ICE WIND AND ............ SNOW

We had sleet the night before and then awakened to a heavy snow covering.

The normally busy highway through the center of our town was quiet.

My neighbor cleared path to the barn for me.

Never had good neighbors like this when we lived in town.  The country spawns an entirely different breed of people.  They don't crowd you but they are there when you need them.

DEVILISH GOOD LOOKS

One of my roosters is a serial rapist and I fear the sentence must be death if I cannot find him a new home.

It seems that because he is at the bottom of the pecking order, he waits in seclusion to attack the hens while the dominate rooster is out of sight. His attacks are so severe that he ends up killing the hen. 

The first hen I found dead had been fearful of going inside the hen house and I would literally pick her up and carry her in, having no idea she was a victim.  I thought the extreme cold got her while actually I had carried her to her death. I would never have believed the rooster was a killer until I caught him in action last night.

This time I managed to stop the attack and rescue the next hen, very near death. I put her in a cage away from the rest. This morning, after reading MY ROOSTER IS A PSYCHOPATH RAPIST, at Backyard Chickens online, I better understand the problem. 

I hope my damaged hen is still alive this morning but I doubt she will be. Her comb was raw and bloody and it looked like her right leg was broken. After 16 years raising chickens, it is still a learning process for me.

J.T. is a Rhode Island Red and is a gorgeous rooster but looks can be deceiving.

SLEIGH RIDES

Question Of The Week February 16, 2015

What favorite stories have stayed with you that your grandparents (or other older relatives) told you when you were growing up?

NO GAIN

What do you do when the shot to your hip wears off and you can barely walk but your hands have been fixed? You sit still and crochet scrubbies.  (Or, as my son suggested, you walk on your hands....)

Yesterday my neighbors came and helped me take care of the animals. It was a wonderful feeling and a horrible feeling at the same time. Many, many people my age are struggling with daily pain and they work through it. Even these neighbors who helped me have their own medical problems. 

Who am I to think I deserve to let others do so much for me? I just see my darling Ron, in pain since the age of 35, and getting so much work done, despite the pain. I am ashamed. 

Today I vow to move forward and do my own work, no matter how slowly, and get it done. I cannot just sit until March 3rd, when my next shot is due. I cannot hold still waiting for the hip replacement. Here are two inspiring quotes to get me going:

“Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” ~ Joseph Campbell

“Ummmmmmur Ahhhhhmmrr, Uhrrr Alddamur Aaaarhg...”~ Chewbacca

NOT GREY

Question Of The Week February 9, 2015

What is in a 10 foot diameter 

of where you are right now that is purple 

or some shade of purple? 

HAVE YOU HEARD

HARPER LEE

This morning I turned on my computer and the homepage news announced:

Author Harper Lee will release a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, 55 years after the release of her only novel it’s been confirmed by her publisher. The 88 year-old will release Go Set a Watchman on July 14, Publisher Harper has confirmed, which was actually written before she completed her iconic novel. 

I absolutely cannot wait!!! 

Harper Lee said:

My editor, who was taken by the flashbacks to Scout's childhood, persuaded me to write a novel (what became 'To Kill a Mockingbird') from the point of view of the young Scout.

"I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told. I hadn't realized it (the original book) had survived, so was surprised and delighted when my dear friend and lawyer Tonja Carter discovered it. After much thought and hesitation, I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication. I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years.”

QUE SERA SERA

Question Of The Week, February 2, 2015

How did you make your career choices?

SUPER OR SOUP-er BOWL

Today is The "Souper" Bowl! The Second Annual Soup-er Bowl soup cook-off and dessert bake-off at our little church.  Many will be entering their favorite soup or dessert. Everyone will have a chance to vote for their favorite, and new winners will be crowned! We do this to raise money for our Backpack program which provides food to select local children to take home on Fridays.  This way we know they will have food over the weekend. 

Did I mention we get to eat as much as we want of all the entries?  I am entering our favorite dessert, Sopapilla Cheesecake. 

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent

rolls 3/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Directions:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.	Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3.	Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and press pieces into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

SERIOUS BUSINESS

And one day Slim will simply disappear.

