A Paper Medley

Well here we are on the last Wednesday of June...
...can you even believe that??

And what's more, can you even believe that a day has been set aside to honor
PARCHMENT PAPER???

If you want to find out more about parchment paper...or maybe you already know all about it,
Terri has a wealth of information on her blog and it's the subject of this week's
Wednesday Medley.

So just copy the questions from Terri's blog and paste them to yours....
...add your answers and link up to the Medley!

1.  Who knew there was a day to celebrate parchment paper?!  Do you ever use parchment when you bake or cook? Tell us about your favorite way to use it, please.

I can't say I've never used it but normally I don't...and until I read this, I wasn't really familiar with all of the reasons to do so. I guess I have a lot to learn! Excuse me for a few minutes while I run down to the store and pick me up some!

2.  When Terri thinks of parchment paper, she usually thinks about special writing or artist papers. She loves using specialty papers for creating cards or other art projects. Tell us about a creative way you have used parchment paper other than to bake with!

I'm with you, Terri! I love me some fancy parchment papers for crafting and stuff. Have you ever wanted to create some kind of an award or certificate for someone? It can be a gift certificate of some kind for a service you want to give or just to honor someone for an event...they have some really cool ways to make certificates on most PCs. Printing them out on parchment paper makes them way cooler than regular printer paper. I have used it for card making as well and have also printed out a favorite poem in a lovely font making it suitable for framing.

3.  Terri used to be in the cake business and has piped many borders and roses and leaves and letters, etc., etc.  You can make a pastry bag from parchment paper!  Have you ever tried decorating a cake with a pastry bag and specialty tips?  Do you have a picture to share?  Don't be shy, now!

I have never done this with parchment for sure. I have tried a plastic pastry bag before but it has been a long time ago. What I do remember is that it was a messy experience and I didn't do a very good job. That's why God invented those tubes of colored icing with the screw on tips, right?

Tell us about something you baked or cooked in the past week or so that turned out great, parchment or no parchment.  Will you share the recipe?

Hmmm... I have not done much cooking over the past week or so but I will tell you what I have plans to bake in the very near future...but I doubt it will include parchment paper. I have been hoarding bananas in my freezer that have gotten too ripe...I just cannot bring myself to eat one that does not still have a little bit of green showing on the peeling. So in to the freezer they go for some future banana/nut bread! Those yummy breads will be traveling with us as we make our way to visit our Tennessee bunch for July 4th next week!

5.  The last Wednesday in June!!  How can that be? Has your June flown by or have you been able to enjoy each day and make it slow down for you?

Don't I wish it was possible to make time slow down just a bit! Terri, do you know a secret to make this happen? I am absolutely stunned at how fast time in general is marching on, let alone June.  They say this happens the older we get. There "they" are again. 😉

6.  Tell us something about your week so far, if you will.

Just a regular old week for me...not much going on...yet. I did pull off the first fruits of my cucumber vine!

These are not actually pickles, more like marinated cucumbers and this is the way we like to eat them. Just a little onion slices in the bottom of the jar, a little apple cider vinegar, sugar and water.

There's nothing prettier that fresh produce in or out of a Mason jar! I have several green tomatoes on the vine and normally I would fry me up a batch of fried green 'maters...only I'm not sure how those would set on my tummy. And speaking of my tummy, I found out a week or so ago that I will be having surgery sometime in August. They are going to fix those bile ducts of mine once and for all! (we hope) More about that later....

So...that's it for this Wednesday.

Next week it will be July and we'll be on our way to enjoy Fourth of July festivities

and birthday celebrations in lovely Tennessee!

See you next month!

A Hodgepodge and a Recipe 😋

Is it hot enough for you in your neck of the woods?
It wouldn't be that bad if we would only get some rain every now and then.
I have been watering my little garden morning and evening...
...it's about the only thing in my yard that is green.
Our small patches of grass and usual carpet of lush green moss is brown and crackly.
But I am thankful that my potted veggies are producing.
Here is one of the golden zucchinis......isn't it pretty?

 And I'm about ready to chop another lovely purple eggplant off the vine.



I took the first one to TN a couple of weeks ago and fixed it there.



