrote about the experiment should be in every American history textbook. The lesson provided therein is invaluable.

"The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labour and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men's wives and children without any recompense."

And what happened after collectivism was replaced by capitalism and the concept of private property?

"This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content."

The Pilgrims soon found they had more food than they could eat, so they set up trading posts and exchanged goods with the Indians. The profits they realized allowed them to pay off their debts to the merchants in London. The success and prosperity of the original Plymouth settlement attracted more European settlers, setting off what came to be known as the "Great Puritan Migration."

Three hundred and eighty-two years later, Americans still set aside the fourth Thursday in November each year as a celebration of thanksgiving. Although this quintessentially American holiday has become more secular than religious, it was originated by devoutly Christian people who were expressing gratitude for the bounty brought forth by their labor and the blessings bestowed upon them by God.

A lot to think about... I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Finally Getting There

2009-11-24T10:13:00.000-06:00

After breaking my blog I finally fixed the html and lost everything in the mean time lol. If I had your button or link on here please comment with your link. I'd appreciate it a lot. Thank you.

Ida

2009-11-09T08:04:00.000-06:00

I am cross posting from Mississippi Prepper:

Hancock county, your children have an 11 a.m. school day today. I'm sorry I didn't post earlier in the moring but I was running around getting growing trees and projectiles put away. Hopefully this will all blow over by late this afternoon or tonight. Harrison county..this is a normal school and business day. Be on the look out for power outages, gosh it happens here on a clear day lol, and fallen electric lines. We are under a watch for everything from wind to flooding.
Waveland and Bay St. Louis, look out for flooding, though I don't have to tell you that.
Stay safe, stay dry and take care!

Update:

Worst of the storm will be late this afternoon into the evening. Hancock schools:
Elementary Dismissal: 11:30 a.m. Middle and High School: 12:30 p.m. No college classes after 1 p.m. Hancock county, sandbags will be given out, check your fire departments and city yards. If Allstate is your insurance carrier they have set up a special number to expedite claims give your office a call. Thankfully, it's starting to slow down we are having 16 to 22 mph gusts which will pick up, it's not over yet.

1:30 p.m update: Pascagula, Moss Point, Gautier and Ocean Springs, boats will only be allowed in validated harbor slips in Ocean Springs. All three areas will have early school closings and no afterschool programs. Gautier will have a shelter open at their convention center on Library lane. Bring meds, food, change of clothes and something to keep you and/or your children busy. Don't forget sleeping gear.

The wind has picked up a little, again I apologize for not being able to post in a timely manner, I have two at home sick and we just spent a couple of hours at the doctor office.

This will be my last update for the day. The wind has picked up a little more and it's raining. Please be careful tonight in your travels. I've seen a couple of senseless fender benders coming home from the pharmacy so keep your eye out. We could have winds up to 45 mph and on the news earlier it said if you normally flood at a level 2 or 3 keep your eye out for flooding. I am also posting the last bulletin the next one is due out at 6 p.m.

Tropical Storm IDA Public Advisory
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home Public Adv Fcst/Adv Discussion Wind Probs Maps/Charts Archive

US Watch/Warning Storm Surge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

000
WTNT31 KNHC 092054
TCPAT1
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM IDA ADVISORY NUMBER 24
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112009
300 PM CST MON NOV 09 2009

...IDA TURNS NORTHWARD...SHOULD MAKE LANDFALL OVERNIGHT...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA
EASTWARD TO THE AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA...INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL
STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN 24 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE.

AT 300 PM CST...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IDA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.5 WEST OR ABOUT 60
MILES... 95 KM...SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND
ABOUT 165 MILES...265 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.

IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 18 MPH...30 KM/HR. A REDUCTION
IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...
THE CENTER OF IDA SHOULD REACH THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TONIGHT.
AFTER LANDFALL...IDA IS EXPECTED TO TURN EASTWARD ON TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...110 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING AS IDA MOVES OVER COOLER
WATERS PRIOR TO MAKING LANDFALL...AND IS EXPECTED TO MERGE WITH A
FRONTAL ZONE ON WEDNESDAY.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE
HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 991 MB...29.26 INCHES.

