Well it's been a bit of a dilemma, deciding which spooky tale to end with, but I've decided to stick with the not too spooky tales. Oh, before I begin.....Trav, in answer to your questions: Nope, not pulling your leg at all, in fact these are far from the wildest true tales I could tell which is ironic since I never watch horror flicks, go to haunted houses, read Stephen King, et al... As far as you asking if those Scots were getting ready for war; well Trav, they are Scots which means they are always ready to go to war, after all:
This true tale happened when I was 21 and begins, or rather, ends with my left ankle. Yes, you read that right, and no I don't mean my left ankle is haunted...just a bit battered after a lifetime together. At 21 I was living in the town of Greencastle, IN and sharing a lovely brick bungalow with a housemate. The house, with it's original REAL butcher block counters and funky little stairway, was later swallowed up in an expansion of the DePauw University campus, but it was a true beauty. It was also home to a playful and friendly something which enjoyed switching the oven off if anyone had the temerity to stick a casserole in it...pies, breads, roasts, cakes and so on were safe but a casserole? I don't think a single casserole was ever successfully cooked in that house. Back in those days we didn't have cellphones, yup I'm talking ancient history here, and our only telephone was located in the kitchen downstairs whilst the bedrooms were located upstairs. Between the two floors was a lovely little staircase with a landing part-way down, at which the stairs abruptly changed direction and ended at the hall leading from kitchen to living room. Remember this layout, it's pertinent. One of the things I noticed about our little 'visitor' was that it had a tendency to turn the hallway light on; a short time thereafter I realised that when the hallway light was left on the telephone invariably rang in the dark of night. Sheryle, my housemate, was one of those sleepers who require cannons to be set off by her head, a brass band, and jackhammers to wake up so it was inevitable that I was the one who got up to answer the phone in the middle of the night; it also meant I was very appreciative of our wee ghostie's efforts. So much that I asked Sheryle to not switch off the hallway light if she didn't know who had turned it on. Then it happened: The phone rang, it was after 2 a.m., the cat...Manhattan....had been playing with a catnip mouse and left it on the stair landing, and the light was off. Cue the Keystone Kops musical theme: I went running down the stairs, hit the toy, fell the rest of the way down the stairs and slammed into wall left ankle first. Ouch. I answered the telephone, which was for Sheryle; miraculously she had awakened (methinks the tremendous boom and shaking of the walls when I hit may have helped) and came creeping down the stairs as pale as a, well, ghost. The call was for her, a family emergency, and as she rushed around getting ready to leave (and bringing clothing down for me since I couldn't make it back up the stairs) every light in the house came on, except the lights in her room...which switched off. Before Sheryle left she apologised to me for having switched the hallway light off, thinking I was playing a joke on her. Me? I called my Dad who came and took me to hospital. After various pokings, proddings, and X-rays it was determined I had a severe sprain (I'd say, the ankle was three times it's normal size!) and had to stay off it for nearly a month. Needless to say, if we weren't sure who had turned the hallway light on we didn't switch it off at night anymore! Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone! Good thing for the day: Jess is making her amazing mushroom soup and it smells almost sinfully wonderful. Oh, and she's been offered a second job with better hours and benefits, her second interview is tomorrow! Music for the day: Winding up with more 'war-like' Scots music....
But first......a heartfelt thank you to all of you, your response was overwhelming and I am more grateful than I can say. Mom's fever is down and she is home from hospital, yay! She is going to have to change doctors which isn't so yay, but will be better for her in the long run. We had a long blether on the phone tonight and she asked me to thank all of you as well, and said all the prayers and good thoughts must have worked since she got her first good sleep since last Tuesday and is feeling a little better. Oh, and the rash is beginning to clear up! My apologies for not keeping up with everyone's blogs yesterday; I didn't have a whole lot of time on the computer. I promise to do better and in the meantime, enjoy this lovely barn...
