Rainy Days Make Me Smile

What a beautiful rainy Fall day...it really is.  I am a Morning Person who Loves Rainy Days.  If I were a cat, I would lie in front of the sliding glass doors and purr as the rain falls.  But I'm glad I'm me because I like coffee especiall on rainy days and I don't think Kitty would lap up the java.  Really rainy days make me hyper (I know you probaby think it's the coffee, but I drink decaf). When I taught, the windows in my classroom were inches away from a brick wall so I never saw sunlight during the school day. So I was always happy thinking it was a cloudy (maybe even going to rain) day until I walked out the front doors in the evening to go home. Then I would be so disappointed because the sun was shining. You know you never know what makes people tick.

I hum (instead of purring) on rainy days, but today I laughed outloud. My day was already "bright", but this sign made it even "brighter". How nice it is to be reminded about important things in such a fun way. I think Jesus would smile. I hope you do too.

I  am a "morning person" - at least I have been for 60+ years. I have always looked forward to the next morning and waking up and getting started with the plans for my day.   But this Fall, I have found a snag in this thinking.  I find I am not looking forward to mornings.....because I have started an exercise class that meets at 9:00.  It is not the time, but the word 'exercise'.  I really don't like to exercise. I need to get in shape physically, but I think mentally I need a little shaking up too.  After each session I'm like a little kid patting myself on the back for going to and completing the class. I've also been rewarding myself after each session with a cup of English Toffee/Toasted Hazelnut cappaucino and that does help the morale. Isn't that a wise decision for a person who is trying to get more physically fit?  After I get back home, I start on my list of things to do...which I never get finished.  I finally figured out why .... I put too many things on my "to do" list.  I supposed I should forget making a list since that frustrates and stresses me, but if I don't make a list I forget what I was going to do that day.  Which is okay in a way because then I indulge myself in one of my two latest addictions.

I never really understood how someone could become addicted to the computer...now I know.  I love reading blogs.  Wendy started me out with food blogs, but I quickly moved on to scrapbooking and crocheting blogs.  Now I have added Pinterest.com.  My day flies by while I'm reading and looking at all of the interesting things that people do.  I become so enthused about some of the projects that I can't wait to start them, but I never seem to find the time.  I wonder why? 

Some of my first creations.

My other latest addiction is crocheting. The Book Club trip to Charleston SC and Suzanne created that monster.  Suzanne and I walked over five miles in 100+ degree heat to find yarn and a crochet hook so I could learn to crochet on the way back to Kentucky.  Now if my hands aren't busy with another task, I am crocheting. So far it has only been 10 dishclothes. one baby carseat blanket, and about 20 baby hats, but I have other projects lined up to begin along with baskets of yarn to do it with.  With my weakness for pretty and touchy yarn, I would hate to see my garage and driveway if I had a fondness for pretty cars.

Bye Bye Summer 2011

    Summer is gone...boo hoo.  Even though I have come to love the beautiful autumn days, I miss Summer.  What is it about Summer that we yearn for those days to return even when the memory of scorching hot days and high humidity are still vivid in our minds. Does it go back to when we were kids and free from school and could play all day and into the dark?   Those summertime memories of fun, catching lighting bugs, playing hide and seek evolve into memories of long afternoons at the pool, summer dances on the school blacktop, convertible rides, and the county fair. Helping my grandmother work in the garden is a special summer memory. As I work in my small garden and  in my flower beds, I always think of Grandma. Who would have thought that all those years ago a chore that I was made to do could now be one of my greatest joys of a summer day?

The last flowers of Summer 2011

    Since there is a possibility of frost tonight, I covered my blooming and yet to bloom Mums and roses with sheets.  My yard looks like a party of ghosts lounging around. I should have taken a picture (but it was too cold) because all of those mounds of bumpy ghosts made me LOL.