RAINS FROM IDA ARE ALREADY MOVING ACROSS THE COAST WITHIN THE
WARNING AREA. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES...WITH
ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST ACROSS THE
SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES INTO THE SOUTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES.

A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS
3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE
EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL...AS WELL AS IN AREAS OF
ONSHORE FLOW IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE
WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

...SUMMARY OF 300 PM CST INFORMATION...
LOCATION...28.4N 88.5W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...70 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTH OR 355 DEGREES AT 18 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...991 MB

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 600 PM CST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 900
PM CST.

$$
FORECASTER FRANKLIN

Survival Blog

2009-11-02T16:15:00.000-06:00

Over at Survival Blog, there are two article that are probably my favorites. One is
Prepping on a Very Low Income, and the other is Preparing for Uncertain Times. Worth a read.
The fall garden is in, though smaller than I would have liked, I am looking forward to watching it grow. We have cooled off a little faster this year by a week or two so we'll have to see what winter has in store for us. This week I would like to get started on some of the sewing projects I have in mind for Christmas presents. We have had a virus come though the house and it scares me a little when I read articles like this one from Tennessee which states in NY and FL you could be denied care from H1N1 if they consider you too iffy to survive. There are other states involved also but I couldn't find a place that has them listed under this crisis plan. Stay healthy everyone.

Underwhelmed in Food Storage

2009-10-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

Kellene over in Preparedness Pro has a series listed over on her site called UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage. If you haven't stopped by Preparedness Pro before you are in for a real treat. I think Kellene needs a button lol.

Cool weather and a new cookbook!

2009-10-16T09:27:00.001-05:00

My husband and I both enjoy recipes out of the older version of BHG cookbooks. I lost my copy in a move and DH had a newer version that we hadn't been thrilled with. It was either copy my MIL's cookbook or buy one and this arrived yesterday and is in wonderful condition. It's a first edition 1953.

The weather is a cool 68 right now on the gulf coast and will only go up to 74 today. It feels nice.

Smock Apron

2009-10-05T12:22:00.001-05:00

Smock aprons are my favorite style. No ties to hassle with and shoulders that fit better. I had been meaning to get a smock pattern then never get around to buying one so I cut up a mens shirt and here it is. Super easy! The best part is this shirt belonged to my FIL who passed almost two years ago. He gave this shirt to my DH a while ago and it was a bit busy for an office shirt but it is just perfect for a smock apron. I can't really give measurements on how to do this I just eyeballed it.

Cleaning Out Books

2009-09-22T12:09:00.000-05:00

I am bookworm. I admit that freely. As of late though, I have been selling off my books. Not all of them...but enough. If you would see all my books you wouldn't think I made a dent after my auctions are over lol.
It feels good to clear some out but in some ways it's like saying goodbye to a friend. On the bright side, it's money in my pocket...to buy more books????

ACORN

2009-09-17T09:02:00.001-05:00

You would have to have your head buried in the sand if you haven't heard of the Acorn Scandals. Check them out on Big Government. Acorn has been in operation under this name since 1970. The Presidents during this time? Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush and now backed and worked for current President, Obama. I find it hard to believe that the corruption started just within the last election. Newt Gingrich said we need to audit the past five years...only five?

I wonder if Cass Sunstein will lobby for pissed off squirrels and oak trees to change the name of acorns now.

I usually don't quote lyrics but to quote the song by Billy Cirrington, "God is Great, Beer is Good...and people are crazy".

Never Forget!

2009-09-11T07:09:00.001-05:00

Not Getting Better

2009-09-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

The Bureau OF Labor Statistics has unemployment rates broken down by state. Walmart also unleashes how it is going to drive even more places out of business. And Time has an article about how Americans are spending their money.
I'm not sure when it will get better. People are already saying we are getting out of the recession, I don't see it.
The only thing I can do is keep growing, prepping and learning how to do things cheaper.

