Just Can't Do It!

Just can't do it....

I know the Holiday Season is long gone and, instead of thinking about snowmen and Christmas trees we're thinking of daffodils and tulips, but these poinsettia just keep on giving! Bought them last November for $10 a piece. Best $20 investment I've made in a long time!

Stay tuned.

Growing!

Miss Gracie has doubled in size...weighing in at 20 lbs. She's turning out to be a wonderful addition to the family. Mr. A is working hard on obedience training and they both attend puppy class (graduation is tonight). She loves this warm weather and spends a good portion of her day chasing oak leaves and waddling through the tiny creek that runs through the property...which has precipitated the bath Mr. A gave her this morning! We were thrilled when she figured out she should jingle the bells on the front door when she needed to go outside. However...she's also figured out she gets to go out WHENEVER she wants by simply jingling those bells! Wonder who is training who?

Stay tuned!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

What to do on a snowy day.....? Why, polish the silver (seems silly to polish the silver because I rarely use it, but I did), make pumpkin muffins....oh, and take Miss Gracie to the vet for more shots. Shy as she is, she did quite well. She loves the vet techs to death. But then who wouldn't when they ply her with treats! While Gracie took a long nap, I made Martha Stewart's pumpkin muffins. Here's the recipe so you can enjoy some too.

Pumpkin Muffins

10 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup of brown sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 can (15oz) pumpkin purée

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

TOPPING

1/2 stick melted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

In mixer, Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, allspice. In separate bowl combine buttermilk and pumpkin purée. Add dry mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture. Spoon batter into greased and floured muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes. In the meantime, melt the 1/2 stick butter and combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Brush with melted butter and toss in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Makes 13 muffins. YUM!

Miss Grace Kelly

After we retired Mr. A and I decided we really did miss having a dog around the house and began a search for our new "forever friend." Over the years we've had several cockers and golden retrievers. Our last two dogs were goldens and we can't say enough wonderful things about the breed. However, they are a big dog (something I prefer) and Mr. A was hoping for something along the line of a "lap dog." Ideally, we wanted a nice, mellow middle aged dog that wanted to go for leisurely walks and enjoyed laying by the fire. As you can imagine, there aren't many dogs available with those traits...and when they are, they're snapped up immediately. We also thought it would be nice to adopt from a shelter. So, I began searching local humane societies in surrounding counties. If I would be willing to take a pit bull/mix dog there were many to choose from. That's not what we had in mind, so I moved on to searching on Petfinder. And, that's where we found Miss Gracie. Her story is less than ideal. The "rescue" organization turned out to be more of a no-kill shelter. The woman who ran the rescue had a house and barn in the country with lots and lots of horses and several kennels full of barking dogs. Miss Gracie and her littermate sisters, we were told, were an unwanted litter belonging to a neighbor. The owner volunteered to surrender the puppies in exchange for spay/neuter of her adult dogs. So, we went over the river and through the woods to her rescue farm and without much hesitation at all, returned home with Miss Gracie.....fleas, worms and all! Yup...for $158.50 you get all the fleas and worms you could ask for! So, Mr. A. and Mikey gave Miss Gracie two...that's two....flea baths and the next day we took her to the vet for worm medication and her first set of shots. She seems to have settled in quite nicely and has Mr. A. wrapped around her paw. He's the Alpha dog and in charge of teaching her things like not eating the lamp cord, rugs and our hands. We asked what breeds she might be...reply was...mother a poodle/schnauser and father a great pyrenese/collie. The visual of that is strange at best! The vet thinks she may grow to 50 lbs. (there goes Mr. A's lap dog) but only time will tell. So...stay tuned!

Christmas Cookies

I've been told, by a "follower" that my lone December blog...was...well...less than exciting. Ho hum to be exact. I agree. I was caught up in holiday decorating, baking cookies and following my favorite blogs! Did I mention EATing LOTS of my favorite Holiday cookies? Each member of our family has a favorite cookie. Mr. A's favorite is his Grandmother's cutout cookies (lots of work but he says well worth it); Michael loves fudge; and Carrie and I can't get enough of my mother's Pecan Short cookies. My friend, Beth, thinks the pecan short recipe is the same one her mother made. Quite possible as we lived next door to each other way back when. Because this is MY blog and because they are my favorite....below is the recipe for pecan shorts:

PECAN SHORTS

350 degree oven

2 cups butter (4 sticks at room temperature)

1 cup powdered sugar

4 cups flour

2 cup pecans (chopped)

2 tsp salt

Cream butter and powdered sugar

Add flour/salt mixture a little at a time

Add chopped pecans

CHILL dough

Roll into small balls and flatten with fork

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly brown

Cool slightly

Put in a large zip loc bag ( 10 or 12 at a time) filled with powdered sugar and tumble till coated

Simple...and delicious...and all gone...I ate the three in the picture while I was typing! Guess I'd better take a really long walk!

