The best things in life aren’t things

The best things in life aren’t things but rather….

The feel of your bare feet in the grass

Coming home

Spotting the first firefly of the summer

Holding a puppy

Running into an old friend

Reading a love letter

Walking down a country road

Finding the perfect gift for someone

Finding the perfect gift for someone ON SALE

Turning on the radio and hearing your favorite song

The smell of freshly baked bread

Hearing the sound of the key in the lock so you can go to sleep after waiting up

Seeing the colors in the sky at sunset

A sleeping baby

The laughter of a child

Smelling flowers in bloom

Holding hands

Lunch with a friend

The sound of a waterfall

Taking a nap

Counting a baby’s toes

The smell of morning coffee

A phone call “just because”

Watching a sunrise with someone you love

Crumbling dirt through your fingers

Snuggling on a cold night

Going through old photographs

Climbing into bed with clean sheets dried outdoors

Eating homegrown vegetables

Belly laughing

A surprise dance in the kitchen with your husband

Riding a motorcycle  and smelling fields of freshly mown hay

Salvation through Jesus Christ

Peace of mind

 

Food memories

For the last couple of years, I've been slowly but surely working on converting my old physical recipe box over to an electronic version. I do a little at a time every once in a while. It's difficult for me to come home at the end of the day and do data entry since I sit at a computer all day. At least that's the best excuse I have for this taking me so long.
Being laid up with a sore foot has really helped moved this project along. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I only have a dozen or so to go and I am done (at least for the time being).

As I'm sitting here in front of the corn burner, listening to rain hitting the windows, with my foot up and laptop (ironically on top of my lap), I was struck by how many memories are tied up around food.
I've run across recipes I haven't made in years but upon seeing them remember a time when I did make them or had thoughts of the person who did. It's really been a walk down memory lane for me. Thoughts of family, friends currently in my life and those who have moved away or people who have passed on.

There is
a lemonade dessert and turtle cake that I made for the first time shortly after we brought Joe & Jon home from the hospital...

or the stuffed pizza our old neighbor, Debbie made and invited us over for supper before we even had children...

or the rhubarb bars my Mom used to make every spring when rhubarb came in season....

or Aunt Ruby's homemade French Dressing....

or Aunt Jennie's sugar cookies...

and the realization that I have a lot of recipes from my sister-in-law, Sandy.

I could go on and on and on.

Isn't it amazing how food can conjure up so many memories?
Are there foods that take you back in time?

I would love to know what that food is and what time it takes you back to.
If you're a blogger, why not blog about it?

First shower in ten days!!!

My first REAL shower without my foot in a garbage bag sealed with electrical tape that is. Stitches came out and bandage came off today. I still have to keep it wrapped with an ACE bandage and wear the stylin' shoe for another week but I can finally take a real long and luxurious shower! It feels soooo goooood! More information than you probably want, but I am just so excited, I can't contain it!

Fifth folder -- Fifth picture

I was checking out The Blue Ridge Gal's blog and she was joining in on a "Fifth Folder/Fifth" Picture post.

Here's what was in mine...

This picture of Kermit is from the 2006 Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade. On Thanksgiving Day 2006, our children were either not making it home or were going to their in-laws families for dinner which left us free for the day. I had just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer 3 weeks prior and felt the need to do something different and out of the ordinary instead of sitting home alone all day and just maybe feeling a little sorry for myself.
Some wonderful friends of ours, Gary & Judy were also going to be without family that day so we decided to take the train into the city for the parade.

Side Note: The train is the only way to travel into Chicago if you ask me!

We had a great morning watching the parade, having lunch at the Park Grille and laughing way, way too much. Memories were made. It was most definitely a trip we won't soon forget.

So, what's your "Fifth Folder/Fifth Picture"???

West Central Wisconsin

A couple of weeks ago, we took an overnight road trip with friends up into west central Wisconsin.

They still had a fair amount of snow on the ground.

A stop along the way we made was a place called The Highground just west of Neillsville, Wisconsin. We didn't spend much time there as it was extremely damp and cold that morning but hopefully we can make a trip back there this summer via motorcycle to really study all the war memorials on display.



The view from this memorial was gorgeous even on a cloudy, overcast day.

We went on from there to Osseo and had pie at Norske Nook. I don't think I've ever eaten pie at 9:30 in the morning before but oh my gosh, it was some of the best pie I've ever had. Raspberry Cream Pie...mmmmmmm! Norske's Nook is an icon in that area and I didn't even think to take pictures. It must have been the sugar rush I was under!

After our "pie break" we took a wander around and ran across The Quilt Yard. What a nice little quilt shop. One of those shops that make my eyes glaze over and puts me in a quilt trance. I found a really fun panel, a wall hanging pattern, charm pack and some embroidered squares. All of these items I have no real plan for but when you see something different, you have to take advantage, right? One of these days I am going to get back to quilting and sewing. It's been on the back burner since Christmas but it's about time to get back at it.

Signing off for now...

My view for the next few days

It appears as though this is going to be my view for the next few days.
I guess it could be worse than sitting in front of the corn burner looking out my sunroom windows. However, relaxation of this type has never come real easy for me. I'm not typically a sit around kind of gal.

I had some minor surgery on my foot(removal of a Mortons neuroma(sp)) this morning with orders to keep my foot elevated and iced for 36 hours and up as much as possible after that until I see the Dr on Monday. It's sort of crampin' my style but Praise God for the invention of a laptop computer.

One bright spot is I'll sure have plenty of time to catch up on all my blog reading. So, could you bloggers post alot-o-stuff in the next few days??? After all, isn't your job to keep me entertained??? I love lots of pictures by the way. ;)

Moony mornings

The last two mornings on my way to work, the moon has been just gorgeous. It's breaking daylight as I drive and the moon is so bright, it's almost like the sun is coming up in the west. During the winter, there are many days when I leave my house in the dark and return in the dark, so it's so nice now to drive into work in the daylight and return home in the daylight. I'm lovin this daylight savings time thing!