Here's how I prepared it:

*cut eggplant into approx. 3/8" slices leaving peeling on (you can remove it if you prefer)

*salt both sides of slices and lay in colander for about 15 min. to let them sweat out the moisture

*pat dry with paper towels after the time is up

*combine panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan and garlic powder and place in pie plate

*beat 2 eggs and place in shallow dish

*heat large skillet with a generous amount of oil of your choice (I used olive oil)

*dip slices in egg wash to coat and immediately dip in crumb mixture, pressing it in to both sides

(It's best to prepare enough so you can place them in the skillet to cook at the same time.)

*add prepared slices to skillet and fry until golden brown, turning half way

*add salt & pepper to taste, remove from pan and rest on paper towel-lined tray

It was delicious and I could have eaten the whole bunch of them!
Super good dipped in ranch dressing too!
~
So let's get on over to Joyce's Hodgepodge...

 ...where she asks the questions on her blog and we link up answer them on ours.

1. I feel most energized when I.....first get up in the morning. Remember that mini-trampoline? Every morning at 4:45 or so you will find me bouncing my little pea-pickin' heart out for about 15-20 minutes. It gets my blood a pumpin' and afterwards I am ready for some breakfast and my coffee. It's important to jump first, before you eat or drink...too much sloshing if you don't...and that's not a good thing.

But even before I started this regime, I have always been an early riser and if there is a big project on my agenda, I need to get started on it as early as I possibly can. Don't let me forget these words in mid-September when I take a week off to do nothing but BIG PROJECTS.

2. Where were you ten years ago?

Here, doing what I'm doing now. Jim was probably unemployed...the company he was employed by for 36 years moved to Mexico and he was unemployed for 18 months. It was also the year that a little girl was finally added to our family...our precious grand-daughter, Olivia was born that December of 2008. What a joy she has been! We were also still enjoying our cabin in VA as often as we could and the plans for moving to Tennessee didn't exist.

3. July 17th is World Emoji Day. Do you use emojis? Uhh...let me think...

Which one's your favorite?Your most used?

4. What song would you put on a wedding DO NOT PLAY list?

Basically, anything by George Jones or Tammy Wynette..."He Stopped Loving Her Today", "She Thinks I Still Care", "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", "I Don't Wanna Play House"...just to name a few.

 

5. What deserves less of your attention? More of your attention?

 

Well, let's see...there's social media, surfing the web, photo editing, Pinterest and did I mention social media? I'm probably making it sound as if that's all I do, which is really not the case...I'm just trying to be honest here. I could most definitely cut back on my time online, period. Lord knows how much time I waste some days. I am the procrastinator of all procrastinators unless I have a deadline, which I do...so I better get busy on this house of mine...again. But ultimately, I need to give less of my attention to me and more to others. Ouch.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

 

I have always been a fan of "Little House on the Prairie" and I record the reruns, always having some of the episodes on my "to watch" list. But believe me when I tell you, "Little House on the Prairie" this is not...I knew that going in.

 

I am only less than a third through the book (which is over 600 pages) and if you can get through the long two-part introduction, which is the history (a quite graphic description I might add) of what was going on in land at the time, you just may have trouble putting it down. I am truly amazed by this woman.

We'll be on the road again in a couple of days, this time to Ohio. Spending time with my brothers and sisters is always at the top of my list and there is never a dull moment.

Hodgepodge in the Summertime

Yes, I do believe that summer has arrived!
It has been in the mid to upper 90s here the past few days and all I can say is...

So here's a little blast from the past to bring back a summer memory or two.

And my little garden must love it because it's going crazy.

I have my own personal little jungle growing on my deck!

They're all clumped together in the corner of my deck that gets the most sun.
So far they seem to be getting along pretty well and playing nice with each other.
I have heard that certain plants shouldn't be planted near others but I really don't know which ones...
...remember, this is still in it's experimental stage. 😉

Just look at my precious babies!
I have one eggplant but there are others in the process,



my tomatoes are still mostly green and you can bet I'll be pulling a few of those off the vine
for a mess of fried green tomatoes before they ripen!

