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| One of my favorite colors of Spring and I love the combination of different colors as well! |
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| This would be an ideal place to hide my Creative Workshop! |
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Spring flowers!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
A Wonderful cold-weather soup!
I was answering questions over on my best friend's blog http://chroniclesofnani.blogspot.com/ She got her questions from Heather over at http://www.actingbalanced.com/ . One of her questions that she asked was regarding soups, seasonal? or Year-round? So I am posting one of my favorite soup recipes!
Chunky Potato Soup
3 med. sized red potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 C. water
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 T. butter
3 T. all-purpose flour
3 C. milk
1/2 t. sugar
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. cubed cooked ham
3-4 slices of bacon, cooked well done, not burnt, and crumbled
Crushed red pepper flakes
Ground black pepper
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, BUT
save the liquid. Set the potatoes aside. Measure 1 C. of the potato liquid and set aside.
Brown the bacon till well cooked. Drain on paper towels, reserving approx 2 T. of bacon fat. Melt butter in same saucepan over med. heat. Add onion, cook stirring frequently until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown. Add flour to same saucepan, season with pepper flakes and pepper to taste. Cook 3-4 min. Gradually add potatoes, the reserved potato liquid, milk, sugar, crumbled bacon to the onion mixture and stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat for 30 min. stirring frequently.
A nice warm loaf of crusty French or Italian bread goes beautifully with this soup!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Much love, Kelly xoxo
Friday, January 25, 2013
Autumn in Michigan
I was born and raised in Michigan, and although I have lived all over the country, there isn't a fall season that I have found that I love the most but the ones in Michigan. The reds and oranges, yellows and browns are so vibrant. I'm sure there are other places who have equally stunning autumn colors, I just haven't seen it yet!
Maybe it's just because Michigan will always be home to me so that these colors are ingrained in my genetic code! Or maybe it's because I love these colors and MISS my home state so much? I can't define it...but then again, should I even try?
The underside of an autumn leaf
This was taken in the park at the end of my sister's street.
This one was taken at a rest stop on one of my visits to my best friend, Davonna, over at http://chroniclesofnani.blogspot.com/
Michigan apples, nothing like them fresh off the tree!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wednesday Hodge Podge Vol 110
1. The popular saying, 'All is fair in love and war' is originally credited to English writer John Lyly. Is he right?
I don't agree. Love, as well as war, are both so volatile that fairness cannot be gauged correctly. Both have been known to turn mild and meek mannered individuals into someone so totally contrary to their characters that it's almost negligent. (Ok, how obtuse was that?) However, just to set the record straight, I "love" being in "love" and everyone has the capability to fight and defend that which is theirs, be it, their bodies, families, friends, rights, freedoms, etc. How it's done is what will determine what is fair or not.
2. Are you a cereal eater? What's your favorite kind?
I'm not a super big breakfast eater, but I do eat cereal from time to time and one of my favorites is Cinnamon Life.
3. A five year old in Pennsylvania was recently given a ten day school suspension for talking with a friend about shooting one another with a Hello Kitty Bubble gun (the gun blows bubbles). She did not have the gun with her at school.
A psychological evaluation was also ordered and the incident was recorded on her permanent record. The suspension was later reduced to two days and her parents are suing to have the incident removed from her file. Your thoughts? (If you missed the story click here for details).
Would this story have ever made it to the light of day or public knowledge if our lawmakers weren't up in arms about gun control? I don't think so. ...(deleted)... sorry, had to get off my soap box, almost got carried away there. Regarding the story, I think it's absolute rubbish that this has happened and I do believe things will totally get worse.
4. Whatever happened to_____________________________?
Manners. Saying "Please" and "Thank You" or "Excuse me" has all but disappeared. Respecting elders and those in authority has dwindled into outer space. I see children all the time, during meals, chewing their food like a cow chews it's cud; smacking, slurping and talking with their mouths full, and I wonder how their parents can tolerate it, until I look over and see the same behavior exhibited by them. "No respect, I tell you!" (Rodney Dangerfield)
5. January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, billed as a day to reacquaint yourself with a pen and pencil. Do you like your handwriting? Do you prefer to print or write in cursive? This date was chosen because its the birth date of John Hancock. What's the last thing you signed your name to?