TATTLE TALE

Question Of The Week, January 26, 2015

Have you known (do you know) any dangerous gossipers?

(Have you ever been hurt by malicious gossip?)

It all starts with a listen.

WHAT YOU SEE

Here are the photos from a wonderful family weekend.  My grandson was the focus of the visit because he is off to the Navy next week. And yes, we were too involved with soaking up our time with him to take any pictures. I hate it when that happens. 

NAME THE PLACE

Question Of The Week January 19, 2015

Where do you go to get on your computer?

First to my computer, then to my Kindle to watch movies while I ride my exercise bike:)

WHO KNEW?

I had never heard of hedgehogs as family pets.  My soon-to-be 43 year old daughter is getting a hedgehog for her upcoming birthday.  It is almost certain that her daughter who is 12 will assume ownership of this pet right away. Evidentally these cute little critters make great family pets. Do you know anyone who has a hedgehog for a pet? Theirs is already named Mrs Tiggy Winkle and they will call her Winkie.

Talk about a fun tub toy!  Hedgehogs like to swim.

Isn't that a cute little bundle!

 

UP SPOT, JUMP PUFF

Question Of The Week, January 12, 2014

WHAT WAS YOUR 

FIRST THOUGHT 

WHEN YOU WOKE UP 

THIS MORNING?

ADDICT

Do you have the app "DRAW SOMETHING" on your cell phone? It is a free app and I absolutely love it. Here are a few of my favorite drawings that I felt a little proud of. My friends and family members who play this game absolutely astound me with their talent. If you don't play, you should give it a try. Now you know why I am so preoccupied with doodling on my blog posts:)

COPY CAT

Lynn at Good Things Happened has talked about about avocado toast.  I am cooking everything these days on my waffle iron.  Seemed like a good time to copy her idea and make my own low calorie, healthy avocado toast breakfast on my waffle iron.  It was crispy, crunchy and delicious.

Select traditional olive oil.

Spray butter Pam and prepare toast for flavor.

Get the avocados ready with favorite creole seasoning.

Cook toast in waffle iron to crispy brown.

Spread seasoned avocado and enjoy crisp and crunchy taste treat.

Another favorite waffle iron treat is my own invention Annie's All American Waffle Toast.  Scramble and egg and add milk.  Break a piece of wheat bread into the mixture.  Pour onto heated and treated waffle iron and cook for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle powdered sugar or serve with  margarine and low calorie maple syrup.  It is like scrambled French toast. 

I am having a lot of fun cooking on my waffle iron and there are a lot of web sites devoted to recipes for cooking this way. You can use tortillas and cheese and lots of different mixtures.  I am thinking about ordering this book  Will It Waffle.  Do you ever cook things besides waffles on your waffle iron?

SHORT STORY LONG

My freezer door was left open and some things thawed a bit.  Reading about such an occurrence I learned that most food will be alright but fish should be discarded for the sake of safety. This meant a package of salmon was going to the cats. 

I took one unopened packet of the salmon out to their dinner table, cut it open and quickly broke it into six pieces.  Each cat grabbed a piece and it was obvious they loved it a lot.  I could not wait to give them this treat again the next day.

Instead of opening the packet at their dinner table, I cut the packet open in the house and put it in a paper bowl with six pieces already cut up for them.  Little did I anticipate the aroma reaching them before I got there.  Suddenly I had six cats climbing me like a tree and clinging to be as they fought for the salmon.  I dropped the bowl and ran for my life.  

There is more salmon but it is going to be a while before we try this again.

Forgive me but I am on a doodle kick and had fun illustrating this cat attack.

HAPPY MOMENTS

Question Of The Week January 5, 2015

Did you ever dance in the rain?

I wasn't dancing but I ran through the rain
to get my baby chicks to follow me to the safety
of their pen in a downpour.  It was a sight to behold.....
I was told:)

LESSONS

Step-by-step, how to make a selfie:)

Step One: Check hair and make up.

Step two: Test shot rejected. Pitiful Granny Annie.

Step three: A bit better.  Granny Annie still perplexed. Daughter beautiful every time.

Step four:  At last, a keeper.

Step five:  Proud of final results!