And remember those male and female zucchini blossoms from a couple of posts ago?
Well, here's a look at the difference...the male blooms have skinny stems...



and the female blooms have fat ones that actually are what grows into the fruit, itself.



Yes, zucchini are actually a fruit, as I found out on our trusty Google.
Can you tell that I am excited about my little garden??
~
But right now, it's time to get to those Hodgepodge questions...

...where Joyce asks the questions on her blog and we answer them on ours.

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.

When I think of a bucket list, I relate it to something I want to do before I die. To tell you the truth, there are many things I want (need) to accomplish this summer but I wouldn't necessarily classify them as bucket list items. As usual, one of my goals is to stay cool! It has been miserable here the past few days and summer hasn't even officially arrived yet...Lord help us by the time August gets here! As far as plans go, the only travel that has been nailed down is a trip to Ohio to visit the family and attend my brother's surprise retirement party. He has been Minister of Music at his church for 30 years and is finally turning over the reins to his assistant. We do plan to make another trip to TN next month as well and I would love to get to the beach. I also have tons to do to the house, some jobs no doubt will be put off until the fall when it gets cooler.

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?

Oh my, where to begin...so many fun memories. It could be something as simple as throwing an old blanket over the picnic table and benches to make a clubhouse and eating a picnic lunch in it. I also remember staying outside and playing with our neighborhood friends all day long until dark nearly everyday...games in the vacant lot next to the house that included Red Rover, kickball or softball, croquet, Red Light-Green Light, freeze tag or hide and seek. There were games of hopscotch and roller skating on the sidewalk, riding bikes on our dead-end street...only, and jump rope games (including some of the adults) right in the middle of that dead-end street. The summers that we could afford family passes to the swimming beach at Crystal Lake was always a special treat but only when the older siblings were able to drive us as well as stay with us. Dad was always working and Mom never drove a car. It was a wonderful time in my life and it saddens me a bit thinking that so many kids growing up in today's world, with all of their technical gadgets, social media and the like are missing out on so much fun...and what's it's truly like to be a kid.

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

Rooftop seems to be referring to the city life and that is just not for me. I've never lived in the city nor do I think I would be happy doing so. Give me a backyard any day and it's even better if there's a big ol' porch, shade trees with a hammock and a great fire pit. Oh, and throw in a mountain view as well and call me a happy camper!

4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

Yes, yes and maybe. For years now, I have found myself reading the nutrition info on nearly everything I buy. It has surprised me how much sugar and/or sodium some products contain. I should surely be dead by now when I think about all of the years this information wasn't known to us consumers. Now, this is not to say that everything I put in my mouth is always super healthy...but I am very glad that the info is readily available. I have to admit that I am not as concerned about where it all actually comes from....maybe I should be.

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?

I can't think of one certain song I will actually have on repeat, simply because I would rather listen to the wind rustling in the trees and the birds singing. If this kind of heat stays with us all summer, there won't be much listening to those sounds either because I will be inside listening to the sound of the ceiling fans twirling and the A/C kicking on and off.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Wedding bells were ringing over the weekend at an impromptu ceremony in Gatlinburg, TN.

Aaron and his Michelle have most definitely endured a lot during their 14 years together. She has been there right by his side during some very trying times. We love her very much and are so happy that she is finally officially our daughter-in-law!

Many of you have prayed for him and some of you still do...I appreciate it more than you know.

Please don't stop now! 😌

Cultivating the Hodgepodge

Happy Hump Day!

It's been a couple of weeks since I have hodgepodged and I must say I've missed it.
Welcome back, Joyce...I hope you had a relaxing holiday weekend.
~
So what's been going on around here?
Well, let's see....my little container garden seems to be coming right along...mostly.
And I am learning some new things...

...like why, after my zucchini put out such gorgeous sunny yellow blooms,
are they now completely falling off at the stem?

So it seems that the expert gardener that I am, (ahem) did not know that this is kind of normal.
I learned that usually the first blooms to appear are those of the male persuasion...
...and we all know that boys can't have babies, right?
After they shrivel up and fall off, the female blooms come along and bear the "children".
What a novel idea!
So we'll see how many little baby golden zucchinis I wind up with.
And below is my one and only (so far) eggplant in the making.

