Christmas Cookies

After a 2 year hiatus I'm baking Christmas cookies this year. After consulting the experts it's been decided what to bake, what to delete and what new ones to make. Let me tell you there were a lot of opinions and lots of laughing and even a couple snorts from me reading the responses.

And a huge thank you to dear husband who after my exclamation 

"We need a new freezer! I had to use electrical tape to keep the door shut!!" 

he defrosted and cleaned the one we have to make room for the cookies. 

After 2 days of baking I’m almost done!

Grateful

I don't often write about personal things but today is all about personal. 

Thanksgiving is a personal day.

I am overwhelmed by the love I have for may family and friends.

I truly think I couldn't possibly love them more 

and then I do.

They have help shape me into who I am and who I will be

They help me make the decision to be positive and accepting of everyone and everything.

They are my heart. 

I am forever grateful for each of you.

Amazing Photo

Yet another amazing photo compliments of Miss Susie
Her pix always make me smile and remind me how amazing nature can be. 

Trolls & Joe the Protector~Morton Arboretum

We were on the interstate and saw this wondrous creature at Morton Arboretum. 

HE IS HUGE!!!!

The trolls range from 15' to 30' tall

Morton Arboretum

Check out the site to read about the artist of these creations

Joe the Guardian

Wrinkles

Come on people.....we put people in space
So how come we haven' figured this one out yet?

I Love You...A Bushel and a Peck

I used to sing this song to all the boys when they were growing up.

I miss those days. 

We went to breakfast at the Machine Shed and I saw this on the way out. 

I knew I needed to have it. 

Pinterest Recipes I Have Saved

I have been on Pinterest  for a long time and I have saved a lot of Pins. I have multiple boards and love looking back at them from time to time. Which is what I was doing the other day, since I obviously had nothing to do....or should I say nothing I wanted to do...and realized that I have only make one recipe that I had saved....raise your hand if you have done the same thing...come on..I won't tell. 

So it begins

My own personal challenge to make them this fall and winter.

Let's start with the one I have made.

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes 
by
Six Sisters Stuff

So let me begin by saying "Oh...Yum"

Ingredients

6 russet potatoes with skins on--diced

    I use red potatoes and and it takes a bit less time to cook.

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp paprika

3/4 Tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt (I use Accent)

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray

   I don't use the foil tho it will probably help a lot with clean up!

Dump diced potatoes on the foil lined pan

Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and using your hands gently toss the potatoes until oil has covered all the potatoes.

In a small bowl mix Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt & pepper. sprinkle over the potatoes and once again use your hands to incorporate spices over the potatoes.

Place pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minute so they cook evenly. 

When finished baking remove from oven and add salt and pepper if desired.

Now what I do!

I put the oil, all the spices and cheese in a zip lock bag and mix it all up. Then add the potatoes. 

Shake, Squish, tumble... what ever works for you to get the potatoes coated.  

Then proceed with the cooking.

I am a garlic and cheese person so I have been know to add more than what is called for. So have fun and add and subtract what you like. 

I plan to incorporate bacon sometime........

One more thing.....you certainly don't have to use 6 potatoes! It's just me and dear husband most of the time so I scale back. Tho I use more when the crew is coming over for dinner and just add what is needed.

It's one of those sides that there is NEVER anything left over!

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Sheryl Sandberg ~ Lean In

I recently saw a story on Sheryl Sandberg and it brought to mind the post I did in 2013.  I thought back that if I hadn't read her book and seen the quote below I might never have started this blog. 
I have had so much fun writing and it's has made me more aware to always be looking for an interesting picture to post. Wonderful people from all over the world have viewed my little blog and it's so exciting yet humbling.

I have also walked thru many doors since then and never, never had a moment of regret.

~Thanks Sheryl~

My original post 

I am currently reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. She is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook and has held a couple other impressive jobs…and that’s putting it mildly. Her perspective is so interesting and thought provoking and can apply to such a wide range of women of all ages and walks of life. Small scale or big scale I feel we all need to walk through those open doors and quit over thinking what’s on the other side. I, for one, forget that if we walk through and don’t care for what’s over there we usually can go back to what it was before or something pretty darn close. If not….reinvent yourself. Trust me I know how easy it is to say that but hard to actually follow through but I encourage you to try it……it might become one of the best things you ever did.

