The Pressure is Off!

When I first stumbled upon NaBloWriMo it sounded like a fun challenge and I was quick to jump on the bandwagon. Sometimes I tend to be a bit impulsive that way. Fun it was, but it proved to be even more challenging than I expected. Despite falling short of 31 posts, I still feel like I've achieved a certain degree of success. After all, 22 posts this month exceeds the total of my posts for the previous 15 months combined! Hopefully the end of NaBloWriMo '09 will also be the beginning of a better blogging habit. Time will tell.

Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Only 3 more days and NaBloWriMo will be over, however serious posting will have to wait because in only 4 1/2 hours I will be getting up to go to work! Good night!

Back to Blogging

So much for daily posting. First its a missed day, then a missed week. Unfortunately, NaBloWriMo had to take a back seat to the events of the past week.

Sadly, my brother-in-law passed away last Thursday. Although his death was not entirely unexpected, it was rather sudden. He had been living with multiple myeloma for 11 years...lots of chemo, good days and bad days, declining mobility...it had become an accepted way of life. Then on Monday he was diagnosed with leukemia and hospice was called in. He was at home when he passed, his family was with him, and now he is in a better place.

I've also discovered ancestry.com and have been spending hours researching my family tree as well as my husband's. One thing leads to another, then another, and another, and its all fascinating. The discoveries I've made will be good future blog material!

More cookies

A couple of days ago I made some ginger snaps. I couldn't find my regular recipe (which, by the way, earned me a Best in Show ribbon and $25 in our fair several years ago) so I tried a similar one. The main difference between the two is that that my regular recipe uses vegetable oil while the other one uses shortening and butter. The new recipe also calls for white pepper, and some ground ginger mixed in with the sugar that the dough balls are rolled in. They turned out OK, but they left me wanting to make some using my regular recipe.

Today I found my regular recipe and made some more. I did like the addition of the white pepper and the extra ground ginger, so I incorporated them to my regular recipe.

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
In a large bowl mix oil and 1 cup of sugar. Add egg, beat well. Stir in molasses. Add flour, baking soda and spices and mix well. If necessary, add more flour to make a firm dough.
Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls and roll in sugar/ginger mixture. Place 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes for chewy, longer for crispy. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack.

Queensland Blue

Here's a picture of the green (blue) pumpkin I bought yesterday. I was instantly attracted to it because of its appearance. When I checked out, I found out that it is a Queensland Blue and can be used for culinary purposes as well as for decorating.

I did a little research a today and found out that they are an Australian heirloom variety and they have a deep orange flesh with good flavor. I think I will try making pumpkin soup after Halloween, and I think I will even try to grow some of my own next year. I will report on both!

Poodles at Play

Long, fun-filled day today. Up at 5:45 to make a 3 hour drive Tilden Regional Park, picking up my BFF Debbie along the way. We met up with fellow members of a group I belong to called "Poodles at Play." The group holds monthly off-leash hikes at various parks within the East Bay Regional Park District. Since I live so far away I don't make it to very many of the hikes, but today I made a special effort because Tilden is one of my favorite parks...Debbie and I had some good times there in our teenage years. We hiked for about 2 hours. Here's a group shot with 13 of the 16 dogs...I didn't count the people.

Here's Roger and his friend Louis Vuitton. Roger and Louis met for the first time last month in Truckee and really hit it off. I think they remember each other.
This is 4 month old Nani. It was her first outing with Poodles at Play. She's a good girl and absolutely adorable.
After the hike, most of the group rode the miniature steam train at the park.

Then several of us went for lunch at Pizza Antica in Lafayette. They have outside seating so the poodles could join us. Food was delicious...I should have taken a picture!

Next, Debbie took me to Orchard Nursery, also in Lafayette. What a great place! Its all done up for fall/Halloween and they even had live music. I got some Dutch iris bulbs, some daffodil bulbs, a couple of six-packs of pansies for my daughter, and a green pumpkin. Debbie got some broccoli plants, some winter vegetable seeds, and some tulip bulbs.
Then, sadly, I dropped Debbie off and Roger and I were on our way. We made it home by 7:30.

