Facebook is Overtaking Blogging

I just realized that I haven't posted on my blog since August. The reason is that I find it so much quicker to post updates and pictures on Facebook. So, although I'll probably post on here again, the best place to find me is on Facebook. It's taking over the world.

Oh, Deer

I looked out my bathroom window one morning last week and saw a deer! When I stepped outside with my camera I saw 2 more. I've seen their tracks since moving here a year ago but haven't ever caught them hanging out in my yard until now.


I think they were probably scheming how to get into my vegetable garden, but so far they have stayed out.

You may recall that a year ago a big pine tree fell on my front flower bed. Here it is a year later, fully recovered.

Here is the hibiscus we bought a year ago at the flea market. The flowers are HUGE!

Zinnias are my personal favorite.

Celebrating 40

I turned 40 on August 4. Although most of my friends are older than me, 40 still seems so much older than 39. We had a party in my backyard with homemade popsicles, taco salad and 2 amazing cakes: a 4 layer cake with strawberry filling and buttercream frosting from the bakery at The Red Brick and a Chocolate Mocha cake made by my sister-in-law. My friends, Christy, Kevin and Kate came from Kansas for the party. Rodney and Carmina came up for the party and to pick up their 2 kids who have spent the past 2 weeks up here with me and my folks. My aunt, uncle and cousin came from Ontario and an old friend came from Indiana. It's been an awesome 2 weeks off from work. Thanks to everyone who made it happen!

Check out this watermelon that cousin Suzanne and Aunt Gladys carved!

My Dad and a Drill Can Fix Anything

I'm beginning to think that my Dad and his drill can fix anything. Today he figured out a way to mount a 9 foot umbrella on my deck so that I get shade over pretty much the whole deck. Yippee!! Here are the pictures before I painted the deck in the 92 degree heat of the day last weekend and a picture of the shady deck today.

Tea Garden

Anyone who is around me these days knows how much I enjoy a good glass of iced tea. I am always searching out places to buy loose leaf tea so I can try new combinations. This year I decided to plant a "tea garden" of herbs that I could use to make my own tea.

I planted:

chamomile

bee balm

lemon balm

pineapple sage

pineapple mint

lemon thyme

orange mint

catmint

lemon verbena

geraniums

It is finally taking off and today, because I was bored, I decided to try to make some tea with my herbs. I crushed 2 tsp lemon balm, 1tsp lemon verbena and 1 tsp spearmint. I poured about 1 1/2 cups boiling water over them and steeped for 12 minutes.

I was afraid to try it, but it is actually very refreshing and I haven't noticed any negative side effects...yet.

That Was Some Storm!

A big storm blew in Friday night. I should have listened to the newscaster who said to secure everything outside. All of a sudden straighline winds blew up and it started to pour. I saw my lawn chairs flying around outside. It didn't last long, but I did hear glass breaking and figured it was just my recycling blowing over. Turns out it was the window in the door to my basement. No big deal. I seldom use the door anyhow.

The power went out for about 12 hours, which is pretty short around here. Usually it goes out for a day or 2 at some point during the Spring or Summer. I lit candles and read a book and went to bed early. Nothing wrong with that.

Yummy Pork Vindaloo

I wanted to make this last week but forgot to buy coconut milk when I got groceries. I finally made it tonight. Yum!! It's just spicy enough for me. You can add another 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper if you really like heat but I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it then.


Pork Vindaloo
1 1/2 TBSP grainy mustard (I couldn't find this, so I used Dijon mustard)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp gound tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1tsp red wine vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
1 small onion in 1/2 rings
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pound pork cut in bite-size pieces
1 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup water


Combine mustard, cumin, tumeric, cayenne, salt and vinegar. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir fry until translucent. Add garlic and fry 30 seconds. Add spice paste and fry 1 minute. Add meat. Fry 3 minutes. Add coconut milk and water. Bring to boiling then lower to simmer for 60 minutes. Serve over rice. (I was afraid it wasn't thickening enough so I mixed about a tsp of cornstarch with a little water and added it. I probably should have waiting until it was done cooking because it probably would have been fine.

The picture might not look appetizing, but it was oh so good!

Spread the Word

My folks are selling their RV. It's parked in my driveway now because I get more traffic on my road than they do at their cottage. If you know of anyone looking for an RV, send them my way! Tow truck not included.

It is a 2000 Sunline Solaris, M-2653 Series. 27' x 8'. Maximum weight is 7,000 pounds. Microwave, stove, oven, AC/Heat, shower, toilet. Queen size bed in bedroom. Dinette turns into bed. Couch turns into bed. It's nice and clean inside. Asking price is $5,000.

