Favorite Things Friday

It is finally Friday and Big will be back from Texas later today!  I always look forward to the weekend and the fun things Big and I have in store!

You might think so, but Big's homecoming is not my favorite thing today.  My favorite thing this week is my flower garden. 

I am happy to share my garden with you on  Favorite Things Friday with Mrs. P over at Quilting in My Pyjamas!
If you remember, when we first moved to this home, the garden was very sad looking.

Flower bed in March

I have spent part of every day for the past few months, working in the flower beds.  Big and I have actually created a new bed.

When my Mother came to visit last month, she said, "Oh you have such a nice garden.  It must be because of all the rain you get."  I had to laugh because she lives in the desert and rain is a big event! 

The rain that we had been getting was helpful, but my  constant working in the beds, had a little more to do with the beauty.

Echinacea

Butterfly bush and Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan)

Vinca

White  Echinacea



Agastache

Bee Balm

This bed is just one of the the many.  It takes up a small corner in the backyard.  We also have a bed on each side of the house and in the front of the house, but I will post about those on another day!

When the temperature goes down and you can no longer fry an egg on the sidewalk, Big and I will be outside creating more space for flowers!  My goal is to one day have a Cottage Garden.

I would like it to be noted that most the photos you have been looking at are from my new phone!

I am also linking to Flaunt your Flowers today!

I hope you have a wonderful Friday! 

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Busy Day

I finally got busy!

Here is a list of things I accomplished today:

Schucked, blanched and froze 24 ears of corn
Made sauce from all of the lovely little tomatoes (canned)
Froze 2 pints of raspberries
Froze 2 pints of blackberries
Made Farm Market Corn Salsa (and canned it)
Embroidered a dish towel for a swap partner.

Almost tomato sauce!

Of course, I accomplished things like, eating, walking the dog, and having a glass of wine. 

I am a bit tired.  I hope that I have learned my lesson and in the future will  pace myself better.  I don't want to do all the hard work on one day.

I will take photos of the tomato sauce and the dish towel tomorrow.  It is dark now and I am too tired. 

Hope all of you had a wonderful and productive day!

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When The Cat is Away

I am sure everyone knows the saying, "When the cat is away, the mice will play."  Well, let me tell you, this mouse has been playing!

As you know, Monday was spent reading a book.

Yesterday, was spent wasting time educating myself on Pinterest, Facebook and various websites.

I did manage to make bake some Banana Bread.  I just love the little ones!

Big's Mom gave me the recipe for this

Today was supposed to be busy and productive.  I, again, had a long list of things to do.  I managed to get the veggies from the CSA.  I also made a trip to Joann Fabrics for some thread and had 2 hour conversation with the Husquavara sales ladies.

Red and yellow cherry tomatoes and some Heirlooms

I got in trouble when the car pulled in the AT & T parking lot!  This is what I came home with. 

I did not come home with the wine, just the phone!  The wine is necessary to give me strength to figure out the phone!  Thanks to The Baby, Big and Mrs. P, I took the plunge and jumped into theworld of  modern phones!  I think I will love this phone. once I figure it out!

If you do not hear from me in the next day or two, it is because I am trying to accomplish all that was on my "Things To Do While Big Is Gone" list.  I am not sure if I will get to the bottom of the list, but it won't be for not trying!

Hope you all had a wonderful day,  Thanks for stopping by!

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It is not on my list!

Big is Boot Scootin her way to Texas this morning and I am left Home on the Range to wrangle the ornery critters and take care of the homestead!  By the way, All My Ex's Live in Texas.  (Have you got any of these songs stuck in your head yet?)

Enough about Texas!  When Big is away, I create a long list of things to accomplish during the week.  I think to myself, "I will be left alone and uninterrupted long enough to complete a project." 

I think I am my own worst enemy!

I picked up a book at 5:00 this morning and read for 3 1/2 hours.  I would still be reading if The Baby hadn't called!

If you have never read a Sophie Kinsella book, you should!  She has a way of drawing you in and making  you laugh.  Her books are lighthearted and easy to read.  To me, she writes perfect summer books!  Get yourself a glass of tea or wine and enjoy!

My current read

I could tell you I am going upstairs to sew, but we all know it would be a lie!  I am going to curl up on the sofa and finish this book! 

Hope you enjoy your day!



P.S. - The ex's part is true!Pin It Now!

Fried Chicken

It is once again time for Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge. 

This month, the challenge is for fried chicken.  This dinner was eaten on Independance Day!  I found it to be the "All American" meal. 

My recipe came from a mix of two sources.  The first, and the one I used most of my inspiration from, was from The Food Network magazine.  The recipe was in the July/August 2101 publication.   New York City check Marcus Samuelsson shared his recipe on page 147.

The second source was from Taste of Home magazine (Love them!) in the June/July 2012 issue.  The recipe was title Best Ever Fried Chicken and is located on page 29.

