Basset Hounds and Sub-Degree Weather

Eleanor the basset hound waiting for it not to be -37 degrees with the wind chill.

White Lily Flour

I was reading an article about how to make light fluffy biscuits in the New York Times.
Bear in mind that I have made biscuits multiple times to literally throw all of them out.
They were not light and fluffy. I have recipes that tell me that they will be but indeed they aren't.
My recipes call for White Lily Flour and in my ignorance just used what I had on hand. 

Then I read the article.....all flour is not created equally! 

I need White Lily!

It's available in many places or should I say used to be available until the eye-opening article came out in the Times.  I can order it online but it would cost slightly less than my mortgage payment. 
I was thinking of asking my friend in South Carolina to send me some. 
I was thinking of getting it hopefully when I was in Florida but it probably wouldn't make it thru security. 

~~Sigh~~

I'm not giving up tho. 

I hesitate to tell Dear Husband we have to go on a road trip to buy flour to make biscuits

.....and he really doesn't even like biscuits. 

Flamingo Fiestaware

My DIL finds the best stuff! 

She purchased this for resale then decided I should have it.

Thank you!!!!

So of course I said yes tho I literally have no where to put it but I simply couldn't say no.

I love the flamingo color and they are pieces I don't have and will use. 

I can see French bread on the yellow plate and the bowl holds the perfect amount of everything.

The small bowls are just too adorable for words. 

                                                 

Quilt Fabric~~Future Quilts

I am still cleaning 

I am still getting rid of alot of things I no longer need or want

I am finding things that...

well, I didn't forget I had them 

but I haven't thought about them for a long time.

Like this fabulous quilt fabric. 

Golden Books Fabric!

The Pokey Little Puppy was always my favorite.

I want to make a baby quilt with the vintage-look fabric

I fell in love with this one.

?Do kiddos even play this anymore?

Ok...not a clue....

but it's Paris fabric so I had to have it. 

Trust me I have more......

2018 Went by so Fast!

!!!2018 went by so quickly!!!

This was the mantra at work for the entire year...old and young alike and I was one of them.

However the last 2 months were a blur for me.

All in all it was a good year with some bumps in the road that we weathered well.

We had lot of family time which for me was the highlight of 2018. 

My dear sister came to visit from Denver. 

We were able to go to South Korea to visit our son and family.

I'm still employed....there has been ALOT of "consolidating of jobs" at my company so grateful is an understatement.

So thank you to dear husband, my family and wonderful friends far and wide. 

I love you all more than you could ever know.

Life is good.

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