Learning to Knit

2009-09-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

A new friend has been writing about teaching herself how to knit. I had tried that once, years ago then ran back to my trusty crochet hooks. I even have looms, which will be making an appearance on ebay sooner or later. But as it stood, I would rather have stuck a knitting needle in my eye than try to knit with it. Curiosity got the better of me. I went to hunt through my craft box for needles. I found one which meant the other one is long gone used as a tool for something. A few days later I went to Tuesday Mornings. They usually have a child's knitting kit or something. Well I found this:

It's a neat little kit with a bunch of project cards labeled according to difficulty. It comes in a nice box, when I got it home it had some cheesy circular needles which were not going to work for me. It also came with a how to book which I liked and used.
I hoped to go to The Stitch Nitch as I have never been before but that will be a future trip. So I was able to run into Michael's for these:

I like them! I was practicing my knit stitch in no time and this morning moved on to purl and that is where I had problems. I kept staring at the pictures on websites and in the little how to book then I went to The Knit Witch's YouTube site and was purling in no time.

Now I am working on stockinette stitch and so far I haven't wanted to stick a knitting needle in my eye.....yet.

Obama, Stay Away From My Children

2009-09-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

On September 8th Obama will be addressing public schools via television in their classrooms and on the internet. Fix the country and stay away from my children. There is also a whole lesson plan involved in this. Here is an article from the Examiner.

Another Keeper

2009-08-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver is definitely a keeper in my library. I usually reread this before spring planting for encouragement and inspiration. It is a wonderful well written book and I love the part where she describes everyone locking their doors, not from crime but from over abundance of zucchini! LOL. This is all about their family quest to eat local and in season. I took it out of the library and then bought my own copy.

Yard Work

2009-08-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

Today was a big all out yard work day. Old tomato plants were pulled and cages put up. I still have green beans and peppers in one bed. DH thankfully weeded that last night. It will be a few more weeks before anything else is planted for fall. It's still too hot. The rain has been helping a lot. My dwarf lemon tree has blossomed repeatedly and we will have an abundance of lemons from it. I need to get over to the nursery one day and pick up some blueberry and raspberry bushes. I would like to add more to what we already have year by year. Coming up with ideas to expand isn't so easy though. Most of it will have to be done with pots. I also have to make a list as to what is going in the ground this fall.

Advance Warning to a Walking Miracle?

2009-08-11T08:48:00.000-05:00

I was looking at Antique (old) rosaries online yesterday morning and I had to run to the store when I got back to the car I found this on the ground next to the drivers door.

I know the picture isn't great but, it's a wood rosary with pictures glued on. Some of the decade beads are broken off and it is strung with rope. I thought it a coincidence, took it home and moved on. Later that day I met a young man, who on Aug. 2nd was stabbed by a thick bladed knife, four inches into his head. He walked up the stairs to my daughter's piano teacher's house. Staples and all. He shouldn't be alive, never mind walking around to find his friend to go for dinner. His street name? Saint.

Fun With Food Storage Challenge

2009-08-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

Fun With Food Storage is having a challenge in September. It will be a surprise when they email you to test what you have on hand and how ready you are with your food storage. I already know I have a lot of holes in my food storage but I am downloading the baby steps check list in order to get me at least close to ready. Sounds like a great drill to have. Click the "I have fun with food storage" button on the right and sign up to get started!

Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

2009-07-31T11:07:00.001-05:00

I have had this book for a while. I like it. I like NT better but this is a keeper in my library also. I did try the coconut oil mix but I still found it a little too coconutty. There are other recipes as well, I love coconut shrimp, but I have not tried taking the oil from a spoon before meals yet.

Bread

2009-07-28T13:26:00.001-05:00

Oh gosh, I was reading an article in Mother Earth News, about making homemade hamburger buns that left me drooling, led me to request a King Arthurs Flour catalog and wishing for cooler weather to get back to bread baking. Bread has always been a hit or miss for me. I finally found a sour dough starter that will work for me in this humidity. The problem is my kids eating it everyday. Sure, they love it out of the oven but if they have to have sandwiches with it? Nope they want that mushy sticky useless bread. I am determined one day they will look at those wrapped loaves of nutritional voids and say yuck, rather have yours. Until that day though I will just keep plugging away.