I was stunned by the beauty of the bloom...

...and of course, only God would think to make it purple!

The tomatoes are tomato-ing right along as they should...

...but I will be surprised if I get any sweet red bell peppers off of my poor, sorry looking plant.
It is losing leaves right and left and every bloom just falls off leaving nothing behind.
Evidently, I have done something wrong...oh well...so it goes...
...you win some and lose some but it's not over until it's over so we will see!
~
Anyways, let's get on over to the Hodgepodge, shall we?

It's where Joyce asks the questions on her blog and we answer them on ours.
~

1. Describe your 30's in one sentence. If you're not yet 30 tell us one thing you hope to accomplish once you hit that particular decade.

It was a time of transition and transformation...a time when negative circumstances brought about positive changes...the year was 1989, I was 35 and Jesus became my Savior.

2. Is it harder for you to exercise or eat healthy?

Well, since you asked, I must say the older that I get, it seems to be easier to make better choices... not that I always do but I am getting so much better at it! When you are a young minded person (that would be me) and faced with the fact that your body is beginning to fail you in some areas, it can really be an eye opener. Starting to have a few health issues may have been a blessing in disguise for me. I am proud to tell you that I am keeping up with my rebounding exercises (mini-tramp) and adding to my steps weekly. I'm up to over 3 miles a day and have a new goal every week. That may not sound like much but it's HUGE for me! I broke a spring on my old rebounder over the weekend and a new and better one is on it's way from Amazon. I'm still using it...oh-so-very-carefully until the new one arrives. Sometimes I crave pizza and chocolate and I'll eat it...but more times than not, I crave vegetables and I eat them...and that is also HUGE!

3. June 7th is National VCR Day. Huh? Anyway this reminded me of something I saw on Facebook listing household items we no longer have and the VCR was on it. I couldn't put my hands on that list, but found another list here of 21 items we all had ten years ago, but which are now obsolete-

bookshelves (WHAT!!???), drip coffee makers, alarm clocks, file cabinets, desktop computers, printers, printed phone books, answering machines, fax machines, paper shredders, a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, china cabinets, home phones, entertainment consoles, DVD players, calculators, takeout menus, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV

Your thoughts? How many on the list do you still have? Still use?

Obsolete, really...just who are these folks who make up these lists, anyway? They, no doubt, are the same ones who tell us how to decorate our homes or what we should and should not wear. Of the items listed, here is what we still have AND use: bookshelves (DUH!), drip coffee maker with a twist...ours actually is a hybrid that uses filters and a pot OR K-cups. Jim likes to make a pot but when it's just me, I'm a K-cupper. Hubby still likes his alarm, we still have file cabinets, my old desktop PC is connected to my printer and even though I don't use it a lot, it still keeps plugging along...there are no phone books unless I find one stashed in a drawer (and I throw it in the trash before Jim finds it), no answering machine for many years since we haven't had a landline for many years, never had a fax or paper shredder at home but still do so at work, no Rolodex or CD racks, CD burner is built into laptop, china cabinet...are you kidding me? Where in the world would I put my teacups and dishes? Do they think we eat off paper plates all the time? (well, maybe I do most of the time), yes to the entertainment console/TV stand with shelves...our isn't hanging on the wall and there is a DVD player attached. Jim still likes his old calculator (no smart phone) and his take-out menus, and I will buy incandescent light bulbs until I can't any longer....AND finally, we have Direct TV, not cable. Whew!

4. What's something you see disappearing in the next ten years?

I'd say that it's going to be hard to get your hands on a working dumb phone, for sure. I have already warned Jim and he seems pretty resigned to that truth....but there are going to be folks who will hold onto what they like, no matter what it is for however long they can. And I highly doubt china cabinets and book shelves will be one of them.

5. How did you celebrate your birthday this past year? Is that typical?

I didn't really remember at all what I did to celebrate my birthday last year so I got on Facebook and went back to September 15, 2017. This was my post...

Debby Ray

September 15, 2017 · 

Just tryin' to obey the rules....