Pint Sized Cakes

Below is an email I got from a friend. She got it from her cousin. I haven't tried these yet, but I wanted to share the idea anyway. (If I waited until after I tried it, NaBloWriMo would be over!) Maybe someone has already tried this...if so, what did you think?

"I make 'pint-size cakes' in canning jars! (Be sure they are straight-sided. Quart size will not work!) You simply take your favorite snack cake recipe such as date-nut, banana, or applesauce; put 1 cup of batter (no more or it will overflow) in a canning jar and bake it. In the meantime boil the lids and rings. Take the cake out of the oven and place the lid and screw ring on top. Let the cake cool. When the lid seals it will cave in. Voila! Your cake is canned and ready to put on the shelf until you are ready to eat it. This serves 2-4 depending on how thickly you slice it. I really like these cakes because they taste fresh and never taste of freezer burn."

Tick Tock

Tick tock, tick tock, time is running out
I've been up since four, I have no post
It makes me want to pout

So this, my friends, will have to do
I'm tired and ready for bed
I've already missed a day this month
I don't want to make it two

Oldies but Goodies

I made a batch of Snickerdoodles this evening using the only recipe I've ever used, the one in my old standby Betty Crocker cookbook. You know the one...orange, loose leaf binder style. I do like to try new recipes, and some of those "new" ones have now become old favorites, but I have never tried a different Snickerdoodle recipe. In fact, I don't even know if there is another one!

My cookie sheets are old, too. They have to be at least 30 years old, if not older, and they were probably the cheapest ones I could get at the time. I've tried to replace them a few times with some really nice ones, but I was never satisfied with the results. I no longer look for new cookie sheets. My old ones will probably last forever. Who knows, they may even be viewed as family heirlooms!

I guess the moral here is "If its not broken, don't fix it."

Lucky Dog!

I got Roger a new toy today...a stuffed duck that makes a quacking sound. It was on sale for $2.99 and I couldn't resist it. As expected, Roger was delighted with the duck and I think he was a little surprised by the sound.

Roger loves his toys and the squeaky ones are his favorites. He doesn't destroy them right off, but he does love them enough that they don't last forever. The rabbit he got for Easter finally had to be replaced with with a squeaky tiger just last month. Although Tiger has already gone mute and is going deaf (his ears have been almost chewed off), Roger still plays with him and I expect him to last a couple more months, at least.

Dogs are so easy to please. They don't ask for much...regular meals, fresh air and exercise, a warm place to sleep, and above all, companionship. Toys are the icing on the cake. Roger is a lucky dog to have have it all! I'm pretty darn lucky myself to have Roger!

Storm Watch

The rain that was predicted for today started around 1:30 am, but the brunt of the storm didn't really hit until later in the morning. My town received just over 2 inches of rain while the next town, less than 10 miles to the north, received well over 3 inches. The wind was actually not quite as strong as expected, but it did wreak havoc, causing power outages and knocking down several trees. One particularly large oak landed on a mobile home. The residents were at home at the time, and although both were uninjured, the woman was trapped for a short time. Another tree fell onto a couple of cars, both unoccupied. In a mountain community several miles away a large pine tree fell onto a fire station! Again, no one was injured, but it apparently caused some major damage. The rain stopped for several hours this evening, but it is now starting up again. From the sound of the wind chimes, the wind is about a 3 or 4 on the Beaufort Scale. (I discovered the Beaufort Scale while thumbing through the dictionary many years ago. I have never forgotten about it and like to refer to it every chance I get! I think they should use it on Jeopardy!)

Change in Weather

The first storm of the season is expected to arrive tonight, bringing rain and wind. The worst of it should be tomorrow, with winds expected to be between 21 and 31 mph, gusting as high as 44 mph. I'm ready!

Christmas in October?