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

2009-07-27T10:23:00.001-05:00

I've settled. I turned 40 Saturday and trying to look for answers through nutrition through various forms of eating I have settled on traditional food. I bought NT a while back and have done some of the things suggested and need to move further into this. I wasn't looking for easy solutions, just right solutions. I like this book, further more my husband likes it also. I will keep updating on this and I have another book by Sally Fallon and Maria Enig that I have had and will be posting on also. I also won and ebay auction for another book along these lines and will be posting about after I've absorbed that one as well lol.

Pics

2009-07-16T10:49:00.001-05:00

I tried to post these earlier but blogger wasn't being very helpful.

Grace and Liam with JMar the pony.

Joey goofing around with Aunt Mary.

Fireworks of course!

Fell Off The Face of The Earth

2009-07-14T08:13:00.000-05:00

Well it seems that way. I've been busy beforehand at Mississippi Prepper then it was off on vacation. We spent 2 1/2 weeks in Missouri, DH came up the second week. The kids went to day camp there and met a lot of kids they wouldn't have met otherwise and it was a great experience for them. I spent the time sewing with my MIL and it was great! No MIL jokes here. We got to wander around my SIL's gardens on my BIL's farm. Fourth was great, we went to Powell Gardens that Friday and sent up fireworks Saturday in one of the fields. My SIL and MIL put on a an American Girl Tea Party for the girls, dolls and their mothers. It was a great success. I finally learned how to sew a button down collard shirt correctly and managed to eek out a pair of PJ's for middle son as well. My MIL who has been sewing for almost 70 years cranked out 3 pairs of pj's, slacks, a jumper and a skirt in the time it took me to sew those two things lol. I also finished off two button down camp shirts for the boys that I started here. I was also gifted a Bernina Mini Lock in excellent condition from my MIL. And we discovered a wonderful Bernina sewing place in Blue Springs, MO and a big thanks to them for treating us, more specifically my MIL, wonderfully. It was a long, jam packed trip and being away so long has made my own home feel strange to me. Lots of work to get done though, school starts soon!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

My oldest is 21 today!

2009-06-19T07:28:00.001-05:00

I have to start out by saying Happy Birthday to my oldest. I cannot believe he is 21! He is working as an intern and will graduate from the Culinary Academy next month. I'm very proud of him!

I have been busy in the garden. Beans are about finished and squash is winding down. Tomatoes are starting to turn red. Potatoes are also finished. The sweet peas are dying it's just too hot for them no matter how much I water. I still do not understand people. Someone brought me some green beans not knowing I grow them. This same person is always upset that they have no money, etc. They got too many beans from a friend, they will never eat them... Now you can blanch and freeze beans in minutes. It would have made three side dish meals they wouldn't have to pay for. I'm not sure how much they got all together, but the one bag they gave me made as much for us and there is only two of them. Just thinking out loud.

Been reading and Little Man's birthday!

2009-06-11T07:04:00.000-05:00

I have made one recipe so far out of the new cookbooks. It was o.k. I have just finished reading Dietgirl by Shauna Reid. I enjoyed it and finished it lastnight. Unfortunately I find myself identifying with way too much in this book lately. I hadn't heard about her until I found the book. She actually has a website with a large following which led to the book. Here is the Dietgirl website. In another bout of insomnia I dove into Coop by Michael Perry. I am halfway through already and enjoying it so much so that I feel guilty about not having heard of him either or reading his other books. He also has a website called Sneezing Cow. I feel fortunate to have found a few great reads at the library which is no small feat. I have to constantly have something to read or I go into withdrawal. I have already had to clean the nightstand off again since I last posted that I did so. And yes, with nothing to read I will read the toothpaste tube, and if desperate the owners manual to my vehicle.
I also have a penchant for paper in the form of journaling notebooks and a decent pen. I was about to shell out for a moleskine but ticked at the price I just bought two B&N refills. I will place an order from Piccadilly for two or three of their notebooks soon.
Today is Little Man's birthday! My youngest is a whole eight years old. He is up and has allowed his mama to smootch him up. His party will be this weekend. This time eight years ago I made it to the hospital during Tropical Storm Alicia to be told I was 7 centimeters and having contractions. That was at 7:20 a.m. and Liam wasn't born until 9p.m. They wanted to do a C section since he turned during the night, but I convinced them to turn the baby, so no c section. He has had an incredible eight years for a little guy.

