Here is a photo of me. It was taken in La Pine at my parents house. Seems odd now looking at this young woman that it is me. I would say it was taken in my late 20's, early 30's.
I wish photo's could talk so you could recall all that was happening at the time they were taken. You know you could scan them with a memory scanner and it would pick up the info imposed on the picture from a memory imprint. Now that would be something!
It was cloudy this morning when we woke but quite quickly the clouds broke into pieces and blue skies and sun appeared. It is windy again however. Hardly a day goes by now that we do not have wind which is not a normal occurrence here.So once again I am not going out because of my eyes.
I noticed this morning that my eye lids are chaffed now.I need relief and the wet washcloth works but only temporarily.
Tonight we are going to grill brats and foil pouches of veggies. To the side we will have a simple salad of butter lettuce, green olives and tomatoes. So we will certainly get our veggies tonight.
My duties are done for the day except for making dinner. Hubby should be home around five. So what to do with a free afternoon? I can think of plenty of idea's if it were not windy I always find things to do outdoors.
However I will probably work on my list for the trip to my brothers. He basically is going to supply the food but I will take a couple special things for the the salsa verde chicken and I like to take my yogurt,sports drinks and a few little things I enjoy when camping.
I am keeping tabs on the weather as it is a little more elevation at the lake so it is a little cooler there. I do not really care how warm it is I just do not want showers or rain as I want to be outdoors as much as possible.
So away I go but will leave you with this thought.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed"
I can do that......I just laughed!
Happy Mom's day to all!
I just got off the phone with my daughter. We had a great visit. She is going to have a full day with Kali and Seth her two children that live close by. I am alone today but my husband will be home at four and then we going to see his Mother who has just moved back to Eugene this very day.
Today it is cooler but still in the seventies. We have clouds and it is to shower later and that is good as we need some moisture for the lawns and to rid us of tree pollen.
I sat a large bag of refundable cans and bottles out by the front door this morning. We had a flyer placed on our door a few days ago from a college student. We are always happy to donate our cans and bottles. So as I was typing a few minutes ago the bag was collected. Now for one month at least we do not need to mess with taking them in ourselves.
So today is cookie baking day! Yeah. I have not done a thing as yet, it is Sunday after all. But I will tidy the house shortly and then start baking. I will add a decorative bag of these yummy cookies to my hubby's mom's Mother's day gift.
We had very good mexican food last night. The leftover beer can chicken I morphed into salsa verde taco's, the refried beans were good as usual. I had two taco's and was over the top full. I cannot not even count how many taco's my husband ate. He is my taco guy!
I will be fixing soft chicken taco's for my brother when we stay at the lake. He has a slow cooker so I will make salsa verde chicken in the slow cooker, I will make beans and rice to go with. We can eat on this for a couple of evenings. I always try to cook for him when I go as you know bachelors they tend to make the same things over and over again so a change of menu is much appreciated.
When I think back to Mother's day past I always think of my Mom. I was so fortunate to live many years of my adult life near my parents. So we shared many a holiday, Mother's day being one. I loved to have her to our home for a nice meal and cater to her. I was a Mother too and spoiled also on that day. My little ones graced me with home made cards, macaroni art work, or whatever else their little allowances could buy. They would get so excited about giving me my gifts. There was a gold thread shimmering with love that wove us all together so tightly on those sweet occasions.
Even though my Mother is no longer with me in person she is and will always be a part of me. The love that she heaped upon me still sits comfortably in my heart. Thanks Mom.
Happy Mother's day!
My husband did a good job on this natural locally grown chicken last night. I put the rub on it and then helped get it on the beer can and he babysat it for the hour and half while it roasted.
We also put a rosemary twig and fresh thyme into the beer can. Hubby also put a pan of alder wood chips to smoke in the bottom of the grill. I make a dirty rub for the bird with all kinds of spices and seasonings rubbing olive on the chicken before applying the rub. All makes for a delicious juicy flavorful chicken. Tonight we will use the leftover chicken for taco's.
All I served with this chicken last night was baby asparagus and tomatoes drizzled with Italian dressing and blue cheese crumbles and pile of green olives.We love Trader Joe's green pitted medium olives and buy them by the half case so we never run out. They are firm with the right amount of tang. I love tossing them into a variety of dishes.
While the chicken was hanging out in the grill and doing it's thing hubby and I were playing games at the patio table. The aroma drifting our way was driving our taste buds totally wild.
I am a lazy girl this morning. Hubby was out the door early. I made him a breakfast burrito this morning with sausage, potatoes, eggs, onions, peppers and cheese then packed him a nice lunch as always. Then I slowly read the paper and then on to the computer. Where I still sit in my jammies!