Yard Waste

In early November we had a heavy, wet snowfall. I love heavy, wet snowfalls! Unfortunately, they can do damage to trees...especially pines. For years...20 or better...I've gone around my neighborhood with the car picking up these branches to turn it into wreaths and garlands. I always ask before I take...it's the polite thing to do. And sometimes, if an entire tree has gone down, I'll make a wreath for the homeowner as a thank-you. This year Carrie joined me and made garland for the new (almost finished) porch on their 150 year old farmhouse. It's a wonderful way to start the holiday season!

Fall Art Festival

Well where have I been? Painting...yes, painting. No time for posting...just painting! I offered to paint spindles and railings and lattice for my daughter's new front porch. It's been a lot of work but the end is in site and the son-in-law is happy.

Mr. A and I did find time to take in the Fall Art Tour, one of Southwest Wisconsin's most popular events. This tour is held every year with artists from Baraboo to Mineral Point, Wisconsin opening their private studios. One artist, Audrey Christie, print maker and painter of Short Horse Studio is located right down the road from us! She carves on cherry wood, using an 18th century art form, makes a print and paints with gouache to achieve her unique style. Surrounding her 1850's stone home are the many creatures inspiring much of her work. She offered to tell me all about her many varieties of chickens. I just might take her up on that!

If you are in and around Madison you can see her work at the Winter Art Festival at the Monona Terrace and Convention Center November 12-13th. You won't be disappointed!

Little Lamb Hydrangea

Thought I'd cut one more bouquet of hydrangea to enjoy before cold weather sets in. We planted 7 bushes (4 Twist & Shout and 3 Little Lamb). The Little Lamb bushes have outdone themselves! Delightful!

Acorns, Acorns, Ancorns!

The acorns are falling...a sure sign of the change of seasons. A few weeks ago, in the middle of the night, I heard the first ones drop like hail against the roof of the house! Don't let them fool you...they may be small but they pack quite a punch!

Favorite Things

Delicious little cookies! Thank You Fig Newton! Only 120 calories for three cookies. Four different flavors. My favorite is, of course, chocolate raspberry, followed by blueberry. They're perfect with coffee in the morning, low in sugar, contain real fruit and...yes...fiber! They must be selling out as quickly as they're put on the shelf...I've had to virtually HUNT these cookies down! So buy several at a time! They're a good thing!

Treasures

I spent a few days up north visiting my best friend last week. We used to live in the same small Norwegian town. I have so many fond memories of that town and forged friendships that have lasted 25 years! Robbie gave me this small table and Laurel gave me the basket filled with produce fresh from her garden. The table will be painted and will sit on the screen porch....the vegetables were eaten for dinner! Thank you Robbie and Laurel!

New Neighbors

Looks like we have new neighbors! Let's see...cattle, geese, sheep, peacocks, and now horses! Totally loving life in the country!!

Peaches, Peaches, Peaches!

Peaches, peaches, peaches! I bought a crate of California peaches last week. We've eaten them with just about every meal and frozen some for a refreshing treat this winter. Today I made Martha Stewart's peach raspberry slab pie. It was a hit!

Summer Porch

OOOH....what I wouldn't give to have a bed just like this on our summer porch. Unfortunately, my porch is small so I'd have to choose between a bed and seating. Hmmmmm.....think I'd like the bed! Now to convince Mr. A!

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23! How Can It Be!

Mikey turned 23 today! Where has the time gone!!

Independence Day

Today is a day for barbeques, fireworks and celebrating our country's independence with friends and family.

It's also a time to thank all those who have served our country and remember those that lost their lives for the cause of freedom.

...When I'm 64

What a lovely birthday I had! To have my husband, children (Mikey, Carrie & Darren and their boys) and my dear, dear friends from Iola here to help me celebrate was the best present anyone could ask for. A PERFECT DAY!

From The Garden

We are NOT good gardeners. We are great planters...so, so weeders....even worse at harvesting. So I was pleasantly surprised to see we had a good crop of radish, onion and rhubarb. Froze the rhubard, ate the radish and onion. Delicious!

Laundry Room

Our laundry/mud room is small and definitely in need of storage. We found this antique upper cabinet at an antique shop a few months ago and it's working out well. Next Mr. A will build a narrow storage unit on the opposite wall.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

If you'll recall, when Mr. A asked me what my thoughts on a driveway were I told him I'd envisioned a gravel drive. He, in turn, explained the hazards of midwest winters called for cement or asphalt. I picked the lesser of the evils and went with cement. Lots and lots of cement. OK...I'll get over it. Maybe. The landscapers spent several long, hot weekends grading the land and distributing bark around the house and it looks fantastic. Last Saturday they seeded and shot hay on top. That night it rained, and rained and rained and then it rained the next day and the day after that! So much for Mr. A worrying about watering the lawn! Michael came Monday to help reseed but it was just too muddy. Instead we went strawberry picking!