Is that typical? To tell you the truth, I usually don't like to make a big deal out of my birthday...well, except for that one time.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

And speaking of good thoughts, I am getting really excited!
We will be leaving at o'dark thirty on Friday morning for West Virginia.
By noon, we'll be taking that train ride to the top of the world.
Stay tuned!

MAY...we hodgepodge for a bit?

When April steps aside for May, like diamonds all the raindrops glisten;
fresh violets open every day; to some new bird each hour we listen."
~Lucy Larcom

Happy May, y'all!

One more month and we will be halfway into 2018 already.

How can this be possible?

The weather here is just utter perfection...and look here, I got my veggies planted!

I read where planting marigolds among them helps keep the bugs out.

We shall see!

 

I'll keep you posted if they live... or if they die. 😉

 

"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." 

~Edwin Way Teale
 

So Saturday morning while I was getting my hands dirty,
Jim was out thrifting...one of his (mine too) favorite things to do,
and he came home with some great vintage finds...

...a great old rocker for $20, this adorable enamelware tea kettle for $4
and a mismatched set of old...and I do mean OLD salt and pepper shakers for 10 cents each.
The shakers are the same pattern, but are from two different sets.
They were absolutely filthy with what must have been years worth of yuck
and the lids were so corroded that I had to soak them off in hot water.

Look what beauties they turned out to be.
After a bit of research, I found that they were made in 1897 by Heisey.
I had no idea what Heisey glass was until I googled it.
~

"The month of May is the pleasant time; its face is beautiful; the blackbird sings his full song, 
the living wood is his holding, the cuckoos are singing and ever singing; 
there is a welcome before the brightness of the summer."

~Lady Gregory



Purple salvia, African daisies and snapdragons.

Okay...so now on to the Hodgepodge...

...where Joyce asks the questions on her blog and we answer them on ours.

~

1. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Is there a flower you associate with a particular memory? Explain.

Well, I have several, actually. but after reading this question, my mind immediately went to snapdragons. I have always loved them because they remind me of my sweet mom and I even wrote a post about them a while back. Every time I see snapdragons, I think about the time when I was a little bitty girl and she showed me how to make them "talk". I think you know what I mean. And naturally, you can find some growing in my planter boxes year after year.



2. Last time you helped someone? Tell us how.

Pretty much on a daily basis, I am in the position of helping someone...whether it might be assisting a patient with appointments, getting in and out of the door, directing lost folks to the proper building, and many times it's just greeting them with a smile and helping to make their visits to physical therapy a positive and sometime actually fun experience. Of course there are many other times that I, along with Jim, help people in other ways but this is what came to me today.

3. It's National Salsa Month (the food, not the dance) so tell us, do you like salsa? Hot, medium, or mild? Homemade, store bought, or from your favorite restaurant only?

I like my salsa a little on the spicy side......I think I hear a song coming on...I'd say medium+ and not too heavy on the cilantro. I have tasted some awesome homemade salsa and then I've had some that practically gag me. I personally have never made any of my own. Our favorite local Mexican restaurant has very good salsa...and we sometimes even judge the restaurant by their salsa. Jim is pretty much a straight forward salsa kinda guy but I like some of the fruity varieties as well. This is one brand I have tried and it's excellent.

4. When I was twelve years old...

...I looked like Miss Piggy. Lord have mercy.

5. It's the first of May so let's run with it-first things first, don't know the first thing about it, first dibs on something, first impression, first rate, first cousin, first string, first come first served, at first light-which phrase can best be applied to something in your life currently or even recently?

It would have to be first light. It would apply to my life every day just about as long as I can remember...let alone recently or currently! I am up before first light and ready to start my day. I keep waiting for the day when my body allows me to sleep in somewhat. But you know what? I'm really okay with it because I love getting an early start to my day even if I don't have any real plans so it's all good.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
I saw this on Facebook the other day and realized I was just like Snoopy.  😏

Until next time, Hodgepodgers...

How Does Your Hodgepodge Grow?

Well, I think we've finally turned the corner.
I can't tell you exactly when it happened but it seems like I went to sleep one night
 and when I woke up the next morning, SPRING HAD ARRIVED!
And along with spring's arrival, so did the rain.
But that's a good thing so you'll not hear me complain about it...
...and just at the perfect time too since I planted some flowers.