It is another beautiful day here. Yesterday was perfect though the humidity was up. I heard some distant thunder in the middle of the night. Today is to be 80 degree's then the temp drastically drops tomorrow. So tomorrow is cookie making day.
I really have no plans for the day but I do know I am going to get out in the garage at some point and do some cleaning. The garage is my husbands work area so usually I just leave it to him but with his big work load lately he has not had the time to do his usual tidying.
I am hungry now so will hustle off to the kitchen and have some oatmeal with butter and a small drizzle of pure maple syrup. I am not a oatmeal fan but I had to buy a large box as I needed some for the cookies. So I am going to give it a try this morning. Hopefully it will keep me satisfied until I have some popcorn this afternoon then taco's and refried beans this evening.
Have a lovely Saturday.
It will not be long now I will be boating here again with my brother. We have been trying to make this little get together happen since March and the weather has not cooperated. It has been nice lately but it did not work for me to get away during this time. So soon. Brother has things planned out for us. Hubby is not going as he has so much work lined up. So it will be sister and brother time and a good deal of that time will be spent puttering around on this lake. We are also going to take a long drive one day. There is such beautiful scenery up the Mt. St. Helen's highway. My brother Jack enjoys taking drives just as my father did. It is steeped in our childhood I suppose. When we were young that is what my family did for entertainment. Mom would pack a big lunch and off we would go to parts unknown or known. We did not care where we went it was good family time.
I know I promised a cookie recipe and photo today but I am not making those yummy cookies today as it going to be in the 80's and too hot for having the oven on as I do not want to put the air conditioning on unless it is seriously needed. So I will bake on Sunday when it is to be cool and possibly showery.
Tonight we may be having beer can chicken on the grill if hubby stops by the store for a fresh chicken. It was his idea this morning to have this for dinner. The one good thing about the whole chickens no matter how you fix them is the leftover chicken to create more dishes. We usually make taco's or tostada's with our leftover chicken. We love crunchy shredded chicken taco's with lots of cumin added to the chicken, plus onion, avocado's, tomatoes, cilantro and taco sauce and sour cream. How we get all that in a taco shell is beyond me. Hubby is so skilled with this operation but my fillings usually fall all over my plate. I usually opt for the tostada as it is easier to eat. I must make a pot of refried beans also if taco's are in our future.
It will not be long before Memorial weekend. It falls on the 4th weekend this year. My daughter at this point is planning on coming here. We never go anywhere on that weekend because of the traffic and where would you go that was not crowded? Not our thing. So Gina may be here and my husband will more than likely be working as folks like their floors done when they are away. So we will have mother/daughter time which is always wonderful.
I plunked out a new song I had written on the piano the other day. I have not played for some time. I go in streaks it seems. Once I start playing I do not want to quit but it odd how sometimes the piano sweetly calls to me and other times I totally ignore it.
I am going now to hose the deck and clean the patio furniture so if we do spend time on the deck this evening we won't be sitting in dust and cobwebs.
Have a great Friday it surely is going to be a dandy!
Who knows this may be our next RV? This is called a R-Pad and made by Forest River. This one is 16 1/2 ft which we like.
The inside is very nice indeed. A queen bed, small kitchen with a good size fridge, convection/micro and three burners in a nice simulated granite counter with a stainless sink. There is a good size dinette and a combo shower, toilet and sink and that is it! No sofa or extra chairs or hoards of cabinetry But it would fit our needs as our trips are short but sweet.We could do some basic cooking and eat out at other times.It is also the lightest of trailers to pull. They are not that expensive even new. So we are thinking, hubby wants one before winter so we shall see.
My husband was never comfortable with our motor homes though we had two a C class and a A class. He liked our fifth wheel when we had that. He never wanted to tow a rig with the coach so we were kind of stranded wherever we camped. He likes the idea of the little trailer and having the truck then to run about in. A small trailer like this will perfect for what we do at the coast for instance. And truthfully I have had my fill of loading a big rig and then all the cleaning etc when you get back.Besides they are so expensive to drive you wipe out your checking account by filling the tank! So I say the simpler the better at this point.
I just got back from a spendfest it seems! Spent a wad at Walmart as I was out of so many staples I get there and I have not really grocery shopped to any extent to stock up again since getting home from Reno. So Freddie's was a full cart also.
I have some tasty things coming up on our menu though. Nothing to complicated as I am wanting to use some items in the freezer.
Tonight we are having chicken fried steaks made with cube steaks and fresh asparagus with mornay sauce and wild rice.
