Friday, December 16, 2011

Feeling Inspired?



I'm a guest blogger today at Writer's on the Move

Come learn what inspires me,
maybe you too can find inspiration this holiday season.


Friday, December 9, 2011

The Challenges of Family Photos

Yep, it's that time of year,


Time for the family photo.

Of course, you want all your 
loved ones in the pic . . .
but often they have different ideas.


And not always do all the photos
turn out.


Actually, it seems most did not.


Okay, it was really a dry run.
We'll try again when Mommy and Daddy
can both be in the shot
too handle all the kiddos.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Tis the Season!

Yep, the lefse is made.


#1 Son spent 6 hours in the kitchen
over the griddle helping.
Of course, he was the one who,
when he was 8 years old,
thought we should open a lefse store.
He even had the name figured out:
Lefse-R-US.
Okay, not very original, but . . .

Tips:
Always, always, always use
real potatoes and rice them!!

 
Cream is essential!
So is the right rolling pin - use one with grooves
and of course, 
you need a long thin stick for flipping.


Yum!
For those of you who are unfamiliar:
Lefse is a Scandinavian pastry
served with butter and, at least in our house, sugar.
Roll them up, and ahhhhhh!

I'd give you the recipe,
but then 
who would buy them when I open a lefse-R-US.
  : )

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Illusions

As a writer, I'm always scribbling.
Today I came across this.
Written years ago,
and still true.
Enjoy!


Today I went outside with my granddaughter
to see the frost on the grass. 
Not just to see it, 
but to reach down and touch it. 
The crystals were fully formed 
and snared the sunlight, casting blue and pink auras. 
I was amazed by it 
and didn't remember ever having viewed frost before - 
at least not in the belly-on-the-ground way. 
It was sweet really. 
Perhaps it comes from the fact that I'm past the middle mark.
Now my life will whittle down no matter how I try to keep it back - 
to stay it with face cream, underwire bras and shape-shifting panties. 
It's now the time of the downward slide.
The frost is just one example of my new found wonder of the world and nature. 
Just last month, as I was driving down the freeway, I saw waving wheat - 
not really, but it seemed to me.
As the sun rose to the east
cars between the sun and tall grass 
created an ilusion of shadow and sun and wind-swept prairie.
Something I remembered from my youth
when wheat fields could be seen waving from all the freeways.
My illusion was beautiful, mesmerizing and intriguing - 
and I wanted to go back and film it, 
but didn't 
and perhaps that's why 
this morning
I was on my belly in the frosted grass, 
because if I don't to it today 
I might not have another chance.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Aw Nuts!

 
My hard-of-hearing father-in-law 
received a large bowl of unshelled 
Walnuts
in the mail.
My husband, son and I went over
to visit.
I asked my father-in-law,
"How are your nuts."
He said, "What?"
So I repeated, loud and clear,
"HOW ARE YOUR NUTS?"
The room was completely silent,
then my father-in-law turned red
and my son and husband
began to giggle.
Why the picture of the squirrel?
Just another nut lover, that's all.

Only two days left to enter to win a copy 
of Perception.
Check out the link for Good Reads in the side bar!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Great Things

Gobble! Gobble!
Happy Turkey Day All!

And to celebrate?
Just a quick thought . . .

We cannot do great things.
We can only do small things with great love.
                                       -Mother Teresa

Have a great day!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Think Positive!

A minus is half of a plus waiting for a stroke of vertical awareness. 
-Alan Cohen

Monday, November 7, 2011

I Feel Soooo Stupid

So . . .
about three years ago
I bought a Blackberry.
(I was late getting to the party.)
When I bought it
I immediately put it 
in a case that absorbed impact.


The case was difficult to get
on and off
so I didn't
take it on or off
unless
ABSOLUTELY
necessary.

Last week I decided
that my case was looking
AWFUL
and needed to be replaced.
I was informed, my phone
will also need to be replaced soon.
GOSH, I still have a "ball."
(Apparently that's a bad thing.)

New cases for my "old" phone
were an issue, so I have a
new case, that is removable.

Which brings me to the reason for this post.

For years now, 3 to be exact,
I've been upset that my phone photos,
excuse me, SUCK.

I've complimented others about the quality
of their phone photos,
always reminding myself that
my Blackberry was really purchased for a phone.

Sooooo, imagine my surprise
last week,
when I took my phone out of the
NEW REMOVABLE
case
and
DISCOVERED . . .
a thick piece of plastic
that has been over the
CAMERA LENS FOR 3 YEARS.

Yep, 3 years!

By the way, not having plastic
over the lens improves the
quality of photos
IMMENSELY.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Finished!

I love it when the weather
turns just a bit nippy.

It means I don't have to feel
odd that I'm working with wool.

So remember?????


Well, it done!



My daughter-model
had to get into the French
theme of it all.
(Yes, I know the banner
from my French dinner is still up -
and needs to come down,
but Christmas is almost here and
well, I thought . . .
Oh, okay, never mind.
I need to get it done.)