Up until about 2 years ago, when I (semi) retired, I remembered almost all of my dreams in great detail, these days not so much. I'm not sure if I actually dream less now or if I just don't have as much recall, but I kind of miss them. The dreams that I do remember still have a lot of detail, and I like that, but sometimes I can only recall fragments, and then only after something jogs my memory. This morning, after I had been up for a couple of hours, I remembered a snippet of a dream I had the night before...there was a huge, fully decorated Christmas tree in my living room that had obviously been there for some time, but it was if I had never really noticed it before. When it dawned on me that it was late January I was mortified! I wonder what that means.

Don't worry, be happy!

One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Lincoln, "Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be." I like it because it is so simple and so true.

Usually I am a pretty happy person, a "glass is half full" type. Right now, however, I would be happier if I had a decent post for today. I am reminding myself that this month of daily posting is for fun, and that there is always tomorrow!

Have you ever seen a cat do this?

This is all I could manage for today.

Its true!

Every good thing every grandparent has ever said about being a grandparent is true. As for the claim that one just cannot know how truly special grandchildren are until they have their own, I can confirm that, too.

Being Grandma to this sweet, adorable little girl for the past 17 months has been nothing short of amazing. Months ago, when I first saw her pick up a single Cheerio between thumb and forefinger and put it in her mouth with perfect accuracy, I thought she had the eye-hand coordination of the most skilled neurosurgeon. Just yesterday she delighted me when she picked up leaf after acorn after twig and put them into a bucket, running to and fro, laughing when she got going a little too fast and took a little tumble.

I am very fortunate that she lives close by and that we are forming a special relationship. I can't wait until she's old enough to take camping and kayaking!

Be nice to me...

Today was one of our regularly scheduled Community Blood Drives. Now, I didn't actually try to give blood today, since I was sick on Monday, but I still did my part. Besides donating when I can, I also volunteer at these drives by serving refreshments to the donors. Today I even registered with the National Marrow Donor Program. It was simple...I filled out a form which included contact information and a health questionnaire, then I swabbed the inside of my mouth in 4 places and placed the swabs in a special folder to be mailed off for typing. I encourage everyone who is eligible and has not already registered to consider this program.

The Lost Day

I'm bummed that I already missed a day! I didn't even turn on the computer at all yesterday. I'm making no excuses, but for what its worth, here is a recap of my Monday...

6:30 am - The alarm goes off, UGH! My whole body is sore! I try to be optimistic and chalk it up to the way I slept. I stretch out and hit the snooze button.

6:40 am - Still sore. I had made plans to meet a friend at 8 am and go with her to her riding lesson...I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it. Too early to call, I doze until...

7:26 am - I manage to get out of bed to call my friend to give my regrets. I don't get sick very often, but I'm afraid this time I have to admit I've got a bug. Back to bed and back to sleep.

9:45 am - I get out of bed, feed the dog, migrate to the recliner, eat a cracker, sip some water and fall asleep.

12:00 pm - The noon news is on and I manage to watch it until the end. Its a good thing Roger is a patient dog, because it is around this time that I realize I haven't taken him outside yet. With great effort this is accomplished. My usual practice of mind over matter is just not working!

1:30 pm - After more dozing in the recliner I migrate to the couch. Roger is right there with some comforting snuggles. He sure makes me smile! I sleep some more.

4:15 pm - I take my temperature. It is 99.8 (my normal is usually below normal). I doze off and on some more.

6:00 pm - I feed Roger his dinner and take him outside without making him wait this time. Back to the recliner, sip some more water, think about NaBloWriMo, but take no action. I mindlessly watch TV in between dozing, without recall of what was on.

9:45 pm - I manage a bowl of Rice Chex and some more water. I think briefly again about NaBloWriMo, but it just takes more energy than I can muster.

10:00 pm - Off to bed after brushing my teeth and taking a couple of Ibuprofen. Of significant note here...I made a conscious decision not to floss. Normally I have a very hard time not flossing. It wasn't always this way, but I can count on one hand the nights I've gone without flossing in the past 18 months.

