Monday, September 30, 2013

...a little yard work...

...like most little projects around here...we estimate the time it's going to take...

...our neighbors told us that they had only ever seen this post support a bird feeder...but we think it may have been for one of those 60s umbrella type clothesline thingies...so we didn't think that it would be that deep...HA!
...and we estimated that it would take us about 5 minutes to throw a snatch line around this post and pull it up with the truck...

...and then another 15 or 20 minutes to fill in the hole...and throw a handful of grass seed on it...

...right?...

...to quote Dr. E...'well no...not exactly'...(said with a swedish accent)...
...we did back the truck into the back yard...and throw the snatch line around the post...
...but we only succeeded in bending the post over...an even worse situation than just having a useless post standing in your backyard...
...so then the Man spent an hour sawing it off...(and family...no w.o. jokes please...he didn't need any help...at all)...

...and then we covered it with soil and sprinkled the grass seed...and we were done...

...and our theory that every project is going to take AT LEAST twice as long as we estimate...sadly...was proven true once again...

~Wishing you a lovely start to your week!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

...Nanny's Mexican Cornbread...

...Given how often I make this cornbread...I'm surprised that I've never posted about it before...but I searched the blog and don't find a reference to it...I've mentioned Nanny lots of times...and I even mentioned the cornbread...but never posted the recipe...

...so here ya go...
...it's from my favorite old cookbook that the Community Club put together back in the 70s...and you can see that this page is rather well used...I think my Mom may have put the star there...

...I have very fond memories of eating this bread in my Nanny's kitchen...
...it's super easy to make...just dump everything into a bowl and mix...pour it into a greased iron skillet...or biscuit pan - if your sweet Mom happened to give you one of those...we have enough batter to fill the biscuit pan and a small iron skillet too...
...bake until golden brown...it's so delicious...someone grabbed a hot muffin before I could even snap a photo...er...ummm...that would be me...HA!

Nanny's Mexican Cornbread...The Vegan Version

1 1/2 cups self rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self rising flour
2 vegan eggs - I used my favorite flax seed goo and EnerG egg replacer combo
2 medium onions...or one large one...chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper - chopped
3/4 cup oil...I only use 1/2 cup...
1 cup creamed corn
1 cup vegan milk with 2 teaspoons vinegar...I've used almond and soymilk in this recipe with equal success...
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper...I can assure you that I don't use that much...a scant 1/4 is hot enough for me...and I can't remember Nanny's cornbread being that hot either...
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated Daiya cheddar

Mix all ingredients well and pour into a greased iron skillet. Bake at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes.

~Have a lovely weekend!

Friday, September 27, 2013

...another attempt at a vegan soufflé...

...it was delicious...even if it was a bit deflated...

...all of the details over at The Vegan Version...

~Have a lovely day!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

...Uth...and the Sticky Faith Game...

...last night at Uth group (does your youth group like to spell it that way too?)...we played a game called Sticky Faith...
...it involved lots of tape...the object was to be the first team to stick on 10 balloons...
...this team won (not sure why this photo is turned this way)...but their strategy worked best...they put on about three wraps of tape and got busy blowing up and sticking on their balloons...
...this team spent a lot of time covering their guy with tape...and by the time they were done the other team already had their balloons on...

...then they wanted more balloons...of course...

...it was a quick and fun game...and gave us an opportunity to talk about Sticky Faith...

...What's your favorite youth (or Uth) group game?...

~Have a lovely day!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

...Battle of the Bands...

...last night was the annual Battle of the Bands known locally as the Majorette Festival...I think this is the 66th year for this competition...first held in 1947...

...so...Scout spent another evening on the field...arriving at 5 PM and not leaving 'til after 10:30...
...they marched in while it was still daylight...
...and all of the bands joined together for a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner...
...lined up and ready to 'take the field'...
...in position...
...and the show begins...
...they were in the third position for their show...
...I'm pretty sure that's Scout right behind the number 3...but the bell of his mellophone is in front of his face...
...their show was 'Earth Wind and Fire'...so all of us old-timers knew the songs...HA!...
...a sample...
...leaving the field...
...they quickly get into their parade formation for the march back to their seats...always at attention and always in formation...
...after the high school bands...the WVU marching band marched in...there are over 300 of them and they all don't even fit into the picture...
...lined up and ready to 'run' onto the field...that is one big band!...
...they filled up the field with people and the stadium with sound...
...their forms were amazing...W.V.U. spelled out to both sides...
...then their famous logo marches across the field playing the 'fight song'...
...an outline of the state of West Virginia...
...they formed these 'concert arcs' facing the audience and then facing the high school bands and played a few songs in concert...
...it was quite a show!...
...then there was a big star for the finale...
...then the high school bands were back on the field for the awards...

Band Marching - GOLD
Band Playing - SILVER
Field Commander - GOLD
Overall Effect - GOLD
Silks - SILVER...(we called this Flag Corps when I was in Band)

...and our majorette was 1st runner up this year...

...it was an awesome evening for the band...
...after the awards as the other bands are milling about and celebrating...ours...of course is marching off at attention...

...we're all pretty sleepy today...

~Have a lovely day!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

...a new vegan egg cooking gadget...

...I thought I'd share my latest little kitchen gadget with you...

...it's Eggies...
...they're special little plastic cookers for eggs...not really sure why you'd need that instead of the shell an egg naturally comes in...but since mine are vegan eggs...it turns out that it's quite handy...

...remember when I made the Vegan Deviled Eggs...I used some of Scout's little plastic Easter eggs for my egg shaped molds...and it was kinda messy filling those...so these are an improvement...I found them at the local Dollar store (for a dollar) ha!...
...so now I can make perfect pretty little vegan hard boiled eggs anytime...easily...

...what's your newest handy kitchen gadget?...

~Have a lovely day!

Monday, September 23, 2013

...Birthday!...

...someone...who shall remain picture-less...

...has had a birthday!...
...he got a few cards...
...we celebrated a little bit at home...with cake...
...and pressies...
...but the big surprise was at Church!...
...where there were secret decorations...
...with a pretty fall theme...
...with table decorations...
...and balloons...always more of a party with balloons...don't ya' think?...
...and of course there was cake...
...and lots of well wishers...

...it was a perfect day!...Happy Birthday!

~Wishing you a lovely start to your week!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

...finally...a new stair rail...

...I say finally because we've lived here without a stair rail for a year and a half...
...a dear friend came over and brought all his fancy saws and tools...
...the right tools make all the difference...and the help of our friend was such a blessing...
a few hours of work and the rail was complete...
...very precise cuts...
...and tiny little filler pieces...
...and although we had bought a rosette for the top...we didn't end up using it...but just attached the rail directly to the wall...it looks cleaner that way...
...it's finished...it's perfect and we love it so much...
...and after just a couple of hours...
...it seems like it has always been here...
...Jack was a little bewildered at first...
...and we all have to take a couple of extra steps around as our shortcut is gone now...HA!
...a shot in the natural light...

...we still need to fill all the holes from nails and screws...and sand it lightly one more time and put one final coat of poly on it so that it will be perfectly shiny and smooth...

...so...finally a new stair rail...

~Have a lovely weekend!