As I'm sure is obvious, I took this photo as we were whizzing past it. I've been seeing this huge green beauty since I was a wee thing and still think it's one of the loveliest examples of rural architecture I've ever seen...especially since the owners have always kept her in, dare I say it, 'mint' condition. Trav, thank you for This. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe and your timing couldn't have been better! So who is ready for a scary tale, hmmmmmm? I've written about this particular house before, when I wrote about roachy homicide, but I thought I'd expand upon my tale a bit: We'd had to make a fairly quick move and settled upon a wee white farmhouse; it looked sweet and innocent in a slightly tatty way and, having examined it during the daylight hours, decided to take it. Was that ever a mistake! Not only did it have one of the worst roach infestations it was my distinct displeasure to see, it was home to some very......odd.....happenings. How odd? Well, one of the first things we noticed was that all things electric, which had worked perfectly well heretofore, suddenly began showing distinct signs of displeasure with their new abode. Lamps would switch off or on at random, or suddenly begin to dim then brighten. Lightbulbs would pop; the iron refused to work at all. Being a practical sort of cheapskate I put it down to a faulty electrical system, but then other things began happening... Our cat, a strutty ginger tom named Sir Thomas Munchalot, disappeared from sight! Oh we could still hear him, but we couldn't find him. For two and a half days we couldn't find him, until I had occasion to get into the closet in what would become the master bedroom. Having unlocked the locked door of a closet we hadn't even peeked into yet I found a much less arrogant Sir Thomas leaping into my arms, shaking like a leaf; a few days later he lost even more of his aplomb after having been locked into the basement somehow. But wait, there's more! The house had lovely old, original, wooden floors whose seams ran east and west. Keep those directions in mind.... 3M, being both handy and dandy, had removed the old knob mechanisms from the front and back doors, and laid them against a south-facing wall for later disposal; right beside his beloved fitba' (soccer ball). I was off in the kitchen fixing dinner, the kitchen being separated from the living room by a half-wall, and 3M was in the living room getting our computers set up. In the midst of dinner preparations came an irritating ka-thunk, ka-thunk and I stepped past the wall to see what the Great Scot was doing to cause said irritating sound. 3M looked up at the same time and we watched with some astonishment as one of the door mechanisms rolled from the south wall, over the seams which ran east to west, and stopped at 3M's foot....which was several feet north of the southern wall. It stopped there for a moment, as if to make quite certain we had noticed it, then calmly rolled back to it's previous position against the wall. A few moments later the fitba' bounced gently a couple of times then rolled to the center of the living room floor and stayed there. Over the ensuing eighteen months other assorted oddities occurred from time to time although nothing quite so odd as the doorknob and fitba', until one evening 3M and I were pulling out of the drive and I glanced up at the attic window. The attic had no currently usable access inside the house, one could only get inside from a hatch in the front porch's ceiling but that clearly hadn't always been the case. From one particular high spot in the yard it was possible to catch glimpses of the inside of the attic, beyond the lace-curtained windows. That's right, there were (now rotting) lace curtains in the attic windows and you could see the vague outlines of a bedstead, rocking chair, and dresser. This particular evening I could also see the outline of a middle-aged couple silhouetted against one of the attic windows. Considering how dark the evening was, it was a trifle disconcerting to see so much detail... I pointed them out to 3M who rather vociferously expressed the wish that I hadn't said anything about it. Whoops! Despite the oddness of the various happenings I never felt particularly threatened or afraid, and with the 20/20 vision of hindsight I rather suspect the house was trying to warn us that our landlord wasn't quite as nice as he tried (initially) to act.... Good thing for the day: You. Your kindness has touched my heart and I thank you for it. Music for the day: Keeping with the Halloween theme...
I'd like to ask for positive, healing, thoughts to be sent to this lady,
I can't give out her name but her initials are: My Mom. She's going through a difficult time right now with a peptic ulcer, fever of 105 F. (a bit over 40 C.) and what they believe to be a massive allergic reaction. Mom has been in hospital and will be spending more time with doctors than anyone would like...and with her far away in Florida there isn't a great deal I can do to help. Fortunately my stepdad and kidling are there to assist her. Your thoughts would be appreciated and would, I'm sure, bring a smile to her face since she checks the blog daily. Thank you. I'll be back tomorrow with more eerie tales......until then, be well, and I'm holding all those who are faced with Sandy in my thoughts.
