Monday, August 4, 2008

The Making of a Huge Cupcake!


Here is the start of the biggest cupcake I ever made!! The pan was amazing and the cake released very well. The pan is a Dimensions Bakeware product for those who are curious.
There are a few things I will do different next time. One is don't follow the directions completely. The directions say to put 4 1/2 cups of the cake mix in the left side top of the cupcake I would shorten that by not measuring and just pouring the cake about 1" from the top of the rim. The rest obviously in the right side.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Skunk Sundae and a Gorgeous Sunset...




Before I tell you what a Skunk Sundae is I first have to tell you about the pics...you'll want to read on about the Skunk Sundae its actually edible.
I had to add some more pictures. The one on the left is a sunset on Thursday. It was just to unusual not to photo. The colors the way the clouds seemed to be dancing in the sky and then there is a pic of my yard. Of course it doesn't go back that far...you can see my garden on the right and on the left is the neighbors garden. He does his every summer, he actually has two, the other is in the front of his home that sit way back off the road. Anyway I posted the picture on the right as this is where all the deer come out. I stood Wednesday night and watched two play in the lot on the right where it's just dirt. I am just in aw everytime I see them. They are so graceful and elegant...such a free spirit, so light on they're feet. I just love watching them in the wild. Then a car came along (the other side of my garden has a side road) and they took off. It was just beautiful even if it was only a short while.
By now I am sure your wondering, "what the heck is a Skunk Sundae" well it goes like this...A friend of mine stopped by last night a male yes...I seem to get along better with males than I do females although as I have gotten older and wiser it makes sense to me. No need to explain to anyone. So back to the Skunk Sundae...he stopped by we talked and he ask if I wanted some ice cream. Well, you don't have to ask me twice about ice cream or chocolate. I do my 30 minute walk at least twice a week sometimes three and sometimes I just say I need a break. I do my best not to eat junk food, rarely eat fast food although chips and chocolate seemed to be my enemy and you know what they say about enemies...keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer. LOL...so I do but I do it in portions most of the time. I eat a lot of salads, fish, olives, tomatoes and shredded cheese plus chicken if I am going out. I don't eat red meat. Okay Okay now the sundae....
So we went to the get ice cream right down the street ha ha...of course thru the drive thru. He ask what I wanted and I said a sundae, "what kind, he said. I replied, "a tin roof" he said "what?" I said, "wait I'll have a skunk sundae" he replied, "it's not listed" of course it's not neither is the tin roof but it's on the menu inside." So the girl says, "can I help you?" He replied, "I'd like a Skunk Sundae" she said, "can you spell that?" So he says, "S K U N K! I couldn't help it as hard as I tried not too... I started laughing just as I am written this down. The girl wouldn't come back on... so he pulled around to the window. This guy approached the window opened it...while I'm sitting there laughing so hard I had to get out of the truck. I knew the girls knew me, once they saw me... then my truck. They figured it out. They know I love to laugh. He gets out he's appologizing and everyones laughing. He kept saying Screw You. I couldn't help it...anyone who knows me knows I love to laugh. I couldn't believe he spelled it. All he kept saying till he left was screw you... I can't believe I spelled it....I've been laughing all night.
Now you know there is no such thing as a Skunk Sundae and so does he! Have a awesome day and keep laughing as often as you can...you'll find it really does feel good. Blessings to all.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

New pics of my garden







Here are some recent pics of my garden, as you can see its come along way. I am in the middle of freezing green beans so I will be back to add more in a few...my beans are blanching right now and I am writing waiting for the time clock to let me know they're ready to cool down and then freeze.

I am back I finished the green beans I had washed and cut. Once you wash them you have to process right away, in fact, once you pick them you only have two days to can or freeze. I prefer freezing as it leaves in more of the nutrition.

So here is my garden. The first row is carrots. I have learned with carrots its best to keep the weeds in them as they grow. One it keeps away the little flies that attract them and secondly they get a chance to grow a strong root. I keep the weeds cut to the length of the green top of the carrots. The first row are baby carrots. Actually you can leave carrots in all winter long. Just cover them with mulch or fall leaves even straw and you can have carrots all winter long. Strange I know.

My second row is lettuce WOW! did I plant way to much. This stuff just keeps right on growing everything you pick. Unless you leave it alone and let it top. Which I am doing now. This particular brand is great to work with has a great taste. It's green salad bowl lettuce. You just have to watch for cabbage worms they like it too. So plant spinach away from lettuce I learned this the hard way. My daughter had one in her bag of lettuce and that's after I washed it.

The Third row is mustard spinach...I love this spinach. First time for me. Has an incredible dijon taste to it. It's actually considered a green like collards etc. I love it in my salads. I have been giving away extra's that I grow. Behind the spinach which is hard to see is parris island cos much like romaine. It's just about ready to harvest.