Thankfully, I slept peacefully through the night, dreaming of kayaking on Lake Tahoe, and awoke feeling 99% better.

Hopefully, this will be the last time anyone will have to read such a pitiful post from me.

Sunday Scenes

Today my daughter and I went to a local festival. We had discussed going to lunch afterward, but we really got a late start, and by the time we'd seen all there was to see we decided it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. What to do? I talked her into going for a little Sunday drive in search of photo opportunities.

First we came upon a gang of wild turkeys in an olive orchard. (Gang really is an accepted term for a group of turkeys, as is rafter. I found that out here). They proved to be camera shy, so this is the best photo I could manage before the fled completely out of range.



Across the road from the turkeys I spied these wild grapes.



A little farther on we ran into these cattle grazing in the yard of what once was probably a quite comfortable farm house.



From here we checked out a couple of side roads before heading back. We saw a few more turkeys who crossed the road in front of us and disappeared into a thicket, but nothing else really photo worthy. Our happy little jaunt took us right to dinnertime.

Ahhhh! Autumn!

The days are still bright and sunny, but not sweaty hot. The nighttime and early mornings are crisp and cool, but not shivery cold. Some of the trees around town are beginning to show off their bright colors, while crispy, crinkly oak leaves, in their not so spectacular shades of brown and green, are starting to litter the lawn. Each season has its own special offering, but autumn is by far my favorite.

It wasn't always that way, however. When I was a kid it was all about summer, with countless carefree days spent playing outside, usually barefoot. The long, warm summer evenings were perfect for playing kick-the-can in our cul-de-sac. Summers now still mean fun, but the heat has become much more of an issue. These days, playing outside is always more enjoyable if water is involved.

Spring is always welcome after the cold, short days of winter. The fruit trees, dogwoods and wildflowers bloom, the hills are blanketed in my favorite shade of green, and the temperatures are pleasant. The problem with spring, however, is that it passes too quickly. All too soon the wildflowers fade, the hills turn golden and the thermometer soars to 100.

As for winter, it serves it purpose. I don't complain when winter arrives since ours here aren't too harsh or unbearably long. The occasional snow storms we get are always welcomed with childlike glee, despite the havoc they can create. Likewise, I never complain when winter comes to an end.

Time now to savor all of autumn's goodness...let the raking begin!

Skunks and Geese

Surprisingly (or not), I'm already at a loss for inspiration, so here, just under the wire, is one of my favorite jokes....

There were two baby skunks named In and Out. When In was in Out was out, and when In was out Out was in. One day mama skunk noticed that In hadn't been in in a while, so she said to Out, "Out, please go out and find In so he can come back in." Out went out, looked around, and a couple of minutes later In was back in. Pleased, mama skunk asked Out, "Out, however did you find In so quickly?" Out replied, "Instinct!"


And here is my favorite trivia question...

Picture geese migrating in their typical "V" formation. Most of the time one side of the "V" is longer than the other. Why is that?

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There are more geese on that side!


Do I hear groaning?

Please vote for Luke!

Today is the first day of Nationial Blog Writing Month!

I decided to start off with a shameless plug for a Flickr friend who has entered a photo of one of her standard poodles in a contest, the first prize of which is a gift card to Petco. Mary is seeking to volunteer her time and talents to grooming the dogs that are up for adoption at her local humane society, not only so they will look better (hence, more adoptable), but feel better, too. This organization has no volunteers to help with grooming and they are completely lacking any type of grooming equipment. If Mary wins she will be purchasing clippers and other supplies for use only on the shelter dogs. Here's the rub...while the picture of Luke helping to clean up "their" lake is currently in first place, the winner will be chosen by the site's editorial staff from among the top 10 highest scoring entries. Besides votes, they look at viewing and commenting activity and they also track how many times the entries have been shared on social networks. The contest continues throughout the month of October and you can vote once per 24 hour period, and, best of all, there is no registration required! Just click on this link, then click on "Vote for this Entry." It could hardly be easier! Who could say "no" to something so easy and so worthwhile?

Thanks for your time.