Here it is, a few days closer to Halloween, and I have a few more interesting bits and bobs to share... For instance, as I mentioned in an earlier post, Halloween is thought to have originated with the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which was later influenced by the Christian holiday of All Saint's Day, otherwise known as All Hallows. As first celebrated, it was the time of harvest feasts, preparing for the lean months of winter, and remembrance of those who had died. Bonfires were lit, jack-o-lanterns carved out of turnips were carried about (replaced later by pumpkins, native to the Americas, which were both softer and larger and thus easier to carve). The wearing of costumes was not uncommon in parts of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Mann and was referred to as guising. As Christianity gained greater influence prayers for the dead, the ringing of bells, baking of 'soul cakes' and so on became an obligatory custom which spread as far south as Italy. The poor often travelled from door to door, particularly the children, offering to pray for the departed in return for the cakes or small gifts of money. Somehow, I've always thought that original Samhain celebrations most likely also contained the music of pipe and drum....perhaps something like this:
Halloween is not the only celebration of the departed which occurs at this time of year. Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, originated in Mexico and begins on November 1st. As with Halloween, Dia de lost Muertos is thought to have begun with the indigenous Aztec culture and later was adapted to Christian influences. Celebrated with sugar skulls, catrinas, marigolds and pan de muerto, families often go to the cemeteries where friends and family members are buried to clean the gravesites, leave favourite foods, and share funny or loving stories about the departed. The Day of the Dead has spread to other countries as well: Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Romania, and the United States being just a few.
Other nations and societies, particularly in Asia and Africa, have their own celebrations of departed friends and family; far too many to even skim here unless I want to write a tome. It does not seem inappropriate to me, particularly at this time of year when the seasons are winding down to winter in the northern hemisphere, to pause and give thought to those who have gone before. The tradition of caring for the graves of one's parents, etc... has mostly died out here in the US. We see death as frightening and somehow separate from us, rather than an inevitable, natural, and appropriate step in life. This saddens me; after all, one of the first indicators of the 'civilisation' of a society...in archaeological terms if no others...is the care taken with the deceased. As a step in my own small rebellion against the de-civilisation of society I stopped by the cemetery where my father and three of my grandparents are buried; something I intend to make a yearly ....pilgrimage, for lack of a better word. A duty in the very best sense of the word. Rather than being filled with grief, or even filled with moroseness and remorse; I came away with a sense of peace, strength, grace and harmony. It is my hope that rather than finding the following photographs morbid or disturbing you will catch a glimpse of the peace I found.
To end this very long post I give you one last song...poignant and beautiful no matter what your beliefs may be.
* My apologies for not being on and posting this morning; exhaustion hit me and I collapsed into a snoring heap on the couch. So I promised you haunted house tales and tonight I deliver the first one. It's only a little spooky; they'll grow progressively spookier as we come closer to Halloween... When I was wee and living in the little town of Cloverdale Indiana (isn't that just the coziest little town name???oops, sorry for the digression) we lived in a house we called Ye Olde Grey Elephant. Oh okay, we just called it the grey elephant. It was HUGE, obviously it was grey, with an enormous wrap-around porch, summer kitchen, the works. It had been built by the first banker in the county and had mahogany floors and woodwork, along with the first stained glass in the county....simple single panes of coloured glass. An aging beauty, she was showing her years but I still loved her. Well, mostly, with the exception of the front closet. I hated that closet...was terrified of it...and great was my fear when I actually had to get something out of it. You see, whenever I was alone in the room where it was located and had to walk past the closet...which was frequently since you had to pass the closet to get to the front door...the closet door always opened. Sometimes, most times, there was a quiet little 'snick' as the latch popped open and the door opened a scant inch or so. Other times? Just when I would begin to relax and think the worst was over BANG!!! The door would fly open so hard that it would crash into the wall and I would run as fast as my little legs could carry me into the nearest room with people in it. I had nightmares about that closet...dreams where something unseen would drag me into it and the door would swing shut, and I'd slowly grow colder and colder as I listened to my heart's pounding slowing to a stop. Pretty scary stuff for a small person of 6 or 7. Oddly enough, whilst I remember telling my older brother about the scary closet and my nightmares about it I don't remember telling my parents....although I seem to vaguely recall my mother having had at least one nightmare associated with the old grey elephant. Hmmmm... So, scary enough for you? There are stranger, more puzzling, and more frightening tales to come.........BWAHAHAHA! It's a Sign of the Times As an addition to my Halloween decorations I decided to attempt making a little sign. You have to understand, I am most definitely not the craftiest person around but I balance that with being less concerned about being perfect than I am with having fun, so I came up with this:
You can see all my craft supplies for this project in this photo. That's right, some glue, some paper spiders, a sample jar of paint, a sharpie, and an old board sign I purchased 8 years ago for $1.99. Talk about a cheapskate project! Oh, and I almost forgot, a Halloween garland from the dollar store...I ended up with:
Granted, the garland gives it a shot of colour but I think I prefer it without the garland. What do you think lovely readers? The best part of it, though, at least for this cheapskate, is that it cost around $1.50 to make and the sign can be re-used for years. On an entirely different subject: For those of you who haven't been here for the past year...when I began this blog it was to keep a record of my recipes in a place where family and friends could find them when/if wanted; and to keep them au courant with the state of my health. There will be times when I post briefly about, or do entire posts about, what's going on with me health-wise. This is not because I am seeking either sympathy or attention; it is because I have loved ones who live far away and are concerned, and this is an important way I share information with them. Whilst it is no longer a problem there was a time, just over a year ago, when I wasn't able to speak and we had no way of knowing that it was a solveable. Do you guys remember This Post? How much difference a year makes... Good thing for the day: Making the first batch of Italian Potato soup for the year. Music for the day: Inspired by Valerie, I give you.....