I first made a spice blend.  Some of the spices were added to buttermilk to be used as a marinade.  The chicken was marinated for 24 hours.

Chicken drumsticks in the buttermilk marinade

The next step was to add the rest of the spice blend to the flour.   I then took each chicken leg out of the buttermilk and dredged it in the flour and carefully placed the chicken in the grease.  I was able to fry about 4 drumsticks at a time.

Hot, Hot, Hot

 When I finished frying all of the drumsticks, I ended up with a wonderfully crunchy and tasty chicken.  I felt the coating was a bit browner than chicken from a fast food restaurant, but then again, my spice mix contained some pretty dark spices. 

 I would make this recipe again!   I think I will go out and purchase an electric skillet.  Being able to keep the grease at a steady temperature would help.  I did not burn anything, but did have to keep playing with the heat to keep from it.

Perfect and tasty drumsticks

Bread and Butter corn from the CSA

Pasta salad

Yummmmmm

Spice Blend

1/4 cup mild Chile powder

1/4 cup hot smoked paprika

2 TBL celery salt

2 TBL freshly ground white pepper

2 TBL ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

kosher salt to taste

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you consider using this recipe or taking bits of it to try the next time you fry chicken.  Can't wait to see what everyone else has made!

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Favorite Things Friday

 

Miami and Matilde are my Favorite Things this Friday.

Big started moving up the ladder with the Federal Prison in 1999.  Our family began moving from state to state to follow her career.   The first transfer was to Miami.

Miami was a culture shock to us. We had lived in a small town in New Mexico and were not used to the crazy traffic and the amount of people. We learned to get used to it and learned to become a part of the craziness.

 One of the nice things about living at sea level is never having to worry about snow!  Your biggest worry becomes trying to decide which pair of shorts to wear for the day!

A couple winters ago in WV

We swam in the Keys on Christmas Day.  How can you complain about that?

Key Largo

Having dinner at Snapper's in Key Largo

Enjoying a glass of wine and the view

Best squash and crab soup ever!  Must find this recipe!

Who can resist fried shrimp, coleslaw and french fries?

 Our house was in a sub-division located just a few blocks from the Miami Zoo.  Naturally, we became members of the zoo and visited as often as possible.  The best time to go, was in the morning.  The animals were waking up and being fed and were full of energy.  Many times we were privy to an unplanned show put on by the zoo's residents.



Getting a bath at Miami Zoo

We were very lucky to have wonderful neighbors.  Matilde and her family lived next door to us.  Matilde is from Columbia and married wonderful man whose family is from Cuba!  There was a lot of heat and passion in that house! 

We shared a lot of good times and laughs together.  I can remember Matilde and I taking vegetarian cooking lessons together.  I am not really sure either of our families appreciated the dishes we put in front of them. 

There are so many wonderful memories of Florida.  Most of them have Matilde and her family in them.  I was so happy to travel with Big to Miami and have the opportunity see Matilde again!  I look forward to her and her family visiting us and making more memories.



Having a glass of wine at Schnebly's Winery in Homestead, FL

By the way, I am not drunk in this photo!  Matilde's grandson took the photo and got me with my eyes closed!  Matilde had just had surgery on her eye lids and didn't want people to see her black eyes!  Honestly, it is the truth!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting.  I hope all of you have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend.

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Heat, Sinuses and Other Stuff

Hello all!  The heat and my sinus infection kept me out of sorts for almost a week.  I am happy to say, my sinus infection is almost gone.   I am sorry to report, I can not say the same for the heat!

I have tried to stay busy in my sewing studio (I feel important when I call my room a studio) and the kitchen. 

I made a set of  place mats for The Baby.  I wish the colors showed up better in this photo.  They are vibrant green, yellow, orange and blue.  I like them so much, I may keep them!

I embroidered a pillow case for my Mom.  As you know she lives in Texas, so I thought this would be appropriate.  I was able to get it finished and in the mail just in time for her Independence Day party!

Peach upside down cake was on the menu last week.  The cake was OK.  I don't think it will be on the list of things to make again.  Both Big and I had a piece while it was warm and the rest went to the neighbors.  Hmmm...I haven't seen the neighbors in a few days, hopefully they are still alive!

As  you know, we belong to a CSA.  I have filled up the freezer in the garage refrigerator and the freezer in the house refrigerator.  Knowing there would be more veggies and fruit to freeze, Big and I purchased a new freezer!  I am so excited about it.  It is pretty sad when you get excited about a freezer isn't it?

Big and I went to the Independence Day firework show in our town of Fredericksburg.  We sat in a parking lot a few blocks from the park where the show was going on.  It was a pretty show.  Fireworks are hard to capture on film, especially when you don't know what you are doing! (Like me)  Big and I have decided we will make the trip to D.C. next year and see the show there.  I imagine it will be fantastic!  (Perhaps I will have better knowledge of my camera by then also!)

Hope you all have had a wonderful few days!  Thanks for stopping by!



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