Been Busy

2009-06-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

My daughter is here from Missouri and we have been pretty busy. We've gone to a carnival and to a local celebration. The kids have been swimming almost everyday and the garden has been keeping me busy. The bugs are starting to come in..ugh.
The cookbooks came and are lovely but I haven't had time to dig into them yet and try stuff out.

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend!!

2009-05-21T08:54:00.001-05:00

Books and My Nightstand

2009-05-20T09:21:00.000-05:00

I am between reads right now, which avid readers know is like going through withdrawal. Some of you avid readers might suffer from the same malady I have which is nightstand avalanche. That means all the stuff you read winds up covering your nightstand and piled on the floor and cascading down the sides (and in some cases sliding under the bed having to be dug out and dusted). I recently reclaimed my nightstand, dusting and moving things back to bookshelves. Here is a pic of my newly claimed nightstand with the only two books that are permanently housed there:

Also know that there is no hope for me and no recovery program. In another month I will be digging out my night stand again.

I am also in a rut. When you have been cooking for many years you tend to repeat comfort foods and add new comfort foods to your menu. Now I use the term "comfort foods" because they are the heavier foods that aren't necessarily the best foods. It creeps up on you until you realize your whole menu is one big comfort food. Then before you wonder why you have gained weight and can't move lol. But the kids all like what you cook and tell you that you are the bestest cook and all their friends want to move in with you. At least at dinner time. A friend of my daughter who hadn't been at the house in a while, visited not too long ago. She was here for dinner and stated "I know I haven't been here for a while but I've missed you and boy did I miss your dinners" lol. So in the upcoming weeks I hope to scrap most of the comfort menu and add things that are both good for you and taste good. Hopefully a new healthy comfort menu lol. What has this got to do with my nightstand and reading? Well these two are on their way and will be warming the nightstand for a day or two before I get cracking with them in the kitchen. I'll let you know how it turns out lol.

Farrah

2009-05-19T14:07:00.001-05:00

This poster was The sexy poster when I was growing up that boys had on their bedroom walls. By today's standards this is tame. Now, sadly, Farrah has released a documentary that aired on nbc. I missed it, but got to watch it on NBC.com. It shows in detail her battle with cancer and I do have to say, she has gone through it with a sense of grace that impressed me greatly.

I was a bit premature..

2009-05-13T16:13:00.001-05:00

NOW it is hot lol. Garden is doing great though. Kids are getting ready for the end of school next week..I am not lol. Plans have been popping up all summer, I don't normally plan summer, so it's going to be busy. Little man is sick so it's homemade chicken soup tonight ( yeah I know it's hot, I don't care).

Obama and Notre Dame

2009-05-07T07:56:00.001-05:00

I have been following this on and off. Now as I understand it before the election the bishops sent out a report on what it was that Obama stood for in relation to Catholic values. In this article by the AP titled: Catholic political divide over Obama at Notre Dame it shows that Obama received 54 percent of the Catholic vote which translates to about 22% nation wide. That's a nice chunk. They also made it a point to show how many attend mass. I searched through our local paper and found our Bishop to be very quiet on this matter but it did print a nation wide article of a bishop in Florida.
Now I am going back to 54% of Catholics voted for President Obama. Where was the stem cell/abortion issue when in the voting booth? Not that I am saying he should speak at Notre Dame but this always puzzles me. I am also not sure why it matters how many attend mass regularly. I know many Catholics (myself included) who do not and retain their faith and beliefs.
Outside of the religious issue I have been hearing staunch Obama supporters/voters now complaining about national health care and taxes on just about everything....
So is it, we will vote him in then take each battle as it comes?
Just thinking out loud today.

Hot

2009-04-30T09:16:00.000-05:00

I am going to officially start complaining of the heat lol. It's not too bad right now but I figured I would just jump in there with it. We also need more rain. I hope to start sewing DH's shirt today so I can finally move on to other things. I haven't had time for my crochet blanket so I just might as well save that as the Monday project to do while I'm waiting for DD to finish her piano lesson. The garden is growing like crazy and so are the weeds. I'll have plenty to do this weekend. Now I just have to get off the craft and prepping blogs and get my rear in gear!

