Trying Hard

I'm trying hard, but I have only a vague understanding of what is going on........ &it's scary
I'm the one that is supposed to know what is going on, & I don't.
I just don't.
I don't like not knowing what is happening.
The thought of moving, once a very exciting thought, makes me what to hurl myself into oncoming traffic.
The thought of being responsible for something of that magnitude makes me want to build a pillow fort, survive solely on canned spaghetti products, & pretend I am my shoe size, not my age.

33 Armadillos

In Honor of my very favorite sisters #33rd birthday....... because they are as scary as you think & they are out to get you

1.When you care enough to send the very best, you send the birthday Armadillo

2.Just for you

3. When we were in town last night, I just happened to get this video of their kitten. Just kidding, it's an armadillo.......

.

4.Armadillo corn- here in the heartland, it's what's for dinner!

5. Don't touch your armadillo

My armadillo gave me leprosy

6.Handy how to, for doodling in the margins of TPS reports

7.Happy little trees

8.      Because, some days it's hard to be the mom!

9.The Holiday Armadillo wishes everyone a happy Shabbat!

10.In honor of our childhood friends wedding! Mazel Tov!

11.Gothic armadillos in Ecuador

12.

Scary armadillo puppet? What did I call this???? It seems to have disappeared, which is fine, it gave me nightmares......

13.Welcome Home Lucas!

14. This non-profit organization will ARMOR children against drugs, crime, and violence by presenting programs of excellence while working in partnership with churches, schools, civic organizations, media, corporations, and individuals.

read more here

15.Ruth Herman, naturalist at Prairie Park Nature Center, released an armadillo found in a Lawrence resident's window well near her property in Linwood.

16.Hey, Hey, it's Friday!

17. A Sunday funny 

18.For luck

19.Friends 

20.Keep your Armadillo dry

21.Refreshing on a hot day

22.Sending love 

23.needs no explanation....

24.and the saga continues 

25.Now in techni-color 

26.I'll believe it when armadillos fly

27.This is out there somewhere, & we are going to find it together

28. Suitable for framing 

29. 

TBT, the original choice for Stephanie Tanner's/ Uncle Jesse's room on Full House

30.

If Asher & Cupcake were featured in a storybook

31.

A Saturday Funny....

32.

Apparently, there was a raucous barber shop quartet that used to stroll Disney World, singing inappropriate songs & making comments about Princess'. they would hand out these.....

33. An epic Ending

Ding! Round 10 Million, or I refuse to live down by the river

Because we are absolute gluttons for punishment, and our lease will expire in less than 18 months & then we will have no where to live, we are going to puke & rally.

If only we were as good at house buying as we are at baby making, we could have purchased an entire country by now.....

or mathematically:

being financially poor + having a large-ish family= there should be some Government funded program for that  

& I am going to find it.

We are upstanding citizens looking to maintain a property in a dilapidated, yet safe area, of our nearest metropolitan area.

I am willing to pay money.

They should just give us a house.

I would plant flowers.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Beer Bread with Honey Butter Glaze

Ingredients for Bread:

1 stick butter

15 oz pumpkin puree

bottle of Ale, or even better, pumpkin Ale, or just regular beer

2 c brown sugar

2 T vanilla 

2 T cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice (when you remember to get some!)

4 eggs

3 c self rising flour 

1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Melting butter in large bowl, add ingredients in the order listed, mixing well after each.

Dump into large (9x13) greased casserole for feeding the army, or divide into loaf pans (3?)

Bake about 45 minutes or adjust accordingly to pan size. Test with toothpick, just in case.

Honey Butter Glaze:

(because that sounds fancier)

1 stick of butter, soften or lightly melted

1/4-1/3 c Honey (go raw & local for health benefits!)

Mash together & smear on warm bread

Seriously, go impress someone with your culinary prowess

The miracle of the cycle of life

borrowed picture, mine are not nearly as pretty...



I know it's not a new thing, & people have been doing it for-just-about-ever, but that doesn't make me any less in awe of it.

I canned my own pickled cucumbers this morning.
I have canned several other peoples cucumbers this summer, but this one, this one was mine.


I read the 50 trillion seed catalogs that I could find, anguished over which seeds to order.
Waited with baited breath for the seed parcel to arrive.
Received it with such joy, & a blessing from the Mail Man for good luck.
Worked the ground, & planted all these little specks, no bigger than anything.
I loved them, & somehow they grew, &grew.
I grew our food.
I have preserved our food.
&, now we will eat it.
The circle of life.

Creative cooking & toasty Tuesday presents.... Caprese Pasta Salad with Heirloom tomatoes

Well, it's August & finally starting to get summer hot here.

& I am tired & sweaty & hot & just over it all.

About the only thing coming out of the garden & edible are the little heirloom tomatoes-

Isis Pear, marble sized mini-belle, some kind of cherry & grape.

What I don't understand is the lovely variety of color we are getting- yellow & red, orange & pink. 

The tomato bed is more of a serious jungle right now, so I can't really see what is going on.

Last fall we got some really pretty mixed, small, heirloom tomatoes from our co-op, pears & grapes &cherries, in all colors. Some of them were squishy, so I tossed them into the bed.....

& it seems some of them took, maybe? 

I dunno.

Tonight, I was choring at an odd time, and got a late start on dinner.

Husband woke up like bear after hibernation, so the plan was out the window, & quick was in.

& this deliciousness was born......

Ingredients:
Sliced & diced tomatoes- enough to feed whoever is eating
Basil- preferably shared by your awesome neighbor who can grow stuff, to your taste & shredded
Mozzarella Cheese- shredded, about 1 cup or a little less
Balsamic Vinegar- 5 or 6 sloshes?
Olive Oil- a good drizzle
Pepper & Garlic (fresh grated or dried) to your taste
Pasta- whatever you have, that you like & will feed those eating. cooked according to the package.

Add to large bowl in the order listed, or not. Serve immediately or chill for later. It's really yummy either way!

Quick, cheap & easy.... even Husband gave it a mildly enthusiastic thumb & 1/2 up.