Notice the A+.
Well daughter teaches at
Thompson Ranch in Surprise, AZ
and they're an A+ school!
Woot! Woot!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Good Reads

I'm on Good Reads
and what that means 
is you can easily find my books
and 

You can enter to win
Perception.


Click the box on my sidebar
and be entered.
Good luck all.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Congratulations!

My grandson, TNT
yep, he's dynamite,
made the honor roll!
Woo Hoo!
There he is:


He told us that since
he has to behave in public because he is a
reflection of us,
we had to do the same.
Yep,

Woo! Hoo!

We were very well behaved.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Happy Pink Day

I know I've been remiss,
but I thought you ladies
would like:


Favorite Quote of the Week!

"I put it out to the universe . . .

and pick it up at a garage sale."
                                          a gal buying an elliptical machine

Loved it!

I'm linking with Beverly
things are looking pretty scary around there
but still, head over and check it out.


Thursday, October 20, 2011

New Project on the Needles

My daughter
asked me again
to knit a scarf.

Remember the last one?
I don't think I'll ever forget.
I finished, but whew!

So this time I decided what pattern to use.


 The magazine called it, "A bit French"


So of course, I was in.
  

I can't wait to finish and show you.


I might just have to make myself one too!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Hand

My two grandsons

 
were
having a disagreement
in the back seat of the car.

Said Grandson #1


Talk to the hand.

Grandson #2 said, 
without missing a beat . . .


"Hello hand."

Don't you love it!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Writer on the Move

Come visit me
and please, please, please
leave a comment.

I'm a guest blogger at: 

Saturday, October 15, 2011

I'm Missing

The sweet summer days at the beach,

Summer just raced by.


I know it's fall,
but it's still warm here in Arizona.
Perhaps I can still get in a day at the zoo.

What are you missing right now?

Thursday, October 13, 2011

I'm so lucky!

I had the best swap partner ever!
Just look . . .

the box was stuffed

and inside . . .

there was this,

and 

this
(isn't she just the best! Ever!)

and all this

Wow!
Thanks Karen!


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Loose Teas, I'm on my way.

I'm so very excited.
I know I haven't spoken of them in a while
but I'm heading over to visit 
my favorite tea shop!
It's in Monrovia, California.
I'm craving this:


and maybe these!


Yum!


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Friend's Swap 2011

Lookie! lookie!
I sent:

Some fabulous fabric and fancies


Roman Provence Tea
with an
Iced tea Tumbler


Some eggs
to put into
A felted nest.
(I'm so pleased my partner loved nests - 
it gave me an excuse to make one.)
I didn't get any photos of:
the  delicious delights.
(Trust me they were yummy.)
Or, I can't believe it,
the shawl I knit.


Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Friends Swap

Yep!
We were a bit behind,
my partner and I,
but the package is on its way.


I can't wait to show you what
is in each of them.
But for now you'll have to wait . . .

Hurry postman!
So I can share!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Le Dessert

I know you really wanted to know about the dessert
from my 
French Themed Dinner Party.

Le Dessert
Gâteau au chocolat avec coulis de framboise -
chocolate cake with raspberry coulis
Recipe follows.

 Heating the chocolate (sorry I must have been excited)


 Mixing egg mixture


The little darlings getting ready to bake


 Making the raspberry sauce


They're done!


And ready to eat.
Le Dessert
Mini Flourless Chocolate Cakes

Remember, one of my guests needed to eat gluten-free

This made 6 small cakes
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Ingredients for cakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons amaretto
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
 
Use butter to grease the ramekins. Then sprinkle sugar in each one and shake and roll to coat the inside of the ramekin evenly.

Combine the chocolate, butter and amaretto in the top of a double boiler. Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. This takes about five minutes. Don't panic. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Repeat until all of the egg mixture is folded into the chocolate.

Put the ramekins in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Divide the batter evenly into the ramekins. Then put water in the baking dish so that it comes up about halfway on the ramekins. Bake for between 20-30 minutes. The should have risen slightly and the edges will be set. Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and cool slightly. Use a knife to loosen the cakes from the edges of the ramekin. Invert each cake onto a plate and invert the cakes again on a platter. Cover and refrigerate. I did this the day before, so they were in the fridge overnight.

 
Ingredients for Raspberry Coulis:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
2 cups raspberries rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
 Make Simple Syrup by combining: 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water   in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves. This takes only a few minutes. Add the raspberries and lemon juice and bring to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer and stir until the berries are very soft, about 10 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of cold water. Add it to the raspberry mixture and cook until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Seeds should then be discarded. Refrigerate until ready to use.


To create your dessert:

Pour 1 tablespoon of raspberry sauce on the bottom of serving plate. 
Carefully transfer your cooled chocolate cake to the plate.
Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and/or toasted almond slivers if you like.
Place a few fresh raspberries beside cake.