Sewing along

2009-04-27T07:21:00.000-05:00

I've been sewing away at some camp shirts for the boys. I've been working on this on and off for quite a while. I'm not taking pics yet until all three are done though. I also like the reconstructions that have been going on at other sites. One site is Craftster.org. And another blog I am fond of is Wardrobe Refashion. Reconstruction is when you take another made garment and turn it into a different made garment. If that makes sense. I love seeing what people come up with. I am trying to resolve myself to become proficient in one area instead of being spread out all over the place. I am also working on a crochet blanket. It's just a single crochet blanket and I got a great deal on a decent lot of yarn at the swap meet. We got hit with a nasty virus this weekend so it was nice just to sit and add a few rows to it here and there.

When is a salad bowl not a salad bowl?

2009-04-20T12:42:00.001-05:00

When it's a dough bowl! I have been looking at sites with wooden dough bowls and/or trenchers and been disappointed at the high price. Fast forward a couple of weeks to yesterday as I was going to Tuesday Mornings ( I really should not be allowed in there) and I found a wonderful wooden bowl. All food grade for $16.99. I thought that's it! My dough bowl. I happily carted it off with the stuff I went in there for and home I went. DH was in the kitche where I showed off my bowl, to which he said "Cool salad bowl!" "Salad Bowl!" said I, "that is my dough bowl". "Call it what you want it's a salad bowl." Now I am not a think outside the box person. But it clearly screamed HERE I AM YOUR DOUGH BOWL!! It did not scream to me I AM A COOL SALAD BOWL. In any event..here is my DOUGH BOWL!!

Chain cooking

2009-04-16T10:23:00.001-05:00

Back in the 50's Chain Cooking was used for plan ahead meals. I have found a blog post here at My 50's Year. And I found this article from the Prescott Evening Courier dated March 14, 1955. I really enjoyed browsing through this newspaper. Check out the comic strip and the prices of produce! AND you could pay, I think it was 2.75 a month for a 10+ cubic ft. fridge with defrost!

Hudsons Dirt Cheap

2009-04-15T13:23:00.000-05:00

We got a dirt cheap in the neighborhood and I love digging through there for clothes. I found a nice pair of jeans, a nice top and a snoopy t-shirt (yes it's for me), for $8 each. Not bad.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T16:48:00.001-05:00

I know that this is kind of late but I hope you are having a great day!

Potluck Cookery By Beverly Pepper 1955

2009-04-06T14:07:00.000-05:00

This book was given from a mother to her daughter the year it was published. It's written inside the front cover. This book tells you how to turn what leftovers you have in the fridge into a new main course. There are also comments made by the former owner next to some of the recipes and was easily rated as very good, good, and bad. I have tried a couple of recipes as well and have added my own ratings to hers. I do enjoy this book.

Love Old Cookbooks

2009-03-29T08:43:00.001-05:00

After all the rain it is only 48 degrees at 8:30 a.m. here in Mississippi.
I have to confess, I'm a cookbook addict. My favorite ones are the old ones. I have one that stands out that I like a lot. I bought it in Missouri a couple of years ago:

This was published in 1941, for the Culinary Arts Institute by Ruth Berolzheimer. It is a heft tome at 816 pages. I lucked out because it has an ice cream recipe written in the back and newspaper clippings from the 40's inserted into various pages about recipes, women's groups and family happenings. It also has a recipe for a relish my MIL remembers fondly that I hope to make for her when I start canning this year.

This is What I Woke Up To

2009-03-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

This is my mailbox through the hedges. The post is a couple of feet under water. This second picture is across my front lawn and the neighbors driveway. We are actually on the higher side of the street. The neighbors across from us had water 3/4 the way up their front yards.

Regardless of my efforts to keep the back drains clear, the yard, shed and green house flooded. Just glad it's not the house.
This is what three nights of heavy rain does here. Hopefully no more until Tuesday.

Links again!

2009-03-25T09:40:00.001-05:00

Lisa and I had another conversation about organizing and savings. Some links she passed on to me are CouponMom and Budget101.com.
I sent over 5dollardinners.com, Eleven Moms Radio, and The 99 Cents Chef. Talking cheap is fun when you have a buddy to work with.