How does a cheapskate entertain herself at Halloween? Hmmm....thinking cap on....oh I know!
First one puts on their serious face. Okay, okay, semi-serious? Or not so serious at all really. (Does my hair look scruncheldy to you?) Actually, one plans on revealing more Halloween decorations and maybe a ghostly tale or two... Note to Pearl, the cat...Harry...comes with a tale attached, one perfect for Halloween, and which makes me quite prepared for him raiding the refrigerator in the middle of the night.
Harry, he of the sweet face, and decidedly determined disposition, showed up in our house this past February. That's right, inside our house....which is haunted btw. I awoke at my usual time to make coffee and wake the other two Bletherskites for work. Lily, who was an only dog at the time, had been patrolling the house whilst we slept and hadn't once unleashed her Bay of Doom, which she is wont to do given the slightest provocation; real or imagined. Ambling toward the bathroom at a brisk trot and with semi-open eyes I felt the distinctly unwelcome stropping of my ankles by a softly furry tail (I love our cats, I'm also very allergic to them) accompanied by a decidedly determined 'meow'. Tripping daintily past a furry behind and grumbling about other members of the household leaving Connelly....another of our feline friends....inside whilst we slept, I finally reached my porcelain haven. Having performed my morning ablutions I opened the bathroom door on an inquisitive kitty face and froze. Lily met my confused look with one of her own as we both shook off our morning dazes and confronted the fact that Connelly was not, strictly speaking, himself. We may perhaps be forgiven our temporary mis-identification. This is Connelly.
After loudly calling the other Bletherskites down to confirm that I was, in all actuality, not hallucinating a loudly purring and very affectionate non-Connelly kitty in the house...and that no one had decided to adopt a stray in the middle of the night and forgot to mention it, I simply sat and stared off into space. Muttering to myself I might add. After the perplexed paralysis wore off we all took turns checking doors, windows, and basement. Everything closed, locked, and/or sealed tightly; check. No one sleepwalking; check. So how the heck did we end up with an unknown cat in the house?????????? The answer? We still have no clue, he's never repeated the performance, but he did earn the nom de plume of Harry Houdini. Appropriate, don't you think? So Pearl, if Harry ever does show up inside the refrigerator with a satisfied smile and a very full belly....I, for one, won't be the least bit surprised. As for other ways to entertain myself, I created this simple vignette:
Not only is it pretty, imo, I have plans...big plans...for the pumpkin in the back. Yup, it's real and that is it's natural colour...they are marketing them as pink pumpkins although I think the colour is more of an apricot myself. It has a great, ribby, bumpy shape that I fell in love with, although I didn't care quite so much for the price. $4.99; not terribly expensive but a good deal more than I would generally opt to pay, but my lovely readers I have a plan! This is not, y'see, a hybrid pumpkin. Nope, it's a non-hybrid, organic, heirloom which means that when I'm done using it for decoration I'll be taking it around to the back garden and using it to grow more. When the kidling was wee I went several years without having to buy pumpkins by the simple expedient of.....doing nothing. That's right; if you ensure it's in contact with the soil in a sunny spot; maybe add a bit of compost if you're feeling ambitious, you too can grow your own pumpkins year after year. What could be simpler or less expensive? It's enough to warm the cockles of a cheapskate's heart! So, lovely readers, have you ever had something show up in your home unexpectedly? And are you ready for some ghostlier tales? Good thing for the day: Buddha sprawling all over my lap giving his Boston terrier 'purr', which sounds remarkably like a snore... Music for the day: Well, given that we'll be moving into ghostlier tales, who you gonna call?