I must say we did have a fun day yesterday. Hubby got home a little to late for going out to lunch as we would have been bogged down in the rush on the way back home. So we elected to stay home and enjoy the deep blue sky day. We made a snack tray of cheese, assorted olives, little crackers and salami and opened a bottle of wine and went to the deck. There was just a small breeze and that made it so comfortable. We sat and planned and talked about the trailer and when I should go to my brothers, the work schedule and on and on. That is one thing we have always done is share our thoughts, ideas and make plans. We love "the conversations" as my husband says. Later we played a couple of games with my guy losing so badly......ouch!
Then we made a dinner of left overs as we were not that hungry. We then watched Survivor. We have a DVR so we can watch when we like and skip the commercials. We have always been Survivor fans. Then we watched an episode of Chopped we both love cooking shows. And Chopped if you have never seen it is a great show at least in my humble opinion. After watching the telle we were sleepy and ready for dreamland.
Tomorrow I going to make the most yummy, chunky,hearty cookies. I love them or I should say one of them with my tea or coffee in the morning.
They are chocolate chip oatmeal with dried cherries and nuts!
I will take a photo tomorrow after I make them and then post the recipe. You will have to give them a try!
It has been a very busy morning for me I was gone from the house about three hours and then home to unload all that food and store it, that was a chore. So it is time for a break now. I just opened a grape Powerade. I like a sports drink sometimes with a lot of ice. I will plop in my old red plaid chair and listen to the birds chirp outdoors as I have the doors open and I will read of course.
I have been reading some interesting books of late and this current one is no different. About life in Appalachia quite fascinating and sometimes heartbreaking but certainly a good read.
Off I go!
Here they are a couple of my favorite guys. Hubby still has his mustache in this photo taken about two and half years ago. The handsome fellow on the right is my brother. This photo was taken at our nearby Richardson RV park. When we get our travel trailer next year we will go again as it is like fifteen minutes from our home and sits adjacent to Fern Ridge Reservoir. There are lots of beautiful trees and each spot has a large green space. It is quiet and you can walk a short distance to the reservoir.
I was so hungry for pasta last night so I made a pot of turkey meatballs and used the last jar of our home roasted tomato sauce. To the that deep red sauce I added garlic, fresh thyme and fresh basil, salt and pepper. I just kept the sauce simple it speaks for itself. Then I added tender turkey meat balls and green olives. Served over spaghetti noodles and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I made each of us individual salads with creamy Italian dressing. I loved it as I had been thinking about it all day.......so funny how I get sometimes when it comes to food. I do not eat a lot but I certainly have my cravings!
We may be going for lunch today. Hubby is to call me at noon and let me know how things are going on the job site. If he is on schedule we will head out about two for a little lunch at one of our special places. That would be nice for the two of us as he is mighty busy and it is hard to tuck in fun things.
We have gray clouds this morning, a coastal influence. But they are to lift this afternoon and then we are getting into the heat again. I am going to be thankful however when Sunday comes around as it is to rain. Yes rain and I am thankful? Reason being as the weather man said the rain will help wash the tree pollen away. My eyes have gotten so irritated that I find myself packing a little wet wash cloth around in a little dish so I can pat them with this wet cold cloth when need be to help the itching. I am so tired of my eyes hurting......enough already!
I received a birthday card from a high school girl friend the other day. So I wrote her a letter yesterday. Seems strange we shared four years of high school and were close but it is now like writing to a stranger. We have not connected much for well over fifty years. That is a long time ago. When I picture her I see her in my minds eye as she looked in school. Tall and slender, long blonde hair, bright blue eyes. When she thinks of me she probably sees a dark haired, brown eyed silly girl like I was then.
It is funny the things I remember about her. It mostly has to do with spending time at her house. We stayed over night with each other quite often. I loved the potato salad her mother made. It was like a German potato salad(tangy) and I remember I always had seconds of that salad. I loved her bedroom she shared it with her sister before her sister went off to college. It was upstairs with a sloped ceiling and little bay windows. It was a sunny room and very cozy.
This gal was with me when I met my first husband. I remember that afternoon in the high school parking lot like it was yesterday. As I said it is odd the things one remembers.
I made the trip out to the farm yesterday. I takes me less than five minutes to go there. The day was so lovely and the farm smells like farmland. I love it. I purchased my weekly produce and strolled around the grounds a little while. They have goats and other animals and country items to look at. I should have not been outdoors that long due to my allergies but it is hard to leave once I am there. I came home and tenderly washed and stored my veggies in the fridge. Our salad was so good last night with tender butter lettuce, bright red radishes, sweet onion, juicy tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers.
I must now get on with my chores. If we do not go to a late lunch I will have to fly by the seat of pants today for an idea for dinner.
"Life is good, God is great and I am happy."
There is a song that goes, Beer is good, God is great and people are crazy! So anyhow my rendition fits me!
Have a good one.