Does it work or doesn't it?

I've always had a heck of a time peeling hard boiled eggs. I have tried numerous methods and age of eggs.
I saw this on YouTube so had to give it a try.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

The baking soda seemed to help or maybe I was just lucky this time. However, as "windy" as I am, I could NOT blow the egg out of the shell. I almost passed out in the process but the darned egg was taunting me still in the shell.

Do any of you have a tried and true method to peeling hard boiled eggs?

My daily drive

The first ten miles of my drive every day is a flat state highway through farmland. However,the last four miles I turn onto a township blacktop. This 4 miles is the best part of my daily commute.

It's fun to watch the change in seasons along this road. I always look forward to wildflowers in the summer and leaves changing in autumn.
Right now, it's a little drab but the creek area is still beautiful with the ice and snow hanging along the banks.


Spring must be on it's way. The geese are back! They certainly can't be wrong, can they?




Soon the trees will start to bud and all will be green again.



Of course, a country road isn't complete without varmints.
The one and only deer I ever hit was on this road at the same spot this picture was taken. There must have been a couple dozen of the darn things out there the other night. I prefer not to hunt with my car but the deer and wild turkey sometimes make it easier than I'd like.

Are there wildlife induced accident where you live? What varmints are cars attracted to in your neck of the woods?

BIRTHDAY SUPRISE?

Thanks for all the birthday wishes.

I can never think of my birthday without remembering what happened the day after my birthday 26 years ago on March 4th, 1983.

Luke was 1-1/2 years old when I was in the 4th month of pregnancy with our second child. From the start I told the OB Dr. that something was different this time. He would ask why I thought that, but I could never put my finger on exactly why I felt that way. He kept reassuring me at each visit that things were fine and every pregnancy was different. I continued with this nagging feeling that something was "wrong." When I went for my appointment that month, I talked to him again about it. He finally said, "let's do an ultrasound so you let this issue go." At that point in time, ultrasounds weren't performed as routinely as they are now days. In fact, when our son Luke was born a year and half earlier, I never even had an ultrasound.

The night before the ultrasound, I was chatting with my Mom on the phone and reading her the pre-procedure sheet of what all the ultrasound might show from defects to multiple births. Mom kind of chuckled and said maybe you have more than one in there. I laughed right back and said not likely, I'm 4-1/2 months and not even in maternity clothes yet! Then I proceeded to tell her that if that was the case, they could put me in Singers which was a asylum in a nearby town. 3 babies under two? No way! God had other ideas for us.

The morning of the ultrasound, I went to the hospital expecting to finally get an answer one way or another. At that time ultrasounds weren't as detailed as you see them now. The sweet little technician was doing the procedure and said to me "now, that shows something." I looked up at the screen and saw two little white circles side by side. Being young and naive, I asked her if that meant it was boy (think about it)? She said "No, ma'am that means you have two babies in there." I asked her if she was sure and she replied "Absolutely Sure!"

Stunned, I left the hospital and even sat in my car a few minutes before I could process the news enough to drive home. I laughed the whole way home from the hospital. It must have been a form of shock. This was before the days of a cell phone so I couldn't even share the news with my husband until I go home. That was the longest it ever took me to drive those ten miles. When I told Dan, he didn't believe me at first but then I showed him the picture. I think he was more stunned than I was. My husband, ever the bargain hunter, thought it might be a deal, two for the price of one! Not hardly, we were still charged for two of everything (other than pre-natal), including the one delivery room we used. And as they say it multiplied from there!

After telling Dan, I called my mom and asked her if she had the number for Singers? The other end of the line went quiet for a few seconds, then the hooting started.

I went on to have a healthy pregnancy delivering two healthy baby boys only 3 weeks earlier than my due date. Although they were early they still weighed, 6 lbs. 10 oz & 6 lbs. 12oz.

Meet Jonathan Paul & Joseph Ray.

3 days old (Jon-left, Joe-right)

8 months old (Jon-left, Joe-right)

Taken a couple of years ago with Joe on the left, Jon in the back and big brother Luke on the right.

Thanks for listening to my trip down memory lane.

My how time flies

Like the old saying goes..."how time flies when you're having fun!"

48 years ago today, a baby girl was born to Floyd and Harriet. This baby girl was somewhat of a surprise pregnancy as this baby's siblings were 9 & 12 years older than her. Harriet begged the dr. to let them take their new little daughter (maybe not so little at 10 lbs) home a day earlier than was customary as there was a nasty March snow storm predicted for the next day. The dr. agreed and all were settled in their home by the time Northern Illinois was blanketed in a whole lot of the white stuff.

The little girl had a wonderful time growing up on the farm where she swung on the tire swing, played dolls on the front porch, got her boots stuck in the garden mud and screamed and screamed until her Mommy came to the rescue, bottle fed calves, watched the pigs play and loved riding her pony, Midnight whenever she could convince her big sister to saddle him for her.

The little girl was raised on the farm until she was seven when her family moved to a nice, little, home on the edge of town. It was there she spent her "wonder years" until marrying and moving to a town far, far away (10 miles) where she lived until ten years ago when she moved back to a location where she can see the farm she started out on across the field.

During that time this girl (now a woman, old lady, chick, etc) raised three sons (with the help of her husband, of course). Those three sons have all now flown the coop, leaving an empty nest but blessing her with two beautiful grandbabies and allowing time for just her and her husband to be a couple again.
It's been a great ride for her so far and this "old woman" can't wait to see what God still has in store for her. In the meantime, she's just swimming in His flow!