It's been a very long, but happy, day so rather than the post about haunted houses I've lived in I think I'll post a few random photos and call it a night. You'll forgive me, right? I'll spook you later this week. In the meantime: Here's Abby (with Lily behind her) staunchly standing guard against ghosties, ghoulies, and other scary creatures at the back garden gate...
Can't you just see the staunchness oozing out of her pores? In the meantime, Harry is lounging about just out of reach, waiting for a handout or chin scratch.
Now this photo actually kinda has something to do with Halloween. Halloween originated with the Celtics, who called it Samhain (pronounced Sah-win or Sow-in) and young ladies of the unmarried type...in the 1700 and 1800's......would often peel an apple in a single go. Then, at midnight, in a room by themselves they would toss the apple peel over their shoulder. Supposedly, if they were destined to marry, the peel would fall in the shape of the first letter of their to-be spouse's name. Since my Granny insisted that the only proper way to peel an apple was in one single cut; I give you this:
Hmmm, I'm not seeing an initial there....oh wait! I'm already married to my true love. Whew! Today's merry Halloween musical selection: In honour of the Celtic origins of the holiday I give you Loreena McKennitt.
Halloween is my second-favourite holiday, Christmas being my mostest favouritest, and I love to decorate for it but as you all know by now: I'm a cheapskate! I also have a newly acquired addiction to Pinterest. Fortunately my inner cheapskate has found a lot to be excited about on Pinterest, and I combined a couple of good ideas in order to make gold pumpkins in fishnets. This year I used live pumpkins since I wasn't certain I would like the results well enough to make it a permanent display...but next year I'm going to invest in good-quality fakes. After all, a good cheapskate knows it isn't about not spending money...it's about spending money wisely. But enough of that, here's what I used, what I did, and how much it cost: 2 pumpkins for $3.00 1 can 'champagne gold' spray paint for $2.47 2 black fishnet stockings, free (don't ask and I promise not to tell!) Total Cost: $5.47 To make: Set up an outside area (or well-ventilated inside area) with cardboard or newspaper to protect surfaces while painting your pumpkins.
Spray liberally, thoroughly coating the top 2/3 of the pumpkin(s) and allow to dry for at least one hour. They'll look like this:
Roll onto their sides and spray the lower 1/3 of your pumpkins; again allowing the fresh paint to dry at least an hour.
Now comes the (not so very) tricky part; putting on the stockings! You'll want to work on a smooth surface and if at all possible have another set of hands available. Cut the top portion of the stocking, you know....the 'grip' part that helps the stocking stay put...and, with the pumpkin turned upside down, slowly work it over the pumpkin. It works best if you have one person holding the pumpkin whilst the other works the stocking over the pumpkin although it is possible for one person to do it. Work the pumpkin down into the stocking, pull it as tight as possible, and tie the stocking off at the top of the pumpkin...make the excess part of the stocking into a stem or a ruff at the top of the pumpkin and voila'; a fun Halloween decoration!
Pumpkin with a 'stem'...
...and a pumpkin with a 'ruff'. Btw, those adorable little straw bales? $1.00 each and after the holidays are over they'll be going into the compost since they are real, organic, straw...not a bad investment in my opinion. And for those who asked: yes, you're very welcome to join us for lasagna.
Good thing for the day: Jess, who was told on Saturday that the restaurant where she has been working will be closing permanently on November 6th, was offered a new job with a very busy and popular restaurant today! Music for the day: (And for the next several days.) Since we're leading up to Halloween I'm sensing a daily theme!
As often happens after an energy slump, I've had a little extra energy today and did I ever put it to use! Not only did I do a double batch of lasagna (I only make it once a year so I make 2 huge pans full and freeze one for later use) I also did quite a bit of cheapskate Halloween decorating; including gold pumpkins in fishnets! 3M, poor dear, got stuck changing out the radiator, water pump, and various hoses, etc... in the little red truck that could. I think, of the two of us, I had more fun but 3M's mad repair skills are the more useful. At least it was a beautiful day? So now you have some idea of what you have to look forward to in the coming week... Oh, and BOO!