Grit Newspaper and a Good & Easy Summer Favorite

Years ago, and I do mean years, my family would buy the Grit newspaper when someone (don't remember who) would come to our door selling it.  Back then, everyone read The Grit. It was put together, size-wise, like the Enquirer at the grocery check-out, but it was so much better. It had farm news, recipes, sewing patterns, puzzles, comics and a bunch more of miscelleous stuff that I don't remember. If it had entertainment land gossip, it went over my head. I hadn't thought about the Grit in years until yesterday.  All of a sudden I realized that I had not made my daughters' favorite summer recipe....STRINGY NOODLES. 
     It was our first summer of being married. Although we lived in town, I was still reading the Grit.  (There's probably a saying that would relate to this...like ... "you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl".  Anyway I found the recipe in the Grit and I could see "good" and "easy" written all over it.  And that it is! I have to admit Stringy Noodles is one of my favorites too, because it is sooo easy (if you have all the ingredients on hand. I had to run to the store to get them yesterday. How could I not have such basic ingredients!).   Anyway with a plate of tomatoes and stringy noodles, we know summer is here.
Stringy Noodles:
Cook according to pkg directions enough noodles for your meal
Drain noodles and mix/stir in 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup
     a pkg. of shredded mozerella cheese, and meat of choice, diced or chunked.
    (I usually use the pkg. beef or some left-pver ham),
Stir all of the above together and heat through OR put into a baking dish (can
    add bread crumbs dotted with butter to top) and bake till bubbly. 
Serve with sliced tomatoes.
          BTW, since the Grit came to mind, I had to Google and see if it still existed and surprise! it does.  I need to check and see how much a subscription is; I need another "good and easy" recipe and the Grit just might have it.

Thought to Ponder

I saw this graphic on the blog thirtyhandmadedays.com and it really grabbed me and made me think.  I know as kids we are always comparing ourselves, our families, our clothes, our schoolwork, and even our coloring as first graders.  Even as adults, we are playing the comparison game.  Some comparison is good for it often makes us 'step-up', but how many times does it make us feel as if we (our lives, our creations) are not good enough. I know there have been crafty projects and quilts that I have done where I felt mine had to look exactly like the pattern. I agonized over every little difference only to find out that the pattern I was following was created with a mistake in it and here I was trying to make mine "perfect" just like the pattern. Different is okay and sometimes better.

Home Sweet Home

I am back in the real world of Kentucky this morning. I just spent a relaxing week at the beach with the girls in my life, daughters Leeann and Lindsay, and granddaughter Raigan. We didn't do anything exciting, but ate very well, shopped a little, and enjoyed the beach and each other. When I"m at the beach, I become overwhelmed with God's greatness and am reminded that He is in control for no human could have created and maintained the beauty and the workings of this world.

Ormond by the Sea is between Daytona Beach and Flagler Beach. It sits on a strip of land that runs between the Halifax River and the ocean.  In the mornings on my way to buy a newspaper at the Kangaroo Quick Stop, I walk along side of the Halifax enjoying the shade and the quiet moving waters. Then I do beach walking the rest of the day. The beach where I walk is not very crowde in the times that we have been there.  In fact, if you wanted to 'people watch', you would be disappointed.

Must get back to the 'real world', but I will catch up later with some pictures.

A Friday Evening in August

We had a song fest at our church Friday evening. It was a great evening of music, friends, and food. As I sat in the church yard listening, I glanced up at the sky. Seeing the steeple with the sky and clouds behind, I could sense God's power. I guess this is an opportunity to say a little more about myself. My husband and I attend the Methodist Church in our little town.  The church family is a lot like our church family in Gallia County Ohio; I guess that is why we chose this church. I do whatever the Lord calls me to do. Sometimes I wish it was less for He keeps me very busy. I have the elementary age Sunday School class, play the Clavinova for Worship, help with the children's youth group and with the church tutoring program. I have always felt if he has given me the skills and talent to do His work, then I should cooperate and do the best I can.

We are native Buckeyes and moved to Kentucky six years ago since our two daughters are in this area.  We are still Buckeyes and have commented that the only things we do in KY is sleep and go to church. Everything else we head across the bridge which is about 5 miles from our house over into Ohio.

That is it for today. There are boo-koo tomatoes on the kitchen counter waiting to be frozen and I can hear them calling my name.