 “ So please ask yourself: What would I do I weren’t afraid? And then go do it.”  

                                  For me it was to write this blog….really…..

Radio Flyer Wagon

Dear Husband was, well I don't actually know, but working somewhere and the people were getting rid of this red wagon. He thought I would like it for toting all my gardening "stuff" around when I was working outside. 

And he was right! 

It's a not only pretty but I use it all the time!

Pretty darn cute!

Words Aren't Needed

This is what friend Susie woke up to one morning.

~Breathtaking~

I don't think anything more needs to be said

Wooden Shoes

CUTEST

THING 

EVER

I asked a friend who was taking a bicycle tour of Holland to bring me a 

small cute pair of souvenir wooden shoes

I never imagined they would be this adorable or so tiny!

I love to put them on my fingers and clop across my dresser.

I know.....I'm a dork. 

But I'm a happy dork.

Hummingbirds~~Take II

The Zinnias are blooming

I bought a red Hibiscus 

I planted a lot of red flowers this year.

I moved it into the shadier part of the yard. 

PLEASE tell the hummingbirds to visit me 

You can tell them the monarch butterflies like my yard

Paris Souvenir

Before I ever traveled to Europe friend Linda went with her niece.

She brought back this tiny purse souvenir for me and it had a piece of chocolate inside. 

It is so darn adorable I had to keep it. 

Every time I looked at it I would dream of being in Paris someday.

I've been there 3 times and want to go back again...and again...and again.

Have you ever been so tired.....

Have you ever been so tired........
I had a long tiring week at work and by Friday my brain was gone
Dear husband had a long tiring week at work and by Friday his brain was gone
Looming in our future ...... dinner
It had to be something easy yet I was hoping for comfort food and something warm since the temperature had dramatically dropped and it was rainy and cold all day
Chili sounded good...right??
I decided since the cold and damp was going to be around all weekend that I would make a double batch of it....
I got it all going and as dear husband lifted the lid to the pot he asked if we were having chili soup?
Well no not really. It would appear that I added what I thought was double the meat but in reality was just 1 lb. 
So want to do....I had came home showered and put my jammies on.
                          Dear husband came home showered and put his jammies on.
Our options were limited since neither of us wanted to get off the couch much less get dressed and go to the store for ground beef.
I suggested, not getting off the couch, how about the frozen meat balls we had....
We both agreed it was a brilliant idea and proceeded to thaw and add them in. I was in charge of cutting them in half and then "double half" them since I couldn't come up with the phrase "quarter them".
Best chili ever.......and most likely we felt that way because we could have cared less what it tasted like! 

It would have been ideal if it ended up looking like this---minus the beans of course!

HOT! HOT! HOT!

 Like a lot of the U.S. 

It has been so incredibly hot here!

Wilting hot!

But today was heaven. 74 degrees and a wonderful breeze. 

So what did I do on the way home from work?

Put the windows down cranked up the music and sang like I haven't sung for a long time! 

It was a great ride home for a change!

Shut Up and Dance & Honey I'm Good being the best songs of the day!

So there I was being incredibly dorky rocking out in my Chevy Equinox. 

I'm still smiling about what I silly picture I probably made.

Who Cares??? Not me for sure!

 

Hoot Sisters Quilt

I am the proud owner of a Hoot Sister Quilt 
&

I know you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about.

Kindle DIL picked up 2 quilts from Goodwill for next to nothing. They were by far 2 of the most beautifully done quilts I have seen. Then as the second one was unfolded out drops an index card telling us that the “Postage stamp” Quilts were made by Alice and Dorothy Hoot from 
Freedom, Indiana in 1970. 
The fabrics are wonderful and check out the mint binding.

I just love it!

Being made in the 70’s makes them vintage…hmmmmm…..

I guess that makes me vintage as well.

The quilting, as you can see, is just perfect.

Hydrangea

I have a massive hydrangea plant that needs to be smaller. I know that's not how it works but it has taken over a big space in front of my house. So I did what I always do......I googled how to split a large hydrangea plant. I found a lot of good information and the most logical was to let a hose run and get the ground soft. 

Which I did. 

Then dig all around the plant, take it out and quarter it with a sharp shovel of edger etc.

That's were it all ended. We couldn't even get it out of the ground. 