Nope, I just couldn't wait any longer so I made a trip to Lowe's over the weekend.
I always head to the back of the garden area first, to the 1/2 price (or less) racks.
It seems they never fail to put things out a bit too early and they get a little overexposed.
Bad for them but good for me!
I don't mind nursing those little imperfect babies back to health...
...especially when they are dirt cheap!
I did pay full price for about half of what I bought...
...but now I am waiting for the Boston ferns to go on sale...
I refuse to pay $13 each when I know they will be marking them down too.
I need four of them for the porch.
~
The sun isn't supposed to reappear until Saturday...
...just in time to plant the rest of my flowers and do a little manicuring.

As you can see, we have some work to do.
~
 Just for fun, I have decided to try my hand at growing a little vegetable garden in containers.
I always have cherry tomatoes but this year I want to try eggplant and few other things.
I read where eggplant was one of the best growers in patio containers and I really do like it.


source

Actually, this is the variety I am leaning towards planting...we'll see

I'm not sure how much luck I'll have growing my little garden
so I will still rely on this guy to keep me stocked up!
He didn't inherit his gardening and mechanical abilities from me, but from my dad.
So maybe there's hope for me after all!

So let's say we get on with the Hodgepodge...

...where Joyce asks the questions on her blog and we answer them on ours.
~

1. They say you learn something new every day. What did you learn yesterday?

I can't think at the moment what I learned yesterday, specifically, but what I have learned over the past several weeks is that I can actually enjoy exercising. Yes, you heard me right. Now I realize that many of have made exercise a part of your routine for years but not this chick. I finally made a decision, especially after starting to have these health issues, that I was going to do all I can to get a handle on things. I have had a rebounder (mini-trampoline) that has been gathering dust under my bed for years. I knew that rebounding was one of the best exercises that you can do...you can read for yourself right here. I started to just walk everyday but when I realized my hips were hurting and discouraging me, I got smart and decided to try "walking" on my rebounder. Walking turned into more like a slow jog and then I added some side-to-side movements as well and am now adding some hand weights. As the days passed, I was actually looking forward to it...I just put it in front of the TV and bounce like a fool! This morning I was up at about 4:30 and even got in about 20 minutes before breakfast! Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks? {This is me, patting myself on the back....smile}

2. Have you ever had a now or never moment? Elaborate.

Did I ever tell you about the time when I started exercising???

3.  April 25th is National Telephone Day. Do you still have a land line or have you gone mobile only? 

We gave up our land line ages ago...it may have been 10 years by now. We were getting so many telemarketer calls that seemed to come right at dinner time or after and we made the decision then. This is not to say we still don't get a few of those calls even on our cell phones but not nearly like the land line. When you receive a text message do you respond immediately? Mostly, yes...this depends on the situation and/or if I am in ear shot. Last time you turned your phone off?  I rarely turn my phone off... here recently, my sorry phone had been turning itself off due to a waning battery. I do, however, turn it to vibrate often when it's not appropriate to hear a ringing phone. And speaking of that, I just received my new upgrade yesterday...in fact, I just returned from the Verizon store getting them switched over. In two or three sentences share with us a story/memory/incident from your childhood (or something current if that's too hard) where the telephone is featured. I don't have to think too hard about this one. At one point when I was a young teen, my family seemed to be bombarded with calls from someone selling something...it seemed like very other day or so. One evening when I happened to answer the call and while feeling particularly ornery, I turned the tables on the caller. It just so happened that this caller was selling light bulbs, of all things. So in the best old woman voice I could muster I gave this reply back the caller, "Honey, I don't need any of your light bulbs.....you are talking to a blind lady!" I don't remember getting another call from a light bulb salesman after that. :)

4. Close call, at someone's beck and call, call the shots, call a meeting, call it quits, call in sick, call on the carpet, wake up call...which call have you 'heard' recently?  Explain.

I'll let my answer to the first question help me answer this....wake up call. No explanation needed.  

5. What subject do you wish you'd paid more attention to in school?

It would probably be history since it is the subject that I got the worst grades in. The thing is, I really like history now. It must have been having to memorize all of those dates. 😒

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Enjoy the rest of your week!