...and that's okay, it's part of life and life's little imperfections help us appreciate the 'perfect' days all the more. Fatigue is kicking my butt today, or as my Dad always made me say, my sit-downer. It, fatigue...aka the sleepy-eyed monster...goes hand in hand with Parkinson's, Tremour, Fibro, and so on, so some days I have to give in gracefully. Or gracelessly, as my mood and what I need to accomplish determines. Appetite takes a hike and I come close to nodding off at the worst times. I've even fallen asleep face down in my egg foo yung, but that's another story. Ten of the last twelve hours have been spent sleeping and it's off to bed for me again in a few minutes but supper has been made and the pooches fed, etc... so it's not all bad. In the meantime, here's some music to enjoy: First, a new (to me) group from Iceland which I discovered via the lovely Alissa from Planet of the Apels; I give you Of Monsters and Men. Then we have The Head and the Heart and more music from that wonderful Scottish group: Travis. Don't you just love Fran Healy's voice? (He's the lead singer.) Enjoy the music and smile...here is an auditory hug from me to you.
Well Trav; I told you I'd do it.... This is for you. (and anyone else who wants to read along) Btw, if you want to freeze some to have as a second meal on a day when you just don't feel like cooking but don't want to go out to eat, simply double the recipe. Cajun-style Stuffed Peppers 2 large bell peppers 6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 link andouille sausage 1/3 c. uncooked long grain rice generous 3/4 c. chicken broth or stock 1/2 a small onion, diced 1/3 c. tomato sauce 2 lemon wedges 1 fat clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. Creole seasoning 1/8 tsp. oregano salt and pepper to taste hot sauce Preheat oven to 325 F. (165 C.) and grease a small baking dish. Bring large pot of water to a boil and remove tops and seeds from peppers; blanch for 3 minutes then remove and drain on paper towels. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat and saute' onion until translucent. Stir in garlic, oregano, Creole seasoning and salt and pepper. Add shrimp and sausage, cooking 5 minutes longer. Add rice and cook for 1 minute before adding tomato sauce and chicken broth or stock. Cook 15-20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened. Fill peppers and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce. Enjoy!
This is for Leontien, a courageous young woman and wife, and her loving husband Bastiaan. Leontien has been battling an aggressive form of cancer and, with October being breast cancer awareness month, I am joining other bloggers in sending she and her husband loving support...it certainly seems appropriate. I hope others of you will join us in this linking of love for a bright and beautiful young Hoosier; she has touched so many lives and deserves all the support she can get.
To learn more about this blog hop and Leontien go Here and Here. These are for you Leontien: wishing you bright and pain-free days, and lots of poopie dances.
Morning glories! How are all my lovely readers today?? It's chilly here although it's supposed to get into the lower 70's the next two days....perfect October weather. So did anyone find faces/figures in the trees over the weekend? I know you guys found some fun stuff in the tree picture I posted!
So here's what I found: (keep in mind that some of these are on top of one another) An old man with a long beard, his mouth hanging open. Kung Fu panda. Two dainty doe's heads, in profile...they rather remind me of the wee doe in Bambi, what was her name? A dog with his ears pricked up; bisected by the vine of unknown provenance....oh, and in profile to the left of the vine is a face. A very proud face with a bit of fringe (aka bangs) curling up off the forehead. And now for the Lovely ladies of two birds, I have a vegetarian recipe for you just as threa...erm....promised. It's a little thing I like to call: Vegetarian Pizza Soup (I don't have costs for this since it's been a while since I made it, but I do remember it's quick and Very inexpensive to make, even if you make grilled pizza cheese sandwiches to go with it.) 32 oz. vegetable broth 1 can tomato sauce 2 cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings 1 jar MILD salsa 1 c. Each: shredded mozzarella cheese and vegetarian sausage crumbles 1/3 c. Each: diced onion, green pepper, mushrooms and sliced black olives (reserved) 1 Tbsp. Each: minced garlic and olive oil 1/2 tsp. Each: dried oregano, basil, and marjoram salt and pepper to taste In Dutch oven place olive oil and heat...quickly saute' diced onion, green pepper, mushrooms and minced garlic. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onions are barely transluscent. Reduce heat and add all other ingredients but mozzarella cheese, sausage crumbles, and black olives. Simmer for 20 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasonings as necessary. Serve in big bowls with cheese, sausage crumbles and black olives scattered generously over the top. Serves 4-6. And if you want a heartier meal serve with pizza grilled cheese sandwiches......(also excellent on their own for a light meal). Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in the Oven 8-12 slices of sandwich bread 4-6 slices of provolone OR 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese 4-6 thin slices of tomato 1/2 c. vegetarian sausage crumbles 1 tsp. Each: garlic powder, oregano, basil and marjoram Butter or margarine, room temperature Preheat oven to 400 F. and combine seasonings in a small mixing bowl. Butter 1 side of each slice of bread and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Add cheese to bread slice, top with thin slice of tomato, add a small smidge more of cheese on top of the tomato and scatter sausage crumbles and seasonings over the top. Top with the remaining bread slices. Now, place another cookie sheet on top of your sandwiches. Pop into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on number of sandwiches, and voila'! Easy peasy! Makes 4-6 sandwiches. Your turn tomorrow Trav! Our weekend was mostly a lazy one but we did knock out a Thanksgiving day menu. How does salmon with roasted new red potatoes (and homemade dill butter) with roasted fennel and parsnips, and a pear and caramel trifle dessert sound? I think it sounds pretty darn yummy myself! I also made homemade pizza and a caramel apple cobbler...the cobbler was a trifle too sweet so I need to play around with the recipe a bit. With all the holidays coming up I'm thinking of doing a new weekly feature about creating cheapskate holiday decorations; it sounds like fun to me...what do you think Lovely readers? Good thing for the day: Cuddling with all the three of the pooches! Music for the day: It's autumn and these songs make me feel the season.
I had a sweet little dream today; one of those where you wake smiling... In it my daughter was wee and I was once again a young mother; we were sitting on my bed playing our favourite games.
(yup, it's that picture again, my favourite!) Most of our favourite games were word games; have you ever played word games with your wee people? Games like The Minister's Cat where you tell what the minister's cat does/feels/thinks in alphabetical order? For example: The minister's cat is......angry. Or: The minister's cat is.....bald. My daughter's favourite letters were always F and G, for which she would shout "The minister's cat is FARTY!" or, "the minister's cat has GAS!" and collapse into a giggling heap. As she grew older and her language skills evolved so did the game.....from "the minister's cat is angry" we moved to "the minister's cat is audacious" or "the minister's cat is xenophobic"......how proud she was when she sprang that one on me! We also played "I'm going to......" again, done in alphabetical order, the first letter of the place name and the name of the critter or contraption had to match. From "I'm going to Australia on an Ape to I'm going to Zanzibar on a Zebra " we must have toured the globe on, or with, every sort of creature ever imagined. My delightful daughter loved getting 'U', to which she always said: "I'm going to Uganda on a GREEN Unicorn!" My personal favourite, amongst the word games we played, was the "I love you" game, and it's a game we still play on occasion...usually when Momma is feeling especially sappy...still, she humours me and plays along. How do you play it? It's very simple really. Just say: " I love you more than......a penguin loves snow!" and keep it going. There are two she came up with, amongst many, that I treasure: "I love you more than hot chocolate after playing in the snow." and "I love you more than the moon loves it's reflection in water." Nowadays my daughter, no longer a little girl, works and is finishing up uni; she's going to be a teacher and is a talented writer and artist...but she's still willing to play the "I love you" game on occasion. Try playing some of these games with your loved wee ones; especially the I Love You game, you'll be glad you did. To my kidling: "I love you more than all the dreams of all the riches in all the world; you are my treasure."
Did you ever read the book Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortlviet? Lavishly illustrated and with a wonderfully cheeky humour, my BB (big brother) got it for my Dad one year for Christmas. Dad was mildly shocked by some of the illustrations....barebreasted Gnome maidens, Gnomes on (bathroom) thrones, and snotty Trolls among other things...but kept it and re-read it until he died a few years ago. I always enjoyed thumbing through it myself and this photo makes me think of the entrance to a sturdy Gnome home....
Taken during a walk through the dusky woods, along with this next photo.
Many years ago, during my misspent youth, I was friends with a lovely lady whose name was Oowahnah Chasing Bear. Yes, that is her legal name, and yes, she is Native American. What's the point of this? One of the things she delighted in was challenging me to find all the faces and figures in grand old trees and now I'm passing that challenge along to you. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see what you can find in the tree. Monday I'll tell you what I found. Keep looking all around you this weekend...there is a world of wonder awaiting you! Good thing for the day: I feel good! Barely any pain today, Aleve alone handled it!