If someone you know is interested, have them send me an email at auntiebonita@yahoo.com.

Summer Day

I found this poem in the newsletter from The People's Church, the Unitarian Universalist church that I attend sometimes. I really liked it and then realized it was by Mary Oliver, a favorite poet of mine.

The Summer Day (by Mary Oliver)

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth
instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous
and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms
and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed,
how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Keeping Away the Deer

My folks helped me put up a 7 foot high deer fence for my vegetable garden. Although I've heard that deer fences need to be 10 feet tall, I think that all these posts will scare away the deer. The fence itself is almost invisible, but it's there. So far I've planted broccoli, cabbage, carrots, peas, potatoes, onions, lettuce, thyme and one row of beans because I just couldn't wait until the last frost. Hopefully after the upcoming frosty weekend I can plant some other things.



The potatoes and onions are coming up. I might have to cover the potato plants this weekend.



I found some nifty garden decorations at the Dollar Tree. Everything there is really $1! I bought windsocks and swirly things to keep the deer away as well. The sun was just for me.

The View Outside My Window

This happened a month ago, but it's still exciting. My bay window sill was rotting away and the mechanisms on the side windows were broken so badly that I had to actually go outside and pry the windows open and then go outside and push them shut.







Now, thanks to 1-800 HANSONS I have a new bay window. I still smile every time I open and close them from inside my house. :)

Cook Some Yummy Shrimp

I've finally learned how to cook shrimp. Here is a yummy recipe for Garlic Shrimp Linguini.

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked linguini
1 TBSP butter
1/4 cup white wine
2 TBSP grated Parmesan
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

I use frozen shrimp and like to thaw them and pull the tails off but you can cook them with tails on and each person can remove them before eating. Cook linguini according to package instructions. when linguini is half cooked, melt butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add wine, cheese, garlic and parsley. Simmer over low heat for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium high and add shrimp. Cook about 4 minutes. Drain pasta and put in a large bowl. Pour shrimp mixture over top and mix in. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Warming Up Any Way We Can

I drove to Kansas for a few days with my folks so we could spend time with my nieces during their spring break. Usually it is 10 - 15 degrees warmer down there than in Michigan, but this time it was cold! In fact, the sleet and snow came down the night before we were to come home. The roads were horrible, especially in Missouri, and we decided to stop driving when even the trucks were going 35mph. The heat was off in our hotel room when we arrived and I snapped a photo of my Mom trying to warm up under the curtains billowing out from the heater.

Leafy Cardigan

I finished my Wallaby sweater! A picture will come later since I need someone else to operate the camera if I'm wearing the sweater. I can post a picture of this baby sweater that I made for a friend's new baby. I like the leaves on the bottom.

Cheap Bathroom Makeover

I thought my bathroom cabinet needed some cheer. You know those beautiful pieces of paper that scrapbookers get to use? I bought 6 pieces at the craft store and some double sided tape. Now the inside of my bathroom cabinet looks like this:

Beautiful Friends

Last weekend I went to Lancaster, PA for the 40th birthday celebration for my friend, Beky. We've been friends since college days. Actually, I'm pretty sure we were also in the same cabin at Camp Friedenswald when we were kids, but we really became friends when we lived next door to each other as Freshmen at Bethel College. Our friend, Christy, flew with me from Chicago. These are the kind of friends that feel like family. We covered just about every topic we might need or want to talk about in the 3 days or so that we were together. It is great to have friends who have known me for so long and for whom time and distance cannot separate. I hope each of you are lucky enough to have such friends, and I am grateful to have that type of friendship with others out there as well. Thank you, my friends.

Dinner Ready When You Walk in the Door

I went to Kalamazoo for the afternoon, but first I put this in the crock pot. It was nice and hot when I got home!

Chicken and Barley
3 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken (or 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts)
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 cup pearl barley
1 can (28 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth


Place chicken in crock pot. In saucepan on stove, saute onions, celery and bell peppers until softened. Add garlic, salt, pepper and thyme and cook 1 minute. Add barley and stir. Add tomatoes and wine or broth and bring to a boil. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Mmmmm...granola

This morning I made super-easy granola. Yum!

Granola With Almonds
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup light brown sugar
6 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP vanilla
4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine honey, brown sugar, butter, salt and vanilla. Add oats, wheat germ and almonds. Mix well and spread on cookie sheets. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir again. Cool completely.