I love handwriting. I use different styles depending on what I'm doing. Notes for school or legal documents, I'm usually printing in small block capital letters. But when I'm writing in my journal or penning a letter to a friend, it's in cursive handwriting. The last thing I signed my name to was a release for medical records from my doctor for an upcoming surgery.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Regarding my answer to question number 7: Be careful of which words you use to instruct a child because it can come back to haunt you OR come back even a few years later and continue to make you laugh!
I don't agree. Love, as well as war, are both so volatile that fairness cannot be gauged correctly. Both have been known to turn mild and meek mannered individuals into someone so totally contrary to their characters that it's almost negligent. (Ok, how obtuse was that?) However, just to set the record straight, I "love" being in "love" and everyone has the capability to fight and defend that which is theirs, be it, their bodies, families, friends, rights, freedoms, etc. How it's done is what will determine what is fair or not.
2. Are you a cereal eater? What's your favorite kind?
I'm not a super big breakfast eater, but I do eat cereal from time to time and one of my favorites is Cinnamon Life.
3. A five year old in Pennsylvania was recently given a ten day school suspension for talking with a friend about shooting one another with a Hello Kitty Bubble gun (the gun blows bubbles). She did not have the gun with her at school.
A psychological evaluation was also ordered and the incident was recorded on her permanent record. The suspension was later reduced to two days and her parents are suing to have the incident removed from her file. Your thoughts? (If you missed the story click here for details).
Would this story have ever made it to the light of day or public knowledge if our lawmakers weren't up in arms about gun control? I don't think so. ...(deleted)... sorry, had to get off my soap box, almost got carried away there. Regarding the story, I think it's absolute rubbish that this has happened and I do believe things will totally get worse.
4. Whatever happened to_____________________________?
Manners. Saying "Please" and "Thank You" or "Excuse me" has all but disappeared. Respecting elders and those in authority has dwindled into outer space. I see children all the time, during meals, chewing their food like a cow chews it's cud; smacking, slurping and talking with their mouths full, and I wonder how their parents can tolerate it, until I look over and see the same behavior exhibited by them. "No respect, I tell you!" (Rodney Dangerfield)
5. January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, billed as a day to reacquaint yourself with a pen and pencil. Do you like your handwriting? Do you prefer to print or write in cursive? This date was chosen because its the birth date of John Hancock. What's the last thing you signed your name to?
I love handwriting. I use different styles depending on what I'm doing. Notes for school or legal documents, I'm usually printing in small block capital letters. But when I'm writing in my journal or penning a letter to a friend, it's in cursive handwriting. The last thing I signed my name to was a release for medical records from my doctor for an upcoming surgery.
6. Speaking of John Hancock...ever been to Philadelphia? Do you have any desire to visit the city of Brotherly Love?
I've never been to Philadelphia and someday would like to visit.
7. Share something funny you've heard a child say.
Omgosh! When my granddaughter, Madison (currently age 6), was 3 or 4, we were trying to teach her the difference between left and right in regards to putting her shoes on. I had been working with her one weekend when she said she needed to use the bathroom. We were outside in the backyard sitting on the patio with our ice tea and chatting with other family members. A few minutes later, she came out the back door, of course with her shoes on the wrong feet. I called to her, with a little bit of frustration in my voice, "Maddy! You put your shoes on the wrong feet! Change your feet!" She stopped for a minute then looked back up at me and yelled back, "But MeMe! 'Dese da only feet I got!" Needless to say, when the laughter died down, she had put her shoes on the right feet. But I can't think of a time when I laughed so hard.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Regarding my answer to question number 7: Be careful of which words you use to instruct a child because it can come back to haunt you OR come back even a few years later and continue to make you laugh!
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