One shovel broke and the second one was already making protest noises.

 I had visions of a backhoe to get it out. 

In the end I put all the wet dirt back in place and decided to just let it be. 

 

Baltimore Oriole

The Orioles have arrived and it looks like they will hopefully be with us thru the week until they move on. They sing one of the sweetest songs.

I sat out last night before dinner and just closed my eyes and listened until of course Eleanor started barking welcoming dear husband home. It was wonderful while it lasted. 

This morning I woke up to their song too. At 4:30 am.......

100 Day Project

!! I would love to do the 100 Day Project !!

? Can I accomplish this project ?

Nope I can't

I said I would put small fabric squares together each day for 100 days.

Do I have the fabric? I sure do but it didn't happen.

Then I said I would work on a quilt in progress every day for 100 days.

Did I do it.....yep... for 2 days straight.

I'm a failure at this. Life is to uncertain and busy right now.

But I sure love the idea.

Portillo's Chocolate Cake

Portillo's has been open for 55 years!

So of course a slice of their famous Chocolate Cake has to be priced at .55 cents!

So of course I brought home a slice for dear husband and me to share.

He love it all.....I'm all about the fudge frosting.

Castle Hotels in Germany

This was a first for all of us to stay in castles for several nights for our Europe 2017 trip.
The staff was helpful....wonderful...which made it a joy to stay there. The rooms were comfortable and lovely.
AND the restaurants were fabulous...It was one of those places you wish you could just move in and stay for a long time.
As a side note I left a small bag behind at Schloss Rheinfels and when I got to Castle Colmberg I realized it and went to the desk and asked if he could help me call the hotel to see if they found it. 
Of course they had and he helped me make all the arrangements to have it shipped home for me. He made the process so easy. 3 weeks later it was on my front porch when I got home from work. I'm so grateful for all who were involved to make the return.
If you have the opportunity to stay either place I know you won't be disappointed.

Schloss Rheinfels Romantik Hotel

Colmberg Castle

Present from South Korea

Kindle DIL has decided to sent little special things to all of us back home. 

The family is now in South Korea and she has been exploring all the wonderful sites and places. 

It looks like amazingly beautiful country. 

Hopefully we will be able to visit before they leave.

So darn cute! Each has a tiny pot with soil and seeds to plant.

Since it's almost Easter I chose the bunny and planted the strawberries. 

The pot is only 1 1/2 in. in diameter

Coffe Cups

Here are some of my favorite coffee /tea cups. 

Most of them have been gifts and I 

always think about the person and reason for the gift each time I use them. 

My sister usually claims the red one when she comes to visit! 

I'm thinking this one would be a perfect addition to my collection!

Burton & Burton Bumble Bee Days

Paris Dances

I was mesmerized by this woman outside the Museum de Orsay. 

I stood and watched and watched some more....

then realized I needed a clip of this. 

I can only hope that I can be as wonderful and fearless

 as she is when I'm her age.

And if I'm dancing....
 I hope it's in Paris.

Paris Dances

Clicking on above link will take you to the YouTube video.

Dream

Hope

Enjoy

Window Snow

So what do you see in the snow on my window?

  

I see a dragon bowing down to a very small person

German Deli & Bakery Eschenlohe

As we meandered thru the German countryside it was decided to try and find a place to stop for a bite to eat. We got off in Eshcenlohe and found a wonderful bakery and deli. We stayed much longer than planned because it was such a comfortable little place. 

Kids were stopping in. Women were there stocking up and men coming in to talk and eat too. 

Such a home town feel and we felt it was quite a find.

Yum! Right??

Snowfall~It Never Gets Old

I have live thru many winters in the Midwest and the snowfalls never get old. 

They are breathtaking and I will never get used to waking up to it. 

HIGHLINE 175

I was right there. 

And it looked amazing!

I wanted so much to walk across this bridge from one castle to another.

Time just wasn't on my side. 

https://www.highline179.tirol/en

I found this blog with some incredible pictures and the story of their walk across

http://www.worldtravelingmilitaryfamily.com/highline-179-pedestrian-suspension-bridge-reutte-austria/

 HIGHLINE 175

REUTTE AUSTRIA

Amsterdam Love

I love the atmosphere
I love all the bikes
I love the houses in the canal

~I love Amsterdam~