Japanese Woodblock Bird Prints

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From Dover Publications

Enjoy!!

Fall Garden

Garden Parties:

Fishtail Cottage

Tootsie Time

My Fall garden is a mess.

The poor thing has been left to fend for itself.

Low energy and depression has crept in.

Thank goodness for survivors like:

 Purple Potato Plant

(Solanum Wrightii)

Sunflowers

Impatiens

We have Apples!

Figs are coming to the end

The gardens need a big time trim

So does the neighbors Weeping Willow

Cecil Brunner is reaching for the Moon

I will attack soon....

"my one trash bag a day" plan

will probably come into effect.

I did manage to make some Potion Bottles

to put in my Etsy Shop. 

Sisters



A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,

drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As

they talked about life, about marriage, about the

responsibilities of life and the obligations of

adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her

glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance

upon her daughter..

'Don't forget your sisters,' she advised, swirling

the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll

be more important as you get older. No matter how

much you love your husband, no matter how much you

love the children you may have, you are still going

to need sisters. Remember to go places with them now

and then; do things with them.'

'Remember that 'sisters' means ALL the women...

your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other

women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women

always do.'

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman

thought. Haven't I just gotten married?

Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a

married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely

my husband and the family we may start will be all I

need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her mother. She kept contact

with her sisters and made more women friends each

year. As the years tumbled by, one after another,

she gradually came to understand that her mother really

knew what she was talking about. As time and nature

work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman,

sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world,

here is what I've learned:

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

BUT.........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how

many miles are

between you. A girl friend is never farther away

than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you

have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life

will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,

praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on

your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the

valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk

beside you....Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,

daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,

Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended

family: all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and

neither would I.. When we began this adventure called

womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or

sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we

would need each other.
Happy days!

Pina Colada Jam

This recipe was in our local newspaper last week.

It caught my eye and since it calls for Zucchini

and I have lots of Zukes so I thought it was worth a try.

Pina Colada Jam

6 cups Sugar

6 cups Zucchini, shredded and peeled

1 (8oz) can Crushed Pineapple, undrained

1/4 cup Lime Juice

2 pkgs. (3 oz ea) Pineapple Gelatin
(I had to go to a couple of grocers to find this gelatin.
It will be in the Hispanic section)

1 teaspoon Rum Extract

Combine sugar, zucchini, pineapple and lime juice in a large pot.

Bring to boil.

Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat.

Stir in gelatin and extract until gelatin is dissolved.

Pour into jars or freezer containers,

leaving 1/2" head space.

Cool completely before covering with lids.

Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.

I made some Strawberry Fig Jam too, that's what you see in the back.

It reminds me of my Mom's Apricot Pineapple Jam she used to make each year.

It reminds me of my childhood so I really like it.

My older children remember Nana's jam too so they like it.

The younger ones aren't quite sure yet, but are coming around quickly.

My technical adjustments/differences ;):

I just canned it in vintage canning jars from my Mom and Grandmother

 instead of putting it in the freezer.

I didn't have enough Lime Juice so I added

Lemon Juice to make the right amount.

and

just rereading the recipe right now I realize

I put in 2 (6oz) gelatin packets

instead of 2 (3oz) packets...

oops

So that would explain why it's a little stiff....

Oh well, it's still good.