I AM HAVING A BABY YEAH! NOT....I am talking about my little cantalope in the picture on the right. When I was weeding and I saw this little guy I yelled "I am having a baby" it was so awesome to see. I can't tell you enough how rewarding and delicious growing an organic garden can be. The food itself taste so much better. I had some of my green beans last night and the freshness the crunch everything was just awesome. I know I will be doing another organic garden next year.
The pic on the left side is my veggie squash. Now, I have heard a lot of different opinions on this stuff. You put the whole thing in boiling water then split it open in the center is a spaghetti type veggie. You can add tomato sause or olive oil and seasoning. Some say its awful others say it's okay. Well, I decided to try it! There are so many growing now...maybe about 10 just about ready to harvest.
So now you have seen my garden to date. I said I had a bigger one this year and I wasn't kiddin'. The weeding is relaxing...I always leave weeds up around the root of the plant until it gets strong and beds deep into the soil. Keeping the isles clean is what I do most of unless it rains...then the next couple days you already know what you'll be doing. Stop back again I will keep you posted or just share my day. Keep safe, keep smiling...Blessings to all.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Car Bumper Stickers Ouch!

Often when I sit at a red light I look at car plates, bumper stickers find some that make me laugh or I find one that just gets me thinking. The ones that are funny are so great for the spirit leads me to this thought...One of my favorite shows is Criminals Minds, profiling. I have always had an interest in people. I watch them when I am out much like I watch my children if you read my previous blogs. I listen to words (this tells me where their head is in life), the way people dress the prints the words, how they stand, what they drive right down to the car plates and stickers. All of this tells so much about a person. I don't even know if they realize what they are saying. Many of us do like myself. Quite sure I am not the only one.

I realize that people do these things for many reasons of there own liking and thats okay I am not here to pick or judge anyone. If I can touch one persons life by just reading my blog I have made a different in connecting with a fellow human that I share this planet with this amazing life. I hear so many people say "what can I do I am only one person, I have no money or power, who's going to listen to me anyway." Trust me when I say I promise someone will and they do. I have learned the best way to make people change there thinking is not to impose your opinion but to ask questions that make them think. Words often can go in one ear and right out the other where a question takes thought that involves the brain. That thing between our ears which includes the rest of our head. That thing that looses brain cells as we age trust me I know, LOL! As you keep reading you will learn I love to laugh at myself it keeps me healthy and balanced ...that.. I too am not perfect and the laughter just says for me...that's okay.

I remember in school the teacher saying, if you have any questions don't hestitate to ask. Then there was me sitting there with this question lingering in my mind followed by okay if I ask what if it's a dumb question. Let me tell you NO question is dumb if it's something you don't understand or need to know maybe about a word, topic, etc. NOTHING is too dumb. Let those who know go ahead laugh make there remarks but you have just grown and that's all that matters. Besides I am more than sure if they haven't already they will someday ask a question that will make someone else laugh. You are never alone in this... only alone in the moment and moments pass. So...ask, ask, ask all the questions you need to in this life it leads to growing ...that's how we build our character, wisdom and it's how we get to where we need or want to be. So guys it's okay if your traveling with your wife find yourselve lost and stop to ask for directions. The measure of a man or for that a human being is not admitting we're lost or don't know the answer to something. Keep this in mind the next time your in the kitchen and can't remember why your there! LOL there I go again are you smiling yet?

So this bumper sticker I was looking at and wasn't hard to find as they posted it up by the window of there mini-van. Right there in red and white. But as I said I look anyway...this is what it said, "have you lost your job yet? Keep buying foreign." I sat there for a second processed the sticker and came to this conclusion in the end. I did my homework to locate an answer and some common sense was added and here is my answer. Okay...first I understand a lot of people have lost there jobs, factories have laid people off and jobs are hard to find with enconomy so dry. I understand people are scared, lost, loosing things that took them years to obtain. But trust me from someone who lost everything not long ago in my life...I mean everything, imagine me in a truck with what I owned in the back and driving around in the snow with no where to land my feet. It was the first time I truly realized what little value things really have if your alive. I applied it most of my life but didn't acknowledge it till it sat right there in my lap...But that's another story someday.

So, here is my thought on the sticker.....first I felt sad for the person who posted it...they must have lost there job or knew someone close to them who did...and then they made me think...yes, think and that's important. I thought...I am not responsible for the loss of there job even if I drive foreign. Many foreign car parts are made in America and I didn't have anything to do with out sourcing jobs by driving foreign. NAFTA is the answer and who put it together and signed it..not me. No one sent anything or came to me and ask if it was okay. Just because I would choose to drive foreign does this mean I caused jobs to be outsourced. Do we have enough people in the US to make these products and who benefits from this out sourcing? So now it's time for you to think...when in life is it ever okay to get comfortable when your working for someone else and assume they will let you keep your job the rest of your life? Take care of you the rest of your life? Are you really angry because you put your trust in someone and they failed you? Did they take away your comfort zone?

I will end with this thought...there are only three people I trust in this life....my maker (this is whoever you believe may be), my spirit, and myself. In the end as we grow old we are consider less valuable. This is sad but true in America. At some point whether loosing your job, or whatever it may be I can guarentee as you grow old at some point you will have to reinvent yourself. Will you be ready to stand strong take care of yourself and do what has to be done? If your struggling right now this very minute....you are not alone...as long as your still standing your a survivor...trust in yourself.