THANK YOU to Ana Eugenio for the marvelous banner and button, I love them! Check out her work HERE Why yes, I do have a recipe today....big surprise I know! But first, a sweet story about giving back and a little photo. Remember the wetlands photo I posted yesterday? This is the lovely little observation station from whence I took the photo... (no gators here Trav, it gets too darn cold in the winter, thank goodness!)
...you can't see from this angle but the interior is lined with benches whilst the middle of the shelter is open. This entire nature path is handicapped accessible, something I wish we would see more of...not being able to move easily does not preclude a love of, nor wish for being a part of, nature. Now for my story: Last winter, whilst in the throes of the worst of my movement problems, I had occasion to go to the grocery...my helper, 3M in this instance, had to go to another part of the store to fetch something and I was struggling to get off the little store scooter to replace the trailing cord in it's holder when a little old lady exclaimed " oh let me get that for you!"before zooming in with a grin to replace the cord then skittering on past with a cheery wave. She rather reminded me of one of those busy, busy sparrows busily hopping around! The next aisle over I was attempting to stand and reach up to pluck something off the top shelf when this same little old sparro...I mean lady...hopped up to pluck the item off the shelf for me and placed it in the scooter's basket, then hustled off when I tried to thank her, saying over her shoulder "well I hope someone would help me if I needed it!". I confess I rather wistfully doubted I'd be in a position to help anyone at that time. Fast forward to yesterday afternoon...after driving to the store (by myself!) and walking through the store on my own to pick up a few necessities I was on my way out when I noticed a little old lady limping and struggling to push her cart out into the car park. Walking up beside her so I wouldn't startle her I quietly offered to help and noted that she looked a bit familiar......after staring at me a moment she exclaimed " I know you! You're the lady who was so shaky!" As I pushed her cart to the car and loaded the groceries into the boot she told me about having broken her hip and only very recently being able to get around again; that she was still stiff and sore but needed the exercise and that a grandson would unload the car and put the groceries away when she got home. Then she paused and rather diffidently asked what had happened with me, prefacing it with " I remember how hard you were trying to get around and thinking how brave you were." (Awwww) I explained about finding a medication which worked and she exclaimed happily "Well praise the Lord for looking out for you!" I'm not ashamed to say that I was a bit teary-eyed when I slid behind the wheel of the little car that could, and immensely grateful for the opportunity to give back to this lovely lady. Now for today's recipe: Cheapskate Hungarian Beef and Mushroom Soup 48 oz. beef broth or stock (free, made my own) 1 1/2-2 lb. chuck roast - $3.84 16 oz. fresh mushrooms (I used a mix of button and cremini) - $2.49 1 1/2 c. Guinness OR red wine (I had Guinness on hand) - .79 1 Each: large potato, carrot, small onion and stalk of celery - rinsed and diced - .68 total 1 can diced tomatoes - .69 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed - .27 1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced - .22 1 heaping Tbsp. paprika (smoked is realllly good) - .13 splash of lemon juice - .09 salt and pepper to taste - .15 (Whilst I didn't actually consider this a 'cheapskate recipe I like to keep track of my totals and lo and behold, it really is another cheapskate winner.) Place roast, Guinness, and a smidge of salt in small roast pan, cover tightly and bake at 350 F. for 1 1/2 hours. Set aside. In large Dutch oven combine beef stock or broth, potato, carrot, celery and diced tomatoes. Bring to a low boil and let cook for 20 minutes.
Add mushrooms to pot and skim fat from roast, then add the remaining 'drippings' to the soup mixture...
Shred beef, discarding any fat, and place it and seasonings in soup, including lemon juice. Allow to simmer for an additional 20 minutes and serve with some warm, crusty bread. Yummmm! It's even better for lunch the next day btw.
Makes 8 servings. Total cost: $9.35 ACPS: $1.17 Good thing for the day: Being able to give back.
That is what tonight has been, in that fun but exhausting kind of way. I even missed chatting with the kidling because I fell asleep in the middle of my day! I must be, like, the worst Mom ever. So, no recipe tonight (I'll post it tomorrow night) but I'll leave you with this photo of the JI Case wetlands. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Btw, to two birds and Bama Trav: I'm going to be working on some recipes just for you guys, to suit your different needs. Good thing for the day: Hot and cold running hugs. Today I'm joining the Rural Thursday Bloghop; I'm so excited!
